RCM

Rainbow Railroad Road to Freedom Literary Festival Jan 12th, 2023, in NYC
2023-01-10 18:00 - 2023-01-12 21:00 (America/New_York) | PA
by John Brooksgraphite and colored pencil on paper
There are 69 UN Member States where being LGBTQ+ is criminalized, and in 10 of those countries the sentence for same-sex intimacy can be death. Come join me as I host the Road to Freedom Literary Festival at Penn 1 in NYC on Jan 12th, 2023 , with all benefits going to the Rainbow Railroad, a wonderful NGO that like the Underground Railroad of lore, extracts LGBTQ+ threatened by their governments. You can buy tickets here.

“Everyone Loves You Here” by John Brooks. 2022. 50″ x 38.5 ” To be auctioned in 2023 for the benefit of the Rainbow Railroad.

MILFORD MOONS: Book-Lover’s Scholarship and Fundraising Event
2025-06-07 12:00 - 14:00 | Hotel Fauchere, Hotel Fauchere, 401 Broad Street, Milford, PA, 18337, United States
Internationally renowned author and Milford Readers & Writers Festival Editorial Director Richard C. Morais will be launching his latest book, Milford Moons: A writer’s visual love letter to his ancestral village, with a book signing and fundraising exhibit of related photographs. This joyous and special event will take place June 7th between 12 – 2 pm at the historic and beautiful Hotel Fauchère at 401 Broad Street, Milford, Pa. 18337. Milford Moons steadily rose to become a #2 Amazon Best Seller in its “Individual Photographer Essays” category.
An award-winning Forbes and Barron’s business-journalist veteran, and the New York Times best- selling author of The Hundred-Foot Journey novel that was made into a major Hollywood film, Richard is also the fourth generation of his family to live in the village. Milford Moons, a coffee table book filled with over 250 photographs, is a moody and atmospheric celebration of his nightly ramblings through town with his dogs, visually capturing the mysterious, timeless, and deep connections he has with this Eastern Pennsylvanian village.
The book launch’s attending exhibit will showcase throughout the summer 20 hand-picked, limited edition (1/10) photographs from the book in the entry hall of the hotel. A generous portion from the sales of these framed and signed prints will be donated to the Pike Artworks “Book-Lovers Scholarship” that he is establishing on behalf of the 2025 Milford Readers & Writers Festival held September 12-14.
Aware that the festival’s passes are not affordable for some, Richard decided to spearhead a fund to purchase tickets that can be donated to deserving book lovers who would like to attend but otherwise could not. To that end, 25% of the profits from the sale of the framed prints will go to this worthy case.
The public is invited to the free event to meet the author for this, the first (hot off the press) book-signing and art exhibit in the stately Hotel Fauchère.

A Night to Remember: The 2025 TriVersity Writers Scholarship Fundraiser
2025-08-22 17:00 - 19:00 | 403 Broad Street, Milford, Pa. 18337, 403 Broad Street, Milford, PA, 18337, United States
Be inspired by the LGBTQ+ literary voices of the past while lifting the LGBTQ+ literary voices of the future. “Living Legend” journalist Frank Pizzoli discusses the writers in his acclaimed book Passionate Outliers, shedding light on the “Violet Quill” and why era-defining literary voices like the late Edmund White and Milford’s own Sean Strub emerged and shaped the Gay Liberation Movement. An enlightening and entertaining evening, moderated by award-winning journalist Richard C. Morais, which also promises to do good. Proceeds are earmarked for the TriVersity Writers Scholarship Fund, so a young and aspiring LGBTQ+ writer can attend the Milford Writing Institute and have their emerging literary voice heard. Buy event tickets or make a donation here.

Date: August 22
Time: 5 to 7 pm
Place: 403 Broad Street, Milford, Pa. 18337

Milford Writing Institute: Fall 2025 Retreat Program
2025-09-12 15:00 - 2025-09-19 17:00 | La Posada, 210 2nd Street, Milford, PA, 18337, United States
Aspiring Writer’s Retreat: Masterclasses with Richard C. Morais
Subjects: Fiction, Memoir and Non-Fiction.
Target Audience: Aspiring writers interested in improving their skills and body of work, leading to publication.
Retreat requirements: A significant start on an ambitious piece of writing; must submit a 10-page writing sample and have a Zoom interview with Milford Writing Institute’s founder, Richard C. Morais. If accepted, you will then be asked to send the entire work in progress so Richard can read and digest your work before the retreat, so he is fully prepared to be of help and value.
Program: Three days of inspiration at the Milford Readers and Writers Festival, followed by a 5-day writing retreat. Mornings will be devoted to group editorial discussions; afternoons to writing, with attendees polishing their work based on the editorial comments they’ve received during the week. Each student is guaranteed in-depth private masterclass/masterclasses with Richard, and workshopped session/sessions with all attendees discussing your work. Since we will also be dining and relaxing together at key points in the day, there will be many other opportunities for engagement. At different points, Richard will also invite in special writers/guests to come talk to attendees about forging their own literary route and the business of writing and getting published.
Group size: Max 10.
