Eastern Oregon writers of all levels are invited to submit works for an anthology of regional writings, proposed by the Libraries of Eastern Oregon (LEO).

The collection will be called “Writing Home: An Eastern Oregon Anthology” and will feature a wide range of prose and poetry by writers of all ages from through the region.

Submissions may be of essays, short stories or other prose 5,000 words or less and poems of any length. Pieces selected for the anthology may be on any topic, with the connection to “place.”

Residents from any of the 15 counties served by LEO – Wallowa, Union, Baker, Umatilla, Morrow, Malheur, Harney, Lake, Grant, Crook, Wheeler, Jefferson, Gilliam, Sherman or Wasco may enter.

The anthology is set to be published in early 2009 and will be used as a fundraiser to help bring programs to cash-strapped public libraries in the region.

To have written materials considered for the anthology, four copies should be sent to any of the following LEO board members and postmarked by Dec. 31, 2008: Jo Cowling, LEO Chair and director of the Cook Memorial Library, 2006 4th Ave., La Grande; Perry Stokes, director, Baker County Library District, 2400 Resort Ave., Baker City; or Marie Baldo, director, Hermiston Public Library, 235 E. Gladys Ave., Hermiston.

A self-addressed, postage paid return envelope should be included for materials requested to be returned. All entries will be acknowledged. A panel of jurists that includes LEO board members and selected published writers will select pieces for the anthology this fall.

For further information about the anthology or “A Sense of Place”, contact Cowling at 541-962-1339, Stokes at 541-523-6419, Baldo at 541-567-2882 or Craig at 541-763-2355.