5.05.2010
Oh, and: MFA READINGS!
Our non-fiction readers will be:
Lisa Ekman
Carla Feinstein
Haili Graff
Ron Horton
Merilee Karr
Jan Kurtz
Jenny Tatone
Our poets will be:
Wendy Bourgeois
Michael Achterman
Chris Cottrell
Wendy Noonan
Our fiction readers will be:
Bob Balmer
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
The dates for the readings are:
May 17 - Poetry
May 19 - Fiction
May 21 - Non-fiction
All readings will begin at 7:30 p.m., and there will be a little time beforehand to mingle and have some hors d'oeuvres. Catering will be provided by Elephants Deli, so it will be delicious.
All of the readings are at Blackfish Gallery, located at 420 NW 9th Ave., on 9th and Glisan. It's a really nice space.
This is a great opportunity to see what PSU's up-and-coming writers are doing! We are going to have a great night of food, reading, hopefully a little wine and beer, and a celebration of all the hard work that our MFA comrades have done.
See you there!
This just in from Ooligan!
Ooligan is having a flash fiction contest! Winners will receive various passes to the Write to Publish conference on May 22 and 23. The deadline is listed as May 7 on the site, but they will likely be extending that.
Here's the info from the site:
To further the dialogue in this striking genre, we are now accepting submissions for our 2010 Write to Publish Flash Fiction Contest. The deadline is May 7, so please get writing.
First Prize: 1) workshop of your choice on Day 1 of Write to Publish conference, 2) two passes to Open House Day, and 3) a copy of You Have Time for This, Ooligan’s book of flash fiction.
Second Prize: 1) two passes to Open House Day and 2) a copy of You Have Time for This.
Third Prize: 1) one pass to Open House Day and 2) a copy of You Have Time for This.
All three winning stories will be displayed on the Ooligan Press website.
Guidelines:
Please submit one flash fiction piece of fewer than five hundred words. There is no specific theme, but we are not seeking genre-specific work (i.e. romance, western, sci-fi). Work can be previously published if you let us know where. All submissions should be sent as an attachment to events@ooliganpress.pdx.edu, with a note about your interest in the Write to Publish conference and an optional brief bio in the email body. Please include “Flash Fiction Contest” in the subject line.
Here's the link to the contest page.
Get out there and write.
4.20.2010
Rigoberto Gonzalez Reading
Please, please, please get your tickets for this wonderful event! This is a trial run in the Portland area. PEN is testing the Portland waters, deciding whether or not to put us on their map. Let's pack the house for this and insure that we'll be part of the itinerary for upcoming PEN offerings.
Thanks to an exciting collaboration between Literary Arts and the Miracle Theatre Group, Portland will participate for the first time in the PEN World Voices Festival this month. In 2004, PEN President Salman Rushdie decided that the organization needed to do more to create cultural understanding in post-9/11 America. The result was PEN World Voices, a festival of international literature that gathers hundreds of writers from around the globe to participate in panels, conversations, and readings in New York City.
Now, six years later, Portland begins what we hope will become an annual tradition when Literary Arts and the Miracle present Rigoberto González on Monday, April 26 at 7:30 pm at the Miracle Theatre. Rigoberto is an acclaimed poet, memoirist, novelist, and critic. He is also the author of young adult and children’s books. For this event, Rigoberto will be reading from his memoir Butterfly Boy, winner of the American Book Award, and from his poetry collection, So Often the Pitcher Goes to Water until It Breaks,selected by Ai as part of The National Poetry Series. In an in-depth on-stage conversation, he will also discuss his life, his creative process, and his work, including Fifteen Years of Latino and Latino Writing, the recently released (March, 2010) Camino del Sol anthology of poetry, nonfiction and fiction which he edited for The University of Arizona Press.
I hope you will join us for what will be a unique literary evening. And please spread the word. (Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at HulaHub or at 503.236.7253.
Paulann Petersen
Please note e-mail change to paulann@paulann.net
Visit my web site at www.paulann.net
11.16.2009
MFA Q and A
Theoretically, all the information is on the web site, I suppose. But unfortunately, web sites aren't great about answering questions. Lucky for us, though, Paul Collins and Michele Glazer ARE great about answering questions, which is why they are going to be our official question answerers at this little thesis Q&A coffee klatsch I'm planning!
So here are the details (or "deets" as the young kids say):
What: MFA Thesis Question and Answer Session
Where: NH 407, a.k.a. the English Department Conference Room
When: Thursday, December 3, from 3:oo p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
I am also compiling a list of questions ahead of time so that I can let Paul and Michele know what to expect. So send your most burning questions to gradlit@pdx.edu or respond to this post, and I'll make sure to include them.
11.02.2009
Support Your Local Authors!
Here are the details:
WHEN: Wednesday, November 4, 2009. Doors open at 7 and the reading begins at 7:30.
WHERE: Urban Grind, at 2214 NE Oregon St.
ADMISSION CHARGE: $3-$5 (A bargain at any price!)
WHO: Joel Bettridge, poet and teacher; Tom Bissell, fiction writer and teacher; and Peyton Marshall, fiction writer and Portlander.
~ JOEL BETTRIDGE is the author of two books of poetry, That Abrupt Here (2007) and Presocratic Blues (2009), as well as the critical study Reading as Belief: Language Writing, Poetics, Faith (2009). He co-edited, with Eric Selinger, Ronald Johnson: Life and Works (2008). Currently he is an Assistant Professor of English at Portland State University.
~ TOM BISSELL is the author of the books Chasing the Sea, God Lives in St. Petersburg, and The Father of All Things. His work has appeared in Harper's Magazine, the Virginia Quarterly Review, the New Yorker, and McSweeney's, among other magazines. His new book, Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter, will be published in June. He teaches fiction writing at Portland State University.
~ PEYTON MARSHALL is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and the recipient of a Maytag Fellowship and the Richard Yates award for short fiction. Her story “Bunnymoon” was published in the Best New American Voices 2004. Her work has appeared in A Public Space, Etiqueta Negra, and fivechapters.com. She lives in Portland.
10.12.2009
Poetry Reading
Joel Bettridge, one of our assistant professors here in English Department Land, is bringing two fabulous poets to our campus this Friday, October 16, 2009.
Who: Kate Greenstreet and Linda Russo
What: Reading poetry
Where: Neuberger Hall 407, a.k.a. the English Conference Room
When: Friday, October 16, 2009 at 6 P.M.
How: Not sure, but probably by car.
Why: Because that's what English majors do.
Here's some background about the poets, if you are curious:
Kate Greenstreet:
Ahsahta Press published Kate Greenstreet's first book, case sensitive. Her second, The Last 4 Things, will be out from Ahsahta in September 2009. This is why I hurt you, her most recent chapbook, is available from Lame House Press. New work is forthcoming in journals including jubilat, Court Green, Hotel Amerika, Practice, Saltgrass, and MAKE.
Linda Russo:
Linda Russo is the author of MIRTH (Chax Press, 2007) and o going out
(Potes & Poets, 1999), and her poems appear in recent issues of Bird Dog and Fence. She wrote the preface to Joanne Kyger's About Now: Collected Poems (National Poetry Foundation, 2007), and is currently writing an essay on writing that braids journal writing,literary criticism, & biography. A graduate of the Poetics Program at SUNY Buffalo, she currently teaches creative writing at Washington State University.
If you have any questions, e-mail GLO HQ at gradlit@pdx.edu or e-mail Joel at jmbette@pdx.edu.
Return of the Blog!
Here at GLO HQ we've had a changing of the guards. Your new Graduate Literary Organization coordinators are Nicole Herbert and Dinah Sheehan (hey, that's me!). Amber and Jennifer left quite a legacy in GLO, and if we can do half as great a job as they did, I'll feel like this year was a raging success. Hats off to them!
I'll be your blogger this year, so please make sure your seat belts are securely fastened, and you are ready for the mind of Master Blogger, Dinah Sheehan.
A little about me:
I was born and raised in Las Vegas (no, I do not know how to play poker) and got my B.A. in education from a Cracker Jack box I found on the side of Las Vegas Blvd. I taught for a year, then alighted to Oregon with every intention of settling down and becoming a barista at a coffee shop. Life had other plans, and I ended up here at PSU getting an MFA, which I will probably use to write ad copy on the back of cereal boxes.
A little about Nicole:
I just met Nicole, so I might have to make some stuff up. Let's see, I know she went to school in North Carolina at some point. There was a stint in Chicago somewhere. She has a three-legged cat named "Beast" that came with the house she lives in. She rides a green bike. She's in her second year as an MA student in literature here at PSU, and she hopes to someday teach women's literature.
I'll keep this short, but before I go, I leave you with a link to the most amazing thing on the internet.
Hear ye, hear ye: Geoffrey Chaucer Hath a Blog
This blog started in 2007, I think, and caused quite the stir among Medievalists, as one might imagine. I'm not sure if the identity of the Chaucer blogger has ever been discovered, but whoever he is, he is brilliant. It's a blog written in the style of Chaucer. What's not to love?
7.13.2009
Congratulations to Dee Anne Finken!
Congrats Dee Anne!
6.18.2009
John R. Milton Writers' Conference: Writing about the American West--deadline Aug 15
We are seeking panel and round table proposals, scholarly papers, and creative writing related (either explicitly or implicitly) to the theme of Frontier Technology/Techno-Frontiers: Technology and the American West. Possible topics or approaches might include, but certainly aren’t limited to:
• Frontier Technology/Techno-Frontiers in Western American literature, history, and culture;
• Frontier Technology/Techno-Frontiers in American Indian literature, history, and culture;
• Frontier Technology/Techno-Frontiers in the American West in relationship to environmental issues and ecocriticism;
• The railroad and the American West;
• The American West as a site or fantasy space of anti-technology;
• Representations of Frontier Technology/Techno-frontiers in popular culture (including, but not limited to, HBO's Deadwood and Joss Whedon's Firefly, Westerns (both film and television), graphic novels, and science fiction); and
• The American West in cyber-space.
Please submit a 250-word abstract, along with a brief biographical note, postmarked by August 15, 2009. Panel and proposals should include individual paper abstracts and biographical notes for all of the participating panelists, in addition to a 250-word justification for the panel. Round table proposals should include a 250-word justifi cation for the round table session, along with biographic
al notes for the participating round table session members.
For creative submissions, please submit either 8-10 pages of poetry, or no more than 25 pages of creative prose writing, along with a short biographical note, postmarked by August 15, 2009. While creative work that either explicitly or implicitly addresses the conference theme, or is related in some way to landscape are particularly welcome, all types of creative work on any theme and in any style will be gladly considered for readings at the conference's creative writing panels.
All submissions should be sent to:
Lee Ann Roripaugh
Department of English
University of South Dakota
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
Alternatively, you may submit your proposals/creative writing samples in MS Word or RTF format, via e-mail, to:
MARGARET REID POETRY CONTEST FOR TRADITIONAL VERSE--deadline June 30
www.winningwriters.com/margaret
6th year. Fifteen cash prizes totaling $5,350. Top prize $2,000. Submit poems in traditional verse forms, such as sonnets and free verse. Winning entries published online. Both published and unpublished work accepted. Entry fee is $7 for every 25 lines, payable to Winning Writers. Postmark deadline: June 30. Judges: J.H. Reid, D.C. Konrad. Submit online or mail to Winning Writers, Attn: Margaret Reid Poetry Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060. Winning Writers is proud to be one of "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest, 2005-2009). More information: www.winningwriters.com/margaret
Poetry Prize--deadline Sept 1
FOUNDERS’ PRIZE
A POETRY CONTEST OPEN TO ALL POETS
WITH A DISTINCTIVE VOICE
One winning poem will receive $300 and publication in the next issue. Two runners up will receive $50. The poems selected will be posted on our web site.
Send up to 5 unpublished poems (no more than 5 pages total).
GUIDELINES: Submissions must include a cover letter listing your name, address, email address and/or telephone number as well as titles of the poems. No identifying information should appear on the poems. Manuscripts will not be returned. Include a SASE for notification of results.
Enclose a $10 entry fee (make checks payable to RHINO).
Label your contest submission: “Founders’ Contest.” Submissions must be
postmarked between June 1 -September 1. No electronic submissions please.
All contest submissions will also be considered for regular publication in the 2010 edition of RHINO. Mail submission to:
RHINO, The Poetry Forum
P.O. Box 591
Evanston, IL 60204
Winners and runners up will be announced on our web site: www.rhinopoetry.org
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS OF ORIGINAL POETRY--deadline Aug 1
CHOPIN IN POETRY
Anthology of Contemporary Poetry
Edited by Maja Trochimczyk
Forthcoming in March 2010 to honor the 200th Anniversary of Chopin’s Birth.
Moonrise Press
www.moonrisepress.com
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
§ Original poetry about any aspect of music and life of Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849),
Polish pianist and composer
§ Deadline – August 1, 2009
§ Language – English
§ Length – maximum 39 lines per poem, 3 poems
§ Format – email
with the poem both in the body of the message and attachment in MS Word or rtf
§ Address and contact information of the author included in the body of the message
PUBLICATION DATA
1. The book will be published by Moonrise Press, with an ISBN number.
2. The authors will retain individual copyright, granting permission to print in the
anthology only.
3. The book will be distributed by online print-on-demand company and available
through a network of partners, including Bowkers Books in Print, lulu.com, Amazon,
etc.
4. The authors will receive an off-print of their submission, and a 30% discount on
the book price.
6.17.2009
Writers Contests - Houston Writers Guild--Deadline July 30
2009 Robert Frost Award --deadline Sept 15
Missouri State Poetry Society Summer Contest 2009--deadline Sept 1
The Warren Adler Short Story Contest--deadline July 13
2009 Inspirit Poetry Contest--deadline Sept 15
Green River Writers Annual Contest--deadline July 31
The Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest--deadline Sept 30
NAUGATUCK RIVER REVIEW FIRST ANNUAL NARRATIVE POETRY CONTEST--deadline Sept 1
SHAKESPEAREAN/PETRARCHAN SONNET CONTEST -- deadline Sept 1
Poetry contest: IL State Poetry Society--deadline Oct 30
Job Opportunity: Seton Hill University
The Calvino Prize--Prose--deadline Oct 15
The Patricia Bibby First Book Award 2010--deadline Oct 31
Job Opportunity: Loyola
6.11.2009
Oregon Writers Colony Annual Contests--deadline July 15
Call for submissions about ART: Modernist Press -- deadline July 31
"The Malahat Review" Open Season Awards--deadline Nov 1
fiction chapbook contest: Flume Press--deadline Dec 1
Minnesota Magazine 11th Annual Fiction Contest--deadline Feb 8
fiction contest: Delfino Prize for Queer Genre Fiction--deadline Oct 15
Alehouse Press Poetry Contest
Call for Submissions: Chickenpinata--deadline June 26
Robert & Adele Schiff Prose and Poetry Prizes--deadline July 31
Wilhelmus Award: Poetry chapbook contest--deadline July 15
2009 Flatmancrooked Prize for Excellent Writing Done During a Period of Great Fiscal Renewal--deadline Aug 15
"Two Review" Poetry Contest--deadline July 31
"Elixir" Poetry Contest--deadline Oct 31
Tamarack Award--deadline July 1
Ronald Sukenick/American Book Review Innovative Fiction Prize--deadline Nov 1
"Umbrella" Call for Submissions--deadline Aug 10
Writers Alliance of Gainesville 2010 Contest--deadline Oct 31
6.09.2009
Think and Drink with "Oregon Humanities" June 17
Join OCH for a discussion on morality and self-deception.
We hope you'll join us for the next Think & Drink happy-hour discussion on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at 6:30 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland. This event is free and open to the public.
In the acclaimed short story "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," writer Ursula Le Guin (photo at left by Eileen Gunn) describes a utopian society whose citizens' happiness is bought at the cost of one child's suffering. Join Le Guin and Oregon State University philosophy professor Lani Roberts for a conversation exploring individual morality and self-deception--when, how, and why we deceive ourselves about our moral choices. If you haven't yet read Le Guin's powerful story, you can do so at the Think & Drink web page.
Think & Drink is a bimonthly discussion series that sparks provocative conversations about big ideas. Mark your calendars for the August 12, 2009, program that will feature Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Portland State University president Wim Wiewel.
For more information about Think & Drink, please contact Director of Programs Jennifer Allen at (503) 241-0543, ext. 118, or by e-mail.
Declaration Editing Flash Fiction Challenge July 1 -31
What happens when you cross
flash fiction with serialized fiction?
To find out, participate in The Super-Short Summer Serial Challenge (S4C), July 1–31.
What You Do: Tell an original serialized story in nine to twelve installments, with each installment being fewer than five hundred words. Regularly post installments to your personal website or blog throughout July. At the end of the month, submit your completed story to Declaration Editing to be considered as one of five serials published in a special e-journal.
What We Do: We will provide a link to your writing on our blog (wordpress.declarationediting.com) so that readers can find your work and read your story as it unfolds. Once the challenge is over, our staff will pick our five favorite serials and publish them in a special e-journal.
How to Sign Up for the Challenge: Use the online registration form at wordpress.declarationediting.com or send the following information to s4c@declarationediting.com:
* Your name
* Your e-mail address
* A link to your personal website or blog
* A fifty-word description of the story you plan to tell
Be sure to sign up by June 30. Participation is free.