Alums receive NEA grants

Four UA alumni are among the recipients of NEA poetry grants this year: Chelsea Rathburn, Thom Satterlee, Charles Rafferty and Bill Notter.

Brock featured by Poetry Foundation

Four of Geoff Brock's poems have been featured recently by the Poetry Foundation as "Poem of the Day" podcasts:

Dec. 4: Flesh of John Brown's Flesh
Nov. 20: Weighing Light
Nov. 9: And Day Brought Back My Night
Oct. 25: Homeland Security

Wray Forthcoming in Phoebe

First-year student Tobias Wray's poem "Foreign to the Woods" will appear in the upcoming issue of Phoebe.

Signing for Brock and Viswanathan

The University Bookstore is proud to invite you to an author signing with local authors Padma Viswanathan and Geoffrey Brock to celebrate the release of their new books, The Toss of a Lemon and a new translation of Pinocchio. The Toss of a Lemon is Viswanathan’s first novel and has been receiving outstanding reviews. Brock is a professor in the Creative Writing Program at the University of Arkansas; his books include translations of Umberto Eco and Roberto Calasso, as well as a volume of original poetry.

Please join us in the bookstore on the third floor of the Arkansas Student Union this Friday, 11/21, from 2-4 for a book signing and conversation with the authors. Light refreshments will be provided.

Skylark Farm

Antonia Arslan's novel Skylark Farm (translated by our own Geoff Brock) has been longlisted for the 2009 IMPAC Dublin Award, one of the world's most lucrative and most international literary prizes.

New stories from Molly Giles

Molly Giles has new stories in the current Cimarron Review andThe Santa Monica Review and more forthcoming in Green Mountains Review and Subtropics.

Heffernan selected for The Writer's Almanac

Michael Heffernan's poem "Medallion" will be read by Garrison Keillor on The Writer's Almanac on Oct. 19.

Reading Thursday at Nightbird Books

From Tom Andes:

At 6:00 on October 2, I will be reading from Underground America at Nightbird Books. Underground America consists of 24 narratives of the lives of undocumented workers in America; it was edited by Peter Orner and published by McSweeney's in San Francisco. The stories in the book are based on extensive interviews conducted by Orner and by students in the MFA and MA Creative Writing programs at San Francisco State University. Many of the people in the book spoke anonymously or risked deportation to tell us their stories.

Peter read at UA and was a visiting writer two years ago during the Arkansas Festival of Writers, so I'm sure some of your students remember him. Because he edited the book along with a group of creative writing students, I thought your students might be interested in knowing about the event.

Jabaily in Manneqin Envy

Jennifer Jabaily's poems "I Know They Say: distant, small" and "Tony" will be featured in the Fall issue of Mannequin Envy. Jabaily is a second-year student in the program.

Upcoming awards

For our recent and upcoming graduates:

Bucknell University. Stadler Center for Poetry. The 2009-10 Stadler Fellowship offers professional training in arts administration & literary editing in a thriving, university-based poetry center, while also providing the Fellow time to pursue his or her own writing. The Stadler Fellow assists for 20 hours each week in the administration of the Stadler Center for Poetry and/or in the editing of West Branch, a nationally distinguished literary journal. The Fellow also serves as an instructor in the Bucknell Seminar for Younger Poets in June. The Fellowship stipend is $20,000. In addition, the Fellow is provided a furnished apartment in Bucknell’s Poet’s Cottage & health insurance, as well as access to all campus academic, cultural, & recreational facilities. To be eligible, an applicant must be at least 21 years of age, must have received an advanced degree in creative writing with an emphasis in poetry (i.e. MFA, MA, PhD) no earlier than spring 2004, & must not be enrolled as a student during the period of the Fellowship. (Persons enrolled in a college or university at the time of application are eligible.) The Stadler Fellowship is potentially renewable for a second year. Submit the following items by postal mail: letter of application, curriculum vita, three letters of recommendation, a poetry sample of no more than 10 pp., to: Stadler Fellowship, Stadler Center for Poetry, Bucknell Hall, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837. No materials will be returned; please do not send originals. Postmark deadline: December 6. Notification: late spring 2009. For more information on the Stadler Center for Poetry, see our website: www.bucknell.edu/stadlercenter.

Emory University. Two-year Creative Writing Fellowship in fiction in lively undergraduate English/Creative Writing Program, beginning fall 2009. Load 2-1, all workshops; $26,000 salary, and health benefits. Required: MFA or PhD in last five years, with Creative Writing teaching experience. Desirable: record of publication, with a first book underway; interest in secondary genre, especially creative nonfiction and screenwriting. Send dossier, including cover letter discussing teaching experience and philosophy, c.v., two letters of recommendation and a 25-page writing sample to:Creative Writing Program, Emory University, 537 Kilgo Road, Room N209, Atlanta, GA 30322, by November 14, 2008 deadline. We actively seek applications from women and minority candidates.

First book

MFA alum Denise Rogers recently celebrated the publication of her first book of poems, The Scholar's Daughter. The book was released in January by Louisiana Literature Press.

Denise teaches at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

Heffernan reads in Ireland

Michael Heffernan is in Ireland to promote the publication of his new book, The Odor of Sanctity. He'll read at the following locations and times:

*The Unitarian Church in St Stephens Green, Dublin, 6:30 p.m. on October 1, sponsored by Poetry Ireland
*The Court House Gallery in Ennistymon, Co. Clare, on the evening of October 2

New stories from Sloan

Recent MFA grad Maya Sloan has stories forthcoming in Boulevard, Passages North, and Driftwood. Congrats, Maya!

New book from Heffernan

Michael Heffernan's new book of poems, The Odor of Sanctity, is now available from Salmon Poetry.

New translation from Brock

Geoff Brock's translation of Fernando Pessoa's "The Mariner (A Static Drama in One Scene)" is live at The Brooklyn Rail. The translation is from the Portuguese.

Seay accepted by 32 Poems

Erika Seay's poem "Circle" will appear in the fall issue of 32 Poems. Erika is a first-year student in the MFA program.

Jabaily accepted by Fickle Muses

Second-year student Jen Jabaily's poem "Not Even Wolves" will be featured by Fickle Muses from Sept. 21 to Sept. 27.

Dismal Rock named Best Second Book of 2007 by The Contemporary Poetry Review

From Tupelo Press's web site:

The Contemporary Poetry Review, a journal devoted exclusively to poetry criticism, has named Davis McCombs' Dismal Rock as the Best Second Book of Poetry for 2007. Included with this honor is this encomium:

"McCombs transports the reader to his native Kentucky for his follow up to Ultima Thule, which won the Yale Younger Poets Prize. The poems are laden with rich local imagery, and they seem at times carved into the very sandstone of Dismal Rock like the ancient petroglyphs his characters encounter there."

Congratulations to Davis McCombs, this is the fourth poetry prize for Dismal Rock. His book has also has garnered a Dorset Prize, the Eric Hoffer award, as well as the first place prize in the Kentucky Literary Awards.

Honum accepted by The Paris Review

Third-year student Chloë Honum's poem "Fever" has been accepted by The Paris Review. Congrats, Chloë!

McHugh accepted by Crab Orchard Review

Second-year student Ashley McHugh has had two poems accepted by Crab Orchard Review. "Waiting for Reconcilation" and "Long Distance Lullaby" will appear in the Winter/Spring 2009 issue, due out in February.

Honum selected for Best New Poets 2008

Third-year student Chloë Honum has been selected by guest editor Mark Strand for Best New Poets 2008. Honum's poem is titled "Directing the Happy Times."

Brock in Poetry

Geoff Brock's poem "Prof of Profs" is included in Poetry Magazine's Summer Break issue.

Mulholland accepted by Colorado Review

Meaghan Mulholland's short story "Immersion Program" has been accepted for publication in the fall issue of the Colorado Review. Meaghan is a second-year student in the program.

McHugh accepted by Unsplendid

Ashley McHugh's poem "Coming Down" has been accepted for publication in Unsplendid issue 2.1. Ashley is a second-year student in the program.

Williams accepted by Pebble Lake Review

Johnathon Williams's poem "Dirge" will appear in the Fall/Winter issue of Pebble Lake Review. Johnathon is a third-year student in the program and the 2008-2009 recipient of the Walton Fellowship in Poetry.

Heffernan and Brock get political in Poetry Northwest

Michael Heffernan and Geoff Brock both have poems in the new "Political Issue" of Poetry Northwest, along with Robert Pinsky, Heather McHugh, Kevin Young, Mary Jo Salter, and several others. Thom Satterlee (Arkansas alum and recent visiting translator) has a translation in the same issue.

Brock in June issue of Poetry

Geoff Brock's poem "Daddy: 1933" is featured in the June issue of Poetry.

Medders to appear in Brain, Child

"Along for the Ride," an essay by Camilla Shumaker Medders, will appear in the summer issue of Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers.

Honum accepted by Nimrod

Second-year student Chloë Honum has had three poems accepted by Nimrod.

Travis in storySouth

MFA student Robert B. Travis has a new story titled The Plastic Flower Option in the online journal storySouth.

Brock's translation a finalist for L.A. Times prize

Geoff Brock's most recent translation, Antonia Arslan's Skylark Farm, has just been named one of five finalists for the 2007 First Fiction Award given by the L.A. Times. Winners will be announced April 25. (Brock's first translation, Cesare Pavese's Disaffections, appeared on the L.A. Times' "Best Books of 2003" list.)

Mulholland chosen as runner-up

Meaghan Mulholland's story "Immersion Program" was recently selected by guest judge Lan Samantha Chang as runner-up for the 2007 Indiana Review Fiction Prize. Mulholland is a first-year student in the program.

Heffernan in Unsplendid

Four of Michael Heffernan's poems are featured in the most recent issue of Unsplendid. Audio recordings of Heffernan reading the poems are also offered at the site.

Longhorn in Quarterly West

MFA alum Sandy Longhorn's poem "Of Mortal Men and Women" appears in the current issue of Quarterly West (65).

Penkov selected for Best American Short Stories

Salman Rushdie, this year's guest editor, and Heidi Pitlor have chosen Miroslav Penkov's story "Buying Lenin" to appear in the 2008 volume of The Best American Short Stories. Penkov is a third-year student in the MFA program.

Shores shortlisted

MFA student Jacob Shores-Arguello has been shortlisted for the Montoya Prize from the University of Notre Dame press. A final decision is expected in April.

McCombs interview

An interview with Davis McCombs (conducted by our very own Ash Bowen) will appear in the next issue of Turnrow.

Penkov wins Welty Prize

Miroslav Penkov has been awarded the 2007 Eudora Welty Prize in Fiction for his story "Buying Lenin." The award is given to the best short story published in The Southern Review each year. Miro is the current recipient of the Walton Fellowship in fiction and a third-year student in the MFA program.

Students launch new online poetry magazine

Linebreak is a new online poetry magazine edited and published by MFA students Ash Bowen, Johnathon Williams, and Ashley McHugh. Since its launch on Jan. 22, the site has published poems from Bob Hicok, Bruce Bond, and, most recently, Barry Ballard. The format is a little different from most online journals -- each week, the site features a single poem from a single poet. Poems are published in both text and audio formats, and the site is updated each Tuesday.

Current faculty and students at Arkansas are ineligible for publication in the magazine, but the editors are seeking local poets to help record audio versions of selected poems.

Give it a look when you get a chance, and feel free to email the editors with feedback.

Bowen accepted by Crab Orchard Review

Ash Bowen's poem "Falling in Love with Flash Gordon" has been accepted for a special issue of Crab Orchard Review. The issue is titled "The In-Between Age: Writers on Adolescence" and will be available in August. Ash is a second-year student in the program.

Recent publications from Geoff Brock

Geoff Brock has ten new poems out: a four-poem sequence in the new issue of The Hudson Review, three poems in the finale issue of Electronic Poetry Review, two poems in JoAnne Balingit's "nerve" at la fovea, and one poem in Drunken Boat #9.

Bray wins Rudnitsky Prize

MFA alum Tara Bray has won the Lexi Rudnitsky Prize from Persea Books. The prize includes a $1,000 award and publication of her manuscript.

Macri published in New Delta Review

MFA alum Angie Macri's poems "Heartland" and "The Bell at Kaskaskia" appear in the current issue of New Delta Review (25.1).

In addition, Macri is the featured Illinois poet with fourteen poems and an interview in the current issue of The Spoon River Poetry Review (32.2).

Macri is serving in her fourth year as the chair of the English Department at Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock, Arkansas, where she also teaches courses in creative writing, American literature, and composition.

McCombs featured at Poem of the Week

Davis McCombs is featured at Poem of the Week with two poems from his most recent collection and a short interview.

Longhorn published in Redivider

MFA alum Sandy Longhorn's poems "'Touch Me' Misread as 'Torch Me'" and "Disclaimer" appear in the current issue of Redivider (5.1).

Hoahwah in Indiana Review

MFA alum Sy Hoahwah's poem "NDN Way" appears in the current issue of the Indiana Review (29.2).

McCombs selected for Best American Poetry 2008

A poem by Davis McCombs will appear in The Best American Poetry 2008, edited by Charles Wright. Congratulations, Davis!