AWP BEGINS
Posted on February 12, 2009 Leave a Comment
Heading down to the Hideout for the Opium LDM.
AWP – Chicago
Posted on February 7, 2009 2 Comments
GO, it will be a blast. Here is the link:
http://www.awpwriter.org/conference/2009awpconf.php
Here’s what I’m thinking of attending:
RICHARD’S 2009 AWP MASTER PLAN
Which really means so very little
If there are multiple selections per time period, * marks my choice for now
WED FEB 11 (night)
FC2 reading (Chiasmus) with SGJ
6 pm @ AWP
Opium’s Literary Death Match
The Hideout
1354 W Wabansia Ave.
Chicago, IL
6-8
THURSDAY FEB 12
9-10:15 (Breakfast) – nothing really jumps out at me
10:30-11:45
R126. First Books of Fiction*
NOON-1:15
R142. The City – Real and Imagined (Dybek)
R147. What’s in the Magazines: A Conversation about Lit Journals (Frangello)*
R149. Don’t Stand So Close to Me: Controlling Narrative Distance
R154. Bob Hope, Joey Ramone, Wolfman and Me: Pop Culture in Fiction*
1:30-2:45 (lunch?)
R160. Loft Series (Scott Russell Sanders)*
R171. Art Shool Confidential: CW in Art School (Monica Drake) – OT, but love MD
3:00-4:15
R178. How to Make Money Writing Now (nonfiction)
R183. Editing – The Business of Writing
R185. CLMP Panel – Finding Needle in Haystack: Mktg for Indie Pubs*
(Milkweed, Melville, RedBone, Four Way Books, Missouri Review)
R187. This is the Midwest? Landscape in Narrative
4:30-5:45
R199. Reading by Eric Bogosian*
R202. It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: 5 Chicago Writers
R205. Tribute to Scott Russell Sanders
R207. Bruce Jay Friedman & Friends on SS
NIGHT
8:30-10 Keynote by Art Spiegelman
FC2 7pm with SGJ
Curtiss Hall,
10th floor of the Fine Arts Building,
410 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
Murray State University
Richard Thomas reading (that’s me – trying to read LATE)
8:00pm – 11:00pm
Beat Kitchen (upstairs)
2100 W. Belmont
Chicago, IL
FRIDAY FEB 13
9-10:15 (Breakfast) – nothing jumping out at me
10:30-11:45
F127. Shameless Promotion
NOON-1:15
F142. Digi-Analog: Print, Online, Alternative Methods*
(SGJ!, Mississippi Review, Ninth Letter, Hobat, Juked, Iron Horse Review, Southeast Review)
F148. Omniscience: We Know, We Know
1:30-2:45 (lunch, nothing looks good – BOOKFAIR?)
3:00-4:15
F176. Vermont Studios (Hempel)
F189. Dzanc Books Reading (indie, nonprof, Minor has a new book out, looks good, a press I’m targeting)
(Dzanc also bought OV Books, Black Lawrence, and Monkeybicycle, fyi)
4:30-5:45
F196. Flash Fast Sudden Fiction and the Short Story (Almond)
F204. Chicago’s Global Voices: Other Voices Mag (Frangello)
8:30-10
F# ZZ Packer and Joe Meno (no Irvine Welsh)
SATURDAY FEB 14 (Valentine’s Day, don’t forget)
9-10:15
S105. Getting the Creative Writing Job: How We Did It and How You Can Too*
S113. Truth or Consequences in Nonrealist Fiction: Which Are We Reading For (Evenson)
10:30-11:45
S121. Yearning Meets Epiphany: Intersection of Prose Poetry and Short Fiction (Robert Olen Butler, Carlson)
S132. The New MFA
S133. Viva Tony Soprano (subversive techniques and non-resolution)*
NOON-1:15
S150. Inside Publishing: How Editors Acquire Books (Pat Walsh, Johnny Temple)*** MUST SEE
S158. Switching Hats: Poets Writing Memoir (Nick Flynn)
S164. Avoiding: Tropes & Traps (Almond, Black Warrior, SE Review)
S166. Writing in the Windy City
3-4:15
S173. The Steady Gaze: Writing Frankly about Sex* (duh)
S176. Reading by Stuart Dybek
S189. Running With the Bulls (about Hemingway, Robert Olen Butler)
4:30-5:45
S197. Then She Lit a Cigarette: Rethinking Fictional Gesture*
IT’S ALL OVER
Many will have VDay plans, but maybe there is an opportunity here as well for dinner and or going out.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Go, have fun, see the panels that move YOU, really take some time with the bookfair, it is a great chance to meet and talk to editors, and get sample copies for cheap. And hang out!
PEACE,
Richard
Colored Chalk #6 is LIVE
Posted on February 1, 2009 Leave a Comment
Proud to be editor and designer
Wanted to let you know that the sixth issue of Colored Chalk is now live. The theme is “Waking Up Strange”, so believe me, there are some great stories in here. Go to http://coloredchalk.com/ and either read it online or download a printable PDF.
Thanks so much to Jason for all of his hard work. I really enjoyed editing and designing this issue, and hope to do it again. Soon. Not REAL soon, but soon.
You will certainly recognize some names from the Velvet, Cult and the literary world at large.
And a final thanks to all of the talented writers who put a lot of hard work, edits and thought to paper, not to mention fantastic writing. I really enjoyed every single story, and if I could’ve, I would’ve done an issue with about 50 pages of fiction. These are some of my favorite authors going right now.
Authors (in no particular order):
Joey Goebel
Joe Meno
Richard Martin
Rayo Casablanca
Christopher Dwyer
Caleb Ross
Nik Korpon
Craig Wallwork
Chris Deal
Eddy Rathke
Alex Cassun
Simon West-Bulford
Jeff Macfee
William T. Allen
Joe Dornich
Axel Taiari
ENJOY!
And be sure to submit to issue #7, “MacGuffins for Hire” it is open right now with a deadline of Feb. 28.
Peace,
Richard
Intense
Posted on January 22, 2009 Leave a Comment
Wandering across the campus I am transported 18 years to the past, memories of long wool coats, sauntering to class, full of questions and a hunger to learn. Today, getting our FREE coffee (thank you Squire) I bring my briefcase and the fear that I do not belong. Most of the students are half my age, but I have found a few veterans to align with in my pursuit of publications, teaching credentials, and of course, fame and fortune.
The week will be a long one. Very little sleep. Staring at the concrete walls, lying in the strange bed, the heater clicking on, the blinds rattling, footsteps above me. In the distance, is that a moan? Pain or pleasure? Good Lord. What have I done.
I will be enlightened by guest speakers, writers I did not know.
A poet, with a long list of awards. Words like Guggenheim flitter about the art gallery. MacArthur grants. I am impressed and then she reads, explaining the history of her work and I am moved. Linda Bierds.
Scott Russell Sanders. An essayist. That doesn’t convey much. Sounds dry. But he is anything but. Filled with emotion and history his work fills the room. Again, am impressed.
The fiction writer turned creative non-fiction. Whirlwind is all you need to know. Heather Sellers. Tall, striking, full of energy and stories that make me laugh out loud.
Beyond that, each day, the applied practical methods and tactics, inspirations and sources, to us in class, so that we might glean something from their life lessons.
It continues but for now, their voices are what I hear.
MSU MFA
Posted on January 4, 2009 2 Comments
Arrived, made it here in one piece. The ride down was rather introspective, but unfortunately I have had no internet since getting here. My laptop power cable died. Nice. So no time to expound on the prison cell dorm room, the moist air of the brick and mortar campus, or the small group of writers and characters from all walks of life.
More to come.
Nefarious Muse – Freedom
Posted on January 2, 2009 Leave a Comment
"Freedom"
Up at Nefarious Muse is “Freedom” where I came in second place.
CC#5 – Sins of the Father
Posted on January 2, 2009 Leave a Comment
Colored Chalk "Amazement"
Some of my favorite authors in here include Caleb Ross, Alex Martin, Stephen Graham Jones, Colin McKay Miller, Eddy Rathke, Jason Heim, and Nik Korpon.
CC#4 – Big Brother in my Pocket
Posted on January 2, 2009 Leave a Comment
Colored Chalk "Fringe"
Work by Charles King, Colin McKay Miller, Chris Deal, Micahel A. Kechula, Gary Libero, Gavin Pate, Michael Paul Gonzalez, Tyson Estes, with design by Jason Heim.
CC#3 – After the Fire
Posted on January 2, 2009 Leave a Comment
Colored Chalk "Fallible"
Designed and edited by Caleb J. Ross, with work by Nik Korpon, Michael A. Kechula, Anthony David, Chris Deal, Charles King, Michael Paul Gonzalez, Joel Shoemaker, Sean P. Ferguson, Mark Grover and Keith Haworth.
- Richard Thomas - 