Contemporary Writers Series 2007-2008
This series is made possible through the generous support of the John R. Oishei Foundation, the Hassett and Scoma Endowments, and with the cooperation of Just Buffalo Literary Center, Western New York Writing Project, and Talking Leaves Books. For more information, contact Mick Cochrane, Series Coordinator, 716-888-2662.
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Tuesday, September 25, 2007
7 p.m. Reading
Grupp Fireside Lounge
Brock Clarke grew up in Little Falls, NY, earned an undergraduate degree from Dickinson College, and received his PhD in American literature from the University of Rochester. He is the author of a novel, The Ordinary White Boy (Harcourt 2001), and two short-story collections, What We Won't Do (Sarbande 2002), which won the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, and Carrying the Torch (University of Nebraska Press 2005), which won the Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Fiction. His second novel, An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England, published by Algonquin Books, will be available September 2007. His work has been published and anthologized in many magazines, including New Stories from the South, Georgia Review, New England Review, Southern Review, Five Points, and The Believer. Currently, he teaches creative writing at the University of Cincinnati.
Web Resources
An Arsonist’s Guide…WebpageInterviews
A site dedicated to Clarke’s latest novel, An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England; contains an excerpt, reviews, and information on the author.
Short Story: “The Pity Palace”
In the Fall 2006 issue of The Virginia Quarterly Review. The webpage also contains links to other short stories and essays by Clarke that have appeared in the magazine.
Short Story: “The Price of the Haircut”
From AGNI Magazine, Issue 6.
Short Story: “Plowing the Secondaries”
From New England Review, Volume 22, #3.
March 9, 2007
In this short, but humorous, interview with One Story, Clarke discusses the marketing campaign for his latest novel. The site also includes links to a few of Clarke’s short stories.
September 29, 2005
In this interview with Kevin Holtsberry, Clarke talks about his influences, characters, settings, and the importance of short stories.
July 7, 2004
Clarke talks about the Prairie Schooner Book Prize, his short-story collection Carrying the Torch, and offers advice to aspiring writers in this interview with U.C.’s McMicken College.
Summer 2003
In an interview with Barbara Snyder Stambaugh of Dickinson Magazine, Clarke discusses his characters and creative writing.
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Thursday, February 7, 2008
7 p.m. Reading
Grupp Fireside Lounge
A native of Detroit, MI, Jim Daniels received his degrees from Alma College and Bowling Green State University. He is the author of several books of poetry, including Places/Everyone (University of Wisconsin Press), which won the Bittingham Prize for Poetry, Show and Tell: New and Selected Poems, which was a finalist for the 2004 Paterson Poetry Prize, and Revolt of the Crash-Test Dummies (Eastern Washington University Press), winner of the Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry. His short-story collections are No Pets and Detroit Tales. He has also edited or co-edited a number of anthologies, including Letters to America: Contemporary American Poetry on Race and American Poetry: The Next Generation. His awards include two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and two fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. He has one forthcoming book of poetry - In Line for the Exterminator (Wayne State University Press) - and one forthcoming short-story collection, Mr. Pleasant (Michigan State University Press). Daniels has also written the screenplays for two independent films, No Pets and Dumpster, which he also produced. He currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA, where he is the Thomas Stockham Baker Professor of English at Carnegie Mellon University.
Web Resources
Michigan Writers Series BiographyReviews
Contains a brief biography and audio clips of an interview, selected readings, and audience questions.
Poem: “Wheels”
From Places/Everyone; reproduced with permission by Poetry 180.
Poem: “The Tenured Guy”
Published in Exquisite Corpse, Issue 9.
Short Story: “Closing Costs”
From Ward 6 Review, Volume 1, Issue 2.
Revolt of the Crash-Test Dummies ReviewInterviews
June 24, 2007: Christopher Citro of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reviews Daniels’ book of poetry Revolt of the Crash-Test Dummies.
Blessing the House Review
Megan Parker reviews Daniels’ poetry collection Blessing the House.
February 17, 1998
In this interview with Tim Ross of Artful Dodge, Daniels talks about his writing style, his influences, everyday language, and the social and political effects of poetry today.
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Fifth Annual Hassett Reading
Thursday, March 6, 2008
7 p.m. Reading
Montante Cultural Center
Irish playwright, novelist, and poet Sebastian Barry was born in Dublin and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. His plays include Boss Grady’s Boys, winner of the BBC/Stewart Parker Award, The Steward of Christendom, which has won numerous awards and been produced internationally, Our Lady of Sligo, joint winner of the Peggy Ramsay Play Award, and Hinterland, which premiered in 2002. His latest play is Whistling Psyche. Barry’s poetry collections include The Water-Colourist and Fanny Hawke Goes to the Mainland Forever. He is also the author of three novels: The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty, Annie Dunne, and A Long Long Way, which was short-listed for the 2005 Man Booker Prize. He lives in County Wicklow, Ireland.
Web Resources
British Council Arts WebpageReviews
Includes a brief biography, a complete bibliography, and a list of prizes and awards that Barry has received.
The Guardian Article
October 8, 2005: Lucasta Miller writes about Barry’s life, his influences, and his latest novel, A Long Long Way, in this article from The Guardian.
Penguin Reading Guide: A Long Long Way
Includes a summary of the novel, discussion questions, and an interview with the author.
Penguin Reading Guide: The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty
Contains a synopsis of the novel, discussion questions, and an interview with Barry.
A Long Long Way ReviewInterviews
Laura Barber of The Observer reviews A Long Long Way.
September 2005
Barry discusses A Long Long Way and the story behind it in this interview with Mark Harkin of Three Monkeys Online.
July 3, 2005
Alan Taylor of The Sunday Herald reviews A Long Long Way and discusses the historical context of the novel with Barry.
April 10, 2005
Barry discusses the characters from his novel A Long Long Way and touches on personal and Irish history in this interview with Gavin Daly of The Sunday Business Post.
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Thursday, April 10, 2008
6 p.m. Reading
Montante Cultural Center
Heid E. Erdrich’s poetry collections are National Monuments, forthcoming from Michigan State University Press, The Mother’s Tongue (Salt Publishing), and Fishing for Myth (New Rivers Press). She also co-edited Sister Nations: Native American Women Writers on Community (Minnesota Historical Society Press). Her awards include a Minnesota State Arts Board Fellowship, a Bush Leadership Fellowship, and Mentor of the Year, Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers. A member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibway, she was raised in Wahpeton, North Dakota. Her degrees are from Dartmouth College and The Johns Hopkins University Writing Seminars. Erdrich has taught writing for 20 years, including five years leading the annual Turtle Mountain Writers Workshop on her home reservation in North Dakota. She recently became curator of Ancient Traders Native Art Gallery in Minneapolis.
Web Resources
Native Wiki Webpage -- http://www.nativewiki.org/Heid_ErdrichReviews
Erdrich's official webpage; contains a biography, a list of awards, useful links, and a bibliography.
Voices from the Gaps: Women Artists and Writers of Color Website
Includes an excerpt from Fishing for Myth, a biography and critical review, selected bibliography, and related links.
Essay: “Beauty Sleep”
Published in the Spring 2006 issue of Speakeasy, a magazine from The Loft Literary Center.
The Mother’s Tongue Excerpts
Contains a brief description of and excerpts from Erdrich’s poetry collection, The Mother’s Tongue.
The Mother’s Tongue Review
March 30, 2006: Erin Lynn Marsh reviews The Mother’s Tongue.
Fishing for Myth Review
Monica Wittstock reviews Fishing for Myth, Erdrich’s first book of poems.