See Also

Why workshop? This week: send your work to Zirdland.com. The Washington Post's Gene Weingarten shows us how.

For inspiration from other good (and great) authors, see also:

Book, Fall for the. For a running daily schedule of said festival, see also: Taylor, Art, Art & Literature (Wordpress, 2008).

That should do it.

So to Speak Faculty and Fellows Reading

Folks: kick off Fall for the Book and support our terrific faculty and award-winning MFAers at the So to Speak readings (I mean—what a lineup!) this Sunday September 21 (6–7 pm) at the Old Town Village, corner of North Street and 123. If you haven't left us for California, aren't celebrating your kid's 4th birthday, or didn't just tough out a 600-mile-wide hurricane (but are, I hope, well recovered from that bout of malaria): be there.

Trade Books at the Fall for the Book Book Swap

Volition, Mason's undergraduate journal of literature and art, hosts a paperback swap during Fall for the Book. Trade books you've already finished for others you can't wait to start. Bring your books and see what's available on the Johnson Center North Plaza, Monday through Wednesday, Sept. 21–24, noon to 4:30 p.m. each day. Bring old books those days to get something new. 

Contact: tnguy or acox5 (both gmu.edu addresses)

Fall for the Book Help

The Fall for the Book festival is only a week away, and Wade has asked for volunteers this week (September 15–19) at the kiosk in the Johnson Center to promote the event and remind students what's going on. Even an hour or two will help in these times: Monday (9/15), 2-6pm; Tuesday (9/16), 12-3; Wednesday (9/17), 2-6; Thursday (9/18), 2-6; Friday (9/19), 12-3.

If any MFAers can help, let Wade know at fftbvols (a gmu.edu address).

Fall for the Book - Alumni

So far Fall for the Book has gone well, I believe, based on the few things I've heard around the department - unfortunately, I didn't get to the Mason Alumni reading on Tuesday, so I can't speak of how that went other than to say that I'm sorry I missed it (though I did get a T-shirt - if you still haven't picked one up, you'll need to attend Alan's discussion tomorrow at noon or listen to the current MFA students read on Friday before Haslett and Lethem). Danielle Deulen (poetry) and Ryan Effgen (fiction) both read their work along with Dallas Hudgens (fiction). Anyhow, the point of this post is to wish Dallas congratulations; his second book, Season of Gene, was just released by Scribner that very same day as the reading, so I bet he's pretty happy right now. You can visit him at his website for tour dates, etc.

Fall for the Book!

This is from the Fall for the Book organizers—volunteering offers a great opportunity to get involved in the writing community, here at GMU and in general.

Hi Everyone,
We are very close to the opening of Fall for the Book, GMU's annual book festival and we hope you can all help—as little or much as possible! Below, you will find all the opportunities that we have available for you to volunteer. Please browse the list and let us know what sounds interesting to you. Also, you can check out our website, for up-to-date information on when and where your favorite authors will be appearing. Look forward to working with you!
—The Fall for the Book Team

1. Local Marketing & Program Delivery • Date: Throughout September (*we need you*) • Time: At your convenience

We need people to pick up and deliver programs around Fairfax/ Arlington/ Alexandra/ DC...in short, EVERYWHERE. You can pick up a handful of programs to drop off at your local coffee shop - or you can get a whole box to distribute throughout the county. We have a specific list of locations so that drivers don't overlap with one another - so please email me, fftbvols@gmu.edu for a copy and details.

2. Info Tent • Date: Sept 23 -- Sept. 29 • Time: 11 AM - 4 PM, Daily

Got time in between classes? 30 minutes? 2 hours? This is the job for you: We will need someone at the info tent to answer questions, direct confused students and promote events throughout the day. The tent will be centrally located outside of the JC—or, in the event of rain, will be moved inside to the JC.

3. Drivers (This is subject to change and may need updating.) • Date: Sept 23 -- Sept 29 • Time: Varies

Many of our visiting authors are coming from out of town. They need to be met at airports and train stations, driven to the festival hotel, picked up at the hotel and brought to events. If you're interested in meeting a writer and driving him or her to one place or another, e-mail Tara (fftbcars@gmu.edu). The following authors still need rides:

Orville Vernon Burton: Historian

(1)Departs Reagan, DCA Fri. Sept. 28 3:30 pm American Airlines 537
-Needs to be picked up from the Hampton Inn, Fairfax and taken to the airport.

Richard Peck: Children's Author

(1)Monday Sept. 24 6 pm--reception at GMU Dewberry Hall
-Needs to be picked up from Hampton Inn and taken to event
-Needs to be picked up after event at 7:30 and taken back to Hampton Inn

(2)Tuesday Sept. 25 6 pm--reception and reading at Smart's Mill Middle School in Leesburg
-Needs to be picked up from Hampton Inn and taken to school

Janet Holmes: Poet

(1)Departs DCA, Reagan, Tues. Sept 25 6:40 AM Northwest Air # 883
-Needs to be picked up from Hampton Inn and taken to airport

Jonathan Ames: Comedian/Writer
(1)Arrives DCA, Reagan, Thurs.Sept. 27 12:47pm United Airlines Flight# 608
-Needs to be picked up and taken to the Hampton Inn

(2)Event is on Thurs. Sept. 27 3:00 pm
-Needs to be picked up from Hampton and taken to GMU; tent outside Johnson Center
-Needs to be taken back to his hotel after the event is over at 4:00pm

(3) Departs DCA, Reagan, Fri. Sept. 28 11:40am Flight# 615
-Needs to be picked up from Hampton and taken to the airport

4. Venue Managers • Date: Sept. 23 -- Sept. 29 • Time: Varies

Each event needs a Fall for the Book representative to greet the author and be there as the audience arrives. The Venue Manager will be in the room before the event begins and after it ends in order to answer both the author’s and audience’s questions. Email fftbvols@gmu.edu. MANY of the events are still open!!!

5. Found Magazine Gallery Managers
Date: Sept. 24, 11-9 PM • Sept. 25, 11-9 PM • Sept. 26, 11-9 PM • Sept. 27, 11-9 PM • Sept. 28, 11-9 PM

This year, we also have the Found Magazine web phenomenon coming to the Mason campus, with a presentation by creator Davy Rothbart as well as exhibitions from Found Magazine. We need people to staff the exhibition in the Johnson Center, 123 Gallery while it is open. If you're willing to help with the exhibition, e-mail Sarah at fftbvols@gmu.edu.

6. Introducers • Date: Sept 27 - Oct 5 • Time: Varies

Every speaker needs an introduction - and we still have a few spots available. We will provide you with an introduction (author bio) to read - or, if you prefer, you are welcome to create your own. Email Sarah at fftbvols@gmu.edu for more info. The following writers need to be introduced:

Janet Holmes, editor of Ahsahta Press
Richard Norton Smith, discusses Gerald R. Ford
Betsy Andrews, author of She-Devil, In Trouble, and New Jersey
Chester Gillis, professor of theology at Georgetown University
Michael Richman, author of The Redskins Encyclopedia

7. General "I Want to Help but I Don't Know What to Do" Volunteers • Date: NOW ‘ Sept. 29th • Time: Any

If you just want to meet and greet people, or are willing to help out with anything and everything, e-mail me, Sarah (fftbvols@gmu.edu) with your availability and I will let you know what we have open.