John Dos Passos, author of the U.S.A. trilogy and many other works, first visited Key West in the
1920s and told his friend Ernest Hemingway about the place. He met his wife Katy at the
Hemingways' -- the couple rented this house at 1401 Pine St., then the outskirts of town,
during the winter of 1934.
Financial Assistance for Writers
Joyce Horton Johnson Fiction Award
2009 Winner: Martha Otis
Marianne Russo Scholarship
2009 Winner: Patricia Engel
Scotti Merrill Memorial Scholarship
2009 Winner: April Puciata
Our three named scholarships recognize excellence in a manuscript submission from a new or emerging writer. These scholarships provide full tuition to either session of our January 2009 Seminar and the workshop program. In addition, the scholarships may provide support for travel, lodging, and living expenses while in Key West and an opportunity to appear on stage at the Seminar.
The Joyce Johnson Fiction Award is supported through the generosity of Joyce Johnson, a Key West resident. The Scotti Merrill Memorial Scholarship is named for Scotti Merrill, a Key West resident and longtime friend of the Seminar who died in 1999. Funding for this scholarship has been generously provided by The Dogwood Foundation in Scotti's memory. The Marianne Russo Scholarship is named in the memory of Marianne Russo, a devoted friend of the Seminar who died last year. This scholarship is generously funded by The Rodel Charitable Foundation-Florida.
In addition to these scholarships, we have a limited amount of financial assistance available to writers who would otherwise not be able to attend the Seminar or writers' workshop program.