ANNOUNCEMENTS
Through the generous support of Lee Hope —editor of Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices— and the Solstice Institute, the Solstice MFA Program is able to award The Lee Hope Fellowship to support an incoming student of diverse background or experience. The Fellowship provides $500 toward first-semester tuition for a student who begins the program during the summer residency/fall semester. Fellowship applications must be submitted by the general application deadline.
For more information, go to: http://www.pmc.edu/mfa-financial-aid
General applications for the Solstice MFA Program’s summer residency/fall 2012 semester are due by March 15, 2012 (not a postmark date; materials must be received by our offices before or on March 15).
For more information and a downloadable application form, go to: http://www.pmc.edu/mfa-apply
This month’s alumni guest column is an article by graduate Hannah Goodman about the Solstice MFA Program’s first-ever Alumni Celebration. To read the article, scroll down.
READINGS & EVENTS
MAINE
Poet and MFA Program Director Meg Kearney will read with Dawn Potter on Thursday, February 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Bates College’s Muskie Archives, 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, ME.
For more information, email: Robert Farnsworth, rfarnswo@bates.edu
MASSACHUSETTS
Three members of the Solstice MFA community will be reading as part of poet and Solstice/Pine Manor College Professor Kathleen Aguero’s Visiting Fiction Writer class:
• Assistant Director Tanya Whiton will read on Wednesday, February 8
• Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices editor Lee Hope will read on Wednesday, February 22
• Writer-in-residence Helen Elaine Lee will read on Wednesday, March 21
All readings are free and open to the public and will be held on the PMC campus in the President’s Dining Room, Rosemary Ashby Campus Center, from 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Poet Dzvinia Orlowsky will read with Jeff Friedman as part of “Writes of Spring,” Sunday, February 26 at 3 p.m. at Del Rossi’s Trattoria, NH Rt. 137 North, Dublin, NH.
NEW YORK
Meg Kearney will read on Monday, February 13 at 7 p.m. in Marist College’s Henry Hudson Room, 3rd Floor, Fontaine Hall, 3399 North Road, Poughkeepsie, NY.
For more information, email: Lea Graham, Lea.Graham@marist.edu
PUBLICATIONS
MFA graduate Faye Rapoport DesPres’ essay, “No One Watches The Old Lady Dance” was recently published in the January edition of Connotation Press.com: An Online Artifact.
For more information, go to: http://connotationpress.com/
Excerpts from MFA student Annette Marquis's online journal, “A Personal View of Disaster” (originally published on www.uua.org), are included in The Women of Katrina: How Gender, Race, and Class Matter in an American Disaster, recently published by Vanderbilt University Press.
For more information, go to: http://www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/
MFA graduate Alison Stone’s poem “The Emperor” is published in the current issue of Star*Line.
For more information, go to: http://www.sfpoetry.com/starline.html
MFA consulting writer Jacqueline Woodson’s new book, Beneath a Meth Moon was recently published by Nancy Paulsen books, an imprint of Penguin Books.
For more information, go to: http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/publishers/yr/putnam.html
CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, & SEMINARS
MFA graduate Kerry L. Beckford recently attended the VONA Regional Writing Workshop at University of Miami in Miami, FL. VONA (Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation) is designed to cultivate multi-genre writers of color.
For more information, go to: http://www.as.miami.edu/english/creativewriting/voices-at-um
MFA graduate Hannah Goodman will be teaching a women’s writing workshop on February 26, 2012 at the East Bay Chamber of Commerce in Bristol, RI.
For more information, go to: http://www.hannahrgoodman.com/
MFA Program Director Meg Kearney and Assistant Director Tanya Whiton will be at the 2012 Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference, scheduled for February 29–March 3, 2012 at the Hilton Chicago & Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, IL. The Solstice MFA Program table, #K7, will be located in the lower level of the Hilton Chicago— stop by for a visit!
Conference highlights:
• Program Director Meg Kearney will present as part of Writing for Young Adults, Friday, March 2 from 10:30 a.m.–11:45 a.m. in the Astoria Room, 3rd Floor, Hilton Chicago.
• MFA writer-in-residence Michael Steinberg will present as part of The Persona in Personal Narrative: Crafting the Made-Up Self, Friday, March 2 from 4:30 p.m.–5:45 p.m. Continental C Room, Lobby Level, Hilton Chicago.
• Multi-genre writer Anne-Marie Oomen will be signing books at the Wayne State Book Booth on Thursday, March 1 from 1–3 p.m.
• Poet Kathleen Aguero will on the panel for the Women’s Caucus, Friday, March 2 from 10:30–11:45 a.m., Lake Erie Room, 8th floor, Hilton Chicago.
• Creative nonfiction writer Amy Hoffman will present as part of The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House: Organizations Supporting Women in the Literary Arts, Friday, March 2 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., Boulevard Room, 2nd Floor, Hilton Chicago.
• MFA graduate Cindy Zelman will be reading for Connotation Press: An Online Artifact, Thursday, March 1 from 3–6 p.m. at Kasey's Tavern, and for This Page Intentionally Left Blank, Friday, March 2, from 7–10 p.m. at The Horseshoe. For more information about off-site venues, go to:
http://www.awpwriter.org/conference/2012offsite.php#.TxX-qm9AZSQ
OTHER NEWS
MFA graduate Michael Farrell was recently hired as a features and lifestyle freelancer for the Buffalo newspaper Business First; he is also a regular contributor to the web site Buffalo Rising.
MFA graduate Angela Foster has been appointed Interim Executive Director of Pine Center for the Arts in her home town of Pine City, MN.
Auditions for poet, playwright, and essayist Anne-Marie Oomen’s new play, Secrets of Luuce Talk Café, will be held at the Depot Theater in Traverse City, MI at 7:00 p.m. on February 13–14. The play will premier in April.
Assistant Director Tanya Whiton will be one of twelve artists-in-residence at the Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forest, IL for two weeks in February.
For more information, go to: www.ragdale.org
Jacqueline Woodson’s picture book, Pecan Pie Baby, was named a Horn Book Magazine Honor Book for 2011.
GUEST COLUMN
A GATHERING OF FRIENDS: The first-ever Solstice MFA Program Alumni Celebration
—by Hannah Goodman
“I keep myself involved because when I first [came to Solstice], I felt moved by something I hadn’t felt in a long time. I want to keep being a part of things because I don’t want to lose that again that in my life.”
—Cindy Zelman (Summer, 2010)
That “something” made Cindy Zelman and 14 other alumni return to Pine Manor College’s wooded campus in Chestnut Hill, MA for three days in January, 2012. Representing a third of a growing alumni group (52 strong, and living in over 19 states around the country), this enthusiastic cross-section of Solstice Program graduates participated in readings, classes, a panel discussion, and even an impromptu workshop. While Solstice alumni are always invited back to campus during residencies, this was the first time programming was geared specifically toward alumni concerns. The occasion marked a couple of other “firsts” —in lieu of graduation, the last night of the 2012 winter residency featured a public reading by twelve graduates and a cocktail soiree in their honor.
“Instead of a winter wonderland on campus this January, there was warmth in the air and in every greeting, laugh, and hug during our Solstice Family Reunion. Now I am [home] with memories of new Solstice family members, new ideas from classes, and new energy for my writing.”
—Carol Owens Campbell (Winter, 2011)
The weekend kicked-off with a welcome reception and a reading by Assistant Director Tanya Whiton, poet and faculty member Dzvinia Orlowsky, and special guest André Dubus III —who lingered long after the event, signing books and chatting with graduates and current students. Friday and Saturday mornings were allotted for personal writing time, where alum could find a cozy corner in the Ferry Administration building (a converted turn-of-the-last-century mansion), the Annenberg Library, or —as many grads did while they were students— at a nearby Starbucks.
Afternoons were filled with course offerings designed with alumni in mind. On Friday, Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices editor Lee Hope Betcher taught a hands-on session on “Thinking Like an Editor,” in which she discussed the differences between workshopping a piece of writing and working with an editor. Then guest faculty member Roland Merullo gave an inspirational talk about “The Demons That Keep You From Writing.” Merullo opened by telling his audience that, in his experience, writers who dealt with their demons were more successful than those who chose not to, and then outlined some common pitfalls on the way to a successful creative career. “Ask the Agent,” with guest Katherine Flynn of the Kneerim & Williams Literary Agency concluded Friday’s classes. Flynn offered instructions for how to write the perfect query letter and creative ways to find the right agent, and encouraged writers to create an author platform and take advantage of self-publishing.
“I came away feeling that the Solstice flame is strong and shimmers throughout our community. I look forward to the next “Life After” event, readings and publications by my fellow graduates, and sharing and spreading the word to potential students who can join our community and help us grow.”
—Faye Snider (Winter, 2009)
Saturday afternoon began with a seminar on “Social Media & Marketing” with guest Crystal King, whose presentation on creating a personal brand demonstrated how to use Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Linkedin to showcase creative work. King’s session was followed by a “Life After the MFA” panel discussion moderated by Alumni Coordinator Faye Snider on the topic of staying accountable to one’s creative writing while also managing the demands of work, family, and other personal responsibilities. Graduates Melissa Ford Lucken, Laura Snyder, Cindy Zelman, Mike Miner, and Hannah Goodman each spoke about a different aspect of accountability and the post-graduate experience, and the result was a sometimes funny, always engaging, and candid discussion about some of the possibilities and pitfalls of being a writer.
“I really missed everybody. I’m glad to see everyone. It creates a good feeling to see people come back and find out what they are doing and what they are working on.”
— Faculty member Laura Williams McCaffrey
Concluding the weekend on Saturday night was an alumni reading hosted and coordinated by Cindy Zelman. Featured readers included Hannah Goodman, Faye Snider, Gloria Estela Gonzalez, Carol Owens Campbell, Melissa Ford Lucken, Melissa Varnavas, Laura Jones, Laura Snyder, Mike Miner, Jim Kennedy, Maryann Jacobs Marcias, and then Cindy, who closed the reading with a short piece that had the audience laughing and applauding. A champagne and hors'dourves party followed, where alumni took the opportunity to reconnect with fellow graduates and faculty members, and meet new Solstice students.
“Our alumni are publishing, teaching, giving readings, writing up a storm, and—I can say happily from the response to this event—coming back to Pine Manor College to celebrate with their peers, faculty, and current students!”
—Program Director, Meg Kearney
Evident by the turnout to this event, Solstice MFA Program alumni foster the same close community environment that Director Meg Kearney emphasizes from the start of each Solstice student’s first residency. She invites students to fall in love with one another’s work “…as the antidote to jealousy and competition.” Those words, repeated several times over the years that students attend the program do, in fact, sink in —the warmth and camaraderie of the first-ever Solstice Alumni Celebration is evidence of that.
“Do we ever really leave? This is a way to recharge your writing battery. As I look back on the alumni weekend, what strikes me the most, what lingers, is the collective talent of the group, as well as the diversity it contains both artistically and individually. What pleased me most was the continuing feeling of belonging to a supportive family, a community of students and faculty that I relish catching up with.”
—Mike Miner (Winter, 2011)
CONNECTIONS
Solstice: A Magazine Of Diverse Voices announces its third annual literary contest in fiction/nonfiction and the first annual Stephen Dunn Prize for Poetry. Deadline: April 5, 2012.
For more information, go to: www.solsticelitmag.org
Cleveland State University Poetry Series announces its 2012 First Book and Open Book Competitions. Deadline: February 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.csuohio.edu/poetrycenter/contest1.html
Memoirs Ink announces its annual writing contest for first person narratives. Deadline: February 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.memoirsink.com/writingcontestguidelines/
The Mixed Roots Film and Literary Festival invites submissions of fiction and creative nonfiction that include (but are not limited to) interracial relationships, exploration of multiracial/ cultural identity, and transracial/ cultural adoption. Deadline: February 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.mxroots.org/
Sarabande Books announces its Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry. Deadline: February 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.sarabandebooks.org/?page_id=1099
The Pacific Northwest Writers Association announces the 2012 PNWA Literary Contest. Deadline: February 17, 2012.
For more information, go to: www.pnwa.org
Old Red Kimono announces the Lanelle Daniel Prize in Poetry. Deadline: February 24, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.highlands.edu/ork/
Zócalo Public Square announces its annual Book Prize for a work that most enhances our understanding of community —the forces that strengthen or undermine human connectedness and social cohesion. Deadline: February 25, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://zocalopublicsquare.org/thepublicsquare/2010/04/14/zcalo-public-square-book-prize/community/
Barely South Review announces The Norton Girault Literary Prize in Fiction. Deadline: February 29, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://barelysouthreview.digitalodu.com/the-norton-girault-literary-prize/
CutBank announces a call for submissions to its annual Montana Prize in Fiction, Montana Prize in Creative Nonfiction, and the Patricia Goedicke Prize in Poetry. Deadline: February 29, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://cutbank.submishmash.com/Submit
Wag's Revue announces its Winter Writers Contest. Deadline: February 29, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.wagsrevue.com/index.php
Creative Capital is now accepting letters of inquiry for grants in emerging fields, literature, and performing arts. Deadline: March 1, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://creative-capital.org/apply
Devilfish Review is now accepting submissions for its first issue. Deadline: March 1, 2012.
For more information, go to: www.devilfishreview.com
Persea Books is accepting entries for the Lexi Rudnitsky Editor’s Choice Award, an annual competition open to an American poet who has previously published at least one full-length book of poems. Deadline: March 1, 2012.
For more information, go to: www.perseabooks.com/editorschoiceaward.php
The St. Petersburg Review announces its 2012 Poetry Contest. Deadline: March 1, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.stpetersburgreview.com
The Sustainable Arts Foundation offers grants to support artists and writers with families. Deadline: March 1, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.sustainableartsfoundation.org/
Writers at Work announces the return of its full Fellowship Competition for emerging writers in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Deadline: March 1, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.writersatwork.org/wp/
National Public Radios’ Selected Shorts Program announces the 2012 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize; the winning submission will be read as part of the Selected Shorts performance at Symphony Space on June 6, 2012. Deadline: March 2, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.symphonyspace.org/writing_contest
Tarcher/Penguin announces its Seeking the Next Top Artist Writing Contest. Deadline: March 2, 2012.
For more information, go to: www.tarchertopartist.com/writing-competition-details/
Bellday Books announces its Bellday Poetry Prize for a book-length manuscript. Deadline: March 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://www.belldaybooks.com/
Gulf Coast announces its 2012 Gulf Coast Prizes in in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Deadline: March 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: www.Gulfcoastmag.org
Hot Metal Bridge is seeking fiction, nonfiction, and poetry submissions for its next issue. Deadline: March 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://hotmetalbridge.org/
Iron Horse Literary Review announces its 4th Annual Single-Author Issue competition. The 2012 Single-Author Issue will be a chapbook of short fiction or narrative nonfiction essays. Deadline: March 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: www.ironhorsereview.com
Prairie Schooner announces its annual poetry and short fiction book prizes. Deadline: March 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: www.prairieschooner.unl.edu
So to Speak: a feminist journal of language and art is now accepting submissions for its fall 2012 issue. Deadline: March 15, 2012.
For more information, go to: www.sotospeakjournal.org
Flyway: Journal of Writing and Environment announces its Hazel Lipa Poetry Chapbook Contest. Deadline: March 16, 2012.
For more information, go to: http://engl.iastate.edu/programs/creative_writing/mfa