May 9th, 2011

Grub Street News

Welcome to the latest installment of the Grub Street Rag, a newsletter of the Boston literary scene brought to you every Monday from the final resting ground for lost socks at Grub Street World Headquarters. As always, if you are receiving this e-mail in horror, please advance to the bottom of the page to unsubscribe yourself.

The Summer Schedule is Here

We are excited to announce that our Summer multi-week course schedule is now online. We have a wonderful lineup of 6- and 10-week workshops, as well as daytime classes in every genre. Weekend workshops and one-night seminars will be posted shortly. Commit to your writing this summer with classic Grub classes: Fiction I; 6 Weeks, 6 Essays; and more, or take a new classic like Erotic Romance or Blueprinting Your Book. To see the complete list of summer offerings (and to search for the ideal class for you), go to http://www.grubstreet.org/index.php?id=402. The online registration process is very easy, but if you have questions or need help selecting a course, please call 617.695.0075 and any of our staff will be happy to assist you.

Grub Street is Hiring

That's right, Grub is growing. This summer, there are two new positions opening up in our office: Volunteer Coordinator and Administrative Coordinator. Check out all the details and requirements on our website: http://www.grubstreet.org/index.php?id=1050

Hey, Batter Batter!

Looking for a fun and writerly summer sport? Grub Street's fantastic softball team, The Word Slingers, is looking for more players. The season starts on May 15th, and there are eight games this season plus playoffs. Every game is in the greater Boston area and on Sundays, with the exception of Memorial Day Weekend and July Fourth weekend. Newcomers welcome! Feel free to contact thunderlai@yahoo.com for more info.

If We Call It Tertiary Place, Does That Make It Cooler?

Last Thursday, the Grub Street Spelling Team--Alexis Rizzuto, Christopher Castellani and Whitney Scharer-- competed for the fifth year in a row in the First Literacy Corporate Spelling Bee, an event that raises money for literacy programs in Boston. Correctly spelling humdingers like tenebrific, clerisy, extirpate and caryatid, the team made it to the Championship Round, only to be slayed by eschatological. Since the definition of eschatological is "any system of doctrines concerning last, or final, matters, such as death or the Judgment," losing on the word did feel fitting. The Grub Spellers were mildly pleased to come in at third place out of the 28 teams, especially after the top two teams battled for what seemed like hours on words like macle, byssinosis, zugzwang and apophasis. Congratulations to Eaton Vance's team, who took home the big spelling trophy this year. Also, thanks to Verizon, who were Grub Street's coporate sponsors.

Department of Congratulations, Elizabeth Taylor's Emerald Edition

We've got a blindingly sparkly Department of Congratulations this month! First up, essay publications. Ellen Freeman Roth has an essay running in the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine's Perspectives column on May 15th, which was accepted after she took Ethank Gilsdorf's "Crafting the Pitch" class. Another of Ethan's students, Dennis Rosen, just got a piece published in the New York Times. Lauren Norton Carson has an essay in Imperfect Parent called "A Mother of a Mother's Day." The multi-talented Jenn De Leon has two pieces of news this month: she is the winner of the Fourth Genre Michael Steinberg Essay Prize for her essay, "The White Space," which she workshopped in Michelle Seaton's Master Non-Fiction class last fall and in a writing group made up of Grub instructors, and she has an article in the current issue of Poets & Writers magazine called "A New Bread Loaf Rises in Italy." Amy Rodriguez just had two pieces published on babble.com about her experiences surviving bed rest: find them here and here. She says that she did not write the great American novel while on bed rest, but at least years later, she was able to write an essay about her experience. And our last piece of essay news comes from Brenda McDonald, who had an Op-Ed column called "Baby Makes 2" published in the Boston Herald on March 13th.

It wouldn't be a Department of Congratulations without some short story news. Former Grub board member and co-founder of the Memoir Project Marc Foster has a story called "Mrs. Van Allen Addresses the Baby Sitter" forthcoming in the Santa Clara Review. Linda J. Mazurek had her fourth short short published in the Globe's food pages in late March. Poet Kathleen Aguero's very proud husband wrote in to tell us about her first published short story, which you can find here: http://www.towerjournal.com/. Nancy Antonietti's short story, Turning Earth, has been included in the University of Southern Maine's 2011 Words & Images journal. Grub member Rosemary Oxenford had her story “A Sense of Direction” accepted by ROAR magazine and she says she's grateful for all the feedback she received in Laura van den Berg’s workshop on submitting to literary magazines. Grub instructor Adrian Van Young has a story out this month from Lacuna, a journal of historical fiction. Robert Oakes has a story called "Kinlike," forthcoming at Flywheel. He wrote the story in Sue Williams's "10 weeks, 10 stories" class, and it's his first published piece. And Grub instructor Drew Jameson just had a story published in The Drum.

It comes as no surprise to us that Grubbies are winning things and influencing people. Grub member Jennifer Hawkins (writing under her pen name, Ariadne Hawkins) won the Memoirs, Ink writing contest, which has a $1000 prize and publication.  Jennifer says she's thrilled and it was a "real shot in the arm when she needed one." Grub instructor Jacqueline Sheehan of Florence, Massachusetts, was awarded a fellowship by the Jentel Artist Residency Program. Jacqueline is the bestselling author of Lost & Found and Now & Then, and will be among the award recipients focusing on their own creative projects at this working retreat for artists and writers. Instructor Katherine Ozment is now a contributing editor at Boston Magazine, and has a story on the old Faces nightclub coming out in the May issue.She'll also be a regular parenting blogger for their website. Grub alum Aaron Frigard was just named the 2010 William Richey Short Fiction Contest Winner for his story "Idaho Family Eats Indigenous Bigfoot Tribe." Genevieve Gallaway was accepted into the Advanced Fiction workshop led by Amy Hempel and Mary Gaitskill at this year's New York State Summer Writers Institute in Saratoga Springs, NY in July. Genevieve credits Grub Street and Grub instructor Chris Boginski for nurturing within her the nerve she had to summon to even apply for a workshop with the words Advanced, Hempel and Gaitskill in the title.

And lastly, some book news from three of our 2011 Muse and the Marketplace presenters. Julie Wheelwright's new book, The Remarkable True Story of Esther Wheelwright, was just published to great reviews, including this writeup by Grub Street Literary Council member Margot Livesey in the Globe and Mail. Beth Raisner Glass celebrated the release of her new picture book, Blue Ribbon Dad, on May 1st. The book will be featured on all of Barnes and Noble Father's Day display tables beginning May 11th. And last but not least, Jael McHenry's debut novel The Kitchen Daughter was released by Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books in April, and received a glowing review in the May issue of O, The Oprah Magazine.

Congratulations to all!

Do you have writing news and want to be featured in the DoC? The first Monday of every month, we feature Grub Street members who have sent their good news to whitney@grubstreet.org. To be included, please send Whitney an email with information about your publication, award or fellowship. Limit your announcement to 60 words or less. Extra credit if the announcement is written in the third person, which is good practice for your writing anyway.

Cheers,
Whitney, Sonya, Chris, Chip, and Eve

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.

MEMBERS-ONLY LEGAL ADVICE: Wednesday 10th & 26th, 2:30-5:30pm, Members-Only Offering: Free Legal Consultations for Writers
Now that you've attended the 2011 Muse and the Marketplace, there are probably a million questions running through your head on the next steps to getting published and/or protecting your work. Maybe you want clarification on confusing clauses in publishing contracts, advice on whether to register the copyright in your latest piece, or a few basic tips on what legal issues exist for budding writers. While he may not be able to answer every question you have, Attorney Mitchell Bragg of Ascentage Law, PLLC will be offering free 30-minute consultations to help explain the law as it applies to aspiring, emerging, and established writers. This is meant to provide writers at all stages in their career with basic answers to legal questions and issues they may be facing. All sessions are by appointment only; to reserve a slot please email mab@ascentagelaw.com. Be sure to arrive early to your appointment and be prepared with specific questions. Only active Grub Street members may participate.
Instructor: Mitchell Bragg
FREE (but $3-$5 donation appreciated), Grub Street HQ. Register now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday-Sunday, May 14-15th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Encountering the Past: How to Research and Write Your Historical Novel
Writing a novel is difficult enough to begin with, but the historical novel faces a slew of unique challenges on top of it. How do you conduct research successfully? How much is historical accuracy to be protected at the expense of the story? How do you transform the glut of historical detail into a compelling plot? This seminar provides an overview of effective strategies for investigating the past, organizing information into a storyline, then bringing it to life with your prose.
Instructor: Cam Terwilliger
$220/$195.00 members, Grub Street HQ. Register now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, May 14th from 10:00am-5:00pm, Epiphany and a Side Order of Meaning (or, “I’ll Have What She’s Having”)
If only it were as simple as ordering off a menu. Elevating our work from the personal to the universal—to some larger meaning that has your readers shaking their head in recognition and in amazement at your grand wisdom—can feel daunting. In this seminar geared toward writers of personal essay and memoir, we’ll examine the work of authors who do it well, such as Bernard Cooper, Joan Didion, Abigail Thomas and others. We’ll discuss ways of working and revising that can help you unlock your own personal truths, and we'll try our hand at different writing exercises designed to get you working in that direction.
Instructor: Amy Yelin
$115/$95.00 members, Grub Street HQ. Register now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday-Sunday, May 14-15th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Writing From Real Life
Writers are observers, continually examining our lives and the lives of others. For memoir writers, and for those who write in other genres, our life experiences become the raw material of our creative work. In this two-day workshop, we will focus on the key challenges in our lives today, and other hurdles we’ve overcome – in other words, difficult circumstances that might become the rich “raw material” for new work. We will discuss strategies for developing this material in a way that avoids the sentimental and general, and look at a number of short examples of how other writers (i.e. Didion, Ehrenreich, Sedaris) use essays as a way of making meaning of difficult circumstances. By the end of the course, you will have worked through a topic and be well on your way to writing about it (and potentially others) in a thoughtful and critical way.
Instructor: Judah Leblang
$220/$195.00 members, Grub Street HQ. Register now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, May 14th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Jumpstart Your Blog
A blog can be a great way to market yourself, build an audience, and exercise those creative impulses. Whether you're looking to breathe life back into an already established blog or have been wanting to start one and need a push, this class will offer guidance for writing posts others will want to read. You'll learn what makes a successful blog, read examples from the blogosphere, and begin crafting a plan that will include ways to build your audience. You'll also practice different types of posts with in-class writing exercises that will be workshopped in large and small groups. The goal is to leave with some solid beginnings (possibly finished posts), inspiration, and a strategy for success.
Instructor: Amy Marcott
We're sorry, this class is sold out. Join waiting list.

LUNCHTIME WRITING: Wednesday, May 18th, 12:30-1:15pm, 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 – a series recently profiled in the Boston Globe. For 45 minutes, you’ll meet fellow writers and get your creative juices flowing with some cool writing exercises. Led by one of our award-winning instructors or ambassadors. Best of all, you’ll leave lunch with some new ideas to ponder for the rest of your day, and beyond. No need to RSVP-- just come!
Instructor: Javed Jahangir
FREE, Grub Street HQ.

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

Spreading the Love

Grub Street wants to promote YOU! Please send events for consideration to whitney@grubstreet.org. Bonus points and undying gratitude for submitting your event info in the same format as the events below. 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 cannot 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: Tuesday, May 10, 7:00 p.m., Jennifer Haigh
2011 Muse and the Marketplace presenter Jennifer Haigh will read from her new novel, Faith.  She is the author of three previous novels: Mrs. Kimble, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award, Baker Towers, a New York Times bestseller that won the PEN/L.L. Winship Award, and The Condition.
FREE, Porter Square Books, Porter Square Shopping Center, Cambridge.

-FESTIVAL: Thurday-Saturday, May 12-14th, Mass Poetry Festival
Come check out this year’s Mass Poetry Festival in Salem on Saturday, May 14th. Along with headliners, Patricia Smith, Brian Turner and Mark Doty, there will be two Poem Generator sessions led by Grub Street, and Grub instructors K.L Pereira, Rebecca Morgan Frank, Regie Gibson and Ben Berman will all be giving readings. Check out the website for more information: http://masspoetry.crowdvine.com.
$5 seniors and students/$10 regular admission, Salem, MA.

--READING: Saturday May 4th, 3:15 pm, Memorious Reading
Memorious magazine contributors Gail Mazur, David Rivard, Leslie Harrison, Tess Taylor, and Adam Tessier read as part of the Mass Poetry Festival.
FESTIVAL ADMISSION:  $5 seniors and students/$10 regular: Colonial Hall, 231 Essex St, Salem,MA, 01970

--PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Saturday, May 20, 10:00 am-1:00 pm OR Thursday, May 26, 6:30-9:30 pm,"Write It Like It Is" in Newton—
Feeling stuck? Bottled up creatively? If you’ve ever wanted to write without censors, editors, or critics, now is your chance. Experience the exhilaration of tapping in to your authentic voice. Letting go of inhibitions about "getting it right" deepens our self-awareness and fuels creative energy. In a safe, fun atmosphere, we’ll do freewriting exercises in response to specific prompts. Learn strategies for developing your writing practice. Sharing is optional but encouraged. Grub member Debbie Sosin, LICSW, facilitator, is a writer, editor, and psychotherapist. Her essays have appeared in the Boston Globe Magazine, on Salon.com, and elsewhere. She has facilitated dozens of groups and seminars, including at the Arlington Center and Cambridge Center for Adult Education. For details, visit www.deborahsosin.com or call 617-448-5769.
$60, reduced rate for Grubbies: $50. Newton, MA.

--CONTEST: The Drum/Side B Magazine Dual Publication Award
The good folks at The Drum like Side B Magazine. They publish great fiction, essays, and photographs in print or digital format, mixing the traditional and the new (witness their logo: a cassette tape). They like Side B so much that they're running a contest with them, for winning work to be published jointly--the text in Side B, and the audio in The Drum. The deadline for The Side B/The Drum Dual Publication Award for Short Fiction is July 1st. Entry is free. To enter, submit your work as a .doc file to The Drum through their regular submissions manager, and mention the Drum/Side B contest in your cover letter. Or if you'd prefer, you can submit to Side B instead. All submissions to either magazine will be considered for the contest.