April 26th, 2010

Grub Street News

Welcome to the latest installment of the Grub Street Rag, a newsletter of the Boston literary scene sent out every Monday from the little toy train model that could at Grub Street's world headquarters. As always, if you are receiving this e-mail in horror, please advance to the bottom of the page to unsubscribe yourself.

Cue the trumpets: The Muse and the Marketplace is this weekend

It's a good week to be Grubbie! The weekend forecast calls for sun, and the Muse and the Marketplace (our favorite weekend of the year) is mere days away. For all 500+ of you attending the event, we hope you're busy sharpening your pencils or charging your laptops, refreshing your memory of keynote speaker Chuck Palahniuk's fantastic fiction, and warming up the right side of your brain in advance of the craft sessions and panels. You should have received your personalized itinerary via email, and if you have time, we also recommend reading through the bios of the presenters you'll be working with at the event--all bios are here. We can't wait to see all of you at the Park Plaza bright and early on Saturday and/or Sunday! If you have last-minute questions, feel free to call us at the office at 617.695.0075 or check out Muse info on our website.

The final chance for The Muse

You're not one of the 500 writers signed up for the Muse? Well, don't worry, you still have a chance to be a part of Boston's biggest, best, most inspiring writing conference! Registration for the Muse and the Marketplace ends Tuesday, April 27th at noon. Questions? Check out the website or call us at 617.695.0075 to learn more.

It pays to be a member

Three times a year, Grub Street members have the opportunity to sign up for members-only seminars with the winners of our National Book Prize. This Thursday, Grub Street members will join Grub Street Book Prize in Fiction winner Vestal McIntyre for dinner and a craft class on dialogue. This seminar is sold out, but you can have your name added to a waitlist by emailing chip@grubstreet.org. To be alerted about upcomng member opportunities, sign up or renew your membership today!

Cheers,
Whitney, Sonya, Chris, Chip and Alexis

The P.S.: Our office hours for this week and next week are shifted because of the Muse. This week, we are open Monday - Thursday, 10-6pm each day. We will be closed on Friday, but checking voicemail. Next week, we will have limited staffing on Monday and Tuesday, and will be open Wednesday - Friday, 10 -6pm. All classes will still be in session. Happy writing!

Grub Events

In addition to our ongoing workshops, Grub Street offers numerous writing-related events around town. See our website for a long-term view of all we do. Ready to sign up? Call us at 617.695.0075 and we'll get you on the list.

*NEW SPRING CLASS ADDITION* Mondays, starting May 10th,7-10pm, Six Weeks, 6 Stories
Instructor: Stace Budzko
Tired of workshopping the same stories? Can't come up with new plots and characters? All writers go through this, but here’s a way to shake up your writing world. In this always-sold-out workshop, you will write both brand-new complete stories ranging from 300 to 1500 words or brand-new beginnings of longer stories. Each week, you'll be given a different exercise to explore an interesting and tighter way to write plot, character, setting, and language; you will get quick on-the-spot feedback on what you write from both the instructor and fellow students. Classes may also include some discussion of published short shorts and/or elements of craft. The goal is to leave the class with new beginnings, a few complete short-shorts, and at least one revised piece to submit for publication. Recommended for students who’ve taken Fiction I or an equivalent.
$305/$280 members, Grub Street HQ, 160 Boylston Street, Boston, MA.

GRUB STREET SOUTH AT BUTTONWOOD BOOKS: Tuesday April 27th, 7 - 8PM, Poetry Revision: Revising for Clarity, Enhanced Meaning, and Sensitivity
Instructor: Joyce Wilson
Come join us for a poetry workshop with an emphasis on revision - revising for clarity, enhanced meaning, and sensitivity. We'll discuss strategies for revising poems that begin with an awkward event or painful memory, and how to transform these initial scribblings into finished poems that stand on their own. Scituate resident Joyce Wilson has been an active participant in the poetry communities in Boston, Cambridge and on the South Shore. For over a decade, she has edited The Poetry Porch, a magazine on the Internet. Her poems have appeared in many journals, among them Agni and the Harvard Review. She recently published her first book of poems, The Etymology of Spruce. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling Buttonwood at 1-781-383-2665.
FREE, Buttonwood Books, Shaw's Plaza Rt. 3A, Cohasset, MA 02025.

MEMBERS' SEMINAR: Thursday, April 29, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM, Craft Class with Vestal McIntyre
Join Vestal McIntyre, winner of the 2010 Grub Street National Book Prize in Fiction for his novel, Lake Overturn, published in 2009 by Harper, for a craft class entitled "Know What I'm Saying? Exploring the Possibilities of Dialogue." This is an expanded version of the class McIntyre will be leading at the Muse and the Marketplace conference. A light dinner will be provided at 6pm; seminar begins at 6:30pm. McIntyre is the also the author of You Are Not the One: Stories (Carroll & Graf, 2004) and will be visiting Boston from London. Description of the seminar: Writing dialogue is a little like spinning plates. We must advance the plot, introduce information, and illuminate characters through conversation. Meanwhile, we must ask ourselves with every line, “Would this character actually say that?” Luckily, we are given plenty of tools to let us listen in and step back—to witness not only one character says, but what the others hear. Edith Wharton’s short story “Xingu” is a battle royal of dialogue. We will examine her techniques of exploring the gaps between what is said by the speaker, heard by the listener, and understood by the reader. After a short exercise, we will compare Wharton’s techniques with those of a few other writers, and our own. “Xingu” can be read for free online at www.classicreader.com. To sign up, members must call the office or email chip@grubstreet.org.
FREE FOR GRUB MEMBERS, Grub Street HQ, 160 Boylston Street, Boston.

LUNCHTIME WRITING WORKSHOP: Wednesday, May 5th, 12:30 PM - 1:15 PM, Brown Bag Lunch Series
Do you work downtown and want to fit some writing into your day? Or do you have a schedule that gives you free afternoons instead of evenings? Bring your lunch and come on over to Grub Street for a Brown Bag Writing Workshop. For 45 minutes, you’ll meet fellow writers and get your creative juices flowing with some cool writing exercises. Best of all, you’ll leave lunch with some new ideas to ponder for the rest of your day, and beyond. No need to reserve a spot; just come to 160 Boylston Street, 4th Floor. Led by the charming and extremely talented Jen Elmore.
FREE, Grub Street HQ, 160 Boylston Street, Boston, MA.

ONE-DAY WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, May 15th, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Mapping the Memoir
Instructor: Ethan Gilsdorf
This jam-packed, expanded one-day version of the popular one-night seminar will help writers who are beginning to write a memoir (or want to write a memoir) find a shape and form for their story. We will begin by defining what makes a good memoir. Your idea might be to plumb the depths of your childhood, explore your coming of age or family dynamic, or tell the story of a trauma. Or, if your life alone seems not all that memorable, your "story" might be a book-length "not all me" memoir (or series of connected essays) that combines the personal with travel, pop culture, some quirky interest, passion or quest. We will discuss how to use and adapt your life experiences in memoir, and examine some common structures for telling the story, with the goal of ultimately helping you find the heart of what story to tell. In class exercises will help you "map" your memoir's scope and deal with time and flashback. We will also help you master scene vs. exposition, and discuss dilemmas of "truth" and memory. In terms of marketplace, we'll also look at how to establish your voice and expertise, via blogging and publishing articles, and create a game plan where shorter pieces may lead to a full-fledged book. Come to class with 15 copies of "an elevator pitch" for your potential or existing memoir (compelling title and 150 word blurb that summarizes and encapsulates your work), a list of five memoirs that are similar to yours; and one copy of the memoir you've written (could a single chapter or essay, or an entire manuscript) to refer to as we discuss and do exercises.
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ, 160 Boylston Street, Boston, MA.

ONE-DAY WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, May 15th, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Cinefiction: Learning Fiction From Film
Instructor: Tim Horvath
According to the Internet Movie Database, twenty-thousand films have been derived from novels. Clearly, the written word stirs filmmakers’ imaginations, but how can fiction writers also gain from a scrutiny of the medium of film? We’ll look at stories and books that have been adapted to the screen, from Brokeback Mountain and The Ice Storm to Slumdog Millionaire, and discuss what has been gained and lost. Then, we’ll look at effective cinematic examples of character and plot and consider how techniques such as point of view shots, subjective shots, montage, jump cuts, close-ups, establishing shots, dissolves, cutaways, and so forth might be pulled from the large screen onto the page.
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ, 160 Boylston Street, Boston, MA.

ONE-DAY WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, May 15th, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Our Lives in the Middle Ages
Instructor: Judah Leblang
This is a workshop for writers of a certain (middle) age, according to their own definition. Based partly on James Atlas’ book My Life in the Middle Ages, and partly on the instructor’s own experience in facing ‘50’ and beyond, this session will explore how we can use the universal themes of aging—letting go, dealing with physical illness, the earning of hard-earned wisdom, and laughing at our own foibles—as the raw material for personal essays, memoir vignettes, radio commentaries, etc. In this day-long session, we will examine the work of writers such as Nora Ephron, David Sedaris and others, and then write on a series of prompts, which touch on themes of growing older and (hopefully) wiser. We will share ideas to strengthen and further develop these drafts. Finally, we’ll share ideas about getting our work ‘out there’ through publication in various media, including literary journals, newspapers, and on-line publications.
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ, 160 Boylston Street, Boston, MA.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, May 15 - Sunday, May 16th, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM each day, The Terrible Familiar: Writing Literary Darkness Tastefully and Effectively
Instructor: Adrian Van Young
Writing a dark domestic drama but can’t quite make the conflict pop? Penning a tale of the supernatural that wants to be taken seriously? Inhabiting a villain or scoundrel who refuses to be plausible? This weekend workshop is geared towards writing from the dark side without the melodrama or the sometimes fatal constriction of genre. By looking at the dark successes of some of our best writers, and through lively in-class exercises in everything from non-linear narrative structure to writing first-person unreliability, you will become a seasoned hand in writing violence, both physical and emotional, creating nuanced, relatable villains, mastering the finer points of dark and uncanny description, and making the dark hopes and desires of your characters seethe upon the page, among other strange things not dreamt of in our philosophy.
$220/$195 members, Grub Street HQ, 160 Boylston Street, Boston, MA.

ONE-DAY WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Sunday, May 16th, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Jumpstart Your Writing
Instructor: Grace Talusan
This one-day weekend version of one of our most popular courses has a very clear mission: spend the day writing. Through a series of fun directed writing exercises, we will explore the terrain of fiction and some non-fiction: mining for material, constructing characters and settings, shaping vivid dialogue, understanding point of view, and finding your voice. We will discuss the process of writing and the strengths and weaknesses of the work we produce in class. We will read and discuss published stories in regards to craft, then write exercises inspired by the stories. A supportive and generative experience for both new and practicing writers. Limited to 15 students.
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ, 160 Boylston Street, Boston, MA.

Be sure to check out our events calendar for a comprehensive view of upcoming events.

Special Thanks to Our Muse Presenters and Sponsors

Each week until the Muse and the Marketplace conference on May 1st and 2nd, we'll be spotlighting one of the authors, editors or agents who will be leading a workshop, as well as one of our fabulous sponsors. This week, a look at Donovan Campbell, who will be leading a workshop called "What I Wish I’d Known: Lessons Learned the Hard Way From an Accidental Author" on Sunday morning at the Muse.

After graduating from Princeton, Donovan Campbell wanted to give back to his country, engage in the world, and learn to lead. So he joined the service, becoming a commander of a forty-man infantry platoon called Joker One. His experiences became the basis for his first book, Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership, and Brotherhood, which debuted at #15 on the New York Times non-fiction best-seller list, and has been featured on numerous national television and radio shows. Donovan Campbell served three combat deployments–two in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon and a Bronze Star with Valor for his time in Iraq and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for work in Afghanistan. He is now working for PepsiCo and living in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and daughter.

PEN New England is an organization of published authors, aspiring writers, and all who love the written word. Our mission is to advance a culture of literature in New England and defend free expression everywhere. PEN New England is a branch of PEN American Center, and part of International PEN, the oldest international literary organization and also the oldest human rights organization in the world. Learn more at www.pen-ne.org.

PEN New England is sponsoring a session during the "Hour of Power" on Sunday afternoon called "Write the Great Beginning," led by Michael Lowenthal, Scott Heim and Kim McLarin. Check out the website to read the description of this great session.

Spreading the Love

Grub Street wants to promote YOU! Please send events for consideration to whitney@grubstreet.org. Our apologies in advance if we cannot fit you in. Please note that we do the best we can to evaluate requests, and do privilege requests from members, but can not be held responsible for the quality of these events and programs or the legitimacy of contests. We expect that readers will do their own due diligence before sending their work or their money to any individual or organization.

--READING: Monday, April 26th, 12:00 pm, Jill McCorkle reads from her new story collection
Jill McCorkle will read from her latest short story collection, Going Away Shoes (2009).  Jill has written five novels and four collections of short stories.  Five of her eight books have been named New York Times notable books. Two of her stories have appeared in Best American Short Stories and several have been collected in New Stories from the South. Her story, "Intervention," is in the most recent edition of the Norton Anthology of Short Fiction.   McCorkle has received the New England Book Award, The John Dos Passos Prize for Excellence in Literature and the North Carolina Award for Literature.
FREE, UMass Boston Bookstore (located in the Campus Center), 100 Wm. T. Morrissey Blvd., Boston.

--READING: Tuesday, May 11th, 7pm, Best Women's Travel Writing 2010
Grubbie Deborah Milstein, Jen Percy, and Grubbie Jenn De Leon read from their essays in Best Women's Travel Writing 2010. The Best Women’s Travel Writing series presents the finest accounts of women who have traveled to the ends of the earth to discover new places, peoples—and themselves. The common threads connecting the stories are a woman’s perspective and lively storytelling to make the reader laugh, cry, wish she were there, or be glad she wasn’t. From climbing a volcano in Ecuador to running a kennel for pariah dogs in India to helping prepare meals in Iran, the points of view and perspectives are global and the themes eclectic, including stories that encompass spiritual growth, hilarity and misadventure, high adventure, romance, solo journeys, stories of service to humanity, family travel, and encounters with exotic cuisine.
FREE, Harvard Bookstore, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138.

--BOOK LAUNCH: Wednesday, April 28th, 6pm, Jon Papernick's There Is No Other
Grub instructor and friend Jon Papernick is having his unofficial book launch for his new collection of short stories There Is No Other. Why is it unofficial? The book is just out in Canada and There Is No Other will not be available in stores until September, so this is your chance to grab a copy while it's hot off the press. Jon will be reading from his new collection and selling books at a discounted price. Take note: There will be pizza! More info at http://www.jonpapernick.com.
FREE, Emerson College Barnes & Noble, 140 Boylston Street, Boston.

--READING: Thursday, April 29th, 7PM, Randy Susan Meyers and Kelly O'Connor McNees
Grubbie Randy Susan Meyers, author of  THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTERS, and Kelly O'Connor McNees, author of THE LOST SUMMER OF LOUISA MAY ALCOTT, read as part of Newtonville's Books & Brews series. www.newtonvillebooks.com.
FREE, Newtonville Books, 296 Walnut St., Newton.

--READING: Sunday, May 2, 3:00pm, Continuities: Readings & Discussion on Trauma and Healing
Poet Jericho Brown (author of Please), nonfiction-writer Helen Epstein (author of Children of the Holocaust) and psychiatrist Judith Lewis Herman (author of Trauma and Recovery and Director of Training at Victims of Violence) explore the subject of personal and communal violence and the role that their disciplines play in understanding, confronting and transforming it. Founded and introduced by Nadia Herman Colburn.
Co-sponsored by Violence Transformed and the Woodberry Poetry Room. Stay for a drink or food after the reading for more informal conversation in this friendly neighborhood pub. For more information visit Continuities: Readings and Discussions or contact Nadia Herman Colburn at 617-576-0128.
FREE, The Burren, 247 Elm Street, Somerville.

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