KEY WEST LITERARY SEMINAR OFFERS MORE THAN A FEW WORDS ON FLORIDA

Legendary Florida columnists, satirists and novelists Carl Hiaasen, left, and Dave Barry entertain the crowd during the 2024 Key West Literary Seminar on Jan. 13. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly

“Don’t blame us; we just live here.”

Such was the topic of a panel discussion hosted by Florida writers and newspaper columnists Carl Hiaasen and Dave Barry on Jan. 13 as part of the Key West Literary Seminar.

With a timely theme of “Florida: The State We’re In,” this year’s seminar featured a packed roster of Florida writers who tackle the tough and often tempestuous climate that is Florida today.

The audience loved Hiaasen and Barry, friends and colleagues at the Miami Herald for decades, who pulled no punches in their critiques and commentary of the state we’re in.

Legendary Florida columnists, satirists and novelists Carl Hiaasen, left, and Dave Barry entertain the crowd during the 2024 Key West Literary Seminar on Jan. 13. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
Legendary Florida columnists, satirists and novelists Carl Hiaasen, left, and Dave Barry entertain the crowd during the 2024 Key West Literary Seminar on Jan. 13. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
Mandy Miles
Mandy Miles drops stuff, breaks things and falls down more than any adult should. An award-winning writer, reporter and columnist, she's been stringing words together in Key West since 1998. "Local news is crucial," she says. "It informs and connects a community. It prompts conversation. It gets people involved, holds people accountable. The Keys Weekly takes its responsibility seriously. Our owners are raising families in Key West & Marathon. Our writers live in the communities we cover - Key West, Marathon & the Upper Keys. We respect our readers. We question our leaders. We believe in the Florida Keys community. And we like to have a good time." Mandy's married to a saintly — and handy — fishing captain, and can't imagine living anywhere else.