There's still time to apply to the 2012 Sewanee Writers' Conference. Our application deadline is April 15. Please note that our online application system will close at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 15.
We are excited about the applications we have received this year. It's shaping up to be a great Conference, with an outstanding faculty and visitor lineup.
TweetFiction writers Jill McCorkle and Allan Gurganus will read from their work on Wednesday, April 11, in Gailor Auditorium, beginning at 4:45 PM. All are cordially invited to attend the reading as well as the book-signing opportunity and reception that will follow.
Jill McCorkle is the author of four story collections—Crash Diet, Final Vinyl Days, Creatures of Habit, and Going Away Shoes—and five novels, all cited by The New York Times as Notable Books—The Cheer Leader, July 7th, Tending to Virginia, Ferris Beach, and Carolina Moon. Her work has been anthologized in New Stories from the South, New Stories by Southern Women, Norton Anthology of Short Fiction, and Best American Short Stories. A recipient of the New England Book Award, the John Dos Passos Prize, and the North Carolina Award for Literature, she is currently on faculty at North Carolina State University. McCorkle also serves on the faculty of the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. Writer Jayne Anne Phillips declared, “Jill McCorkle is the guardian angel of American short fiction.”
Allan Gurganus, a North Carolina native, is the author of Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (Sue Kaufman Prize from the American Academy), White People (Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Pen-Faulkner Finalist), Plays Well with Others, and The Practical Heart: Four Novellas (Lambda Literary Award). His stories have won the National Magazine Prize and have been collected in Best American Stories, The O. Henry Prize Collection, and the Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Gurganus has taught literature and fiction writing at Duke University, The Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Stanford University, and Sarah Lawrence College. Gurganus was a recent John Simon Guggenheim Fellow and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His current novel-in-progress is the second in the Falls Trilogy. Critic Henry Louis Gates, Jr. said, “Allan Gurganus writes without a safety net; no precautions are taken against pathos, bathos, authorial indignity. Gurganus locates the dangerous glamour in ordinariness. He can do anything he likes as a writer.”
Tennessee Williams Playwright-in-Residence and Visiting Assistant Professor of English David Roby will premiere his new play about Tennessee Williams, “Sometimes There’s God So Quickly,” March 30-April 1. Roby traveled through Clarksdale and Columbus, Miss., the Mississippi Delta, New Orleans, and New York interviewing people who were close to Tennessee Williams or are experts on the playwright in order to research and write the one-man show. Performances are free, but reservations are requested. Showtimes are Friday March 30, 2012 at 7:30 PM; Saturday March 31, 2012 at 7:30 PM; and Sunday April 1, 2012 at 2:00 PM. Call 931.598.3260 for reservations.
Roby will play all 15 characters in the 90-minute play, which explores both the life of Williams and the idea that God and the theology of the Church are at the heart of many of his plays. Through the eyes of these colorful and often profound characters, we learn about Tennessee Williams not only as a poet and playwright, but also as a man keenly aware of the environment and ecology of the Delta.
“Sometimes There’s God So Quickly” will be directed by film and theatre director Jodie Markell. Markell visited Sewanee last year in connection with the 100th anniversary of Williams' birth. She is the director of “The Loss of the Teardrop Diamond,” based on an unpublished script by Tennessee Williams.
Roby is a former student-participant and subsequently an instructor in the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, who has thus far developed an impressively varied career as an actor, director, instructor, playwright, and screenwriter. He has also published original plays, screenplays, lyrics, and poems. Among several other honors, he received the 2006 Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award, presented by the John F. Kennedy Center and VSA Arts, for his original full-length play “Arts and Sciences.”
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Our annual SWC alumni party, which takes place at the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference, will be in Chicago this year. The party, which is open to all SWC alumni and guests, will be on Friday, March 2, from 7:00 - 8:15 p.m. It will take place at the Chicago Hilton, 3rd floor, in Private Dining Room 2. We hope to see you there for the open bar and the chance to catch up with other alumni.
TweetPoetry Off the Shelf producer Curtis Fox invites Sewanee Writers’ Conference alumnus Joshua Mehigan to guide listeners through Edgar Bowers’s poem “For Louis Pasteur”.
The podcast features Bowers reading his poem at the 1999 Sewanee Writers’ Conference. The poem’s dry-witted epigraph (“Who is Apollo?” College student) introduces Bowers’s concern with, as Fox describes, the “ignorance of the basic historical and cultural facts of the western tradition.” He goes on to say, “For Bowers, that ignorance is a big problem if we have any hope of understanding ourselves.”
Curtis Fox explores the diverse world of contemporary American poetry with readings by poets, interviews with critics, and short poetry documentaries. Joshua Mehigan is a poet and alumnus of the Sewanee Writers’ Conference (Walter E. Dakin Fellow/2005, Tennessee Williams Scholar/2000, Poetry/1999, 2001).
TweetEight Sewanee Writers’ Conference alumni were awarded 2012 National Endowment for the Arts grants and literature fellowships in creative writing (prose).
Congratulations to Belle Boggs (Walter E. Dakin Fellow/Fiction/2011); Amber Dermont (Tennessee Williams Scholar/Fiction/2010); Jennifer Haigh (Walter E. Dakin Fellow/Fiction/2003, Fiction/1999); Alan Heathcock (Walter E. Dakin Fellow/Fiction/2011); Tayari Jones (Walter E. Dakin Fellow/Fiction/2004); Porochista Khakpour (Walter E. Dakin Fellow/Fiction/2008); Susan McCallum-Smith (Fiction/2001, 2002); and Benjamin Percy (Fiction/Tennessee Williams Scholar/2003).
“Designed to give writers the time and freedom to pursue their work, the creative writing fellowships are the NEA’s most direct investment in America’s artists.”
TweetAs we prepare for the 2012 Sewanee Writers’ Conference (July 24 through August 5, 2012), we’d like to thank Walter E. Dakin Fellow in fiction Belle Boggs for her wonderful blog post reflecting on the 2011 Conference.
With a distinguished faculty gathering for the 2012 Sewanee Writers’ Conference, next year’s Conference will be just as exciting and rewarding of an experience.
TweetCongratulations to Ryan Call (Tennessee Williams Scholar/Fiction/2008) for his recent selection as a 2011 Whiting Writers’ Award recipient. These prestigious awards, of $50,000 each, are given annually to emerging writers of fiction, poetry, plays, and nonfiction.
Ryan Call’s debut collection of short stories, The Weather Stations (March 2011, Caketrain Press) caught the attention of the selection committee, who noted that Call “created an entirely new fabric, a parallel universe, slyly allegorical and unlike anything else being published.”
Call currently teaches at an Episcopal High School in Houston and contributes to Htmlgiant, an internet literature magazine blog. He received his B.A. from Rhodes College in Memphis and an M.F.A. from George Mason University. Call has also taught at George Mason University and the University of Houston. Read more.
TweetWe are pleased to announce that the 2012 Sewanee Writers’ Conference will be held from July 24 through August 5, 2012. Our distinguished faculty will provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures in poetry, fiction, and playwriting.
To participate in the Conference, a writer should submit an application accompanied by a manuscript of original work for consideration by the screening committee. Application materials for next year’s conference will be available on our website January 16, 2012.
TweetHave just published my second novel, Ellen’s Eye, subtitled: “Survival can never be taken for granted when the neighborhood bully is your own brother.” Set in 1954 in rural Tennessee, the novel includes the McCarthy/Army hearings in the background, which were televised that year.
I was in the 1999 Writers’ Conference group. Gained some perspective. Hope you will contact me if you’d like additonal info. 239-541-2617
We are happy to announce that the conference schedule has been finalized, and we are excited about the abundance of great readings, lectures and panels this year. The conference begins on the evening of July 26th with a reading by fiction writer Jill McCorkle and closes on the evening of August 6th with a reading by fiction writer Tony Earley. The lectures and readings are open to the public. These events will be held in the Cushman Room of the Bairnwick Women’s Center on Mississippi Avenue, one block south of University Avenue, on the campus of Sewanee: The University of the South.
TweetI was at Sewanee in Summer ‘07. I’m pleased to announce publication of Dining with Robert Redford & Other Stories (Little Creek Books). All but two of the stories have appeared in literary journals or anthologies such as Epiphany, North Carolina Literary Review, The MacGuffin and elsewhere.
It is thanks to the generosity of Tennessee Williams that the Sewanee Writers' Conference exists. Williams, American playwright and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, left the residual portion of his estate to Sewanee as a memorial to his grandfather, the Reverend Walter E. Dakin, who had studied at the University of the South’s School of Theology in 1895. Mr. Williams directed in his will that a fund be established to encourage “creative writing.”
The fund also allows for us to welcome a promising playwright to the university each year, and we are lucky to have David Roby serving as the Tennessee Williams Fellow for the 2010-2011 academic year.
And so, in honor of Tennessee Williams, we will be hosting a birthday party on Friday night, March 25 (the day before Mr. Williams's birthday), to follow a performance of David Roby's new play, Mercy Me, which begins at 7:30 PM. The play, in which a chain-smoker seeks forgiveness from the family members whom she has made ill, will feature theatre students from The University of the South, Jordan Craig and Keller Anderson, as well as St. Andrew's-Sewanee School's Robie Jackson and two professional actors, Lorca Simons and Jeffries Thaiss.
Come join us and celebrate the memory of Tennessee Williams.
TweetMasha Hamilton (Fiction, 1998) was recently chosen as the winner of the 2010 Women’s National Book Association Award. The award is presented to a living American woman who derives part or all of her income from books and allied arts, and who has done meritorious work in the world of books beyond the duties or responsibilities of her profession or occupation. Hamilton has written four novels, 31 Hours, The Camel Bookmobile, The Distance Between Us, and Staircase of a Thousand Steps, and founded two world literacy projects, the Camel Book Drive and the Afghan Women's Writing Project. Congratulations, Masha, for this well-deserved award.
TweetFinalists were announced for the 2011 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes for the best books of 2010, and we were happy to see a number of conference alumni and faculty listed. In Fiction, Richard Bausch (Faculty, Fiction, 2003-2005, 2007, 2009, 2010; Visitor, Fiction, 2008, 2011) is one of five finalists for his story collection Something is Out There: Stories (Knopf, 2010). Tatjana Soli (Tennessee Williams Scholar, Fiction, 2003; Susannah McCorkle Scholar, Fiction, 2004) is a finalist for the Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction for her novel The Lotus Eaters (St. Martin's Press, 2010). In the Mystery/Thriller category, Tom Franklin (Walter E. Dakin Fellow, Fiction, 1999; Visitor, Fiction, 2011) was announced as a finalist for his newest novel, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter (William Morrow, 2010). Maxine Kumin's (Faculty, Poetry, 1993, 1994) Where I Live: New and Selected Poems: 1990-2010 (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010) is a finalist in the poetry category.
We want to congratulate all nominees, though we'll be rooting for Dick, Tatjana, Tom, and Maxine to bring home the awards; winners will be announced on April 29, 2011.
TweetOur annual SWC alumni party, which takes place at the Associated Writing Programs Conference, is happening again in Washington, DC. The party, which is open to all SWC alumni and their guest, will be on Friday, February 4th, from 7:00 - 8:15 p.m. It will take place at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Lobby Level, in the Virginia, Suite A, Meeting Room. We hope to see you there for the open bar and the chance to catch up with other alums.
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Distinguished fiction writers and members of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, Richard Bausch and Allen Wier will read from their work on Thursday, November 18, in Gailor Auditorium, beginning at 4:45 PM. All are cordially invited to attend the reading as well as the book-signing opportunity and reception that will follow.
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Richard Bausch, Past Chancellor of The Fellowship of Southern Writers, currently serves as The Moss Chair of Excellence in the Writing Program at The University of Memphis. He is the author of eleven novels and eight collections of stories, including the novels Rebel Powers, In The Night Season, Thanksgiving Night, and Peace; and the story collections Spirits, The Stories of Richard Bausch, Wives & Lovers: 3 Short Novels, and, most recently, Something is Out There. An acknowledged master of the short story form, Bausch has won two National Magazine Awards, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Lila-Wallace Reader's Digest Fund Writer's Award, the Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the 2004 PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story, and, for Peace, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.
Allen Wier has published four novels, most recently Tehano, and a collection of stories, Things About to Disappear. He has edited an anthology, Walking on Water and other stories, and co-edited Voicelust, a collection of essays ‘on style in contemporary fiction’. In 2001 he was voted into the Fellowship of Southern Writers. He is also the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Robert Penn Warren Award, and a Dobie-Paisano Fellowship from the University of Texas and the Texas Institute of Letters. He holds the Hodges’ Chair for Distinguished Teaching at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The reading is presented by the English Department and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference.
TweetNew members of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, a group of artists seeking to recognize and encourage literature in the South, were announced recently, and we were happy to see many familiar names among the inductees. Included in the twelve new members are Tony Earley (Faculty, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007-2010; Visitor, 2002), Claudia Emerson (Faculty, 2008-2010), Ann Patchett (Visitor, 2002), Padgett Powell (Faculty, 1999-2001, 2010), and Ron Rash (Tennessee Williams Scholar, Poetry, 1995). The induction will take place at the Arts and Education Council Conference on Southern Literature in April of 2011.
TweetFrom July 26 through August 7, 2011, the University of the South will host the twenty-second session of the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. Supported by the Walter E. Dakin Memorial Fund established through the estate of the late Tennessee Williams, the Conference will gather a distinguished faculty to provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures in fiction, poetry, and playwriting. The faculty include fiction writers John Casey, Tony Earley, Randall Kenan, Margot Livesey, Jill McCorkle, Alice McDermott, Christine Schutt, and Steve Yarbrough; and poets Daniel Anderson, Claudia Emerson, B. H. Fairchild, Debora Greger, Mark Jarman, William Logan, Charles Martin, and Mary Jo Salter. Beth Henley and Dan O’Brien lead the playwriting workshop. In addition, a group of accomplished writers, critics, agents, and other visitors took part.
The Conference offers its customary Walter E. Dakin Fellowships and Tennessee Williams Scholarships, as well as awards in memory of Stanley Elkin, Donald Justice, Howard Nemerov, Father William Ralston, Peter Taylor, Mona Van Duyn, and John N. Wall. Additional scholarships have been made possible by Georges and Anne Borchardt and Gail Hochman. Each participant—whether contributor, scholar, or fellow—receives financial support.
If you have further questions about the conference feel free to contact Kevin Wilson at kewilson@sewanee.edu or call at 931-598-1654.
TweetWe're happy to see so many familiar names in the Best American Series for 2010.
Bryan Furuness, who attended this past summer's conference as a Tennessee Williams Scholar, had his story, "Man of Steel", included in Best American Nonrequired Reading 2010, edited by Dave Eggers.
Best American Short Stories 2010, guest-edited by Richard Russo, reprinted stories by Steve Almond (Tennessee Williams Scholar, Fiction, 2001; Walter E. Dakin Fellow, Fiction, 2003), Brendan Matthews (Stanley Elkin Scholar, Fiction, 2006), Jill McCorkle (Faculty, Fiction, 2002-2005, 2007-2010), and Ron Rash (Tennessee Williams Scholar, Poetry, 1995).
Best American Poetry 2010, guest-edited by Amy Gerstler, featured SWC faculty, guests, and alumni such as Sandra Beasley (Walter E. Dakin Fellow, Poetry, 2008), B. H. Fairchild (Walter E. Dakin Fellow, Poetry, 1992), Amy Glynn Greacen (Poetry, 2005, 2008, 2009; Mona Van Duyn Scholar, Poetry, 2006; Fiction, 2010), Kelle Groom (Tennessee Williams Scholar, Poetry, 2004), Chase Twichell (Faculty, Poetry, 1997; Visitor, Poetry, 1994), Derek Walcott (Faculty, Poetry, 1993), and Catherine Wing (Walter E. Dakin Fellow, Poetry, 2010).
Finally, James Wood, who has been a visitor at Sewanee in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007, appears in Best American Essays 2010, guest-edited by Christopher Hitchens, while Ted Genoways, a visitor from 2003-2006, was selected for inclusion in Best American Travel Writing 2010, guest-edited by Bill Buford, for his piece, "Bat Man Returns".
Congratulations to these writers and to the other SWC alums who were listed in the Notable sections of these anthologies.
TweetOn August 19th, Mary Jo Salter's poem "Midsummer, Georgia Avenue" was featured on NPR's The Writer's Almanac. The poem, which is set in Sewanee (at Stirling's Coffee House to be exact), originally appeared in Salter's collection Open Shutters. Click here to listen to the poem.
The very next day, Mark Strand's poem "Mirror" from his collection Man and Camel was featured. You can listen to that reading here.
On the 21st of August, The Writer's Almanac presented "Brotherhood" by X. J. Kennedy, which can be found in his collection In a Prominent Bar in Secaucus: New and Selected Poems, 1955-2007.
Congratulations to all three writers.
TweetAnd so we came to the end. It’s not surprising in a situation where you’ve become close to a lot of people that the leave-taking can be painful. Because half the workshops don’t even meet on Saturday, a number of the conference participants have already left the mountain. But the fact is that we aren’t done yet. Wyatt Prunty will be giving a reading this afternoon, followed this evening by Tony Earley’s reading and the final party at the Pub. I plan to be at all three and then I’ll hit the road early Sunday morning.
But I’m ahead of myself. The last couple of days have been just as crammed with wonderful events as the earlier days. We had Jill McCorkle’s craft lecture, in which she used anatomical metaphors to describe the elements of fiction (think: the story being a marriage of heart and brain, with the lungs to breathe life into the creation), a publishers’ panel, a reading by poet Rachel Hadas, a lavish reception at the French House (smoked salmon, wonderful meats and cheeses, brownies, and, of course, beverages), and an animated reading by Randall Kenan from his forthcoming novel. On Friday we had the final fellows’ readings (Jehanne Dubrow, Cheryl Strayed, M.O. Walsh), a charming craft lecture by Robert Hass (in which he analyzed the basic units of poetry), a reading by staff members Caki Wilkinson and Kevin Wilson, and to end the evening a great reading by Mark Strand. This morning a number of people went on the second bird walk (I was absent again, too lazy to get up) and this afternoon quite a few went for a tour of the Tennessee Williams Performing Arts Center on the university campus.
As I expected, this second week of the conference has flown. Between doing the serious work of the workshops and attending as many readings and lectures as I can, and also enjoying the various parties and receptions—all in the name of building connections and maintaining friendships, of course—there’s been very little down time. I confess, though, that I’m ready to go home, to get back into my writing routine, and to apply what I’ve learned here.
I’ve enjoyed each of my Sewanee conferences, but this year, my Fellowship year, because of my many talented fellow Fellows, will always be special.
TweetIncredibly, the end is near. I hate to say that, but we’ve only got a couple of days left.
The last two days have been filled with highlights, but I’d have to say that one event stood out for me: Steve Yarbrough’s reading on Wednesday night. He read a long story about a writer who mines his life for his fiction and lives with the consequences. Everyone in the room was rapt. My mind does wander from time to time during a reading—I think that’s fairly common—but Steve had my full attention. A great, great story.
But besides that, we also had terrific craft lectures from Diane Johnson, in which she likened a novel to an ocean-going vessel, and Padgett Powell who invoked the words of Flannery O’Connor, Barry Hannah, Mark Twain, and others, in driving home the point that seems to have become a recurring theme in this conference: choose the right word, and eliminate everything that isn’t necessary. Excellent advice, to be sure.
We also had great readings by fellows: Dylan Landis, Julie Tosh, Will Wells, James Magruder, Matthew Pitt, and Catherine Wing. One night all of the fellows left campus for dinner, just to get to know each other better. What a great group we have!
There were also excellent staff readings on Wednesday morning: Hastings Hensel, Jonathan Heinen, Adam Vines, and David Roby.
But wait, there’s more: I also loved Dan O’Brien’s reading of a play he’s done about the prize-winning photographer Paul Watson, and the readings by Greg Williamson and Mary Jo Salter of their poetry. We also had open mic readings both Tuesday and Wednesday to round out a couple of very long days. (And I’m leaving out the fact that there have been several editors, publishers, and agents running around making themselves available to participants, but I know that’s another important element of the conference for a lot of people.)
We’re not done yet, though. Stay tuned for one final update!
TweetI’d be lying if I said that my own reading on Sunday afternoon wasn’t a highlight of the past couple of days for me. I was more nervous than I expected to be, but then this was an audience of writers, including some really great writers, and I suppose that’s reason enough to be nervous. But it went well, and my fellow fellows did a great job—Beth Bachmann, Jillian Weise, and Jim Murphy. It was great fun, as was the annual Book-signing party in the campus bookstore later that afternoon. Good food, wine, and books—my three favorite things.
Another highlight was Padgett Powell’s reading in the evening. I’ve been reading Powell’s latest book which is, to say the least, unusual, and so it was very helpful to hear the words in his voice. I think as I finish it that will help me develop a theory of the book. Or not?
Monday was packed with panels by agents, editors, and publishers, plus two excellent readings: Richard Bausch and Alan Shapiro. (Bausch had also given a craft lecture the day before in which he stressed something that I think beginning writers don’t hear enough—the importance of reading great work. I’m reading all the time and I don’t think I do enough!) In between those readings there was a special reception, with great food, that got a little wet due to an unexpected rain shower. But a little rain does NOT stop intrepid Sewanee Writers, and we simply moved the food inside and carried on.
The conference is now past the half-way point and I know from experience that time will seem to accelerate. I just want to try to slow down and enjoy the rest of my precious time here!
To read more of Cliff's notes on the conference, visit his blog, Perpetual Folly. Prime Number Magazine, which he edits, released its first issue this week.
TweetI can’t believe it’s Saturday already—and I missed the bird watching walk AGAIN. I just had work to do—manuscripts to read for today’s workshops—and couldn’t afford the time. I’m hopeful I’ll get another shot before the conference is over. If not I’ll just have to content myself with my long walks before breakfast, which I’m enjoying before the hectic pace of the conference resumes.
Everything here is great and enjoyable, but there’ve been a few highlights I want to mention. First was Claudia Emerson’s reading on Thursday afternoon. She read a mix of older and newer work but she closed with a song (accompanied by her husband Kent) that I’ve heard her do before. It always brings down the house. And on Friday afternoon we had a reading by Christine Schutt, one of the leaders of my workshop this year. Christine read from a novel in progress that she says “is about marriage—marriages”—and it sounds wonderful. She also read from a new story that is in a collection she’s working together. Both pieces were great.
The staff readings have also been a highlight—first on Friday morning and then this morning. It’s been all poetry from the staff so far, but it’s a real pleasure to hear them read. It’s exciting to me that Sewanee brings such talented people here as staff (and I’m not just saying that because they’ve been so good to me over the years!).
There was a lowlight, too: the faculty and fellow photo. Not that it was a bad experience, and Miriam Berkeley is a terrific photographer; I just don’t like having my picture taken. All the fellows were there and we finally aligned ourselves to Miriam’s satisfaction for that shot, and then the faculty joined us and we shifted until we settled into a new shape. (I’m in the back row, standing right next to Robert Hass, so maybe this is a good thing after all.)
Lest anyone get the impression that this is all work, we’re having a lot of fun, too, including the socializing that goes on at meals. It’s a lot of literary talk over scrambled eggs at breakfast, sandwiches at lunch, and the international wheel of fortune at dinner, but I’m loving the chance to meet new people every time—faculty, fellows, visitors, participants, scholars. And the same thing happens, more or less, after the last event, when people go off to various parties, whether at the French House or the dorms. Maybe that’s why I’m moving a little slowly this morning.
For more info on Cliff, check out his blog, Perpetual Folly, and order his incredible collection of stories, In an Uncharted Country.
TweetWe are happy to have Cliff Garstang back in Sewanee this summer for the 2010 conference. Cliff has previously attended in 2004 and 2008 as a conferee and in 2006 as a Tennessee Williams Scholar in Fiction. Since Cliff only comes to the conference in even number years, he has now returned to Sewanee as a Walter E. Dakin Fellow. Cliff is the author of a story collection, In an Uncharted Country (Press 53, 2009), which received praise from esteemed authors such as Tim O'Brien and Elizabeth Strout, and was selected as the Winner of the IPPY Gold Medal for Mid-Atlantic--Best Regional Fiction from Independent Publisher. He maintains a wonderful blog, Perpetual Folly, and can also be found online at his homepage. He is also the editor of Prime Number Magazine, a new online journal that will debut on July 19th. In previous visits to Sewanee, Cliff has posted about his experiences (he is a model citizen, attending nearly every panel and reading), and we asked if he would provide a rundown of this year's conference, in a series of posts. Thanks, Cliff.
The reunions began as soon as I walked in the door of the Sewanee Inn to register. There was Juliana, Isabel, Carrie. It was great to see the staff, writers who have become old friends. And then, at my dorm, I ran into other old friends—from past conferences, from Facebook, and even some from real life. I’m thrilled to be here.On the first night, after we got settled and even had a brief reception for Fellows and faculty, things got off to a great start with the reading by Robert Hass—from his latest book and also from newer work. He’s a fantastic poet and reader. Even there, at the reading, and later at the French House, I kept running into old friends, and making new ones.
On the first full day of the conference, Wednesday, before the real work began, I managed to get in a long walk to reorient myself—out Tennessee Avenue to “The Cross” and one of the overlooks. I hope during the rest of the conference I have time and energy to do that often. And then we were off and running: the first Fellows reading (really fantastic stuff from Dorothy Fortenberry, Aryn Kyle, and Cody Walker) followed by Wyatt Prunty’s craft lecture—very useful for me because I’m not terribly familiar with the work of Philip Larkin, but now I want to read more. In the afternoon, fortunately, I was able to get some preparation work done for the workshop to come, finishing up before we were graced with the reading by Elizabeth Spencer. She is such a presence—and her reading of her story “A Southern Landscape” brought the audience to its feet. That’s not something that happens very often at readings, and it was a special moment.I always enjoy the visit to Chen Hall to meet the Vice Chancellor, and the first day was no exception. Chen Hall is a beautiful home and the Vice Chancellor and his wife were gracious hosts. (When I met them I realized that I had actually already exchanged greetings with them, and their dog, on my morning walk!)
And as if that weren’t already a full day, we had yet another fantastic reading in the evening—Beth Henley, who read from older and new plays, even using the opportunity to teach, to explain that for her writing plays is about desire and action. That works with fiction, too—an important lesson to remember. What a great first day!
TweetSo nice to have this recap! The next best thing to being there….
We are happy to learn that Laura van den Berg (Tennessee Williams Scholar, Fiction 2009) has been named a finalist for the Frank O'Connor Short Story Award, the world's richest prize for the short story. Laura's collection, What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us was published by Dzanc Books in October of 2009 and has already been a finalist for ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year award, and long-listed for The Story Prize. Her stories have appeared in Story, Boston Review, Epoch, The Literary Review, American Short Fiction, StoryQuarterly, Best American Nonrequired Reading 2008, Best New American Voices 2010, and The Pushcart Prize XXIV: Best of the Small Presses, among other publications. Congratulations to Laura and the other nominees.
TweetWe are happy to unveil the schedule for the 2010 Sewanee Writers' Conference. Robert Hass will kick off the conference with a reading on the evening of July 13 and Tony Earley will bring the conference to a close on July 24 at 8:15 PM. Between these two incredible readings, you will find panels on editing and publishing, Q & A's with literary agents, craft lectures by our esteemed faculty, and readings by faculty, visitors, staff, and fellows. A reminder to anyone interested in the events that will take place during the conference, all readings, panels, and craft lectures are free and open to the public.
TweetChristine Schutt and Claudia Emerson, who will be on faculty for the upcoming conference, will appear in DZANC Book's Best of the Web 2010 anthology. The Best of the Web series is a yearly anthology that recognizes the best fiction, poetry, and non-fiction published in online literary journals.
Christine Schutt's story, "The Girl Needs to be Kissed", which originally appeared in Blackbird, and Claudia Emerson's "Ground Truth", which was first published in Valparaiso Poetry Review, were selected for the anthology by series editor Matt Bell and guest editor Kathy Fish. The anthology will be published on June 15th of this year and can be pre-ordered here. Until then, you can read Schutt's story and Emerson's poem online.
TweetThe application deadline for the 2010 Sewanee Writers' Conference is May 15th. If you are still considering applying, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible.
TweetWe are excited to see so many Sewanee alums appear on the longlist for the Frank O'Connor Short Story Award, the world's richest prize for the short story. Previous winners have included Jhumpa Lahiri, Miranda July, and Haruki Murakami. Among this year's nominees are Richard Bausch (Faculty, Fiction, 2003-2005, 2007, 2009, 2010; Visitor, Fiction, 2008), Pinckney Benedict (Faculty, Fiction, 1998), Holly Goddard Jones (Peter Taylor Scholar, Fiction, 2006), Lorraine M. Lopez (Walter E. Dakin Fellow, Fiction, 2002), Ron Rash (Tennessee Williams Scholar, Poetry, 1995), and Laura van den Berg (Tennessee Williams Scholar, Fiction 2009). We want to congratulate these nominees and we look forward to seeing the shortlist of six authors in July.
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Glenn Blake (John N. Wall Fellow, Fiction, 2004) will read from his work on Tuesday, April 20, at the McGriff Alumni House at Sewanee: The University of the South, beginning at 4:30 PM. All are cordially invited to attend the reading as well as the book-signing opportunity and reception that will follow.
Glenn Blake is the author of two critically acclaimed story collections, Drowned Moon and Return Fire, both published by The Johns Hopkins University Press. His fiction has appeared in Southwest Review, Gulf Coast, Boulevard, and American Short Fiction. In 2004, he received a John N. Wall Fellowship from the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. He teaches creative writing in The Writing Seminars at The Johns Hopkins University and serves as the managing editor for The Hopkins Review. Blake was also an inspiration for the character Bad Blake in the Thomas Cobb novel and subsequent movie adaptation, Crazy Heart, for which Jeff Bridges won an Oscar.
The reading is presented by the English Department and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference.
We're happy to say that we'll be having our annual alumni party at the AWP Conference, this time in Denver, Colorado. Mark your calendars for Friday, April 9 from 7:00 to 8:15 pm. We'll be in the Hyatt Regency Denver, Mineral Hall F. Feel free to bring a guest and catch up with your friends from the conference. The reception, because it is a party only for alumni, will not be listed on the AWP Conference schedule. Remember also to drop by our table at the book fair to say hello. We'll be giving out information on this year's conference, as well as some nifty bookmarks. See you there!
TweetJosh Weil, a Tennessee Williams Scholar in 2008 and a Walter E. Dakin Fellow in 2009, has won the prestigious Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters for his book The New Valley. The $5000 award is given to the best work of first fiction (novel or collection of stories) published in 2009. We are excited to hear of this great news, as we have been big fans of Josh's since he came to the conference in 2008, and we can't wait to see what comes next for this author.
We are saddened to hear that Barry Hannah, a great friend of the conference, passed away on Monday, March 1. Barry was a member of the fiction faculty at Sewanee in 1999, 2000-2003, and 2006. He visited the conference to read in 2004, 2005, 2007, and he was scheduled to read at this summer's conference.
One of the finest writers in American letters, Barry Hannah published eight novels—Geronimo Rex (Alfred A. Knopf, 1972—winner of the William Faulkner Prize), Nightwatchmen (Viking, 1974), Ray, The Tennis Handsome (Alfred A. Knopf, 1981, 1983, respectively), Boomerang, Never Die (University Press of Mississippi, 1986 and 1990), Hey Jack! (Dutton, 1992), and Yonder Stands Your Orphan (Grove/Atlantic, 2001). His story collections are Airships, Captain Maximus (Alfred A. Knopf, 1978 and 1985), Bats out of Hell, and High Lonesome (Grove/Atlantic, 1993 and 1996).
Barry's readings at Sewanee were always the highlight of the conference, and his openness with all participants spoke to his generosity. We will miss him greatly.
We were excited to learn that David Philip Mullins (Stanley Elkin Scholar/Fiction/2008) won the prestigious Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction from Sarabande Books. We asked David for his thoughts about his experience at Sewanee, particularly the workshop experience.
"Attending the Sewanee Writers’ Conference as a Stanley Elkin Scholar in 2008 was invaluable. The various lectures and panel discussions were consistently absorbing and educational, providing daily opportunities to further my knowledge of craft and my understanding of the publishing industry. The Conference was a unique occasion to become part of a community of young literary artists with whom I was able to develop both my voice and my vision, as we all had the same singular objective: to become better writers. This community outlived the duration of the Conference; I’ve kept in touch with the friends I made there, each of whom has continued to offer moral support and an indispensable critical eye.
Additionally, the workshops were rigorous and encouraging--I always looked forward to them. Working with Margot Livesey and Randall Kenan allowed me to hone my strategies for revision on my first short-story collection, Greetings from Below, which, shortly after the Conference, won the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, and will be published by Sarabande Books in 2011."
Congratulations to David for his well-deserved accolades and we look forward to reading the book next year.
TweetAmy Greene’s (Fiction/2007) debut novel, Bloodroot, was released in January, and it is already receiving some incredible praise from critics. Kirkus Reviews said the book was “Bound to be a huge hit,” and Booklist wrote, “This stunning debut novel is a triumph of voice and setting.” Amazon has also selected the novel as an editors’ pick for January. We are very happy to see such a talented writer garner such well-deserved reviews and it was wonderful to read Amy’s comments about the conference in a blog post that can be found here. Greene had this to say about her time at Sewanee:
Having poured so much effort and so much of my heart into the manuscript, I was nervous about sharing it. But there came a time when I felt a need for constructive feedback, so I applied to the Sewanee Writers’ Conference n 2007. I was glad to be accepted, but a little intimidated by the notion of a workshop. I couldn’t have known then how the experience would change my life.
The Sewanee Writers’ Conference is held each summer on the campus of the University of the South. Over two weeks, I had the opportunity to learn about the craft of writing from authors like Richard Bausch and Jill McCorkle, benefiting from the advice they gave not only to me, but to the other writers in the workshop. I was lucky enough to meet with Jill for a one-on-one manuscript evaluation and she gave me some invaluable suggestions. Bloodroot needed revising, but Jill saw promise in my rough draft and offered to put me in touch with a literary agent once it was ready to be submitted.
Not long after, Knopf purchased the rights to Bloodroot, and now you can read this incredible book.
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