Free Association Open Mic — Wednesday, September 16 at 7 p.m.

Free Association open mic poetry series
**The first of the new semester!  Don’t miss it!**
This month we are feat’ing Lenny Lianne!
Wednesday September 16th
FREE and open to the public
open mic starts at 7pm

hosted by Shawnte Orion

Glendale Community College
(in Student Union room 104)

6000 W. Olive Ave.
Glendale, AZ 85302

Lenny Lianne is the author of four books of poetry, most recently THE ABCs OF MEMORY (ScriptWorks Press).  She has an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) from George Mason University and has read her poetry on both coasts and in between.

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Two Short Story Deadlines This Week!

Greetings Writers!

Two short story contest deadlines this week:

Barthelme Prize for Short Fiction, August 31 deadline — 500 word max. Flash fiction, prose poetry, micro-essays.  $17/up to three entries, includes subscription.  See http://gulfcoastmag.org/contests/barthelme-prize/

Short Story America Prize, September 1 deadline (midnight PST) — 500 min/12K max word limit.  All types. $15/entry.  http://www.shortstoryamerica.com then “contest”

Like the lottery, you have to enter to win!!!

Good luck, all.

Register now for Dialogue class! Just a few days left!

DIALOGUE Class Being Offered this Fall, 2015! Register Now!

Course: DIALOGUE (CRW 203)

Section: 35265

Instructor: Jeff Baker

When/Where: MW, 11:00-11:50, CL 43 (Hybrid)

In CRW203 – Dialogue, you will read modern stories and plays, learn to choreograph multi-character scenes, practice conveying dialects in text, and likely eavesdrop on conversations (for academic purposes only) at various inexpensive restaurants around the valley. In doing so, you will learn the methods behind such brilliant and engaging conversations as:

“Hi! How are you?” he asked.  / “I’m fine,” she said.

And:

“What do you want to do for dinner?” she asked. / “I don’t know, dear. What do you want to do for dinner?” he replied.

And the modern classic:

“Sup?”

Ultimately, this is a writing course with the laser focus of learning effective dialogue techniques and strengthening scene development. (And, you know, avoiding the staleness of the examples above.)

Jeff Baker, PhotographJeff Baker is a graduate of Arizona State University’s MFA program and earned his BA from the University of Florida. He has published stories in various literary journals; worked as a prose editor for Hayden’s Ferry Review; written scripts and developed environments for online video games; co-wrote crude, independent film shorts about souls and whiffle ball; and once worked as a ghost writer on a novel about heroic cheese mongers in space, but left the project due to creative differences.

Jeff has been teaching for ten years and he has taught creative writing and other English courses for Glendale, Estrella Mountain, and ASU. He is a lover of novels and flash fiction, a student and admirer of creative nonfiction and poetry, a dabbler in stage and screenplays, a backseat driver, only partially organized, an Aquarius, a proponent of long and complicated lists, and a believer that reading can make a person a better writer.

When he grows up, he would like to be an astronaut.

2015 Short Story America Prize

from T.D. Johnson

The 2015 Short Story America Prize is open for entries through September 1st. Open to all short story/essay genres.  Word limit: 500-12000 words.

First Prize: $500 and publication in Short Story America, Volume Five. Runnerup: $250 and publication in Volume Five. Third Prize: $125 and publication in Volume Five.

Finalists will be notified on September 20th. Winners will be announced at the Short Story America Festival and Conference, September 25-26 in Beaufort, South Carolina.

$15 reading fee per entry.  For more details on Short Story America, the print anthologies (Volumes I-III), the Festival ($45 all-event pass), and/or to enter your story or stories, go to www.shortstoryamerica.com.  The site also has a good online “classics” library of short stories and essays.

P.S.  Short Story America was first to publish Gary Lawrence’s “Why I’m Here,” which appears in SSA’s 2012 print anthology, Volume II.  A second story of Gary’s, “Garage Sale,” is in SSA’s 2013 anthology, Volume III.  SSA also helped him publish his short story collection Baffled.  Gary teaches composition and CRW170/270 (introduction to, and intermediate fiction) online at GCC, and will be presenting (again!) at this year’s “Second Saturday” creative writing workshop series (November 14, 9-11 am, GCC, short story sequences).

Still Time to Register for DIALOGUE CLASS!

DIALOGUE Class Being Offered this Fall, 2015! Register Now!

Course: DIALOGUE (CRW 203)

Section: 35265

Instructor: Jeff Baker

When/Where: MW, 11:00-11:50, CL 43 (Hybrid)

In CRW203 – Dialogue, you will read modern stories and plays, learn to choreograph multi-character scenes, practice conveying dialects in text, and likely eavesdrop on conversations (for academic purposes only) at various inexpensive restaurants around the valley. In doing so, you will learn the methods behind such brilliant and engaging conversations as:

“Hi! How are you?” he asked.  / “I’m fine,” she said.

And:

“What do you want to do for dinner?” she asked. / “I don’t know, dear. What do you want to do for dinner?” he replied.

And the modern classic:

“Sup?”

Ultimately, this is a writing course with the laser focus of learning effective dialogue techniques and strengthening scene development. (And, you know, avoiding the staleness of the examples above.)

Jeff Baker, PhotographJeff Baker is a graduate of Arizona State University’s MFA program and earned his BA from the University of Florida. He has published stories in various literary journals; worked as a prose editor for Hayden’s Ferry Review; written scripts and developed environments for online video games; co-wrote crude, independent film shorts about souls and whiffle ball; and once worked as a ghost writer on a novel about heroic cheese mongers in space, but left the project due to creative differences.

Jeff has been teaching for ten years and he has taught creative writing and other English courses for Glendale, Estrella Mountain, and ASU. He is a lover of novels and flash fiction, a student and admirer of creative nonfiction and poetry, a dabbler in stage and screenplays, a backseat driver, only partially organized, an Aquarius, a proponent of long and complicated lists, and a believer that reading can make a person a better writer.

When he grows up, he would like to be an astronaut.

Flash Fiction Contest: 2015 Barthelme Prize, August 31 Deadline

The 2015 Barthelme Prize

Judged by Steve Almond

Open to pieces of prose poetry, flash fiction, and micro-essays of 500 words or fewer. One winner receives $1,000 and publication in the journal. Two honorable mentions receive $250, publication in the journal, and all entries will be considered for paid publication on our website as Online Exclusives.

Contest named in honor of Donald Barthelme, author of (among other works) “The School”:

http://www.npr.org/programs/death/readings/stories/bart.html

Up to three entries for $17 reading fee — deadline August 31.  Fee includes one year subscription to Gulf Coast literary journal.  Entries accepted online or by snail mail.

For more details and/or to submit, see:

https://gulfcoastmag.org/contests/barthelme-prize/?utm_content=wheels54%40gmail.com&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Guidelines&utm_campaign=2%20Prose%20Prizes%2C%20One%20Month%20Leftcontent

Free Association Tomorrow, 15 July, 7 PM!

Special Summer Edition of Glendale Community College’s Free Association open mic poetry and prose series!

Jessica Standifird was a founding member of the West Valley’s Rorschach Poets Collective and the person who started the Free Association readings at GCC. She will be returning from Portland on Wednesday, July 15th with writers from her Northwest troupe, Blue Skirt Productions.

Blue Skirt Productions

FREE and open to the public
open mic starts at 7pm

hosted by Shawnte Orion

Glendale Community College
(in Student Union room 104)
6000 W. Olive Ave.
Glendale, AZ 85302

Blue Skirt Productions mission is to promote the work of creatives – writers, musicians, artists, etc., by presenting their works in a variety of outlets, including a website, publications, and live performances, and to offer support to artists through services such as editing, mentoring, coaching, lessons, and workshop opportunities. We encourage diversity, hard-hitting works and a strong sense of community.

Free Association Wednesday, July 15th!

Special Summer Edition of Glendale Community College’s Free Association open mic poetry and prose series!

Jessica Standifird was a founding member of the West Valley’s Rorschach Poets Collective and the person who started the Free Association readings at GCC. She will be returning from Portland on Wednesday, July 15th with writers from her Northwest troupe, Blue Skirt Productions.

Blue Skirt Productions

FREE and open to the public
open mic starts at 7pm

hosted by Shawnte Orion

Glendale Community College
(in Student Union room 104)
6000 W. Olive Ave.
Glendale, AZ 85302

Blue Skirt Productions mission is to promote the work of creatives – writers, musicians, artists, etc., by presenting their works in a variety of outlets, including a website, publications, and live performances, and to offer support to artists through services such as editing, mentoring, coaching, lessons, and workshop opportunities. We encourage diversity, hard-hitting works and a strong sense of community.

June Issue, Upcoming Submission Deadline: Bird’s Thumb

Bird’s Thumb has released their June 2015 issue of poetry, fiction, and essays.  They also announced their next submission deadline: August 1 for their October 2015 issue (three issues/year).

See their June issue and submission guidelines at:

http://birdsthumb.org

Submission is free.  Up to two submissions per issue.

From their website:

Bird’s Thumb seeks writing that offers startling views of the new and familiar and that stays with us long after we look away.

Bird’s Thumb is dedicated to discovering and publishing the emerging writer. As an evolving journal, we’re open to many styles and we’re interested in diverse voices. Most of all, we honor excellent writing. So please send us your best and fear not the perils of the slush pile. We will give your work the attention it deserves.

The name Bird’s Thumb comes from one of our editor’s fascination with crossing animal and kingdom boundaries.  When she was a young girl, she wanted to grow up to be a fish.  It stands for hidden digits everywhere.