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

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Th ree UH Creative Writers Receive Major Awards

In recognition of a writing career distinguished by a series of books ex- ploring the intersections of American and South Asian cultures, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni was awarded the South Asian Literary Association Distinguished Author Award. John Antel Dean, CLASS Mat Johnson was one of 50 artists to receive a prestigious United States Wyman Herendeen English Dept. Chair Artists Fellowship. Th ese fellowships honor both promise and achieve- ment, and they are intended to support the work of artists and writ- j. Kastely ers whose eff orts are defi ning the possibilities for art and writing in the CWP Director United States. Mat was named the James Baldwin Fellow. Kathy Smathers Assistant Director Tony Hoagland received the Jackson Prize in Poetry—this prize honors Shatera Anderson a poet of “exceptional talent.” In awarding the prize, the judges (Phil- Program Coordinator ip Levine, Robert Pinsky and Ellen Bryant Voigt) commented that “it’s 713.743.3015 [email protected] hard to imagine any aspect of contemporary American life that couldn’t make its way into the writing of Tony Hoagland.”

2007-2008 Edi tion

Every eff ort has been made to include faculty, students, and alumni news. Items not included will be published in the next edition. From the Director...

In the past I have used this space to update you on the state of the program, but this year I wanted to talk briefl y about the rhythm of graduate education and those moments when a student’s writing falls apart. During this year’s doctoral defenses, I was struck by how frequently students talked about a period when they were unable to write. Th ey had entered the program with MFAs and were already planning how to get the fi rst book out and what the second book might be when they found themselves stalled. No doubt some of this can be attributed to an exhausting teaching load and to demanding course work, but I think that something else, something much more important, is going on. Serious graduate education often requires fallow periods. Part of intellectual and aesthetic growth involves a discontent with what one is currently doing and with what one has done in the past. When education works, a previous identity no longer fi ts comfortably, and ways of proceeding that had worked well, no longer work. Such times are unpleasant, to say the least, because it is not clear what will take the place of a former identity or way of writing. One needs simply to work and to wait. And one needs the courage and faith to endure those periods in which one’s writing is not working. We all know that these are very hard periods. But the reward for exercising the virtues of courage and patience are signifi cant. I was struck by how much better and how much more original the writing was for those students who had had to endure a fallow period. As readers of their theses, we could see something emerging that was not predictable and that was clearly the discovery of a voice. It was as if the writer was no longer writing in the style of a previous poet or fi ction writer but was begin- ning to carve out a particular place within a tradition. It was very exciting to see, and it was deeply gratifying.

Too often I fi nd myself dealing with issues of funding or other administrative concerns or academic politics that make me lose sight of what is special about graduate education. It is as if the elements that support the educa- tion usurp the place of the education. When that happens, it is therapeutic to return to a focus on education and to touch base with that important activity of learning and to remember what an amazing thing it is to see a mind grow. Too often the distractions of academic or student life displace this activity, and when that happens, it is a shame.

So in late April and early May I was given a gift and allowed to remember why we are here and to remember the courage and patience that are at the heart of serious intellectual and creative work. It may be worth tolerating the tedium that is so much part of institutional life in order to preserve such work and to fi gure out ways to pro- mote and support it. And more than anything, it was evidence to me of the health of the program. We exist to challenge writers and to teach them how to challenge themselves. Our responsibility is to bring writers into the examined life, and I think that we are meeting that responsibility, and I am proud to be part of that.

j. Kastely, Director

CWP NEWS 2 is meant to augment the English Program News Kathy Smathers is looking forward Department orientation, TA train- to meeting the new students in the ing, and the CWP welcome meet- Fall. Over the summer she chose ing that in the past have comprised Staff News to work a “fl ex time” schedule to the whole of the new student orien- be able to spend more time at her tation. Th e AGCW hopes to pro- vide information that pertains to It’s been a quiet but productive year newly remodeled weekend house at the particular academic concerns in the Creative Writing offi ces. Our Lake Livingston. Since it's pretty of Creative Writing Students in new students from Fall 2007 are so quiet at the offi ce during the sum- their fi rst year as well as to concerns talented and committed and the new mer, we’re allowed to do that. But about living in Houston and build- ones arriving in Fall 2008 promise she’s here if something comes up ing a sense of community among to be just as great. Of course, get- and she’s working on this newslet- new students in those early, ner- ting through the application process ter everyday. And she’s working vous, too-hot weeks before the start kept us busy for several months but with Mike Doyle to get the website of school. Th e welcome will include it’s always worth it when we start fi nished. It’s nice to have the quiet a full campus tour, a question-and- meeting the new folks. time (sometimes too quiet) in the summer but Kathy always looks answer session with returning stu- dents, refreshments and a guide to We’ve also been working to get our forward to having the students and living in Houston. During the year, website updated and it’s actually up faculty back in the Fall. AGCW will have limited funds for now. We still have some text and allocation to help with the costs of links to add but at least the infor- Mike Doyle, as always, is an in- attending conferences and other lit- mation isn’t outdated. We hope to dispensable part of the newsletter and website. He helps to edit text erary activities. We expect most of have a really interactive one within these moneys will go towards fund- the next few months. Th en we can and does most of the layout for the newsletter as well as providing pho- ing AWP-goers but AGCW will also have some fun with it. We’ll keep consider requests for other academic you posted. tos. He also coordinated with the UH/CLASS web gurus to get the conferences (MLA, CCCC, etc.) website up. His ideas are great and and literary events that are reason- Th e graduate lounge and mailroom ably benefi cial to the professional and the hallway got a makeover and he’s as excited as the rest of us to see it updated and online. lives of its members and to the it’s great. It was mostly completed CWP as a whole (readings, slams, by the time classes started in the New Student Association literature festivals, etc.) on an as- Fall and we think the students really needed basis. Th ese funds can only appreciate the new look. It’s more Th e Association of Graduate Cre- be issued through reimbursements, user-friendly and attractive than the ative Writers (AGCW), a stu- and again, are relatively limited, institutional look we had. dent-run academic organization but please don’t be shy about asking representing the interests of CWP about them. Th ey are for you. You Shatera Anderson, our offi ce coor- students in the department, was ap- can do this by contacting any of the dinator, helped to make the applica- proved by the Offi ce of Campus Ac- three current AGCW offi cers: Sean tion process go smoothly. She had tivities this June and will be active Bishop, Eric Ekstrand or Hannah good ideas for organizing fi les and throughout the 2008-2009 school Gamble. And if there are any other application materials. And she did year. In its inaugural year, AGCW ways that you think AGCW could it while taking classes at TSU and plans to organize a welcome for new help you, or if you would like to be making the Dean’s list there. She’s students as well as provide supple- involved in any way, please let us also had some very good input for mentary funding for conferences to know. Th e group is still shaping it- the new website. On a more per- its members (all CWP students in self and is eager for feedback on how sonal note, Shatera’s a great vocalist good academic standing are auto- it can best be of service to the pro- and is working on a CD. matically considered members and gram and its students. can request funding). Th e welcome

CWP NEWS 3 Inprint/Methodist Hospital Studio Inprint Houston Inprint Readings 2008-2009 Series, Th ursday, October 16, 2008, 7:30 pm Antidote Coff ee, 729 Studewood Inprint Brown Reading Series, Mon- Cate Marvin is a graduate of the Inprint, whose mission is to inspire day, September 15, 2008, 7:30 pm UH Creative Writing Program. Her readers and writers, is proud to contin- Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the fi rst book, World’s Tallest Disaster, ue its close synergetic relationship with Performing Arts, 800 Bagby was chosen by Robert Pinksy for the the UH Creative Writing Program. Junot Diaz’s debut short story collec- 2000 Kathryn A. Morton Prize. Her A nonprofi t organization founded tion, Drown, was named a New York second book of poems, Fragment of in 1983, Inprint fulfi lls this mission Times Notable Book in 1996. Th is the Head of a Queen, was published through sponsorship of the nation- year, Diaz was awarded the 2008 Pu- in August 2007. A recent Whiting ally renowned Inprint Margarett Root litzer Prize in Fiction for his second Award recipient, Cate is also co- Brown Reading Series, literary and ed- book, Th e Brief Wondrous Life of Os- editor of the anthology Legitimate ucational activities in the community car Wao. Th e novel also received the Dangers: American Poets of the New that demonstrate the value and impact National Book Critics Circle Award Century. of creative writing, and through sup- for Best Novel, and was named the port for the UH Creative Writing Pro- #1 Best Novel of the Year by Time Karen Shepard, also a UH CWP gram. Th rough its programs, Inprint Magazine and New York Magazine. graduate, is a Chinese-American, has created a community for readers born and raised in New York City. and writers in Houston and plays a She is the author of three novels: An vital role in the city’s rich and diverse Inprint Brown Reading Series, Mon- Empire of Women, Th e Bad Boy’s Wife cultural life. day, October 6, 2008, 7:30 pm and, most recently, Don’t I Know Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the You? Inprint is happy to report that the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby organization’s new Director of Devel- Anne Enright won the 2007 Man Inprint Brown Reading Series, Mon- opment is Peter Hyland. Peter is an Booker Prize for her captivating day, November 10, 2008, 7:30 pm MFA graduate of the UH Creative fourth novel, Th e Gathering. Her Neuhaus Stage, Alley Th eatre, 615 Writing Program, where he received other works include two story col- Texas Avenue both a Brown Fellowship and a Kra- lections, an essay collection and the Natasha Trethewey won the Pulit- kow Poetry Seminar Fellowship. Peter novels Th e Wig My Father Wore, Th e zer Prize in Poetry in 2007 for her has served on the development staff s of Pleasure of Eliza Lynch and What Are collection, Native Guard. Th e book both the Museum of Fine Arts, Hous- You Like?, which was shortlisted for weaves her own biracial personal his- ton and the Houston Grand Opera. At the Whitbread Novel Award and tory with the history of the Louisi- HGO, in addition to serving as senior won the Encore Award. ana Native Guards, one of the fi rst development writer, he worked closely black regiments called into service with senior staff members on HGO’s during the Civil War. Trethewey’s innovative community outreach ef- Ann Patchett is the author of the other works include Bellocq’s Oph- forts. blockbuster novel Bel Canto, which elia and Domestic Work, which was was translated into 30 languages, chosen by Rita Dove to receive the Th e 2008-2009 Inprint season kicks and won both the Orange Prize and inaugural Cave Canem Poetry Prize off in September with readings by some the PEN/Faulkner Award. Her fi fth for the best fi rst book by an African of the world’s top writers. Many of the novel, Run, takes on the issues of American poet. writers coming to Houston for the class and belonging, parenthood and Margarett Root Brown Reading Series love. Patchett’s other works include John Edgar Wideman, recipient of will give craft talks and Q&A sessions Th e Patron Saint of Liars, which was a MacArthur Foundation “genius” for CWP students on the UH campus. named a New York Times Notable fellowship, is the winner of two All Studio Series writers will conduct Book, Truth and Beauty, a poignant PEN/Faulkner Awards for his nov- residencies with CWP students. Th e memoir of her friendship with the els Sent for You Yesterday and Phila- following is a season schedule. For writer Lucy Grealy, and her newest delphia Fire. His second memoir, more details visit www.inprinthous- book, What Now?, an inspiring essay Fatheralong: A Meditation on Fathers ton.org or call 713.521.2026. based on her 2006 Sarah Lawrence and Sons, Race and Society, was a fi - commencement address. nalist for the National Book Award. Wideman’s eighteenth book, Fanon, about Frantz Fanon, psychiatrist and

CWP NEWS 4 revolutionary whose work inspired award-winning scriptwriter for the Bret Anthony Johnston is the au- liberation movements around the HBO series, "Th e Wire". thor of the internationally acclaimed world, is part whodunit, part screen- Corpus Christi: Stories and the editor play, part love story. Inprint Brown Reading Series, Mon- of Naming the World: And Other Ex- day, March 30, 2009, 7:30 pm ercises for the Creative Writer. Inprint Brown Reading Series, Mon- Kaplan Th eatre, I. W. Marks Th eatre day, January 12, 2009, 7:30 pm Center, Jewish Comm. Ctr. of Hous- Inprint Brown Reading Series, Mon- Levit Haikin Auditorium, Jewish ton, 5601 So. Braeswood Blvd. day, April 20, 2009, 7:30 pm Community Center of Houston, Charles Simic, a prolifi c critic and es- Cullen Th eater, Wortham Center, 5601 South Braeswood Blvd. sayist as well as the current U.S. Poet 501 Texas Avenue Geraldine Brooks won the Pulitzer Laureate, has published more than Bill Bryson is the best-selling author Prize in Fiction in 2006 for her cap- 60 books here and abroad, including of Th e Lost Continent, Th e Mother tivating novel, March, the imagined his latest collection of poems, Th at Tongue and A Short History of Nearly story of the absent father from the Little Something. Simic was born in Everything. Bryson has also writ- classic Little Women. In her newest Yugoslavia, where he had a traumat- ten a memoir of growing up in Des novel, People of the Book, Brooks, a ic childhood during World War II, Moines, Iowa, in the 50s and 60s, former correspondent in Bosnia for and emigrated to the U.S. in 1954. Th e Life and Times of the Th under- Th e Wall Street Journal, creates a His other books of poetry include bolt Kid. His other works include story about the survival of the "Sara- Th e World Doesn’t End (winner of the A Walk in the Woods, I’m a Stranger jevo Haggadah", a lavishly (and real) Pulitzer Prize), What the Grass Says, Here Myself, In a Sunburned Country illuminated Hebrew manuscript cre- Walking the Black Cat (a fi nalist for and his latest work, Shakespeare: Th e ated in medieval Spain. Brooks is the National Book Award), A Wed- World as Stage, a lively biography of also the author of the novel Year of ding in Hell and Hotel Insomnia. the Bard himself. Wonders and the nonfi ction works, Nine Parts Desire and Foreign Cor- Edward Hirsch, former UH Cre- Cool Brains! Inprint Readings for respondence. ative Writing Program faculty mem- Young People ber and current President of the John Sunday, May 3, 2009, 3 pm Inprint Brown Reading Series, Mon- Simon Guggenheim Foundation in Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the day, February 16, 2009, 7:30 pm New York, has written seven collec- Performing Arts, 800 Bagby Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the tions of poetry, including Wild Grat- Sherman Alexie is the author of Performing Arts, 800 Bagby itude, which won the National Book Th e Absolutely True Diary of a Part- Ha Jin, who emigrated from China in Critics Circle Award, On Love and Time Indian, his fi rst novel for the aftermath of Tiananmen Square, Lay Back Th e Darkness. Hirsch has young adults—which won the 2007 won the National Book Award for also published four prose books, in- National Book Award for Young his novel, Waiting, in 1999. He is cluding How to Read a Poem and Fall People’s Literature—and was based now the author in English of seven in Love with Poetry, a national best- on his own experiences. He will be works of fi ction and three books of seller. In Hirsch’s newest collection, reading from his second YA novel, poetry. His new novel, A Free Life, Special Orders, he brings together Radioactive Love Song. His adult follows the Wu family from Boston autobiographical pieces to form a works of fi ction include the novels to Atlanta. picture of his whole life, beginning Flight and Reservation Blues and the with his immigrant grandfather. short story collections Ten Little In- Inprint Brown Reading Series, Mon- dians and Th e Lone Ranger and Tonto day, March 9, 2009, 7:30 pm Inprint/Methodist Hospital Studio Fistfi ght in Heaven. Hubbard Stage, Alley Th eatre, 615 Series, Th ursday, April 2, 2009, 7:30 Texas Avenue pm Richard Price, author of seven nov- Poison Girl, 1641-B Westheimer els, including Clockers, Freedomland, Christine Hume is the author of and Samaritan, has written his fi rst Musca Domestica, winner of the Bar- novel in fi ve years, Lush Life, which nard New Women Poets Prize; was hailed by Gary Shteyngart as Alaskaphrenia, winner of the Green “the novel about gentrifi ed New Rose Award and Small Press Traffi c’s York, circa right now, that we’ve 2005 Best Book of the Year Award; been waiting for. Richard Price and Lullaby, a chapbook. understands what’s happened to Inprint's Rich Levy at the Hobby Center our beloved city.” Price is also the

CWP NEWS 5 s HarperCollins in March. Th e book Open City, Fence and Esquire and Faculty News contains selections from twenty years was interviewed in the inaugural Robert Boswell has 3 books com- of work plus a group of new poems, issue of Glass Mountain. His new ing out. Two came out in July, 2008, which are also being published as a book, Th e Ticking Bomb (a memoir and the third comes out in May, separate volume this fall in the U.K. of bewilderment and America since 2009. Th e July books are nonfi ction, called Th eories and Apparitions. His Abu Gharib) will be published in an account of the search for trea- 2007 memoir, Dog Years, appeared 2009 by Norton and a play, “Alice sure at Victorio Peak in the nearby in paperback in the U.S., and was Invents a Little Game and Alice Hembrillo Basin, What Men Call also published in the United King- Always Wins”, will be published in Treasure: Th e Search for Gold at Vic- dom, and in translation in Brazil, July, 2008 by Faber/Fsg. torio Peak, and a book on the craft France and Italy. Th e French edition of writing fi ction, Th e Half-Known is pretty funny, since its title is Les Tony Hoagland’s big news for the World. Th e third book is a collection Annees-Chien: Une Vie D’Homme year was probably winning the Jack- of short stories called Th e Heyday of Qui Aimait les Chiens, and features son Poetry Prize, a $50,000 award the Insensitive Bastards. He served as two huge retrievers in profi le on the given by a committee of peers for an faculty at the Bread Loaf Writers’ cover. "It looks ready for the French American poet who has “not yet re- Conference this summer. version of Wal-Mart". ceived national attention.” Last year’s Mark and his partner, Paul Lisicky, winner was Elizabeth Alexander. In Chitra Divakaruni received several were guest professors at Cornell September Tony attended the Inter- awards this year. She received the University in the spring. Th is sum- nationales Literatur Festival Berlin South Asian Literary Association mer they’re teaching at the Juniper in Berlin, and coached young Aryan Distinguished Author Award 2007, Institute in Amherst, the Napa Val- school children to be less respectful the Alumna of the Year award from ley Writers Conference and at Castle of their elders. In the fall he taught International House, University Hill Center for the Arts in Truro, at the Iowa Writer’s Workshop: a of California, Berkeley, 2008, and MA. Next spring Mark will be a seminar in spacecraft construction. the Champion of Literacy Award visitor at Stanford for the spring He has poems coming in Tikkun, from the Houston Literacy Advance quarter. American Poetry Review, Plough- Council, 2007. She published her Th is fall will be Mark’s fi nal semes- shares, "Slate.com", etc. It was a novel, Th e Palace of Illusions (Dou- ter of teaching classes at Houston, good year of teaching. bleday, 2008). Books and stories op- though he will still be directing the- tioned for movies in 2007 and 2008 ses and dissertations in the spring. Mat Johnson has sold a follow up are Th e Conch Bearer, “Th e Maid In September, 2009, he’ll join the original graphic novel to Vertigo/ Servant’s Story” and Th e Vine of De- faculty at Rutgers, the State Univer- Warner Books, publisher of Incog- sire. In 2007, her novel, Mistress of sity of New Jersey, where he will be negro. Th e work, tentatively titled Spices, was translated into Russian Writer in Residence. Mark fi nds it Congo Square, is set in New Orleans and the novel, Queen of Dreams, was hard to leave Houston after ten years during the disastrous week after the translated into German, Spanish and of involvement with remarkable stu- fl ood walls collapsed due to Hurri- Indonesian. dents, but he looks forward to taking cane Katrina. Johnson is currently the train to work and to connecting completing the fi nal edits on his lat- with a new community of writers est prose novel, Pym, which should and scholars. be released in 2009.

Nick Flynn’s biggest news this year is the birth of his daughter Maeve Lulu Taylor Flynn on January 9th at 1:31 a.m. Other news includes readings and workshops in Ireland, California, Oxford, MS and else- Mark Doty’s Fire to Fire: New and where. He had poems and non-fi c- Selected Poems was published by tion pieces in Tin House, Bomb,

CWP NEWS 6 Antonya Nelson has a book coming Texas Association of Creative Writ- versity of Tampa, and she has also out with Bloomsbury next spring ing Teachers and at the UH Honors .taught at Yale Divinity School. (2009). It’s a collection of stories, College. He attended the PEN Liter- called Nothing Right. Toni will be ary Awards, the American Academy in Vermont a lot this year: at the of Arts and Letters Ceremonial and Vermont College Post MFA Con- Th e Poets Prize, all in New York City Spring 2009 ference; at Bread Loaf; and at the and served as an advisor for the Heinz Barbara Hamby is writer-in-resi- Vermont Studio Center. Her essays Foundation in Pittsburg. He contin- dence in the English Department at continue to appear in Texas Monthly ues as a nominator for the Mrs. Giles Florida State University. She is the and a story is forthcoming in Epoch Whiting Foundation creative writers author of three collections of poetry: magazine. awards in New York City. Babel: poems (winner of the Associ- ated Writing Programs' Donald Hall Alex Parsons, “pallid, light-sensitive, Prize), Th e Alphabet of Desire (win- and looking a little like Gollum”, ner of the New York University Prize has just emerged from the redraft- in Poetry) and Delirium: poems. ing basement with his completed third novel, El Repoman. Th e book is a satirical murder mystery that revolves around car repossession, Writers in Residence loan sharks, the debt-collection in- dustry, Georgia O’Keeff e and low- In February 2009, Pulitzer Prize- riders. A preview is available in an winning novelist, Richard Ford will excerpt, “Guerilla Repo,” featured be writer-in-residence at UH for in Columbia College’s F Magazine. two weeks. Ford’s novels include: A short story, “Attention Passengers: Visiting Faculty A Piece of My Heart, Th e Ultimate Are You Ready for Operation En- Good Luck, Th e Sportswriter, Wild- during Freedom™?”, about Lubbock Th is is a particularly good year for vis- life, Independence Day and Th e Lay International Airport’s crack team of iting faculty. In the fall, poets Mat- of the Land. His short story collec- TSA enforcers (who recently gained thew Zapruder and Martha Serpas tions are: Rock Springs, Women with notoriety for forcibly removing a will join the faculty and in the spring Men: Th ree Stories, A Multitude of woman’s nipple rings), is online at poet Barbara Hamby will teach at Sins and Vintage Ford. Over three www.freightstories.com. UH. plus decades, Richard Ford has es- tablished himself as one of the fi nest Robert Phillips had another one Fall 2008 writers of his generation. His work of his poems, “Headlines”, read Mathew Zapruder is the author of is marked by a careful attention to by Garrison Keiller on his “Prairie two poetry collections, American the meanings that inhere in the life Home Companion” radio program. Linden (winner of the Tupelo Press of ordinary people. During his two He also had poems published in Th e Editor’s Prize) and Th e Pajamaist. week residency, he will meet in class Music Lover’s Poetry Anthology, along He has also published a translation, four times with students, discussing with fellow CWP faculty members Secret Weapon: Th e Late Poems of Eu- developments in modern and con- Mark Doty and Tony Hoagland, gen Jebeleanu. He is founder and the temporary literature. and he had two poems published in editor-in-chief of Verse Press (now Th e Weight of Addition: An Anthology Wave Books), and he teaches one se- of Texas Poetry edited by UH alum mester a year at the New School in Randall Watson (Ph.D., 1995). NYC. Prof. Phillips edited Coda: Last Po- ems of Karl Shapiro from the Texas Martha Serpas is the author of two Review Press. He gave readings at books, Cote Blanche and Th e Dirty the Barnes and Noble Houston Writ- Side of the Storm. Martha is an asso- ers’ Festival, the 2007 Meeting of the ciate professor of English at the Uni-

CWP NEWS 7 ish my memories of her and try to fortable. Later, I enjoyed spend- A Tribute to Faith be testament to all she taught me.” ing time sitting across from her Faith Venverloh passed away on Lourdes Gomez-Former CWP desk and chatting, and I have fond April 24th of this year. For many Program Coordinator memories of helping her clean up years she was the heart and soul of after some of the CWP parties she this Program. She’s missed by those “What I’d say about Faith was that hosted.” who knew her. Here are some of the she always seemed to know what to Laurie Clements Lambeth, Alum thoughts they have shared. do. Her knowledge and patience defi nitely eased my move to Texas. “I remember well, trudging up Also, she understood hospitality-- the Roy Cullen stairs to the CWP this really struck me during one of offi ce, feeling not a little ‘what- our early Welcome/Welcome Back the-hell-am-I-doing’ angst after a parties which she hosted at her 12-year private sector hiatus from home. EVERYONE came, and graduate school. But then, there she was just a great hostess, very was Faith, beaming at me, telling relaxed. I really felt welcomed into me to come in, putting my mind the program, and Faith had a lot to instantly at ease, practically patting do with that.” my head, small-talking me down “Faith was deeply kind to each of Joni Tevis, Alum from the ledge, then easing me out us in the program. She was more with all of the essential papers, in- like an older sister to me than an “Faith disentangled me from many structions and contact information, aunt, given that I was nearly her a bureaucratic tangle at UH, for her sweet ‘let me know what I can age, and as I think of her now I re- which I’ll always be grateful -- but do’ trailing behind the always open member a moment during one of even more importantly, I can say door. And that was that. Head up, the many parties for CWP students that if she had not given me Raj’s shoulders back; I was back in busi- and faculty she hosted. Some of us phone number and tipped him off ness.” were commenting upon the lovely that maybe I liked him, the two of Charlie Alcorn, Alum staircase adjacent to the kitchen, us may never have gone on our fi rst and Faith delighted in telling the date, gotten married, and little Lila “Faith is connected to my very ear- story of her sanding and painting might never have been born! We’d liest memories of the University of the banister and wooden spindles laugh about this with her when- Houston. She actually let me stay supporting it. Th is seems to me an ever we ran into her after she left at her house in Montrose when I apt metaphor for so much of Faith’s the program, and then update her visited Houston to check out the life, as one who generously, enthu- about the goings on of the many program. Th ose of us who attend- siastically attended to this world’s students whose lives and careers ed UH in the 90’s will recall many work—redeeming the tedium of she had touched. Faith was a gen- of the CWP program’s gatherings prosaic detail, preparing a path erous, loving, artistic spirit I feel were held at Faith’s home. She re- that others might climb.” lucky to have known, and I’ll miss ally cared about the students. She Robin Davidson, Alum her.” even cared long after she left UH. Miah Arnold, Alum and Student Faith was one of my very favorite “I learned so much from Faith and people at Houston and I always felt to this day my work ethic is one “Th e most constant force in the she personifi ed the generous spirit that she taught me. I truly believe Creative Writing Program during of the CWP program.” my career has been so successful my years as an MFA and PhD can- Cate Marvin, Alum because Faith taught me to work didate, Faith was the person I felt hard, be honest and maintain a I could always go to for anything. “During my years as a student at sense of humor with the people I When I stepped into her offi ce she UH, I knew Faith not only as a work and with myself. I will cher- listened and made me feel com- stellar administrator, but also as a

CWP NEWS 8 constant, welcoming presence to students. She anticipated my miss- much her welcome and constancy all students. We kept in touch af- ing divinity school and arranged supported our studies and writing, ter I graduated. We met up at least for me to teach a writing work- and I’m grateful for her presence once a year in the Bay area when- shop at her Lutheran Church. She while I was at UH.” ever she came out to visit her son, stayed in touch, contacting Audrey Martha Serpas, Alum Jon, and his family. and me when she was in Florida so Th is past December I was thrilled we could visit. I consider now how to have Faith attend my wedding in Miami. Her passion for the arts, her love of family, and her response to those who create art infused her spirit with energy and a light which still kindles strong. In all the lives she touched, it will never go out.” Elline Lipkin, Alum

“I remember Faith as a gener- ous and kind woman, genuine and compassionate. We enjoyed her gracious hospitality when she opened her home for receptions and parties. She looked after us

Calendar of Events

September 7 (Sun.) Jack Gantos for Cool Brains!, at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center September 15 (Mon.) Junot Diaz for Brown Reading Series, at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center

October 6 (Mon.) Anne Enright and Ann Patchett for Brown Reading Series, at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center October 16 (Th .) Cate Marvin and Karen Shepard for Studio Series, Antidote Coff ee October 26 (Sun.) David Macaulay for Cool Brains!, at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center

November 10 (Mon.) Natasha Trethewey and John Edgar Wideman for Brown Reading Series, at Neuhaus Stage, Alley Th eatre

January 12 (Mon.) Geraldine Brooks for Brown Reading Series, Levit Haikin Auditorium, Jewish Community Ctr.

February 7 (Sat.) Poets and Writers Ball, at Houston Country Club, Rabih Alameddine, guest speaker February 16 (Mon.) Ha Jin for Brown Reading Series, at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center

March 9 (Mon.) Richard Price for Brown Reading Series, at Hubbard Stage, Alley Th eatre March 30 (Mon.) Charles Simic and Ed Hirsch for Brown Reading Series, Kaplan Th eatre, Jewish Community Ctr.

April 2 (Th urs.) Christine Hume and Bret Anthony Johnston for Studio Series, Poison Girl April 20 (Mon.) Bill Bryson for Brown Reading Series, at Cullen Th eater, Wortham Center

May 3 (Sun.) Sherman Alexie for Cool Brains!, at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center

CWP NEWS 9 Eric Ekstrand (M.F.A., Poetry) is having 2006) and elsewhere. Her critical essays Student News poems published in Poetry Magazine. are published in Blackbird, Literary Lauren Berry (M.F.A., Poetry) and Imagination, and Notes on Contem- Craig Beaven (Ph.D., Poetry) were Susan Howard (Ph.D., Fiction) is porary Literature and her essay on the nominated by UH’s poetry faculty to scheduled to present a paper at a Harry contemporary elegy is forthcoming in receive the Sewanee Writers’ Confer- Potter conference at Oxford University’s Parnassus: Poetry in Review. ence Scholarship. Magdalen College this July. Th e topic of her paper is "'Slaves No More' --- Irene Keliher (M.F.A., Fiction) placed Matt Boyleston (Ph.D., Poetry) gave the Harry Potter series as a Postcolonial third in the Atlantic Monthly Student a reading at the Regional American Slave Narrative". Writing Contest for nonfi ction, and Conference for Irish Studies and had In other words she’s addressing the en- two of her stories were fi nalists in the poems published in the Pawhatan Re- slavement of the house elves in the series Glimmer Train Very Short Fiction and view, Puerto del Sol and the Flint Hills by way of analysis of Dobby, Winky, Th ird Coast Fiction contests. Review. He graduated in the spring Kreacher and the house elves who work and has been named Assistant Professor as slaves in the Hogwart’s kitchen. Su- Lisa Lee (M.F.A., Non-fi ction) had po- for creative writing- poetry at Houston san also presented a paper at a Harry ems published this year in Tusculum Baptist University. Potter conference last July at the Uni- Review, Pebble Lake Review, and Reed versity of Westminster in London titled, Magazine. She also received an Inprint/ Chuck Carlise (Ph.D., Poetry) was of- “On Being ‘Th e Other’ in Harry Potter” Barthelme Fellowship in fi ction, and fered fellowship residencies at Wildacres where she analyzed the issues of racism/ she is a new nonfi ction editor for Gulf retreat in Little Switzerland, NC, and at discrimination against Mudblood and Coast. Lisa wants to get an Old English the Writer’s Colony at Dairy Hollow, in Pureblood wizards in the series. OK, Sheep Dog this summer but is afraid it Eureka Springs, AK. He also attended she’s become a bit of a Harry Potter ex- would be cruel because of the Houston the Nebraska Summer Writer’s Con- pert (which is why she’s going to teach weather. She is thinking about getting ference in Lincoln, NE, as well as the two Harry Potter themed lit courses at one and shaving him. Mike Powers Squaw Valley Writer’s Conference in Indiana University and Purdue Uni- (M.F.A., Fiction), who lives with Lisa, Nevada City, CA. Looks like Chuck versity-Fort Wayne). Presenting these thinks they should get a bulldog in- had a busy summer! papers gives her an opportunity to have stead. university funded trips to England for Hayan Charara’s (Ph.D., Poetry) In- academic purposes. Kimberly Meyer (Ph.D., Non-fi ction) clined to Speak: An Anthology of Con- just completed her Ph.D., and has had temporary Arab American Poetry was Peter Hyland (M.F.A., Poetry) gradu- an essay accepted for publication in published by the University of Arkansas ated in December. He recently had po- the Oxford American on the Fountain Press. His own poems also appeared in ems come out in the Pebble Lake Re- of Youth in St. Augustine, FL, and the the new Norton anthology, Language view and in Ecotone. In June, he left his history of that legend. Kim attended for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry position as Senior Development Writer Bread Loaf on a tuition scholarship this from the Middle East, Asia, and Beyond. at Houston Grand Opera and started summer. At the AWP conference, he served on a his tenure as Inprint’s new Develop- panel discussing Arab writings on war, ment Director. Keya Mitra (Ph.D., Fiction) has been and this year he was also invited to be- in India on a Fulbright grant in cre- come a full member of PEN American Anna Journey (Ph.D., Poetry) is about ative writing, working on a nonfi ction Center. to begin her second year as a Ph.D. can- manuscript about her grandfather’s didate in creative writing and literature experiences in Hyderabad post-inde- at the University of Houston, where pendence. She’s offi cially affi liated with she also serves as a poetry editor for the University of Kolkata and has had Gulf Coast. She’s won the Diner Poetry the opportunity to travel around India. Contest, the Sycamore Review Wabash Keya volunteered with street children Prize for Poetry, and fellowships from and orphans through the organization Yaddo and Bread Loaf. Her poetry ap- Udayan Care and at Loreto House, a pears in Th e American Poetry Review, school in Kolkata. She’s on her way to FIELD, the Kenyon Review, the an- Bangalore, where she’ll volunteer with thology Best New Poets 2006 (Samovar, underprivileged children and women at

CWP NEWS 10 the George Foundation. She has a story and are forthcoming in Salt Hill. He ship in Fiction this year. He has had fi c- forthcoming in Torpedo. continues to work on and write reviews tion published in Th e Georgia Review, for Pebble Lake Review. Th is summer Th ird Coast and other journals. He is Edward Mullany (M.F.A., Fiction) he will be working on his foreign lan- currently living in upstate New York. graduated in the spring and he’s get- guage requirement in central Mexico. ting married in August to Anjali Kho- His mother is not thrilled. sla. His fi ction was accepted by Alaska Quarterly Review. He was a fi nalist in Bradford Gray Telford’s (Ph.D., Po- Sonora Review’s 2008 Short-Short Sto- etry) poetry and translations appeared ry Contest and was also a fi nalist for the in many journals this year including 2008 Hudson Book Prize in fi ction. Ed Bomb, Southwest Review, Ninth Letter, was a winner of a 2007-2008 Barthelme and Columbia. He won the University Memorial Poetry Fellowship. of Houston’s Verlaine Poetry Prize, a Cedilnek Forms Class Morton Marr Poetry Prize from South- Kathryn Paterson (Ph.D., Fiction) west Review, and was selected as the presented a paper at a conference and graduate commencement speaker by says that she’s endlessly working on her UH’s College of Liberal Arts and Social novel, which feels like it will never be Sciences. In Spring 2009, the Waywiser fi nished. She is still teaching at the pris- Press will publish Perfect Hurt, Brad’s on near Alvin, TX. She reports that her fi rst book of poems, while his transla- prison guys did well in the national PEN tion of French poet Genevieve Huttin’s Prison competition again. Th ey took a book Th e Story of My Voice is set to ap- Th anksgiving Football Game second, third and honorable mention pear Fall 2009 from Host Publications. in playwriting and several other honor- He is currently a Writing Fellow in the able mentions in other categories. Th e Department of English. man who won second place in playwrit- ing has served his term and is out in Sruthi Th ekkiam’s (Ph.D., Fiction) “the free world,” still writing plays and story, “Th e Weekly Bus Ride”, was pub- teaching his daughter how to write too. lished in Blackbird, and was nominated And, Kathryn bought a house. for a Pushcart. CWP Prom Night Kent Shaw (Ph.D., Poetry) had poems Coert Voorhees published this last year in AGNI, Colo- rado Review, Th ird Coast, Th e Literary Review, Mississippi Review, Greensboro Review, Laurel Review, American Liter- ary Review and Tampa Review. His fi rst book, Calenture, was published this last spring by University of Tampa Press.

Kent Shaw, introducing Robert Hass. Brandon White (M.F.A., Fiction) has been “gigging” around Texas with Shatera Anderson, our CWP Offi ce Coordinator. He plucks the guitar, she sings. He’s also been working on a man- ual for literature majors and creative writing majors to get along. It should be hitting U of H book stores in 09. Matthew Siegel’s (M.F.A., Poetry) po- Jacob White (Ph.D., Fiction) received Nicole Zaza and her senior memoir class. ems have recently appeared in Cimarron an Inprint/Barthelme Memorial Fellow- Review and Paterson Literary Review

CWP NEWS 11 Incoming Students Poetry Graduates

Amadon, Samuel, Ph.D. Fall 2007 Th is year, the Creative Writing B.A., Columbia Univ. M.F.A., Boston Univ. Program welcomes 19 new stu- Casey Fleming, M.F.A., Fiction dents- eleven in fi ction, seven in Dustin, Ryler, M.F.A. Brad Hipps, M.F.A., Fiction poetry and one in creative non- B.A., Western Washington Univ. Peter Hyland, M.F.A., Poetry fi ction. Edward Mullany, M.F.A., Fiction Engel, Laura, M.F.A. Olga Feliciano, M.F.A., Fiction Fiction B.A., Univ. of Virginia Loren Kwan, M.F.A., Poetry Fisher, Adrienne, M.F.A. Donnelly, William, Ph.D. Spring 2008 B.A., Univ. of Virginia B.A., College of William and Mary M.F.A., Univ. of Iowa Andrew Brininstool, M.F.A., Fiction Joseph, Janine, Ph.D. Justin Glasser, M.F.A., Fiction B.A., Univ. of California at River- Dubois, Danielle, M.F.A. Christopher Munde, M.F.A., Poetry side B.A., Rice Univ. Brian Nicolet, M.F.A., Poetry M.F.A., New York Univ. Sophie Rosenblum, M.F.A., Fiction Garretson, Colin, M.F.A. Brian Russell, M.F.A., Poetry Kocher, Eric, M.F.A. B.A., Univ. of Pennsylvania Cecily Sailer, M.F.A., Fiction B.A., State Univ. of New York at Glenn Shaheen, M.F.A., Poetry Binghamton Ha, Christine, M.F.A. B.B.A., Univ. of Texas at Austin Darin Ciccotelli, Ph.D., Poetry Slavcheva, Polina, M.F.A. Scott Elliott, Ph.D., Fiction B.A., American Univ. of Bulgaria Koh, Jane, M.F.A. Lacy Johnson, Ph.D., Poetry B.A., Amherst College Kimberly Meyer, Ph.D., Non-Fiction Kate Schmitt, Ph.D., Poetry Lim, Th ea, M.F.A. Non-Fiction Vanessa Stauff er, Ph.D., Poetry B.A., Univ. of Toronto Bradford Gray Telford, Ph.D., Poetry West, Allyn, Ph.D. Jeanine Walker, Ph.D., Poetry Olson, Briana, M.F.A. B.S., Ball State Univ. Jacob White, Ph.D., Fiction B.A., Univ. of Washington M.F.A., New Mexico State Univ.

Porter, Edward, Ph.D. (Deferred from Fall 2007) B.A., Tufts Univ. M.F.A., Warren Wilson College

Taylor, David, M.F.A. B.A., Univ. of Texas at Austin M.A., Univ. of Texas at Austin D.Ed., Univ. of Houston

Wilbanks, Jessica, M.F.A. B.A., Hampshire College A sampling of readers from the Inprint Contest Winners Reading held at Brazos Bookstore in April 2008. Wisher, Dane, M.F.A. B.A., Univ. of Virginia

CWP NEWS 12 Writing Competitions of their new anthology, Th e Ringing Cynthia Woods Mitchell Ear: Black Poets Lean South. Award- Th e Creative Writing Program’s winning poet Honore’e Fannone Center for the Arts 2007 – 2008 writing competi- Jeff ers read from several of her col- tions were judged by Connie lections. And two recent Univer- Th e collaborative arts class should Voisine for poetry, Kevin McIl- sity of Houston graduates—Jericho be a requirement for all writers in voy for fi ction and Luc Sante for Brown and Sean Hill—also read the Creative Writing Program. It non-fi ction. from their debut collections. Jericho gave me the opportunity to witness Brown is currently an assistant pro- what happens to ideas, how others fessor of English at the University of Inprint/Diana P. Hobby react to words and how people fi l- San Diego, and Sean Hill is a Steg- Prize in Fiction ter language into what they want it ner fellow at Stanford University. to become. Th e key is to take that Miah Arnold Jericho’s fi rst book is entitled Please, knowledge and apply it to the writ- and Sean’s collection is Blood Ties & ing craft. Inprint/Paul Verlaine Brown Liquor. Needless to say, it Prize in Poetry was a great pleasure to have Jericho Imagine being placed in a random Bradford Gray Telford and Sean return to UH as part of the group of six people, all artists with Cave Canem reading. Th e reading diff erent talents. Writers, paint- Inprint/Joan and Stanford Alexan- was well attended, and part of the ers, actors, directors, opera singers, der Prize in Non-Fiction in honor audience were students who Jericho sculptors all mixed together then of Andrea White had taught at an Inprint workshop asked to produce an art project. Kristine Ervin for senior citizens. Th e English De- Th at situation is defi nitely a head- partment hosted a reception follow- scratcher. Tension and misunder- Inprint/Barthelme ing the reading. standings were a given. Everyone in Memorial Fellowships the group had a diff erent vision of Jacob White- Fiction what art was to them, trying to mesh Lisa Lee- Fiction those visions into a solid project was Edward Mullany- Poetry a challenge. Mike Jones- Non-Fiction Observing the way people listened Inprint/Lucille Joy and how they fi ltered information, Prize in Poetry myself included, was a humbling Darin Ciccotelli experience. More often that not, Jericho Brown and Sean Hill read at the ideas bounced against each other, Brazos Bookstore/Academy of Honors College in April 2008 in support of some not necessarily shot down, but the release of Th e Ringing Ear. American Poets Prize would disappear for a while and pop Christopher Munde up later on through someone else’s plan. It was almost like the meshing Honorable Mentions of visions had to grow subconscious- Hayan Charara & Kelly Moore ly for a week or two before everyone could accept it.

I can’t overstate how much I learned from the class, and I would recom- Cave Canem mend it to anyone in the program that was looking for a change of In April 2008, the University of pace. Houston Creative Writing Program sponsored a reading by Cave Ca- Brandon White nem in conjunction with the release

CWP NEWS 13 over, we have interviews with Arthur to the winners, and our thanks to all Gulf Coast Sze, Vikram Chandra and Robert Le- who entered the contest. We know you’ve heard the saying leux; John Weir on Jack Kerouac; and before. You may have wondered, Is the Art of the Second Book. Here in our offi ce, we are relishing it true? Is everything really bigger in the Texas-sized air conditioning and Texas? When our Summer/Fall Issue was re- putting the fi nishing touches on Gulf leased in April, we were lucky to hold Coast Winter 2008/Spring 2009, We here at Gulf Coast are happy to our release party at the Museum of which is shaping up to be another in- tell you that the rumor is indeed true. Printing History. Th e event included credible issue. Th is Gulf Coast will fea- Th e student-run journal at the Uni- a reading by celebrated poet Mary ture new poems by Heather McHugh, versity of Houston’s Creative Writ- Ruefl e, and the museum provided our Carl Dennis, Mahmoud Darwish, ing Program is proud to publish over guests with intricate, freshly-printed Dana Levin, Campbell McGrath, For- three-hundred-and-twenty-fi ve pages broadsides of Ruefl e’s poem “Jaroslav” rest Hamer, Terese Svoboda, John Yau of the best in contemporary art, fi c- (forthcoming in Gulf Coast’s Issue and sections from Alice Notley’s noir tion, nonfi ction and poetry. 21.1). April was packed with Gulf poem, “Negativity’s Kiss”. Plus, we Coast events, as the journal hosted its have an excerpt from Barry Hannah’s Th is past year has been an excit- second CLMP Small Press/Houston new novel, Sick Soldier at Your Door, a ing one at Gulf Coast. Our thriving, Indie Book Festival that had the patio novella by Flannery O’Connor Award- Texas-sized journal was recognized at Domy Bookstore brimming with winning author Christopher McIlroy, in June on both “Poetry Daily” and discounted journals and books, and and nonfi ction by Th alia Field, Sandy "Verse Daily”. “Poetry Daily” featured drew large crowds for the on-the-hour Florian, Titos Patrikios and Lauren “Sisters,” a poem by the late Grace readings by CWP faculty member Mat Slater. Paley. “Verse Daily” featured Brenda Johnson and outgoing Gulf Coast Fic- Shaughnessy’s “First Date, and Still tion Editor David MacLean. Subscriptions to Gulf Coast are avail- Very, Very Lonely.” We’re thrilled to able at $30 for two-years (a savings see these poems recognized, and we If it’s readings you’re looking for, of $6 off the cover price) and $16 for thank “Poetry Daily” and “Verse Dai- Houston can off er you a Texas-sized one-year ($2 off the cover price). Send ly” for their eff orts. dose of those, too. Th e Gulf Coast check or money order along with sub- Reading Series, voted “Best Reading scription address to: Gulf Coast, De- Gulf Coast’s Summer/Fall Issue 20.2 Series” by Houston Press in 2004, partment of English, University of also features new poems from Corne- continued to fi ll Brazos Bookstore to Houston, Houston, TX 77204-3013. lius Eady, Kathleen Graber, Th ylias capacity this year by featuring eclectic Or, you can subscribe at our website: Moss, D.A. Powell, Donald Revell, readings from more than twenty CWP Checkout www.gulfcoastmag.org. and Tomaz Salamun—plus an ex- students. In November, the Gulf clusive chapter from Franck André Coast editors also read at the Poison Jamme’s On the Proliferation of Breach- Pen Reading Series, held monthly at es and Obstacles, a new translation of favorite Houston nightspot Poison Dmitry Golynko’s long poem “Sash- Girl bar. enka, or Th e Diary of an Ephemeral Death,” and Mary Ruefl e’s erasure text As we look ahead to our next issue, "Friends with Fur and Feathers". we’re happy to announce the recipi- ents of the Gulf Coast $1,000 Prizes. For the fi ction-inclined, we have new First, novelist Jennifer Egan tabbed stories by Lucy Corin, Blase Patrick Sarah Cornwell’s “Boyland” to receive Drexler and Suzanne Warren, plus an the Gulf Coast Fiction Prize. Rubén excerpt from Ernesto Quiñonez’s Tai- Martínez awarded the Gulf Coast na’s Song. We’re also proud to showcase Nonfi ction Prize to Kisha Lewellyn some of the most accomplished non- Schlegel for her essay “Kisha Club.” fi ction authors working today—April Finally, Natasha Trethewey chose Jon- Freely, M.J. Iuppa, Paul Lisicky, Dinty athan Rice’s “Inheritance” for the Gulf W. Moore and D.J. Waldie. More- Coast Poetry Prize. Congratulations

CWP NEWS 14 port that Sophie Maluhialani and Ann Bogle’s (M.F.A., 1994) short Alumni News Lucy Noelani Bernard were born stories appeared this year in Big Charlie Alcorn (Ph.D., 2006) is June 2, 2008, a month early, but Bridge and Minnetonka Review. Manager Editor of American Book they are totally healthy. Th eir par- Poems appeared in Madhatters’ Review and was recently named ents think they are pretty dang Revue. She meets in New York Managing Editor of the Fiction cute. Jeff and Julie live in Napa, with a small group of women writ- Collective 2, an independent press CA. She’s still teaching English ers, who critique her weblog, “Ana specializing in innovative fi ction. at Cal Maritime and he’s studying Verse”, and has become a habitue Both ABR and FC2 are housed for his social work license exam. of the Bowery Poetry Club. Last at UH-Victoria where Charlie Julie says that, unfortunately, the year she served as grant panelist in teaches in the English Department only writing she’s been doing is for prose for the Minnesota State Arts and directs the UHV/ABR Read- tenure: an essay on technology is Board. ing Series. forthcoming in the summer issue of Liberal Education. Jeff is still Shannon Borg (Ph.D., 1999) cur- Christopher Bakken (Ph.D., plugging away at a poetry manu- rently writes the wine column for 1999) spent last spring serving as script, but not sending work out. Seattle magazine, and her second a Fulbright Scholar in American book, Chefs on the Farm: Inspired Studies at the University of Bu- Lessons and Recipes from the Quil- charest, Romania. Th e Texas Insti- lisascut Farm School of the Domestic tute of Letters awarded his second Arts, will be published by Skipstone book, Goat Funeral, the Helen C. Press in October, 2008. Smith Memorial Prize for the best book published in 2006. Th e TIL Jericho Brown (Ph.D., 2007) just also named his collection of Titos completed his fi rst year as an As- Patrikios translations as a fi nalist sistant Professor of English at the Sophie & Lucy for the best book of translations in University of San Diego. Since 2006. Christopher’s new poems this past spring, he’s had poems David Bernardy (Ph.D., 2006) are fi nding their way into print published in Indiana Review, Th e and Joni Tevis (Ph.D., 2001) sent in places like Ploughshares, Th ird Journal, Pleiades, Post Road, and their news together this year. It has Coast and Th e Seattle Review. He Prairie Schooner. His fi rst book, been a productive year in Chapel has also written a long essay on ol- Please, is now available from New Hill. Joni taught at UNC and ive- picking on the island of Th as- Issues. Along with fellow alum, David taught at NC State, and sos that’s about to be published by Sean Hill (M.F.A., 2004), and they both got good work done on Parnassus: Poetry in Review. Honoree Fanonne Jeff ers, he read new manuscripts. Th ey moved to at UH as part of Cave Canem’s Th e South Carolina this summer, and Kerry Neville Bakken (Ph.D., Ringing Ear national book tour both will start teaching at Fur- 2000) was a fi nalist for the Texas event. man University in the fall. A defi - Institute of Letters’ Kay Cattarulla nite highlight of the year, for Joni, Award for the Best Short Story. was visiting Houston in March to She also received the Devil’s Kitch- present at a memoir workshop at en Literary Festival/University of HCC-Central. Everyone seemed Illinois at Carbondale Award for to have a great time during the the Best Book of 2006-2007. Her meet-and-greet and got a tour of work has most recently appeared in the Houston Ship Channel. Joni Th e Gettysburg Review. says, “Ask Emily Fox Gordon and I bet she will agree with me--it was Jeff Bernard (M.F.A., 2003) and fabulous!” Julie Chisholm (Ph.D., 2002) re-

CWP NEWS 15 Derick Burleson (Ph.D., 2001) is the author of Never Night (Marick Press 2008). His fi rst collection of poems, Ejo: Poems, Rwanda 1991- 94, won the 2000 Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry. His poems have ap- peared in Th e Georgia Review, Th e Kenyon Review, Th e Paris Review, Poetry and many other journals. A recipient of a 1999 National En- Katherine Center, signing books dowment for the Arts Fellowship Katharine Coles in Poetry, Derick teaches creative Vikram Chandra (M.F.A., 1992) writing and literature at the Uni- and his wife, Melanie, had a new versity of Alaska-Fairbanks, and baby girl in May. lives with his partner and daughter In other news, his book, Sacred in Two Rivers. Games, won the 2006 Hutch Crossword Award for English Fic- tion (India), a Salon Book Award (USA), and was a fi nalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction (USA). It was also included in: “Books of the Year,” Th e Independent Tracy Daugherty (Ph.D., 1985) (UK), was named Distinguished Profes- “Books of the Year,” Financial Times sor of English and Creative Writ- (UK), ing at Oregon State Univ. He also “Pick of the Month,” January 2007, presented a reading at UH and "Booksense" (USA), participated in residencies with 10 “10 Best Asian Books of 2006,” Time of our Creative Writing students in Cathleen Calbert (Ph.D., 1989) (Asia Edition), the spring. published her book of poems, “Best Fiction of 2006,” Guardian Sleeping with a Famous Poet. She’s (USA), Marisa de los Santos (Ph.D., also had poems published recently “Th e Fiction List for 2006,” "Bloom- 1996) and her family are still living in Pool, Th e Southern Review, and berg.com" (USA) happily in Wilmington, Delaware. TriQuarterly. “Notable Books,” Sahara Time (India) Her husband, David Teague, sold “Fiction of the Year,” Business Standard his fi rst children’s book to Hyper- (India) ion earlier this year and is fi nish- “Best Books,” Man’s World (India) ing a middle grades novel. Marisa’s “Roll of Honour,” Th e Financial Ex- writing a third novel and promot- press (India) ing her second one, Belong to Me “Notable Books,” San Francisco Chron- (William Morrow), which came icle (USA) out in early April and appeared on Vikram and Melanie are both some bestseller lists, including the teaching at UC Berkeley, and going New York Times. She’s taking a between California and Bombay. lot of adult ballet classes (says she seems to be addicted to them) and doing loads of volunteer work at

CWP NEWS 16 her kids’ school. She can’t seem to of the Eastern World (Norton) and millan in October. His second say no to those Quakers! Marisa Conversation Pieces (Everyman). collection of poems, Answering the adds, “Th e family went to Sedona Annie is now co-editor, with Mari- Ruins, will come out on North- and the Grand Canyon in March, lyn Hacker, of the “Poets on Poetry western University Press in April both of which were beautiful, of Series” for University of Michigan 2009. He is now a tenured associ- course. Th e Grand Canyon was Press. ate professor of English and Cre- very, very, very big. Life is good.” ative Writing at the University of Duane Franklet (M.A., 1989) West Georgia. pulled up stakes from Houston and moved to New Zealand this year. More than anything they went for the adventure. He and his family will be there for 2 years and then take stock on staying longer. Th ey’re excited about the change from being in the big city. Nelson is a town of 50,000 or so, on the north end of the south island. It has a great climate and quick access Rebecca Flowers to all sorts of outdoor activities- Albert Haley (M.F.A., 1993) hiking, mountain biking, kayaking- says that it was good to be on the you get the picture. Duane’s going UH campus last September for to do some computer work, write the meeting of the Texas Associa- what the muse tells him, and work tion of Creative Writing Teachers on his organic gardening. Barbara, (TACWT). He hadn’t strolled his wife, is doing her printmaking the grounds since he left Hous- and will be back in the US for a ton back in ‘97. According to Al, show from time to time. Here’s a “Much had changed (for the bet- picture of Duane and his 2 boys, ter too), but ol’ Roy Cullen still Dean and Andrew, at the beach of looked plenty familiar.” Th is was Annie Finch’s (M.A., 1986) 1994 the south island. a good year for this fi ction writer anthology, A Formal Feeling Comes: who in recent years has drifted over Poems in Form by Contemporary the line into the exhilarating lane of Women, that she began while ed- poetry. Last July, he was accepted iting Stanford’s literary magazine, into the Squaw Valley Community Sequoia, was reissued in winter of Writers poetry workshop. Th is 2006 by Wordtech Editions. Also meant he practiced for a week the this year, Letters to the World: Po- “Squaw Valley method.” Th e SVM ems from the Women’s Poetry List- involves writing a new poem ev- serv, with a preface by Annie who ery day and bringing the draft to founded this international listserv be work-shopped with a rotation in 1997, was published by Red of leaders. In 2007, they had Sha- Hen Press. Th is year her poems Duane and Sons ron Olds, Robert Hass, Claudia appeared in journals including Rankine, Brenda Hillman and Barrow Street, Feminist Studies Greg Fraser’s (Ph.D., 1999) co- Al’s hero, Jimmy Santiago Baca. in Religion and Prairie Schooner, authored textbook, Writing Poetry: In May, of this year, he received and in anthologies including Not Creative and Critical Approaches, a three-year appointment to be for Mothers Only (Fence), Poetry will be published by Palgrave Mac- the James W. Culp Distinguished

CWP NEWS 17 Professor of English at Abilene Christian Univ. Th e appointment Stephen Haven carries with it a signifi cant course reduction which he intends to use to complete a fi rst book of poems and a novel in progress. Also, his poem “Barcelona” was the 1st place winner of the Rattle magazine poetry contest and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. His Laurie Clements Lambeth’s (Ph. poem “Th e Hedge” was a fi nalist (1 D., 2006) National Poetry Series of 3) in the Virginia Brendemuehl Sean Hill (M.F.A., 2004) had his winning book, Veil and Burn, came Poetry Contest sponsored by Rock debut collection of poetry, Blood out in March 2008. Her poetry & Sling: A Journal of Art, Litera- Ties and Brown Liquor, published also appeared in the Texas anthol- ture and Faith and a poem, “What in 2008. He received a two-year ogy Th e Weight of Addition and in Binds the World,” was 2nd place Stegner Fellowship from Stanford American Letters & Commentary. winner of the Ruminate Magazine Univ. Th e fellowships include tu- She and her husband, Ian, adopted poetry contest. ition and an annual stipend. He a new dog this year, Breeze, who is was also at the UH as part of the both a joy and a nut basket. James Hall (Ph.D., 2006) moved Cave Canem Th e Ringing Ear na- to upstate New York in May, leav- tional book tour event in April. ing Bethany and Pittsburgh be- hind. He’s accepted a new job as Assistant Professor of English at SUNY--Potsdam. He read at Bra- zos Bookstore in April from his new book of poems, Now You’re the Enemy. His essays and poems have appeared in TriQuarterly, Boston Review, Redevider and elsewhere. He has taught creative writing and literature at Bethany College Caroline Langston (M.F.A., 1993) is an occasional commentator for in West Virginia for the past two Cliff Hudder’s (M.F.A., 1995) NPR’s “All Th ings Considered”, years. novella, Splinterville, appeared blogs for “Image: A Journal of the from Texas Review Press in April Arts and Religion” (www.image- of 2008, and was the winner of journal.org), and is working on a the 2007 Texas Review Fiction memoir. Th e mother of a four-year Award. He continues, along with old son, Alexander, she is mar- CWP alum Dave Parsons (M.A., ried to audio engineer Brian Jar- 1991), as a Program Director of boe and works part time for the the Montgomery County Literary nonprofi t investigative journalism Arts Council, bringing authors of organization, Th e Center for Pub- distinction to the “Writers in Per- lic Integrity. She lives in Cheverly, formance” reading series in Con- Maryland. roe, Texas. His son, Dylan, turns three in October.

CWP NEWS 18 Leah Lax (M.F.A., 2004) and her nect with any alumni out that way lease date TBA). She’s still teach- partner just celebrated three years and to fi nding a new literary com- ing creative nonfi ction and serving together. Her opera, “Th e Refuge”, munity, “never mind a new teach- as prose editor for the American premiered in November with the ing gig.” Elline had been teaching Literary Review at the University Houston Grand Opera and made at UC Berkeley (literature and of North Texas. the front page of the Arts section of women’s studies) and starting this the New York Times. She received fall, she will be a Research Scholar Marc McKee (M.F.A., 2003) won grants from the Houston Endow- with UCLA’s Center for the Study DIAGRAM’S 2008 Chapbook ment and the Brown Foundation of Women. Contest for What Apocalypse? to support her work on Not From Here: New Americans and Th eir Cate Marvin Wayne Miller (M.F.A., 2002) is still Journeys. Th is is a book collection living in Kansas City and teaching at of annotated monologues from im- the University of Central Missouri, migrants, from around the world, where he edits Pleiades and where telling the stories of their journeys he was granted tenure last year. He’s to this country. Janice Rubin’s also “still living in sin” with Jeanne photographs appear throughout. Ouellette, who did her undergrad in Th e commentary gives setting, English at U of H and is now a psy- tone, and Leah’s eff orts to under- chotherapist at Truman Hospital in stand these extraordinary stories. Kansas City. In November of 2007, She was Artist in Residence for In- his translation of I Don’t Believe in print this year. Th at means peace- Holly Masturzo’s (Ph.D., 1999) Ghosts, by Albanian poet Moikom ful space to write the book! She work appeared in Ars Medica: A Zeqo, was published by BOA Edi- will do a Yaddo residency in Au- Journal of Humanities, the Arts tions as a Lannan selection. In gust, where she can work on the and Medicine, published by the March of this year, Graywolf pub- fi fth, and fi nal, draft of her mem- University of Toronto and Mt. Si- lished New European Poets, which he oir. And then they’re off for three nai Hospital. She also launched her co-edited with Kevin Prufer and 22 weeks exploring China! consulting practice, Our Ellipses, “regional editors,” including U of H at www.ourellipses.com, and serves alums Christopher Bakken (Ph.D., on the board of Axladitsa-Avatakia, 1999), Michael Dumanis (Ph.D., a learning community in Pelion, 2005), and Alissa Valles (M.F.A., Greece. In 2007, Holly returned 2003). Th e anthology features 290 to Florida where she taught for Ed- European poets (writing in nearly ward Waters College, the histori- 40 languages) who published their cally black college in Jacksonville, fi rst books after 1970. And, fi nally, before being thrilled to be invited his second collection of poems, Th e to join the faculty at Florida Com- Book of Props, is scheduled to be munity College of Jacksonville to published by Milkweed Editions teach art, dance and writing. next spring. Elline Lipkin (Ph.D., 2003) says that much to her own amazement, Ann McCutchan (M.F.A., 1998) she got married on Dec. 8th to reports that her personal essay, Richard Horowitz, also an aca- “Love From Afar”, is forthcom- demic (of Asian history) at CSU ing in Th e Gettysburg Review, and Northridge and they relocated to her third book, an essay collection Los Angeles just a few months ago. titled Circular Breathing, will be She’s very much looking to con- published by Sunstone Press (re-

CWP NEWS 19 Laurie Newendorp (M.A., 1992) one section of Creative Writing chi in the World, which will appear in says that since she doesn’t have a and one section of Kinesiology bilingual, English-only and Spanish- book cover, she started to send her Racquetball/Handball per semes- only editions. Information on the daughter’s. What’s the writerly ter. He’s still co-directing, with book is available on the publisher’s reaction to Uneasy Reunions: Im- alum Cliff Hudder, the Writers website: www.raventreepress.com/ migration, Citizenship, and Family in Performance Series and serving mariachi_home.html. Life in Post-1997 Hong Kong (Ni- as Chairman of the Conroe Com- cole Newendorp, Stanford Press, mission on the Arts & Culture. April, 2008) beside Veil and Burn Dave’s had poems published this (Laurie Clements Lambeth, Ph.D., past year in Th e Langdon Review, 2006) and Th e Bright Side of Di- New Texas: Journal of Literature saster (Katherine Center, M.F.A., & Culture and Th e Weight of Addi- 1998)? She also wishes she could tion: Texas Poetry Anthology. He has tell us she’s engaged to a passionate poems forthcoming in Louisiana publisher who says his fantasy is to Literature and an anthology to be see her in hardback, but it hasn’t published by Kent State University happened. “Just think, with no Press in 2009. He’s also working on current career news and having lost New & Collected Poems from Austin Young Smith (Ph.D., 2003) has my beloved Orpheus, I could use and trying to fi gure out a way to received grants from the National my picture with Laurie Lambeth’s not be in Texas in August. Endowment for the Arts and the horse, Hemmingway, on a book Kentucky Arts Council. His poems cover (if I had a book), thus show- Patty Seyburn’s (Ph.D., 2003) have appeared or are forthcoming ing my love of horses -- actually all third book of poems, Hilarity, won in Poetry, Beloit Poetry Journal, animals -- as well as dogs!” Laurie the 2008 New Issues Press Green Th e Iowa Review, Pleiades, Ameri- says she loved seeing Ed Hirsch, Rose Prize, and will be published in can Literary Review, Arts & Let- Stan Plumly, Richard Howard, 2009. She’s had poems published ters, Atlanta Review, Th e Midwest Leslie Miller and Peter Stitt (Get- recently in Slope, Verdad, zeek, La Quarterly, Th e New Orleans Re- tysburg Review; former UH pro- Fovea, Women in Judaism, Dia- view, and other publications. He is fessor) at AWP, NYC. gram, Th e Tampa Review, Cimar- an assistant professor of English at ron Review, Askew and 5AM. She’s Eastern Kentucky University. He Greg Oaks (Ph.D., 2001) recently also had poems reprinted on "Po- lives with his wife, Janet Schwartz, published a story in Switchback etry Daily" and "verse.com". Patty and their daughter, Harper, in and a book review in the Ameri- is currently an assistant professor at Lexington, Kentucky. can Book Review. He’s teaching at California State University, Long Lonestar College--Tomball and re- Beach. And she’s learned how to cently received a writing sabbatical play mah-jongg. for Fall, 2008. He puts on the Poi- son Pen Reading Series, along with Jacsun Shah (Ph.D., 2005) re- current students, Casey Fleming ceived an individual artist’s grant (M.F.A., Fiction) and David Ma- from the Houston Arts Alliance for cLean (Ph.D., Fiction), and with 2008, received a small grant from Scott Repass, the owner of Poison the Puffi n Foundation, and spent Girl. August 2007 at a writers’ retreat, La Muse, in the south of France. Dave Parsons (M.A., 1991) has been fortunate to continue J. D. Smith (M.A., 1989) announced Amy Spade (M.F.A., 1997) mar- his dream teaching schedule at the forthcoming publication of his ried Mark Silverman on June 29 in Lone Star College-Montgomery: fi rst children’s book, Th e Best Maria- Healdsburg, CA. He’s a software

CWP NEWS 20 engineer and stand-up comedian Marilynn Talal (Ph.D., 1993) a publisher for his poetry manu- and musician. Best wishes to Amy read at the 92nd Street Y in New script but is mostly working on his and Mark for a long and happy life York as part of the book launch for dissertation. together! Blood to Remember: American Poets on the Holocaust. At the Society for David Ray Vance (Ph.D., 2006) Marilyn Stablein’s (M.A., 1984) the Advancement of Judaism she accepted a tenure track position at book, Sleeping in Caves: A Sixties read from her chapbook Lilly: Her Th e University of Texas at San An- Himalayan Memoir, was published First Decade: A Love Story and was tonio starting in the fall of 2007. in Kathmandu, Nepal, by Pilgrim’s a panel member discussing “Car- He and his wife, Catherine Kasper, Publishing. She gave a reading ing for the Caregiver” at the same continue to co-edit American Let- and workshop at the Harwood venue. ters & Commentary, which is now Museum in Taos, New Mexico. being housed at UTSA. His book, A catalog, Microcosm: Collage Gail Donohue Storey (M.A., 1982) Vitreous (Del Sol Press, 2007), has and Assemblages, featured work is becoming a YouTube star while appeared twice on the Poetry Foun- in a solo show at Th e Outpost Art her agent sends around her mem- dation’s Best Seller List, fi rst at #19 Space in Albuquerque. She de- oir about hiking the Pacifi c Crest and almost a year later at #16. Da- signed the cover collage for Issue Trail. To see her jump out of a cake vid says that if this trend continues #28 of Rattle Magazine(A Tribute to bust some hip-hop moves, go it should make #1 around 2014. to Nurses) and a visual poem ap- to YouTube.com and search: Gail’s peared in issue #29. 61st Hip Hop Tribute. Robert Vellani (Ph.D., 2006) is Other art was recently exhibited at: a professor of English at Preston Sandy Gallery, Portland, OR; Sid- Michael Th eune High School in the Bronx. ney & Berne Davis Art Center, Ft. Myers, FL; Gallery Zipp, Glori- Karen Volkman’s (Ph.D. cand., etta, NM; and Th e Cradle Project, 1992) book, Nomina, was published Albuquerque, NM. in spring 2008 by BOA Editions. Two book sculptures are featured Her work has been included in re- in the Boston Book Arts traveling cent anthologies, including Ameri- show which opened at Yamawaki can Poets in the 21st Century: Th e Art Center, Lasell College, New- New Poetics, Th e Pushcart Book of ton, MA and will travel to: Pyra- Poetry and A Poetry Criticism Reader. mid Atlantic Art Center, Silver Robert Tinajero (M.F.A., 2004) is Karen’s translation of Francis Ponge Spring, MD; Rhode Island School currently in the dissertation phase appeared in Poetry Magazine’s April of Design, Providence, RI; Mont- of doctoral studies in Rhetoric and translation issue, and new poems serrat College Art Gallery, Beverly, Writing Studies at the University and essays appear in recent issues MA and end at Wells College, Au- of Texas at El Paso. His disserta- of New American Writing, Denver rora, NY in May 2009. tion, “Hip Hop Rhetoric: Re-land- Quarterly, Massachusetts Review, scaping the Rhetorical Tradition,” and American Poet. should be done by November. He will be moving to Dallas this sum- Sidney Wade’s (Ph.D., 1984) most mer with his wife, Cindy, so she recent collection, Stroke, was pub- can begin graduate school. He’s lished by Persea Books in Janu- been working on his website, www. ary 2008. She rolled off the AWP blueletters.com, and has started a Board after four years of service, small advertising company with one as President, into green pas- two friends: www.Handvertising. tures in which she hoped to loll, com. He is currently looking for but, alas, there’s always something. She guest-edited the poetry of Two

CWP NEWS 21 Line’s issue number 15 (May 2008) will be published in 2009. He is and will off er a reading of "Turkish on the Board of Directors of the Poetry in Translation" in San Fran- National Book Critics Circle, a cisco and also direct an introduc- post he has held for six years, and tory workshop in Translation for he is Associate Editor of American the Center for the Art of Transla- Book Review, Associate Editor of tion. She gave a poetry reading Boulevard, and Fiction Editor of from the book at Kadir Has Uni- Th e Texas Review. For the past David Alexander Harvey passed versity in Istanbul on May 28. She four years he has judged the Isher- away on July 5, 2008, in Phila- continues to translate the poems wood Fellowship for Fiction. Last delphia, after many years of medi- of Guven Turan, Melih Cevdet year, renowned portrait artist Don cal problems. David entered the Anday and Efe Balikcioglu, and Bachardy painted two portraits CWP M.A. program in Fall, 1987. she has a fi ne new website--check of Williamson which are now on In addition to writing fi ction, Da- it out! www.sidneywade.com. display in Santa Monica at the for- vid had a deep and abiding inter- Daughter Amanda graduated from mer residence of Christopher Ish- est in computer technology. He DePaul’s Th eater Conservatory in erwood. Williamson lives on the had worked as a technology jour- June 2007 and is making her liv- Texas/Mexico border with his wife, nalist and consultant for many ing waitressing and auditioning in Judy, and their two sons, Guthrie years, and had written for some Chicago. Daughter Elena is a ju- and Turner. He is Professor of of the country’s leading computer nior at Eastside High School and is Contemporary and Postmodern magazines. He was a founding the principal cellist in the Alachua Literature at the University of Tex- editor of Windows User Magazine. County Orchestra. as, Pan American. Most recently, David had been at- tending medical school, training Tiphanie Yanique to become a pediatrician; he in- tended to bring his technological expertise to the practice of medi- cine. David’s parents have cre- ated a guest book at www.legacy. com/philly/GB/GuestbookView. aspx?PersonId=112907241

Gemini Wahhaj’s (Ph.D., 2007) story came out in Granta this year. Her other big news is that her daughter started kindergarten! Have you seen the new site? Gemini is working at Rice Univer- We mentioned this elsewhere, but it sity and still living in Houston. bears repeating; it's new and improved. We've got big plans for it in the future, Eric Miles Williamson (M.F.A., but for now make sure to look around. 1991) published his third book-- We'll be putting the current and recent this one criticism--Oakland, Jack newsletters up and adding more infor- London, and Me. Th e French edi- mation about the the program and the people who make it great. tion of his second novel, Two-Up, Have a look! appears in September 2008, and his third novel, Out of Oakland,

CWP NEWS 22 later. Since then the goal has been Low Rent to fi nd and publish top-notch work Glass Mountain by relatively unknown writers and off er their work exposure outside Beginning its third year of publi- the usual places. Th e journal fea- cation, Glass Mountain has estab- tures just two short stories and eight lished itself as a force in the life of poems per issue, with each issue undergraduate creative writers at priced at fi ve dollars; and we have, the University of Houston. In ad- fortunately, managed to put it in dition to publishing two issues last the hands of readers in most major year, Glass Mountain also spon- cities and regularly receive submis- sored open-mike readings, invit- sions from all around the world. As ing students from University of of this writing, Low Rent is almost St. Th omas and Rice University to completely supported by readers join their fellow writers at UH in and subscribers. And though the a celebration of writing through- “Longing for the days of Story, journal is based in New York, the out Houston. In April 2008, stu- puzzled by the dent McSweeney’s soul of it is overwhelmingly a result dents whose work was published in makes in one’s budget, and aston- of the University of Houston Cre- Glass Mountain read in the M. D. ished by the circulation of Poetry, ative Writing Program.” Anderson’s Poetry and Prose series, Bill Hughes, Jason Koo, and Rob- celebrating the publication of the ert Liddell discussed the possibility Spring issue. Th at issue also con- of a new journal like Low Rent re- tained an interview of UH Poetry peatedly in diff erent places around Professor Mark Doty. the country: an old-neighborhood diner in Brooklyn, a swank hillside Professor Lynn Voskuil became the mini-mansion in Santa Fe, and fi - faculty advisor, and that has pro- nally in the sweaty days before a vided important stability for the wedding in Central Florida. Th e journal. Th e editors and Professor idea was simple: publish just the Voskuil work well together, and strongest work we could fi nd and anticipate another productive year, celebrate it as though the work advancing undergraduate creative were appearing in a well-established writing at UH. Th e editors en- quarterly tome. Furthermore, the courage all faculty and all graduate ideal journal would dispense of the students teaching creative writing unread bulk of so many of the oth- to encourage their students to sub- ers, drawing the reader’s attention to just a few pieces; and since it never mit work to Glass Mountain. hurt to fantasize, it was proposed that the ideal journal would be in- expensive to purchase and designed as though someone gave a damn.”

“Of course, the idea languished. Lots of people start little journals, and the competition is tough (note: Gulf Coast). But luckily some in- fantile outspokenness led to an in- fantile dare, and the dare led to the fi rst issue of Low Rent a few months

CWP NEWS 23 0073019300 CWPNews University of Houston Creative Writing Program 229 Roy Cullen Building Houston TX 77204-3015

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