Hudson Valley Writers Guild Newsletter
March 2013
In This Issue
Guild Announcements: 2013 Short Fiction Contest, Call for submissions from mystery writers for March 23rd reading, New Newsletter Editor
Member Announcements: Alan Catlin, Bob Sharkey, Hollis Seamon, M.E. Kemp
Area Announcements: Introducing a new writer’s page on Facebook, Capital Area Writers; Memoir Writing Classes at East Line Books; Roe Library Celebrates National Poetry Month; Memoir workshop with Marion Roach Smith at The Arts Center of the Capitol Region; Poet Sylvia Barnard to read at the Social Justice Center; Smith’s Tavern Poet Laureate Contest will be held on Sunday April 28th; local author Richard Matturro’s new book, Janey; WORD FEST!
Guild Announcements
2013 Short Fiction Contest
The HVWG writing contest alternates genres annually. This year’s contest is in short fiction.
Winners will be awarded cash prizes and invited to read their winning story at a special Guild program in the fall of 2013. Entries must be postmarked between March 1 and May 31, 2013.
First Prize – $100 Second Prize – $75 Third Prize – $50
Submission Guidelines and all contact information are on the Guild’s website: hvwg.org
Call for Submissions
On March 23rd at the East Greenbush library, 1:00 p.m., the Hudson Valley Writers Guild and Sisters in Crime/New England chapter will co-sponsor a series of 5-minute readings by mystery writers from the Albany and Berkshire areas. Readers must be members of either organization to read and material must be timed to 5 minutes or less. All material must be mystery-related but may include a mystery poem. If interested in reading please contact Marilyn Rothstein (aka: M.E.Kemp) at 583-9571 or at:mekemp@nycap.rr.com
New Newsletter Editor
I’ll be putting together the HVWG Newsletter from the cozy environs of East Line Books. Robyn Ringler, owner of ELB, has enthusiastically agreed to let me use some of my time working at the book store to compile and distribute the monthly announcements. I’m very happy to contribute to HVWG but could not have done this job without East Line Books support. Thanks to Bob Sharkey for helping me transition into the job. –Carol Graser
Member Announcements
From Alan Catlin: I am one of the editors of a new online poetry magazine that is seeking submissions. Please check our website at misfitmagazine.net. Guidelines submission information (submissions@misfitmagazine,net) and news are posted, as well as, some of the accepted poets for the first issue. The magazine is evolving, so there is no set schedule yet for the closing of submissions or date for the publication of the complete issue. We will be striving for a national audience; poets accepted are from Maryland, NYC, Arizona, Colorado, Florida plus local poets. How often we publish may be determined by the amount of good material we receive. We also are looking for books of poetry for possible brief review. Smaller, under reviewed presses and poets preferred.
Bob Sharkey and Tim Sneider will be featured poets at Caffe Lena Poetry Open Mic, on Wednesday March 6. Bob has been a vital part of the area’s poetry scene and Hudson Valley Writiers Guild for many years. He’ll be showing off his new chapbook Surface at Sunrise published by Benevolent Bird Press. Tim Sneider is a biker poet and member of the Highway Poets Motorcycle Club. He has performed at lots of biker poet venues. The readings start at 7:30. $5. Caffe Lena, 47 Phila St. Saratoga Springs. caffelena.org
Hollis Seamon will be reading from her new collection of short stories, Corporeality, on Friday, March 1 from 5-7 p.m. at the College of Saint Rose in Albany. Joining Hollis for this reading will be Saint Rose graduate, Dennis Mahoney, who has just published his debut novel, Fellow Mortals. For directions and more information: www.strose.edu . Hollis and her son Tobias, author of the new novella, The Fair Grounds, will be reading at Kinderhook Memorial Library, Kinderhook NY on Sunday, March 24, from 3-5 p.m. For directions and more information kinderhooklibrary.org .
M.E. Kemp was chosen to take part in a mystery writer’s night at the Hyannis Yacht Club on March 29th on Cape Cod. Writers will mingle and dine with Cape Codders as their guests. Kemp’s latest novel is DEATH OF A CAPE COD CAVALIER and is set in the area.
Area Announcements
Smith’s Tavern 4th Annual Poet Laureate Contest
Cash Prizes: Poet Laureate – $100, 2nd Place – $50, Honorable Mention – $25
OPEN TO THE FIRST 25 POETS TO REGISTER
Registration begins March 18th at noon by email
<dsullivan6@nycap.rr.com>
Notification of acceptance right away! Please sign up only for yourself
For full schedule and rules email dsullivan6@nycap.rr.com
JUDGES:Therese Broderick (Head Judge) , Jan Tramontano, Joe Krausman, & Marion Menna
SPONSORED BY SUNDAY FOUR POETRY OPEN MIC and hosted by Dennis Sullivan, Michael Burke, Edie Abrams
MEMOIRAMA
March 9, 2013 — 12:30 PM to 03:30 PM Instructor: Marion Roach Smith
Put down that glue gun, toss aside that scrapbook, and take the challenge to tell your tale. A possible subtitle for this one-night class could easily be Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Memoir, but that’s a little wordy, isn’t it? We’ll talk about being too wordy, as well as every other aspect of writing what you know, in this unique, one-night, rarely-offered class. Multi-media, highly entertaining, this is the class you say you never have time to take in the 8-week, wait-listed version we regularly offer. Highly informative, after this class you will be able to write memoir, whether it be a college essay, a blog, a letter home, an essay for public radio, an op-ed for the newspaper, or a book-length memoir. Marion Roach Smith is a former New York Times staffer, author of four mass-market books, and commentator on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. This will include a session during which you can pitch your tale to Marion, and she tells you how to do it. Required Text: The Memoir Project, A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing and Life (June, 2011, Grand Central Publishing) is included with Studio Fee.
Poet Sylvia Barnard to read at the Social Justice Center
Albany Poet Sylvia Barnard will read from her work at the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany on Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 7:30PM. An open reading will follow. Sylvia Barnard taught Latin, Greek, & classical civilization at the University at Albany from 1967 to 2011 when the classics program was abruptly terminated. She reads frequently at poetry open mics in Albany & has been featured at Poets in the Park, among other poetry venues. Her book of poems, “Trees,” was published in 2012 by Troy Book Makers.
Memoir Class at East Line Books
This class will only cover memoir writing. During class, we will critique your pieces in a supportive environment and discuss the elements of writing memoir. We’ll explore the areas of creative writing that plague and interest you. We’ll write in class using inspiring prompts. Together we’ll discover the best writing process for each of you. This class will inspire you to write more and to try new methods of writing. Please bring 6 copies of a creative nonfiction writing piece to class up to 1000 words. Heather Haskins is in the MFA program for creative nonfiction at Lesley University. She often contributes blog posts to the Albany Times Union from her blog, Lighten Up, and has an essay forthcoming in the Forge Journal. More details and how to sign up at eastlinebooks.org or call 371-4151
Local Author Richard Matturro’s New Book, Janey
Livingston Press has just published Janey, the completion and central novel in local author Richard Matturro’s Tri-City Trilogy: Three novels set in the neighboring upstate New York cities of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy; three women who share an aversion to all things feminine, especially motherhood; three unexpected detours to the place where myth and reality collide.
For more information, visit richardmatturro.com.
Capital Area Writers
Announcing a new facebook page: Capital Area Writers, initiated by Peggy Panagopoulos Morehouse Strack. This is a place for writers in the Albany, NY region to post events, announcements, and to provide support for other writers. Feel free to post blog URLs, websites, book release dates, article publications, giveaways, success stories, etc. We’ll all do the best we can to help promote and encourage one another. Don’t be shy! If you want us to “like” something, tweet for you, visit your blog…whatever, just ask. Just log in to Facebook and search Capital Area Writers
WORD FEST!!
In celebration of National Poetry Month, Albany Poets is proud to present the 2013 Albany Word Fest featuring the poetry and spoken word of upstate New York. This year’s event will take place on Sunday, April 14 – Saturday, April 20, 2013. Albany Poets have scheduled the heck out of this event offering open mics, slams, featured readings, a movie, a reading for younger poets and more. Please check their website for a detailed schedule of events. www.albanypoets.com/wordfest/
Poetry Month at Roeliff Jansen Community Library
The Roeliff Jansen Community Library is offering a variety of poetry events and workshops all month long. Please check their website for more details. www.roejanlibrary.org
The Hudson Valley Writers Guild offers space in its newsletter for submission and program opportunities but does not endorse any programs or publications that are not offered through the Guild.
* Send feedback and suggestions regarding any formatting issues to hvwginfo@gmail.com.
* News items should be sent to Carol Graser at rldsr12@aol.com. Thank you!
This Newsletter is Sponsored by East Line Books, eastlinebooks.com
Note: please do not communicate with us by responding to this newsletter.
Carol Graser, Newsletter Editor
