Another great Writers' Cafe yesterday - 15 enthusiastic writers came to share, learn and connect at Ina Chadwick's house. There was so much bragging that we made $18 (at $1 per brag, that's a lot of progress being made by people...)
Here are some of the highlights, with links you may find useful if you'd like more information:
WRITING CONTEST DEADLINE EXTENDED
Our writing contest with the Center for Contemporary Printmaking has had its deadline extended to October 10 at midnight due to Hurricane Irene, and because of some apparent confusion about the subject. The prompt is Deja Vu - Have you been here before? Do you wish you'd been here before? Did you only dream this? Did the dream come true? We're looking for personal memoirs. You may use Jack Boul's art to inspire you, but you needn't use his subjects. Here's the link for submissions
http://www.contemprints.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146:writing-competition&catid=2:latest&Itemid=4
STORYTELLING NEXT MONDAY
Ina's company, Mouse Muse Productions, organizes storytelling evenings throughout the year. Our next one is on Monday September 19th, at the Landmark Academy in Westport. The topic: "Adventures in parenting". Come and hear 8 friends and neighbors tell their stories of parenting joys, disasters and poignant memories. As writers, you'll be interested in the way in which we help them craft their stories into 8 minute gems. $20 buys you entrance, drinks, food and a chance to connect with others. Email me if you'd like me to hold tickets for you, or walk in.
ECHOOK LAUNCH NEXT TUESDAY AT B&N
Ina and I will be among the eight writers helping to launch Echook's short story app at Barnes and Noble next Tuesday at 7pm. This is a great networking event for writers, with local authors, writers, publicists and editors. And it's free! Here's the link for full details: http://echook.com/sept-20-event/
BRAGGING RIGHTS
Alex McNab has snared Robert Ellis (author of the Lena Gamble police thrillers) as a guest blogger for the October issue of the Fairfield Writer's blog fairfieldwriter.wordpress.com/
Christine Shaffer's winning entry for the Fairfield Library's writing contest has been published in a volume entitled "Around the Table". I'm nagging the Library to provide copies for purchase and will keep you updated.
Margaret Wagner submitted a mixed media piece to the Westport Arts Center's current show. (Not accepted, but it's doing it that counts.) I love crossover creativity!
Penny Pearlman's 2009 book Pretty Smart, has been chosen as a class textbook for a sociology class in pop culture Suffolk University in Boston, and she'll be guest lecturing there. She'll also be a judge in the next Miss Boston contest...you never know where writing will take you. In addition, she will be teaching a class at the Hudson Valley Writers' Center: Secrets of Successful Interviewing for Writers. http://www.writerscenter.org/, and is helping to organize an authors luncheon with Danny Meyer (Shake Shack etc) to raise money for the Leukemia Society on Nov 2. www.lls.org/ct/starwrite
Robert Steven Williams, had 8 stories published in a comic book which has been nominated for the Oscar of comic books - The Harvey. Way to go!
Jane Sherman is submitting work, and reworking her memoir.
Ryan Devlin has written a pilot for a TV show, and his wife Kara Holden, is currently being paid to write for the screen.
Barbara Stokes has written an article she'd going to submit. Her first ever. Great!
Lisa Calderone is developing a new website: http://mahjonggmemoirs.com as a tribute to her mother Millie, who's been playing for 70 years. And she'll be teaching an online class in Literary journalism during the January semester at Fairfield U.
Ivy Eisenberg was a runner up in a contest for America's Funniest Humor. Personally, I think she should have won - here's the link so you can judge for yourself. http://humorpress.com/Results/Essays-200812-200901/aa-Winners/Essay-200812-200901-Winners.htm#4
MFA's - Worth the time and money?
This provoked an interesting conversation. MFA graduate Lisa Calderone, Christine Shaffer and Jane Sherman who had all taken low-residency MFA's at Fairfield U were in agreement on the main benefits of an MFA:
An MFA produces a sense of community and a thorough education in the craft of writing.
Having academic expectations and deadlines makes people focus on their writing.
You can teach writing with an MFA degree
You develop a network of connections among both students and faculty.
Kara Holden had taken an MPW (Master of Professional writing at USC. This was a full time course, and she agreed that the benefits were great. Among them, in particular, was the quality of teachers and mentors.
Here's the link to Writers' Relief, a submissions agency, requested by people yesterday: http://www.writersrelief.com/
