Alumni News and Notes: Late November Edition

SIUC MFAs have been busy! Check out these notes from alums all over:

Tim Marsh (MFA '06 , fiction):
The LA Review just nominated my story "How to Make White People Happy" for a Pushcart, while The Splinter Generation just nominated my story "A Month Before 30, Summit of Signal Hill" for Best of the Web. Pretty cool. Another short story of mine, "Transit Wives" was also recently published in Monkeybicycle.

Justin Hamm (MFA '05, fiction):
There's audio of my poem "Uncle Fat Elvis," which appeared in The Battered Suitcase earlier this year, on the website Whale Sound. Poems on Whale Sound are read by Nic Sebastian, who has a great voice and a great ear and treats each poem carefully and lovingly. It is highly informative to have her record your work. Hopefully other SIUC poets can send some things her way!

Link:
Justin

Also of note, newly published work by alums appears in new issues of the Cincinnati Review and in Copper Nickel, respectively. Cincinnati Review (volume 7, number 2) features a poem by Travis Mossotti and a story by Alex Lumans; Copper Nickel features new poems by Adrian Matejka, Kerry James Evans, and James Thomas Miller.

Poetry alum Melanie Dusseau has accepted a teaching position at Northwest State Community College in Archbold, Ohio!

Congrats to Bryan Estes!

First-year poet Bryan Estes has great pre-Thanksgiving news:

"It's official--my first publication. The Compass Rose has accepted my poem, "Love is nothing like a rose." It was probably the $20 I slipped in the envelope."

Congrats, Bryan!

LINK:
Compass Rose

MFA fiction alum Chad Simpson (MFA '05) sends this news:

My story "Fourteen" recently appeared in Matchbook:
Fourteen

My essay "Obnubilate" just went live in the latest issue of The Collagist
Chad

Congrats, Chad! Great to see you and hear you read at Devil's Kitchen!

Chad's website:

Monday, November 15, 2010

Catching up with Jim Gill (MFA '99, fiction)

Here's an update from fiction alum James (Jim) Gill:

Had a story appear in August at Fried Chicken and Coffee:
Fried

Then of course my story in the Crab Orchard issue 15.2.

And I just had a story accepted at Bull: Men's Fiction (it should be out fairly soon; I'm working on revisions with the editor).
Bull: Men's Fiction

Oh, and I'll also have a short piece appear at The Common in their dispatches section soon, though I don't know when exactly, but will update when it's up as well.
The Common

Congrats, Jim, on all this good news!

Allison Joseph to read at Western Kentucky University

SIUC faculty poet will read Monday, November 15 at Western Kentucky University:
Creative Writing @ WKU

Congrats to Mark Brewin!

Mark Brewin, third-year poet, continues his streak of acceptances:

"My poem "Scrap Iron" will now be appearing in the North American Review. I am unsure of what issue yet, but I'll keep all the good folks out there posted."

Good going, MB! You've had quite a fall!

LINK:
North American Review

Congrats to JY (Jared) Sexton (MFA '08)

Great news from fiction alum Jared (JY) Sexton (MFA '08):

"My story Just Listen was nominated for Dzanc Books' "Best of the Web 2011" Anthology. Today I found out my story "They Put a Shovel in Your Hand and You Dig" has been accepted by Inkspill Magazine."

Double bonus! Congrats, Jared!

LINKS:
DZANC Books
Inkspill

Talk for SIUC Undergraduates on applying to graduate school in creative writing

from Shawn Mitchell:

Are you considering attending grad school in creative writing? Come out on Wednesday, November 17th when current Graduate students in the SIUC MFA program will hold a panel discussion on applications, strategies, and everything in-between.

There will be light refreshments and a worksheet handout w/ info and sample personal statements. Panel Presenters will consist of three fiction writers and one poet, and a representative from each year of our three year grad program: Brenna Lemieux, Shawn Mitchell, Sequoia Nagamatsu, and Nick Ostdick.

If you have questions, or would simply like a leg up, come to the humanities lounge in Faner from 4:30-5:30 next Wednesday the 17th. See you there!

Light refreshments will be served.

Congrats to Brenna Lemieux!

Third-year MFA poet Brenna Lemieux also has great news to share:

"I found out this week that The Hollins Critic has accepted my poem "Migration" and wants to give me 25 smackers for it (dollars, not kisses). So that's neat."

Congrats, Brenna!

LINK:
Hollins Critic


NB: Hollins Critic quite likes us--second year poet Leslie Adams also has a poem forthcoming in this journal.

Congrats to Amie Whittemore!

Two fantastic bits of news from poetry alum Amie Whittemore (MFA '10):

One:
"Vermont Studio Center has granted me a full fellowship for next July! I was happily surprised to find out the news on Friday -- perfect for a weekend of celebrating!"

Two:
"I wanted to let you know that Hollins Critic accepted my poem "The Empty Lot" for publication."

Congrats, Amie, on all this good news!

LINKS:
Hollins Critic
Vermont Studio Center

Congrats to Ingrid Moody!

Ingrid Moody, poetry MFA alum (MFA '07), writes with this sensational news:

"Just got exciting news--my chapbook won the Robert Phillips Poetry Chapbook Competition and will be published by Texas Review Press!"

Congrats, Ingrid!

LINK:
Texas Review Press

Congrats to Justin Hamm (MFA '05)!

Also sending good news this morning is Justin Hamm (MFA '05, fiction):

"Just wanted to drop a line to let you know Cold Mountain Review picked up my poem "The Flour Epiphany" and RockSaw Press has set a firm release date for my chapbook "Illinois, My Apologies" -- it'll be released at AWP next year."

Congrats, Justin!

LINKS:
Cold Mountain Review
Rock Saw Press

Congrats to Peter Lucas!

First-year fiction writing student Peter ("Pete") Lucas has great news to report this Friday morning:

"I am very pleased to report that my story, "The Boy" will be appearing in the 2011 issue of The Owen Wister Review. Thanks to both Jacinda and Beth for their suggestions."

Congrats, Pete!

LINK:
Owen Wister Review

Congrats to John Stanford Owen!

Congrats are also in order for second-year poetry student John Stanford Owen:

"I'm thrilled to announce that VPR will be accepting "Grief Harbor, 1995" for publication in their Spring 2011 issue. I'm slightly psyched. Okay, I'm very psyched."

Congrats, JSO!

LINK:
Valparaiso Poetry Review

Congrats to Mark Brewin!

Third-year poetry student Mark Brewin keeps racking up the forthcoming publication credits:

"My poem "The Pecking Order" has been accepted for publication in Cold Mountain Review."

Congrats, MB!

LINK:
Cold Mountain Review

Writers on the Road: UMSL edition

Writers On The Road Reading at University of Missouri Saint Louis

Friday, November 5 · 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location 450 Lucas Hall, UMSL, St. Louis, MO.

The University of Missouri St. Louis is pleased to present MFA students Shawn Mitchell, Nick Ostdick, Leslie Adams and John Stanford Owen from Southern Illinois University Carbondale as they read from their work. There will be a brief question and answer period following the reading. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Congrats to Kathleen Hale!

First-year fiction student Kathleen Hale's story "The Corn" has been published by SmokeLong Quarterly:
Kathleen's "The Corn"

Congrats, Kathleen!