More Good News from SIUC MFA Alums!

from David Bond (MFA '98, poetry):

Semi-Finalist, Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mike Award, Chicago, June, 2008
First Place, Poetry, Southern Illinois Writers’ Guild Contest, Sept 2008, for “I Hear You’re Getting Married”

Two of my poems will be used in other works—
“Temporary Work Stoppage,” (8 lines) will be included in The State of Southern Illinois: A History of the Land Between the Rivers, by Herb Russell, publication date of 2011, Southern Illinois University Press.
“Quiet Time: For Verne Morton” –this poem will be the lead page into a Verne Morton biography, featuring his photographs. The book’s title is also from a line of my poem—Great Possibilities: 150 Verne Morton Photographs. This 300 page book is scheduled for publication in May, 2010, Six Mile Creek Press.
The poem “Hard Women” (a slight revision of “Aurora”) is scheduled to appear in the Fall 2009 issue of The Cape Rock.

from Tim Marsh (MFA '06, fiction):
Hey Allison--
Some good news for the blog. I've just had a piece accepted by the White Whale Review. The piece is nonfiction and will be appearing either this week or next. The name of the piece is "Fast Food Bad, Fruit Stand Good."

Hope everything is well back there,
Tim

from Josh Woods (MFA '09, fiction):
Editor of THE VERSUS ANTHOLOGY, which hits shelves this month
(May 2009)
Associate Editor of SURREAL SOUTH ’09 (forthcoming 2009)
Short fiction “Small Dead Monkey” in Main Street Rag’s Fiction Anthology XX ECCENTRIC, which hits shelves this month (May 2009)
Short fiction “Jesus VS Thor” in THE VERSUS ANTHOLOGY
Excerpts from his novel, ALL HELL, in SURREAL SOUTH ’09
Short fiction “The Exorcise Machine” in THE PRESS 53 OPEN AWARDS ANTHOLOGY (2008)
Winner of the 2008 Press 53 Open Awards in Genre Fiction

Matt Guenette (MFA '99, poetry):
I was chosen for the 2009 Hessen-Wisconsin Writers Exchange. I'm currently working out details with my college. Looks like Jules, Auggie and I will be living in Wiesbaden thru Aug, Sept, and Oct. I'll be doing workshops and such while I'm there, but primarily I'm being given an opportunity to work on my next manuscript.
You can learn more about the Hessen-Wisconsin Writers Exchange at:
Writers Exchange

Liz (Kershner) Whiteacre (MFA '02, poetry)
I won the Vesle Fenstermaker Poetry Prize for the 2008 Indiana University Writers' Conference. :)

Cynthia Roth (MFA '01, poetry):
One poem, “The Sound of Love Failing,” included in the cooperative anthology “Letters to the World: Poems from the Wom-Po Listserv."

WTTW Chicago's series Arts Across Illinois featured poet Cynthia Roth on Friday, May 23 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday May 25 at 5:30 pm in Chicago, 2008. This program also ran on WSIU in Carbondale and Olney in the fall of 2008 and may run again at the discretion of the program director.

Congrats to all these alums on their recent achievements!

Grassroots Open Mike Reading and Publication Party

A note from Kathleen Richards, editor-in-chief of GRASSROOTS, SIUC's undergraduate literary

and art journal:

HELLO EVERYONE!

I am happy to announce 2009's GRASSROOTS MAGAZINE RELEASE PARTY!!!

The magazine is being shipped to us as we speak, so our second annual get together will be held next Thursday, May 7th in honor of the new magazine.
There will be an open mic where all who are and are not published in the magazine are encouraged (but not at all required) to read their work to an adoring crowd.
There will also be food and beverages HOWEVER due to a budget problem we will not be able to be as lavish as we were last year.  Therefore, if anyone wants to bring some food or drink to share with all it would be greatly appreciated (but, again, not required).
I understand this is finals week and some of you may be busy but I really hope that you all can take some time out and come party with us.  I promise that the new magazine is beautiful and I know that everyone who's been involved with it has worked very hard, so you all deserve to party.
This is open to the public, so feel free to bring friends, family members, acquaintances, strangers, and whoever else you would like to!

Ok, so here's the rundown:

DATE: THURSDAY MAY 7TH, 2009
TIME: SIX P.M.
LOCATION: FANER BREEZEWAY (the same place we had it last year; outdoor deck on the second floor of Faner above the university musuem)
GOAL: HAVE FUN AND CELEBRATE THE MAGAZINE; EAT FOOD AND READ WORK

Thanks so much everyone, hope to see you next Thursday!!

-Kathleen Richards
Editor-in-Chief

--
GRASSROOTS Undergraduate Literary Magazine
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Reading Reminder: Curtis Crisler reads at College of DuPage

Just a reminder about Curtis Crisler (MFA '04, poetry) reading at Liz Whiteacre's school:

You are invited to "An Evening with Curtis Crisler" at College of DuPage (425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137) on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 from 7:00-8:30 pm, SRC 1450. To RSVP, so she may send you more information, email Liz Whiteacre (MFA '02, poetry). Join us to hear Curtis read from his newest collection, Spill.

MFA Graduation GALA!

The Graduate Creative Writing Program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

cordially invites you to attend its annual MFA Graduation Gala

Saturday, May 2, 2009
6-10 pm
SIUC Student Center Renaissance Room

These eleven graduating students will read briefly from their thesis works:

Kerry James Evans
Renee Summer Evans
John Flaherty
Rachel Furey
Alex Lumans
Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum
Rachna Sheth
William Tyler
Aaron Wheetley
Abby Wheetley
Josh Woods

Please join us in wishing them congratulations and godspeed. There will be a reception with refreshments before the readings and during the intermissions.

Graduate Faculty: Pinckney Benedict, Rodney Jones, Judy Jordan, Allison Joseph, Beth Lordan, Jacinda Townsend, Jon Tribble.

Praise for Renee Wells (MFA '06)

Not surprised to hear that Renee Wells (MFA '06, poetry) is receiving praise for her innovative teaching at the University of Alabama:

Details here:
Missing Ink

Interview with SIUC Poet in Heartland Women

An interview with Allison Joseph, SIUC faculty, appears in the local woman-focused newspaper Heartland Women (click on the link for the April 20th edition):

Heartland Women

Academy of American Poets Prize Winners 2009

A note from the contest coordinator, Mr. Rodney Jones:

Robert Wrigley, this year's judge, praised many of the poems in this year's competition, saying that it was difficult to choose the winners.  

His selections were:

First Place:  "Getting Arrested" by Travis Mossotti
Second Place: "Interlude--(for Domestication)" by Sarah McCartt
Honorable Mentions:  
"Capital Wire and Cable, 1968" by Will Tyler
"Trivial Pursuit" by Travis Mossotti

Please congratulate the winners.

For more about the Academy of American Poets, visit

Academy of American Poets

R&D: April Means Love

with an R&D tribute to Danielle Steele.

Ought to be a hoot.  Last R&D of the semester.

Come after enjoying Alison Townsend's reading.

Melange, Thursday 4/23/09,  7 pm

607 S. Illinois Avenue, Carbondale

poetry-fiction-drama

drink specials-trivia-prizes

Congrats to Mark Brewin!

First year MFA in poetry Mark Brewin has good news:

Ahoy, Allison.

Just a quick note to you--my poem "A History of Nut Allergies" was just accepted at the Packingtown Review. Hot dog.
-mark.

Congrats, Mark!
Packingtown Review

Congrats to Melissa Scholes Young!

Melissa Scholes Young, first-year MFA student in fiction, keeps the good news coming:

LaChance Publishing has accepted my nonfiction essay "Herstory" for its Voices Of anthology. The book will be published this fall.
LaChance Publishing

Also, my nonfiction "Brazil: 10 Ways" is up at Stone's Throw Magazine.
Stone's Throw

And, I'm off to the New Plains Review Launch Party in Oklahoma City, OK to read my fiction, "Guinea Pig." If you squint really hard you can see my name on the cover the magazine :)
New Plains Review

Congrats, Melissa!

Upcoming Reading: Alison Townsend

The Visiting Writers Series and Crab Orchard Review present a reading by Alison Townsend

Thursday, April 23, 2009
4 PM, SIUC Student Center
(Video Lounge, 4th Floor)

This reading celebrates the publication of Alison Townsend's new book, Persephone in America, published this year in the Crab Orchard Series in Poetry. The reading is free and open to the public. A reception will follow in the Old Main Lounge.

Alison Townsend is an associate professor of English and Women's Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She is the author of And Still the Music, What the Body Knows, and The Blue Dress: Poems and Prose Poems. Her poetry collection Persephone in America was selected by David Wojahn for a Crab Orchard Series in Poetry Open Competition Award and was published in 2009 by Southern Illinois University Press.

Congrats to Alex Lumans!

Alex Lumans, third-year student in fiction, has some cross-genre action to report:

Allison,

Some hot XXX cross-genre action. A poem of mine, "On the Eve of My Father's Second Book," made the top 20 finalists in the 2009 Single Poem Contest sponsored by the S.C. Poetry Initiative and The State newspaper.

Best,
Lumans

Congrats, Alex!

LINK:
S.C. Poetry Inititative

Congrats to Rachel Furey!

Rachel Furey, third-year student in fiction, is the bearer of some very good news!

Dear Allison:

I'm thrilled to share the news that Tobias Wolff chose my short story "Birth Act" as the winner of Sycamore Review's Wabash Prize.

Cheers,
Rachel Furey

Congrats, Rachel! You make us proud!

LINK:
Sycamore Review

Author Appearances: SIUC Faculty Writers

Allison Joseph, SIUC faculty in poetry, will be on her unofficial "Southern Tour" this week. All readings are free and open to the public!


4 pm, April 15, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN
Morgan University Center, room 303

6:30pm, April 16, Spelman College, Atlanta, GA, Cosby Auditorium
reading with Toi Derricotte, Cornelius Eady and Kevin Vaughn
launch party for Spelman College's literary journal Aunt Chloe.

1pm, April 18, Arkansas Literary Festival, Little Rock, AR
reading with Ann Fisher-Wirth and Andrea Hollander Budy
a reading from When She Named Fire, an anthology of poetry by women
Ozark Classroom, Arkansas Studies Institute

Praise for Pinckney Benedict!

Fiction faculty member Pinckney Benedict writes to tell of a special mention for his work:

My work got a nice mention in the Washington Post's Arts & Leisure section, in an article by Frank Arhens about the new PBS documentary APPALACHIA. He didn't care much for the miniseries, unfortunately, but he kindly mentions my stories.

Post

Congrats to Kerry James Evans!

More publication news from third-year poet Kerry James Evans:

The Pinch just accepted "Arachne's Tapestry."

-KJE

LINK:
The Pinch

Congrats to Tim Shea (MFA '08)

Good news from the now-stateside Tim Shea (MFA '08, poetry):

Hey Allison,

Good news. Poetry London will publish three of my poems, 'Larkin Shaving', 'The Geography of Rain', and 'A Short Film About Loss' in their next issue.

Take Care,
Tim

LINK:
Poetry London

Undergraduate Student Poetry Prize: for SIUC Students

Undergraduate Student Poetry Prize

Cash Award & One Year Membership to the
Academy of American Poets

To Enter:
Submit up to 3 Poems
Deadline: Wednesday, April 15th 4 p.m.

SIUC undergraduates submit an entry packet to: Prof. Judy
Jordan, English Dept. Faner Hall, Mail Code 4503 or drop off at
the English office, Faner Room 2380 during regular hours.

Entry packet should include:
1) A cover sheet with your name, address (including date this
address is good until), phone number, email address, and poem
titles. Plus an address good after May 15th.
2) Poems on individual, separate pages. Include title on poems
but not your name please.

Upcoming Reading: Ed Pavlic

Poet Ed Pavlic will read at SIUC at on April 16, 2009 in Faner Hall's Harry T. Moore Auditorium at 7pm, with a reception to follow at 8pm in the Faner Humanities Lounge.

For more about Ed Pavlic, visit
UGA Faculty Page

Writers on the Road: Ball State edition

Writers on the Road visits Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana:

Details:

Southern Illinois University's Writers on the Road series will read from 3:30-4:30 pm on Friday, April 10 in Bracken Library Room 225. Featured readers include Kerry James Evans and Travis Mossotti, poets, and Renee Evans and John Flaherty, fiction writers.

Directions to Muncie:
BSU Maps

Congrats to Kerry James Evans!

Third-year MFA in poetry Kerry James Evans scores again!

Allison,
New England Review just accepted "A Good Hunt."
Thanks,
Kerry James

Congrats, KJE!

LINK
New England Review

R&D April Edition: The Birds and the Bees

R&D, aka "Reading and Drinking," is back for its April edition, "The Birds and the Bees."

poetry-fiction-drama-drink specials-trivia=prizes

Melange, 607 S. Illinois, Carbondale
Thursday, 4/9/09
at 7pm

Melange's website:
Melange

Congrats to Kerry James Evans!

Good news for Kerry James Evans (third-year in poetry):

Allison,

Agni just accepted "Seven Chants, A War Cry" for its Fall Issue.

-KJE

Congrats, Kerry!

LINK:
AGNI

Academy of American Poets Prize Guidelines

From Rodney Jones's door in Faner:

Each year, the creative writing program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, in conjunction with the Academy of American Poets, presents a poetry prize. The prize of $100 is given for the best poem and is open to all SIUC graduate students.

Contestants should submit up to three poems to
Rodney Jones, Coordinator
Academy of American Poets Prize
Department of English
Southern Illinois University Carbondale

by April 7, 2009.

Manuscripts should be prepared as follows:

Along with your submission, submit a title page listing your titles, your name, your e-mail address and your regular address. Include your title, but not your name, on the manuscript of each poem.

Announcement of winners and runner-ups will be made before the end of the semester.

Allison Joseph to read at APSU

Allison Joseph, creative writing faculty, will read from her work at APSU in Clarksville, TN:

Leaf-Chronicle

Alumni Profile: Greg Schwipps (MFA '98)

Here's a profile of Greg Schwipps (MFA '98) from his undergraduate alma mater:

De Pauw University News

Greg is back at SIUC for the Little Grassy Literary Festival and will be reading from his new novel on Friday, April 3 at 11 am in the Student Center Auditorium.

Congrats to Mark Brewin!

Mark Brewin, first-year poet, writes with this good news!

Ahoy there, Allison.

Just dropping you an e-mail to say my poem "Fidel Castro Visits a Frat Party" has been accepted for publication in New Delta Review. Whoa, sugar.

-mark.

Congrats, Mark!
LINK:
New Delta Review

Little Grassy Literary Festival: Robert Wrigley

Poemspotting: Amie Whittemore

"Visiting," a poem by second-year MFA student Amie Whittemore, appears in the Spring/Summer 2009 issue of Atlanta Review.

LINK:
Altanta Review

Little Grassy Literary Festival: Kercheval reading

Congrats to Melissa Scholes Young!

First year fiction writer Melissa Scholes Young has more good news!

I wanted to let you know that Stone's Throw Magazine is publishing my nonfiction piece "Brazil: 10 Ways." 

Thanks,
Melissa

LINK:
Stone's Throw

Congrats, Melissa!