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Center for Creative Writing in the Arts List of Upcoming Literary Events

This posting is made with appreciation for the work done compiling the list by Shawn Delgado on behalf of the Center for Creative Writing in the Arts at UNCG.

UNCG-Sponsored Literary Events:

MFA Thesis Reading: Fausto Barrionuevo and Brendan McKennedy
—Friday, February 1st, 7:00 PM
St. Mary’s House, 930 Walker Ave., Greensboro
Free and open to the public
     Two writers from the distinguished UNCG MFA program will be reading their work to celebrate their efforts towards completion of an MFA thesis. This reading is sponsored by the MFA Writing Program at UNCG and the Greensboro Review.

Buddy Wakefield Slam Poet Performance
—Thursday, February 7th, 7:00PM
Jarrell Lecture Hall, Jackson Library, UNCG
General Admission $10, Student Tickets $6, UNCG Student Tickets $5
     Buddy Wakefield brings his unique and inspired spoken word magic to Greensboro, NC at UNCG's Jarrell Hall. This event is hosted by the Center for Creative Writing in the Arts at UNCG. Wakefield is a 3-time national slam champion and has performed on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam.
     Tickets will be available though the UNCG box office.

MFA Thesis Reading: Christie Adams and Greg Brown
—Friday, February 8th, 7:00PM
St. Mary’s House, 930 Walker Ave., Greensboro
Free and open to the public
     Two writers from the distinguished UNCG MFA program will be reading their work to celebrate their efforts towards completion of an MFA thesis. This reading is sponsored by the MFA Writing Program at UNCG and the Greensboro Review.

Southern Entrepreneurship in the Arts Conference
—Friday, February 8th and Saturday, February 9th
Elliott University Center, UNCG
Various Prices, See Website for more details: seac.uncg.edu
    SEA’s mission is to provide practical resources to help aspiring artists gain the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills needed to establish and maintain a career as an independent artist.
     The focus of SEA is on the business of art. SEA was created with the idea that more artists will succeed if they have business skills, knowledge, resources, and contacts. Through the artist-led conferences, SEA helps artists turn their passion into a living. SEA is for emerging and mid-career artists, and creative professionals, as well as college and serious high school students.
     Many visual, performing, and literary artists struggle to make a career out of doing what they love. Often, the missing ingredient is an understanding of simple business practices that can help the artist better promote, manage and finance his or her efforts. Students in particular, both college and high school, need to be made aware of opportunities to create sustainable careers as arts entrepreneurs. The arts are also a key ingredient of creating vibrant communities where people want to live and establish businesses and community leaders recognize the importance of this critical piece in economic development.

Best-Selling UNCG Alumnus Wiley Cash
—Wednesday, February 13th, 7:00PM
Martha Blakeney Hodges Reading Room, Jackson Library 2nd Floor, UNCG
Free and open to the public
     Wiley Cash is from western North Carolina, a region that figures prominently in his fiction. A Land More Kind than Home is his first novel and has been critically acclaimed.
     Wiley holds a B.A. in Literature from the University of North Carolina-Asheville, an M.A. in English from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. He has received grants and fellowships from the Asheville Area Arts Council, the Thomas Wolfe Society, the MacDowell Colony, and Yaddo. His stories have appeared in Crab Orchard Review, Roanoke Review and The Carolina Quarterly, and his essays on Southern literature have appeared in American Literary Realism, The South Carolina Review, and other publications.
     Wiley teaches in the Low-Residency MFA Program in Fiction and Nonfiction Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. He and his wife currently live in West Virginia


MFA Thesis Reading: Beckie Dashiell and Jenny Raha
—Friday, February 15th, 7:00PM
St. Mary’s House, 930 Walker Ave., Greensboro
Free and open to the public
       Two writers from the distinguished UNCG MFA program will be reading their work to celebrate their efforts towards completion of an MFA thesis. This reading is sponsored by the MFA Writing Program at UNCG and the Greensboro Review.

Romeo and Juliet at UNCG
—Friday, February 15th-Sunday, February 24th, various times
Taylor Theatre, 406 Tate St., UNCG Campus
$18 adults; $7 UNCG students
     Directed by John Gulley, one of the greatest Shakespearean love stories of all times, Romeo and Juliet tells the unforgettable tale of two star-crossed lovers. UNCG Theatre’s production of this classic provides an exciting and unique perspective.
     Tickets are available at (336)-334-4849 or boxoffice.uncg.edu

MFA Faculty Fiction Reading: Holly Goddard Jones—Thursday, February 21st, 8:00PM
Faculty Center, UNCG
Free and open to the public
     The MFA Writing Program, The Greensboro Review, and the UNCG Center for Creative Writing in the Arts will host a reading by Holly Goddard Jones. Holly's first book, Girl Trouble, was published in 2009 by Harper Perennial. Stories from the collection were published in various journals and anthologies, including Best American Mystery Stories 2008, New Stories from the South 2007 and 2008, The Southern Review Epoch, The Gettysburg Review, The Kenyon Review, Shenandoah, and The Hudson Review. The book was featured in O: The Oprah Magazine, People, New York Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and elsewhere. It has been translated into Italian (Fazi Editore, 2010) and a French translation is forthcoming in 2013 from Albin Michel.
     The Next Time You See Me, Holly's debut novel, will be published in February 2013 by Touchstone, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Her newest short fiction has appeared, or is forthcoming, in Tin House, Epoch, and The Southern Review.
     She was a 2007 recipient of a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award.


MFA Thesis Reading: Zach Dayhuff and Corrie White—Friday, February 22nd, 7:00PM
St. Mary’s House, 930 Walker Ave., Greensboro
Free and open to the public
     Two writers from the distinguished UNCG MFA program will be reading their work to celebrate their efforts towards completion of an MFA thesis. This reading is sponsored by the MFA Writing Program at UNCG and the Greensboro Review.

UNCG Friends of the Library Present NC Poet Laureate Joseph Bathanti
—Wednesday, March 20th, 4:00PM
Hodges Reading Room, UNCG Library
Free and open to the public
     Joseph Bathanti was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. He came to North Carolina as a VISTA Volunteer in 1976 to work with prison inmates. Bathanti is the author of four books of poetry: Communion Partners; Anson County; The Feast of All Saints; and This Metal, which was nominated for The National Book Award. His first novel, East Liberty, winner of the Carolina Novel Award, was published in 2001. His latest novel, Coventry, won the 2006 Novello Literary Award. They Changed the State: The Legacy of North Carolina’s Visiting Artists, 1971-1995, his book of nonfiction, was published in early 2007. Most recently, his collection of short stories, The High Heart, winner of the 2006 Spokane Prize, was published by Eastern Washington University Press in 2007. He is the recipient of a Literature Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council; The Samuel Talmadge Ragan Award, presented annually for outstanding contributions to the Fine Arts of North Carolina over an extended period; the Linda Flowers Prize; the Sherwood Anderson Award, the 2007 Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Prize; and others. He is Professor of Creative Writing at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. On August 30, 2012, Joseph was named Poet Laureate of North Carolina.

UNCG Fiction Reading, Faculty Emerita Lee Zacharias—Thursday, March 21st, 8:00PM
Faculty Center, UNCG
Free and open to the public
     The MFA Writing Program, The Greensboro Review, and the UNCG Center for Creative Writing in the Arts will host a reading by Lee Zacharia. The reading will celebrate the release of Zacharias' latest novel, At Random. It is free and open to the public and will be followed by a book signing.
     Lee Zacharias is the author of a short story collection, Helping Muriel Make It Through the Night, two novels, Lessons and the forthcoming At Random, and a collection of essays to be published by Hub City Press in 2014. Her work has appeared in numerous journals, including The Southern Review, Shenandoah, storySouth, The Gettysburg Review, and The Best American Essays. Professor Emerita of English at UNC Greensboro, she has completed another novel and is at work on a fourth.

Community Literary Events:

Mother Vine Festival
—Friday, February 1st-Saturday, February 16th
Barnhill’s, 811 Burke St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Free and open to the public
     Barnhill's first annual Mother Vine Festival showcases N.C. wines (Barnhill's has the largest selection anywhere) and wineries, as well as creative N.C. women authors, artists, and musicians. Various Meet the authors/book signings, meet the artists/art displays and receptions, on-site winery representatives, and musicians' performances will take place throughout the festival dates. Check Barnhill's web-site for individual event listings and times.
     Free wine tastings and food samples available at all times.
     Co-owner Elaine Pruitt explains the title of the festival: “The Mother Vine is an apt symbol of North Carolina, of the growing importance of our state wineries, and of the women in our area who do so much to promote the arts. We intend to recognize and reward the best North Carolina has to offer every year in this festival."
      Store hours are from 10:00AM-8:00PM


Poetry in Plain Sight Reading—Saturday, February 2nd, 1:00PM
Barnhill’s, 811 Burke St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
     The public is invited to celebrate the launch of February’s poems as Joe Mills, Terri Kirby Erickson, Robert Vorsteg, and Teri Hairston read their work.
     Each month through 2013, four different poems will be displayed on posters in participating storefront windows along Trade and Fourth streets. Created to bring poetry to a wider audience and to increase readership of North Carolina poets, this community-based literary project is a collaboration among Winston-Salem Writers, Press 53, Delta Arts Center, Barnhill's Books and Competitive Edge Inc. The project also is supported by the Downtown Arts District Association of Winston-Salem.
     Poets may submit one poem per month for consideration; call or see website for submission requirements.

Jenny Milchman Fiction Reading and Book Signing, Cover of Snow —Tuesday, February 5th, 7:00PM
Barnes & Noble, 3102 Northline Ave., Greensboro, NC 27408
Free and open to the public
      Jenny Milchman's debut novel, Cover of Snow is being compared to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl or Chris Bohjalian's Double Bind. Hers is a story with many twists and turns, with clues that are easily overlooked that makes you want to reread immediately.

Eclectic Book Club—Wednesday, February 6th, 7:00PM
Barnes & Noble, 3102 Northline Ave., Greensboro, NC 27408
Free and open to the public
     Was joining a book club one of your resolutions? You’re invited to join this fun but focused group that reads from a wide variety of genres. This month they're reading Gillian Flynn's bestseller Gone Girl, which has been on the bestseller list for over six months.

Bleeder: A Memoir Reading and Book Signing—Thursday, February 7th, 7:00PM
Barnes & Noble, 3102 Northline Ave., Greensboro, NC 27408
Free and open to the public
     Former UNCG teacher Shelby Smoak joins us to read from his memoir, Bleeder. Smoak, a hemophiliac, discovered that he had been infected with the HIV virus during a blood transfusion. UNCG professor and acclaimed novelist Michael Parker says, "Bleeder is a necessary and memorable book."

7 on the 7th Reading and Open Mic
—Thursday, February 7th, 7:00PM
Glenwood Coffee and Books, 1310 Glenwood Avenue  Greensboro, NC 27403
Free and open to the public
     You’re invited to Glenwood Coffee and Books for this monthly reading series that always takes place at 7:00PM on the seventh day of every month. There will be a few featured readers before the reading opens up to an open mic. This event presents a lot of opportunities for the audience to share their work, so whether you’re interested in hearing local authors or sharing your own work, this is a great opportunity.

The Writing Life with John McNally
—Thursday, February 7th, 7:00PM
Community Arts Café, 411 West Fourth Street, Winston-Salem, 27101
Season tickets: $30 for members of Winston-Salem Writers and $40 for nonmembers
     The Winter Season continues Feb. 7 with John McNally and March 14 with Holly Goddard Jones.
     Winston-Salem author Steve Mitchell will lead an informal conversation with the author about the vagaries of writing, the writing life and the author's approach to it.
     Season tickets are on sale now. Seating is limited to 25.

Ms. Deborah with “Lover’s Treat”—Friday, February 8th, 7:00PM
The Delta Arts Center, 2611 New Walkertown Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
$5 Admission
     Ms. Deborah with Poets Rock presents "Lovers Treat," a poetry, open mic, comedy and music event.  There will be a door prize and cash for best "Lovers' Treat" poem.


From Emancipation to Mass Incarceration: A Poet’s Perspective on the End Result—Saturday, February, 9th, 10:30AM
Walkertown Library Auditorium, 2969 Main St., Walkertown, NC 27051
Free and open to the public
     Joanna Catherine Scott will speak about how history came alive for her after she befriended an inmate on death row in Raleigh, and how she transmuted that experience into the poetry collection An Innocent in the House of the Dead. She is the author of the Civil War and Reconstruction novels, The Road from Chapel Hill and Child of the South.
     A reception will follow the discussion.


Fred Chappell, Stuart Dischell and Other Poets Read—Saturday, February 9th, 2:00PM
Barnes & Noble, 3102 Northline Ave., Greensboro, NC 27408
Free and open to the public
     You’re invited to join in with Richard Kraewiec, editor and publisher of an anthology of love poems by over 125 poets—first love, last love, sad love, devoted love, love that grows bitter. Love is the only thing that makes everything else ring true. Both Chappell and Dischell are acclaimed poets who have taught at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Chappell being a former NC poet laureate.

Lifted Voices: Greensboro’s African-American Heritage—Saturday, February 9th, 2:00PM
Greensboro Historical Museum, 130 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27401
Free and open to the public
     In honor of African-American History Month, costumed interpreters will be sharing compelling stories in the museum’s Voices of a City galleries.

BOOKMARKS: Book Club Moveable Feast
—Sunday, February 10th, 3:00PM with facility tours at 2:00PM and 2:30PM
Southeastern Center for Contemporary Arts, 750 Marguerite Drive, Winston-Salem, 27101
$22 BOOKMARKS members, $25 nonmembers, $160 table for any book club of 8
     During the Movable Feast, a light tea will be served while more than a dozen published authors from across the U.S. take turns with each table to talk with attendees about his or her recently published book. Opportunity for further discussion follows.
     Includes a tour of SECCA before event, book sales, book signings, and a door prize.

Barbara Claypole Reading and Book Signing: The Unfinished Garden—Tuesday, February 12th, 7:00PM
Barnes & Noble, 3102 Northline Ave., Greensboro, NC 27408
Free and open to the public
     North Carolina writer Barbara Claypole White joins us with her book The Unfinished Garden. Can creating a beautiful garden be the cure for OCD? James Nealy is convinced that gardening will be his salvation and he needs Tilly Silverberg's help.

Writing with Breath: Unleashing Silenced Voices through Yoga—Tuesday, February 12th, 7:00PM
Forsyth County Central Library, 660 W. Fifth St., Winston-Salem, NC
Free and open to the public
     Susannah S. Cecil is a licensed professional counselor, a published writer and yoga instructor at the Jerry Long YMCA in Clemmons. She will teach how to use movement and breath to unleash hidden, even forgotten, voices that are tucked away inside the body’s memory.
     Join them for an experiential program of writing, listening and movement; an exploration of the rich, compelling material that lies just beneath the surface.
     No yoga training is necessary. Wear comfortable clothing, bring pen and paper; yoga mat or towel optional. All poses have chair-based options.

Open Mic Night with PoetShe—Friday, February 22nd, 7:00PM
Barnes & Noble, 3102 Northline Ave., Greensboro, NC 27408
Free and open to the public
     You’re invited to join Poetshe, an all-girl poetry group of spoken word artists. Each month they celebrate the spoken word with an open mic night. Come to listen or sign up to perform your own original work.

The Writing Life with Holly Goddard Jones—Thursday, March 14th, 7:00PM
Community Arts Café, 411 West Fourth St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Season tickets are $30 for members of Winston-Salem Writers; $40 for non-member season tickets
     Winston-Salem author Steve Mitchell will lead an informal conversation with the author about the vagaries of writing, the writing life, and the author's approach to it. After a brief introduction, authors will read from their work, followed by an interview/conversation with Steve Mitchell.
     Holly Goddard Jones's debut novel, The Next Time You See Me, will be released from Touchstone/Simon & Schuster in February. She is the author of a collection of short stories, Girl Trouble (Harper Perennial 2009), and her fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Tin House, Epoch, Best American Mystery Stories, New Stories from the South and various journals. She was a 2007 recipient of the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award, which honors six emerging women fiction writers annually. She teaches in the Master of Fine Arts creative writing program at UNCG.

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