Center for Creative Writing in the Arts Newsletter, January 30, 2015

Courtesy of Shawn Delgado and the Center for Creative Writing in the Arts, here is their latest e-newsletter:

For those readers who enjoy poetry, I wanted to announce the upcoming release of Time Pieces, the newest collection of poetry from former CCWA Director Mark Smith-Soto.      The book will retail for $14, but for a limited time, the publisher is offering it for online purchase for the pre-publication sale price of $8 plus tax and shipping.       To acquire a copy of Time Pieces—or just to take a peek at what the book will look like— go to my Main Street Rag’s author’s page at http://mainstreetrag.com/bookstore/product/time-pieces/ We at the CCWA, are proud to congratulate Dr. Smith-Soto on his new collection.      UNCG Authors and Campus Literary Events: MFA Thesis Reading: Matthew Barrett, Abigail Lee, and Mike Ponticoloni—Friday, January 30th, 7:00PM St. Mary’s House, 930 Walker Ave., Greensboro Free and open to the public      Three writers from the distinguished UNCG MFA program will be reading their work to celebrate their efforts towards completion of an MFA thesis. Charlie Lovett, author of First Impressions: A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected Love, and Jane Austen—Thursday, February 5th, 7:00 PM Hodges Reading Room, Jackson Library 2nd Floor, UNCG Free and open to the public      From the Friends of the UNCG Libraries: “Bibliophile and best-selling author Charlie Lovett will visit and talk about his books in the Hodges Reading Room of Jackson Library on Thursday, February 5 at 7 pm.  The event is free and open to the public. Copies of his books will be available for sale and signing.      It is appropriate that the talk be in the Library’s Special Collections Reading Room for a number of reasons. Lovett is a former antiquarian bookseller, and remains an avid collector, especially of books by and about Lewis Carroll.  Attendees will also be able to view a new exhibit about William Shakespeare, marking the campus celebration of Globe & Cosmos: Celebrating 450 Years of Shakespeare and Galileo.  Not only is Lovett knowledgeable about the subject, the Bard and his work are important elements of his first novel, the best-selling The Bookman’s Tale, which introduced scores of readers to the meaning of the word bibliophile.      In his second novel, First Impressions: A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected Love, and Jane Austen, Lovett once again immerses readers in a world where books hold closely guarded secrets that threaten to turn the literary world upside down. For Lovett, old books hold a power like none other; in his mysteries, their contents become matters of life and death. Careful Austen scholars will note that First Impressions was the original title for Pride and Prejudice.      Here’s a synopsis of the new novel:  In 1796, Jane Austen is living in Hampshire and working on her first book, an epistolary novel tentatively titled Elinor and Marianne, when she strikes up an unlikely friendship with an aging cleric named Richard Mansfield. An author himself—albeit of a less-than-artful book of allegories—Mansfield soon becomes Jane’s closest literary companion. On long walks through the countryside and engaging chats by the fire, they offer each other not only friendship, but also professional advice. Neither can foresee the impact their collaborations will have on future generations. In present day London, Sophie Collingwood is a lifelong book lover bereft at the loss of her beloved Uncle Bertram. After his books are sold off to pay debts, Sophie takes a job at an antiquarian bookshop hoping to earn enough to slowly buy back the books and restore his collection. When, on the same day, two customers request a copy of the same obscure book—the second edition of Little Book of Allegories by Richard Mansfield—Sophie is drawn into a mystery that will cast doubt on the true authorship of Pride and Prejudice. Sophie, a dogged researcher and devoted Jane Austen fan, is quickly drawn into a frantic search for a book that threatens not just Jane Austen’s reputation, but Sophie’s own life.      Combining a very Austen-like love triangle; a portrait of one of our greatest literary legends; and a tribute to the typesetters and printing presses of the eighteenth century, First Impressions may appeal especially to  bibliophiles and Jane Austen lovers. It’s also a tale well told.  Lovett pulls readers into his world where true joy comes from a life lived in books.      Charlie Lovett is a member of The Grolier Club, the preeminent club for bibliophiles in North America. He and his wife split their time between Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Kingham, Oxfordshire, in England.  He is also the recently-elected President of Bookmarks, the Winston-Salem-based organization known for putting on North Carolina’s largest and best-attended annual book festival for the past ten years.      For more information, see Charlielovett.com”   Book Discussion: Regeneration by Pat Barker, Led by Keith Gorman of the University Libraries—Monday, February 9th, 4:00 PM Hodges Reading Room, Jackson Library 2nd Floor, UNCG Free and open to the public      From the Friends of the UNCG Libraries: “Regeneration by Pat Barker was published in 1991 and was a Booker Prize nominee. It was the first novel of a trilogy entitled the Regeneration Trilogy. The two other works in the trilogy are The Eye in the Door and The Ghost Road. The novel set in WWI England explores the experience of British officers being treated for shell shock. Drawing on the experiences of Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, the novel examines the issues of duty, masculinity, creative work, and post-traumatic stress disorder.”   Cancelled Shara Lessley Poetry Reading—Thursday, February 12th, 7:00 PM Faculty Center, UNCG Free and open to the public      From Shara Lessley’s bio: “Share Lessley is a writer and teacher. The author of Two-Headed Nightingale, she is also a former Wallace Stegner Fellow in Poetry at Stanford University. Shara’s awards include the Mary Wood Fellowship from Washington College, an Artist Fellowship from the State of North Carolina, the Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellowship from the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing, an Olive B. O’Connor Fellowship from Colgate University, the Reginald S. Tickner Fellowship from the Gilman School, and a “Discovery” The Nation prize.      Shara’s poems and essays have appeared in Ploughshares, The Kenyon Review, Threepenny Review, The Southern Review, Alaska Quarterly Review, Fence, and New England Review, among others. Her work is featured in The Ecopoetry Anthology, The Book of Scented Things: An Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry, and The Rumpus Poetry Anthology. A recipient of scholarships from ArtsBridge and the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Shara holds bachelor’s degrees in Dance and English from University of California, Irvine, and an MFA in Poetry from University of Maryland. She was recently awarded a 2015 Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.”   MFA Thesis Reading: Mackenzie Connellee, Brandon Haffner, and Kerry Anne Harris—Friday, February 13th, 7:00PM St. Mary’s House, 930 Walker Ave., Greensboro Free and open to the public      Three writers from the distinguished UNCG MFA program will be reading their work to celebrate their efforts towards completion of an MFA thesis.   MFA Thesis Reading: Authors Julian Aaron, Cory Macpherson, and Clifford Parody—Friday, February 20th, 7:00PM St. Mary’s House, 930 Walker Ave., Greensboro Free and open to the public      Three writers from the distinguished UNCG MFA program will be reading their work to celebrate their efforts towards completion of an MFA thesis.   Friends of the UNCG Libraries Presentation by journalist Jim Schlosser, “Greensboro at the Beginning of World War I”—Wednesday, February 25th, 4:00 PM Hodges Reading Room, Jackson Library 2nd Floor, UNCG Free and open to the public   MFA Thesis Reading: Authors Catherine Clifton, Jim Minnick, and Lauren Shook—Friday, February 27th, 7:00PM St. Mary’s House, 930 Walker Ave., Greensboro Free and open to the public      Three writers from the distinguished UNCG MFA program will be reading their work to celebrate their efforts towards completion of an MFA thesis.   Presentation by Greg Grieve of the Religious Studies Department, "Playing with Religion and Digital Games in the Library"—Thursday, February 26th, 3:00 PM Hodges Reading Room, Jackson Library 2nd Floor, UNCG Free and open to the public      From the UNCG Libraries: “Dr. Grieve is co-editor of Playing with Religion in Digital Games, published by Indiana University Press. The presentation will especially focus on his work with the University Libraries Gaming Lab in the Digital Media Commons.”   Community Literary Events:   The Lyre Release Party—Friday, January 30th, 7:00 PM Scuppernong Books, 304 South Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 Free and open to the public      This will be the release party for the Greensboro College Literary Magazine.   Eclectic Book Club—Wednesday, February 4th, 7:00 PM Barnes & Noble Friendly Center, 3102 Northline Avenue, Greensboro Free and open to the public      From Barnes & Noble: “Join this fun-filled but focused book group that reads from a wide variety of genres. This month we're reading Anthony Doerr's bestselling novel All the Light We Cannot See. Next month's selection is Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.”   Triad Story Exchange: Story Slam—Thursday, February 5th, 7:00 PM Scuppernong Books, 304 South Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 $5 Entry Fee      From the Triad Story Exchange: “Theme: ‘Cold and Crazy Winter Nights’ (wild & creative interpretations welcome)*      Cost: $5      *note: while most of our events are appropriate for the whole family, there may be mature themes and content at Story Slams. Personal/parental discretion is advised.      How does a StorySlam work? *Every potential storyteller’s name goes into a bucket. *Ten names are drawn from the bucket. *Each contestant is given five minutes on the mic to tell a story and win over the crowd. *Only true, personal stories *Props and notes are not allowed. *Three judges are selected from the audience. They score the storytellers on Content and Presentation. The winner gets cut of the proceeds.”   Women Writers of the Triad Present: Second Saturdays Reading Series (Featuring Stuart Dischell and Michael White)—Saturday, February 7th, 7:00 PM-9:00 PM Tate St. Coffee, 334 Tate St. Greensboro, 27403 Free and open to the public      From UNCG’s MFA Program in Creative Writing: “Stuart Dischell teaches poetry writing as well as modern and contemporary poetry. He is the author of four collections of poems: Evenings & Avenues, Good Hope Road, Dig Safe, and Backwards Days. He has received honors and awards from the National Poetry Series, the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, among others. His work appears in a number of journals and anthologies, including Good Poems, Hammer and Blaze, and Pushcart Prize.       From Michael White’s UNC-Wilmington official bio: “I am a published poet who teaches creative writing, especially poetry. My pedagogy is based almost exclusively on my own frustrations and successes as a writer. Like most teachers, I try to create courses which could provide for students what I wish I had been provided for me (keeping in mind the dangers of hindsight). For instance, I often wish I'd assimilated all kinds of poetic form as early as possible—because I think that I might have found my own strengths as a poet sooner, with a greater range of models. Therefore, my workshops tend to be explorations in reading as much as they are attempts to facilitate supportive environments for writing. I don't teach anything I can't get passionate about.”   7 on the 7th Reading and Open Mic—Saturday, February 7th, 7:00 PM Glenwood Coffee and Books, 1310 Glenwood Avenue, Greensboro 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.   Writing in the Familiar: The Stories of Langston Hughes—Sunday, February 8th, 3:30 PM-5:00 PM Central Branch Library, 219 N. Church St., Greensboro, NC 27401 Free and open to the public      From the Greensboro Public Libraries: “Short-story author, playwright, historian Ella Joyce (E.J.) Stewart explores the value and power of writing through stories by Langston Hughes.      Hughes' stories about Jesse B. Semple, The Best of Semple, demonstrate the value of observational writing. His folksy wit and wisdom offered a vision of the world that gave black people a sense of hope in a hypocritical society. Stewart’s insight into Hughes’ observations draws parallels between his account of life and her short-story ‘Cheese,’ written 60 years later, about life in rural North Carolina.      About the presenter: Stewart is a native North Carolinian and the daughter of sharecropper parents. She uses literary arts as a way to create better communications across age, race, gender, and class lines. She is a founding member of the North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers, a member of the National Association of Black Storytellers, and a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. Steward currently lives in Raleigh.      This project is made possible by a grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.”   Elizabeth Russell Fiction Reading: Other People’s Money—Thursday, February 12th, 7:00 PM Scuppernong Books, 304 South Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 Free and open to the public      From NCWriters.org: “Katie Nelson, a program officer at Atlanta’s largest charitable foundation, has the job everyone wants: giving away other people’s money. But when her latest grant recommendation literally goes up in flames, killing a nameless Latina woman, suddenly everyone becomes a suspect. Was it a hate crime, an inside job or something more insidious? She enlists the help of foundation trustee Jim Hunter, but as they begin to unravel the mystery, they discover a burgeoning romance growing between them that complicates their investigation. As Katie unearths more evidence, Jim becomes less cooperative and more distant. When Katie accidentally discovers that Jim is not who he claims to be, she has to choose between trusting him or giving up on their relationship. As she struggles to find the culprit and trust her heart, headstrong Katie unwittingly places herself in mortal danger. But who’s looking out for her and who’s trying to do her in?      Elizabeth Russell has been telling the stories of foundation and nonprofit clients for twenty years. During most of that time, she served as a marketing and communications consultant to the Southeastern Council of Foundations, a membership association of 350 foundations in eleven Southern states. She has also worked for high-profile national foundations. Through this work, she has developed an in-depth knowledge of the ‘real life’ issues that face foundations and the individuals who work in them. Her fiction is drawn from her insider’s knowledge of the good and the bad of the foundation world, and woven with a creativity that makes the field intriguing and engaging to all. She lives with her husband and two children in Asheville, North Carolina.”   Third Sundays at Three Poetry and Open Mic—Sunday, February 15th, 3:00 PM-5:00 PM Common Grounds (602 S Elam Ave, Greensboro, NC, USA) Free and open to the public      From the Writers Group of the Triad: “Writers Group of the Triad presents Third Sunday at Three poetry reading and open mic on Sunday, February 15 at 3 pm-5 pm at Common Grounds Coffeehouse located at 602 S. Elam Ave, Greensboro.  Shawn Delgado and Kayla Lewis will be the featured poets.      Come enjoy the poetry and some coffee or wine and snacks for purchase. For more information, contact rmarhatta@yahoo.com.      Shawn Delgado earned his B.S. in Science, Technology, and Culture from Georgia Tech and his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he currently teaches. He is the author of the chapbook A Sky Half-Dismantled (Jeanne Duval Editions). His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in The Courtland Review, Connotations, The Greensboro Review, Five Points, Furious Season, Terminus Magazine, and elsewhere. For the past two years, he has served as Editor for the Million Writers Award hosted by storySouth.      Kayla Lewis is a young North Carolina artist and activist whose work centers around themes of trauma, personal growth, and social justice. As a poet, Kayla has performed at numerous venues and competitions throughout the Triad Area for several years, winning a local following and overseeing a poetry non-profit that fostered and encouraged other young, female poets.      The open mic portion is open for poetry and short excerpts from prose.” Monday Night Poetry—Monday, February 16th, 7:00 PM Central Branch Library, 219 N. Church St., Greensboro, NC 27401 Free and open to the public      From the Greensboro Public Libraries: “Celebrate rhythm and rhyme every third Monday with an open mic session for all area poets sponsored by the Friends of the Greensboro Public Library. Join us! For more information, visit the Triad Poetry Meet Up website. Questions? Contact Beth Sheffield at 336-373-3617.” Carolyn J. Brown Non-Fiction Reading: Song of My Life—Tuesday, February 17th, 7:00 PM Scuppernong Books, 304 South Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 Free and open to the public      From Scuppernong Books: “Margaret Walker (1915-1998) has been described as ‘the most famous person nobody knows.’ This is a shocking oversight of an award-winning poet, novelist, essayist, educator, and activist as well as friend and mentor to many prominent African American writers. Song of My Life reintroduces Margaret Walker to readers by telling her story, one that many can relate to as she overcame certain obstacles related to race, gender, and poverty. Walker was born in 1915 in Birmingham, Alabama, to two parents who prized education above all else. Obtaining that education was not easy for either her parents or herself, but Walker went on to earn both her master's and doctorate. From the University of Iowa. Walker's journey to become a nationally known writer and educator is an incredible story of hard work and perseverance. Her years as a public figure connected her to Richard Wright, Langston Hughes, Alex Haley, and a host of other important literary and historical figures. This biography opens with her family and those who inspired her—her parents, her grandmother, her most important teachers and mentors--all significant influences on her reading and writing life. Chapters trace her path over the course of the twentieth century as she travels to Chicago and becomes a member of the South Side Writers' Group with Richard Wright. Then she is accepted into the newly created Masters of Fine Arts Program at the University of Iowa. Back in the South, she pursued and achieved her dream of becoming a writer and college educator as well as wife and mother. Walker struggled to support herself, her sister, and later her husband and children, but she overcame financial hardships, prejudice, and gender bias and achieved great success. She penned the acclaimed novel Jubilee, received numerous lifetime achievement awards, and was a beloved faculty member for three decades at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi.”   Bookmarks Presents: Len Vlahos Reading His Debut Novel The Scar Boys—February 19th-February 21st, 7:00 PM Mount Tabor High School, 342 Petree Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106 $5 Admission      From Bookmarks: “At the 2014 Festival of Books and Authors, Mount Tabor High School Theatre Arts Director Chad Edwards came to hear debut young adult novelist Len Vlahos speak about his book, The Scar Boys. Mr. Edwards brought the idea of adapting The Scar Boys for the stage back to his theater classes and the result is a terrific play that will be performed on February 19-21 at Mount Tabor. The shows are at 7:00pm and tickets are $5. Bookmarks will be present all three nights selling copies of Len Vlahos' book and on Saturday night, Len himself will join us for Q&A and a booksigning following the performance.      Join Bookmarks at this fun event and support the arts in our community!”   2nd Annual Writers Meet Readers O.Henry Book Fair—Saturday, February 21st, 1:00 PM-3:00 PM O.Henry Hotel, 624 Green Valley Road, Greensboro, NC 27408 Free and open to the public      30 local authors will be available for booksigning and discussion. List of authors to be announced soon. Complimentary admission, no reservation necessary.   Booklover’s Social—Wednesday, February 25th, 6:00 PM-8:00 PM Central Branch Library, 219 N. Church St., Greensboro, NC 27401 Free and open to the public      From the Greensboro Public Libraries: “You are invited to the sixth annual Greensboro Public Library celebration of Book Lovers' Month. Connect with your fellow book lovers, find out about local book clubs, vote for your favorite discussion books of 2014, and see displays of upcoming, hot books for 2015.  Meet writer Lynne Chandler Willis author of private eye novel Wink of an Eye who will give a reading at 7:30 pm. The social also features door prizes, food, and music. Register to attend by Friday, February 21, by e-mailing Beth Sheffield or calling 336-373-3617. Book and monetary donations will be accepted to benefit the Greensboro Public Library Book Discussion collection.” Bookmarks Presents Sharon Robinson: Play to Win—Saturday, February 28th, 11:00 AM Twin City Stage, 610 Coliseum Drive Northwest, Winston-Salem, NC 27106 $12 General Admission; Recommended for grades 2-8 and will be performed by the Birmingham Children’s Theater      From Bookmarks: “In this inspiring musical, General Manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers Branch Rickey makes it very clear to a hopeful Jackie Robinson that in order to succeed in the major leagues, Robinson will have to endure racial hatred, insults, and abuse in silence, while still playing to win. Through his determination, dignity, and resolve, Robinson paved the way for ballplayers, athletes and countless other Americans to look past the color of their skin and to reach for the stars.      Bookmarks is excited to bring Jackie Robinson's daughter, Sharon Robinson, to Winston-Salem in conjunction with Twin City Stage. Sharon will be at the Saturday performance of Play to Win to sign copies of her books which will be available for purchase in the lobby by Bookmarks.      Thanks to the Power2Give campaign from the Arts Council of Winston-Salem Forsyth County, and those who donated to the campaign, Bookmarks will be donating 600 copies of Sharon Robinson's book Jackie Robinson: American Hero to middle schoolers on Friday.”