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At the NewPages Blog readers and writers can catch up with their favorite literary and alternative magazines, independent and university presses, creative writing programs, and writing and literary events. Find new books, new issue announcements, contest winners, and so much more!

Sunday Funny

Words into hype
By Chris Offutt
Harper’s, October 2008

By Chris Offutt, from “Excerpt from The Offutt Guide to Literary Terms,” published last fall in Seneca Review. Offutt is the author of several works of fiction and nonfiction.

nonfiction: Prose that is factual, except for newspapers.

creative nonfiction: Prose that is true, except in the case of memoir.

memoir: From the Latin memoria, meaning “memory,” a popular form in which the writer remembers entire passages of dialogue from the past, with the ultimate goal of blaming the writer’s parents for his current psychological challenges.

See the rest on Harper’s.

[Thanks to Tim Brown for this link!]

Torturing Democracy

Torturing Democracy
Via National Security Archive at George Washington University

Produced and written by eight-time Emmy winner and National Security Archive fellow Sherry Jones, the documentary has drawn major online buzz as well as New York Times coverage of PBS’s failure to find a national scheduling spot for the film before President Bush leaves office in January 2009.

Reviewers have described the film as a “compelling example of video story-telling” that “delivers impressively on a promise to connect the dots in an investigation of interrogations of prisoners in U.S. custody.”

Slate.com selected a key revelation in the film as the Slate “Hot Document” – a previously unpublished December 2002 draft of “standard operating procedure” at Guantanamo which shows that interrogators there adopted their techniques directly from the survival training (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape or SERE) given to American troops so they could resist the worst of Communist gulag treatment.

The companion Web site for the film features key documents, a detailed timeline, the full annotated transcript of the show, and lengthy transcripts of major interviews carried out for the film. Hosted by the National Security Archive at George Washington University, the Web site will ultimately include a complete “Torture Archive” of primary sources.

Watch the entire film at torturingdemocracy.org.

Vote!

I saw Iron Jawed Angels last night. I didn’t know about this HBO movie until now – starring Hilary Swank, Frances O’Connor, and Angelica Huston. The story focuses on Alice Paul and Lucy Burns and their work in the final days of the suffragist movement.

The event, sponsored by the local League of Women Voters, sevearal local American Association of University Women groups, and the local NAACP, was held at a small, downtown theatre theatre – one of those historical renovation venues, greatly appreciated by the locals, and adding to the 1920s feel of the whole experience. The best part of the experience was the fact that it was well attended in our small town – there had to be close to two hundred people.

During the movie, there were moments the crowd spontaneously erupted into applause, and at times shared collective gasps. There’s just something about seeing a film like this in a community venue that makes it resonate more deeply; and at the end, hearing the crowd applaud – such a rarity. Given the time of year and the message of the movie – reminding me of how hard these women fought and suffered – I couldn’t help but leave the theatre chanting an even more poignant response: Vote! Vote! Vote!

New Lit on the Block :: March Hawk Review

Marsh Hawk Review is an online poetry journal sponsored by the Marsh Hawk Press collective. Marsh Hawk Review will appear twice a year, under the revolving editorship of collective members. Each issue will offer a selection of poems solicited by the editor, in addition to new work posted by poets in the collective.

First Issue Contributors Include: Jane Augustine, Claudia Carlson, Joseph Donahue, Thomas Fink and Maya Diablo Mason, Norman Finkelstein, Edward Foster, Michael Heller, Burt Kimmelman, Nathaniel Mackey, Robert Murphy, Amanda Nadelberg, Peter O’Leary, Kristin Prevallet, Donald Revell, Mark Scroggins, Jakob Stein, Nathan Swartzendruber, Henry Weinfield, and Tyrone Williams.

Women and War

Powder
Writing by Women in the Ranks, from Vietnam to Iraq
Edited by Lisa Bowden and Shannon Cain
ISBN 13: 978-1-888553-25-3
Price: $17.95
November 11, 2008

“Poetry and personal essays from 19 women who have served in all branches of the United States military. Contributors to Powder have seen conflicts from Somalia to Vietnam to Desert Shield. Many are book authors and winners of writing awards and fellowships; several hold MFAs from some of the country’s finest programs. The essays and poems here are inspired by an attempted rape by a Navy SEAL; an album of photos of the enemy dead; heat exhaustion in Mosul; a first jump from an airplane; fending off advances from Iraqi men; interrogating suspected terrorists; the contemplation of suicide; and a poignant connection with women and children in Bosnia. Their writing exposes the frontline intersection of women and soldiering, describing from a steely-eyed female perspective the horror, the humor, the cultural clashes and the fear.”

Excepts can be viewed on the Kore Press website.

Contributors: Sharon D. Allen, Cameron Beattie, Judith K. Boyd, Dhana-Marie Branton, Charlotte M. Brock, Christy L. Clothier, Donna Dean, Deborah Fries, Victoria A. Hudson, Terry Hurley, Bobbie Dykema Katsanis, Anna Osinska Krawczuk, Elizabeth Keough McDonald, Heather Paxton, Khadijah Queen, K.G. Schneider, Martha Stanton, Elaine Little Tuman, Rachel Vigil

Read-a-Thon to Raise Awareness & Money

Seacoastonline.com: From Oct. 10 to Oct. 11, 17 volunteers participated in a 24-hour Read-A-Thon at SecondRun Bookstore in Portsmouth to benefit a local nonprofit. Volunteers read, answered literary trivia questions, played Scrabble, and heard a local author read from his work, all while raising money to support programs for children and youth with autism at The Birchtree Center.

The event, officially known as Great Expectations: A Reading Marathon (GERM), was founded by RiverRun and SecondRun Bookstores in early 2008. The Read-A-Thon is meant to bring attention to reading and independent bookstores, while raising money for local nonprofits. GERM has gained national attention, and this year, during the month of October, nine independent bookstores around the country are hosting their own events…[read more here]

Owell on Art

All Art Is Propaganda: Critical Essays
by George Orwell
Harcourt, October 2008

Publisher’s Description: As a critic, George Orwell cast a wide net. Equally at home discussing Charles Dickens and Charlie Chaplin, he moved back and forth across the porous borders between essay and journalism, high art and low. A frequent commentator on literature, language, film, and drama throughout his career, Orwell turned increasingly to the critical essay in the 1940s, when his most important experiences were behind him and some of his most incisive writing lay ahead.

All Art Is Propaganda follows Orwell as he demonstrates in piece after piece how intent analysis of a work or body of work gives rise to trenchant aesthetic and philosophical commentary. With masterpieces such as “Politics and the English Language” and “Rudyard Kipling” and gems such as “Good Bad Books,” here is an unrivaled education in, as George Packer puts it, “how to be interesting, line after line.”

NewPages Updates :: Submissions & Mag Stand

Calls for Submissions was recently updated. If you have a CFS you’d like to see posted, e-mail me: denisehill-at-newpages.com

Also updated – The Magazine Stand – featuring sponsored print and online lit mags as well as a list of links to all mags received. Want your publication listed here? Then send print copies (NewPages, POB 1580, Bay City, MI 48706) or a notice of new online editions (denisehill-at-newpages.com).

Guided by Literature

In this faithless age, we must be guided by great literature
Richard Harries
Friday, 10 October 2008
Independent.co.uk

Poetry and novels take us into a world of their own. But the point is, and this is a key feature of both literature and, say, the Bible, is that they illuminate the actual world in which we live. There are forms of writing which do not do this, which are, we might say, purely escapist. Fantasy, popular romance, science fiction are always in danger of doing this. Clearly that is not always the case, and perhaps the test must always be that of Dr. Johnson when he said that, “The only end of writing is to enable the readers better to enjoy life or better to endure it.”

However, I have to express a personal preference for writing that seems closer to the world in which we live, and clearly does illuminate it…[read the rest]

I’m a Wordwatcher, I’m a Wordwatcher…

Wordwatchers is a site created to “explore how we can learn about the candidates’ personalities, motives, emotions, and inner selves through their everyday words.” The last debate analysis has been posted, with previous posts looking at other debates and interviews. Some brief analysis is provided on the table itself – looking at such aspects of language as usage of past, present, and future tense, and what that might reveal about a candidate – but the greater analysis comes in the comments posted to the entries. Well worth a look. [via Gerry Canavan]

Iodine Poetry Journal – Spring/Summer 2008

This was my first encounter with Iodine, and it was nice to see a magazine with so much space devoted to poetry. Over seventy poems are included in the 2008 Spring/Summer issue of this Charlotte-based journal! A few other things stood out to me, too: a Recommended Reading section in the back features a handful of fairly familiar journals (I hope the next issues feature an even larger selection, perhaps with some lesser known or brand new journals we wouldn’t see listed elsewhere). Continue reading “Iodine Poetry Journal – Spring/Summer 2008”

Mandorla – 2008

Produced at Illinois State University, Normal, with the support of UC San Diego and the College of Fine Arts at University of Texas, Austin, Mandorla is a truly unique and exceptional publication that deserves a spot on the shelves of our country’s finest libraries and literary collections. It is a beautifully edited and produced volume of poetry and “poetic essays” in Spanish and English, the work of editors who clearly understand quality when it comes both to content and product (a fantastic cover; fine paper; professional, polished appearance; smart, appropriate and refined design). Continue reading “Mandorla – 2008”

Ocho – 2008

The rest of this issue’s title is “The Story of Clyde as told by Kemel Zaldivar.” This journal, featuring just nine poets (including guest editor Kemel Zaldivar, Octavio de la Paz and J.P. Dancing Bear), opens with a brief story about Clyde and Jessica, two lovers who mistakenly drift into the open sea. We are told by Zaldivar, that “this [story] is ultimately about the poems appearing in this issue.” In between the poems of authors, we are given more poem-chapters of Zaldivar’s Story of Clyde, which evolves into a myth about humanity, language, life, love and even God. Continue reading “Ocho – 2008”

Ping•Pong – 2008

Having never visited the Henry Miller Library, I had no idea what to expect from Ping Pong, the Library’s annual art and literary journal. When it arrived, I was impressed with the exceptional production quality: thick and glossy paper, beautiful print, vivid and colorful art pieces and, yes, the work inside the journal was striking, too. Continue reading “Ping•Pong – 2008”

The Raintown Review – May 2008

This journal publishes work that “pays attention to formal requirements.” That, of course, means rhyme: “Though public / private lives draw swarms of pests, / Xeroxoxymorons are the irksomest” (“Doppelganger” by Alfred Corn) and “After the service, when the neighbors left, / breathing their last condolences like prayers, / it startled him that he was not bereft” (“Idle Comments” by Rhina Espaillat); established forms, most notably the sonnet, represented here by numerous contributors; invented forms, like a “villanette” from Anna Evans; and meter, what the editor refers to as syllable stressed verse – many types of formal strictures and discipline prevail in this issue. The poets represented here are not novices either to poetry or to “traditional” forms: Alfred Corn, Philip Dacey, Molly Peacock, Rachel Hadas, Richard Wilbur, W.D. Snodgrass, X. J. Kennedy, among others, and their work is polished, often exemplary. Continue reading “The Raintown Review – May 2008”

River Teeth – Spring 2008

Despite the journal’s self definition – nonfiction narrative – one of this issue’s highlights is a piece that defies categorization, “On Dusk” by Teddy Macker, where the narrative is, I suppose we could say, implied and what we’re given to read is a series of observations: “Dusk’s antonym is cataclysm,” “This is not a dream, says dusk,” “There are mountains, says Dogen, hidden in mountains,” “The greatest gift of dusk is unassailable mildness.” There are three pages of these poetic remarks, as short as a sentence and as long as a short paragraph. Dusk is just the sort of emotional and physical experience that begs for this type of treatment, and I appreciate the shape of Macker’s thinking and the shape of the piece. But, it does call into question the meaning of “nonfiction narrative,” which serves, otherwise, I think, as a fine alternative to “creative nonfiction.” Continue reading “River Teeth – Spring 2008”

Santa Fe Literary Review – 2008

This issue would be worthwhile for the artwork alone – stunning reproductions of photos paintings, and drawings by Sialia Rieke, Ana June, Richard Sullivan, Norm Hamer, and Kim Gibbs, Rebecca O’Day, and Kira Becvarik, among others. Many of this issue’s poems and stories are equally memorable, and I was happy for the opportunity to get to know the work of writers I’d not encountered before, in particular poetry by Anne Valley-Fox Christien Gholson, and Mary McGinnis, and prose by Laura Madeline Wiseman. Wiseman’s essay, “To Starve to Die,” is a carefully crafted meditation on anorexia, more lyrical, less self-indulgent than much of the writing about “disordered eating” and more powerful for its balance between revelation and restraint. Continue reading “Santa Fe Literary Review – 2008”

Spoon River Poetry Review – Winter/Spring 2008

Editor Bruce Guernsey’s introductory note is nothing if not frank: “We . . . have no use for the celebrity mentality that infects the current poetry scene.” It’s a laudable sentiment, and one I share, though I’m not certain that the refusal to provide contributors’ notes is a meaningful way to respond to the “star scene.” Nonetheless, it does force me to focus exclusively on the work presented, poems by more than two dozen poets, including featured poet Michael Van Walleghan, with whom an interview also appears, an essay on pedagogy, and a review essay. Continue reading “Spoon River Poetry Review – Winter/Spring 2008”

The Allegheny Review 2008

The Allegheny Review is a national undergraduate literary magazine published since 1983 at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. But, if you didn’t know these poems, stories, photos, and drawings were the product of undergraduate students, you might reasonably assume they were created by more experienced artists. And there is something refreshing about focusing solely on the work itself, forgetting about the name at the top of the page. It’s unlikely you’ll have seen this writer or artist’s name before, and it can be a pleasure to read without expectations. I was surprised by and especially liked a sophisticated poem by Robert Campbell, “An Appalachian Book of the Dead,” one of the issue’s award winners; a story by Heather Papp, “Consequences of Reproductive Success”; and a photo by Sean Stewart. I might have mistaken any of these for work by more mature artists, clear-eyed, original, and memorable. Continue reading “The Allegheny Review 2008”

Beloit Poetry Journal – Fall 2008

What I liked best about this issue of BPJ is the dissonance – the clash of tones, styles, voices, and intentions. “During the processing of new acquisitions / evidence of cogitation must be monitored” writes Paul Lisson in a tightly composed prose poem, “Cartesian Melody,” excerpted from “the Perfect aRchive.” “A little celebration: / it is six a.m. and I am not sick.” writes Muriel Nelson in “For the Night People.” “My day as a tragedy / brand manager: the red- / on-void block letter logo / for Backwater Black Widow” begins “If It Bleeds, It Leads,” by Steven D. Schroeder. In some ways, it almost seems as if the poems in this issue belong in 17 different journals (that’s the number of poets who appear here), but together they work to create a marvelous compendium of mismatched styles and tones that somehow coalesce into a unified whole. These poems are some of the most original I’ve read lately. I never had the impression I was reading a poem I’d seen a version of dozens of times before. I was always a little surprised, taken aback, stunned into paying better attention. What more can we hope for from poetry? Continue reading “Beloit Poetry Journal – Fall 2008”

Chautauqua – 2008

Located on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York, the Chautauqua Writer’s Center celebrated its 20th anniversary this year and its annual review celebrates writers who have contributed to its reputation, success, and creativity with a “moveable feast” in five sections: The Life in Art, Private Lives in Public Life, Our National Life, The Life of the Spirit, and Life Lessons – 360 plus pages of writing by such dependable greats as Dinty Moore, Carl Dennis, Susan Kinsolving, Alan Michael Parker, Ann Pancake, Maura Stanton, Laura Kasischke, Jim Daniels, Robin Becker, Carol Frost, Lee Gutkind, Diane Hume George, and many more. Continue reading “Chautauqua – 2008”

The Ghost Factory – 2008

A brief introductory note lets us know that this journal exists “to explore the variety of life in the United States – to tell the stories that make up our past and our present. We especially appreciate stories about countries of origin, ancestry, and cultural identity.” “Variety” in Issue 2 includes the tale of a Chinese American boy, a visit to India, a family story by the child of Korean immigrants, a parody about the “global diaspora,” photographs that appear to be of Mexican American subjects (though I confess this is purely conjecture on my part), and an essay about “black hair,” among other stories. There is as much diversity in the style and tone of these stories as there is in the cultural identities they represent. Continue reading “The Ghost Factory – 2008”

Hullaballoo for Halloween

An Iowa Writer’s Workshop graduate, Laurel Snyder is one of those people who never seems to slow down: involved in a dozen cool projects all at once (like contributing this article for NANO young writers) – while raising a family and holding down that whole other part of life! To no surprise, she’s got a new children’s book out, and it’s a perfect match for Halloween, Inside the Slidy Diner – a collaborative work with fa-boo artist Jaime Zollars.

Laurel says of the book: “Inside the Slidy Diner is a picture book with collage-y painty pages, about a little girl named Edie, who is doomed to a life in a greasy spoon full of lady fingers that really are. Clatter and DIN! Hullaballoo! Someone is ALWAYS running with scissors. But goodbyes have been BANNED! (And if the Slidy Diner happens to resemble the Hamburg Inn, where I spent four years of my life, well–that’s merely a coincidence!) It’s a perfect book for Halloween (though not JUST for Halloween).”

National Book Award Nominees

Matthiessen, Robinson among book award finalists
By Hillel Italie
AP/Modesto Bee

Talk about second chances: Peter Matthiessen, 81, received a National Book Award nomination Wednesday for “Shadow Country,” an 890-page revision of a trilogy of novels he released in the 1990s.

Others in the fiction category included Marilynne Robinson for “Home,” a companion novel to her Pulitzer Prize-winning “Gilead”; Aleksandar Hemon for “The Lazarus Project”; and debut authors Salvatore Scibona (“The End”) and Rachel Kushner (“Telex From Cuba”).

Among the nonfiction finalists were Jane Mayer for “The Dark Side,” an investigation into the war against terrorism, and Annette Gordon-Reed’s “The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family.” Richard Howard and Mark Doty were nominees for poetry, while Laurie Halse Anderson was cited for young people’s literature.

Winners, each of whom receive $10,000, will be announced Nov. 19 at a ceremony hosted by author-performance artist Eric Bogosian. Honorary prizes will be given to author Maxine Hong Kingston and publisher Barney Rosset. [Read more here.]

Man Booker Prize Winner Announced

Aravind Adiga was named the winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2008 for his novel The White Tiger, published by Atlantic. The thirty-three year old novelist was presented the prize at an awards ceremony at Guildhall, London. Adiga becomes the fourth debut novelist, and the second Indian debut novelist, to win the award in the forty year history of the prize. The three other debut novelists to have won the prize are Keri Hulme for her novel The Bone People in 1985, DBC Pierre in 2003 for his novel Vernon God Little and Arundhati Roy in 1997 for The God of Small Things.

Jobs :: Various

Monterey Peninsula College full-time, tenure track English/Creative Writing Instructor. Kali F. Viker, M.S., Human Resources Department. January 12, 2009.

Bentley College Department of English Position in Creative Writing and Creativity. Dr. Maureen Goldman, Chair, Department of English. December 1, 2008.

Emerson College Department of Writing, Literature & Publishing seeks a full-time faculty member to teach Fiction Writing. Review of applications will begin October 15 & continue until the position is filled.

Montclair State University seeks Assistant Professor in Creative Writing. Full-time, tenure-track position in creative writing with primary expertise in the writing of poetry. November 3, 2008.

College of Staten Island Department of English seeks candidates for an anticipated open rank (assistant, associate, or full professor), tenure track position as Professor of English in Creative Writing / Poetry. Professor Timothy Gray, Chair, Creative Writing Search Committee. November 15, 2008.

University of Rochester Assistant Professor of Creative Writing: Poetry. Professor John Michael, Chair, English Department. November 7, 2008.

The English Department of Eastern Michigan University invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in Creative Writing. Dr. Christine Hume, Department of English. November 15, 2008.

Lewis-Clark State College Humanities seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts. November 7, 2008.

Portland State University Assistant or Associate Professor, Fiction Writing/20th Century Fiction, tenure-track. November 7, 2008.

University of Alaska – Fairbanks – Assistant Professor of English, Creative Writing, Nonfiction. Dr. Burns Cooper, Chair, English Department. November 3, 2008.

Robert Creeley’s Library

Granary Books is pleased to offer for sale a selection of more than 1,300 books, pamphlets, manuscripts, correspondence, and related materials from the library of preeminent American poet Robert Creeley (1926-2005). This selection is offered as a group, rather than as individual items, because of the preponderance of archival material accumulated within the books. Robert Creeley made a practice of inserting relevant letters, manuscripts, clippings, photographs, and ephemera into his books, many of which also bear significant inscriptions, thus making his library an important documentary archive occupying a rich site for research parallel to the primary repository of his papers at Stanford University. Contact Granary for specifics of this collection.

Disability Activism Narratives

“In May of 2008, members of ADAPT celebrated 25 years of advocacy and civil disobedience that has brought awareness to the fact that thousands of people with disabilities are trapped in nursing homes, unable to secure services that would allow them to live independently in the community. As part of that celebration, a special exhibit, I Was There… was published that features photos and narratives, both in written and audio format, providing accounts of the 50 actions that have been held over the organization’s 25-year history.” (via Disability Nation)

Comics ARE Educational

I love comics. I use them often in my classroom with students, so I tend to read all of them, looking for any kind of connections I can make. Mary Worth, by Karen Moy and Joe Giella, is one I don’t read “regularly.” It’s more like a soap opera, so that each daily installment builds on the previous, with different character story lines. However, I do scan it, and I happened to pick up on it with this strip (September 1, 2008):


It turns out that character Toby has had her identity stolen – her credit cards have been abused, and she has to deal with feelings of helplessness at having her life invaded. However, as the strip continues, Toby takes steps to regain control over her credit record. This includes bringing in another character – Terry Bryson – whom Mary Worth recommends to Toby. Bryson helps Toby through this crisis, advising her on the tell-tale signs of identity theft (including phone fraud and reading credit card statements carefully – what looks like an error of a charge under a dollar could be someone seeing if they can get away with it).


This saga ends (so far – 10/12/08) when Toby has to “confess” to her husband, Ian, about having been victimized. At first frightened to tell him, to admit she could have been taken advantage of, he is compassionate, supportive and understanding. The way it should be.

What a great comic, probably most read by an older audience – those who might not be as aware of identity theft and what to do about it – but so incredibly applicable to ALL ages.

Don’t know Jack about identity fraud? Know someone who could benefit from the information? Know Mary Worth.

Children’s Classics Online

“The Baldwin Project seeks to make available online a comprehensive collection of resources for parents and teachers of children. Our focus, initially, is on literature for children that is in the public domain in the United States. This includes all works first published before 1923. The period from 1880 or so until 1922 offers a wealth of material in all categories, including: Nursery Rhymes, Fables, Folk Tales, Myths, Legends and Hero Stories, Literary Fairy Tales, Bible Stories, Nature Stories, Biography, History, Fiction, Poetry, Storytelling, Games, and Craft Activities.”

Girls Write Now

GIRLS WRITE NOW is New York’s premier creative writing and mentoring organization for high school girls. Founded in 1998, their mission is to provide a safe space for girls to explore and develop their creative, independent voices, and learn how to make healthy choices in school, career and life.

The core mentoring program custom matches bright, driven high school girls with a burning desire to write with professional women writers currently working in journalism, publishing, education, theater, advertising/public relations, and more. Once paired, mentor and mentee work together one-on-one for 1 to 4 academic years. But that’s not all we do…uh-uh. Check it out!

Ecovillage Study Abroad

“Living Routes brings education to life by studying in Ecovillages around the world. Ecovillages are ecological communities that provide ideal campuses for students to learn about real-world issues including sustainable development, green building, organic agriculture and women’s empowerment. Learn to live in harmony with local environments as you investigate personal and community based solutions to real world issues with one of the most innovative environmental study abroad programs.

“Earn college credit from University of Massachusetts Amherst on our semester, Summer and January-term study abroad programs (open also to gap year/high school students). Through academic and experiential coursework, environmental community service learning, and cultural excursions, you develop the understanding, skills and commitment to restore our planet and prepare for careers that make a difference. Living Routes is a carbon neutral organization.”

Thoughtful & Fun Visopoetry

Sequencing
by KS Ernst
Published by Xexoxial Editions, 1984/2008

“This new edition adds 21 previously unpublished pieces to the collection. An endless maze of schematic vispoetry & fun-to-solve typerwriter ciphers. SEQUENCING has been especially useful for introducing visual poetry to school kids. Semantic maps into the everyday.” Available for purchase on the site, or as a free pdf download. A sample of Ernst’s work:

New Lit on the Block :: Wordletting

“Wordletting is an online poetry journal with a simple aim: to make a space for dynamic, compelling poetry and let it be seen, read, and enjoyed by others. We feel that every poem needs to be given a creative space — space to take shape, to come into being, to take its first true, if unsteady, breath. It deserves permission to be bad or good… reckless, misunderstood.”

Wordletting is currently accepting submissions for its next issue: 50-line maximum per poem, up to seven poems per submission cycle; previously published and simultaneous submissions accepted – with notice. Upcoming deadline: December 1, 2008

CPCW 2008 Fellow Recipient :: Rachel Levitsky

The Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing Fellow in Poetics & Poetic Practice has announced Rachel Levitsky as this year’s recipient. She will teach a seminar called “Writing Practice of the Avant-Garde or: Avant-Garde Hybrid Writing” and at the Kelly Writers House will host the visits of several writers associated with the course.

Rachel Levitsky’s first full-length volume, Under the Sun, was published by Futurepoem books in 2003. She is the author of five chapbooks of poetry, Dearly (a+bend, 1999), Dearly 356, Cartographies of Error (Leroy, 1999), The Adventures of Yaya and Grace (PotesPoets, 1999) and 2(1×1)Portraits (Baksun, 1998). Levitsky also writes poetry plays, three of which (one with Camille Roy) have been performed in New York and San Francisco. Levitsky’s work has been published in magazines such as Sentence, Fence, The Brooklyn Rail, Global City, The Hat, Skanky Possum, Lungfull! and in the anthology, 19 Lines: A Drawing Center Writing Anthology. She founded Belladonna–an event and publication series for avant-garde poetics in August 1999. A past fellow of The McDowell Colony and Lower Manhattan Community Council, she teaches at Pratt Institute and lives steps away from The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

Previous CPCW Fellows: Tracie Morris, Linh Dinh, Erica Hunt, and Kenneth Goldsmith.

Calling Out White Privilege

“Tim Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist writers and activists in the U.S., and has been called, ‘One of the most brilliant, articulate and courageous critics of white privilege in the nation,’ by best-selling author and professor Michael Eric Dyson, of Georgetown University. Wise has spoken in 48 states, and on over 400 college campuses, including Harvard, Stanford, and the Law Schools at Yale and Columbia, and has spoken to community groups around the nation…”

Wise currently keeps a blog at Red Room, including such entries as these:

Racism as Reflex: Reflections on Conservative Scapegoating
September 28, 2008
If hypocrisy were currency, conservatives would be able to single-handedly bail out the nation’

Boxing Ourselves In: The Sad Irony of White Supremacy
September 21, 2008
I guess it would be amusing were it not so sad.

Reflections on White Anti-Intellectualism
September 21, 2008

Explaining White Privilege to the Deniers and the Haters
September 18, 2008
Explaining White Privilege (Or, Your Defense Mechanism is Showing)
Sigh.

This is Your Nation on White Privilege (Updated)

New Lit on the Block :: 20×20 Magazine

From London: “20×20 magazine is a square platform for writings, visuals and cross-bred projects. Rather than on a theme, each issue will be assembled around meta-words to be interpreted, researched, illustrated according to a loose, wide and multi-angled perspective. The intent is to create homogeneity of spirit within each issue, without the restrictions of a ‘theme’ as such. The magazine includes 3 sections: Words – in the shape of fiction, essays, poetry; Visions – drawings, photography and visual projects; The Blender – where words and visions cross paths.” Editors: Francesca Ricci & Giovanna Paternò

DZANC Books Write-A-Thon!

“As you may know, Dzanc Books is a non-profit organization, established to not only publish great books, but to work nationally in set communities to provide writing workshops and year round programs for students and adults alike. These programs include our Dzanc Writer in Residency Programs, The Dzanc Prize, programs with the Ann Arbor Book Festival, author readings, single session and weekly session workshops which function in a slightly different capacity than our year-round DWIRPS.

“With the economy coming completely off its rails, traditional means of raising funds – writing grants, corporate sponsorships, etc. – have become less successful. Here at Dzanc, we like to try and make raising money both as fun, and valuable, an experience as possible. With this in mind, we have come up with an alternative and interactive plan which we think not only furthers our mission but is something those participating in will enjoy. If it sounds like something you’d like to participate in, please email us at [email protected].”

DZANC BOOKS WRITE-A-THON

The idea behind the write-a-thon will be similar to bowl-a-thons, or walk-a-thons, or, well you get the picture – other a-thons that you’ve probably supported or participated in during your lifetime, only with writing being the catalyst to the raising of funds. For one day, people will volunteer to write to help raise money, and they will ask people to fill out a donation sheet to support their efforts.

Updates :: New Listings on NewPages Guides

Literary Magazines
Broken Plate – poetry, fiction, nonfiction
Writing Our Hope – creative nonfiction
Cahoots – poetry, lifewriting, plays, fiction, nonfiction, feature essays
Masthead – poetry, essay
carte blance – poetry, fiction, nonfiction
Literary Bird Journal (LBJ) – creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, literary journalism, narrative scholarship
In the Mist – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, photography, art

Alternative Magazines
Elephant Journal – yoga, sustainability, organics, active citizenship, conscious consumerism, new-age sensibility, arts

Jobs :: Various

The Department of English at Illinois State University seeks a Creative Writing, Poetry, tenure-track, assistant professor, candidates prepared to work in a Department that stresses the relationships among literatures, linguistics, rhetoric and pedagogies. We encourage candidates with expertise in experimental poetics and/or oral poetics.

Assistant Professor of English in creative writing, Iowa State University. Tenure-track. Beginning August 2009. Accomplished writer in one genre with the ability to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in a second genre for our newly-formed MFA program in Creative Writing and Environment. Barbara Haas, Department of English. Nov 1.

The English Department at St. Lawrence University invites applications for a one year leave replacement position in creative non-fiction writing, with secondary interests in fiction writing, the literary essay, or environmental writing. Dr. Peter Bailey, English. Nov 15.

St. Lawrence University: fiction or creative non-fiction writers with significant publications and teaching experience are invited to apply for the position of Viebranz Visiting Professor of Creative Writing for the academic year 2009-10. Dr. Peter Bailey, English. Nov 15.

Book Arts Fair 11.8-9

Pyramid Atlantic Book Fair
November 8-9, 2008
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center
Montgomery College

In partnership with the Visual Arts Program of Montgomery College, Takoma Park/Silver Spring, Pyramid Atlantic is pleased to present the 10th Biennial Book Arts Fair & Conference, the event connecting international artists and booksellers to collectors and scholars of the book arts through a dynamic book fair, stimulating conference lectures, exhibitions, panel discussions and events. Pyramid Atlantic, in its 27th year, serves as a contemporary visual arts center and gallery dedicated to the creation and appreciation of paper, prints, book arts and digital media.

MMO the New Frontier for MFA?

The Death of Story, Part I
by Jonathan Steinhauer
29 Sep 2008

I have noted in the MMO industry (as well as films and, to a lesser extent in fantasy literature) a decline in the quality of storytelling. It seems that designers are generally more eager to make an easy-money sequel rather than create something new that is truly powerful. I suppose the good news is that games seem to pull it off better sequels than movies, yet this doesn’t avoid a stagnation of creativity. The same old thing gets regurgitated again and again.

The importance of story stems from MMOs being the natural offspring of the single player RPGs. True, there are many players that are drawn to the game by other factors such as the head-to-head combat FPSer, the burgeoning diplomat, or the fantasy world mercantilist (not to mention the plethora of scammers and gold farmers trying to make a real world buck). Fundamentally, however, an MMO is an RPG where thousands of stories are being told at once.

When you look at MMO stories, they come in two varieties that exist simultaneously. The first is the global or world story and the second is the personal one (as in the story that each gamer creates for themselves as they play). We’ll spend this article by beginning our look at the global story and continue from there…[read the rest here]

Got Blog Narrative Nonfiction?

From Creative Nonfiction Managing Editor Hattie Fletcher: “Creative Nonfiction is seeking narrative blog posts to reprint in The Best Creative Nonfiction, Volume 3, edited by Lee Gutkind, forthcoming in August 2009 from W. W. Norton. We’re looking for: Vibrant new voices with interesting, true stories to tell. Narrative, narrative, narrative. Posts that can stand alone, 2000 words max, from 2008. Something from your own blog, from a friend’s blog, from a stranger’s blog. The small print: We will contact individual bloggers before publication; we pay a flat $50 fee for one-time reprint rights. Deadline: October 31, 2008.”

Obama Reads


A poster made as part of an in-house series for the Skokie Public Library. Unfortunately, not available for distribution. The book in his hands: Team of Rivals: the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Reading and Weight Loss

Duke Researchers Show Reading Can Help Obese Kids Lose Weight
By Duke Medicine News and Communications

It’s no secret that reading is beneficial. But can it help kids lose weight? In the first study to look at the impact of literature on obese adolescents, researchers at Duke Children’s Hospital discovered that reading the right type of novel may make a difference.

The Duke researchers asked obese females ages 9 to 13 who were already in a comprehensive weight loss program to read an age-appropriate novel called Lake Rescue (Beacon Street Press). It was carefully crafted with the help of pediatric experts to include specific healthy lifestyle and weight management guidance, as well as positive messages and strong role models.

Six months later, the Duke researchers found the 31 girls who read Lake Rescue experienced a significant decrease in their BMI scores (-.71%) when compared to a control group of 14 girls who hadn’t (+.05%)…[read the rest here]

Write the Music

Best Music Writing 2008
by Daphne Carr, Nelson George
Oct 6, 2008
Published by Da Capo Press

Best music writing is the definitive guide to the year in music writing, an annual feast of essays, missives, and musings on every musical style by critics, novelists, and musicians themselves. Culled from publications ranging from blogs to the New Yorker, the 2008 edition captures a year in music writing as diverse and riveting as the music it illuminates. Writers who have appeared in Best Music Writing include: Greil Marcus, Sarah Vowell, Nick Tosches, Jonathan Lethem, Dave Eggers, David Rakoff, David Hadju, Lenny Kaye, The Onion, Gary Giddins, Jessica Hopper, Luc Sante, Kelefa Sanneh, David Byrne, Daphne A. Brooks, Jody Rosen, Anne Midgette, Sasha Frere-Jones, Elizabeth M

Creatively Cool Fundraiser Idea

Literature, Food & Friends At JJML’s One for the Books
The Sag Harbor Express
02 October 2008

Supporters of the John Jermain Memorial Library may not know where they are going to dinner, who their host is or what they will eat, but they can rest assured they are supporting their local library and that a book they have chosen will help guide their way.

On October 11 and October 18 the fundraising committee for the John Jermain Memorial Library Capital Fund will host the third annual One for the Books fundraising event. Billed as a dinner party extravaganza, guests sign up by choosing a book from a diverse list of titles. That choice determines where one will dine that evening, with whom, and sometimes will even dictate the menu.

“The books are chosen by each host, and the idea is that the book you choose says something about you,” explained One for the Books coordinator Gail Slevin. “When I pick a title it should be safe to assume that I am going to like the group I am dining with and it is indicative of the person who is giving the dinner.”

For example, participants on October 11 who have chosen Barack Obama’s “The Audacity Of Hope: Thoughts On Reclaiming The American Dream,” may find they are in for an evening of rousing political discussions in a heated election year, whereas guests who choose Claudia Roden’s “Arabesque: A Taste Of Morocco, Turkey, And Lebanon,” may be in for a Middle Eastern dining treat. On October 18, those who choose “Sway: A Novel,” by Zachary Lazar may find themselves rocking out to the tunes of the Rolling Stones, while others may find themselves discussing the selected poems of Frank O’Hara. But with over a dozen titles available for each evening, it is unlikely guests won’t find one that syncs with their taste… [read the rest here]