Course Evaluations

MFA Students,

Please see the MFA website (http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa) under the Forms link for the course evaluation form. Please fill out a form for each of your courses and return to Laurel by mail, fax, or email. If you prefer, you may bring the completed forms with you to the residency.

bc

Schedule Changes

Folks, there have been slight adjustments to the schedule on Wednesday and Friday (I had in error introduced conflicts between student/faculty appointments and other events on Friday). Don Snyder's talk on Hollywood has been moved to Wednesday. Your student/faculty appointment times for Friday have not changed! Please see the updated schedule at the MFA web site--we'll have copies for you at the residency, of course.

Just in time for the residency...

This month's issue of The Writer (labeled January, but on stands now) includes my article, "Get The MOST Out Of Your MFA Program!" I cover workshops, publishing, the thesis, and inexpensive sources of protein. Check it out if you have $6.95 and a dream.

Hope it helps and stay warm in Danbury!

Late Addition to Resdincy Schedule

Folks, Don Snyder has very kindly offered to lead a talk/discussion about working in/for/around/toward Hollywood. I'm sure it will be informed by his efforts to sell his most recent screenplay and his past experience with the novel to screen business. Friday afternoon at 2:00.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award

You fiction writers who have a substantial manuscript might be interested in this. One of our students last year, Kirsten Genthner, went quite far in the process last year.

http://www.amazon.com/b?node=332264011

Student/Faculty Appointments at the Residency

Please see the schedule here:

http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa//pdf/StudentFacultyApptsJan09Residency.pdf

If some of your mentors are not listed, it means that those mentors will not be at the residency. I will provide you with contact info so you can get in touch with them after the residency.

Tune In Tonight

I will the featured speaker on tonight's Rich Women Sisterhood Academy Event, a web show on line. My topic will be "Recession-Proof Your Resume During Turbulent Times" and I will be talking with host and RWS founder, Leisa Watkins, about the three most important considerations you should make when repositioning your resume in a tough economy: targeting your message, organizing your information, and choosing a format that best presents your "personal brand."

The teleseminar is free. To register and join in click here.

Help Obama Create History in a Haiku

If brevity is the soul of wit, perhaps it is also of history. This from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, and SMITH magazine:

The National Constitution Center and SMITH Magazine ask you to help President-elect Obama inspire America. In six words, give him guidance.Offer ideas for his inaugural address. Six memorable words for January 20th. In six words, a President can say a lot: "Malice toward none, charity for all,"(Abraham Lincoln, 1865) "Nothing to fear but fear itself," (Franklin Roosevelt, 1933) "Like a thousand points of light." (George H.W. Bush, 1989) So give your speech writing a try. Authors of our judges' six favorite submissions will win a six-word memoir book from SMITH Magazine, a year's membership to the National Constitution Center, and have their words forwarded to President-elect Obama's speech writers. One grand prize winner will also win a leather bound volume of the Constitution.

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/addressamerica/

The Visitor

Me again. Just a note to say that I saw the film, "The Visitor" and highly recommend it. Without going into description, it's simply one of the most striking and beautiful movies I can remember seeing. For any screenplay writers -- this is a good one to study. And, I think, many people associated with this blog will find something personal to relate to in this amazing film.
Best Wishes,
Don Lowe

Residency Schedule

Hello All,

The residency schedule is available at the MFA web site.

Please note the schedules for 12/31 and 1/1. Please note also that some workshops will have different meeting places on their second day.

Continental breakfast will be served at the hotel each day; lunch and dinner will be served at the hotel on 12/31 and 1/1, on campus the other days.

Some of you may choose to go home for New Year's celebrations on 12/31--if so, do not check out of the hotel unless you have arranged in advance with the hotel for split reservations. New students: the 4:00 new student orientation on Sunday will take place at Two Steps Restaurant in downtown Danbury, also the site of the welcome dinner Sunday at 5:30.

bc

Wine Lovers

Dearest Wine Lovers;
This message is to let friends know that life’s lucky charms finds me uniting a longtime passion for good wine with the written word: I am writing tasting notes for Noble Grape Wines, a family-owned enterprise who for more than fifty years has been devoted to discovering exceptional wine and providing a hand-picked, distinctive selection to wine lovers everywhere. Below is my personal link that I encourage you to use. (Lets the company know you’re a friend -- a good thing.)

http://www.noblegrapewines.com/store/pages.php?pageid=12&partner=DonLowe

If you’re tired of “buying blind” in wine shops, weary of depleting your wine budget on your best guess or spending top dollar for a special occasion wine on some salesman’s whim, then maybe I can help you. Below are the wines that I have tasted for Noble Grape Wines. In addition, my tasting notes for two brilliant wines -- Ella Valley Vineyards Merlot 2002; Ella Valley Vineyards Chardonnay 2004 -- will be posted soon and many more wines are forthcoming.
MAJOLINI Franciacorta Brut “Electo” 2003
Paolo Cali’, Frappato, Bianca di Luna 2006
Manene Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Classico 2005
Sassonero Merlot 2005
Castellerro Barolo 2003
Yndaris Syrah 2004

Feel free to email me. Tell me what you are looking for; or ask me to give you a personal reflection on each of the wines that I have tasted.

http://www.noblegrapewines.com/store/pages.php?pageid=12&partner=DonLowe

(If you wish to not be a recipient of this kind of email let me know. No hard feelings. )

“We are all mortal until the first kiss and the second glass of wine.” Eduardo Galeano

“Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.” Ben Franklin

“I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to food.” W. C. Fields

http://www.noblegrapewines.com/store/pages.php?pageid=12&partner=DonLowe
Best Wishes,
Don Lowe

Residency Hotel Reminder!

MFA Students,Please contact the Maron Hotel to make your reservation for the Winter Residency no later than December 15. Contact info at http://www.maronhotel.com/.The rate will be $69 per night, which includes continental breakfast. Those of you with special dietary needs may need to make personal arrangements for breakfast. My understanding is that the amount of the residency fee will be adjusted to reflect that you're no longer paying for breakfast on campus. (If you live in Danbury or nearby, no need to reserve a room.)

Miranda Winter Submissions

Faculty, Staff, Students,

Miranda Literary Magazine is gearing up for its winter issue. We are still looking for articles, interviews, essays, nonfiction, poetry, and fiction. We are using the website and all work will be posted on the website, but we will also be using a print on-demand service so people can order and possess the magazine as well. We will also be using the physical magazine to promote and draw interest to a more traditional audience.

Hope is well in your ideas and writing.
Ron
MLM

Send your submissions here.

Residency Workshop Requests

Hello All,

Please consult the workshop list at http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa//Workshop%20selections.htm and return your preferences to me no later than Dec. 5. You should begin planning for the residency as though you were going to get all of your first choices.

bc

Mentor Requests for Winter/Spring

Hello All,

Please download the Mentor Request form at http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa//forms.asp and email your requests to me no later than Dec. 1, even if you have already emailed me about your requests. If I have not received your requests by Dec. 1, I will assign your mentors.

bc

A Call for Work by WestConn MFA Students

We just wanted to remind everyone that the deadline for submissions to the Spring 2009 issue of Black & White's annual edition is coming up soon -- November 30! We consider any material which can be represented on a 6x9" page. We have no restrictions or guidelines on form or subject matter. For more details on submitting work, see our new website: http://blackandwhitejournal.com. Also on the site is our archived print material and new electronic edition.

We are also looking for material for our electronic edition. If your submissions can reasonably be presented in either print or electronic form, please specify to which edition you are submitting (or both).

Submissions to the electronic or annual edition -- and further inquiries -- can be sent to submissions@blackandwhitejournal.com.

Thank you for your support, interest, and contributions thus far and in the future.

Cheers,
Jake Edward Kara
Kevin McNulty-DeNunzio

Post-MFA Opportunity

We write with a message for your graduating MA, MFA, and PhD students in creative writing. We¹d like to let them know about the approaching deadline for the writing Fellowships here at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown and hope that you will forward this email to those students and to others you think may be interested in applying.

For the last forty years, the Fine Arts Work Center has run the largest and longest residency Fellowship in the United States for emerging writers. Writers from any country who have not yet published a book with significant distribution are welcome to apply. Fellows receive a 7-month stay at the Work Center and a monthly stipend of $650. Fellows do not pay or work in exchange for their fellowships in any way. Fellows are chosen based on the strength and promise of their application manuscripts. Former Fellows have won every major national award in writing and include Denis Johnson, Louise Glück, Jhumpa Lahiri, Yusef Komunyakaa, and 800 others.

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

The application is straightforward. For details, please visit http://www.fawc.org/winter/index.shtml

The postmark deadline for next year¹s Fellowships is Monday, December 1, 2008.

We¹d be grateful for your help in passing on word of this unique opportunity to your students.


Yours,


Salvatore Scibona
Writing Coordinator
Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown
24 Pearl Street
Provincetown, MA 02657

Application for Graduation

Those of you who are graduating this semester need to complete an application for graduation. You can download it from the program web site, www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa and submit it directly to the Graduate Studies office.

bc

Residency Hotel

MFA Students,

Please contact the Maron Hotel to make your reservation for the Winter Residency no later than December 15. Contact info at http://www.maronhotel.com/.

The rate will be $69 per night, which includes continental breakfast. Those of you with special dietary needs may need to make personal arrangements for breakfast. My understanding is that the amount of the residency fee will be adjusted to reflect that you're no longer paying for breakfast on campus.

bc

The Thing About You Birds

Hi gang,
Happy to report that my piece "The Thing About You Birds" came out today at the literary humor site The Big Jewel. Some of you might be familiar with the piece. I read it at the last residency open mic.

Dave

Writer's Group to Start in Danbury Area in 2009

I attended the Writer’s Roundtable last evening, a meeting called by Lisa Scails, director of the Housatonic Valley Cultural Alliance (HVCA). HVCA is willing to coordinate the startup of a writer’s group in the Danbury area, as part of their mission to support the arts in the ten-town region they represent.

The writers attending were from across the spectrum -- those making a living at writing to those not published.

Key outcomes of the meeting:

• It was agreed that a writer's group is desired in the Danbury area. The only ones nearby seem to be the Ridgefield Writer's Guild and one in Southbury. Some of the attendees were members of CAPA (Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association), which meets monthly in Avon.
• The goals are to have 4 to 6 program meetings per year, where there would be a speaker and time afterward to network with other writers. The first program meeting will be planned for March 2009.
• Between program meetings, a critique meeting would be established; the first critique meeting will be planned for January or February.
• The meetings would most likely be held in Danbury.
• The next meeting with the HVCA will be on December 8th to plan the first program and critique meetings.

If you're interested in the writer’s group, to participate in the planning or to see how it all unfolds, send a note to Lisa Scails at lscails@snet.net, so that she can include you on future notices.

For more information on the HVCA, go to their website hvculturalarts.org.

Holly

Writing Mentor Tim Weed in The Writer's Chronicle

Tim Weed's article Accessing Eden: Novelistic Landscapes and the Domaine Perdu is out in the new (December) issue of Writer's Chronicle. It is a fascinating look into the development of style and form of the novel and it's roots in the concept of innocence lost.

Registration

If you received paperwork from the Grad Studies office or from the Registrar regarding registering for next semester, ignore it. Registration will be handled at the residency, as usual.

Charles Wright in New Haven

Hello All Locals--

Here's an opportunity to hear one of the most important living poets read from his work. If you're going, I hope to see you there.

Poet Charles Wright
Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 6 p.m.St. Anthony Hall, 483 College Street, New Haven
Sponsored by the Department of English and St. Anthony HallFree and open to the public
Charles Wright is one of the most widely acclaimed and critically beloved poets of the past thirty years. His poems, which in their long lines combine near-Biblical weight with a sharp wit, examine with striking clarity the central dilemmas of time, experience, and language's power to capture either. "The secret of language," he wrote in his most recent collection, "is the secret of desire," and Wright's preoccupation so often is to probe his own unfolding language for the bedrock truths that, almost geologically, underlie it. His subject is landscape; his landscape, Appalachia. His most recent book is Littlefoot (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2007); his other volumes include Scar Tissue (2006), Buffalo Yoga (2004), Appalachia (1998), Black Zodiac (1997), Zone Journals (1988), The Other Side of the River (1984), Country Music/ Selected Early Poems (1982), and The Southern Cross (1981), among others.Wright has been the recipient of many awards, most notably the Pulitzer Prize(for Black Zodiac), the National Book Award (for Country Music: New and Selected Poems), the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award of Merit Medal. A Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, he is Souder Family Professor of English at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville.

Residency

Folks, a couple of points about the residency:

*We will not be working after dinner on New Year's Eve, nor before 1:00 on New Year's Day. Lunch will not be served on the 1st, so you'll need to be prepared with food in your room or be prepared to eat at one of the nearby restaurants. Laurel will try to provide a list of nearby establishments open on the 1st.
*We plan to be at the Maron Hotel at the bottom of the hill and to hold the residency events on the Westside campus. More info will follow on room arrangements.
*I currently only have three people signed up to present enrichment projects at the residency: Moretti, A. Miller, and Rinker. If you need to present your project at the residency, please let me know immediately.
*Laurel recently sent out a group email message asking for a response on attendance at the residency. Please respond to her as soon as possible, and let her know, too, whether you intend to stay at the hotel or at your own residence.

More soon!
bc

New Release

And How to End It, prose poems by Brian Clements

http://spdbooks.org/details.asp?BookID=9780979299940

[The grammatical error is SPD's, not mine!]

Lahiri Reminder

Lahiri on campus, Nov. 5!

Don't waste time celebrating/mourning the election!

Come hear the author of The Namesake!
http://www.onebookdanbury.org/author.asp

Essay at On The Brighter Side

My essay "Reason to Avoid Getting a Haircut" appeared in issue 2 of On The Brighter Side, which was released in pdf form recently. If you're interested, you can download the issue here.
The humor mag is new but it pays $50 for humorous fiction and essays (although they are currently closed to subs).

p.s. If for anything, download the pdf just to see my picture. Paunchy, portly, plump I may be. But I think the photo got screwed up because I look like an offensive lineman who was cut from the team for being out of shape.

Terese Svoboda's Reading & Workshop

Compliments to Brian for bringing Terese Svoboda to WestConn for October 10th reading of her memoir Black Glasses Like Clark Kent and Saturday morning workshop on creative nonfiction. Her writing, as well as her teaching is a gift to those who value truth over sentiment, objectivity over nuance and letting stories reveal their own moments of compassion amid the cruelty. All the while, her nonfiction follows the canon of good fiction writing: clear narrative, descriptive, yet unembroidered detail and leaving the reader with confidence they have followed a journey well worth taking.

Also, thank you to Harry, Alexis, Laura, Bernie and Kateri for sharing your talented work in Svoboda’s workshop.

Karen Smith Vastola

Writers Roundtable for Danbury Regional Writers

WRITERS ROUNDTABLE

The Housatonic Valley Cultural Alliance is sponsoring a meeting of writers.

(NOTE: HVCA is the group with which I did my enrichment project, and I was on their board.)

The "Housatonic Valley Cultural Alliance is a regional network that enhances the connection, collaboration, and conversation within the arts and cultural as well as among business and other interest groups.")

Lisa Scails, the HVCA Director, told me that the meeting is "the inaugural roundtable meeting for writers that is at the request of writers who have joined HVCA recently. So far there are a variety of writers that have expressed an interest, from journalists, book authors, etc. The idea is simply to provide an opportunity for writers to network and to identify and address common issues from a regional perspective. A framework will be provided but we will allow for a more organic process too. Those who are behind this are excited about the many directions this can take them. It will depend on the participants and what they want to do. I’ll draft an agenda for the meeting as we get closer."

I plan to attend - if you're in the Danbury area, this is an opportunity to network with other regional authors.

Holly Azevedo

Monday, November 10th 2008

7-9 PM

Western CT State University

Student Center (Midtown Campus) Room 226

Refreshments provided

RSVP to info@hvculturalarts.org

Writers are coming together from surrounding areas to network, share ideas, and identify common issues. Join us!

Spicy Slipstream Stories

Hi all. Just a quick note to say that my latest anthology, Spicy Slipstream Stories is percolating through the distribution system right now. Amazon.com has copies, other outlets soon will.

"Slipstream", as many of you may know, is essentially fiction that is published under the rubric of "general fiction" or even "quality literature" while actually trafficking in science fiction or fantasy. Call it postmodern fabulation. The "spicy" magazines of the pulp era threw a bit of cheesecake and ribaldry in along with the tales of dashing pilots, tawdry crime, or even gruesome horror.

Co-edited with the prolific Jay Lake, Spicy Slipstream Stories features work by Carrie Vaughn (Kitty and the Midnight Hour), David Schwartz (Superpowers) and other writers both prominent and obscure. Check it out!

Residency Reminders

Hello All,

Just a friendly reminder that the dates for our Winter Residency in Danbury are Dec. 28 through January 3. The first day, the 28th, will be similar to our first day in August--arrival, new student orientation, welcome dinner. The 3rd will be for travel EXCEPT that we will have our round-up meeting at 9 am that morning (we'll try to do it at the hotel).

If you do not plan to attend the residency (and plan to substitute it with five workshops), please let me know.

bc

Get INTO Dodge

Two weeks ago, I attended the biennial Geraldine Dodge Poetry Festival held at Waterloo Village in northwest New Jersey. Waterloo is a restored 19th century village along the banks of a small river - a perfect unhurried spot in which to soak up words. It's a buffet feast of poets, as I heard Lucille Clifton, Sharon Olds, and Edward Hirsch to name a few, as well as former Poet Lauerates Billy Collins, Ted Kooser, and Charles Simic. (Note: Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress is actually the official, rather unwieldly title of the Poet Lauerate.)
A few observations from poets that seem to apply to all writers:

Edward Hirsch: "Writing poetry is a way to try to outlast time."

Billy Collins: "Writing is about trying to obtain the love of strangers. It's a neurosis. I mean, isn't it hard enough to get love from the people around you?"

Ted Kooser: "I write to move from length to brevity, and from complexity to clarity."

Most inspiring? Hands down - Ted Kooser, who retired as Vice President of Lincoln Benefit Insurance Company after 30+ years. He wrote throughout his entire insurance career, rising every morning at 4:30 to work on his poetry. During his 20 month tenure as Consultant in Poetry...etc, he visited 48 states, conducted over 100 interviews, and made over 200 appearances - all to champion the cause of poetry.
Kathy

Summer Internships at WSJ

The Wall Street Journal Online is seeking summer interns with strong multimedia skills and a keen desire to work online. Candidates will be paired with and mentored by editors in a newsroom environment, producing sections of the site, building or designing interactive graphics, working in Flash or shooting and editing photos and video. Over the course of 10 weeks, interns will also get the chance to showcase their talents through project work and further develop their skills.

Candidates must have prior experience or a demonstrated interest in news and the ability to work under constant deadline pressure. Those seeking production internships should be comfortable working with content-management system software and have at least basic HTML skills. Candidates for graphics, photo or video internships will be tested in their knowledge of development languages and editing software in relevant areas.

Pay is $700 a week, with internships running from early June through mid-August. Applicants for summer 2009 internships must have graduated from college or a Master's program or be slated to receive a degree between December 2008 and May 2009. Submit a cover letter and CV at www.dowjones.com/careers <http://www.dowjones.com/careers> , using the job ID number 250416. Please also supply links to your portfolio of online work.

Do Not Update to Java 6.0

Do not upgrade to Java 6.0.

Two weeks ago, I upgraded to Java 6.0. While I was able to access Blackberry Vista and the Online Genre Workshop I postings, I was able to respond to posting but I was not able to add a new attachment to a posting. In fact, when I tried, the "My Computer" logo failed to appear. This was a problem with both Mozilla Foxfire and Internet Explorer. If I clicked on the blank spot where the "My Computer" logo should have appeared, I had trouble closing out of the program and all typing on Vista and my AOL came out backward, e.g., if I typed "Rinker," it came out "rekniR."

I talked earlier today with the Computer Help Desk at West Conn and was told the problem was Java 6.0. Once I removed the upgrade and went back to a previous version, in my case an older Version 4, everything worked fine.

Recent Publication

Hey Everybody,

I hope that life outside the MFA program is finding you all well.  Below is a link to a recent publication of mine on Cezanne's Carrot.  This story was reviewed on the MFA online multi-genre course and I'd like to thank everyone for their advice and editing.  I hope you enjoy.

Regards,

Marc E. Fitch

www.cezannescarrot.org/vol3iss4/index.html

Late Breaking News...

As many of you know my enrichment project is teaching high school and middle school students how to write screenplays. Recently I was interviewed by a reporter from The Connecticut Post about this enrichment project. You can read the full article (in which the MFA is mentioned) here: http://www.connpost.com/localnews/ci_10698743.

Enrichment Presentations at Residency

Hello All,

If you intend to present your enrichment project at the January residency, please let me know ASAP so I can write you into the schedule.

Hope to see some of you at the Svoboda reading this evening.

bc

Svoboda Reading

7:30 Friday, Student Center Theatre (Midtown Campus)--Support your local MFA program!

Read about Svoboda here: http://www.blackglasseslikeclarkkent.com/

Travel Writing Opportunity

World Nomads has partnered with Footprint Guide Books to offer an exciting Travel Writing Scholarship. The scholarship recipient will receive mentorship from travel writer David Stott, plus the opportunity to be published in the Footprint India Handbook. The assignment will take the student on location to Kerala, India, where they will enjoy a unique tour of the River Nila region area including rare interactions with folk artists, musicians, potters and ritualistic healers. World Nomads is passionate about travel and our full Travel Scholarship program can be viewed at our website- www.worldnomads.com

Slam Poetry Night

Hey Guys,

There will be a Slam Poetry Night tomorrow October 7th at 8pm along with a workshop from 3pm to 5pm for anyone interested. The w orkshop will be at Warner Hall North Ballroom from 3pm to 5pm with the show at the Midtown Campus Student Center Theatre from 8pm to 10pm.

The showcased poets will be Sierra Demulder and Rhe from the Talk Ugly To Me tour and there will be an open mike.

Sample Balanced Reporting

There's some unanimity among communities in Fairfield and New Haven counties of CT that this is an example of balanced independent reporting in turbulent times. I am sharing it here for that purpose.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/10/hundreds_break.php#011569more

Students Needed! Svoboda Workshop

So far, I only have three people signed up. Good news for those three people, bad news for the future of on-campus readings and workshops at WestConn. Sign up now!

"Pulp Faction" in The Writer's Chronicle

My article, "Pulp Faction", about the teaching of genre/popular fiction in writing programs, is in the current issue of AWP's The Writer's Chronicle. Naturally, as it deals with debased subject matter, it is listed last on the cover.

The article was born of a class assignment in Writing In The Secondary Genre. It did take the Chronicle, which actually insists upon the submission of completed work instead of taking queries like most magazines, nearly eleven months to get back to me, but after that things went fairly quickly. They even paid several months in advance of publication. So the mag isn't just some hopelessly ill-shaped thing designed to torture your mailbox, and students should certainly look at it as a venue for publication.

Brian Clements reads from new book, "Disappointed Psalms"

Brian Clements gave a reading of excerpts from his new book, poems that juxtapose biblical phrases and the terrifying news headlines of the last seven years' wars and rumors of war. In a few brief minutes, he spoke to our collective fear and outrage; and reminded us, once again, of the power of the written word.

Official Launch of Sanity

This week officially launched my new gig as "resident sanity expert" and a contributing editor for TravelingMom.com. Check out this week's Sanity section, the inaugural issue.

Anne

Intimate Revenge

MFA Writing Mentor Roger Boylan's new piece the Boston Review--"Intimate Revenge: Writing the Troubles."



http://www.bostonreview.net/BR33.5/boylan.php

Svoboda Workshop (TIMES AND LOCATIONS added)

Terese Svoboda's workshop from 10 am to 1 pm on Oct. 11 in Higgins 206 is entitled "Writing from Resarch." It is a cross-genre workshop in which you are invited to present and discuss your projects that involve research--whether it's a novel, nonfiction, memoir, or poetry. Ms. Svoboda would like to see a brief description of your project (one paragraph) and a sample of writing in advance. The project need not be far advanced--projects in early stages are welcome.

To participate, please email me and attach your paragraph and sample no later than 8 am, Tuesday Oct. 7. Space is limited to 12 participants. If there are fewer than 12 writers submitting work, then the remaining spaces will be available to auditors.

Also, if you live nearby, PLEASE attend Ms. Svoboda's reading on Oct. 10 at 7:30 in the Student Center Theatre. In order to preserve funding for these events, we need AUDIENCES. And if you haven't already, check out Svoboda's most recent book, Black Glasses Like Clark Kent. It's a good book and relevant to current political circumstances.

bc

Terese Svoboda Comes to WestConn on October 10

Terese Svoboda, whose recent novel, Black Glasses Like Clark Kent, has been nominated for the National Book Award, will give a reading on Friday, October 10 in the Student Center Theater at 7:30pm. A book signing and light reception will follow. All are cordially invited.

On Saturday, October 11 she will give a writer's workshop from 10:00a to 1:00p. Light refreshments provided. Seats are limited, so please check back shortly for sign-up info.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to call Laurel at (203) 837-8878.

New posting

Howdy!

Though things have slowed down considerably for Overton Photography due to the hectic pace of this semester for me, to keep my photography skills sharp I do freebees for associates from time to time, primarily women-owned businesses. So at your leisure, check out my Webpage: www.overtonphotography.com

I've added some new photos and be sure to check out the "Food Glorious Food" Web page under the "Portfolio" section. Warning: do not view these photos on an empty stomach. It'll make your mouth water.

I'm thinking Ed Kurpis might find some inspiration since some of his writing is food related. Sorry, Ed, no pictures of grapes...yet.

Love, Peace and Elbow Grease,
Lisa S-O

Anton in Show Busniess

Hello all,

I'm in the cast and just want to share. Show opens on October 10, 2008. Call 203.623.7560 for reservations.

Aaliyah

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read

Hi all. a newspaper article this morning tipped me off to the ALA's Banned Books Week, going on right now:
http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/25439

Here's a link to the ALA's site:
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.cfm

support intellectual freedom!

The Hartford Courant Covers the New Haven Film Festival

Hello All,

Please check out the cover story in today's Cal section of the Courant on this weekend's New Haven Underground Film Festival -- at University of Hartford.

Honoring Veterans

Hello All,

The university is floating the idea of hosting a day of honor for Veterans on campus; I've been asked to query whether any of our MFA-ers (or former MFA-ers) who are Vets would have any interest in participating is such a program by reading some of their work having to do with their experience in military service. If so, please let me know as soon as possible.

bc

Black & White

The following is an e-mail regarding the campus literary publication, Black and White.

Black & White would like to invite you to submit your work and encourage the submission of work by your graduate and undergraduate students alike. We have an especially difficult time raising awareness for the journal among graduate students since the entire Black & White staff is comprised of undergraduates (although graduates are welcome to participate), and we ask that you mention the publication to your students.

The deadlines for the Black & White, Spring 2009 submissions are Sept. 30, Oct. 31 and November 30, 2008. Contributors who submit work by the October deadline will be notified as to whether their work was accepted before the winter break. Submissions can be sent to wcsujournal@gmail.com. There are no restrictions on content or form, and we accept artwork as well.

For those students interested in working on the journal, our meetings are held on the top of floor of the student center every Tuesday and Wednesday from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. The room varies between 226, 228 and 202A, but if you go up the stairs you can see which room we happen to be in. There is regular work for:
staff writers (featured weekly in the Echo)
editors
layout editors
business, marketing and PR managers
recording engineers
voice actors
event planners
and many more

We also encourage faculty members to stop by and observe at least one meeting this semester.

Our goal last year was to create a high quality publication in which our contributors could be proud to have their work published. While we did manage that, we spent most of the first semester waiting for content, and the second semester scrambling to put the book together with the few remaining club members. This year we aim to not only produce a high quality publication, but create a functioning editorial environment and business-like organization in which club members can gain valuable experience, and which can expand in any way there is a desire to among club members. Some club members, for example, are currently working on producing a live WestConn-themed murder mystery with WXCI on Halloween night. And as you may have noticed, we now have a weekly section in the echo. There is discussion among club members about creating a business and marketing team to raise awareness for the magazine to a national level.

Thank you for your interest and support.

Sincerely,
Kevin McNulty-DeNunzio

Jake Kara

Opportunity to Meet Jhumpa Lahiri

Ms. Lahiri has agreed to hold a meeting with select students Nov. 5. It would be from 4:30-5:30 in Haas library. 5 slots have been reserved for MFA students.

If you would like to take one of those 5 slots, please reply to me immediately. First come, first serve.

bc

On the Go with TravelingMom.com

Hi everyone. A few exciting bits of news....

My essay Ah Wilderness appears in TravelingMom.com in three parts, along with a "hints" sidebar I wrote at the editor's request. You may recall the essay from my thesis.

One good thing leads to another... I've been asked by TravelingMom.com to become their 'resident sanity expert' and will be writing the weekly Sanity section of the ezine, as well as posting as a regular blogger for the site.

These are paying gigs, by the way!

Another essay from my thesis, BabyMaking 101, has been accepted for the November issue of the literary journal, MotherVerse. I've also been asked by the editor to submit an essay for a upcoming anthology being published.


Anne

Who Needs Agents?

The following form Springwise newsletter, Sept 18 (http://www.springwise.com/weekly/2008-09-18.htm)

Authonomy is a new community (from Harper Collins) that invites unpublished and self-published authors to post at least 10,000 words of a fiction or non-fiction manuscript for visitors to read online.

Visitors can review and recommend books, and can showcase their five favourite submissions on a virtual bookshelf that's viewable from their profile page. Authonomy keeps track of the number of recommendations a book receives and ranks writers accordingly. Readers are also ranked, based on how good they've been at spotting books that make it to the top of Authonomy's charts. To help authors make it from computer screen to printed book, once a month the top five books are delivered to the desks of an editorial board made up of international HarperCollins commissioning editors.

The website is free to use both for readers and writers, and HarperCollins hopes the wisdom of the crowds will help them unsource potential hits that individual editors or agents might otherwise miss, or just don't have the time to read. Needless to say, the site could also prove to be a good marketing tool once manuscripts are actually published, since authors won't have to build a fan base from scratch.


http://www.authonomy.com/about.aspx

Namesake Shooting Script

I couldn’t find a copy of The Namesake screenplay online, so I got one from Searchlight. I posted it on Blackboard Vista for OMG3, but if anyone outside the course wants a copy, just email me.

Bob

New Haven Underground Film Festival Come to University of Hartford

The Fifth Annual New Haven Underground Film Festival
Takes Place On September 27 at the University of Hartford


WEST HARTFORD, CT, AUGUST 18, 2008 – The Fifth Annual New Haven Underground Film Festival is returning to Connecticut on Saturday, September 27, with a full-day slate of provocative, entertaining and just plain odd movies. The festival, which claims, “it is so underground that’s in not in New Haven,” will be held at the Wilson Wilde Auditorium at The Gray Conference Center at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, CT. The program will run from 12:00pm to 7:00pm, and admission for the full-day event is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for seniors and students with ID.
This year’s event takes a different programming approach by offering three different categories of films. Part One celebrates “Skewered Perceptions,” with films that question how we see each other and ourselves. Among the titles being presented are “The Dungeon of Dr. Dreck,” the latest feature from veteran underground filmmaker Michael Legge, and “Icons,” Neal Thomassen’s wicked send-up of legendary pop culture figures.
Part Two of the festival explores “Reinventing the World,” which determines how people and places take on new identities in response to changing times. Among the films presented here are “Plan 9 from Syracuse,” the critically acclaimed documentary feature from Ryan Dacko, and “Greetings from Havre de Grace,” Mark Scalese’s off-beat documentary short.
Part Three of the festival is the “Directors Showcase,” honoring the work of two highly esteemed underground film artists. The festival will offer a very rare public screening of the “Harsh Light,” an award-winning 1997 short drama from E.B. Hughes, and the world premiere of “London Betty,” the latest feature from Thomas Edward Seymour.
University of Hartford student filmmaker Ryan Davis has a short appearing in the festival. “This is a chance to showcase the work of the Cinema Studies program at UHart,” Says Leslie Dallas, the festival’s managing director and an adjunct instructor in Cinema Studies. Ms. Dallas is a graduate of the prestigious UCLA film school and brings credits in features and television to her work with students. “It’s a pleasure to see students acknowledged.” Sarah Lasley, a student at Yale, also has a short in this year’s festival. The directors hope more students will submit work and use the festival as a showcase for up and coming creative talent.
“This year’s festival offers a rich mix of dramatic, comic, non-fiction and surreal offerings,” says Phil Hall, festival director, Film Threat contributing editor and author of the books “The Encyclopedia of Underground Movies” and “Independent Film Distribution.” “We are bringing in the finest new talent in underground cinema, including a pair of student filmmakers enjoying their first major exposure. Plus, we have major underground talent such as Michael Legge, E.B. Hughes and Thomas Edward Seymour represented here. The festival literally offers something for everyone.”
For more information, visit the festival’s web site at www.nhuff.com.

(Full festival schedule is attached; high-res photos are available upon request).









The 2008 New Haven Underground Festival Schedule

PART ONE: SKEWERED PERCEPTIONS
Films that question how we see each other and ourselves

12:00pm Introduction by festival director Phil Hall.

12:05pm "The Pod" (Directed by Jeremiah Kipp, New York City). A young couple finds their relationship severely tested when they are introduced to a dangerous new drug. A disturbing psychological drama, starring cult filmmaker Larry Fessenden ("Habit," "Wendigo") as the unsavory drug dealer.

12:30pm "Icons" (Directed by Neal Thomassen, Manchester, CT). A distraught Santa Claus, financially strapped due to "outsourcing," tries to make ends meet by bringing in a pair of new roommates: the Easter Bunny and Cupid. A wickedly funny satire of cultural symbols, with unlikely guest appearances by various fairy tale, cartoon and comic book legends.

12:50pm "Dark Room" (Directed by Ryan Davis, Danvers, MA). A young would-be Romeo discovers that his latest conquest forgot to mention something important...she has a jealous husband! Student filmmaker Ryan Davis creates a taut, jolting mini-thriller.

1:00pm "The Dungeon of Dr. Dreck" (Directed by Michael Legge, Weymouth, MA). Veteran underground filmmaker Michael Legge's latest feature finds a mad scientist and his zombie sidekick in a new line of work: hosting a TV horror movie program. The film also includes an eye-popping 3-D sequence (special 3-D glasses will be provided for the screening).


PART TWO: REINVENTING THE WORLD
Films that discover how people and places take on new identities

2:30pm "Gloria Mundi" (Directed by Sarah Lasley, New Haven, CT). Student filmmaker Sarah Lasley helmed this bold, audacious experimental short about a group of college students whose communication skills redefine the concept of person-to-person interactions.

2:45pm "Greetings from Havre de Grace" (Directed by Mark Scalese, Fairfield, CT). In this charming documentary, an unusual town name on an I-95 exit sign in Maryland leads filmmaker Mark Scalese to discover an enchanting seaside location that has repeatedly reinvented itself over the years.

3:10pm "Exposed" (Directed by Noah Cooper, New Haven, CT). A journalist who authored a harsh expose on corrupt cops suddenly finds himself running from the very, very long arm of the law. This compelling short film is fraught with stylish paranoia (and just who is that sexy lady in the sports car?).

3:20pm "Plan 9 from Syracuse" (Directed by Ryan Dacko, Syracuse, NY). How far would you go to get a Hollywood contract? Indie filmmaker Ryan Dacko took the long way – running from Syracuse, NY, to Hollywood in a bold attempt to gain the attention of a prominent producer. Along the cross-country route, he discovered an America he never knew existed – and an inner strength that he never tapped before.


PART THREE: DIRECTORS SHOWCASE
A celebration of the finest in underground cinema

5:00pm "Harsh Light" (Directed by E.B. Hughes, Ocean City, NJ). One of the best short films of the past decade returns for a rare public screening. This gritty, award-winning 1997 production follows a washed-up boxer who finds himself in the middle of a drug ring turf battle. Harsh black-and-white cinematography and Stan Hunter's haunting jazz score beautifully frame this notable work of art.

5:25pm "London Betty" (Directed by Thomas Edward Seymour, Plainville, CT). Thomas Edward Seymour, whose "Land of College Prophets" won the Best Picture Award at the 2005 New Haven Underground Film Festival, returns with the world premiere of this enchanting comedy-adventure. Broadway actress Nicole Lewis ("Rent," "Hair") makes her feature film debut as a plucky British journalist whose first American assignment involves the investigation of a corrupt, perverted small town mayor. Daniel von Bargen ("Super Troopers," "Malcolm in the Middle") plays Betty's reclusive publisher, while Seymour co-stars as her petty thief boyfriend.

Hello All,

I would like to highlight your publications, jobs, internships, and enrichment projects on the program website--this will be a huge help in promoting the program to prospective applicants. Would you please fill out the form below and return it to me in a response here or by email? Much thanks!

Publications since entry into the program (link for online publications or publication citation for print publications--and would love to get a photocopy of the publication if you can provide it):


Enrichment project was/is (organization, if appropriate, and nature of project):


Internship/practicum was/is (organization and nature of project):


Jobs (either while in program or after completion--full-time, freelance, contract, part-time, etc.):


Other successes:

The Namesake

Couple of important Namesake dates:



October 29--screnning of the film on campus

November 5--Lahiri's reading/talk on campus



At some point Mira Nair, the director of the film, will be on campus, too, but I don't have her dates.



More info on locations later, but all events will be on the Midtown campus.

Minority Fellowship Opportunity with The Village Voice

For those interested who meet the criteria. If not, pass the word:

The Mary Wright Minority Fellowship

The Village Voice is taking applications for the fall 2008 Mary Wright Minority Fellowship. The Mary Wright fellowship is a fulltime, three-month writing job with the Voice that provides an opportunity to work alongside veteran Voice journalists. We're looking for recent college graduates with impressive clip files who can demonstrate that they have unique story ideas, excellent writing skills and a desire to do non-intuitive, deeply reported stories about New York City.

This position pays $500 per week, and applicants should be prepared to pitch several original story ideas in an interview. Send a cover letter, resume and recent writing samples to: Tony Ortega, Editor, Village Voice, 36 Cooper Square, NY, NY 10003 or to tortega@villagevoice.com. Questions about the fellowship may also be directed to former Mary Wright fellow and current Voice staff writer, Chloé A. Hilliard, at chilliard@villagevoice.com.

Good luck!

Lisa S-O

Best American Poetry 2008

The new BAP is out, and I'm pleased to announce that Sentence has the honor of being included again! George Kalamaras's "Francis Ponge is on Fire" appeared in Sentence 5.

AWP in Chicago

Anyone planning to attend the AWP conference in Chicago this year? If anyone's planning to go and is willing to spend some time minding the Firewheel/Sentence table, I can look into having the program cover registration fees. Let me know.

http://awpwriter.org/conference/index.php

bc

David Foster Wallace Dies

Sad news for those that remember the essays, David Foster Wallace died this weekend. Although I found our reading for OMG difficult - I gained considerable respect for him in a book titled Consider the Lobster: And Other Essays.


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/books/14wallace.html

"30 Under 30"

Hi all:

My first feature was just published in Westport Magazine, September 2008. Interviews with 30 people under 30 who are finding success:

http://www.mofflymedia.com/Moffly-Publications/Westport-Magazine/September-2008/30-Under-30/

It looks MUCH better on the glossy page (more pictures!!) but you can get the jist if you don't feel like dishing out the 5 bucks for the real thing.

Enjoy!

Kalyn

The Shift Movie

Hello!
Check out this neat website I came across. You can find it here:

http://theShiftMovie.com

Thanks for reading!

Abdul

Some nice news

Hey folks, I just got some nice news I wanted to share.

Over the summer I sent out a couple of my essays to a writing contest sponsored by the Southern Illinois Writers Guild and John Logan College.

To my great surprise, the 2 blind submissions I sent took both first AND second place as best creative nonfiction.

"What Counts" took first place.
"Black Gold" won second.

Both will appear in their annual anthology as well as in my upcoming thesis!

The contest is a nationwide competition, and for me it's a rare victory, since I don't send much of my stuff out. Good to win the 2 cash prizes, but more than that it feels nice to be acknowledged.

--Ed

Short Story Fiction Submissions (Radio Show)

Hi all - I received an email about this call for short story submissions to radio show that's local in my area. Maybe I'll hear some of your stories read on the air this fall? Best, Alexis

Sponsoring Group Name: WXOJ LP FM
Show Name: SHORT STORY FICTION SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED
Submission Due Date: Wednesday December 31st, 2008
Submission Fees: none
Website: Lit1033.com
City, ST: Northampton, MA

At 1:00 PM every Tuesday, on WXOJ LP, 103.3 (Valley Free Radio),
Lit103.3 airs the reading of one or two short stories. If a story is selected for airing it will also be available in print and podcast form on the show's website at http://www.lit1033.com. Each show consists of one or two stories with a total word count of 6,000-9,000 words.

If you would like to submit a story for consideration, email it to lit103.3@comcast.net. DO NOT SEND IT AS AN ATTACHMENT, rather, include it in the body of your email, together with any biographical or other relevant information you'd like read before/after the broadcast.

Because the reading is over the public airwaves FCC guidelines apply.
Like Norman Mailer in The Naked and the Dead, the reader can fug around with words to a certain extent, but if the overall sexual content is too explicit it won't work. The explicit original story will be available on the website.

Direct questions and submissions to Alan Vogel at lit103.3@comcast.net

Contact: Alan Vogel
lit103.3@comcast.net
Contact: Alan Vogel
agvogel@comcast.net

The Namesake--Free Copy

A reminder that those of you who live in the Danbury area can obtain a free copy of The Namesake at the Midtown campus bookstore.

Script Reading in New York

Hello everyone-

Thanks again to all who watched the performance of my script If Not You at the residency. I am pleased to announce that the script was chosen by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and will be performed in New York on September 22, 2008.

The script is now called, Return to Darfur as the previous title wasn't a hit in New York.

Thanks to Louisa for all her hard work in making this happen.

The website contains more information. If you're going to be in the New York area during that time stop by I'd love to see you.

Click here: Playreading Hosted by Arlene Dahl - Mon 22-Sep-08 5:30 PM. A calendar event on New York Emmy® Awards

http://www.nyemmys.org/en/cev/217

Art Exhibition

The Greenwich Arts Council
proudly presents
Progressions
an exhibition of works
by 23
Greenwich Pen Women Artists

Opening Reception
Thursday evening, September 11 - 6 to 8

The Bendheim Gallery . 299 Greenwich Avenue . Greenwich, CT 06830

Online Workshop

The syllabus is up for the online workshop for first and second semester students--check it out!

Publisher's Lunch

Hey guys. Many of you may remember that the two agents at the MFA were talking about how any serious writer should do their homework and monitor the Publisher's Lunch Website.

Well, I signed up and it is pretty well worth it - with deals listings and even listings for open jobs in the industry. Anyone who would like the daily Publisher's Lunch e-mail forwarded to them can just send me a request at zaphod1130@yahoo.com

Happy Writing,

Mark

PR

Hey guys! I managed to mention WCSU in the New Milford Times!!! Yay for my pr work, even though I didn't write the article...

January, Danbury

Folks, this is the final word on the January residency--in the wake of the recent flurry of interest from the administration, I can now report that we are confirmed to be in Danbury for the January residency.

Publication in Rise Up Magazine

Some of you who started the MFA program the same time as me may remember when, in an online workshop, I submitted an essay to be ripped apart titled, "What Happened to My History." In the essay, I talk about how I failed as an African-American to teach my younger son about our history. Well, I'm happy to report that the essay was published in the Aug. 8 edition of Rise Up magazine, a magazine insert for Sunday papers across the country.

To read the pdf, you can go here: http://www.usariseup.com/assets/pdf/issue8/riseup-issue8.pdf

Love, Peace and Elbow Grease,

Lisa S-O

Followup to Leopold Workshop-Students Publish Article

Hello Everyone,

You may recall the workshop at the Residency where Jason Leopold of the independent news website THE PUBLIC RECORD asked us to research a news story about Alan Foley, the former CIA Director, who supposedly vetted the "16 words" about Iraq seeking to buy uranium from an African country that appeared in President Bush's 2003 State of the Union speech, despite the CIA having expressed doubt about the authenticity of the report.--Chris, Matt, Harry, and I volunteered to flesh out this issue and I am happy to report that the story we wrote was the lead story in the The Public Record last Thursday, August 14, 2008, complete with byline.

Below is the story in full. If for any reason you can't read it you can also view it at--http://www.pubrecord.org//index.php?view=article&id=259&option=com_content&Itemid=8

Enjoy, Chris, Matt, Harry and Roz
______________________________

Former CIA Officials Speaks Out About "16 Words" That Led to Iraq Invasion
By Christopher Gallagher, Matt Renfer, Harry L. Rinker and Rosalind Wiggins
The Public Record Thursday, August 14, 2008
Favoured : 9
Published in : Nation/World

How did the well-known 16-word phrase—"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa"—make it into President George W. Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address (SOTU)?

The answer to that question has been surrounded in controversy ever since the intelligence that the 16 words were based upon were exposed as crude forgeries.

But in “The Way of the World,” the new book by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ron Suskind, Alan Foley, the person credited with vetting President’s Bush’s speech as head of CIA’s Center for Weapons Intelligence, Nonproliferation, and Arms Control (WINPAC), has given his first substantial on-the-record interview that is supposed to provide some answers.

Foley claims he was not made aware that he provided Robert “Bob” Joseph, former White House weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and proliferation issues specialist, with the final authorization from the CIA that the phrase the n SOTU, as agreed upon in a telephone conversation, was correct. "I didn't assume that whatever Bob [Joseph] and I agreed upon was going right into the president's desk in the Oval Office," Foley said.

Former CIA director George Tenet personally intervened to have a similar phrase removed from a Cincinnati speech three months earlier arguing that the intelligence was not sound. While Tenet was able to make his point with National Security Advisor Steven Hadley, he was less successful inside the CIA. In Suskind’s book, Foley claims that he barely saw CIA director George Tenet. Meanwhile, he and Bob Joseph enjoyed a close working relationship.

Suskind explains the implications of this in his book: “Within this context, now finally clarified by Foley, Bob Joseph’s decision to make an unremarkable call to a friend who rarely saw Tenet or his seventh-floor disciples—and not tell this friend that he’s the last check in one of modern history’s most contentious phrases before it ends up on the president’s lips—was a perfect way to get something CIA doubted, and its director had already opposed, into the big speech.”

How credible is Foley? His statements in Suskind’s book reverse his previous on-the record accounts. His assertion that there was pressure from the administration and Congress for analysts to provide bold claims regardless if they were true wholly contradicts his earlier statements in a 2004 Newsweek article, where he specifically says, “I don’t think I was pressured at all.”

Newsweek also indicates Foley “believed there may well have been ‘something to’ the claims that the Iraqis sought to purchase uranium from Niger” and that Joseph Wilson’s claim the rumor was false based on his February 2002 visit to Niger did not “completely debunk” the report. In July 2003 Foley testified before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) that he was skeptical of the Niger documents.

According to Perr Eisner and Knut Royce’s “The Italian Letter: How the Bush Administration Used A Fake Letter to Build the Case for War In Iraq,” the Bush administration had a predetermined goal to invade Iraq. However, Eisner and Royce quote Foley announcing in a December 2002 senior production managers meeting, “If the president wants to go to war, our job is to find the intelligence to allow him to do so.”

Tenet’s “At the Center of the Storm,” argues that Foley did not go far enough in vetting the 16-word passage in the SOTU.

“I was told that Foley had focused on clearing the speech for ‘sources and methods’ rather than for substance,” writes Tenet. “In other words, as long as the language didn’t give away any secrets about how the intelligence was collected, they didn’t worry about whether we believed the assertions in the speech were accurate. That was a terrible mistake. Our job was never to clear solely for sources and methods, but also for substance. And the last time I looked, as good as the British intelligence service is—and it is very good—it does not work for the president of the United States.”

National Security Adviser Steven Hadley is another individual associated with the 16-word controversy. He admitted he failed in his responsibilities to remove the untrue statement—a job that Tenet told him to do three months earlier for the Cincinnati speech—but had simply forgotten to do so later for the State of the Union address.

Foley remained at the CIA for over a year following his early January 2003 conversation with Bob Joseph, earning the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. In November 2004, he became the Associate Laboratory Director for Applied Science and Technology and National Security and joined Argonne National Laboratory in summer 2006.

We tried calling Mr. Foley at his office at Argonne National Laboratory, where he now serves as Director of National Security, to ask for more clarification. We were not able to get past his secretary.

Christopher Gallagher, Matthew Renfer, Harry L. Rinker, and Rosalind Wiggins are graduate students in the Masters of Fine Arts in Professional Writing program at Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, Connecticut.

Last update: Thursday, August 14, 2008

Stranger than Fiction

Anyone who was in my “Crossing the Imagination” workshop might be interested in reading the essay Consolation Prizes by Chuck Palahniuk from his collected essays titled Stranger than Fiction. He talks about how his success in writing creating, writing, and eventually seeing his work Fight Club as a film has gone from fiction to a reality that he has viewed with mixed emotions. Anyone familiar with the film can understand that people are constantly asking Chuck where the local fight clubs are and they give him free food all the time.

He also suggests that now that it has been a successful film, it isn’t his work anymore, but a collaborative with Ed Norton, Brad Pitt, and the David Fincher.

I am hoping to use this essay for my undergrads to explain how the essay can reveal some fascinating things about your life and even reveal something you didn’t know before. And (without spoiling it) his explanation about his father and their relationship in that essay is vivid and touching. I wish I came across it a week ago. Please check it out if your interested in those concepts in the workshop.

We create fiction as it relates to truth, and sometimes it comes about in ways we never imagined. Thanks to everyone for their ideas, their great spontaneous writing, and your professionalism as writers and creators.

Be well
Ron Samul

Teaching at Housatonic

Housatonic Community College is hiring English Comp Instructors--http://chronicle.com/jobs/id.php?id=0000569381-01

Looks like they want a "Master's or equivalent"--which means professional experience can stand in for the degree. So students currently in the program with extensive work/publication experience should feel qualified to apply, especially if you also have some teaching experience.

Blackboard Courses

If you intend to use Blackboard for any of your independent study courses, let me know as soon as possible. Either your instructor or I have to put in a request to have UC set up each course. UC is in the process of setting up the OMG workshops already.

Grant Writing Internship

The university is looking for a student who lives close enough to come to campus for an internship in the grant writing office. If you're interested in more info, contact me.

Lost Books?

Looks like someone left a stack of books--maybe half a dozen books and several literary journals--in the Common Room Saturday. If they're yours, just let me or Laurel know and we'll return them to you.

Hope everyone had a good residency!

So I'm in a Movie

Some of you may or may not remember me talking about how I worked as an extra on Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 last summer. Well I finally got a chance to see it after the wonderful craziness that is the residency and it turns out that I made the final cut of the film.

If you happen to see the movie (and please don’t go out of your way as it is only one blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot), and want to look for me I am in the scene where the play is performed. I’m in the center of the screen when the audience applauds at the end.

There is also a more obvious connection between the film and WestConn as a few scenes take place on the downtown campus (which stands in for a school in Rhode Island). So WestConn is now a part of cinema history.

On a completely unrelated note, I just want to say that I had a really great time at the residency and it was a privilege to be among so many wonderful people. Good luck to everyone this semester!

ps contact info

I forgot to ask for everyone's contact info other than email... if anyone has facebook/myspace it makes it so much easier for us to keep in touch.  My page is myspace.com/lilabetann and phone 2034177741, don't go pranking.... Stalk you later!

Miss you guys!

It's about 1 am, I just got home and indulged in a chunk of gluten free bread, but wouldn't you know it, not at great as i had been anticipating... Sitting on my bed, and I can't hear the rowdy girls across the hall :-( no workshop tomorrow.  This is, well, sad.  So my party people, thanks for the boggle, intelligent conversation, entertainment, words of wisdom, drinks, and helping to name Rafiki.  Miss you all and Happy birthday, Will!

I'm Finally a Finalist

Hello MFAers and staff,

I have some good news to share. The American Gem Literary Festival and Wright Brothers have announced their finalists and my short script Out of the Box (co-written with Lawrence King) has finally made the cut. The literary festival accepted submissions in the following categories: short screenplay, short story, story treatment, and logline. I'm a finalist in the short screenplay and logline categories.

Last week I was feeling down because I had two rejections from film festivals for my feature Finding Patience. I realize and accept that rejection is an unfortunate part of the writing process. However, this announcement puts steam back into my engine.

I wrote the first draft of this script four years ago and have submitted to this competition in the past, but I have only made it to either the quarter or semi-finalist round. When I received coverage on the script I always reworked it and tried to address my script's flaws. To date, I have done at least 20 revisions. Practice does make perfect.

I also want to give credit and thanks the students in my online multi-genre workshop from the Spring 2007 semester. The feedback you all gave me was extremely instrumental in my last couple of revisions of the script.

One of the lessons that this program constantly reinforces is that when you have a story to tell, write it. We also have to believe in as well as be champions of our work. After the script, manuscript, or article is finished, the writer has to then show due diligence in getting his/her story out in the world. I'm constantly working on that and it takes a lot of energy, but at the end of the day it is up to me and no one else.

Who knows if I'll win or place in this competition, but for me, being a finalist is proof that I just have to keep writing.

Aaliyah

Remember the Alumni Blog!

It's been nice to be back and forth to residency. As a recent graduate, staying connected with the program and the talented writers and writing mentors post-degree is an added bonus...

Which is why I wanted to remind everyone that another blog exists for the WestConn MFA Alumni. This is where we post about our "PGS" (post-graduate syndromes), publishing news, career announcements, and other information about life after the MFA. As more students graduate, it's worthwhile to check out both blogs and stay in touch.


Anne

AntiqueWeek Article

Hi,

I saw this morning that one of the articles I co-wrote with Harry Rinker during my internship last semester was just published to the AntiqueWeek.com web site. AntiqueWeek is also a hardcopy newspaper-format publication; the article is the cover story for their August 4th Central edition.

I did all the photography for the article (the image scans and the jewelry photos), which was a learning curve by itself.

Here's the link -- http://www.antiqueweek.com/

(A second article on a similar topic is expected in the September edition of Antiques & Collecting magazine.)

See you later today at the residency --

Holly

Student Open Mic at Residency

In case you haven't noticed on the residency schedule, there will be an open mic for student readings Tuesday afternoon at 2:00--we'd like to hear what you're working on, so bring something to share with your peers and faculty. And please limit yourself to no more than 5 minutes so others will have a chance to read.

REMINDER: Read the Residency Guide!

Hello All,

Looking forward to seeing most of you on Sunday. Just a reminder to read the "Student Residency Guide--Aug 08" on the program website if you haven't already. It has everything you need to know about what to bring, how to get here, where to check in, etc.

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

bc

Last Day for Screenplay Pitches

Today is the last day to get your 3-sentence pitch to me for the Screenplay panel at the residency. So far I have received a pitch from NONE of our screenwriting students and only three in total, so the rest of you have a great opportunity to have a panel of professionals speak to you about your idea. Email it to me today.

Residency Schedule and Lit Fest

The schedule for the full residency week is up on the program web site. A poster is also up there for the evening readings--again, if you live in the area, PLEASE invite your friends and family to come to the evening events, which are free and open to the public. The more people we get in attendance at these events, the better for the program. And there are some good ones this time...

"Mainevermontnewhampshiremass" in Weird Tales #350

Hello all! Just a brief note to let you all know that my short story "Mainevermontnewhampshiremass" will be in the latest issue of Weird Tales alongside fiction by the likes of Norman Spinrad and Karen Heuler. Weird Tales just celebrated its eighty-fifth anniversary with a reimagining of its content, design, and themes. It should be at newsstands in a week or three, so check it out.


Also, let me wish you all a good residency. I've gotten a job and will be moving to California at the end of the month, so will be unable to attend.

Hello, Fellow MFA Students!

My name is Matt Renfer. Born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, I have had an interest in reading and writing since I can remember. I came to WestConn undeclared in 2003 and decided on a major in my third year after writing for the student newspaper, The Echo. I wrote as much as I could, and found the experience of being published highly rewarding. I worked my way up the ranks as News and Managing Editor where I discovered a hidden passion of mine: editing. During this time, I also highly enjoyed WestConn's writing department with professors such as John Briggs and Ed Hagan. I'm especially fond of writing short stories and flash fiction. I graduated this past May with a degree in English: Professional Writing.

My goal is to make it one day on the editorial board of a political magazine (such as, Time). I want to be able to write for a magazine and have a say on its content.

I’m absolutely enthralled about starting a career in my field. For the past few months, I've been sending out resumes to numerous publications around CT. I went for an interview with Penny Press (they do crossword puzzles and word games) for an editorial assistant position last week! They will be calling me back this Thursday with a decision.

I have an extremely curious mind and absolutely crave learning. I’m the type of person that can literally spend hours in Borders perusing through books. I love museums and trips to somewhere new. I highly enjoy history, namely military, as well as politics, sociology, and psychology.

As far as reading goes, I feel that a greater sense of humanity is acquired by reading short stories, essays and novels than by studying a field such as history or psychology. While I do enjoy such fields, I feel that they are limited to factual knowledge, whereas a piece of literature or poem can really tap into the human spirit.

If I were to give writing advice, it would be something that I have trouble with: getting started. When I’m having trouble writing, I try to get a draft down without caring at all how it sounds. Then I go back and essentially rewrite that first draft a great deal. It’s an evolving process. For me, I need to see words on the page in order to formulate further thoughts.

I am a big fan of Anne Lamott’s “Bird By Bird,” where she argues that “shitty first drafts” are the most effective way to begin the writing process. I will close this introduction with a few of my favorite quotes from her book:

“Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. You don’t have to see where you’re going, you don’t have to see your destination or everything you will pass along the way. You just have to see two or three feet ahead of you.”

“Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist’s true friend. What people somehow forgot to mention when we were children was that we need to make messes in order to find out who we are and why we are here- and, by extension, what we're supposed to be writing.”

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.”

I look forward to meeting everyone. Good luck!