WestConn MFA in Creative and Professional Writing

Dolled Up for Murder - a great review from PW!

2012-02-20T14:18:00.000-05:00

From Publishers Weekly: Dolled Up for Murder

Jane K. Cleland. Minotaur, $24.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-250-00184-9

In Cleland’s winning seventh Josie Prescott antiques mystery (after 2011’s Deadly Threads), someone guns down Josie’s friend and client, financial adviser Alice Michaels, outside Josie’s Rocky Point, N.H., shop, Prescott’s Antiques and Auctions, shortly after the two women examine a valuable collection of dolls that Josie just bought for resale. That Alice “was being investigated for running a mega-Ponzi scheme” may suggest a motive for murder. When Josie’s loyal shop assistant, Eric, disappears, kidnappers demand the prized dolls as ransom. Meanwhile, Josie finds rare Civil War currency inside a vintage Chatty Cathy doll with the miniphonograph removed. Working with Rocky Point’s limited police force (no FBI wanted for this homespun case) and amid eager reporters, Josie once again proves an adept sleuth. The action builds to a seamless and fitting conclusion. Author tour. Agent: Cristina Concepcion, Don Congdon Associates. (Mar.)

Reviewed on: 02/20/2012

My Essay, "Artmaking," in Writer's Digest

2012-02-14T10:36:00.003-05:00

Hi friends,

Just an exciting note that my essay, "Artmaking," (about trying to finish an MFA thesis while very pregnant) is out in the March 2012 issue of Writer's Digest. It landed on the "5-Minute-Memoir" page. Special mention of Daniel Asa Rose, my mentor who kept kicking my butt into gear, and special thanks to Sonja Mongar, who helped me find the book that influenced me to keep going. You can read the essay on my blog at www.katemeadows.wordpress.com. Cheers! -Kate Meadows

Enter the Black Orchid Novella Award - $1,000 + publication in AHMM

2012-02-12T11:32:00.000-05:00

Submissions are welcome for the Black Orchid Novella Award (BONA), a blind contest run by the Wolfe Pack in partnership with Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. The deadline is May 31, 2012. The winner receives $1,000 and publication in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.

Full rules are here: http://www.nerowolfe.org/htm/neroaward/black_orchid_award/BO_award_proc.htm

Any questions? Please contact me directly. (I'm the Wolfe Pack's Literary Awards Chair.)

First Publication!

2012-02-10T19:42:00.002-05:00

AH!!!!! My first short story will be published in The MacGuffin literary magazine in an upcoming issue!!!!!!! Probably spring/summer 2012 issue! I can't breathe...
It's called SOME OF US.

Teaching College Writing: Getting Your First Job(s)

2012-02-08T14:32:00.003-05:00

Hi All,

Dr. Ryan will be offering the following workshop on Friday, Feb. 24 in HI206 from 5-7 pm.

Teaching College Writing: Getting Your First Job(s)

In this seminar for graduate students who plan to teach college writing, I will provide an overview of writing programs and jobs for MFAs. Then, I will focus on strategies for finding a job, applying for it, and interviewing. Participants will be asked to share their experiences. Participants may bring their resumes, statements of teaching philosophy, and one or two versions of a letter of application, but it will not be necessary to bring any such documents.

If you’d like to attend please send me an email (santamaria005@connect.wcsu.edu) by Feb. 17.

Thanks,

Kristin

Anthology CFS

2012-02-08T10:27:00.000-05:00

Thought this might appeal to a few of you (Kristin, Becca, maybe a few others...). This comes from the Creative Writers Opportunities List, to which I encourage you ALL to subscribe immediately. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CRWROPPS-B/

We are looking for YA short stories to include in our first ebook anthology, titled Timeless!
If your short story is between 3000 and 7500 words and fits into the genre of YA historical romance with some twists, we want to read it. The story can include steampunk, fantasy, or adventure, as long as it includes some historical elements then we are interested in reading it.
Submit the whole manuscript as a Word .doc file (no .docx) by March 30, 2012, with the subject heading: submission–YA anthology.

Please include a bio, publishing credits if any, and a synopsis.

Email:

(replace (at) with @ in sending email)

Writing Opportunity with hamlethub.com

2012-02-07T14:09:00.000-05:00

Folks, I have been in touch with Ken Ducey from hamlethub.com. He is very interested in WestConn MFA students who might be interested in internships or simply in writing stories for hamlethub in your area. As we have discussed many times, you never know what such work will lead to or turn into. So if this interests you, I strongly urge you to look into it. Some text from Ken below with more info...

bc

HamletHub.com is a very exciting startup which could be a great opportunity for Westconn students to learn more about citizen journalism and the new media industry.

We are currently growing from 11 towns in CT, and are seeking writers and reporters who can assist us in providing local news to the residents of various communities. The site currently covers many aspects of a town’s life that are not reported or under-reported by the local or national newspapers. This site has shown to have a strong impact on towns by providing information that is simply not readily available.

One example is politics. The Governor is proposing a number of new initiatives regarding education. How does that affect the residents of Danbury? Does it have a different effect if you live in New Fairfield?

Another area is simple recreational and charity events. Do you know all the parks that are open to the public in Danbury? How about the charity for dogs event this Friday? By providing a place for people to enter this information, and to read it, we can make communities better.

We are looking for people who would like to better understand new media, especially on a local level, to help us with this endeavor. Please have anyone interested call us at (203)431-6400, or email editors@hamlethub.com.

Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions.

Future Student

2012-02-07T11:46:00.001-05:00

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Jenn Powers and I will be attending WestConn in the fall. I write fiction: short-shorts, short stories, novels, and novellas. I am a previously unpublished writer but submit my work constantly. As R.V. Cassill said, "A writer's apprenticeship isn't over until his first million words have been written." I'm getting there...
I hope the program will be able to help pinpoint my strengths and weaknesses and possibly accelerate where I want to go. I'm excited to find my niche. I love adventure, new experiences and challenges that help me grow as an individual and as an aspiring writer.
I'm 34 years old and I am so excited to have this chance to attend WestConn. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you at school and at the residencies. Thank you, thank you, thank you for choosing me. I bring maddening, inspiring, interesting life experiences and I believe professors and mentors and fellow writers have those experiences as well and we can all benefit from such symbiotic relationships. It's about tapping into the human condition inside those experiences that interconnects all of us. Those experiences can be turned into stories, the pain and joy injected into our characters, and we can all benefit from reading those stories that bleed onto the page.
Thank you.

Truly,
Jenn Powers

Still Need an Internship??

2012-02-07T09:54:00.005-05:00

Looking for someone to replace me as Barbara Probst Solomon's main intern. The position is unpaid and requires weekly trips to Manhattan. Her apartment is on the Upper East Side just a few stops north of Grand Central (or a few stops south of Harlem-125th) on the New Haven Live.

Barbara is a world-renowned author, essayist and journalist and a very interesting, kind person. Her project The Reading Room "Its Debatable" is still in the early stages. In short, it is an international literary blog. If you have an interest in very good writing and/or international affairs this might be a good fit for you. Experience with Word Press is also a plus, but not necessary.

I will still be involved in the project but will not be able to attend weekly meetings. Please email me if you are interested or if you have any questions. Carolyn31@gmail.com

Must love dogs.

New blog on the writing craft

2012-02-06T14:38:00.000-05:00

Hey all - I've just launched Storycraft, a new blog focused mainly on storytelling and the writing craft (http://weedlit.blogspot.com/). It features the kind of pragmatic close reading that is so important for all of our continued development as writers - and yes, this is also true for those of us who already have MFA's and/or publishing success.

Stop by for a visit, comment if you like, and "follow by email." New postings will come out every two weeks - so it won't overwhelm your inbox, I promise! The focus is mostly fiction, but there will eventually be some nonfiction featured as well.

If you like the content, help me spread the word on Facebook and Twitter!

Hope everyone's semester is going well.

Tim Weed

Colson Whitehead

2012-02-05T10:50:00.002-05:00

At the wrap-up meeting, someone expressed interest in having Colson Whitehead as a Visiting Writer. Can't remember who it was, so I thought I'd just post this here. Whitehead is reading at Yale, well... tomorrow...

Colson Whitehead
Reading: Monday, February 6, 2012 at 4:30 p.m.
Reception to follow. Free & open to the public
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
121 Wall Street

Colson Whitehead is the author of the novels The Intuitionist (1999), a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award; John Henry Days (2001), which won the Young Lions Fiction Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Prize, and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; Apex Hides the Hurt (2006), which won the PEN/Oakland award; Sag Harbor (2009), a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner; and, most recently, Zone One (2011), a zombie novel set in Manhattan. He has also written a book of essays about his hometown, The Colossus of New York (2003), and his reviews, essays, and fiction have appeared in a number of publications, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Harper's, and Grantland.com. A recipient of a Whiting Writers Award and a MacArthur Fellowship, Whitehead lives in Brooklyn, and teaches in the Creative Writing Program at Princeton.

A recent review of my book, "What We Sign Up For"

2012-02-02T11:06:00.001-05:00

Thought I'd share. L

Please Vote For My Book

2012-02-02T06:58:00.000-05:00

My memoir, Staying Alive: A Love Story, has been nominated for the 2012 Christian Small Publishers Association Book of the Year Award in the Non-Fiction - Christian Living category. Please support it by clicking here to vote. You'll have to scroll past 3/4s of the way down the page to find it on the bottom right !

Voting takes place during February and March.

The memoir, a series of essays that chronicles my and my children's struggle after my husband's death over ten years ago, has been described by one reviewer as a beautiful reminder of what really matters. Others have referred to it as a personal, humorous, and inspiring view into the grief process.

These reviews and other information about the memoir can be found on my website.

Thank you for your support,
Laura :)

Free Writer Workshops

2012-01-30T09:33:00.006-05:00

I will be facilitating two FREE writers workshops on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Clark Memorial Library in Bethany, CT. They are geared toward women but men may attend, too!

The first is The Parent Trap: Five Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Essays about Family, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.The second is Cybermoms: Opportunities for Women Writers on the Web, which takes place from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

You can attend one or both. Space is limited so it is highly suggested you call the library to reserve a space 203-393-2103 or sign up at the desk.

The workshops are based on my articles in a newly released book titled, Women Writing on Family: Tips for Writing, Teaching and Publishing, edited by Carol Smallwood and Suzann Holland, and published by The Key Publishing House Inc.

Women in Jeopardy

2012-01-28T16:09:00.001-05:00

For those of you going to AWP this year, I'll be moderating a panel. Here's the details... I hope to see you there.

R141. Women in Jeopardy: Crime Fiction, Thursday, 10:30 A.M.-11:45 A.M., Wiliford B, Hilton Chicago, 3rd Floor

Moderator: Jane Cleland. Panelists: Danielle Egan-Miller, Jamie Freveletti, Julie Hyzy, Joanna MacKenzie

Three best-selling and award-winning crime fiction writers and two top literary agents will discuss the role gender plays in their trade. Are tough gal detectives taken as seriously as tough guy detectives? What does the popularity of female-oriented subgenres like chick lit and cozies and crossover categories like YA paranormal say about the market? With e-publishing sweeping across the genre, are women authors in more or less jeopardy than before? How can new writers break into the field?

AWP Conference Closing Registration

2012-01-25T19:08:00.002-05:00

Just heard from AWP that they are closing registration after the end of this week. There are 9300 people registered already. So if you want to go, you need to register in the next two days. They will not be taking on-site registrations.

AWP Conference

2012-01-25T14:27:00.000-05:00

I will be driving from CT to Chicago for the AWP conference, Feb. 29-Mar. 3. I have room for a couple of passengers in my car, if anyone is interested in going. Email me if so...

If you've never been to an AWP conference, I highly recommend that you go at least once.

MFA office

2012-01-25T12:54:00.003-05:00

Hi All,

Hope everyone's semester is off to a great start. Just wanted to remind any MFA students on campus that you are welcome to use the space in the MFA office, Higgins 205E, to do work or use the computer.

Someone is in the MFA office on most days or Laurel (HI205) can let you in.

Thanks,
Kristin

OMG!Ws and Syllabi

2012-01-23T16:55:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder that syllabi were due today, and there are quite a few I haven't received. Unless you're certain that your mentors have sent your syllabi to me, please remind them to do so.

The syllabus for my section of the OMGW is up, and I believe Holly's should be as well.

Bon voyage!

August 2012 Residency Dates

2012-01-17T12:39:00.000-05:00

For those of you who like to plan ahead and make early travel plans for better airfare:

July 29-August 5 (29th and 5th are travel days)

Call for Submissions

2012-01-17T10:31:00.002-05:00

Got this call from a place called Fiction Brigade,

"a digital publisher of flash fiction. Our website is dedicated to digital stories in the short form, which to us includes complete stories that are 50-1500 words, short graphics or art, and videos under two minutes.

We are currently accepting submissions on a rolling schedule, and we would greatly appreciate it if you passed along our information to your students. Starting this year we are publishing ebooks on a monthly basis, and all topics and themes for each ebook can be found on our website. All contributors whose stories accepted will have their work available through all the major digital channels: Amazon, Apple, Google, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc."

I know nothing about this outfit, but it looked like somethinng might interest some of you enough to look into it...

bc

poem in Orion magazine

2012-01-15T15:25:00.002-05:00

Hi folks,

Just want to share a poem I have in the current issue of Orion magazine. It's a beautiful, important magazine that I've long admired, so it's very exciting to be in it. Scroll down to poetry from the link...

It was great to see some of you at the rez briefly!

-Kateri

my emergency is over!

2012-01-12T19:24:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone,
A perfect example of the power of backing up your data. Alas, I found an old flash drive, and now I'm only missing three weeks of my email life, but, I've got my addresses and such...it's wonderful to be back in touch.
Thank you, Andy

I could use a bit of help.

2012-01-12T18:04:00.002-05:00

Hello fellow peeps,
I've blown up my outlook files and would love to rebuild my directory. If you have my "sbcglobal" email address please send me an email there so that I can rebuild. Thanks, Andy

Thesis Deadlines

2012-01-12T12:19:00.000-05:00

Dear Thesis Students:

A reminder/clarification: the due dates for proposal and for final thesis submission are HARD deadlines, not postmark deadlines. That is, they are due in the MFA office on those dates.

On-Campus Workshops

2012-01-11T11:16:00.000-05:00

Question for those of you who live close enough to come to campus for workshops this semester:

We're planning to do several workshops this semester, and I'd like to know when you all would prefer to have them?

Tuesday evening?
Wednesday evening?
Friday evening?
Saturday afternoon?
Saturday evening?

Comment here to express your preference. If there is little or no response, then I will assume there is no need for us to hold the workshops at all.

Penguin/Amazon Breakthrough Award

2012-01-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

Penguin Group (USA) is pleased to be sponsoring the 5th annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award which will offer each of two grand prize winners a $15,000 publishing contract with Penguin Group (USA). You can read the official announcement here. There will be one winner in adult fiction and one winner in YA fiction.

Eligible writers with an English-language novel can submit their work between January 23 and February 5, 2012.

Mystery Writing Scholarship Opportunity

2012-01-10T17:46:00.001-05:00

As many folks know, I recommend Chris Roerden's book, Don't Murder Your Mystery, as a resource. Chris is the current chair of the McCloy-MWA Scholarship Program, which is administered by Mystery Writers of America. The following is an email I received today from Chris:
"Unpublished mystery writers: Don't wait until the postmark deadline of Feb. 29, 2012, to decide to apply for a scholarship to take courses, classes, workshops, or other live (not online) educational programs to improve your writing skills. It will take you more time than you think to pull together the specific info on courses and have in hand the two letters of reference required. If you have not been previously published for money in the mystery field, you are eligible to apply. ("For money" means a publisher paid you; if you paid, you may be considered unpublished).

"Every year, two scholarships of up to $500 each are awarded in the McCloy-MWA Scholarship Program. The samples of mystery writing to submit can be 3 chapters of a novel or nonfiction, or 3 short stories or essays, or a full-length script. There's no entry fee or membership requirement. Applicants even get feedback from one or more of the 5 judges, who are commercially published in mystery fiction, nonfiction, and scriptwriting. Download details and the 2012 application form from http://mysterywriters.org/ (click McCloy
Scholarship in the sidebar)."

Dr. Seuss' 7 social media lessons

2012-01-10T09:41:00.000-05:00

A little follow-up on the social media workshop some of you attended last week. This article was too perfect not to post here.

Ragan.com

Dr. Seuss' 7 social media lessons

http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/44177.aspx

"Oh, the things you can find if you don't stay behind!"

Canceled Post-Res Gathering

2012-01-09T13:28:00.000-05:00

Folks, sorry to say that tonight's gathering is a no-go. We'll find a better opportunity later in the semester to try to get together. And keep eyes open for coming on-campus evening workshops...

bc

Post-Residency Gathering

2012-01-08T17:38:00.000-05:00

Folks, thanks for another great residency! As many of you heard already, we're having a game-watching party at my house tomorrow night (the LSU/Bama Championship Game, for those of you who don't follow football), starting at 8. If you'd like to come, please shoot me an email at clementsb@wcsu.edu so we'll have a good head count, and I'll give you location info.

If I don't see you tomorrow, have a great beginning of the semester...

bc

Interns Wanted (And We'll Pay, Too)

2012-01-03T14:27:00.002-05:00

Hi folks,

The company I work for, Access Intelligence, is hiring an editorial intern for a group of publications, including my own (find it at foliomag.com). It's a paid(!) internship, and is located in Norwalk, CT. We're looking for someone who's serious about journalism, but enjoys a casual work atmosphere and a team environment.

We like: aggression, helpfulness, thorough fact checking and manners. A tough combo to find, but a great opportunity for someone who possesses all of the above. If you'd like to learn more about the internship, click on the link provided, or reach out to me at sbotelho@red7media.com.

Happy New Year, and thanks. Hope everyone enjoys the res this week.
~Stefanie

Social Media Peer Workshop at January Residency

2011-12-29T14:42:00.001-05:00

Hi All,

I thought I should check in to gauge interest in this workshop. I led an impromptu peer workshop on this subject back in August, for which I received some enthusiastic feedback, so we are doing it again with a little more formality and planning.

The approach for this workshop is to help writers enter the social media world – set up online identities, review basic etiquette, build awareness of resources, and so on. We will not delve into more advanced topics like metrics, analytics, SEO, Klout scores, or anything of the like – unless you have a dying need to focus on numbers over content. It is worth noting, however, that good content leads to good metrics (aka the number of visitors reading your stuff).

Please comment here if you plan to attend and mention any specific subjects you are interested in tackling together. This will be a hands-on peer workshop, not a speaking presentation with PowerPoint slides.

This peer workshop will take place on Wednesday, 2:30 – 4:00, in WS241.

Best,
David

Should you self-publish? One author's thoughtful analysis.

2011-12-28T15:48:00.000-05:00

I thought some of you might be interested in this comprehensive essay by Edan Lepucki called "Reasons Not to Self-Publish in 2011-2012: A List."

Stories for Haigh Workshop

2011-12-21T16:39:00.001-05:00

Please visit this link

http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa/pdf/haigh.pdf

to download stories for the Haigh workshop. There are one published story and three student stories that you should read prior to the workshop.

Residency Prep Work

2011-12-21T12:46:00.000-05:00

Please check the descriptions of each of your residency workshops on the MFA web page to ensure that you are aware of the required prep work.

Room to Share 2012 Residency

2011-12-19T17:45:00.004-05:00

None fussy CNF female has reserved a double and hope to hear from someone by Dec. 27th who is looking to share the expense. Otherwise, I'll have to cancel. You can contact me at nicollisd@gmail.com. Nickie

2011-12-19T13:17:00.000-05:00

Folks, I received the following Call for Papers (CFP). If you are interested in teaching at the college level, doing this sort of conference is an essential part of demonstrating qualifications to teach. English Depts., especially, want to see this sort of thing on your c.v. If you are interested, visit the link below.

The graduate students of the Department of English at the University of Rhode Island are proud to announce our sixth annual Graduate Student Conference scheduled for Saturday, March 31st, 2012. Our conference title, Innovations and Anxieties, speaks to a broad range of disciplines and we anticipate an exciting mix of presentations. We cordially invite your graduate students to participate.

Attached you will find our Call for Papers (CFP) in .pdf format. Will you be so kind as to forward this to your graduate students? Feel free to also circulate the CFP to any faculty or departments you think might be interested in our conference. For more information and to submit abstracts, students may visit our website at www.urigradconference.org. All inquiries regarding the conference may be sent via email to urigradconference@etal.uri.edu.

Sincerely
Beth O’Leary Anish
2012 URI Graduate Student Conference Committee Member Marketing and Outreach

Maron Hotel

2011-12-18T13:17:00.002-05:00

Hey all,

If you haven't booked your hotel room yet for the Winter Residency, the Maron is running the standard special-$79 for normal rooms, $89 for suites. If you want to call and make a reservation just mention that you are with Westconn.

Happy Holidays,

Kristin SM

2nd Annual MFA Poetry Slam Thuesday, January 5th

2011-12-16T16:03:00.003-05:00

Hear ye, hear ye! Sign up for the Second Annual MFA poetry slam. This is a MUST NOT MISS event!

This year, we have a theme. Bad Poetry. "What does that mean," you ask? Is it poetry that misbehaves and needs a spanking? Or is it poetry that just plain sucks? Well heck - you decide what the word bad means... Then give it your best shot!

No - it does not have to be an Original.
Yes - it has to be performed with enthusiasm.
No - you don't need a costume, but...nothing says you can't.
Yes - you can bribe the judges.

Come on. Challenge Marj, the 2010 MFA Poetry Slam Queen, for her beautiful confetti crown.

Sign up sheet will be posted in the dining room.

Memoir is reviewed & I get interviewed!

2011-12-15T10:53:00.001-05:00

Click the title of this post to read review and interview. Please "like" the Facebook page for the memoir while you're on it.

If you are not a facebook member, you can get to the review and interview here.

Thank you :)

Roger Boylan in NY Times Book Review

2011-12-14T11:01:00.002-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/books/review/assumption-by-percival-everett-book-review.html?_r=3&ref=books

Grad/ Current Student Books for the Website

2011-12-13T13:50:00.002-05:00

Hi All,

If you are a current student or graduate of the program and have published a book, please send me an email with a jpeg of the cover. I will add it to Westconn's MFA website.

Thanks,
Kristin Santa Maria
santamaria005@connect.wcsu.edu

Updated Residency Schedule

2011-12-13T11:39:00.002-05:00

...now available

http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa

WestConn MFA Fall 2011 Video Project: Scott McNeight

2011-12-12T20:38:00.000-05:00

WestConn MFA Fall 2011 Video Project: Scott McNeight: Scott talks about his experience teaching.

Scott, it is wonderful to put a face with the teacher. I feel as if I know you and what you want to impart so well. This is a wonderful and inspirational teaching film. Your students will look back at this time and I imagine, paying what they have learned, forward. Looking at the quality helps me see what is possible for a media novice like myself. thank you.

"Don't Look Down" wins Funds for Writers Contest

2011-12-11T11:53:00.002-05:00

When one of my good friends was diagnosed with breast cancer this fall, it struck hard. So I did what I tend to do: I wrote about. Sent it in to a writing contest without any thought about it actually winning. But it did! You can check it out at the link above.

"Inky, Blinky, Pinky, Nyarlathotep" in FUTURE LOVECRAFT

2011-12-08T23:12:00.005-05:00

H.P. Lovecraft was a minor writer in his lifetime. His work mostly appeared in mediocre pulp magazines such as Weird Tales, and that's when he wasn't giving his work away to amateur press magazines. But his stories were revolutionary—they did away with the moralizing of most fantasy and horror fiction, and integrated a sort of materialist, scientific worldview into the "mythos" he created. Now, decades after his death, his work has passed into the public domain and Lovecraft is a cottage industry unto himself. Major writers including Joyce Carol Oates and Michael Chabon have written in the Lovecraft mode, and there are Lovecraft games, toys, films, and even a cafe bearing his name. He also turns up in tribute and allusion all over the place—Batman's Arkham Asylum is named for one of Lovecraft's semi-fictional New England towns. "Lovecraftian" is a subgenre with its own niche publishers as well.

The online magazine Innsmouth Free Press is gaining some attention in horror/fantasy circles for its Lovecraftian fiction, and its print anthologies. Their latest—Future Lovecraft—has just been released, and it includes my story "Inky, Blinky, Pinky, Nyarlathotep" as well as stories by Don Webb, Molly Tanzer, and Paul Jessup. IBPN combines Lovecraftian horror with the science fictional notion of the Singularity and the post-human beings that would emerge from such an event.

If you're writing genre fiction and looking for a niche to exploit or a place to publish, I'd recommend checking out Innsmouth Free Press and its anthology series. They don't pay much, but they are getting some significant attention—and they do pay slightly more to "big names." (In the Lovecraftian small press, I'm a big name.) Check out the magazine and book, and give it a whirl!

Play reading...

2011-12-08T11:21:00.001-05:00

You're invited to a staged reading of my dark comedy Necessary Evil on Monday, December 12, during which

"Three New York cops and a distinguished guest give a master class on evil
- in this life and the next."

Necessary Evil is a full-length play, following a ten-minute opener.

Presented by the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Hosted by Arlene Dahl, produced by Ellen Muir.

Light refreshments at 5:30, reading at 6:00. The event is free, but please call 212-459-3630 x204 for reservations and Midtown Manhattan location (across from Bryant Park), no later than 2:30, Friday, December 9.

Karen Romano Young Wins CT Book Award!

2011-12-07T11:17:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Karen and to Doodlebug!

http://www.courant.com/features/books/hc-writestuff-books-1124-20111124,0,3372185.story

Note on Evaluations

2011-12-07T09:58:00.000-05:00

Folks, when you are filling out evaluation forms, please note that there are two different forms--the program form and the departmental form. Do not fill out the program form twice (or the department form twice)--which will only result in one copy being discarded. If you've already submitted two copies of one form or the other, I leave it to you to decide whether to go back and fill out the second form.

Scholarships

2011-12-06T13:38:00.002-05:00

The application for all scholarships is now live at https://www.wcsu.edu/scholarships/application.asp.

Students should fill out and submit this form as soon as possible. A list of scholarships is available at http://www.wcsu.edu/scholarships/.

Students will not be eligible for a scholarship in the 2012-13 academic year if they do not fill out the form.

For 2011-12, the WCSU Foundation awarded 182 scholarships for a total of $202,000. Don’t miss out on this opportunity.

Questions? Call or email Sue Wolf in the Office of Institutional Advancement at (203) 837-8279 or wolfs@wcsu.edu.

Residency Workshop Signups

2011-12-06T12:39:00.000-05:00

Please visit this link

http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa/workshops.asp

to sign up for your residency workshops. The workshop descriptions will indicate the advance work (if any) and instructions on what to bring. We have included bios for the workshop leaders this time, per your request. Please take note of deadlines in the descriptions, as well as this one: deadline for workshop signups is Dec. 15. If you have not signed up by the 15th, you will be assigned to workshops.

Workshops fill up quickly sometimes, so sign up soon!

Also, note that we are going to need 3 student stories for the Haigh class. If you have any short stories on hand, please send them along!

Enrichment Videos

2011-12-05T12:40:00.000-05:00

All, please check out the excellent work this semester's internship/practicum students are doing in Ron's class! They're all posting videos about their experiences; I think you'll enjoy them. I love 'em. I think we may go in this direction for all MFA students in the future... Thanks to Ron and the MFAers in his course this semester!

http://westconnmfainternshipfall2011.blogspot.com/

Faculty/Course Evaluations

2011-12-02T11:46:00.000-05:00

Fall '11 Students,

Please take a moment to complete an evaluation form for each of your courses. Please complete the Program Course Evaluation Form and the Departmental form. Please email the Program form to me, and email the Departmental form to Laurel.

These forms are an important part of our quality review process for the program, so your participation is greatly needed and appreciated.

Please submit forms by email no later than Dec. 15. Forms received after then 15th will be discarded.

Faculty members DO have access to the forms after they have posted their grades. You may make the PROGRAM form confidential, however, by indicating so on the form with a prominent note.

Residency schedule is up...

2011-12-01T14:03:00.000-05:00

...on the MFA web site.

We're handling the free time/peer workshops a bit differently this time. There are large blocks of free time scheduled for Wednesday and Friday afternoons and Saturday morning. On Wednesday and Friday afternoons there are optional events going on during those times, so you can choose whether to go to those events, to do peer group work, or do something else.

If you want to do peer group work, it's always a good idea to make some sort of plan in advance of the residency. I encourage you to at least partially make those plans via the blog in order to include the new students.

AWP Awards

2011-12-01T13:53:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Kristin Santa Maria and Marj Laydon for their winning pieces in the WestConn AWP Intro Awards. Kristin's story "Safe Harbor" and Marj's poems "Fire Sticks" and "The Ushering: of Toro Nagashi", along with undergraduate Taylor Wolff's poem "First, let's not get carried away", will be entered into the national AWP competition. Good luck to them!

There were no entries in creative nonfiction, and, thus, no winners.

REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

2011-12-01T13:33:00.001-05:00

Okay, here's how to get registered:

*If you are taking thesis hours in the spring, you will be registered by Grad Studies. DO NOTHING.
*If you are not taking thesis hours in the spring, you may now register online. YOU MUST USE THE SECTION NUMBERS I EMAILED TO YOU. If you do not use those section numbers, both your courses and someone else's courses will be incorrect.

Register at will!

DO NOT REGISTER!

2011-11-30T11:09:00.000-05:00

FOLKS,

As I said in my email to you yesterday, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REGISTER until I announce open registration for the MFA program. Even though you are ABLE to register at this moment, we are not ready for you to register and doing so could cause problems for other students. Please wait for my announcement here that registration is open, which should come later this week.

bc

Juniper Summer Writing Institute

2011-11-29T09:59:00.000-05:00

I have been invited to nominate two students for scholarships to the Juniper Summer Writing Institute (http://www.umass.edu/juniperinstitute/institute.html) at UMass in June. The applicatin deadline is April 2.

If you think you might be interested, check out the web site and let me know by the end of the Janaury residency. I think Ron Samul may have attended a few years ago, so you can ask him about his experience.

If any of you need to replace a residency, this might be a good opportunity. I do not know the value of the scholarships.

Jennifer Haigh and Nahid Rachlin Featured at January Residency

2011-11-28T14:19:00.000-05:00

Jennifer Haigh is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Condition; Baker Towers, winner of the 2006 PEN/L.L. Winship Award for outstanding book by a New England author; and Mrs. Kimble, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award for debut fiction. Her short stories have appeared in the Atlantic, Granta, the Saturday Evening Post, and many other publications.

Nahid Rachlin was a Stegner Fellow and has published four novels, including FOREIGNER (W.W.Norton), a memoir, PERSIAN GIRLS (Penguin), and a short story collection, VEILS (City Lights). She has published stories in about fifty magazines. One story aired on NPR’s “Selected Shorts”. She has received an NEA grant, Pen Syndicated Fiction project and Bennet Cerf awards and has written reviews for NYTimes Book Review and published essays in NYTimes and Los Angeles Times.

Haigh will offer a Short Story Master Class and will read from her work. Rachlin will offer a workshop in the memoir and will read from her work. The full schedule for the residency and workshop offerings will be posted later this week.

A Note of Caution

2011-11-28T10:46:00.000-05:00

If you are a part-time student (that is, if you haven't been taking a full load of courses each semester), I encourage you to log into Banner and check your transcript to make sure that you are on track with all of the courses you need to complete the program and that all of the courses you have taken are reflected in the transcript. Full-time students have no doubt about what courses they're taking, but part-time students have a bit more sheduling complexity. Confirming these details now can short circuit big surprises later...

Books for OMGW in Spring

2011-11-23T12:54:00.001-05:00

Those of you who will be in my OMGW in the spring (which is third and fourth semester students--first and second semester students will have Holly Azevedo) will have the option of reading one of these four books for your first assignment in the semester:

On Moral Fiction, John Gardner
The Art of Recklessness, Dean Young (on poetry)
The Memoir Project, Marion Roach Smith
How to Write a Sentence, Stanley Fish

You do NOT have to choose the book that most closely corresponds to your own genre--you may do any of the four, regardless of your primary or secondary genre. If you were in my OMGW this semester, you may not do the Fish book again.

As usual, there will be meetings scheduled at the residency for you to meet with your OMGW instructor. The schedule should be posted next week, as well as the workshop selections.

What We Sign Up For now available

2011-11-23T09:29:00.002-05:00

Hey folks! My new book, What We Sign Up For, has just come out from Pecan Grove Press. And it's available of Amazon too! Lisa

New post to Six Loose Cannons

2011-11-17T14:06:00.002-05:00

I just finished a project for writing in the second genre (second genre being multimedia writing). I've written about it on my new blog post. The project has inspired me to pursue creating a full length documentary film about the subject matter. Check it out, if you like. Oh, and how do I add my blog to the links list over there on the left of the page?

Thanks

Anne Marie

The Galley Is In!

2011-11-15T18:28:00.003-05:00

Just received the galley for Women Writing on Family: Tips on Writing, Publishing and Teaching. I have two essays in the collection. One is titled, "The Parent Trap: Five Mistakes to Avoid When Writing about Family" and the other, "CyberMoms: Opportunities for Women Writers on the Web." The editors of the book are Carol Smallwood and Suzann Holland and the publisher is The Key Publishing House, Inc. Release date is in January 2012.

WTNH-TV Connecticut Style Interview

2011-11-15T18:23:00.002-05:00

I was recently interviewed about Press Pause Moments on Connecticut Style WTNH-TV New Haven. What a nice experience! I ran into Gils Simmons, the Channel 8 metereologist, while I waited and he "warned" me about the probable damage from the October nor'easter that hit the next day. Thanks to him, I bought ice on my way home and managed to salvage egg nog, milk and yogurt during our five days powerless!

To watch click here.

Guest Bloggers Invited

2011-11-15T18:12:00.002-05:00

The Press Pause Moments blog will feature several guest bloggers on the topic of "Pressing Pause to Give Thanks." Women writers may submit a 500 word post for consideration. The blog posts will be featured the remainder of this week and next week in honor of Thanksgiving.

If you are interested please e-mail your submission for consideration to AnneWitkavitch@comcast.net.

All submissions should be edited, proofread and ready to be published.

Click here to view the blog.

Two years and countless revisions later--"Last Supper" sold!

2011-11-14T09:29:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Dan Pope and all my colleagues in the MFA program who provided guidance as I struggled to write a mystery short story from a 12 year-old girl's point of view. I had enourmous trouble finding her voice. I'm thrilled to report that FINALLY, after two years and countless revisions, "Last Supper" has sold to Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. It will appear in the June issue, which is perfect, since it is distributed free to attendees at the annual Malice Domestic Mystery Conference. Attendees at this conference are readers of the kind of non-blood and guts mysteries I write.

One additional comment, this sale is even sweeter than simply selling a project that's dear to me and that I've worked on for years; it also marks the first non-Josie fiction sale I've ever had.

Noir and Lynch

2011-11-08T14:11:00.000-05:00

A while back, I can't remember if it was in an OMGW or here on the blog, there was a brief discussion led by Jane about the nature of noir.

In a review of the re-release DVD of Blue Velvet, Bill Wyman characterizes noir this way:

Lynch, with his perverse Oedipal fantasia established, takes on the conventions of the noir—in which our hero goes off in search of answers, compromises himself, and winds up finding out more than he bargained for.

Interesting way of looking at it, which, actually, isn't far from the definition of the tragic hero....

Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown

2011-11-08T12:44:00.002-05:00

I am writing to let the students in your department know about the approaching deadline for the writing Fellowships here at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown. We hope that you will forward this email to those you think may be interested in applying. If your department or university has a blog or general online posting for these opportunities, please feel free to distribute the information that way as well.

No degree is required for a Fellowship, but we have found that students who are about to finish or have recently finished graduate or undergraduate writing programs are often in search of opportunities like the Work Center Fellowship.

We'd be grateful for your help in passing on word to your students of this unique opportunity. To download a poster, please click HERE.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Salvatore Scibona
Writing Coordinator

Fellowship at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts

For the last forty years, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown has run the largest and longest residency Fellowship in the United States for emerging visual artists and writers. Artists who have not had significant recognition for their work and writers who have not yet published a full-length book of creative work are welcome to apply. Fellows receive a seven-month stay (October 1¬¬-May 1) at the Work Center and a $750 monthly stipend. Fellows do not pay or work in exchange for their fellowships in any way. Fellows are chosen based on the excellence of their work. Former visual arts Fellows include Ellen Gallagher, Jack Pierson, Lisa Yuskavage, Angela Dufresne, Geoffrey Chadsey, and Lamar Peterson. Former writing Fellows have won every major national award in writing including the National Book Award and seven Pulitzer Prizes. Former writing Fellows include Denis Johnson, Louise Glück, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Yusef Komunyakaa.

The postmark deadline for the 2012-13 Writing Fellowships is December 1, 2011.

For details, please visit:

www.fawc.org/fellowships

Heads Up on AWP Awards

2011-11-08T09:38:00.002-05:00

November 21 is a hard deadline, NOT a postmark deadline... All entries must be received by Laurel in the office on or before Nov. 21.

Self publishing and International Publishing

2011-11-04T07:15:00.002-05:00

Once again I am appealing to the vast experiences of my fellow MFAers.

I am interested in gathering more information on self publishing. Does anyone have any experiences (good, bad or ugly) they are willing to share? Websites to visit? Contacts to make? I'm seriously considering right now and would like to make an informed decision.

Also does anyone have any experience with international publishing houses (espeically Italian)?

Feel free to post here or email me at claudine@getgravity.com

Thanks to all!

Books for MFA Display Case

2011-11-03T08:42:00.002-05:00

Hi All,

We have two display cases outside the MFA office for mentors/faculty in the program and for students/graduates. If you would like your book included in the display, please mail me a copy:

Western Connecticut State University
MFA in Professional & Creative Writing
181 White Street
Danbury, CT 06810

***If you want to check with me to see if your book is already in the case, send me a quick email***

We also updated the MFA website with pictures of faculty publications. Faculty/mentors please take a look to see if your book is pictured here: http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa. If it is not, you can email me a picture and I will add it.

Thanks,
Kristin Santa Maria
santamaria005@connect.wcsu.edu

Enrichment Presentations at Residency

2011-11-02T13:37:00.002-05:00

If you intend to present your Enrichment Project at the January residency, please inform me by email ASAP. I'm putting the finishing touches on the residency schedule.

Mark Sundeen on Huffington Post...

2011-11-02T10:47:00.002-05:00

...links his new book to the Occupy movement.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-sundeen/the-other-one-percent_b_1067408.html

AWP Deadline is November 21

2011-11-02T09:41:00.000-05:00

New Writing Site

2011-11-01T16:38:00.000-05:00

Hi friends,

In the interest of doing everything I can think of to promote (you know that word "marketing" that we all hate?), I am happy for the opportunity to share my new Wordpress site with you here. I hope it will be an interactive place where you can find news about my latest work/accomplishments, be fed some inspiration through writing prompts and questions, and most importantly, share and follow along on the beautiful, messy journey of a writer's life. You can check it out at www.katemeadows.wordpress.com. If you "follow" me, I will be sure to follow you. You can also "Like" my Facebook page, Kate Meadows Writing and Editing, if you want. Thanks so much to all who have already supported this endeavor. One of the best things about an MFA program is those unbreakable connections you make, connections that can last for years if you want them to. Cheers.

Hotel Arrangements

2011-10-27T12:46:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder to those of you coming from out of town to make your hotel reservations for the January residency. In the past we have reserved a block of rooms at the Maron, but we discovered last residency that some folks were able to actually find cheaper rates for the Maron online that what they were giving us as a program! The Maron is the most convenient to the Westside Campus, of course, and you should be able to find good rates. I think someone last residency found an online price for the Maron in the range of $65 or so per night, but that was probably not a suite. Others have found good deals at the Super 8 nearby, and there's of course the more expensive but nicer Ethan Allen hotel. Anyone have suggestions for other nearby hotels with good rates?

AWP Intro Awards

2011-10-27T12:38:00.000-05:00

Undergraduate and graduate students in the Writing Department are encouraged to submit to the WCSU AWP Intro Awards. Winners from WCSU will be entered into the national competition.

The AWP Intro Journals Project is a literary competition for the discovery & publication of the best new works by students currently enrolled in the programs of AWP. Winners at the national level will be contacted in the spring of 2012 and will receive publication in a participating journal and a $100 cash honorarium. Participating journals are Hayden's Ferry Review, Mid-American Review, Colorado Review, Puerto del Sol, Controlled Burn, Quarterly West, Tampa Review, and Artful Dodge.

Submit entries to Laurel Richards, secretary of the Writing Dept.

Entries must follow these guidelines:

• Each submitted piece must have a separate title page with the following information:

1. The title, author’s name, permanent address, email address, and phone number

2. The genre of the work (must be either fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry)

• Neither the author’s name nor any other identifying information should appear on the manuscript except on the title page.

• Translations are acceptable, but it is the translator's responsibility to secure publication rights.

• All submitted works must be unpublished and may not be under consideration elsewhere.

• Excerpts from novels are acceptable.

• No individual piece submitted may exceed 25 pages.

• Prose must be double-spaced and typed or printed on a letter-quality printer; dot-matrix is not acceptable. Poetry only may be single-spaced.

• Students may submit up to 2 works of fiction, 2 works of creative nonfiction, and 5 works of poetry.

PR Internship in Governor's Office

2011-10-25T07:53:00.002-05:00

Communications/Public Relations/New Media Political Internship Program

Office of the Governor of the State of Connecticut

Communications Department

Application Due Dates:

November 15 for Spring 2012
April 1 for Summer 2012
June 30 for Fall 2012

Duties:

This internship will put you in the middle of the fast-paced, 24/7/365 Communications Department of the Office of the Governor in the State of Connecticut. Starting the day early by compiling and sending around news clips to the Governor’s staff; you may find yourself staffing the Governor at an event; researching and writing memos, advisories and press releases; updating the website and social media accounts; working with staff to prepare for, plan and execute upcoming events; and monitoring newspapers, blogs and social media for news stories.

Eligibility:

Must be a fifth-semester college student or higher with a keen interest in pursuing the journalism, communications or political science fields. An ability to think-on-your-feet and pitch in wherever necessary is a must.

Applications/POC:
Email a cover letter, resume, and 3 writing samples to:

Colleen Flanagan
Director of Communications
Colleen.Flanagan@ct.gov
860.524.7308

Hotel for the Residency

2011-10-23T11:03:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!

I'm looking to share a room with someone and save some money, but I'll need the room Jan 2-8 (the full week) since I'm flying in and out. Anyone interested?

Let me know,
Marj

Mentor and Course Requests

2011-10-18T09:42:00.000-05:00

Dear Returning Students (for Spring semester),

Please visit the MFA website Forms page to download and complete the Mentor Request form. You may email the form to me by Oct. 28. Even if you do not have specific mentor requests, please complete the form so that I will know which courses you want to register and whether you are registering full time or part time. Please also indicate on the form whether you will be attending the January residency.

New students: no need to fill out this form. I will assign your first-semester mentors.

Thanks,
bc

"The People's Republic of Everywhere and Everything" in WEST COAST CRIME WAVE

2011-10-18T01:51:00.006-05:00

Even two years ago, I would have never bothered submitting to an electric anthology. Ebooks had no market, and thus ebook markets didn't pay for short fiction. But with the widespread adoption of ebook readers, we're seeing some new publishers actually willing to pay in advance. Short crime fiction, like crime itself, often doesn't pay either, but West Coast Crime Wave did. Now that I'm living in Berkeley, CA I had the perfect setting.

My story, "The People's Republic of Everywhere and Everything" is about revolutionary politics, Internet memes, quantum computing, and Cotard delusion. The book itself is available on Kindle right now for a mere $3.99, and will hit Nook et al later this week. Unfortunately, there's no way to put an ebook on one's brag shelf, but I did find something to brag about in the introduction to the book by genius crime writer Ken Bruen:

I'll take that!

MFA Spring Registration

2011-10-17T15:03:00.000-05:00

You may have received an email message from the university within the last week about Spring registration. Please IGNORE that message. I will be providing you with instructions on your registration in the coming weeks. Be on the lookout in the next day or two for my call for mentor requests.

Creativity Discussion

2011-10-17T12:52:00.003-05:00

Dear Colleagues,

Please join John Briggs and friends in a discussion on Fostering Creativity in Our Writing:

Wednesday, October 26, at noon

Midtown Student Center, room 202

As you probably know, John is one of WestConn's three Distinguished Connecticut State University Professors. He is author of Fire in the Crucible: Understanding the Process of Creative Genius (Phanes Press, 2000).

Bring your lunch, and BRING YOUR STUDENTS!!!

I hope to see you there.

Patrick Ryan

Steve Almond Reading at Real Art Ways

2011-10-16T10:15:00.002-05:00

Hello All,

Steve Almond is going to be reading from his new book God Bless America this Tuesday, October 18, starting at 6 pm at Real Art Ways in Hartford. He will be playing the book trailer Sara Lewis and I made for him. Tickets are $5 to get in, see www.realartways.org for more information.

The trailer is up on Almond’s site, www.stevenalmond.com. You can stay updated on our projects at www.burnttwig.com.

Thanks and hope to see you guys there!

Kristin

Nice haircut! Did you have a coupon for the pet shop?

2011-10-11T21:57:00.003-05:00

Here's a picture of my dog with my author copies of my latest book, Insults Every Man Should Know. It's a little quickie gift book from Quirk Publishing, but will surely be legend in the ten-dollar joke book market segment. It also paid for my trip to Scotland earlier this year, and at only 15,000 words didn't take much time to write. I just did 2000 words every Sunday for seven Sundays, and then filled in some front and back matter.

Can't complain! If Richard Yates could write promotional material for Remington Rand, I can do this.

A Challenge from Roger Boylan and Flann O'Brien

2011-10-11T07:35:00.000-05:00

Now, read this fine article from Roger Boylan and MoreIntelligentLife.com and tell me if you don't want to go out and read some O'Brien...

http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/arts/roger-boylan/luck-irish

New MFA Web Site

2011-10-10T16:45:00.002-05:00

After you've taken a look at the link to Don's book, check out the new look of the MFA web page, with new content on the way...

http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa/

Don's _The Winter Travelers_ Out at Last...

2011-10-10T16:42:00.002-05:00

...sure to be a new Xmas classic...

http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Travelers-Christmas-Fable/dp/0892729228

Has anyone used Scribd?

2011-10-07T10:02:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

I finally took a few minutes to check out Scribd.com – very interesting. For those who don't know, it is a social network built around online publication for writing. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with it, either as a reader or publisher. I would like to find out what you think of Scribd as a self-publishing platform.

Thanks.
David

WCSU Email Addresses

2011-10-07T09:20:00.000-05:00

Hello all,

This is a reminder that WCSU has (again) required that all official program-related email communication among students and faculty take place via university email addresses. Thus, any future official email communication from me will be to your WCSU email addresses. This applies to everyone, but is of particular relevance to current thesis students...

bc

Just in time for Halloween...DEMONS!

2011-10-07T00:07:00.003-05:00

My latest short story, "The Coda of Solomon" appears in Demons, edited by the seminal splatterpunk writer and editor John Skipp.

Demons is part of a series of phonebook-sized anthologies that combine classic reprints, more recent previously published stories, and new fiction, with the idea of demonstrating how a classic horror trope (zombies, werewolves, and now demons) have been used over the centuries. This one includes work by classic authors Lovecraft and Poe, plus stories by some of the best living authors: Neil Gaiman, David J. Schow, and William Peter Blatty.

Check it out!

Coffeehouse Readings

2011-10-06T09:08:00.000-05:00

Tonight, Oct. 6, there will be an open mic and faculty feature reading at the WCSU Coffeehouse, 8 pm at Alumni Hall. Jeff Schlict, Bill Joel, Jane Gangi, and I are the faculty readers. I encourage you all to come and read something at the open mic! There will be a signup sheet at the back of the room. Also... I need a couple of volunteers who might be interested in doing some quick, kinda wild improvisation at the event tonight. If you might be interested, please email me ASAP (clementsb@wcsu.edu). Sorry for short notice...

bc

Reading at Italian American Museum

2011-10-04T10:02:00.000-05:00

Join me for a reading from my novel (and MFA thesis)

Of Asphalt and Earth

Thursday, November 3 @ 6:30

Italian American Museum

115 Mulberry Street

(Corner of Mulberry and Grand Streets)

New York, NY 10013

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Hey Everyone

2011-10-04T07:15:00.002-05:00

Just added a new post to my blog Six Loose Cannons. I also just completed a new author's website for myself, it is a work in progress. The website was one of the projects I completed for my writing in the second genre class this semester. Check them out if you like, no pressure.

January Residency Dates

2011-09-28T09:43:00.000-05:00

The January residency will run from Jan. 2 through 8 (the only events on the 2nd are the new student orientation at 4:00 and evening mixer, and the 8th is travel only). Full schedule of events from the 3rd through 7th. I know the web site currently says 1st-7th; we'll get that corrected.

Pizza and a Movie Night @ January Residency

2011-09-26T10:59:00.000-05:00

Because the Pizza and a Movie night was such a big hit in August (thank you, Laura Hayden!), we're going to bring it back in January--and my hope is that the university will cover the cost of the pizza this time! Will keep you updated on this high-finance budgetary matter.

Meanwhile, what films would you suggest for the screening (assuming that Kristin and Sara will not have The Writer's Life ready for us yet...)?

The Writer's Room

2011-09-23T17:56:00.000-05:00

New York Times bestselling author, Wendy Corsi Staub was my first guest in The Writer's Room, a new television series now being broadcast on Comcast in upstate New York. I'm thrilled to report that we've been invited to produce additional episodes. We'll be recording them this fall. Next up is another New York Times bestseller, Mary Jane Clark.

In this interview, Wendy was incredibly forthcoming. We discussed her writing process, how she juggles so many projects at one time (she writes three to five books a year, all excellent, and most of them bestsellers), and her suggestions for new authors as they navigate the road to publication. Here's the two links to the two parts of my interview with Wendy:

PART ONE: http://www.youtube.com/user/WritersRoomProject#p/a/u/0/0AZ5u5p9B7g

PART TWO: http://www.youtube.com/user/WritersRoomProject#p/a/u/0/--BNjjYxvSI

Academic Freedom and Tenure

2011-09-22T08:54:00.000-05:00

Those of you who are in academia or who want to be in academia might be interested in the top few posts on this new blog from AAUP. If you wonder whether tenure really helps to protect academic freedom, take a gander:

http://academeblog.org/