Writer Tony Doerr took a big weight off his shoulders in January when he finished his novel set during World War II, “All The Light We Cannot See.” “It’s an absolute thrill to have it off my desk, and even more exciting that the few folks who are reading it seem to love it,” he says. It should be out in early 2014 from Scribner.

Curtis Stigers is writing songs for a new album he plans to record in the spring. On the home front, Stigers raised $83,000 for Interfaith Sanctuary and $11,700 for Usful Glassworks at the seventh annual Xtreme Holiday Xtravaganza in December. Stigers heads to Germany and the U.K. in March, and you can follow him on Twitter @stigerscurtis and on his Facebook page.

After the success of his short-story collection “Volt,” writer Alan Heathcock is focusing on the screenplay for a film adaptation of his story “Smoke” with Boise filmmakers Stephen Heleker and Cody Gittings. You can get involved through their Kickstarter.com campaign. Find out about it at SmokeFilm.com.

When the Trey McIntyre Project performs in Wichita, Kan., on March 29, it will be the first time McIntyre’s choreography has been performed in his hometown. McIntyre has actively been seeking ways to pursue new creative directions while keeping the company moving forward. Starting this summer, he will be full time with the company during its Boise weeks but will no longer tour. Instead he will work on “The Cave Project,”an open-ended creative exploration in an undisclosed location.

Idaho Shakespeare Festival’s 2013 season is almost set. It opens with Noel Coward’s comedy “Blithe Spirit” directed by artistic director Charlie Fee. Then it’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” helmed by Sharon Ott, formerly artistic director of both Berkeley and Seattle repertory theaters. Victoria Bussert returns to direct Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd,” and another new director, former Milwaukee Rep. artistic director Joe Hanreddy, will direct “King Richard III.” Sari Ketter will direct the season-ending show, “The Foreigner.” For tickets, visit IdahoShakespeare.org.

Director Michael Hoffman currently is co-teaching a screenwriting class and a class on Chekhov at his alma mater, Boise State University, with Phil Atlakson. Hoffman’s comedy caper, “Gambit,” opens in the United States in October.