SWOSU Press Release

Weatherford, OK - The 2025 Westview Festival at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) featured award-winning fantasy author and Oklahoma native David R. Slayton as its keynote speaker. Held on Wednesday, April 16, at the Hilltop Theatre, the event welcomed students, faculty, and community members for an evening focused on storytelling, creativity, and connection.

During his keynote address, Slayton shared how growing up in rural Oklahoma shaped his writing and outlook. He spoke about the power of books to transform lives and encouraged aspiring writers in the audience to pursue their stories, emphasizing the importance of creating space for new and diverse perspectives in literature. His talk was followed by a Q&A session where attendees asked about his writing process, how he approaches worldbuilding, and the challenges and rewards of working in the fantasy genre.

In addition to the evening keynote, Slayton spent the day on campus meeting with SWOSU students through classroom visits and a creative writing workshop. These sessions gave students the chance to ask questions about publishing, writing, and career paths, connecting what they learn in the classroom to real-world experiences.

Slayton is the author of five novels, including the Adam Binder series and Dark Moon, Shallow Sea, which received the 2024 Colorado Book Award. His work has also been recognized by the Mythopoeic Society, and he is the founder of Trick or Read, an initiative that promotes literacy by giving away books on Halloween.

A recording of Slayton’s keynote address is now available on the SWOSU Digital Commons for those who were unable to attend in person: https://dc.swosu.edu/guests/2.

This year’s Westview Festival was presented by the SWOSU Department of Language & Literature, the Western Plains Library System, and the Al Harris Library.

For more information, contact Phillip Fitzsimmons at 580-774-3030 or phillip.fitzsimmons@swosu.edu.