Alexis Santi nonfiction at Prick of the Spindle

Hi there.

Go read Alexis Santi's nonfiction piece up at Prick of the Spindle. It's called "One Pure Thing."

The essay features Richard Bausch, alcohol(ism), a dying raccoon, and those goddamned old office chairs that Mason seems to always give to their creative writing professors.

(Incidentally, you can read two poems by my sister and see some of her artwork in the same issue, though I'll leave that for you to click around and find on your own).

Good work, Alexis Santi.

(let us know if you have pubs, please)

Alan gets pied...

In a good way! Check out this snippet about Alan's recent trip to The Virginia Festival of the Book.

Apparently the chain is a gift from the panel moderator. Just, you know, if you were wondering.

Novel Throwdown

With all this March Madness hoo-ha permeating the air, it was refreshing to come across a tournament that I could relate to (and yes, I realize the outrage I'm inviting with that remark) - check out The Morning News/Powell's 5th annual Tournament of the Books complete with brackets to help you choose which of 16 books will emerge triumphant. Currently Mark Sarvas' Harry, Revised is up against Tom Piazza's City of Refuge.

More funding...

This happened a few weeks ago, but I just saw the article today - President Merten and his wife have created a scholarship for creative writing. Yay!

Candid Yak Thursday March 19 at 8:30 pm

Catch the Candid Yak Thursday, March 19, Sub II, Room 4 at 8:00 (for the reception; readings begin at 8:30). Part of the spring open house to welcome prospective students, this Yak features
• Collin Grabarek (fiction)
• Ranjani Murali (poetry)
• Sarah Klenakis (non-fiction)
• open mic: bring a page or two!

Fiction in small doses

The weeks after spring break are always the hardest - with work piling up from multiple directions it's hard to find time to even read.

Ok, not really, but if you do prefer your fiction in smaller doses, check out Five Chapters, an online fiction mag that publishes stories in serials of - hey! - five chapters. Steve Amick is this week's pick.

Congrats to Roger Pincus

If Duotrope's Digest 'Recent News' page is correct, then congratulations are in order for Roger Pincus. South Carolina Review just took a story of his.

E. Ethelbert Miller and Assorted Friday Things

• E. Ethelbert Miller reads from his book The Fifth Inning, 7 pm, Monday March 16, at Busboys and Poets, 14th and V streets NW. The first publication from Busboys and Poets Press.
• Soon-to-be-mustachioed volunteers of the Capitol Letters Writing Center in the WaPo! CLWC is truly a bright spot in a world that needs one (seriously).
• Speaking of hirsute DC residents, this May 31 is Walt Whitman’s 190th birthday, which you can celebrate now or then by downloading Leaves of Grass in its entirety, or shouting poetry in the street . . .
• Which brings us to Poetry Please, the BBC program for which listeners send in their favorite poems to be read by a cast of actors (like Judy Dench and Ian McKellen), now in its 30th year.
• Completely unrelated to anything, here’s a site that defines (and, I guess, helps you avoid) clichés. But people who don’t know, maybe they should read a little, live a little? (OK, yes, I’m making a case for listening to the BBC.)
• Apparently you can now, literally, feel as if you have ice water in your veins. It’s a bit creepy, this article. Could be fodder for a story? I don’t know. (It’s Friday the 13th?)

17th DC Environmental Film Festival

March 11–22: Environmental films all over downtown (and in Silver Spring). Too many venues (52) and gorgeous and sad and funny and wonderful films (141) for complete sentences. Here’s a link, see ya. OK, here’s a schedule.

Big Congratulations to Our Fellowship Winners!

Big congrats go to . . .

Heritage Fellowship: Emily Viggiano
Completion Fellowships: Hannah Vanderhart and Allyson Armistead
Thesis Fellowships: Moriah Purdy, Priyanka Champaneri, and
Rebecca McGill

Great job everyone!

CLWC Mustache-a-Thon

If you haven’t read about the mustache-a-thon Mike Scalise and Ben B. have embarked upon and Mike’s call for donations to the Capitol Letters Writing Center in DC, well, now you have. It’s a great cause: 

Capitol Letters Writing Center believes that within every student lives a writer. We support and challenge those writers through workshops, tutoring, and student publications that complement the classroom goals of educators in a safe and creative environment.

DC students will greatly benefit. And, of course, there’s the mustache ...

Observe their progress here. (Thanks Ben!)

Allyson Armistead in Emprise Review!

Check out Ally's story The Blue-Eyed Ant in Volume 7 of the Emprise Review.

http://muttsbane.com/MAVOL7.aspx

This is a much deserved publication, Ally, and we couldn't be more proud.

For those of you wondering, Emprise means "an adventurous or daring enterprise," and this is the perfect place for Ally's work because that definition is true of her writing as well.

Congrats!

PEN/Faulkner Pizza Gala Monday March 2

Monday, 7 pm—yes, March 2, tomorrow night—the PEN/Faulkner Foundation holds a Pizza Gala at Comet Ping Pong, 5037 Connecticut Ave NW. Help PEN/Faulkner’s Writers in Schools program with $25 and get pizza, beer and wine, and readings: George Pelecanos, Matthew Klam, Mary Kay Zuravleff, Helon Habila, H. G. Carrillo, Jennifer Oko, Margaret Talbot, and students from DC schools. (Thanks to Art Taylor, who gave much better notice. Speaking of Art, check out his AIW seminar highlights.)