Monday, August 22, 2011

Jane Ciabattari in Poets and Writers!



Two-time Taos Conference fiction instructor and former President of the National Book Critics' Circle Jane Ciabattari has an essay in Poets and Writers about book reviewing.

The piece is called "Back from the Dead: The State of Book Reviewing" and you can check it out here!

Congrats, Jane!

Friday, August 12, 2011

2011 Participant Receives 1st Prize!

Jim Herod has received notice that a short story he wrote won first prize in the category of fiction at the 2011 Alabama Writers’ Conclave. Herod’s 2500 word story titled “Hear What I See” was conceived from his experiences in Kenya last October. Marian Lewis, AWC contest chairperson, told Jim Herod, “Your descriptions and the presentation of your story are so rich, I almost felt as if I were there. You capture the beauty of the language and the harshness of the land and you make it come alive. To say that I enjoyed reading the story is an understatement.”
The Alabama Writers’ Conclave is one of the oldest continuing writers' organizations in the United States. It attracts writers and contest participants from all across the United States. In fact, writers from at least fourteen states were represented in the contests.
Herod’s story was written in first person from the perspective of a Maasai mystic whose English name is I See. In Swahili, his name is Kunoa. Kunoa sees what is to be. He is called to translate for two Americans who have been kidnapped by Somalian bandits. In this story, the culture, environment, and struggle for survival by the Maasai tribesmen is portrayed, and even Kunoa finds a surprise.
The URL for AWC is http://www.alabamawritersconclave.org/

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

A Few Photos from the 2011 Conference!

Well, we're all getting back to work here in the office. And, any minute now, we'll feel recovered from the conference!

Seriously, though, it was a truly wonderful week. We've started to go through the (many, many) photos Teddy took, and in a few weeks you'll all receive an email with your class photo.

For now, though, here are a few shots to keep you going!

Keynote Gail Caldwell Reading

Debra Monroe and Participant

Literary Agent Emma Sweeney and Participants at her Roundtable

Mark Sundeen's Class Meeting Outside

Featured Artist Peggy McGivern Signing Photos

Participant Jim Herod reading outside

Interns Jean Louise and Emily with Now Adopted Lyra!

Participant Tom Claffey

Participant Reading In Sagebrush Courtyard

Instructor Emily Rapp meeting with participant


Moby Dickens Bookshop in the Conference Center

Outside the Conference Center

Sharon with Interns Micah, Emily and Jean Louise at Friday Reception

Monday, August 01, 2011

Native Writer Award Winner Khara Ellasante Blogs About Her Taos Experience!


One of the many highlights of this year's 2011 Conference was our two, wonderful Native Writer Award Winners: Monty Little and Khara Ellasante.

Both Monty and Khara joined us in Taos for the weekend, shared their work with participants, and took Navajo poet Luci Tapahonso's workshop, "A Weekend Poemfest."

Khara has written a really lovely post about her experience on the First Peoples blog. Check it out! And thanks, Khara, for the touching and thoughtful piece!