Websites of Some Wonderful SIU MFA alumni

Here's a far-from complete list of SIU Carbondale MFA alums:

Sarah Burge:
http://www.saraburgeverse.com/home.html
Hannah New:
http://www.uofupress.com/staff-directory.php
Amie Whittemore:
https://amiewhittemore.wordpress.com/
Sarah McCartt Jackson:
http://sarahmccarttjackson.com/
John McCarthy:
https://johnmccarthylit.wordpress.com/
Sequoia Nagamatsu:
http://sequoianagamatsu.net/ 
Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum:
http://www.andrewmk.com/
Michael Meyerhofer:
http://www.troublewithhammers.com/
Adrian Matejka:
http://adrianmatejka.com/reads/
Benjamin Percy:
http://benjaminpercy.com/
Kerry James Evans:
http://www.kerryjamesevans.com/
Mark Jay Brewin Jr.:
http://markjaybrewinjr.com/
Paul Guest:
http://paulguest.blogspot.com/ 
Travis Mossotti:
http://www.travismossotti.com/

2015 Devil's Kitchen Fall Literary Festival at SIUC

Coming soon: October 21-October 23, 2015
Devil’s Kitchen Literary Festival at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

The Devil's Kitchen Literary Festival, named after the famous lake, is an annual three-day festival featuring readings, panels, and book signings by published writers from across the country. The event is a great opportunity to meet published authors and to celebrate their works. It is free and open to the whole Southern Illinois community. Three of the authors attending are winners of the Devil's Kitchen Reading Awards in Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction, David Tomas Martinez (Poetry), Megan Milks (Fiction), and Ben Tanzer (Nonfiction). They will read from their works as a part of the festival.

The festival starts on Wednesday October 21st and ends Friday October 23rd. There are a total of eight events including readings by the 2015 Devil’s Kitchen Reading Award in Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction, readings by other honored guests, writing panels, and book signings by the many acclaimed authors. All of the events will be held in the first floor of the Morris Library, schedule below.

Event, Date, Time
Book Reading by Ben Tanzer
Oct. 21st, 8-9 PM
Writers Panel featuring Sass Brown, Lisa Fay Coutley, Angie Macri, David Tomas Martinez, Megan Milks, and Ben Tanzer
Oct. 22nd, 11-11:50 AM

Poetry Reading by Crab Orchard Series in Poetry Authors - Sass Brown and Lisa Fay Coutley
Oct. 22nd, 2-3:15 PM
Reception and Book Signing featuring all visiting writers
Oct. 22nd, 3:15-4:30 PM
Readings by the 2015 Devil’s Kitchen Reading Award Winners in Poetry and Fiction featuring David Tomas Martinez and Megan Milks
Oct. 22nd, 4:30-6 PM
Q & A 20 Years of Crab Orchard Review: A Conversation with Editor-in-Chief and Poetry Editor Allison Joseph and Managing Editor Jon Tribble
Oct. 23rd, 10-10:50 AM
Readings by Grassroots Editors and Contributors
Oct. 23rd, 1-1:50 PM
Poetry Readings by Angie Macri
Oct. 23rd, 2-2:50 PM

Congratulations to SIUC's own Jon Tribble

Fabulous news from Jon Tribble, SIUC's most-hardworking editor:

It is my great pleasure to announce that my first collection of poems, Natural State, will be published by Glass Lyre Press in 2016. I will sign my contract next month after everyone is back from the holidays, but I received word from the publisher and managing editor, Ami Kaye, that it was fine for me to share this news and I couldn't be happier. I had such a great experience working with Ami and Lark Vernon Timmons on the recent feature in Pirene's Fountain and I look forward to working with them and all the Glass Lyre Press staff on my first book (at least from the writer's and not the editor's side).

Thanks to Allison and to so many friends over the years for continuing to remind me that I am a writer as well as an editor. I hope this confirms your faith and encouragement.

SIUC MFA grad Michael Meyerhofer (MFA '06) has won the Etchings Prize for his fantasy novel, Wytchfire!

Details about the prize here:
http://www.uindy.edu/cas/english/etchings-prize

Details about the book here
http://www.troublewithhammers.com/books.html

SIUC fiction prof scores GRAMMY Nomination

Congrats to SIU MFA fiction professor Scott Blackwood, who has earned a GRAMMY nomination!

http://www.grammy.com/nominees

Here's the official nomination information from the Grammy.com site:

http://www.grammy.com/nominees​

66. BEST ALBUM NOTES

Happy: The 1920 Rainbo Orchestra Sides

 

David Sager, album notes writer (Isham Jones Rainbo Orchestra)

Label: Archeophone Records

I'm Just Like You: Sly's Stone Flower 1969-70

 

Alec Palao, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Label: Light In The Attic Records

Offering: Live At Temple University

 

Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (John Coltrane)

Label: Resonance/Impulse

The Other Side Of Bakersfield: 1950s & 60s Boppers And Rockers From 'Nashville West'

 

Scott B. Bomar, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Label: Bear Family

Purple Snow: Forecasting The Minneapolis Sound

 

Jon Kirby, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Label: The Numero Group

The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume One (1917-27)

 

Scott Blackwood, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Label: Third Man Records/Revenant Records

SIU MFA Graduates Win NEA Fellowships!!!

Congratulations to Staci R. Schoenfeld (MFA '14) and Kerry James Evans (MFA '09) on receiving National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships in Poetry!!!

An Interview with SIUC MFA grad Ruth Awad!

An interview with Ruth Awad, SIUC MFA grad, poet, and tattoo artist!

Schedule for the 2014 Devil's Kitchen Literary Festival

The 2014 Devil's Kitchen schedule is set! 

2014 Devil’s Kitchen Literary Festival
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday, October 22 – 24
(All Events in SIUC’s Morris Library)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22

8:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Reading by Kathleen Hale
John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.         

Fiction Panel featuring Janet Burroway, Kathleen Hale, Justin Herrmann, and Victoria Redel
John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

2:00 – 3:15 p.m.

Poetry Readings by Dan Albergotti and TJ Jarrett
John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

3:15 – 4:30 p.m.
Reception and Book Signing featuring festival readers
1st Floor Rotunda (Morris Library)
(sponsored by the SIUC Dept. of English and the Southern Illinois University Bookstore)


4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Readings by the 2014 Devil’s Kitchen Reading Award Winners in Poetry and Prose
Steven D. Schroeder and Victoria Redel
John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24


11:00  – 11:50 a.m.
Poetry Panel featuring Dan Albergotti, TJ Jarrett, Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum, and Steven D. Schroeder
John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)


2:00 – 2:50 p.m.
Readings by Justin Herrmann and Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum
John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

Fantastic News for Three SIUC Poetry Alums!

The creative writing faculty woke to the spectacular news that three
of our alumnae won large amounts of poetry cash in the annual Dorothy
Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Prize competition.

Leslie Adams (MFA' 12) Ruth Awad (MFA '12), and Amie Whittemore Shea
(MFA '10) all won for poetry they submitted to this national poetry
competition! Leslie and Ruth are winners in previous years as well.

For more details about this contest, visit www.dorothyprizes.org

poet Max Schleicher (MFA '13) writes with great news

Finally some good news. MAR is picking up my poem "Grape Picker's Song."

Hope Faner Hall is still bracingly austere!
Max

Congrats, Max!!!

fantastic news for Brooks Rexroat (MFA fiction)

I'm profoundly grateful to the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference
Katharine Bakeless Nason Endowment and the Camargo Foundation for
selecting me as a 2014 Bakeless Camargo Residency Fellow, which will
allow me to work for a month on the Camargo campus in Cassis, France.
I also appreciate the incomparable Allison Joseph, who recommended I
check into Bread Loaf in the first place. After another year with four
day jobs, this is welcome news and welcome writing time.

Utterly Fantastic News About Ben Percy, SIUC MFA Graduate

Something to howl about: FOX TV is adapting Red Moon as a series and
I'm co-writing the adaptation with Oscar-winner Akiva Goldsman (A
Beautiful Mind, Winter's Tale)

Congratulations, BEN!!!!!

Fwd: publications

New publication news from Mark Jay Brewin, Jr (MFA '11, poetry):

ahoy there, allison.

hope all is well with you fine folks out in carbondale. i am pleased to say that Mead: The Magazine of Literature & Libations accepted my poem "Mix-tape (#5) With the One That Still Always Breaks My Heart," Rappahannock Review accepted "Mix-tape (#4) With the One That I Still Haven't Learned the Lyrics To," Waccamaw accepted my Sweetelle "In Vineland" (again, such a great form!), Jabberwock Review accepted "Helium," and The MacGuffin accepted "Self-Portrait at 13."

cheers,

-mb.

Congrats, Mark!!!

Fwd: Poetry Publication

Good news for MFA poetry alum Andrea Wagner (MFA '13):

Hi Allison,

I can't believe that I've kept forgetting to email you with good news:
my poem "This Is How You Hold the Reins" is forthcoming in CALYX in
2014! Pretty fine first pub, I think.

Hope all is well in Carbondale!

Best,

Andrea

SIUC MFA alum featured in NY Times

Just wanted to share this interview with SIUC MFA graduate Kerry James Evans, which appeared in the New York Times yesterday.  Kerry James's first book of poems, Bangalore, was recently published by Copper Canyon Press. He is a PhD graduate of Florida State as well as a graduate of our MFA Program:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/kerry-james-evans-from-combat-engineer-to-poet/?_r=2&

Great news about SIUC MFA Graduates!!!

Adrian Matejka (MFA '01) is a National Book Award in Poetry finalist for his collection, The Big Smoke (Penguin, 2013).

James Scoles (MFA '09) won the CBC Poetry Prize, the most lucrative prize given for a single poem in Canada in a calendar year!

Devil's Kitchen Literary Festival Schedule 2013

2013 SIUC Devil's Kitchen Fall Literary Festival Schedule

October 2, 2013 at 1:21pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16

 

8:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Reading by L. Annette Binder

John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

 

 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

 

11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.                  

Fiction Panel featuring L. Annette Binder and Mark Brazaitis

John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

 

2:00 – 3:15 p.m.

Poetry Readings by Jeffrey Skinner and Jason Sommer

John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

 

3:15 – 4:30 p.m.

Reception and Book Signing featuring all festival readers

1st Floor Rotunda (Morris Library)

(sponsored by the SIUC Dept. of English and the Southern Illinois University Bookstore)

 

4:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Readings by the 2013 Devil's Kitchen Reading Award Winners in Poetry and Prose

Stevie Edwards and Mark Brazaitis

John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

 

 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

 

11:00  – 11:50 a.m.

Poetry Panel featuring Stevie Edwards, Jeffrey Skinner, and Jason Sommer

John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

 

2:00 – 2:50 p.m.

Readings by Miles Harvey and Audrey Petty

John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

 

3:00 – 3:50 p.m.

Q & A with Miles Harvey and Audrey Petty

John C. Guyon Auditorium (1st Floor Morris Library)

Honors for SIUC MFA GRADS!!!

Great news about two graduates of the SIUC MFA Program!

James Scoles (MFA '09) is a finalist for CBC Poetry Prize:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/cbc-poetry-prize-taps-5-finalists-1.1856659?cmp=rss

Adrian Matejka (MFA '01) has been longlisted for the National Book Award in Poetry:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2013/09/17/national-book-award-longlist-for-poetry/

fiction alum James Scoles making waves in Canada!

Catching up with MFA '09 grad James Scoles:

I hope all is well with you and in Carbondale, and big hugs to everyone in the program.

Some really good news to share:

Oberon Press will release the latest in their Coming Attractions series this fall, which features three emerging Canadian writers--including me--and three short stories of mine.

I was awarded a Manitoba Arts Council writer's grant--$5000--to write the final draft of my Irish novel, Spit in the Ocean.  I will also return to Ireland this coming spring.

And today I was long-listed for the 2013 CBC Poetry Prize, the largest single poetry prize in Canada.

I am also once again teaching Creative Writing and Reading to Write Creatively this fall in the University of Winnipeg's Creative Writing Program.

Take care and thanks again for all your help and care over my three years!

Congrats, James!!!

Re: More pub news!

An update from Mark Jay Brewin Jr (MFA '11):

Just dropping you a line to update you on some good news! My poems "Pastoral" was accepted for publication at Antioch Review, "On Dream Catchers" was accepted at Yemassee, and "On Spring Coming" was accepted for publication at Blue Earth Review. Good stuff indeed. (Also also, the sweetelle is an addictive form. Really dig how it works, the cadence. Can't wait to start sending it out there!)

I am missing all of you back at SIUC terribly so... hope you're all well!

On Fri, Aug 9, 2013 at 8:17 AM, Mark Jay Brewin, Jr. <mark.jay.brewin.jr@gmail.com> wrote:

Ahoy there, Allison!

Just dropping you a line to update you on some good news! My poems "Pastoral" was accepted for publication at Antioch Review, "On Dream Catchers" was accepted at Yemassee, and "On Spring Coming" was accepted for publication at Blue Earth Review. Good stuff indeed. (Also also, the sweetelle is an addictive form. Really dig how it works, the cadence. Can't wait to start sending it out there!)

I am missing all of you back at SIUC terribly so... hope you're all well!

Cheers,
-mb.

On Thu, Aug 8, 2013 at 2:01 PM, Allison Joseph <aljoseph@siu.edu> wrote:

Hi MJB!

Could you do me a solid and put all your recent pubs and accolades in one paragraph and we'll run it on the blog that way?

Love,

AEJ

On Mon, Aug 5, 2013 at 10:29 AM, Mark Jay Brewin, Jr. <mark.jay.brewin.jr@gmail.com> wrote:

Ahoy there, Allison.

Just dropping you another note to let you know that my poem "On Dream Catchers" was accepted for publication at Yemassee! Pretty stoked about this one.

Hope all is well in the 'Dale.

-mb.