Spelling for a Cause

Here’s a fun event: on October 24th in the Highline Ballroom of the Standard Hotel in New York City, Nancy Franklin and Francine Prose “return to defend the coveted aluminum foil crown against a swarm of usurping spellers.” That’s right: a spelling bee for a good cause. What could be more fun?

The Place to Bee starts with canapes and cocktails and a silent auction at seven pm, followed by the main event at eight when a cadre of celebrity spellers will do their best, all to raise money for the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses.

Spelling competitors will include HarperCollins publisher, Jonathan Burnham; The New Yorker’s Nancy Franklin; James Frey (Bright Shiny Morning); David Rakoff (Half Empty); Elissa Schappell (Blueprints for Building Better Girls); Simon Winchester (The Alice Behind Wonderland); Meg Wolitzer (The Uncoupling) and others.

Want more information on how to sign up and take part? It’s here.