“Traveling Through the Dark,” by William Stafford

Read by Matt Baker (poetry fusion)

Stafford shares his inspiration:

(I love the brief glimpse of Stafford’s submit notes, toward the end.)

Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously: An Interview with Scott Nadelson

My interview with writer Scott Nadelson was published over at Fiction Writers Review today.

Fiction Writers Review » Blog Archive » Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously: An Interview with Scott Nadelson

Edit: Nadelson’s latest story collection Aftermath is the Fiction Writers Review ”book of the week.” Follow FWR on Twitter (@fictionwriters) for a chance to win one of three copies!

Programming Idea: Winter Book Bundles (Tualatin (OR) Library)

I’m currently in Oregon, spending time with my parents over the holidays. I liked this teen programming idea from their local library (the lovely remodeled Tualatin Public Library in Washington County) and wanted to share it with you.

The Tualatin librarians grouped books together in threes by theme (What’s in a name? Old books with a new twist; sports; fantasy) and attached a tag with space for the books’ titles and a starred rating. Teens who return a completed tag are eligible for prizes.

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Isn’t that a fun idea? A nice scaled back version of the traditional summer reading program that still takes advantage of the “free time” encountered during the winter break to stimulate interest in the library (and maybe in a new genre of books). I imagine this format could be used for picture books and books for younger children too (with the expectation that the parents would help with the evaluation).

Happy holidays everyone.

Oregon Poetry Association 2012 Student Contest

Teachers and K-12 students in Oregon will want to take note of the Oregon Poetry Association’s 2012 Student Contest. Entries will be accepted between November 1, 2011 – February 1, 2012.

Full details below:

Four Divisions:

I: Kindergarten—Grade 2

II: Grade 3—Grade 5

III: Grade 6— Grade 8

IV: Grade 9—Grade 12

Oregon Student Contest Prizes

There are ten awards in each of the four categories:

            First Place: $30

            Second Place: $20

            Third Place: $10

            Seven Honorable Mentions: $5

 

Each of the 40 winners will receive a certificate and a copy of Cascadia: The Oregon Student Poetry Contest Anthology, in which all 40 winning poems will be published.

 

The top 10 poems (3 winners and all Honorable Mentions) in Divisions III and IV will be entered into the 2012 Manningham Trust Student Contest by the OPA Student Contest Chair. This nationwide contest, sponsored by the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, also awards cash prizes and publication.

 

There are two divisions in the Manningham Trust Student Contest: Junior, Grades 6-8, and Senior, Grades 9-12. Prizes will be awarded to the top ten poems in each division:

1st prize: $75

2nd prize: $50

3rd prize: $40

4th prize: $35

Five Honorable Mentions: $10

Winners also receive a copy of the Manningham Trust Student Contest Winners book containing the winning poems.

 

Oregon Student Contest Rules

1. Submit one original poem (your own individual creative work) on any subject, in any style or form, with a maximum of 40 lines (spaces between stanzas count as lines). A poem is eligible even if it has been published, or has won in another contest. The poem must be titled, except for haiku, senryu, or limerick.
2. Type or computer-generate your poem on a single sheet of standard 8 1/2 X 11 white paper, one side only, in a standard type face; no fancy fonts, graphics, or illustrations.
3. Send two copies of your poem. ON THE FIRST COPY, in the upper right hand corner, type your category (I, II, III, or IV) and grade level, name, school, school address and phone number, and the name (first and last)of your writing teacher. Also on this copy,type, and sign the following statement: This poem is my own original creative work and has not been copied, in whole or in part, from any other author’s work, including poems posted on the Internet. ON THE SECOND COPY, type the category and grade level only—check to make sure your name does not appear anywhere on this copy.
4. Mail to: OPA Student Contest, P.O. Box 1016, Klamath Falls, OR 97601-1016. The deadline is February 1, 2012 (postmark).

 

2012 Oregon Student Poetry Contest Checklist

• The one poem you are submitting is your own original work
• Your poem has no more than 40 lines; spaces between stanzas count as lines
• Your poem is typed or computer-generated on one sheet on standard 8.5×11 white paper
• Your poem appears on one side of the paper only
• Your poem is in a standard type face and sized 12 font
• You are sending two copies of your poem
• [One copy has your poem and, in the upper right corner, the Division (I, II, III, or IV), your grade, your name, your school, your school’s address and phone, and your teacher’s first and last name
• On that copy, beneath your poem, you have typed and signed the following statement: THIS POEM IS MY OWN ORIGINAL CREATIVE WORK AND HAS NOT BEEN COPIED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, FROM ANY OTHER AUTHOR’S WORK, INCLUDING POEMS POSTED ON THE INTERNET
• On the second copy of your poem, in the upper right corner, you have typed only the Division (I, II, III, or IV) and your grade
• You have made sure that your name does not appear anywhere on the second copy of your poem
• (Optional) You have enclosed a stamped, self-addressed envelope to receive the Winner’s List