The Newsletter of the Creative Writing Program at the University of Houston

WWW.UH.EDU/CWP A Tradition of Excellence Continues:

John Antel Dean, CLASS

Wyman Herendeen English Dept. Chair

j. Kastely CWP Director

Kathy Smathers Assistant Director

Shatera Dixon Program Coordinator 713.743.3015 [email protected] This year we welcome two new and one visiting faculty member—all are exciting writers; all are compelling teachers. 2006-2007 Edition

Every effort has been made to include faculty, students, and alumni news. Items not included will be published in the next edition. As we begin another academic year, I am struck by how much change the Program has endured in the past year. After the departure of several faculty members the previous year, we have hired Alexander Parsons and Mat John- son as new faculty members in fiction into tenure track positions, and we also hired Liz Waldner as a visitor in poetry for the year. Our colleague, Daniel Stern, passed away this Spring, and he will be missed. Adam Zagajew- ski will take a visiting position in the Committee on Social Thought at the University of this year, and that Committee will most likely become his new academic home. Ed Hirsh submitted his letter of resignation this Spring, and although Ed had been in at the Guggenheim for the last five years, he had still officially been a member of the Creative Writing Program on leave. And Antonya Nelson returned from leave this Spring to continue her teaching at UH. So there has been much change.

When I first assumed the Directorship of the Creative Writing Program five years ago, I thought that we would undergo some change and then enter into a utopian period of stability in which the Program would simply run itself. Since then, I have learned that change is the norm, and that healthy programs embrace change, even as they work hard to preserve their core values. And once I understood that change is the norm, I ceased worrying about it and instead viewed it as one of the many things with which we will deal. Having a dedicated and professional faculty and engaged and generous graduate students allowed us to meet whatever challenges we encountered. I was continually struck by how hard people worked on behalf of the Program and by how committed they were to making it the best Program that it could be. I felt proud to be part of such a community.

Last year we began a new reading series, the Inprint Studio series, and we had some wonderful visitors, Bob Hi- cok and Laura Kasischke, here in the Fall. It was great to have three of our alumni—Farnoosh Moshiri, Pimone Triplett, and Andrew Feld—also read in the series in the Spring. This year looks equally exciting. In early Octo- ber, Maurice Manning and Emily Fox Gordon will visit then later in the month William Henry Lewis and Justin Cronin will be here. UH alumni Lisa Lewis and Tracy Daugherty will join us in the Spring.

And as always, we are excited about this year’s entering class. They are a wonderful group of writers and we look forward to getting to know them better and to bringing them into our community.

As ever,

j. Kastely, Director

CWP NEWS 2 of years, has left to return to Beaumont to live closer to her family there. Al- though we miss Cassie already, we were lucky enough to hire back an old friend. Shatera Dixon is back. She was our Staff News Office Coordinator from 2003 to 2005. She moved to Florida a couple of years It’s been a good year in the Creative ago but returned to Houston in Decem- Writing Program office. We have three ber, 2006. She’s actually been working new exciting faculty members starting in the UH English Department office in the fall and we have some very strong and we stole her back. We’re thrilled to The windows of Roy Cullen and talented new students coming into have her back with us. the program in the fall. The application process was stressful as we had 336 ap- Mike Doyle continues to provide de- plications this year. That’s a lot of infor- sign and technical support to the Pro- mation gathering. The staff did a great gram. He’s updated the designs for our job of organizing the applicant files recruiting ads this year and is a major and keeping the whole process running contributor to the design and layout of smoothly. the Newsletter. We’re lucky to have him Chitra Divakaruni received a Cham- as a friend. pions of Literacy award from Literacy Last fall our offices got a real face lift Advance of Houston for her writing with some remodeling, new paint and Kathy Smathers, Asst. Director, (that’s and her support of literacy. She has carpeting. It made our whole environ- me) is just glad the faculty hiring process also been chosen for the Distinguished ment nicer. This summer, there’s more was successful, the student application Writer Award, 2007, by the South Asian remodeling going on. The hallway out- process went well and that the renova- Literary Association. The award will be side our offices, the graduate student tions are going forward. I wish the best presented at the association's annual lounge and the graduate library are all for Cassie and am really glad that Shat- meeting during the MLA convention getting a new look. We’re very excited era is with us. I also hope that, with in December. Chitra's novel, The Pal- about it. I’ll bet that many of you didn’t Mike Doyle’s help, we’ll get the website ace of Illusions, based on the Indian epic, even know that there had once been big up and running this coming year. The The Mahabharat, has been accepted for windows at the end of the hall over the UH/CLASS tech people have not been publication by Doubleday, and will be staircase. Well, they’re back! We just able to work with us much this past year coming out in the spring of 2008. Her hope that all the work is completed be- and we really want to get going on the children's novel, The Conch Bearer, has fore classes start in the fall. Kathy and website. I was out of the office for a few been optioned for a film by the award j. have been pestering people about get- weeks at the beginning of the summer winning independent filmmaker, Oren ting something done with this area for because of a bad fall at home. Luckily, I Rudavsky. three years and their efforts have finally came out of it with only a broken wrist paid off. (although I had to have surgery on it) and a hyper-extended knee. Early sum- Mark Doty's Dog Years was published Sadly, there were departures this year. mer is a pretty quiet time for the CWP in March by HarperCollins, spent two We lost a good friend in Dan Stern and office and j. and Cassie kept things run- weeks on the New York Times Bestseller wish the very best for his family and ning smoothly in my absence. But I was List, and was also a bestseller in Los An- friends outside the university. We’ll sure glad to get back to work. geles, San Francisco, Boston and other miss Adam terribly and hope he’ll stay cities. Now in its 7th hardcover print- in contact with us. His kindness and ing, the book is forthcoming in the wit were always appreciated. We’re also U.K., France, Italy and Brasil. Dog Years hoping that Ed will return for a visit received starred reviews from Kirkus, from time to time. He’s just been affili- Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. ated with the program for so long that said of the book, "Doty it’s hard to think of him being totally brilliantly captures the qualities that detached from us. make dogs endearing." O: The Oprah Magazine called it "a radiant memoir There’s been a change in the Office- Co of loss, renewal and unleashed affec- ordinator position. Cassie Colbert, tion." After five weeks of book-tour- Kathy Smathers & Shatera Dixon who worked with us for the past couple ing and talking about canine company,

CWP NEWS 3 Mark was pretty well ready to spend English Students. This is his second New Faculty the summer hiding someplace, though time to receive the award. he did teach at the Juniper Institute at the University of Massachusetts, and at 's Favorite Poem Institute Antonia Nelson is a visiting writer at for Teachers at Boston University. the Michener Center this fall. She is now serving as a writer at large for Texas Next spring, Harper will publish Dog Monthly, where personal essays have ap- Years in paperback, along with Fire to peared (May and June) or are forthcom- Fire: New and Selected Poems, which ing (September). A short story appears pairs a group of new pieces with selec- in the summer issue of Tin House maga- tions from twenty years of poems. zine, and stories are forthcoming in the Mat Johnson New Yorker and Glimmer Train. Toni is In the spring, Mark and his partner, also serving as faculty at the Taos Writ- Mat Johnson will join the Creative Paul Lisicky will be guest professors at ers Conference and at the Napa Valley Writing Program this Fall. Mat is the Cornell University, most likely snowed Writers' Conference. author of two novels, Drop and Hunt- in till April. ing in Harlem, and a work of non-fic- tion, The Great Negro Plot. Hunting Robert Phillips’ book of poems, Cir- in Harlem won the Hurston/Wright Nick Flynn is working on a book ten- cumstances Beyond Our Control, was Legacy Award for Fiction in 2004. His tatively entitled Who Died and Made nominated for the National Book Crit- fourth book, Pym, is a surreal re-imag- You King, a hybrid of prose and poetry ics’ Circle Award and the National ining of Poe’s The Narrative of Gordon circling around the recent legalization of Book Award. He recently gave read- Pym. Also forthcoming is a graphic torture in the (The Mili- ings at the Brazos Bookstore, Borders novel, Incognegro. Mat received a BA tary Commissions Act of 2006). In the River Oaks Bookstore, Montgomery from Earlham College and an MFA in past year, along with teaching at the County Literary Arts Council and the Fiction from . He University of Houston, he has taught Huntington Museum in Los Angeles. has taught at Rutgers University, Cam- workshops and given readings in many New poems are appearing in the Texas den Campus, Columbia University, and venues across America and in Europe, Observer, Light, Connecticut Review, most recently he has been an assistant including the 92nd St. Y in New York Sewanee Review, The Hudson Review, professor of English and Creative Writ- City and the Cuirt Festival in Galway, Chautauqua Literary Review, and Stone ing at Bard College. He teaches work- Ireland. Canoe (a new literary journal from up- shops in fiction and non-fiction, African state New York.) New essays appear in American Autobiographical Narrative, Expository Writing, Dark Horses, The 20th Century African American Litera- Tony Hoagland’s book of essays, Real Texas Review, and the Houston Chron- ture, African American Satire, the Har- Sofistikashun, was published by Graywolf icle. Garrison Keiller read another of lem Renaissance, Race in 19th Century Press in fall of 2006. Many of the essays his poems on National Public Radio in American Literature, and U.S. Litera- appeared in the AWP Writer's Chroni- April. Prof. Phillips continues as poetry ture 1866-1939. He has also taught for cle. One of the essays was awarded the editor of The Texas Review, as a nomina- the Callaloo Writing Workshop. 2006 Editor's Prize for best nonfiction tor for the Whiting Writing Awards and in Poetry Magazine. Also in fall 2006, serves as literary executor for the estates Tony (along with colleague Mark Doty) of Delmore Schwartz, Karl Shapiro and was one of the featured writers at the Daniel Stern. humongous Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey. In September, 2007, he will participate in the International Litera- ture Festival in Berlin, which he’s look- ing forward to. And he’ll be a visiting writer at the Writer's Workshop in the fall. Alex Parsons Alexander Parsons is coming to the j. Kastely was named Professor of the Creative Writing Program at the Uni- Year, 2006 – 2007, by the Graduate Robert Phillips versity of Houston, having been an As-

CWP NEWS 4 sistant Professor of English and Creative or offer a masters class. She is the author Glass Mountain Writing at the University of New Hamp- of The Orchard (2004), Song (1995), shire for 5 years. Alex has a BA from for which she received the Lamont Po- UH undergraduates now have a new out- Wesleyan, an MFA from the University etry Selection award by The Academy let for their creative self-expression. Glass of Iowa and an MFA from New Mexico of American Poets, and To The Place of Mountain began when a group of cre- State University. He has published two Trumpets (1987), which was chosen for ative writing undergraduates recognized a novels, Leaving Disneyland and In the the Yale Series of Younger Poets. She has need for an established literary journal in Shadows of the Sun, and is at work on a been awarded a Whiting Writer’s Award which students can learn the ins and outs third novel, El Repoman. Leaving Dis- and the Witter Bynner Prize for Poetry, of both publishing and being published. neyland won a 2000 Associated Writing and she has received a fellowship from The journal’s founding editors are- Mau Programs Award for the Novel and also the National Endowment for the Arts. reen Sanchez, Melissa Martinez, Regina the 2001 Writers’ League of Texas Violet Her work has been widely anthologized Vigil, Ruth Joynton and Kim Thai. The Crown Award. Alex has also had several and it has appeared in numerous literary first issue contains poetry, fiction, creative screen plays optioned. He has taught journals. She has taught at University of non-fiction and artwork by undergraduate graduate and undergraduate workshops California at Irvine, Purdue University students, as well as an interview with poet/ in fiction, Writing Historical Fiction, and Warren Wilson College. Currently, memoirist/professor Nick Flynn. The win- Advanced Editing and Publishing, and she is a professor of English and Creative ners of the Department of English’s Sylvan Form & Theory of Fiction: Landscape Writing at the University of Illinois, Ur- Karchmer, Howard Moss, and Brian Law- in Literature bana-Champaign. rence prizes are published in the journal as well. Inprint Studio Series and Glass Mountain will continue to seek new Residencies—We have a wonder- and changing voices and will document Liz Waldner will be a visiting faculty ful line-up of readers for this year’s Inprint ongoing conversations with those that in- member in Creative Writing for F2007- Studio Series. In the fall, we will sponsor struct and inspire the undergraduate stu- S2008, teaching poetry workshops. She two readings. On October 10, poet Mau- dent body. The journal will also host and rice Manning (Lawrence Booth’s Book of has published six books of poetry and participate in live events that encourage Visions, A Companion for Owls, Bucolics) Dark Would young writers to bring their work to the five chapbooks. won the Emily and non-fiction writer and UH alum local community. University of Georgia Press 2002 Con- Fox Gordon (Mockingbird Years, Are You temporary Poetry Series and the Alice Happy?: A Childhood Remembered ) will read The Society for the Performing Arts has James Books’ Hawley Prize for 2001; A at Diverse Works. On October 24, William invited Glass Mountain to participate in Point Is That Which Has No Part won the Henry Lewis (In the Arms of Our Elders, I their Performance Prelude program. Con- 2000 Laughlin Prize from the Academy Got Somebody in Staunton) and Justin Cro- tributors to the journal will be reading of American Poets and the 2000 Iowa nin (The Summer Guest, Mary and O’Neil) their work for twenty minutes on January Poetry Prize. Her other books are: Sav- will read. In the Spring UH alums Lisa 12 at the Wortham Center prior to the ing the Appearances Etym(bi)ology Self Lewis (The Unbeliever, Silent Treatment) , , performance of "Radio Stories and Other and Tracy Daugherty (Axeman’s Jazz, Late and Simulacra and Homing Devices. Liz Stories" by Ira Glass, host of NPR's "This in the Standoff, Hiding Man—a biography of has a BA from St. Johns and an MFA American Life". from the University of Iowa. She has Donald Barthelme, forthcoming) will give a reading on March 31. taught at Cornell College, the College For more information on the journal and of Wooster and the Writers Workshop We will continue the practice that we began upcoming events, visit Glass Mountain’s at the University of Iowa. Her teach- last year of having our residencies conducted website at www.uh.edu/glassmountain. ing interests range widely, including: by visiting writers for the Inprint Studio contemporary poetry, , meta- Series. In the fall Maurice Manning will do physical poetry, visual thinking/visual a residency in poetry and William Henry arts, women’s studies, creative non-fic- Lewis will do a residency in fiction. In the tion, film and poetry and philosophy. Spring Lisa Lewis and Tracy Daugherty will also give residencies in poetry and fiction. . Each of these writers will read work from 10 Visiting Writer students and then meet with those students personally to discuss the students’ work. Brigit Pegeen Kelly will visit UH’s Cre- So almost half of our current students will ative Writing Program during the week be able to participate in a residency with a of February 11. She will read from her visiting writer this year. work and also either conduct a workshop Volume 1, Spring 2007

CWP NEWS 5ews the first time—address pressing con- ing The Hottentot Venus and Ameri- temporary issues in brilliant ways. It can Sublime, a finalist for the 2005 promises to be a very thought-pro- Pulitzer Prize. The Chicago Tribune voking season. This year’s writers says, “Her poems make the public Inprint brings to Texas 12 of the include: and private dance together.” Taha world’s leading authors, including Muhammad Ali, coming to Hous- Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cha- Michael Chabon—September 10, ton with his translator Peter Cole, bon, McSweeney’s founder Dave 7:30 pm, Alley Theatre, Hubbard is a leading figure in the contempo- Eggers, National Book Award win- Stage: Pulitzer Prize winner Cha- rary Palestinian literary scene. Writ- ners Alice McDermott and Richard bon, whom Michiko Kakutani calls ing for more than five decades, Ali’s Powers, and former U.S. Poet Lau- “an immensely gifted writer and a works, including his latest So What: reate Robert Hass, for the 2007- magical prose stylist,” is the author New and Selected Poems, focus on the 2008 Inprint Brown Reading Series. of The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, a New everyday realities of the Arab-Israeli The series, which runs from Septem- York Times bestseller; Wonder Boys, crisis. The Boston Globe praises him ber to April, is presented by Inprint, which was made into a feature film for distilling from it “not slogans, in association with the UH Creative starring Michael Douglas and Tobey not hatred, but art of the highest or- Writing Program (UH CWP), Al- Maguire; and the 2001 Pulitzer Prize der.” ley Theatre, and Brazos Bookstore. winning novel, The Amazing Adven- Each of the seven evenings consists tures of Kavalier and Clay. He reads Vikram Chandra and Mayra Mon- of a reading by the featured writer(s) from The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, tero—Monday, January 21, 7:30 and an on-stage interview, followed his new detective novel, in which pm, Alley Theatre, Hubbard Stage: by a book sale and signing. Readings contemporary Israel does not exist Vikram Chandra, Indian-born UH take place at the Alley Theatre, 615 and European Jewish refugees have Creative Writing Program alum, re- Texas Avenue, on Mondays at 7:30 found a home in Alaska. ceived rave reviews for his novel Red pm (doors open 6:45), unless other- Earth and Pouring Rain and story wise noted. Richard Powers and Jennifer collection Love and Longing in Bom- Egan—Monday, October 15, 7:30 bay. The Christian Science Monitor The Inprint Brown Reading Series, pm, Alley Theatre, Hubbard Stage: describes Sacred Games, Chandra’s entering its 27th season this fall, MacArthur “genius” Fellowship win- latest 900 page novel, as “monstrous- ranks among the nation’s leading ner Richard Powers, whose master- ly entertaining, conjuring images of literary showcases. Over the years, ful plots combine contemporary a literary duet between John Irving the Inprint Brown Reading Series issues with aspects of science, medi- and Vikram Seth, with a dollop has presented more than 250 of the cine, technology and the arts, is the of Mario Puzo thrown in for good world’s great writers, including win- author of nine novels, including The measure.” Mayra Montero, Cuban ners of four Nobel Prizes, 38 Pulit- Gold Bug Variations, Operation Wan- born and hailed as “a worthy peer zer Prizes, and 39 National Book dering Soul, The Time of Our Singing of the likes of ” Awards. In Ultimate Houston 2006, and his most recent, The Echo Mak- (San Francisco Chronicle), is the au- the Houston Chronicle writes, “For ers, winner of the 2006 National thor of nine novels and a collection 26 years Inprint has brought the Book Award. Jennifer Egan,“one of of short stories, including her latest royalty of world literature to town the most gifted writers of her gen- novel, Dancing to “Almendra”, which and charged us a paltry $5 (OK, in eration” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer), “without a wasted word . . weaves a couple of cases $10) to sit at their is the author of The Invisible Circus, the real and fictional . . . in a web feet. John Updike, John Irving, Lou- Look at Me (a National Book Award that personifies Cuba of 1957” (The ise Erdrich, , Salman finalist) and her most recent, The Washington Post). Rushdie, Jeffrey Eugenides, Sandra Keep, which Madison Smart Bell de- Cisneros — those are just a few of scribes as “prodigiously entertaining Dave Eggers and Chimamanda the A-list authors who have read for and profoundly moving.” Ngozi Adichie—Sunday, February the Inprint Brown Reading Series.” 17, 7:30 pm, Wortham Center, Cul- Elizabeth Alexander and Taha Mu- len Theater: Dave Eggers, founder The 2007-2008 Inprint Brown hammad Ali—Monday, November of the independent publishing Reading Series continues this tradi- 12, 7:30 pm, Alley Theatre, Neu- house McSweeney’s, rose to literary tion of excellence. The internation- haus Stage: Elizabeth Alexander, stardom when his memoir, A Heart- ally renowned writers featured this whose work penetrates the African breaking Work of Staggering Genius, season—many visiting Houston for American experience, is the author quickly became a bestseller and was of four collections of poetry, includ- a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Eg-

CWP NEWS 6 Calendar for Reading Series Fall 2007/Spring 2008 9/10 Inprint/MRB Series Michael Chabon Alley Theatre 9/19 Poetry & Prose Alex Parsons, Mark Doty M.D. Anderson Library,UH Campus 10/3 Inprint Studio Maurice Manning, Emily Fox Gordon DiverseWorks 10/15 Inprint/MRB Series Richard Powers, Jennifer Egan Alley Theatre 10/17 Poetry & Prose Mat Johnson, Liz Waldner M.D. Anderson Library, UH Campus 10/24 Inprint Studio William Henry Lewis, Justin Cronin DiverseWorks 11/7 Poetry & Prose First Year M.F.A. & Ph.D Students, M.D. Anderson Library,UH Campus

11/12 Inprint/MRB Series Elizabeth Alexander, Taha Muhammad Ali, Alley Theatre 1/21 Inprint/MRB Series Vikram Chandra, Mayra Montero Alley Theatre Week of 2/11 (TBA) Brigit Pegeen Kelly Place to be announced. 2/17 Inprint/MRB Series Dave Eggers, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Cullen Theatre, Wortham Center 3/12 Inprint Studio Tracy Daugherty, Lisa Lewis DiverseWorks 3/31 Inprint/MRB Series Alice McDermott, Laura Restrepo Zilka Hall, Hobby Center

4/12 Special Event Marjane Satrapi Zilka Hall, Hobby Center 4/21 Inprint/MRB Series Robert Hass Alley Theatre gers’ latest novel, What is the What, Book Award winner Charming Billy. Monthly says, “No practicing poet based on a true story of a Sudanese She reads from her latest novel, Af- has more talent than Robert Hass.” “lost boy,” is hailed by New York ter This, which, like her other works, Magazine as “nothing short of ge- explores on Irish-Catholic American The Inprint Brown Reading Series nius.” Nigerian-born Chimamanda life. Columbian writer Laura Re- is presented by Inprint, a Houston Ngozi Adichie is the author of the strepo, a life-long peace activist, is a arts organization whose mission is critically acclaimed Purple Hibiscus, leading figure in the Latin American to inspire readers and writers. The winner of the Commonwealth Writ- literary scene. The Washington Post Inprint Brown Reading Series re- ers’ Prize for Best First Book 2005. says of her latest novel, Delirium, ceives generous underwriting sup- Her new novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, the sixth to be translated into Eng- port from The Brown Foundation, set in 1960s Nigeria, is described by lish, “Laura Restrepo’s Delirium is Inc., Weatherford International and Time magazine as “a gorgeous, piti- a book-and-a-half: stunning, dense, is also supported by an award from less account of love, violence, and complex, mind-blowing. The novel the National Endowment for the betrayal during the Biafran war,” goes far above politics, right up into Arts “which believes that a great na- and New York Magazine says, “It’s high art.” tion deserves great art.” Inprint also like 'Gone With the Wind', except receives in-kind support from the in Nigeria.” The book won the 2007 Robert Hass—Monday, April 21, Alley Theatre, Continental Airlines, Orange Prize. 7:30 pm, Alley Theatre, Neuhaus Hines, Houston Chronicle and Stage: Robert Hass, former U.S. KUHF 88.7 FM, as well as other Alice McDermott and Laura Re- Poet Laureate, is a champion of the support from the Texas Commission strepo—Monday, March 31, 7:30 literacy and environmental move- on the Arts and The City of Houston pm, Hobby Center for the Perform- ments. A recipient of a MacArthur through the Houston Arts Alliance. ing Arts, Zilkha Hall: Alice McDer- Foundation “genius” Fellowship and mott, “a genius of quiet observa- two National Book Critics Circle Visit our website at: tion . . . One of our finest novelists Awards, Hass is the author of five www.inprinthouston.org at work today” (Los Angeles Times collections of poetry, including Field Book Review), is the author of six Guide, Praise, Human Values, Sun novels, including the Pulitzer Prize Under Wood and his much-anticipat- finalist That Night, the bestselling ed new collection, Time and Materi- Child of My Heart and the National als: Poems 1997-2005. The Atlantic

CWP NEWS 7 .

Alan Ainsworth Kim Garcia

Hayan Charara Tony Hoagland

Michael Dumanis Katherine Center

Naeem Murr Nancy Eimers Claire Kageyama-Ramakrishnan

CWP NEWS 8 Mat Johnson David Vance William J. Cobb

Andrew Kozma Wayne Miller Susan Davis

Alexander Parsons Joni Tevis Renee Dodd

David M. Parsons Eric Miles Williamson Leslie Adrienne Miller

CWP NEWS 9 introduction about Arab American poetry 2001), Casey Fleming (M.F.A., Fiction), and poems from thirty-eight contempo- and Scott Repass in organizing the Poison rary Arab American poets. Pen Reading Series at Scott's bar, Poison Lauren Berry (M.F.A., Poetry) received He participated in two conference panels, Girl. He has been invited to be a waiter a First-year MA/MFA Scholarship to Se- the first at AWP in Atlanta ("Emerging at Bread Loaf and, in April, read in the wanee Writers' Conference. Voices: Arab American Literature in the MFAH's Starbucks sponsored Salon Se- 21st Century") and then at the national ries with poet and fellow CWP student conference of the Radius of Arab Ameri- Lacy Johnson. Matt Boyleston (Ph.D., Poetry) has po- can Writers in Detroit ("Contemporary ems published or forthcoming in The Arab American Poetry"). New Orleans Review, Poetryfish, Harpur James Davis May (M.F.A., Poetry) has Palate, The Spoon River Poetry Review, poems coming out in The Texas Review, The GW Review and The GSU Review. Kimberly Garcia (M.F.A., Poetry) pub- The Cimarron Review, and Atlanta Re- He gave and/or is giving readings at lished Madonna Magdalene in October, view this year. SUNY Binghampton, Winthrop Univer- 2006, through Turning Point Press. She sity, San Angelo State, and The University will be reading at Old Stone House in of Wales, Bangor. In addition to that, he’s (brooklynreadingworks.type- Paul Otremba (Ph.D., Poetry) had his presented papers at the Southern Regional pad.com) on Thursday at 8 pm at the first collection of poems accepted for American Conference for Irish Studies in 2008 AWP conference in New York and publication by Four Way Books, and it Rock Hill, South Carolina and the Na- welcomes any U of H folks to come by is scheduled for release in the fall of '08 tional PCA/ACA Conference in Boston. and read at the open mike following, or or the spring of '09. He had an essay on And to top it all off, he’s to be married just listen. She’ll "buy you a beer and Karen Volkman appear in July in the an- on June 15 to Abby Heller who graduated bless you for leaving the hotel sheep pen thology American Poets in the 21st Century: with her MA in lit in 2007. Congratula- in support of poetry.” She can be reached The New Poetics. This year his poems have tions!! through her website www.kim-garcia.com appeared or are forthcoming in Forklift, if you need directions or just want to get Ohio, The Kenyon Review, Lyric, Luna, in touch. Marginalia, Pebble Lake Review, and Po- Jericho Brown (Ph.D., Poetry) served as etry Daily. the commencement speaker this May at graduation ceremonies for the College of April Goldman (M.F.A., Poetry) received Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. He is a First-year MA/MFA Scholarship to Se- Kathryn Peterson Paterson (Ph.D., Fic- now teaching creative writing in his new wanee Writers' Conference. tion) reports “fabulous” news from the position as Assistant Professor of English prison near Alvin where she teaches cre- at the University of San Diego. This past ative writing seminars (and other classes)! year, he had poems published in the New Lacy Johnson (Ph.D., Poetry) placed her When she got to her first class of the sum- England Review and AGNI. He also had essay, “The Art of Self-Inscription” in the mer course she was teaching, several of work taken by Post Road, Prairie Schoo- summer issue of Pebble Lake Review. Lacy her students told her that the prison had ner, Water-Stone Review and jubilat. Jer- was an instructor for the Cynthia Woods done very well in the national PEN/Pris- icho’s first book, Please, will be published Mitchell Center for the Arts’ collaboration on awards. One of the students placed in by Western Michigan University’s New Is- among the arts class. And last, but defi- every single writing category, including a sues Poetry & Poetry in the fall of 2008. nitely not least, her daughter, Hazel, was first place in fiction! “Even more excit- born this past December. It’s definitely ing, though, is that they ‘practically swept’ been a good year. the drama category, winning first, second Hayan Charara (Ph.D., Poetry) had po- and third place, and one of the honor- ems published in Bat City Review, Literary able mentions!” Most of these students Imagination, Michigan Quarterly Review, Andrew Kozma (Ph.D., Poetry) won the were directly from Kathryn’s playwriting Pebble Lake Review, and the anthology Zone 3 First Book Prize and his book, City class there last summer, and several are We Begin Here: Poems for Lebanon and of Regret, will be out before the end of the former students from the five years she’s Palestine. Several poems were translated summer. He had a non-fiction piece place been teaching there part-time. If you’re into French and appeared in the journal as a finalist for the Iowa Review Awards interested, you can read some of the win- Siècle 21. Three poems were nominated and will be published in the spring issue ning entries online at www.pen.org/page. by Marilyn Hacker for the Pushcart Prize. of the magazine. Poems of Andrew’s have php/prmID/1439. However, be warned An anthology Hayan edited, Inclined to been published in Post Road and Best New that a couple of the entries can be tough Speak: Contemporary Arab American Po- Poets 2006. to read, depending on your mindset and etry, was accepted for publication and will background. Some are certainly deep and be put out by the University of Arkansas David MacLean (Ph.D., Fiction) has accurate (if also somewhat disturbing) Press in mid-2008. It contains a lengthy been working with Greg Oaks (Ph.D., portrayals of life in our prison system. It

CWP NEWS 10 really gets to the heart of a certain part of Assistant for the New York Quarterly, as our society. well as attending the Bread Loaf Writers Kathryn directed and edited/rewrote a Conference for non-fiction as a work- Cynthia Woods Mitchell full-length Easter musical for her church study scholar. As of spring 2007 he has Center for the Arts in the spring. She says that the writ- been the Assistant Editor of Pebble Lake ing/adapting part of it was not the most Review. On July 14th eight undergraduate stu- stellar part of her career, as the end result dents from the departments of Creative was a sort of Wagner meets Beckett in the Writing, Communications, Educa- middle of a Baptist church with a Greek Bradford Gray Telford (Ph.D, Poetry) tion and Construction Management chorus looking on. A bit crazy, but the won the Willis Barnstone Translation Technology presented their semester’s congregation seemed to like it! Prize for his work on French poet Gen- Also, she’s almost at page 230 of her own eviève Huttin. His poems and essays work to the public as part of the first novel and gathering steam. appeared in The Yale Review, Pleiades, ever undergraduate course in collabora- Hayden’s Ferry Review, The Dirty Goat, tion among the arts. Sponsored by the American Book Review, and Gulf Coast Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Amanda Nowlin O’Banion (Ph.D., Fic- among other places. Look for new work Arts, the Creative Writing Department, tion) let us know that Literary Cash was re- of Brad’s forthcoming in BOMB, Colum- the English Department and Lower leased in January 2007. This is the anthol- bia, Absinthe: New European Writing and Division Studies, the course provided ogy about Johnny Cash which includes a other journals. students with a unique opportunity to chapter from her novel (more familiar to collaborate on the design, execution some as her dissertation). and promotion of an original, interdis- Jamie Thomas (Ph. D., Poetry) and his ciplinary art project. The two resulting Brian Russell (M.F.A., Poetry) has poems wife, Steffanie, gave birth to their second projects were more than instructor Lacy coming out this fall/winter in Epoch and child in February, a bouncing 11-pounder M. Johnson hoped for when she de- DIAGRAM. named Jude Webb Thomas. Also, Jamie signed the course. “Urban Pariah” took was a finalist for the New Issues Press Po- the form of a film installation about Glenn Shaheen (M.F.A., Poetry) has po- etry Prize for his manuscript, “First Yell construction without a conscience in ems published or forthcoming in dANDe- Fire”, and he had work accepted for publi- Houston’s Fourth Ward and “No Cash lion, Cranky and Subtropics. He attended cation in RHINO, Hiram Poetry Review, Value” comprised an interactive instal- AWP in Atlanta and was good enough to and Zone 3. His poem, "ACME Love lation about looking inwardly. Although provide us with a couple of pictures of our Poem," was featured as Poem of the Week only the students from “Urban Pariah” students there. on the Missouri Review online. have future plans for their film (hoping to revise it for the Project Row Houses), David Ray Vance (Ph.D., Poetry) has students from Johnson’s “Introduction published his first book of poetry, Vitre- to Collaboration” confess it was a “life- ous. It came out in January 2007. changing experience” and “the best class ever.” She whole-heartedly agrees.

Coort Voorhese’s (M.F.A., Fiction) first Lacy M. Johnson book, a YA novel called The Brothers Tor- res, is set to come out in April, 2008, from Glenn, Loren, Nicole & Lauren Hyperion.

Kent Shaw (Ph.D., Poetry) found out that his book was accepted at University Jacob White (Ph.D., Fiction) had stories of Tampa Press. He won their book con- published this year in The Sewanee Re- test and the book is set to be published view and The Greensboro Review. early 2008.

Matthew Siegel (M.F.A., Poetry) had poems published or accepted for publica- tion in Cimarron Review, Passages North, Patterson Literary Review, Pebble Lake Review, and Forklift, Ohio. He spent the summer of 2007 life-guarding back home in New York and working as an Editorial

CWP NEWS 11 M.F.A., Univ. of Maryland Writing Competitions

Ekstrand, Eric M., M.F.A. The Creative Writing Program’s Fiction B.A., Wake Forest Univ. 2006 – 2007 writing competitions were judged by Sigrid Nunez for fic- Gamble, Hannah K., M.F.A. Bean, Zachary, Ph.D. B.A., Univ. of Tennessee at Chatta- tion, Toi Derricotte for poetry and B.A., Univ. of Arkansas nooga Richard McCann for non-fiction. M.F.A., Penn State Univ. The winners were: Glover, Kasten C., M.F.A. Boyd, Erin, M.F.A. B.A., Central Missouri State Univ. Inprint/Diana P. Hobby Prize in Fiction B.A., Univ. of Texas-Austin Oindrila Mukherjee Higgins, Eric, Ph.D. Cedilnik, Laurie, M.F.A. B.A., Univ. of Arizona B.A., Wellesley College Inprint/Verlaine Prize in Poetry M.A., Ball State Univ. Sasha West Flowers, Quincy, Ph.D. Journey, Anna E., Ph.D. B.A., Kennesaw State Univ. Michener Fellowship in Honor of B.F.A., Virginia Commonwealth M.A., New York Univ. Donald Barthelme for Non-Fiction Univ. M.F.A., Virginia Commonwealth Kimberly Meyer Johnson, Brianne Alexis, Ph.D. Univ. (Deferred from Fall 2007) Inprint/Barthelme B.S., Georgetown Univ. Kirby, Margaret E., M.F.A. Memorial Fellowships M.S., Joint Military Intelligence Col- B.A., Univ. of Houston Jeanine Walker- Fiction lege Nick Brown- Fiction Spinks, Daniel B., M.F.A. Niles-Gill, Jonathan, M.F.A. Raj Mankad- Non-Fiction B.A., Susquehanna Univ. B.A., Univ. of Georgia Paul Otremba- Poetry

Schimmel, B. Ian, M.F.A. Inprint/Lucille Joy Prize in Poetry B.A., Tufts Univ. Andrew Brininstool

Stansel, Ian, Ph.D. Fall 2006 Brazos Bookstore/Academy of B.A., Northern Illinois Univ. American Poets Prize M.F.A., Univ. of Iowa Lindsey Royce, Ph.D., Poetry Jeanine Walker Thekkiam, Sruthi, Ph.D. David Vance, Ph. D., Poetry Honorable Mentions B.A., Bangalore Univ. Bradford Telford & Kate Schmitt M.F.A., Bowling Green State Univ. Spring 2007

White, Brandon, M.F.A. Nicholas Brown, M.F.A., Fic- B.A., Univ. of Illinois tion James Davis May, M.F.A., Poetry Poetry

Bishop, Sean, M.F.A. Nelson Demery, a.k.a. Jericho B.A., Hampshire College Brown, Ph.D., Poetry Chris Dunn, Ph.D., Poetry Carlise, Charles, Ph.D. Andrew Kozma, Ph.D., Poetry B.A., Wittenberg Univ. Amanda Nowlin-O’Banion, M.A., Univ. of California-Davis Ph.D., Fiction Roberta Short, Ph.D., Fiction Countryman, Elizabeth, Ph.D. Gemini Wahhaj, Ph.D., Fiction Jericho Brown B.A., Tufts Univ. Sasha West, Ph.D., Poetry

CWP NEWS 12 Remembering Dan Stern Mine Own Edward Hirsch On Adam... I wrote this story when I was in Dan’s famous boot camp workshop, “Forms of Once, driving up Houston’s Shepherd At The Menil Collection this past March, Fiction.” Dan, always a demanding teach- Drive in the late fall with the windows on a Tuesday declared “Adam Zagajewski er, asked us to write a story a week using down—my wife, Landon, and I consumed Day” by Houston’s mayor, students, col- again with laughter—a car pulls up beside leagues, friends, members of the arts com- a chosen form. We grumbled at first, us and Ed’s familiar voice commands from munity, and the community at large paid whined too much. “No! It’s impossible! the next lane: “You’re not supposed to be tribute to Adam, with the full force of his It can never be done! Won’t quality suffer having so much fun!” he mock-scolds us. impact here being felt. Over his 19 years for quantity?” Rather than turn us into “The rest of us are miserable over here.” of teaching in the Creative Writing Pro- writing automatons that semester, Dan And the three of us roll together in mirth gram, Adam contributed a seriousness of helped us understand what we needed to through traffic, caught in a private mo- thought and an awareness of European do to become writers; write often; write ment of unexpected joy, afronting the ste- poetry that helped to distinguish this pro- even when you think you have nothing reotypes of poetry. gram as a place where the life of the mind to say; write because you have to, because is just as important as the study of a craft. words won’t leave you alone. This story, Another afternoon, in the diffuse light of a With his poems and essays, Adam’s influ- my first published story, came about be- South Texas winter, our entourage of poets ence on American poetry has been beyond cause of Dan’s urgings and his wise lessons. unhibernating again, entering again the the sphere of Houston, and through the How lucky I am that it is also Dan who monochrome seminar room—Ed glows Krakow Poetry Seminars, he furthered his published this story in Hampton Shorts, a with anticipation of the assembling pos- role as a facilitator between American po- journal for which he was fiction editor. sibilities for the day’s discussion. “I’m fi- ets and a larger and diverse tradition. This nally with the smart kids,” he gloats. But fall, Adam will continue his contributions I teach fiction writing workshops now to the American intellectual and artistic later, the room is struck dumb as Ed tells and I always find myself repeating Dan’s community as he joins the faculty for the us of Radnoti on the march, his last poems lessons to my students when they ask Committee of Social Thought at the Uni- written in a notebook during his terrible, how you ”fit” writing in with everything versity of Chicago. forced march, the notebook lifted from else that fills up a day and night. I brag, with the pride of a daughter, “When my the mass grave. And at head of the table, Paul Otremba Ed has his head in his hands, witness to teacher Dan Stern was working for Holly- abjection, a type of experience we know wood, working a how-can-I-fit-anything- only as: poetry. else-into-my-day kind of job, he wrote novels. How did he do it? 250 words a The Houston of my experience and my day, most every day. So no whining about memory is imprinted with Ed, his joy and how much work you have to do for the his seriousness, his poetry, which saves course. You just do it, like he did.” When me. my students ask me how you “become” a writer, Dan is my example: “You live a life that’s larger than writing. You become Gary Hawkins many things—cellist, as executive, Holly- Black Mountain, wood mogul, Holocaust scholar, husband, July 2007 father, grandfather, teacher, writer. You Adam & Ed with Nick Flynn become Dan Stern.”

Kerry Neville Bakken Excerpt from A Book For Daniel Stern

CWP NEWS 13 Siegel’s “Is Pepper Steak a Steak Made many drafts and versions that went into of Pepper?: An Interview with Bob Hi- Page One of Mark Z. Danielewski’s Only cok.” Accolades like these contribute to Revolutions. Gulf Coast’s national reputation as “one of the established players . . . in the pro- And the riches spill over into Gulf Coast gressive mainstream.” 20.1, which should be on newsstands and in subscribers’ hands sometime next Locally, Gulf Coast continues to make month. The issue features poems by the literary arts an important part of Mary Jo Bang, Michael Burkard, Nor- Houston. As many of you already know, man Dubie, Brenda Hillman, Naomi our annual reading series at Brazos Book- Shihab Nye, and ; store was voted “Best Reading Series” stories by Viet Thanh Nguyen and Bapsi by Houston Press in September 2004, Sidhwa; nonfiction by Michelle Disler and our readers also appear on KUHF’s and Allison Schuette-Hoffman; and spe- “Front Row.” In 2006, our CLMP cial tributes to Daniel Stern and Robin Domestic Crude Small Press/Literary Magazine Fair was Utterback. held for the first time at Ziggy’s Healthy Grill, giving us a chance to reach out to Subscriptions to Gulf Coast are offered Before there was Gulf Coast, there was a a larger community of aspiring writers, to UH CWP affiliates for a special price magazine called Domestic Crude. Pub- and to offer that community deeply-dis- of $25 for two-years (a savings of $7 off lished in 1983, Domestic Crude was the counted books and magazines, as well the cover price) and $13 for one-year University’s first literary journal. It was as seminars and one-to-one conferences ($3 off the cover price). Send check or sixty-four pages long. It had poems by with Gulf Coast editors. money order along with subscription Naomi Shihab Nye and Marie Ponsot. address to: Gulf Coast, Department of On the cover, it had a ground-view pho- But perhaps our biggest success came at English, University of Houston, Hous- tograph of I-45. It wasn’t until 1987 this year’s Gulf Coast launch party. Cel- ton, TX 77204-3013. Also check out that Domestic Crude gave way to Gulf ebrating the release of Issue 19.2 (Sum- our website at: www.gulfcoastmag.org. Coast . . . mer/Fall 2007), Gulf Coast was proud to sponsor a one-time special event at . . . which technically makes this year Texas Gallery, featuring the work of art- our twentieth anniversary. And while it ist David McGee as well as a reading by wouldn’t be out of place to wax nostal- National Book Award-nominee Mark gic, or to write one of those “my, how Z. Danielewski. Supported by the Po- we’ve grown!” monologues, we at Gulf ets & Writers Foundation, the event was Coast would like to say a simple, heart- truly an evening of “literature and fine felt thanks to all of you—the University art”—a celebration of what Gulf Coast of Houston Creative Writing Program. is and has become over the last twenty You’re the alumni, faculty, and friends years. (If you are in the Houston area who for twenty years have supported our and would like to be notified of upcom- Spring 2007 little rag—reading it, writing for it, edit- ing readings, fairs, and events, please ing it. You’re the reason it’s still here. email us at [email protected].) Happily, we can report that the little rag If you haven’t already, be sure to read is thriving. Gulf Coast continues to be Gulf Coast 19.2. It’s an embarrassment a vital part of both the local and national of riches—poetry by C. Dale Young, literary communities. Last year, Heath- Carl Phillips, and Monica Youn; new er McHugh chose David Shumate’s by and Daniel “Drawing Jesus,” first published in Gulf Mendelsohn; Padgett Powell’s “Bebek”; Coast, for the 2007 Best American Poetry the work of Bangladeshi author Shab- anthology. Other Gulf Coast poems nam Nadiya; and nonfiction by Claire are forthcoming in the Best New Poets Davis. Moreover, it features “Only and Pushcart Prize collections. And Po- Evolutions,” an eight-page folio on the Fall 2007 etry Daily recently featured Matthew

CWP NEWS 14 - about a farm in Eastern Washington Patricia Clark (Ph.D., 1986) had 3 po- where chefs go to learn about farm life ems published this summer in Gettysburg - butchering, cooking from the gardens, Review. There are also poems forthcom- Alan Ainsworth (Ph.D., 1996) edited an making sausages and preserves, foraging, ing in Zone 3, where one poem, “Hom- anthology designed for freshman compo- etc. etc. This book will come out in 2008 age to the Green-backed Heron”, won sition students, 75 Arguments, published from Mountaineers Books, Seattle. She’s one of their editor’s prizes by McGraw-Hill. He continues to serve also working on her second book of po- as Chair of English at Houston Commu- ems. William Cobb (Ph.D., 1993) read at the nity College Central. Fall 2006 Single Voice Reading Series. Derick Burleson's (Ph.D., 2001) new He’s reading coincided with the release of Christopher and Kerry Neville Bakken collection of poems, Never Night, is his new novel, Goodnight Texas. (Ph.D., 1999 and Ph.D., 2000, respec- forthcoming from Marick Press in spring tively) were both featured as readers at the 2008. He teaches in the MFA program at Deborah Cummins (M.A., 1994) has Spring 2007 Single Voice Reading Series. the University of Alaska--Fairbanks. had two poems selected and read by Gar- Kerry’s book, Necessary Lies, won the Best rison Keillor on “The Writers' Almanac” Books 2006 award in fiction/short stories Katherine Center’s (M.F.A., 1998) nov- on NPR. Deborah was a member of the from USABookNews.com. el, The Bright Side of Disaster, came out in faculty for the Down East Writers' Con- June. There’s a lot of excitement about the ference in Stonington, Maine, in June Nicky Beer (M.F.A., 2003) says she has book at Random House, which published and she continues to serve on the Board no book yet, and no new family members it under the Ballantine imprint. They are of Trustees for The Poetry Foundation. (unless she counts the cat), but she got a calling it “the book everyone from the 2007 Literature Fellowship from the Na- publisher to the proofreader fell in love Tracy Daugherty (Ph.D., 1985) reports tional Endowment for the Arts. with.” Last January, Random House fea- that St. Martin's Press has signed to pub- tured the book along with five others at a lish his biography of Donald Barthelme David Bernardy (Ph.D., 2006) present- Summer Showcase for the press at Sardi’s titled Hiding Man. Tracy was a 2006-07 ed as part of a panel at the International in . Vanity Fair threw a Guggenheim Fellow, and he’s been invited Writing Center Association Conference book party for Bright Side in New York to be a writer in residence at the Vermont in Houston along with fellow UH alum- the day after it came out and will feature Studio Center in February. Recent short ni Julie Chisholm and Heather Bigley it in the magazine. Redbook featured it stories and essays have appeared or are (M.F.A., 2003). In August, David and on their July Entertainment page, and forthcoming in McSweeneys, The Geor- Joni Tevis will be moving to Chapel Hill, People Magazine gave it 31/2 stars calling gia Review, Boulevard, Prairie Schooner, NC, where Joni will begin her new posi- it a “snappy romance” that’s “cleverly told The Green Mountain Review, The Fairy tion at the University of North Carolina, and uncommonly appealing.” The book Tale Review, and the Writer's Chronicle. Chapel Hill. deal with Random House is actually for He’s currently Chair of the English De- two novels, so she will have another novel partment at Oregon State University. He Ann Bogle's (M.F.A., 1994) poems ap- coming out next summer, too. Random will be reading at the Univ. of Houston in peared this year in PFS Post, ~W_O_M_ House has also asked her to join their Spring, 2008. B~, and on MiPOradio. An article, "A Emerging Voices series, a speakers’ pro- Perennial Review of Leo Kottke's Thanks- gram run in liaison with the American Susan Davis (M.F.A., 1995) has a new giving Concert at the Ordway Music Program Bureau. Katherine also has an book of poems, Gathering Sound, that Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota," appeared essay coming out in the August issue of came out in fall 2006. It won the Gorsline in The Lyre. She keeps a weblog called Real Simple magazine about her son, Prize from Fairweather Books. Also, an Ana Verse at http://annbogle.blogspot. Thomas (complete with photos!). anthology that she co-edited called Search- com. Prose poems are forthcoming in the She read from the new book at Brazos ing For Mary Poppins: Women Write About new national publication, Minnetonka Bookstore in Houston in June. Katherine the Intense Relationship Between Mothers Review. She attended the 2007 AWP also filmed a Public Service Announce- and Nannies was recently published by Convention in Atlanta and had the plea- ment commercial for Writers In The Penguin Books. Included in the book are sure of seeing several Houston friends and Schools that will run in 9 cities across the essays by fellow UH alumni Marisa de professors. country. Please visit her website, www. los Santos and Karen Sheperd. katherinecenter.com, for more info! Shannon Borg (Ph.D., 1999) has a new Marissa de los Santos (Ph.D., 1996) job as the lifestyle editor for Seattle maga- Julie Chisholm (Ph.D., 2002) let us spent the first part of the winter touring zine - editing the food/wine/dining/en- know that she has a new appointment as for the paperback edition of her novel tertaining sections of the magazine...She’s Assistant Professor of Communication Love Walked In, which came out right also working on a non-fiction food/cook- Literacies at Cal State University, Mari- after Thanksgiving. She says touring eats book called Chefs on the Farm: The Quil- time. up lots of time and energy, so she had to lisascut Farm School of the Domestic Arts push back the delivery date for her sec-

CWP NEWS 15 ond novel. She delivered the book in and on Mom! dation that will allow her to spend the William Morrow will publish it in spring spring 2008 semester at their study center 2008. Marissa plans to start a third novel Rebecca Flowers (M.F.A., 1994) reports in Cassis, France. New poems and trans- this summer. that her first novel,Nice to Come Home To, lations are appearing or forthcoming in will be published by Riverhead Books, an The Southern Review, , Im- Renee Dodd’s (M.F.A., 2004) book, imprint of Penguin, in April, 2008. She’s age, Tri-Quarterly, and Mantis. She spent A Cabinet of Wonders, was included in currently working on her second book, a month in Krakow this past summer. Kirkus’s Best Books of 06 special issue as Miss Blue Tip, and running her husband's one of the “30 outstanding titles that de- solo medical practice. They’re still in James Hall’s (Ph.D., 2006) first book of serve your attention.” Western Massachusetts and have two little poems, titled Now You're the Enemy, was girls, ages three and "five-and-three-quar- recently selected as one of the winners of Barbara Duffey (M.F.A., 2005) had po- ters!" Her web site is www.rebeccaflowers. the University of Arkansas Press' Poetry ems accepted in Barrelhouse and Fault- com. Series. It's slated for release in January line. She'll start her Ph.D. in Literature 2008. The book was a finalist for the and Creative Writing at the University of Tiphanie Yanique Galiber (M.F.A., 2007 Walt Whitman Award, and poems Utah this August, and she’s getting mar- 2006) had a story published in Transition from it have appeared recently in Boston ried in October. Congratulations, Bar- Magazine and won a Pushcart Prize (she Review, American Letters & Commen- bara! was nominated for three!) for her poem, tary, and Painted Bride Quarterly. He has “The Bridge". Her chapbook, The Sav- two poems forthcoming in TriQuarterly. Michael Dumanis's (Ph.D., 2005) first ing Work, won the Kore Press Short Fic- James is teaching creative writing and book of poems, My Soviet Union, won tion competition and is to be published American literature at Bethany College in the 2006 Juniper Prize for Poetry and as a chapbook with Kore Press in the fall. West Virginia. was published by the University of Mas- Tiphanie has accepted a position as Assis- sachusetts Press this April. Additionally, tant Professor at Drew University. Jennifer Hannah (M.F.A., 2006) says work by Michael has recently appeared in there’s no book yet for her but she did Conduit, Pleiades, and Post Road, as well Renata Golden (M.F.A., 2000) has a have a baby on March 27. His name is as on the Academy of American Poets technical writing company (Golden Ink) Daniel. He is very cute and sweet and her website as a Poem-of-the-Day selection. that develops courseware for Hewlett- older daughter, Margaret, seems happy to Michael is leaving his teaching position Packard. In her spare time, she wrote short have a little brother. So, Jennifer is grate- in Nebraska after two years to become biographical entries for books such as the ful and relieved. Assistant Professor of English at Cleve- Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century Photog- land State University, and Director of the raphy (Routledge) and Notable American John Harvey (Ph.D., 1998) had a new Cleveland State University Poetry Center, Women ( Press). She play, “Rot”, produced by Mildred’s Um- where he will be responsible for the pub- is living and working in Santa Fe, NM, brella Theater Company in February and lication of four books a year. home of the Lannan Foundation, Cormac March, 2007. McCarthy, and Valerie Plame Wilson. Nancy Eimers (Ph.D., 1989) has had two Gary Hawkins (Ph.D., 2004) has ac- previous collections of poetry published Emily Fox Gordon’s second memoir, Are cepted a new teaching position, and as of and her third one, A Grammer to Waking, You Happy?, came out in March of ’07. She July 1st, became the Director of Under- was published in 2006 on Carnegie Mel- taught personal essay workshops at Rice graduate Writing at Warren Wilson Col- lon. She’s currently at Western Michigan University and the University of Houston lege, a progressive school that combines University. CWP during the spring semester. In May, academics, work, and service in the Blue she sold her new book-in-progress, a com- Ridge of Asheville, North Carolina. So, Randi Faust (M.F.A., 2006) says her ic novel about aging academics tentatively after 3 years of remodeling their Norman, short story "Displacement" was a finalist titled It Will come To Me, to Spiegel and OK, bungalow, he and Landon Godfrey in Glimmer Train's Fall 2006 Short Story Grau. A collection of her personal essays (M.F.A., 2000) are done with the work Contest for New Writers. “Displacement” entitled The Prodigal Returns will also be and moved to North Carolina in July. also won The Iowa Review 2007 Fiction published by Spiegel and Grau after the Award. There was a cash prize and the novel appears, and will feature a preface story will be published in the December by Phillip Lopate. Sean Hill (M.F.A., 2003) won a Jerome issue of The Iowa Review. Other than Foundation Travel and Study Grant to that, she’s working on a novel set in the Jennifer Grotz (Ph.D., 2005) received support travel for the purpose of profes- mountains of West Virginia. Also, her 9- the New Writing Award from the Fel- sional development. Only fourteen Min- year-old son, Sam, just won an award for lowship of Southern Writers, a Rona Jaffe nesota and New York City writers were an essay he wrote about his time in Sri Foundation Writing Award of $25,000, awarded the grants. He was also awarded Lanka after the tsunami, so he's one-up and a fellowship from the Camargo Foun- a Stegner Fellowship from the Stanford

CWP NEWS 16 Creative Writing Program, and begins the Claire Kageyama-Ramakrishnan’s (Ph. own story, and she wrote the story by fellowship in fall 2007. And the Univer- D., 2004) book is forthcoming. Claire hand on a 30 foot wall in the Contem- sity of Georgia Press is publishing his first recently won the Four Way Books 2006 porary Arts Museum, Houston's group full-length poetry manuscript, Blood Ties Intro Poetry Prize. Her manuscript, exhibition. & Brown Liquor! It should be out in Feb- "Shadow Mountain", was selected by In the past year, she’s written essays for ruary 2008. Kimiko Hahn. The book will be - pub the following art exhibition catalogues: lished in April 2008. She also got mar- "Learning to Love You More: Anthology"; Cliff Hudder’s (M.F.A., 1995) first book, ried in December 2006 so she now has a “Paul Druecke's Social Event Archives” a novella, Splinterville, is scheduled for a longer name. (in which she also selected the images); November ’07 release from Texas Review and "Batch: New Work from the Univer- Press. He continues, along with CWP Laura Lark (M.A., 1989) says that since sity of Houston Intermedia Lab". alum Dave Parsons, to administer a she’s not contributed to the newsletter in For the 2006 Fall edition of Artlies! she reading series, a publishing conference, the past, she decided to catch us up on was chosen to do the artist project, a text and yearly birthday celebrations of Walt what she’s done since she was here. She and image based work entitled "Laura Whitman and Emily Dickinson as a pro- was the Art Critic for Artlies!: Texas Con- Lark's Kwik-n-EZ Guide to Creating a gram director of the Montgomery Coun- temporary Art Journal and ArtPapers of Persona". ty (Texas) Literary Arts Council. His son, Atlanta from 1995-1999. She was the For 16 years she was married to the de- Dylan, turns two in October. Guest Editor for Artlies!: Texas Contem- partment chairman of the Philosophy porary Art Journal, Issue #13, Winter Department at Rice University and lived Bill Hughes became a married man in 1996-1997. in Houston. Now she lives and works in March. His beautiful wife, Sarah, is a She received an M.F.A. in Painting at Uni- Houston and New York. stage actress in New York. They live in versity of Houston in 2002. She had solo Red Hook, Brooklyn. Bill recently left exhibitions in San Antonio and Houston. Lance Larsen’s (Ph.D., 1993) good news teaching at CUNY for a gig in advertis- Most recently at Devin Borden/Hiram is he was awarded a 2007 NEA fellow- ing with DDB Worldwide. He’s started Butler Gallery, Houston, she had a solo ship in poetry. Recent work has appeared a new bi-monthly lit journal, Low Rent show in the main gallery entitled "From in Georgia Review, Southwest Review, Magazine, with CWP alumni Jason Koo All of Us, With Love". She is currently Antioch Review, Image, Prairie Schoo- (M.F.A., 2002), Robert Liddell (M.F.A., represented in Houston by Borden/Butler. ner, and Orion, and he had two poems 2005), and Jeff Bernard (M.F.A., 2003). "Illinois", a series of small paintings, will reprinted: one on the Poetry Foundation It’s a totally independent, self-supporting be featured at the gallery in an upcoming website and one in The Pushcart Book of venture. They expect distribution in most solo exhibition in September of 2007. Poetry: the Best Poems from the First 30 metro areas, particularly New York, by She received a $15,000 Artadia Award in Years. He also published a collage essay late August. Anyone reading this newslet- 2003-4, juried by the Whitney's Chrissie in the Bellingham Review. He read at ter is encouraged to send work. Iles, the Walker's Doug Fogle, and the AWP, presented a university-wide forum MFA Houston's Alison de Lima Green. at BYU, and completed a two-week resi- Keith Jardim (Ph.D., 2004) had fiction In 2004, her life story that she wrote and dency at the Anderson Center in Minne- this year in the Journal of Caribbean Lit- posted on a collaborative website entitled sota. eratures and reviews in Caribbean Review "Learning to Love You More" by artists of Books and Compendium of 20th Cen- and filmmakers Miranda July and Harrell Leah Lax (M.F.A., 2004) came through tury World Novelists and Novels. His Fletcher, struck the artists as "the quint- the CWP as a fiction writer. She’s not long story "The Jaguar" will appear in the essential American story". The story was a poet, but Anthony Freud, the director anthology Trinidad Noir (Akashic Books, then translated into Japanese and a new of the Houston Grand Opera, persists in NYC) in 2008 and a long review on the assignment was made: "Make a Video of a calling her one. Leah wrote short pieces first three novels of the Guyanese writer Scene from Laura Lark's Life Story". Sub- based on interviews of Houston's immi- David Dabydeen will appear in Caribbean sequently, several videos, made by Ameri- grants and used them to form the libretto Review of Books later this year. Keith's first can, British, and Japanese, were screened for "The Refuge", to be performed by the book, a collection of stories titled Under at Houston's Aurora Picture Show, where Houston Grand Opera on November 10 the Blue, will be published by Macmillan Harrell Fletcher hosted the event. This on the Wortham Center main stage and (London, UK) in 2008, with another col- was on February 13, 2004. It was entitled again in the spring at the Miller Outdoor lection, The Last Migrations: Stories and a "Loving Laura More". As a result of see- Theatre. Now she’s to be the featured art- Novella, forthcoming in 2009. ing her story on the website at the 2004 ist at Houston Poetry Fest in October. Keith recently accepted a position at the Whitney Biennial, she was approached by To Leah, “it's all storytelling in original University College of the Cayman Islands, Paola Morsiani, Senior Curator, Contem- voices.” where he will teach Caribbean literature, porary Arts Museum, Houston, and Paula English and American literature, fiction Newton, an independent curator. She was Jared Leising (M.F.A., 1998) lives in Se- workshops, and assorted rhetoric courses. asked to make her own videos from her attle and is teaching English at Cascadia

CWP NEWS 17 Community College. He and his wife finishing a counseling psych program at was featured in the inaugural publication had a baby boy last year and, in his di- USD, where Jericho Brown will teach of St. Petersburg Review. minishing spare time, Jared volunteers at next year, and begins a Ph.D. at Florida 826 Seattle, a youth writing center. Re- State in August. Mom, not so good- zip Robin Reagler (Ph.D., 1995) has new cent publications include a poem in A publication and a broken heart. I lost my poems forthcoming in E O A G H and Slice of Cherry Pie (an anthology of poems beloved black lab, Orpheus Newendorp, Ars Poetica. Her manuscript, "Dream inspired by Twin Peaks) and a chapbook at 101, almost 15 in dog year time. He Manifesto", was a finalist at FuturePoem called The Widows and Orphans of Wines- was my best friend and muse, a loving, Books this spring. Her blog “The Other burg, Ohio. loyal companion and an amazing animal. Mother” (http://theothermother.typepad. Without him, I've been unable to write com) was recently named one of the top Timothy Liu (M.A., 1991) had poetry for the first time in 12 years. I turned 100 Mommy blogs and one of the top 10 published in the Spring 2007 issue of 62 on the first day of spring and fear I Lesbian blogs. She is celebrating her 10th Boulevard. may die before I have a book. I need a year as Executive Director of Writers in publisher! the Schools (WITS). Ann McCutchan’s (M.F.A., 1998) essay, AWP in Atlanta was terrific. When Ed "Reaching for the End of Time," origi- Hirsch spoke on a panel for his new in- Martha Serpas (Ph.D., 1998) has read nally published in Image, will appear in ternational anthology series, a collabora- from her collection, The Dirty Side of the The Best American Spiritual Writing 2007 tion with Trinity, San Antonio, he began Storm (which came out in paperback this (Houghton Mifflin). Ann taught in Im- by saying 'I apologize if I haven't taught spring), at the Stella Adler Studio of Act- age's Glen Workshop at St. John's Col- everyone in this room.' Lots of Hous- ing in New York, at Marquette, to faculty lege, Santa Fe, during the summer. She tonians and former UH students were and students of the Literature and the has a book contract to announce, but it there: J.D. Smith and Eric Williamson Environment Program at University of probably won't be official until July. attended, Dave Lazar participated on a Nevada, Reno, and at stops in between, panel and Leslie Miller read for Gray- including Loyola of New Orleans. The Leslie Adrienne Miller (Ph.D., 1991) wolf Press. Rich Levy of Inprint, Inc., Spring 2007 issue of American Poet: The has a fifth book of poems out. The Resur- Robin Davidson (Ph.D., 2001) and Journal of the Academy of American Po- rection Trade came out in March, 2007. Chris Bakken (proud papa of a baby ets reprinted the book’s title poem among She also read at the AWP in Atlanta in boy) were also there. Elline Lipkin (Ph. a group of ten each representing a “re- the spring. Additionally, two of her po- D., 2003) stayed in Atlanta to visit a high markable recent collection.” Since 2003 ems published in Kenyon Review last year school chum and I went on to Savannah she’s been involved in filming a documen- were chosen by Heather McHugh for in- to visit a dear friend. On Dec. 10th, at E. tary about coastal erosion in Louisiana, clusion in the 2007 Best American Poetry. Dickinson's Birthday Celebration, I read and some recent poems by her appear in 'Emily Dickinson's White Dress' in Con- American Religious Poems (Library of Wayne Miller’s (M.F.A., 2002) first full- roe with Laurie Clements Lambeth (Ph. America) and The Nation. length collection of poems, Only the Sens- D., 2005), David Vance, Sarah Cortez es Sleep, came out in October, 2006, from and Dave Parsons.” Karen Sheperd (M.F.A., 1992) was pub- New Issues Press. It received a starred lished in Glimmer Train Stories. review in Publishers Weekly. Dave Parsons’ (M.A., 1991) second col- lection of poems, Color of Mourning, was John Smith (M.A., 1989) says his big Naeem Murr’s latest book, The Perfect released in April from Texas Review Press/ news is getting a 2007 Fellowship in Po- Man, was awarded The Commonwealth Texas A&M University Press Consortium. etry from the NEA. This will give him Writer’s Prize for the Best Book of Eu- His poem “Night Hawk” was the winner time to work on his third and fourth col- rope/South Asia, and was long-listed for of the descant (T.C.U.) 2006 Baskerville lections. the Man Booker Prize. He has two previ- Publishers Poetry Award and he has 8-10 ous books, The Boy and The Genius of the poems that are to be featured with an es- Young Smith (Ph.D., 2003) recently pub- Sea, and has received numerous awards say in the 2007 Langdon Review for the lished new poems in Grain, Tampa Re- for his writing including a Stegner Fellow- Arts. He is still teaching Creative Writing view, Beloit Poetry Journal, on the Poetry ship, a Lannan Residency Fellowship and and Kinesiology ( Handball/Racquetball) Daily website, and in other journals. He a Guggenheim Fellowship. He currently at Montgomery College and coaching the received a Tennessee Williams Scholarship lives in Chicago. You may checkout his Handball Team, still co-directing, with for the 2007 Sewanee Writers’ Confer- website at www.naeemmurr.com. alum Cliff Hudder, the Writers in Per- ence, and his first collection of poems, In formance Series (now in its fifteenth year) a City You Will Never Visit, is forthcoming Laurie Newendorp (M.A., 1992) sent and trying to stay up with all the grand from Black Zinnias Press/The California the following update. children. Institute of Arts and Letters in San Fran- “Family: Dad’s good. My daughter signed cisco. "Better Being Bad”, his musical a contract for her first book. My son is Padgett Powell’s (M.A., 1982) fiction play based on Machiavelli’s "Mandragola"

CWP NEWS 18 (written with Houston composer Jeffrey spike in sales of her first two novels. Her Jennifer Tseng (M.F.A., 2002) had a sto- Lerner), will be produced in Minneapolis agent is sending out her third novel, The ry published in Glimmer Train Stories. in 2008. Young is an Assistant Professor Bad Girls Dinner Party, while she com- of English at Eastern Kentucky Universi- pletes her tragicomic memoir about hik- Sidney Wade (Ph.D., 1984) served last ty, where next year he will help to launch ing the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to year as President of AWP. Her fifth col- a new low-residency MFA program. Canada with her husband. She lives in lection of poems, Stroke, is due out from Boulder, CO, and is just back from para- Persea Books in January 2008. Marilyn Stablein ( M.A., 1984) won 1st gliding in New Zealand. place in poetry and 3rd place in short fic- Randall Watson (Ph.D., 1995) told us tion at the Southwest Writers Awards con- Jenna Terry (M.F.A., 2002) and Scott El- that his novella, Petals, was a finalist in the test. She gave readings in Athens, Greece liott (Ph.D., Fiction) live in Walla Walla, Mary McCarthy Prize for Short Fiction at and at Santa Fe's Writer's center. Her art WA. They were married on Orcas Island Sarabande Books and has won the Quar- work was exhibited in Kentucky, in an two years ago and are pleased to announce terly West Novella Competition. Randy online international artist book exhibi- the birth of their son, August Ray “Gus” is continuing his teaching at Houston tion, at the Albuquerque Museum and Elliott, on July 5th of this year. Community College but will travel to elsewhere. She and her husband Gary China and the Silk Road this summer. operate Acequia Booksellers, a rare and Joni Tevis (Ph.D., 2001) has a new book, used bookstore in Albuquerque's North The Wet Collection, from Milkweed Edi- Eric Miles Williamson (awarded the Valley. tions. CWP's first MFA degree in December, 1991) has now published three books, the David Theis' (M.A., 1988) novel, Rio novels East Bay Grease and Two-Up, and Ganges, was optioned by Mockingbird his latest, a book of critical non-fiction ti- Pictures. tled Oakland, Jack London, and Me. After serving a six-year sentence at Central Mis- Mike Theune (Ph.D., 2002) edited souri State University, Williamson has re- Structure & Surprise: Engaging Poetic turned to Texas and is currently Associate Turns, a new guide to and handbook for Professor of English at the University of poetry from Teachers & Writers Collab- Texas, Pan American. Williamson is As- orative. The book's contributors include sociate Editor of American Book Review, Marilyn Stablein: Secret Orders some other Houston alumni: Christo- Fiction Editor of Texas Review and Asso- pher Bakken and Corey Marks (Ph.D., ciate Editor of Boulevard. Last year he was Anna Stepanek (Ph.D., 2003) reports 2000). An essay on poetic structure, "Po- re-elected to serve on the Board of Direc- a change in job! She’s leaving Wheaton etic Structure and Poetic Form: A Neces- tors of the National Book Critics Circle, College, where she’s been teaching cre- sary Differentiation," appears in the most and his book reviews appear regularly in ative writing for 3 1/2 years, to move to recent issue of American Poet. papers such as The Los Angeles Times, Bethlehem, Israel, with a missions agency. The Washington Post, The San Francisco The agency is starting a school, an arts Robert Tinajero (M.F.A., 2004) is cur- Chronicle, and The Houston Chronicle. program and a library for the Palestinian rently in his second year of doctoral stud- He has just begun writing what will be a refugees. If anyone is interested in help- ies in Rhetoric and Composition at UT- regular column on American writers for ing or visiting, let her know! Her email is El Paso. He presented "Brown and Black the -based literary magazine, Trans- [email protected]. in Hip Hop: Tenuous-Solidarity" at the fuge. He lives eight miles from Reynosa, Conference on College Composition and Mexico, with his wife, Judy, and their Communication (New York). He is a two sons, Guthrie and Turner. contributor to the upcoming Encyclopedia of Bilingual Education. Robert received a grant from the Recovery Project (Arte Publico) at the University of Houston to Department of Corrections research and digitize the Cleofas Calleros special collection at UT-El Paso's library. OOPS!! He will begin working on his dissertation, We would like to apologize for a couple of mis- "Hip Hop Rhetoric", in the fall of 2007. takes made in last year’s publication. We mis- He got married in September 2006 to spelled Eva Ginsburg’s last name. We also mis- Gail Donohue Storey spelled the name of the publication River Styx, Cynthia Duron, a nurse from El Paso, and we referred to Farnoosh Moshiri as “he” in Gail Donohue Storey (M.A., 1982) Texas. the Newsletter the previous year. Honestly, we made her “YouTube” debut with "Hip- don’t do the Newsletter “on the fly” and try to Hop Pilgrim" and was astonished to see a catch all our bloopers.

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