Thursday, July 14, 2011

New Essay from Debra Monroe!



At one of the fabulous faculty readings last night here in Taos, Debra Monroe read from a new essay posted on the website The Morning News, called "The Sex Trade in Northwest Wisconsin."

As Debra put it, the title makes the piece sound a bit raunchier than it is! But regardless, it's a great essay--both to hear aloud and to read, about growing up and getting out of a small Wisconsin town.

In other Monroe-related news, Debra's acclaimed memoir, "On the Outskirts of Normal," just came out in paperback.

Congrats Debra, and enjoy!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Taos Conference Getting Underway! Final Schedule of Events

 
 
Greetings from Taos! We're about to get started with the opening ceremonies and keynote reading here at the Sagebrush and are looking forward to getting to meet all of you! There have been a couple of last minute additions and changes to the schedule: what's posted on the website is accurate, but here is the final version so you can check here as well. See you soon!
 
Sunday, July 10
Weeklong Workshops and Master Classes
3-5 pm Registration for Weeklong Workshops
5-6 pm Dr. Katherine Toy Miller: "Spiritual Connections: Georgia O'Keeffe
and D. H. Lawrence"

6 pm Buffet Dinner & Opening Ceremonies for Weeklong Participants & Faculty
8 pm Keynote Reading by Gail Caldwell (Open to the Public)

Monday, July 11

6:30-10 am Complimentary Breakfast*
7-8 am Complimentary Instructor-Led Yoga
9 am- 12 pm Morning Weeklong Workshop (Session 1 of 5)
12-1 pm Lunch Buffet
12:30 - reading by Darlin' Neal, D.H. Lawrence Fellow
1-2 pm Round Table: Cinco Puntos Press
and Independent Press Publishers - Lee and Bobby Byrd

2-5 pm Afternoon Weeklong Workshop (Session 1 of 5)
5:30-6:30 pm Faculty Readings (Open to the Public) Ciabattari, Martin, Rapp
Mini-Van Excursion: Taos Pueblo**

Tuesday, July 12

6:30-10 am Complimentary Breakfast*
7-8 am Complimentary Instructor-Led Yoga
9 am- 12 pm Morning Weeklong Workshop (Session 2 of 5)
12-1 pm Lunch Buffet
12:30 - reading by Richard Vargas, Hispanic Writer Award
1-2 pm Round Table: Literary Agent, Emma Sweeney
2-5 pm Afternoon Weeklong Workshop (Session 2 of 5)
5:30-6:30 pm Faculty Readings (Open to the Public) Boswell, Davis, Houston, Bush
Mini-Van Excursion: San Francisco de Asis Mission Church**

Wednesday, July 13

6:30-10 am Complimentary Breakfast*
7-8 am Complimentary Instructor-Led Yoga
9 am- 12 pm Morning Weeklong Workshop (Session 3 of 5)
12-1 pm Lunch Buffet
12:30 - reading by Linda Michel-Cassidy, Taos Resident Writer Award
1-2 pm Round Table: Jared Bush: The Screenwriter's Survival Guide
2-5 pm Afternoon Weeklong Workshop (Session 3 of 5)
5:30-6:30 pm Faculty Readings (Open to the Public) Dufresne, Long, Monroe, Nelson
Mini-Van Excursion: The Harwood Museum of Art**

Thursday, July 14

6:30-10 am Complimentary Breakfast*
7-8 am Complimentary Instructor-Led Yoga
9 am- 12 pm Morning Weeklong Workshop (Session 4 of 5)
12-1 pm Lunch Buffet
12:30 - reading by Cedar Brant, Leo Love Award in Poetry
1-2 pm Round Table: "Knock-em Dead at the Mic" with Lisa Lenard-Cook & Lynn Miller
1-2 pm Round Table: Laura Tisdel,Associate Editor for Viking, Penguin, and Plume Books

2-5 pm Afternoon Weeklong Workshop (Session 4 of 5)
5:30-6:30 pm Faculty Readings (Open to the Public) Glazner, Khakpour, Wilder
8-10 pm Open Mic in the Sagebrush Inn Cantina

Mini-Van Excursion: Mabel Dodge Luhan House**

Friday, July 15

6:30-10 am Complimentary Breakfast*
7-8 am Complimentary Instructor-Led Yoga
9 am- 12 pm Morning Weeklong Workshop (Session 5 of 5)
12-1 pm Lunch Buffet
12:30 - reading by Emma Rainey, Leo Love Award in Prose
1-2 pm Round Table: Literary Agent, Kit Ward and Debra Monroe (Master Class: Memoir)
2-5 pm Afternoon Weeklong Workshop (Session 5 of 5)
Mini-Van Excursion: Taos Plaza**

Weeklong and Weekend Participants and Faculty

Weekend Workshops

4-5 pm Registration for Weekend Workshops
Weeklong and Weekend Participants and Faculty
5:30 pm Faculty Readings: Agee, Sundeen, Wood
6:30 pm Social with Cash Bar/Reception and Signing by Featured Artist, Peggy McGivern

Saturday, July 16

Weekend Workshops
7-8 am Complimentary Instructor-Led Yoga
9 am Breakfast & Opening Ceremonies for Weekend Participants & Faculty
10 am-12 pm Weekend Workshops (Session 1 of 4)
12-1 pm Lunch Buffet
12:30 pm Reading by Monty Little and Khara Ellasante, Native Writer Award
2-4 p.m. Weekend Workshops (Session 2 of 4)
5 p.m. Social with Cash Bar for Weekend Participants & Faculty
5:30 pm Faculty Readings (Open to the Public) Chávez, García, Gwin, Randall, Tapahonso

Sunday, July 17

6:30-10 am Complimentary Breakfast*
7-8 am Complimentary Instructor-Led Yoga
10 am-12 pm Weekend Workshops (Session 3 of 4)
12-1 pm Lunch Buffet
1-2 pm Round Table: Amy Block Joy -Taos to Press in 16 months:
My Wonderful Experience as a Participant!
 

2-4 pm Weekend Workshops (Session 4 of 4)
*The Sagebrush Inn offers complimentary breakfast to Conference participants lodging at the Sagebrush Inn and Comfort Suites. The Quality Inn offers complimentary breakfast to Conference participants lodging at the Quality Inn.
** The conference offers mini-van excursions to participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Trips take place twice each day, Monday-Friday, and depart from the Conference Center. Seating is limited. Changes in destination may occur.

Saturday, July 09, 2011

A Second Native Writer Award Winner: Khara Ellesante!

We're so pleased to announce that we were able to award two Native Writer Scholarships for the 2011 conference. The first went to Monty Little, and the second to Tennessee native Khara Ellesante. Both will read from their work during the conference on Saturday the 16th, at 12:30 pm at the Sagebrush.

Here's some info on Khara:

Khara Ellasante is a Two-Spirit Choctaw/African American poet, artist, and activist. In her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, Khara studied Sociology and Creative Writing at the University of Memphis. She currently resides in Tucson, Arizona, where she is a grad student in American Indian Studies at the University of Arizona. Her academic work focuses on the historic intersections and acculturative influences of American Indian, African American, and West African literature and music as well as Two-Spirit and Queer experiences portrayed in literature. Khara’s current creative work centers around her families’ histories and the expression and assertion of variegated gender and ethnic identities in a “check-box” culture. She is a staunch advocate for LGBTQ2 youth and an aficionado of the Blues.
Congratulations Khara, and can't wait to see you all tomorrow (or, shortly) in Taos!

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Home-Sharing Opportunity for Weekend Participant, Across the Street from the Sagebrush!



Here's this message from returning participant Jen Villareal:

Small beautiful home with loft bedroom available for sharing over the weekend workshop with a week-long participant. Home is directly across the street from the Sagebrush, a little less than a mile away, about a 12-minute walk or 3-minute drive. It's available 7/15 to 17 or 18 for $60/night. I'm hoping for someone looking for an artistic writing retreat - there's a great porch for reading, writing, painting and watching the sunset and summer lightning storms. Please contact Jen Villareal at jenmcvillareal@gmail.com for information & photos of the home.

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Exciting Book News for Taos Instructor Greg Martin!


We're thrilled to announce that Greg Martin's new book, a memoir called "Stories for Boys," is now officially forthcoming from Hawthorne Books in Fall 2012!

It's Greg's second memoir: his first was called "Mountain City," and was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Greg teaches a master class in memoir at Taos and is part of the creative writing program faculty here at UNM.

Greg has gotten so much recognition for his teaching here at UNM, and we're so excited to hear of this much-deserved recognition of his writing! Congratulations, Greg!

Friday, July 01, 2011

New Poems from Hispanic Writer Award Winner Richard Vargas!

 
 
Richard Vargas has some new poems out in Kweli, a publication he describes as "a very cool online literary journal." 
 
 
Congratulations, Richard!