Western Colorado Writers' Forum newsletter 11/11

Folks,

            Thanks to everyone, about 140 of you, who came to "The Language of This Land" and drank from the well that October weekend.  If you missed it or want to relive it, see Uche Ogubji's  http://copia.posterous.com/poetry-western-slope-sty-lee & Wendy Videlock's blog http://nutshell-wendy.blogspot.com/2011/10/western-colorado-writers-conference.html.

We filmed it all. See Richard Ott's video of Ute elder Clifford Duncan's talk at http://vimeo.com/user2976550/videos.  Soon to be posted: conversations with Leslie Marmon Silko and novelist Laura Hendrie, Silko's  banquet reading, highlights from Dave Mason's banquet reading, the "Seven by Seven" poets' reading, and the speakers and elders at the Sunday community breakfast. A highlight video of the entire conference, including clips from many of the workshops and classes, will be released next week and eventually all will be up at www.westerncoloradowriters.org

Pretty wonderful.  This is my favorite time of the year, darkness descending, lights, ancient song and stories returning.  We'll hold "A Literary Christmas," readings & recitations of great Christmas literature, Dylan Thomas, Rudolfo Anaya, "'Twas," and the like, with gorgeous music, at 800 Colorado, on Friday eve, Dec. 2.  Come also to a free writing class at the library, "The Memory of Christmas," Saturday aft., Dec. 3^rd.  Other events coming up:

·        TH.Nov. 17^th CMU reading at Planet Earth (that's tomorrow)

·        SAT. Nov. 19^th Organizing meeting at 800 Colorado for new Rocky Mtn. Fiction Writers chapter.

·        Dec. 2 John & Ursula Nizalowski reading & music at Planet Earth

·        WCWF January, 2012 classes:  Wendy Videlock teaching poetry, Di Herald teaching teen fiction, and I'll teach "The Geography of Narrative."  More on this to come.

·        St. Benedict's, January:  no retreat, but come visit for a manuscript consultation.

·        Send in poems for "Out and About," then join us to read on KAFM.

·       Newish submissions calendar below for stories, poems and books.  A call for 99 poems for the 99%!

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CALL FOR POEMS and ON-AIR READINGS

Do send the Writers' Forum a poem for the Daily Sentinel "Out & About," seventeen lines or under, and after such stellar publication you'll be included in a roster of poets to read on KAFM. Poems are aired 6:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (depending on punctuality and programmer's state of being). Send poems or questions to WCWforum@gmail.com or call 256-4662.  We're really enjoying all your voices and always looking for new ones.  Don't be shy.  Send us two to five poems.

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Poets & Writers of Colorado Mesa University Reading Series

Planet Earth & The Four Directions Gallery - 524 Colorado Ave., GJ - Free

7 p.m. November 17:  Jennifer Hancock, Michele Hanson & Charles McLeod.

Michele Hanson teaches French and English composition at CMU. She has published personal essays in Travelers' Tales, A Mother's World and CU's Copper Nickel, and will be reading from a novel-in-progress.

Jennifer Hancock holds an MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College and a PhD in Creative Writing from Oklahoma State University. Her poems have appeared in many journals, including the Antioch Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, and Puerto del Sol. She was recently chosen as a finalist for the Wabash Poetry Prize by the editors of the Sycamore Review. She is Assistant Professor of English at Colorado Mesa University.

Charles McLeod's fiction has appeared in publications including Alaska Quarterly Review, Conjunctions, CutBank, The Gettysburg Review, The Iowa Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Post Road, The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses, Third Coast and ZYZZYVA. His first novel is American Weather, out now from Random House UK. Vintage UK will publish a collection of stories June of 2012.

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Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers

Western Slope Organizing Meeting

800 Colorado

9:30-noon Sat. Nov. 19^th

The Writers' Forum & Page Peddlers are co-sponsoring sponsor this meeting in the hopes of helping establish a future G.J. Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers chapter.  Cost is $1 per person to help pay for rent, coffee/tea and pastries.

RMFW members Vicki Law, her husband Mike, and Marne Kirk will first briefly talk about the organization, cost of membership, and benefits writers can expect. They will also discuss volunteer positions and what they will need from us in order to make the group happen.

The second part will be a discussion of the storytellers bible, electronic or paper, where writers keep information about their book(s): research they've done, character development, list of names, ages, culture, plot lines, maps, sketches, etc.

Bring a friend. 30 people are coming so far.  We'd like to have an estimated head count for handouts, coffee and pastries, etc.: please RSVP to shayfabbro@gmail.com ASAP.

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"A Literary Christmas"

Western Colorado Writers' Forum

7 p.m. Friday Dec. 2^nd   800 Colorado

Come join us for a literary Christmas with choral music, readings and recitations of classic poems and stories, such as "A Child's Christmas in Wales," "Twas the Night...," a Hispanic tale and others in our cozy, decorated church at 8th and Colorado.  Open to the public: Christmas sweets and hot cider, raffle and door prizes offered. 

Families welcome, and all asked to donate what you can in the Spirit of Christmas.  Registration encouraged:  email us at WritersForum@bresnan.net or  256-4662. 

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Reading & Music

7 p.m.Friday Dec. 2

Planet Earth & Four Directions Gallery

John Nizalowski and Isadora Nizalowski will be combining poetry and music in a free performance to be held at the on Dec. 2 at 7:00 p.m.  Free and open to the public. The Planet Earth Gallery is located at 524 Colorado Ave., Grand Junction.

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"The Memory of Christmas"

MCPL Central Library

2-4 p.m. Sat., Dec. 3

Come hear excerpts from classic Christmas stories and poems, view a clip from the great Christmas movies, and have the chance to write your own Christmas memory

as a story or poem with two WCWF authors.

Learn ways to make small book gifts, for little cost, from your stories.  Families welcome; activities provided for children age 5 and up.  Registration encouraged; call MCPL at 243-4442.  Sponsored by the Mesa County Public Libraries and the Writers' Forum.

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St. Benedict's Monastery, 2012

No retreat this year, but I will be in residence in a beautiful little mountain hermitage at the Snowmass monastery January 5-8^th.  If you're near Snowmass or Aspen, come visit me for a manuscript consultation.  I'll meet with a few people at $50/hour, a bright way to start fresh on a writing project in the new year.  Email sandydorr@bresnan.net to set up a time.   

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SUBMISSIONS CALENDAR

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Ø      :  A NEW JOURNAL:   BAREFOOT REVIEW

> Our purpose is to help people who have faced serious health issues. Published twice a year, on the winter solstice and summer solstice.  Seeking original work by people who have or have had physical difficulties in their lives from cancer to seizures, Alzheimer's to tumors. It is also a place for caretakers, families, significant others and friends to write about their experiences and relationships to the person.
> For Submissions Guidelines: http://www.barefootreview.org/
> Send email with work to submissions@barefootreview.org
>
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>
> CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: POETRY ANTHOLOGY ABOUT REMEMBERING OUR MOTHERS AFTER THEY HAVE DIED
> Deadline:  February 28, 2012
>
> We seek emotionally honest and compelling submissions that will resonate with the reader. Desired poems will cover the initial raw grief through time to poems that are more uplifting. The intent is not to dwell on death itself but rather to place it in loving perspective.  Poetry max 100 lines. If previously published, please include reprint permission and literary credit.
> Send up to 5 submissions and brief bio.
> Submit in word doc to motherlosspoetry@gmail.com or mail to Mother Loss/Details, 8663 River Crossing Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46240.
>
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> 

Willow Creek Journal

Call for Entries

Deadline:  February 28, 2011

The Willow Creek Journal is a yearly magazine containing writings and artwork by residents & visitors to Creede, Mineral County, & the San Luis Valley.  Entry Rules:

·                    Writers - Submit up to three (3) pieces of original work (poetry, essays, or short stories) No Longer Than 1,000 Words.

·                 Artists - Submit up to three (3) original works (paintings, drawings, etchings and photographs)

Prizes:  In 2011, we will be awarding a $50 First Place Prize for Poetry in three categories: Elementary, Junior High/High School, & Adult

Please include a short bio about yourself, as well as a phone number, email address and mailing address. Include your age category if you wish to be considered for our $50 prize. Artwork entries need to be on disc with a high resolution digital file. Please snail mail artwork. For prose and poetry, save as a .doc file (we cannot take .docx), and e-mail your submissions to creedearts@gojade.org. If this is not possible, type your submissions and mail to:

Creede Arts Council, P.O. Box 392, Creede, CO  81130

We will also be offering a five week writing workshop that will explore both fiction and poetry writing in Creede. Beginning January 25^th, this workshop will be open to teens and adults. For more information or to sign up for the writing workshop, please contact the Creede Arts Council office: 658-0312 or creedearts@gojade.org

The Creede Arts Council is proud to be able to provide this unique literary journal and appreciates the excellent contributions made to it over the years. 

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> CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ADANNA LITERARY JOURNAL, A NEW JOURNAL BY AND ABOUT WOMEN
> Deadline: November 30, 2011
> Dr. Christine Redman-Waldemeyer, founder and editor. For submission guidelines.  http://adannajournal.blogspot.com/
>
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>
> CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: SOLO NOVO, A JOURNAL OF POETRY
> Deadline: December 31, 2011
>
> Solo Novo publishes journals of poetry, prose, translations, book reviews, artists books, chapbooks. They seek to publish work that speaks to our times.  Please visit Solo Novo on facebook, duotrope and Poets & Writers.
>
> info@solopress.org
> solopress.org
> Paula C. Lowe, Managing Editor
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>
> CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: 99 POEMS FOR THE 99 PERCENT
>
> A blog featuring 99 poems that address the social, political, economic, aesthetic, and cultural realities of the 99 percent.
> Since Walt Whitman, American poetry has been about democracy. It's been about reaching people on issues they care about in a voice they recognize. 99 Poems for the 99 Percent demonstrates how the aims of poetry are in concert with the aims and ambitions of the vast majority of Americans. It is proof that poetry can speak in a vital, robust, and meaningful way about real issues to real people.
 Part of the purpose of this project to expand the scope of poetry. To that end, I invite all readers and writers to submit a poem for consideration. A large percentage of the poems published on this blog will be chosen through the submission process. So, embrace democracy and send a poem!
>
Guidelines: Please send one poem pasted in the body of an email to 99poems99percent@gmail.com. Feel free to include a cover paragraph and a 1-2 sentence explanation of the poem.  http://99poemsfor99percent.blogspot.com/
>
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>
> CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR POETRY CONTEST: CYCLAMENS AND SWORDS PUBLISHES POETRY, PROSE AND ART
> Deadline: November 30, 2011
>
> Awards: First prize $300, second prize $100, third prize $50 and seven honorable  mentions
>
> Full guidelines at http://cyclamensandswords.com/contest_guidelines.php
> Still accepting submissions for December issue

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To receive WCWF's monthly newsletter, contact Sandra Dorr at <sandydorr@bresnan.net>

 Danny and Uche at Language of This Land