A special section on writing contests, including a roundtable with the people who run them and a survey of the writers who win them; profiles of novelists Siri Hustvedt and Tayari Jones; social media for authors, and more.
May/June 2011
Features
Memory and Ms. Hyde: A Profile of Siri Hustvedt
In her fifth novel, The Summer Without Men, Siri Hustvedt draws on her fascination with memory and all things cerebral to spin a twisted tale of love an marriage.
She Is Ready: A Profile of Tayari Jones
With the publication of her third novel, Silver Sparrow, Tayari Jones presents an intriguing paradox: a serious literary author who wants her readers to have fun.
Special Section
Writing Contests
In this special section on writing contests: Four prize administrators offer a behind-the-scenes look at how their contests are run; an analysis of the 129 writers who won book publication prizes last year; plus ten tips for successful entries.
News and Trends
Arts Crunch in Kansas
Arts supporters in Kansas succeeded in their efforts to reverse Governor Sam Brownback’s decision to replace the Kansas Arts Commission with a private foundation.
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Page One: Where New and Noteworthy Books Begin
With so many good books being published every month, some literary titles worth exploring can get lost in the stacks. Page One offers the first lines of a dozen recently released books, including Tracey K. Smith's Life on Mars and Chika Unigwe's On Black Sisters Street, as the starting point for a closer look at these new and noteworthy titles.
A New Bread Loaf Rises in Italy
This September Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference will expand its workshop from the historic Bread Loaf Inn in Middlebury, Vermont, to the Italian island of Sicily, with a condensed program of classes in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.
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3 for Free
In this regular feature, we offer a few suggestions for podcasts, smartphone apps, Web tools, newsletters, museum shows, and gallery openings: a medley of literary curiosities that you might enjoy.
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Digital Digest: If Sharing Is Caring, What’s Stealing?
Librarians revolt against HarperCollins after its decision to limit the number of times a digital copy of an e-book can be checked out and returned.
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Small Press Points
Small Press Points highlights the happenings of the small press players. This issue features Ice Cube Press, the nineteen-year-old publisher based in Iowa City with a focus on the importance of place.
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Q&A: Kornblum Takes a Coffee Break
As he prepares to step down from his role as publisher of Coffee House Press, founder Allan Kornblum speaks about responsible publishing, the future of the book, and returning to his roots.
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The Written Image: Face to Face
Two book paintings by Los Angeles artist Mike Stilkey, whose works will be on display in the exhibition Face to Face: The Changing Face of Portraiture at the William D. Cannon Art Gallery in Carlsbad, California.
The Practical Writer
The Dotted Line: Navigating Literary Magazine Contracts
Before signing a publication contract with a literary journal, writers should consider the long-term implications of the agreement. One short story writer offers a rundown on industry standards.
Bullseye: How to Submit to Beloit Poetry Journal
The editors of the sixty-one-year-old Beloit Poetry Journal, which has published the early works of luminaries from Charles Bukowski to Anne Sexton, are looking for poems that pass the “so what” test.
First: Charles McLeod's American Weather
For debut fiction writer Charles McLeod, the path to publication led across the pond, to Random House UK.
Social Media for Authors: Forever in Search of Buzz
Public relations consultant Lauren Cerand offers tips for how to utilize Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and community Web sites to not only persuade a reader to buy a book, but to do it now.
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The Literary Life
Spilling Blood: The Art of Writing Violence
While explicit cruelty has its place in literature, violence may be more cunningly crafted by allowing the reader to wander into the dark corners of his own mind.
After-Hours Author: The Working Writer's Advantage
A writer employed outside traditional literary channels makes the case for the working-writing split.
After-Hours Author: The Working Writer's Advantage
Is a writer employed outside of the literary realm any less of an artist? One writer makes the case for the nine-to-five juggling act.
Spilling Blood: The Art of Writing Violence
While explicit violence has its place in literature, Benjamin Percy and Aaron Gwyn explain how scenes of brutality may be more cunningly crafted by allowing the reader to wander into the dark corners of his own mind.
Why We Write: The Word in the World
After personal tragedy shakes one writer's life out of focus, the written word helps her reshape the world and, ultimately, find joy.