Holly's Last Day -- Thank You All

Today is my last day as Interim MFA Coordinator.  Brian Clements will "officially" return tomorrow, June 1st.

I've enjoyed working with everyone this past academic year, and having the chance to get to know our MFA community better. I thank you for your patience and support, first while I was new to the job, and then while we've been through these recent changes. My special thanks goes to Laurel who put up with my many questions over the year.

I look forward to being at the August residency to say hello and to help welcome our new students, and I'll be teaching an Online Multigenre Workshop this fall.

Have a great summer, and please stay in touch --

Holly

Oprah article accepted on Technorati.com

Technorati.com is an Internet search engine for searching blogs and widely read ezine looking for good writers in exchange for great Internet exposure. If you're looking for current publication to add to your website you can apply to write for Technorati on site ("Write for Technorati"). Once accepted , you submit original pieces for consideration. Technorati published my short piece on Oprah's farewell  today, just a few hours after submission. Click headline to read it now. 

Thinking of Self-Publishing?

So is this guy...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/books/review/the-case-for-self-publishing.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

Thanks to Holly and August Residency

Dear MFA Students,

Please join me in thanking Holly for her excellent service to the MFA program this past year. Holly came into the position at a time that turned out to be unexpectedly challenging, and she handled her post with dignity and professionalism. I am grateful to her (thanks, Holly!), and I appreciate her stick-to-it-iveness.

I will be taking the reins back officially on June 1, but I already am phasing back in. I hope you will feel free to contact me any time with questions about the changes in the program or the direction of the program. I am available at any time to discuss your academic progress or any concerns you have.

I know there have been changes to the program that you certainly didn't expect this time last year; none of us expected them.  We all will miss Don, Paola, and Elizabeth a great deal; they've been essential to your success and to the success of the program's graduates over its first six years. But I want to reassure you that my intention is to offer an August residency (and a program in general) that is as close as possible to what you've had in the past. I'm glad that Mark, Daniel, and Dan have all decided to continue teaching in the program and that Daniel and Dan will be at the residencies. We all appreciate their dedication to you and to the program.

At the August residency we will have the usual complement of workshops, lectures, panels, and readings. As per the usual August plan, we will have a panel of agents to speak with you about the state of the publishing business and to meet individually with our outgoing thesis students and rising thesis students. Holly has recently put out a call for workshop suggestions, and I hope you'll let us know what you're interested in seeing on the schedule. We also will have regular visiting writers at future residencies; two visitors will join us in August, and one of them will be Rick Moody (the other will be a nonficiton writer).

As for other changes, I must report that due to cost cutting measures, the university will no longer be providing dinners at the residency. The usual breakfast will be available at the hotel, if you choose to stay at the Maron. The university will provide the usual morning coffee and lunch. You will need to be prepared to arrange for dinner yourselves; we will provide you with a list of local restaurants that you might choose to patronize, and, of course, there is the supermarket next door to the hotel. We will add extra time into the schedule to allow plenty of time for the evening meal. I know that meal times traditionally have been a great opportunity for socializing, networking, consulting with mentors, and working through your ideas. I hope that the lunch hour will continue to provide that opportunity.

Beyond those changes, and that fact that all events will be held on campus for the foreseeable future residencies, the residency should provide essentially the same experience you've had in the past. And, of course, you'll still have perhaps the most important part of the residency--your interaction with peers.

I look forward to seeing you in August. Meanwhile, please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns whatsoever.

LIve on WVKR 91.3 FM

For music followers,
I'm live at 7 p.m. on Vassar College's 91.3 FM radio show, "Regional Frequency." Will be singing 4-5 songs along with an interview.
Don Lowe

SENSATION trailer...or is it?!

My novel Sensation has been out for a couple of weeks now, and in line with today's fashions, I commissioned a book trailer from my friend Seth Cadin. What I ended up with is a pretty neat little avant-garde found footage film!



Given that the book is a little avant itself, I didn't mind at all. Do check it out.

Commencement Tonight

Congrats to everyone walking in the graduate commencement tonight! I hope you're proud of what you've accomplished--you should be. It's no small task to write a complete book/feature film/feature play in two years. Well done! And thanks for everything you've all contributed to the program's community. I hope we'll get a chance to see you all again--perhaps at the August residency for agent meetings...

bc

Fall 2011 Registration Information - Update

There have been some delays in the process of notifying everyone of their courses and registration info. We should be back on track by the middle-to-end of next week and everyone should have received the information they need in order to register for their courses. Thanks for your patience...best to all...Laurel

Clements Online in the Fall

Hello All,

Someone just asked about reading assignments for my online workshop in the fall, so I thought I'd let you all know so you can get a head start, if you want to do that sort of thing.

We’re going to read Stanley Fish’s new book How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One, and I’m going to ask everyone to write a critique of a textbook or how-to book in their genre (you’ll choose that book). Other than that, all of our reading will be of each other’s work and occasional reading prompts of online material.

bc

Punk Soul Poet

Hi Everyone,

I recently discovered a very cool Brooklyn-based online lit mag called "Punk Soul Poet"who seems to be publishing just about anybody ;)

I am thrilled that they decided to accept two of my poems from last semester and I want to encourage you to send your work too. Take a look at the above link for the May issue and more info on submitting. They are accepting short fiction, poetry, flash fiction and visual art.

ABOUT

“Art is literacy of the heart.”
— Elliot Eisner

Our mission is to strengthen the bond between the arts. We like to think of the site as a gallery that hangs art, poetry, and fiction on its walls. The poetry and writing is thoughtfully selected to compliment the art that is displayed, and vice versa. We love all styles, from soft to brazen. We strive to present artists in a creative, non traditional way.

Our definition of punk:

One that wholly rejects stereotypes, and courageously pursues their own original vision. A person that fights for their artistic beliefs, even if doing so sets them apart from others. Some examples of punks (by our definition): Patti Smith, Oscar Wilde, Spalding Gray, Frida Kahlo, Hunter Thompson, and Jim Carroll (among many others).

- Carolyn

CW Job Opportunity in Missouri

Doesn't pay much, but it's a foot in the door and you'd be in a full-time literary community...

Job Title:


Administrative Assistant - Creative Writing Program in the Department of English - 21862
Job ID:21862
Location: Danforth - Main Campus

application link:

http://bit.ly/iwZpwB
https://jobs.wustl.edu/


Please note this job is active during the nine month academic year (mid August through mid May) with summers off.

Essential Functions

Readings, Hurst Professors, Author Visits (45%)
- Audio/visual for all writing program, Hurst readings, and departmental readings
- Recording for all readings (includes preparing release forms and transferring recordings to digital archives)
- Scheduling venues and setup
- Receptions for all readings
- Create poster and emails to advertise readings
- Work with author and/or agent to schedule author's visit
- Publicize author visits
- Arrange dinner with students, faculty, and author before reading
- Collect student work and send it to author before s/he arrives in St. Louis
- Coordinate author's meetings with students
- Arrange activities with author that involve students
- Coordinate two author readings and receptions(one reading and one craft lecture)

Creative Writing Program (40%)
- Update and maintain all email list serves for the program
- Answer email and phone inquiries from current and prospective students
- New Student application process
- Summer Funding - mid-Fall semester, compile list of current 1st years eligible for coming summer funding for Department Chair and Director

Departmental Awards (5%)
- Publicize awards to undergraduates
- Coordinate submissions
- Coordinate judging of both fiction and poetry submissions



AWP Conference Organization (5%)
- Procure funding from Dean for student travel to conference
- Coordinate conference registration of MFA students with English Department
- Coordinate student reimbursement for travel after conference



Social Events (5%)
- Bi-annual MFA gatherings, Department Beginning-of-year Social, Department Holiday Social, Department End-of-year Social, Commencement Receptions

Required Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent. Previous administrative experience required. Proficiency with computers and software packages including MS Word and Excel.

Excellent typing and proofreading skills with precise attention to detail. Team player with courteous interpersonal skills and professional telephone skills for effective interactions at all times, assisting internal and external individuals. Strong ability to multi-task, organize, and prioritize competing assignments with little or no supervision is essential. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to exercise considerable initiative and judgment in planning and carrying out assignments. Ability to handle confidential information in a discrete and responsible manner. Ability to troubleshoot minor IT issues.

Preferred Qualifications

Five years experience in an academic setting. Associates or College Degree preferred. All of Microsoft Office Suite program experience is preferred.

Salary Range

$13.86 - $17.32 per hour

August 2011 Residency Workshop & Lecture Requests

At the closing meeting of the January residency, students requested that I ask for their thoughts on topics for workshops and lectures at the August 2011 residency. 

Now's your chance!

Please add a comment to this post, or send me a note at azevedoh@wcsu.edu by Friday, May 20th, to let me know what you'd like to see on the residency schedule. 

Holly

Faculty / Course Evaluations for Spring 2011

If you are enrolled in any course this semester, please download, complete and return evaluation forms from the MFA web site. These forms are an important part of our program review process and are crucial for faculty in their performance reviews.

www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa//Student%20Forms.asp

Please complete the Program Course Evaluation Form for ALL mentors; you may email it to me or Laurel or mail it to the MFA office. If your mentor is Burns-Bisogno, De Los Santos, Lowe, Misercola, Orfanella, Qi, James Scrimgeour, or Steinmetz (all of whom have taught, are teaching, or will teach in traditional courses on campus and thus undergo faculty performance review), please ALSO complete the Departmental Course Evaluation Form ONLY if your mentor asks you to do so; that form should be emailed or mailed to Sharon Foster in the Writing Dept. office.

Please send all evaluation forms to the MFA office no later than May 21st.

Publishing Position at Illinois State

Position Summary:


Duties include editing, designing, and marketing publications housed at the Publications Unit; managing online conent for publications and Unit; training and supervising graduate assistants and undergraduate interns; instructing the Introduction to Professional Publishing course; and investigating grant opportunities.


Required Qualifications

1. Master's degree
2. Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and FileMaker
3. Editing and proofreading skills


Desired Qualifications

Experience in a publications unit


Application Process:

Initial review of applications will begin May 24, 2011 and continue until the position is filled. Applications must be submitted no later than May 23, 2011. To assure full consideration, an application along with a resume/curriculum vita, reference list (specifically, the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least three professional references), and cover letter must be submitted online at www.IllinoisState.edu/jobs by searching for posting number 0703566.

New York Times Magazine

hey guys,
just wanted to let you know that the last page of today's Sunday New York Times Magazine belongs to WestConn MFA! that's because one of your writers-in-res (me) scored the "Lives" feature ... check it out (and post comments!) at

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/magazine/mag-01lives-t.html