Last In-House Reading for Spring 2009

Hello friends,

Our final In-House reading of the spring semester is this Tuesday, March 24th, from 4-5:30 in the Thebes room (Located behind the Blimpie's in the Student Center, I'm told).

Here are the readers for this Tuesday:


4 -- Justin Benton (2nd year fiction)
4:15 -- Amie Whittemore (2nd year poetry)
4:30 -- Rick Pechous (1st year fiction)
4:45 -- Travis Mossotti (2nd year poetry)

Thank you, and we hope to see you there.


-Janelle

Congrats to Melissa Scholes Young!

Melissa Scholes Young (first-year, fiction) has more good news:

Good morning, Allison. Two more good pieces of news have come my way...

Literary Mama has accepted my poem "Wrestle the Octopus" for publication in their May 2009 journal.

Also, my fiction piece "Postpartum Exile" is up at the literary journal Mused

Links:
Mused
Literary Mama

Congrats, Melissa! Keep the good news coming!

Writers on the Road: U of Memphis edition

A reading announcement from Rachna Sheth (third-year fiction):

On Saturday March 21, Mark Brewin, Rachel Furey, AK Thompson and I will be having an "away game," reading at the University of Memphis at 1:00 pm in Patterson Hall. We are hoping for a good turnout despite the UMemphis vs. Maryland game starting at 2:20. We would like to think listening to us read is more exciting than the first half of a second round NCAA game. There's only one way to find out.

Link:
University of Memphis MFA Program

Upcoming Reading: Minor, Rooney & Benedict

March 23, 2009: Visiting Writers Series presents fiction/nonfiction readings by Kyle Minor, Kathleen Rooney and Laura Benedict
SIUC Student Center Ohio Room, 4-5:30 pm

Novelist Laura Benedict is the author of Isabella Moon, which has been selected as part of Target Stores Breakout Writers promotion, and Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts, both available from Ballantine Books and Brilliance audio. She also co-edits Surreal South, a series anthology of short fiction, with her husband, writer Pinckney Benedict. Her work as appeared in EQMM and other anthologies.

Kyle Minor's work has appeared widely in magazines and anthologies, among them Best American Mystery Stories 2008, The Southern Review, The Gettysburg Review, Surreal South, and Twentysomething Essays by Twentysomething Writers: The Best New Voices of 2006. Kyle is also co-editor, with Okla Elliott, of The Other Chekhov (New American Press, 2008). His writing has been lauded by The Atlantic Monthly, The Columbus Dispatch, and Random House. Originally from Florida, he now lives in Ohio, where he is Visiting Writer at the University of Toledo.

Kathleen Rooney is a founding editor of Rose Metal Press and the author of Reading With Oprah (University of Arkansas Press, 2005), Something Really Wonderful (with Elisa Gabbert, dancing girl press, 2007) That Tiny Insane Voluptuousness (also with Gabbert, Otoliths, 2008), Oneiromance (an epithalamion) (Switchback Books, 2008), and Live Nude Girl (Arkansas, 2009). Her poems have appeared in AGNI online, 32 Poems , and Cincinnati Review, and her essays have appeared in Gulf Coast, Gettysburg Review, Ninth Letter, Southern Humanities Review and Provincetown Arts. She lives in Chicago.

Alumni Reading Alert: Matt Guenette (MFA '99) to read in St. Louis

4 P.M., Saturday, March 28
Black Bear Bakery, 2639 Cherokee, St. Louis

WORDS ON PURPOSE presents a benefit reading by

Matthew Guenette
author of
Sudden Anthem
a collection of funny, raucous & satirical poems
&
Rockwell Gray
essayist, biographer and local historian
author of A Century of Enterprise
a history of St. Louis industry

To Support StudioSTL
A free literary arts center empowering St. Louis youth by partnering them with writers who help them discover, develop, and celebrate their individual voices.

Recommended Donation, $5
100% of proceeds go to StudioSTL

Words on Purpose is a committee of socially concerned writers who produce literary readings to support community-based efforts that improve quality of life and promote equality of opportunity.

Congrats to Curtis L. Crisler (MFA '04)

Curtis L. Crisler (MFA '04, poetry) has exciting news!  His second full-length collection of poems, Pulling Scabs, has been accepted for publication by Aquarius Press! Congratulations, Curtis!

Link:
Aquarius Press Site
Aquarius Press Blog

R&D: March Madness

R&D: March Madness

"R&D," aka "Reading and Drinking," has the March Madness spirit!

3/19/09
7:00 PM
Melange
607 S Illinois Avenue
Carbondale, IL 62901

There'll be words (of poetry, of prose, of admired work) read, activities for the audience, trivia, games, prizes, and much, much more! Come early, come late, all are welcome.

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

News this afternoon from JY (Jared) Sexton (MFA '08, fiction):

Hey,

Wanted to drop a note saying my story "Loose Him and Let Him Go" has been accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of the journal Relief. Also, hope you're feeling better and all is well.

-J

Congrats, Jared (and I'm working on getting better)!

LINK
Relief

Roxana Rivera Memorial Poetry Contest Deadline Nears

ANNOUNCING THE 2009 ROXANA RIVERA MEMORIAL POETRY CONTEST

Join SIUC’s Creative Writing and Women’s Studies Programs as we honor the memory of a wonderful poet and celebrate Women’s History Month.

The Roxana Rivera Memorial Poetry Contest honors the memory of Roxana Rivera (1977-2003), who was a first-year creative writing graduate student from Lynwood, California. Roxana, a graduate of California State University Long Beach, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies and English. While at SIUC, Roxana was a PROMPT Scholar and a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Department of English.

To remember this special woman and poet, a campus-wide poetry contest will be held, with divisions for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Gift certificates will be awarded as prizes in both divisions:
$80 for first place $40 for second place $25 for third place

This contest is open to all students currently enrolled at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Students of all majors are encouraged to participate in this contest.

This Year’s Theme: “Like a Mother, Like a Daughter”

DEADLINE: Friday, March 20, 2009

Submission Guidelines:

Submit an entry packet with:
1) A cover sheet with your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and poem titles. Indicate on your cover sheet whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student.
2) Poem(s) on individual sheets (one poem only per page). No identifying information on the poems themselves, please. There is no entry fee, but there is a limit of three poems per entrant.

The contest theme is provided to spark your creativity, and entries that reflect upon the theme in the lives of women are particularly welcome.

Entry packets should be submitted to Prof. Allison Joseph, English Dept., Faner Hall 2380, Mail Code 4503. Entries may be sent via campus mail or dropped off at the English Department office (Faner Hall 2380) during regular campus office hours. Winners will be honored at a special awards ceremony to be held on March 26, 2009.

In-House Reading Tomorrow!

Janelle Blasdel writes with news of the next In-House Reading:

The second In-House reading of the semester will be held this Tuesday, March 17th , from 4-5:30 in the Missouri River Room of the Student Center.

The line-up of readers is as follows:

Melissa Scholes Young (1st year fiction)
Brenna Lemieux (1st year poetry)
Hannah New (2nd year poetry)
Lane Kareska (1st year fiction)

Thank you, and we hope to see you there.

-Janelle

An Invitation from Liz Whiteacre (MFA '02)

Liz Whiteacre (MFA '02 poetry) invites everyone to come hear Curtis Crisler (MFA '04, poetry). Liz currently teaches writing at the College of DuPage.

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 at whiteacr@cod.edu. Join us to hear Curtis read from his newest collection, Spill.

More good news from Tim Marsh

Tim Marsh (MFA '06, fiction) writes with more good news:

Hope all is well. I wanted to let the program know that I've been awarded an arts grant by the St. John's City Council and Arts Jury. It's a $1000 grant given to assist organizations and individuals working in the professional and amateur arts. The money is much needed, as always. I've also had a piece accepted for publication in the Canadian literary journal Paragon. Just letting you know.

Hope you had a great and productive time at AWP. Wish I could've made it.

Best,
Tim

Link:

Paragon

Adrian Matejka (MFA '01) profiled in St. Louis Post Dispatch

Adrian Matejka (MFA '01, poetry) has been profiled by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as one of three and upcoming St. Louis-area poets:

LINK:
St. Louis Post Dispatch

Congrats to Justin Hamm!

Good news continues for Justin Hamm (MFA '05, fiction):

Hi, Allison --

Just wanted to let you know that my poem "illinois, my apologies" will appear in volume XI of Plains Song Review. Mom, the new baby and I are celebrating by taking a nap.

Cheers,

Justin Hamm

Congrats to Justin (and family!)

LINK:
Plains Song Review

Congrats to Kerry James Evans!

Kerry James Evans (third-year, poetry) writes with this news:

Roger took "How to Avoid an Ambush."

Congrats, KJE!

LINK:
roger

Congrats to Melissa Scholes Young!

Melissa Scholes Young, first-year student in fiction, writes with more publication news:

"The New Plains Review has accepted my story "Guinea Pig" for publication in their Spring 2009 issue. 

New Plains Review

Just wanted you to know that my three literary publications this semester have all come from the CRWROPPS listserve. Keep it coming. It's a wonderful resource and you do a great job keeping us informed. Thanks so much for this service!"

Congrats, Melissa, and thanks for the CRWROPPS shout out!

Check out CRWROPPS at
CRWROPPS or click on Creative Writers Opportunities List in the "Useful Links" list on the right.

Joseph featured in new critical book

SIUC poet and professor Allison Joseph is among the writers featured in a new critical book titled Writing the Future of Black America: Literature of the Hip-Hop Generation, written by Daniel Grassian and published by the University of South Carolina Press.

Find out more about this book here (click on "New Titles" link):

University of South Carolina Press

Congrats to Travis Mossotti!

More love for Travis Mossotti, this time via Pittsburgh:

Allison,

The Fourth River out of Chatham University in Pittsburgh has accepted the following four poems for publication...dang...[ the poems are] “Reminiscing Skyros,” “Creating the Garden,” “I'm Explaining a Few Things” and “Dialogue Box."
Thanks,
Travis

LINK:

The Fourth River

ACM loves SIUC MFAs

No sooner did I post Travis's news than I received this bit of news from Michael Meyerhofer (MFA '06):

Hey, Allison. Just letting you know that a couple pieces, " From One Poet to Another" and "Poem in Which I, and Only I, Get What I Deserve", were just accepted by Another Chicago Magazine. Hope all is well, and congrats again on the book! :)
Michael

LINK:
ACM

Congrats to Travis Mossotti!

Travis Mossotti (second-year MFA, poetry) keeps on keeping on:

Allison,

Another Chicago Magazine has accepted my poem "Glass of Water" for publication. No rest for the weary.

Thanks,

Travis

Congrats, Travis!

Link:
Another Chicago Magazine