After it airs Thursday, Nov. 20, at 9:40 Pacific Time on KUOW 94.9, you’ll be able to hear it online at kuow.org. Elizabeth Austin talks with Merwin about his newest collection, THE SHADOW OF SIRIUS (Copper Canyon Press, 2008) and the role of memory in his poems.  Merwin reads several poems from the book over the course of their conversation–a gorgeous reader – not to be missed.

Essay Contest Guidelines
www.tiny-lights.com
15th Annual Contest Deadline: February 14, 2009

Tiny Lights invites entries that feature a distinctive voice, discernible conflict and an eventual shift in the narrator’s perspective. We are looking for writers who weave the struggle to understand into the fabric of their essays. This year, we offer 3 “Flashpoint” prizes for essays of no more than 1,000 words.
We can only consider unpublished work or previously published material for which the author holds rights. Rights revert to author after publication in Tiny Lights.

Each essay must be accompanied by an entry fee: $15 for first essay, $10 each additional essay. Make checks payable to:

Essays may be submitted in one of two categories:
STANDARD (no longer than 2,000 words) or
FLASHPOINT (no more than 1,000 words)
Please indicate preferred category on ms.

Entries should be typed and double-spaced.

Cover letters are optional, but ideally the title page of the manuscript should include author’s name, complete address, e-mail, phone number, and essay word count. Essay title and page number in header or footer OK. Author name should not appear there.

MAIL TO: Tiny Lights Publications, P.O. Box 928, Petaluma, CA 94953.
SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope) recommended for feedback/contest notification. One envelope for multiple submissions OK.

Personal essay requires writers to communicate the truth of their experiences to the best of their abilities. While no theme restrictions apply to this contest, we will
not consider essays that celebrate brutalitiy or gratuitous violence. Tiny Lights does not accept poetry, short stories, or material written for children. Entry fees for inappropriate submissions may not be returned.

Entries must be postmarked by Feburary 14, 2009.

Prizes will be awarded as follows:

First Place: $350

Second Place: $250

Third Place: $150

Two Honorable Mention Prizes: $100 each.

Three FLASHPOINT prizes of $100 are also offered. Awards will be determined by a panel of judges. Final authority rests with the Editor-in-Chief, Susan Bono.

Winners will be posted at www.tiny-lights.com by April 11th, 2009

Winning essays may be edited before publication. Final copy must be approved by writer. No essays published without author’s permission.

All contestants will receive a hard copy of Tiny Lights’ contest publication featuring the winning entries.

Inquiries may be addressed to <editor(at)tiny-lights.com> (replace (at) with @)

Freshwater
DEADLINE: December 15, 2008
Asnuntuck Community College’s poetry magazine is accepting admissions for our landmark tenth anniversary. The issue to be published in May 2009. $200 Editors Prize for Outstanding Poem.

Submit no more the 5 poems, with name, address, and email
address on each poem, together with a brief biographical note, and a stamped self-addressed envelope for
notification only to:

Freshwater
Asnuntuck Community College
170 Elm Street
Enfield Ct 06082

Or submit by email

to freshwater(at)acc.commnet.edu (replace (at) with @)

Notification by March 2009

Questions: 860-253-3105

Sojourn: A Journal of the Arts
University of Texas at Dallas
http://sojourn.utdallas.edu (Click “Submission Guidelines”)

Now accepting poetry, fiction, nonfiction, translations, scripts, and visual art submissions, unpublished material (including web publications) only. No simultaneous submissions. Submit work in to one genre. Please only send electronic submissions.

Submission deadline is December 31, 2008

http://www.waow.com/Global/story.asp?S=9350885

http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20081113/NEWS01/81113018/1002/rss

Sheila Bender is reading Sold by Patricia McCormick

A National Book Award Finalist

Each short chapter is a gorgeous, assessable poem or short lyric prose piece, which is perhaps the only way to tell this heart breaking story of a 13-year-old girl from Nepal whose step-father sells her into sexual slavery in India.

When the Lakshmi tries to remember her beloved mother and their home she thinks

Trying to remember, I have learned,

is like trying to clutch a handful of fog.

Trying to forget,

is like trying to hold back the monsoon.

Kathryn Harrison will be guest editing the Fall 09 issues of the journal, and she’s decided to make it all nonfiction: autobiography,memoir, personal essay, personal profile, and limited biography. Deadline for submission is January 1. There’s an easy to use online submission process at http://www.pshares.org/

After you read this week’s article, make a comment to this entry and let us know what you think about the place of writing in your life.

Poppyseed Kolache is currently seeking submissions for Issue No. 2.  Will consider any well-written poem, but tend to prefer visual poetry about or from everyday life. Wants poems that move the heart and the mind and connect a reader’s life to the lives of others.  Does not want to see rhyming poetry, first drafts, erotica, didactic, or greeting card verse.  Poets published in Poppyseed Kolache retain all rights to their work and will receive a free copy of the issue in which their poem appears.  The work will also be considered for publication in Angel Face.  If you do not wish to have your poems considered for Angel Face, please make a note of that in your cover letter. Do not send poems via e-mail.
Send up to 5 typed poems (plus SASE) to –
MaryAnka Press
P.O. Box 102
Huffman, TX  77336
www.maryanka.com