Grassroots Release Party Today (April 30, 2008)

Check out the DE's article on Grassroots, SIUC's undergraduate literary and art journal:
Grassroots release party

Poemspotting: Paul Guest (MFA '99)

Paul Guest (MFA '99, poetry) is back up again at Verse Daily.
VD
Paul's poem

SIUC Writers at Fifth Wednesday Celebration

First-year poet Amie Whittemore and faculty poet Allison Joseph are contributors to the second issue of Fifth Wednesday, a magazine based in the Chicago area:
Fifth Wednesday
Amie and Allison will be attending and reading at one of the two upcoming release parties for the second issue of this journal. They will be at the May 4th reading:
Release Parties

Allison Joseph in SLAB

Allison Joseph's poem "What Poetry Is" appears in the new issue of SLAB (Sound and Literary Art Book), a journal published at Slippery Rock University. The poem was the first-place winner in the Elizabeth R. Curry Poetry Contest:
SLAB

Poemspotting: Paul Guest (MFA '99)

Paul Guest was the featured poet today at Verse Daily, but it looks like they forgot to pay their internet bill!
So let's visit Paul's blog instead:
Paul's blog

Congrats to Matt Guenette (MFA '99)

A new "edition" at Matt Guenette (MFA '99, poetry)'s house:

AJ--

On Thursday, April 24, Julie gave birth to our first child, a son, August Philip Guenette. It was a long, at times complicated labor, but Julie and August are doing well.

--Matt

Congrats, Matt!
PS There's a photo of the little guy at Matt's blog
meet August

Congrats to Rachel Furey!

Rachel Furey, a second-year fiction writer, has sent the following great news:

Dear Allison:

I just wanted to let you know about some exciting news. I have a short nonfiction piece forthcoming in Women's Basketball
magazine.

Cheers,
Rachel Furey

Congrats, Rachel!
Link to Women's Basketball Magazine
Women's Basketball

Grassroots Reading: April 30, 2008

Grassroots, the undergraduate literary journal of SIUC, will hold its release party/open reading on April 30, 2008 from 7 to 9 pm in the Faner Courtyard (second floor, across from COLA Dean's office). It's an open mike with free gifts! In case of rain, the party will move indoors to the Faner Humanities Lounge.
Details here:
Grassroots press release

Poemspotting: Measure edition

Poems by two SIUC MFA alums and a current faculty member appear in the new issue of Measure: A Review of Formal Poetry:
"Crow & Winter" by Jake Boyd (MFA '07, poetry), "Cherry" by Elisabeth Meyer (MFA '07, poetry) and "Against Therapy" by Allison Joseph.

Measure's website
Measure

MFA Graduation GALA--April 25, 2008

The Creative Writing Program of Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Department of English
cordially invites you to attend our MFA Celebration

April 25, 2008
6:30 PM
Student Center Renaissance Room

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

Helena Bell
Jason Lee Brown
Sara Burge
Martin Anthony Call
Mary Keck
Shanie Latham
Andrew Lewellen
JY Sexton
Timothy Shea

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

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

Poemspotting: Chad Parmenter (MFA '05)

Chad's poem "Batellite, Batellite of Love" appears in the latest issue of Black Warrior Review (Spring/Summer 2008, issue 34.2).
The poem won first place in the Third-Ever Fiction and Poetry Contest sponsored by BWR.

Visit Black Warrior's website at
BWR

Visiting Writers Series: Jake Adam York on 4/24/08

The Visiting Writers Series and Crab Orchard Review present a reading by
JAKE ADAM YORK

Thursday, April 24, 2008
4:00 PM, SIUC Student Center Video Lounge (4th Floor)

This reading celebrates the publication of Jake Adam York's new book, A Murmuration of Starlings, published this year by Southern Illinois University Press in the Crab Orchard Series in Poetry. The reading is free and open to the public. A reception and book signing will follow in the Old Main Lounge (2nd floor, next to the Old Main Room).

About the author:
Jake Adam York is an associate professor of English at the University of Colorado-Denver. His first book of poems, Murder Ballads, was published in 2005. His poems have appeared in such journals as Blackbird, DIAGRAM, Greensboro Review, Gulf Coast, Shenandoah and Southern Review. York was raised in northeast Alabama.

About A Murmuration of Starlings:
"Through a ceremony of language and song, A Murmuration of Starlings consecrates and memorializes the souls, blood, and bones of those black men and women slaughtered on the altar of hate and violence during the Civil Rights era. With a lucid, shrewd inteligence and a commanding vision of healing and atonement, Jake Adam York makes an offering of images and music that seems the foundation of a new understanding and remembrance." --Major Jackson, author of Leaving Saturn

Visit Jake's web site at
Jake Adam York

Michael Meyerhofer's new chapbook now available

Michael Meyerhofer (MFA '06, poetry)'s new chapbook, The Clay Shaper's Husband, is now available from Codhill Press. The chapbook won their annual chapbook competition.

Find out more at
Codhill Press

Last In-House Reading for Spring Semester 2008

from the lovely and witty Amie Whittemore:

Dear roadest of runners and wiliest of coyotes,

Tomorrow (4/21) marks the end of the spring in-house readings.
Let's take this thing out in a blaze of glory.
Let's paint tunnels onto the sides of mountains.
Let's defy/thwart/vandalize gravity.

Come to the Mackinaw Room in the Student Center to enjoy a spoonful of Canada, a smidge of ol' St. Louis, and a hint o' Chicagoland in the stylings of:

4:30 JAMES SCOLES, 1st year fiction

4:45 TRAVIS MOSSOTTI, 1st year poetry

5:00 RACHNA SHETH, 2nd year fiction


Earthily and quakingly yours,

~ Amie

Poemspotting: Meyerhofer/Perillo

New poems by Michael Meyerhofer (MFA '06) and former faculty member Lucia Perillo appear in the latest issue of Ploughshares, guest-edited by Philip Levine.
Lucia's poems are "Job Site, 1967" and "Love Swing." Michael's poem is "Against Etymology."

Ploughshares web site:
Ploughshares

Alumni Update: Kevin McKelvey (MFA '04)

Here's an update from Kevin McKelvey (MFA '04, poetry):

"I recently accepted a Visiting Assistant Professor position at the University of Indianapolis to teach freshman writing, professional writing, creative writing, editing, and publishing. I really enjoy teaching this variety of classes, and I look forward to working at a medium-sized liberal arts university committed to the local community. Also, recent work has appeared in Timber Creek Review, which published a poem I wrote during a Young Writers' Workshop class, and River Oak Review."

Congrats, Kevin!

Writers on the Road Reading Update

from the lovely Amie Whittemore, the following update regarding the next Writers on the Road reading. This time we play host to :

Readers from Ball State University, Indiana State University, and Murray State University.
April 18
SIUC Student Center, Cambria Room
4-6:30 p.m.

Writers on the Road: Wash U edition cancellation

The edition of Writers on the Road featuring SIUC MFA students reading on the campus of Washington University scheduled for Thursday, April 17 has been cancelled due to the unexpected passing of Washington University MFA student and poet Eric Van Cleve. All of us at the SIUC MFA program extend our deep condolences to the students, faculty and staff at Washington University.

Writers on the Road: Wash U edition

Writers on the Road's latest upcoming installment has SIUC writers reading at Washington University in St. Louis:

The Washington University reading will be held Thursday, April 17th, at 8pm in the Hurst Lounge, located in Dunker Hall on the main campus. We'll serve refreshments, maybe take a little break about half-way through.
SIUC readers include:
Helena Bell
Sara Burge
Travis Mossotti
Rachna Sheth

Here's a campus map, Dunker is #25 on the list, and really easy to find:
WUSTL

And here's the address for the main campus:
Washington University Campus
1 Brookings Dr
St Louis, MO 63130

Wash U writers will read on the SIUC campus on April 18. Details on that event to come--watch this space!

SIUC Writers at the Southern Illinois Writers Guild

Allison Joseph, Laura Benedict and Jacinda Townsend are all scheduled for presentations with the local writers group the Southern Illinois Writers Guild. Details here:
SIWG

Do You Love Cheap Books?

Then be sure to check out:
Southern Illinois's largest Book Sale
at
Carbondale Public Library
405 West Main, parking lot entrance on Monroe Street
in the Brush Building next to the parking lot
No electronic or phone isbn searchers permitted
8 rooms of books!!

Saturday, April 12, 2008, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Half-price sale Sunday, April 13, 1 - 4 p.m.
Friends Preview
(Must be a member of the Friends of CPL.
Memberships begin at $5 - join at the door.)
4 - 6 p.m., Friday, April 11

Book donations are sought and books can be dropped off
during regular Carbondale Public Library hours.

New Pinckney Benedict Fiction in IMAGE

The awesome PB writes:

"My story “The World, the Flesh, and the Devil” is in the current issue (#57) of IMAGE: Art, Faith, Mystery, along with an essay on the language of the Gospels by Franz Wright and an interview with Ron Hansen. An online interview with me is posted here:"
IMAGE

Remember: Mother's Day is May 11th

Allison Joseph is a winner in Trellis Magazine's Mother's Day Formal Poem Contest.
Trellis

Writers on the Road: St. Louis Style!

Jason Lee Brown has sent along the schedule for the latest installment of "Writers on the Road." This time, SIUC MFAs will be spending time with the fine graduate writers of Washington University and of the University of Missouri St. Louis.

Itinerary for the Writers on the Road Reading and Other Festivities

Friday, April 11th
7:00pm: UMSL MFA Reading: Five graduating poets and writers from UMSL's MFA program will read from their theses at the E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Theater of The Touhill Performing Arts Center. This is on the UMSL campus. Cash bar and snacks provided. SIUC and Wash U students are invited to this event. (Doors open at 7:00; reading starts at 7:30.)

10:00pm (approx.): Go to Blueberry Hill in The Loop for post-reading festivities.

Saturday, April 12th
2:30-4:30pm: Writers on the Road reading at Black Bear Bakery: 2639 Cherokee Street, St. Louis, MO 63118. (See map below.) Please arrive at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the reading. Readers will be provided with a food voucher for $10 worth of food and beverages to be used at Black Bear Bakery.

Reading order is as follows:
--Amanda Goldblatt
--Chris Dennis
--Erin M. Bertram
--Vincent Guerra
--Jason Lee Brown
--Tim Shea
--Rachel Furey
--Mary Keck
--James Scoles

Interview with Ben Percy (MFA '04)

Ben Percy (MFA '04, fiction) has been interviewed by the good folks at Southern Indiana Review:
Check it out at
SIR
Reminder: Ben's reading in Evansville has been rescheduled for April 14.
Ropewalk Reading Series:
Readings at USI

Events with Ciaran Berry: Thursday, April 10, 2008

Thursday, April 10, 2-3:15 pm, English Department Conference Room

Students and faculty are welcome to come meet visiting poet Ciaran Berry and take part in an informal conversation about contemporary American and Irish poetry and publishing.

Thursday, April 10, 4:00 pm, SIUC Student Center Auditorium

Ciaran Berry reads from his first collection of poems, The Sphere of Birds, published by SIU Press in North America and by Gallery Press in Ireland. A reception and book signing will follow the reading (reception in the Old Main Lounge).

Poemspotting: Rodney Jones

Rodney Jones fans take note: Two new poems by Mr. Jones appear in NOR: New Ohio Review (Spring 2008, Number 3).
The poems are "104" and "Feelings, by Ashley Higgins."

More about NOR here:
New Ohio Review

In-House Reading Monday, April 7

A note from the lovely Amie Whittemore to remind all of the upcoming In-House Reading this Monday:

Dear snapdragons and tulip-faces,

The reminder that brings a tear of joy to your inbox has arrived. Feel free to frolic.
Don't miss this week's line-up featuring a Sox fan, an Alabaman (is that a word? and if it is, isn't it strange looking?), and a farmer's daughter (which is which? who is who? we'll never tell).

The info:

In-house Reading - Mackinaw Room, SIUC Student Center

4:30 John Flaherty (2nd year fiction)

4:45 Amie Whittemore (1st year poetry)

5:00 Kerry James Evans (2nd year poetry)


Hope to see your lovely faces there,

~ Amie

Ben Percy (MFA '04) Reading at USI postponed

Ben Percy's reading at the University of Southern Indiana has been postponed from its original April 8 date to April 14, 2008.
The time and place (5 p.m. in Kleymeyer Hall in USI's Liberal Arts Center) remain the same.

Rodney Jones to read at Mississippi State

Our own Rodney Jones will read from his work at Mississippi State University on April 16, 2008.
More details here:
Miss State English

Judy Jordan to read at Murray State University

SIUC's own Judy Jordan will read from her poetry at Murray State University on Thursday, April 10th.
The reading is at the Clara M. Eagle Gallery at 7:30 pm.
Details here:
Murray MFA

Upcoming Reading, April 10: Ciaran Berry

The Visiting Writers Series and Crab Orchard Review present a reading by
CIARAN BERRY

Thursday, April 10, 2008
4:00 PM, SIUC Student Center Auditorium

This reading celebrates the publication of Ciaran Berry's new book, The Sphere of Birds, published this year by Southern Illinois University Press in the Crab Orchard Series in Poetry. The reading is free and open to the public. A reception and book signing will follow in the Old Main Lounge.

Ciaran Berry's first collection of poems, The Sphere of Birds, was released this spring in North America by Southern Illinois University Press and in Ireland by Gallery Press. His poem "Electrocuting an Elephant" was selected to appear in the Best American Poetry 2008 by Charles Wright. He is from the northwest of Ireland and he teaches in the Expository Writing Program at New York University.

More about The Sphere of Birds:
SIU Press

MFA Students Represent at this year's AEGIS Conference

AEGIS, the SIUC English department's graduate organization, has planned its yearly conference for Thursday, April 3 to Saturday, April 5.

MFA students will be in full effect during this year's conference. Creative writers will be doing readings and presenting papers. Here are some highlights from the schedule:

Thursday, April 3, Missouri Room, SIUC Student Center, 4:30 pm
Readings by Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum, Helena Bell, and Tim Shea

Friday, April 4, Mississippi Room, SIUC Student Center, 9:30 am
Readings by Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum, Kerry James Evans, Alex Lumans
Mississippi Room, SIUC Student Center, 1:45-2:45, Reading by Pinckney Benedict
Mississippi Room, SIUC Student Center, 3 pm, Readings by Sara Burge, Mary Keck, Will Tyler

Saturday, April 5, Sangamon Roon, SIUC Student Center, 9:30 am
Readings by Rachel Furey, John Flaherty, Shanie Latham
Mackinaw Room, 1:45 pm: Reading by Rodney Jones
Sangamon Room, 3:00 pm: Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum reads his paper "A Low Dishonest Decade: The Self-Imposed Revisions of W.H. Auden"
Sangamon Room, 4:30 pm:Readings by Rachna Sheth, JY Sexton, Kerry James Evans

Social Event at Melange (aka "R&D") at 8 pm

Congrats to Helena "Hel" Bell (MFA '08)

on her acceptance to law school! Hel will be attending law school this coming fall at Washington University in St. Louis.