Fabulous news about Tim Shea (MFA '08) via Rodney Jones

SIUC faculty member Rodney Jones writes with great news about Tim Shea (MFA '08, poetry):

"Yesterday I got a call from an elated Tim Shea. He had just gotten off the phone with Ciaran Carson. Queen's University has given him a full fellowship (tuition, fees, a 13,000 pound a year stipend plus housing allowance} for their 3 year Ph.D program. It will be all independent study. He'll meet with advisors at the beginning of each term to determine a meeting schedule. His dissertation will be a collection of his own poems prefaced by a significant research essay. He's the first creative writing poetry fellow they've ever admitted."

Congratulations, Tim! We're proud of you!

More about Ciaran Carson and Queen's University, Belfast:
Queen's Univ.

SIUC Writers to Read in St. Louis and Detroit

Jason Lee Brown (MFA '08), Jenna Bazzell (second year, poetry) and Amie Whittemore (second year, poetry) will be part of this year's Hungry Young Poets Series at Duff's in Saint Louis on July 21:
Hungry Young Poets

Also, SIUC faculty poet Allison Joseph will be one of the poets reading for the Detroit Poetry Collective's Summer Reading Series on July 18:
Detroit Poetry

Crab Orchard Review Receives Illinois Arts Council Literary Award!

Crab Orchard Review is proud to announce that the journal has received a 2008 Literary Award from the Illinois Arts Council for Julie Benesh's story "Cami Chicks," which was published in the Volume 12, number 1 issue.

More details about the Illinois Arts Council Literary Awards at:
IAC

Poemspotting: Tim Shea (MFA '08)

"Looking at a Photograph from War Time I Will Be the Next Hit By Fire," a new poem by Tim Shea, appears in the latest issue of Rattle.
Rattle

The SIUC-USI Connection: Southern Indiana Review

Several SIUC MFA grads make appearances in the new issue of Southern Indiana Review, a literary journal published by and at the University of Southern Indiana.

Two poems by Matt Guenette (MFA '99), a review by Melanie Jordan (MFA '01, poetry) of Nickole Brown's poetry collection "Sister," and a review of Ben Percy's (MFA '04, fiction) story collection "Refresh, Refresh" are in this new issue's pages.

For more information about Southern Indiana Review, visit
Southern Indiana Review

Catching Up With Chad Simpson (MFA'05)

Some new publication credits for Chad Simpson (MFA '05, fiction):

My story "Summer of Skin" appears in the May/June 2008 issue of The Rambler.
The Rambler

My story "Rail City" appears online in the latest issue of 5_Trope.
5_Trope

And I recently served as selecting editor for Wigleaf's Top 50 (Very) Short Stories of 2008. Details, along with a foreward by Wigleaf's editor Scott Garson, and an introduction by me can be found at Wigleaf.
Wigleaf

News from Michael Meyerhofer (MFA '06)

Checking in with Michael Meyerhofer (MFA '06, poetry):

"I'm judging the Poetry Society of New Hampshire's National Contest for May (they have four each year, I think). Also, my poem "Albert Einstein Eats a Snow Cone on the 14,000,000,000th Birthday of the Known Universe" is forthcoming in Sojourn."

SIUC Writers Receive Honors in Press 53 Awards!

Congrats to Rachel Furey (second-year fiction), Josh (J Dillon) Woods (second-year fiction), and Alex Lumans (second-year fiction)--all winners in the first annual Press 53 Awards! Rachel won first place in the creative nonfiction category for her piece "Mississippi Mud," Josh won first place in the genre fiction category for "The Exorcise Machine," and Alex was a finalist in the short story category! In addition, Nora Benedict, daughter of SIUC fiction professor Pinckney Benedict, was a finalist in the Young Writers category!

Congrats to all!
For more details, visit the Press 53 website:
Press 53 Contests

Adrian Matejka (MFA '01) selected for Poetry in Motion 2008

SIUC MFA grad Adrian Matejka's poem "Affirmative Action" has been selected as a winner in the Metro Arts in Transit 2008 Poetry in Motion Contest. Adrian is one of fifteen St. Louis-area poets chosen for this honor.

Metro Arts in Transit and the Poetry Society of America 2008 Poetry in Motion® Reading and Reception!

Please join us on Thursday, May 15th, 2008 at the Regional Arts Commission (6128 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63112) to honor this year's Poetry in Motion winners. The reception starts at 7PM and the reading is from 7:30PM-9PM. Guests will include Poets Mary Jo Bang, Changa Bey, and our winners. This event is open to the public and light refreshments will be served. Funding for this project is made possible with financial support from the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

To read the poem, go to
Contest Winners
Scroll through the poster mock-ups using the right tab button. Adrian's poem is number 8 of 15.

New Alumni Publications: Spring 2008

Scott Beem (MFA '04, fiction) has fiction up at Fusion Fragment:
Fusion Fragment

Matt Guenette (MFA '99, poetry) has poetry forthcoming in the new issue of diode (up next week)
Diode Front Page

Paul Guest (MFA '99, poetry) has work in the current issue:
Diode

More Congrats in Order: Ropewalk and Discovery/Boston Review

from Alex Lumans (second-year, fiction):
I figured I'd let you know I also won a half-scholarship to the RopeWalk Retreat for fiction (in Lee Martin's workshop) as
well as a scholarship to attend the smaller Masterclass with Sigrid Nunez.

from Kerry James Evans (second-year, poetry):
Though the winners have already been announced, I was named one of fifty semi-finalists for the Discovery/Boston Review Contest. They received over 800 manuscripts. The judges were Jorie Graham, James Tate and Reginald Shepherd.

Congrats, you two!

Links:
Discovery/Boston Review

Reading & Drinking: May Edition

from the fabulous Amie Whittemore:

My fabulous fillies and coltish colts --

In honor of the Kentucky Derby, the last R&D of the semester's theme is 'Darkhorse,' so gallop on over to Melange on Wednesday to join in the fun.

You should know the drill by now, but if not, here's the stats:

* Melange, 607 S Illinois Ave, Carbondale, IL
* Wednesday, May 7
* 7 pm
* Drinks, trivia, live music!, prose, fiction, plays, poetry, and much, much more (hopefully mint juleps?)
* Toast to Eight Belles, the filly who gave her all at the race on Saturday.

Spread the word.
Darkly, horsefully yours,

~ Amie

Congrats to Greg Schwipps (MFA '98)!

Just received this good news from Greg Schwipps (MFA '98, fiction):

Hey Allison!

Beth wanted me to send you my good news -- I sold my novel! I am excited, to say the least. Ghost Road Press from Denver took it, and it will be out in the spring of 2009. What This River Keeps is the title.

I got my MFA ten years ago this spring, so I think the timing is shapely.

Hope you are well!

Greg Schwipps

Congrats, Greg!

Links:
Ghost Road Press

Academy of American Poets Prize Winners 2008

This year, SIUC's Academy of American Poets Prize graduate prize winner is

Aaron Wheetley for his poem "Obsidian Creek."

Honorable Mentions go to
Sara Burge for "Geometry" and Jason Lee Brown for "Chores With My Father."

This year's judge was recent visiting poet Ciaran Berry.

Nota bene: Jason's poem has been selected for publication by Tar River Poetry.

Congratulations to our winners!

Links:
Academy's College Prizes
Tar River Poetry

SIUC Writers Receive Scholarships to the Ropewalk Writers Retreat

Congratulations to Jason Lee Brown (MFA '08, fiction) and Kerry James Evans (second year, poetry) for receiving scholarships to the Ropewalk Writers Retreat in New Harmony, Indiana:

Here's Jason's news:
My story “Kanamara Matsuri” was chosen as a runner-up in the Playboy College Fiction Contest and earned a partial scholarship to the RopeWalk Writers Retreat. I also won partial scholarships in nonfiction and poetry, which is the first time RopeWalk has offered scholarships in all three genres to the same person. I will be in workshops with Dave Smith (poetry), Susan Neville (nonfiction), and Elizabeth Stuckey–French (fiction). RopeWalk will be celebrating its 20th year in Utopia from June 14-21.

Here's Kerry's news:
I got a scholarship for the Stephen Dobyns workshop at Ropewalk.

Links:
Playboy College Fiction Contest
College Fiction Contest
Ropewalk Writers Retreat:
Utopia in Indiana