Creative Nonfiction is temporarily changing its area code from 412 to 601.

After three years of holding its literary festival, titled 412, in Pittsburgh, the writing organization is taking a break this year, and is heading south to Oxford, Miss., next year.

Called the Mid-South Creative Nonfiction Conference, the gathering is Feb. 27-March 2 at the University of Mississippi and features many of the same speakers who appeared at the 2006 festival at the University of Pittsburgh.

Plans to resume the festival here are under way, however.

"We're planning a bigger and better literary festival in Pittsburgh next year," said Creative Nonfiction's Hattie Fletcher yesterday. She said the organization "took a breather" in 2007, but wants to return with an event "in conjunction with the city's 250th celebration."

Designs for an expanded festival are still in the early stages, she said. "Right now, we're focused on community building and making the festival more of a citywide event with a lot of other groups represented," Fletcher added.

Launched by Pitt writing professor Lee Gutkind, the first 412 festival was held here in November 2004 with John Edgar Wideman as keynote speaker.

Since-resigned City Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle also appeared in her official capacity to declare it "Creative Nonfiction" week.

At the time, Gutkind said Pittsburgh "deserves a literary festival. ... I've seen so many cities with festivals and felt it was time to do one here."

He added he hoped "we can make this a regular event."

And it was, for two more years. Writers included Kathryn Harrison, Buzz Bissinger, Jewell Parker Rhodes and Mary Karr.

Authors with local roots included Kathleen George, Toi Derricotte, Sharon Dilworth, Hilary Masters and, of course, Gutkind, who initiated the Creative Nonfiction Foundation and its literary journal.

In his 2004 appearance, Wideman read from a work in progress. Now titled "Fanon: A Novel," it will be published in February. As the title indicates, it takes the life of Frantz Fanon, an author from Martinique, essayist, psychoanalyst and revolutionary, as its inspiration.

This festival continues

The Ligonier Valley Writers Conference will be held in Ligonier July 25-26. This long-running event highlights the efforts of regional writers and offers workshops on writing and publishing.

It also publishes the Loyalhanna Review. The latest edition will be released next month.

The Web site is ligoniervalleywriters.org.

Another festival heard from

A booklet based on the Women in the Arts Festival held earlier this year will be released Friday at the Last Days Cafe get-together.

The New Hazlett Theater backed the festival and has put together samples of the comments of the 36 women recognized by the event.

The Hazlett is also host of the cafe, a monthly gathering of people in the arts at the North Side theater, at 5:30 p.m. Call 412-320-4612.

Book ends

• The Million Book Digital Library Project at Carnegie Mellon University has passed its goal of scanning a million books in the public domain to an Internet site.

• David Cicotello and Angelo J. Louisa, compilers of "Forbes Field: Essays and Memories of the Pirates' Historic Ballpark," are signing and selling the book here this week:

Thursday: Jay's Book Stall, Oakland, 3-5 p.m.

Friday: Barnes & Noble, South Hills Village, 7-9 p.m.

Saturday: Borders Books & Music, East Liberty, 3-5 p.m.