Fall 2011 Registration Information

To: Students registering for the Fall 2011 semester

I will be sending the notes with the detailed information about course registration and faculty assignments starting this weekend. All notes will go out by the end of next week. Courses have been assigned to your requested mentors, with few exceptions.

Please contact me if you have any questions regarding registration (azevedoh@wcsu.edu or 203-837-3252).

Holly

Writers in Residence

Hey guys, what do we know about losing our writers in residence due to budget cuts? I thought president Schmotter quoted in the Danbury News Times that cuts where administrative only and would not impact the quality of programs at WCSU? This seems a bit more that administrative and certainly bleeds a measurable amount of professional talent from our vessel of learning. Anybody out there have any pull with a congressman or the governor? Ciao, Andy

Fall 2011 Registration Update

I will be finalizing the Fall 2011 course schedule and faculty assignments over the next week or so. 

You will receive a note from me letting you know what courses and sections to register for.

Please do not try to register before you hear from me.

Thanks.

Thesis Due Date May 6th

A reminder that the thesis due date is Friday, May 6th.

Note that if you plan to bring your thesis (2 copies) to the office on Friday the 6th, please do so between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. The office will be closed the rest of the day.

Hugo nomination for Nick Mamatas

Hi all,

As some of you may know, I have a day job editing Haikasoru, an imprint dedicated to publishing Japanese science fiction, fantasy, and horror in translation.

I'm very pleased that my work gained some serious attention: I have been nominated for a Hugo Award in the category of Best Editor, Long Form along with a number of the more prominent SF editors in New York.

For more information about the Hugos, you can read the FAQ.

Greater Hartford Arts Council

This is especially for those of you in the Hartford area, but the Greater Hartford Arts Council offers ideas and resources for all kinds of arts and organizations -- events, grants, jobs, advocacy and more. Check out their website by clicking on the title.

Holly

(Thanks for the link, Dan Pope!)

Fiction Contest--FYI

Dear Writers,


An international short fiction competition run by the Munster Literature Centre in Cork, Ireland, is currently open for submissions and we would be greatly obliged if you could forward this information on to anyone who might be interested! (Official poster attached.) Winners will be published in a journal which has previously showcased Haruki Murakami, Colm Toibin, Patrick Galvin and Tania Hershman amongst many other respected literary figures. The winner of the first prize will receive €1,500 (*approx USD $2000/ GBP £1300), publication in the literary journal [ http://www.munsterlit.ie/Southword/issues_index.html ]Southword, AND a week-long residency at [ http://www.anamcararetreat.com/ ]Anam Cara Writer's and Artist's Retreat. Second Prize is €500 and publication in [ http://www.munsterlit.ie/Southword/issues_index.html ]Southword. Four other shortlisted entries will be selected for publication in [ http://www.munsterlit.ie/Southword/issues_index.html ]Southword and receive a publication fee of €120.
*Currency exchange amounts via [ http://www.xe.com ]XE.com, calculated 11.04.11

The Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Competition is an annual short story competition dedicated to one of Ireland’s most accomplished story writers and theorists, sponsored by the Munster Literature Centre. If the winner comes to Cork to collect their prize, we will lavish them with hotel accommodation, meals, drinks and VIP access to the literary stars at the Cork International Short Fiction Festival (14-18 September 2011). The deadline is 31 July 2011 and this year's judge is author & Fish International Short Story Prize recipient, Ian Wild.

More information, including submission guidelines, may be found on our website: [ http://www.munsterlit.ie/SOF%20Page.html ]http://www.munsterlit.ie/SOF%20Page.html

or via our Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=378936538872

Southword Literary Journal (where the winning poem will be published): [ http://www.munsterlit.ie/Southword/issues_index.html ]http://www.munsterlit.ie/Southword/issues_index.html.

Entrants may contact me at [ mailto:info@munsterlit.ie ]info@munsterlit.ie with any queries they may have. If you would like to be removed from this list or would prefer to receive notification at a different address, feel free to let me know.

Thank you for your time!

Sincere regards,



Jennifer Matthews
Administrative Assistant
Munster Literature Centre
84 Douglas Street
Cork
Ireland

Calling all Happily Married Couples; Ongoing Call For Interior Designers in Fairfield County and NY Capital Region

Hello, All:
Hope everyone's semester is going well.

As some of you may know, I am the associate editor of Hearst Media Services' Magazine Division. Our magazines include HealthyLife, a fitness and wellness publication for women, and Life@Home, a lifestyle, gardening and design magazine. Both are regional glossies with editions in Fairfield County, Connecticut and New York's Capital Region. Our combined circulation is 72,000.

I am currently doing a piece for HealthyLife on making marriage work, and am profiling happily married couples, married 10 years or longer, in Fairfield County. If you or someone you know may be interested, please email me at llytwyn@hearstmediact.com. (Target deadline: April 30th).

Also, I am always looking for interior designers to profile for Problem: Solved, an interior design column for Life@Home focusing on specific design "problems" and solutions. One recent example was the replacement of a dark wood coffee table with a cubic-shaped glass one, lightening up the entire space. Homes must be located in either Fairfield County or the Albany region. Hi-res before and after photos are a must. Again, if you or someone you know may be interested, please contact me.

Thanks!

Larissa

Upcoming Anthology about Women Writing on Family

Hello everyone! I'm pleased to announce that I have two articles being published in an upcoming anthology called "Women Writing on Family: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing." The release date is September 2011.

Hayden Thesis to be Published

I'm excited to announce that after 35+ rejections from publishers and agents, an independent press in TN has offered me a contract for my memoir, Staying Alive: A Love Story. The publisher seems much more interested in the story than whether or not I have had at least 100,000 hits on Google - a criteria that came up more than a few times from the larger companies. You can read the opening chapter on my  (not-so-frequently visiited) website:  http://www.laurabhayden.com/  I'm told trade paperback, ebook, and audio should be out this year. Yay for small presses!

Naugatuck Valley Community College’s Fresh Ink Writers Conference

Naugatuck Valley Community College’s Fresh Ink literary magazine & writers club will host a writers conference on Friday, April 29, from 9 am – 3 pm in Technology Hall, 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury.

The conference will provide opportunities for writing professionals in a number of areas including editing, publishing, writing and teaching as well as learning opportunities for students and amateurs interested in the field.

The conference is being offered free of charge, though reservations are required, and there is a suggested donation of $10 for the luncheon and keynote address. Anyone interested in attending, sponsoring, or supporting the conference should contact Greg Harding at jharding@nvcc.commnet.edu or call 203-596-8763 for reservations and information. Click on the title for more information.

If you go, stop by the WCSU Writing Department table and say hello!

Campus Slammer: A Connecticut Story Slam

Get out your best story or write a new one and get ready to tell it to the campus and beyond! Anyone with a good story to tell will have a chance at the Midtown Coffeehouse Open Mic on Thursday, April 21, between 7:30pm and 9:00pm in Alumni Hall.  This event is open to undergraduates stuents, graduate students, faculty, and staff. 
 
Story tellers should prepare a five (5) minute short story to tell. We should be able to get at least eight to ten storytellers on stage and if we have more show up, we’ll draw names from a hat to see who gets to go on. We’ll have the storytellers go first on April 21 at open mic and then at the end of the night we’ll pick a winner to represent WCSU at the Finals against other schools including Eastern Connecticut State University, Connecticut College, Trinity, University of Hartford, UCONN and Wesleyan.
 
Narratives, tales from real life, original reincarnations of classic tales and your own personal experience is the intent of this event. Storytellers will be judged on how well the story is told, how well it is constructed, how well it tells a story and how well the storyteller keeps to the time limit.
 
Storytellers will hear a warning bell at 4 minutes; a second warning bell at 5 minutes and will be cut off at 6 minutes. No exceptions.
 
The two highest scoring storytellers will each receive a $50 gift certificate at the WCSU Bookstore and move on to the Finals on April 28.
 
All participants in the WCSU Campus Slammer will receive a free pass to the April 30 concert at the CT Storytelling Festival featuring storyteller Tim Tingle.
 
For more information check out these online updates: http://www.anansihelps.blogspot.com/ or http://www.connstorycenter.org/
 
For more storytelling keep these dates in mind: 

• Thursday, April 28 Finals for Story Slam 
• Saturday, April 30 Connecticut Storytelling Festival at Connecticut College 7:30pm 

For more information contact Walter Cramer, Dean of Students, Western Connecticut State University, 306 Old Main or at cramerw@wcsu.edu or 203-837-8547.

Tim Weed's New Publications

Tim Weed's article called "An Eastern Backcountry Skier's Manifesto" appeared in the Jan-Feb 2011 issue of Cross Country Skier Magazine. Click the article title to read it.

Also, Tim has a fiction story coming out in the anthology Experienced: Rock Music Tales of Fact and Fiction. Vagabondage Press, 2011 (forthcoming).

Deadly Threads Tour

It would be a great pleasure to see you at one of my stops during this year's tour. The complete listing is available on my website: http://www.janecleland.net/htm/appearances/schedule.htm

I thought I'd mention one special event that might be of interest to some of you. It's in New York City.

Mayor Bloomberg is declaring the week of April 25th Mystery Week (to celebrate the Edgars). One the activities is a reading as part of Bar 82's Literary Series on April 25, 2011, Monday, from 8:00-9:30 p.m.  From my website you can download a flyer... here's the basics:
Mystery Week in NYC

April 25, 2011 - 8 p.m.

Bar 82
149 2nd Avenue (between 9th & 10th Streets)
New York, NY 10709
212.228.6636
http://www.bar82nyc.com/

Readings with:
Megan Abbott

Peter Blauner

Jane K. Cleland

Stephanie Pintoff

Charles Salzberg

Persia Walker

DEADLY THREADS pub date today

Deadly Threads, the sixth Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery, hits the shelves today. Deadly Threads is a tale of vintage clothing, a cat who fetches, and betrayal.



The reviews have been good:

"Authentic details of vintage clothing and jewelry, vivid descriptions of coastal New Hampshire in the early spring, credible characters, and a dramatic conclusion make this cozy a winner." Publishers Weekly

"With each novel, Cleland consistently delivers a tightly woven plot filled with quirky yet lovable characters, and just the right blend of humor and intrigue. Without a doubt, Cleland deserves to be crowned the queen of antiques mysteries." Fresh Fiction

An excerpt is available at: http://www.janecleland.net/htm/books/DT_excerpt.htm

Dan Pope's Publication News

Dan Pope's story "An Inheritance" is featured in the current issue of POSTROAD and his story "Econoline" will be appearing in the next issue of the GREENSBORO REVIEW.

Congratulations, Dan!

Fall 2011 Registration Status

While WCSU graduate registration opens on April 13th, we will begin MFA registrations later in the month.

Before you can register, you need to receive a note from me with specific, individualized instructions for registration.  I will send a list of your courses, with course numbers and section numbers, that you will need to register online.

If you have questions about next semester or registration, please contact me.

Holly

Google Alerts Not Working for the MFA Blog?

Recently, some folks have had problems getting their Google Alerts for the MFA blog (including me). The solution is to delete your current alert and set up a new one.

Reminder: Paola Corso's Workhop on April 11th

There is still room in Paola Corso's workshop next Monday.  Her reading and workshop kick off our week-long Writing & Creative Process Festival.  Send me a note to register for the workshop.

SECOND ANNUAL SPRING WRITING & CREATIVE PROCESS FESTIVAL

Monday, April 11th:

6:00 p.m., Reading by Paola Corso, Warner 103

7:00 – 9:30 p.m., Flash Fiction & Short Nonfiction Workshop by Paola Corso, Higgins 206

Open to MFA students, grads, mentors and WCSU undergrads.

Sudden Stories: In this workshop, we'll critique participant writing in terms of the elements of flash fiction and short nonfiction —character, plot, mood, voice/style, intensity, brevity, and surprise and what distinguishes it from longer stories. Participants will be asked to read assigned short shorts and handouts, then email a 1-page sudden story or self-contained climactic moment from a longer work of prose to participants in advance, and come prepared to discuss at the workshop

SENSATION published

My latest novel—and once upon a time, my WestConn MFA thesis—SENSATION is now published. According to some retailers anyway. Amazon has copies in stock already, for example. I'll also have copies at my author event with Terry Bisson at The Green Arcade bookstore in San Francisco this Friday.

Here are a couple of blurbs, to entice you:

“Nick Mamatas continues his reign as the sharpest, funniest, most insightful and political purveyor of post-pulp pleasures going. He is the People's Commissar of Awesome.”—China Miéville, award-winning author of Kraken and The City and the City

"Nick Mamatas’ brilliant comic novel, Sensation, reads like an incantation that both vilifies and celebrates the complex absurdity of the modern world."—Lucius Shepard, winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards.

"The Majestic Plural, or Royal We, is well known—Sensation introduces the Arachnid Plural, the we of spiders, the ones that live inside you. The spiders care about you—deeply—and want to use you in a millennial war against certain parasitic wasps. No, I was wrong. The spiders only want to help. So let them in."—Zachary Mason, the New York Times best-selling author of The Lost Books of the Odyssey

Check it out!

Short Story Writing Contest

Thanks to Dan Pope for sending this writing contest announcment:

Stowe and Twain’s Big Read Short-Story Writing Contest

HARTFORD -- Fiction writers throughout Connecticut are encouraged to submit an unpublished work to “Stowe and Twain’s Big Read Short-Story Writing Contest.”

The competition is sponsored by The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center and The Mark Twain House & Museum, in collaboration with the Hartford Public Library. Prizes will be awarded in two categories: students in grades 6-12, and adults 18 years old and over.

Contest submissions will be accepted through April 22.

All contest submissions must be original, unpublished works of fiction that address such themes as culture, tradition and/or stereotypes. Entrees should be no longer than 2,000 words, double-spaced and in 12-point font. Four hardcopies must be included, along with a separate sheet that lists name, age, contact information and word count.

The mailing address is “Stowe and Twain’s Big Read Short-Story Writing Contest,” Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, 77 Forest Street, Hartford, CT 06105.

For the full article about the contest, go to: Connecticut Fiction Writers Invited

For Harriet Beecher Stowe Center contest info:  www.harrietbeecherstowe.org/worxcms_published/programs.items_page356.shtml

If you have questions about the “Stowe and Twain’s Big Read Short-Story Writing Contest,” call Stowe Center Program Coordinator Julia Baldini at 860.522-9258x312 or jbaldini@stowecenter.org.