The Wednesday Web Browser

After Deadline is back with another grab bag of items on grammar, usage, and style. (I always learn/relearn something from After Deadline, although it hasn't managed to sway me on the serial comma yet, as you can see.)

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The latest issue of The Atlantic contains an article about one of my guilty pleasures: soap operas. Which reminds me of a review (of a soap-focused book) that I wrote several years ago that you might enjoy.

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Congrats to Chloe' Yelena Miller, whose poem, "Estate Sale," is the current Narrative poem of the week!

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Anne Fernald tries to figure out what's wrong with that book?

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I'll be on vacation next week (more about that in a day or two--you have no idea how much I need a vacation!), so I'll share this job lead with you now instead of waiting for the usual Monday post: Princeton University (N.J.) is seeking Lecturers. "The Creative Writing Program at the Lewis Center for the Arts, Princeton University is seeking distinguished writers for openings in fiction, poetry, and translation. These positions are one or two semester appointments. The positions begin September 2011 and/or February 2012."

The Wednesday Web Browser

I subscribe to several "poem-a-day" services, and a few days ago I received a poem from one of them (Poem-A-Day) that I found simply extraordinary: Charles Harper Webb's "Prayer for the Man Who Mugged My Father, 72."
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Over on Twitter, Janice Harayda is using a #bkrev hashtag to discuss book reviewing. Yesterday's focus: negative reviews.
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Here's a fun list: the 25 Greatest Fictional Lawyers (Who Are Not Atticus Finch). (via AboveTheLaw.com)
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The wonderful Sage Cohen has a new article out on "Top 10 Productivity Pitfalls for Writers to Avoid." (I've already pre-ordered Sage's forthcoming book, The Productive Writer.)

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Grant opportunity for New Hampshire writers: Artist Entrepreneurial Grants. "Recognizing that artist entrepreneurs contribute significantly to New Hampshire’s economy, this grant category supports opportunities that will increase the capacity of professional artists, including the development of business skills needed to support their art making, participation in programs intended to raise the level and quality of their art making, and participation in programs that will bring their art to the widest possible markets." Check the website for details on eligible projects/expenses. Requests may be made for grants from $250 to $1,000. Deadlines: August 6, 2010 (for projects between October 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011) and January 14, 2011 (for projects between March 1, 2011 - September 30, 2011). No application fee.
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Attention, Australian writers! SmallRoom seeks your words (and will pay $100 AU for selected work). Submissions should run no longer than 1500 words. "Remember, it can be anything: microfiction, poetry, feature article, angry letter, you name it. We only ask that you inspire us. Is that too much to ask?" (NB: According to Duotrope.com, where I discovered this publication, writers "must be Australian to submit.)
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Tablet Magazine is looking for interns: "If you have experience in journalism and are familiar with the landscape of American Jewish life, we’d love to hear from you. We are hiring interns to work two or three days a week at our office in New York City. Interns will assist the editorial staff with research and administrative tasks, as well as contributing blog posts and full features, and will receive paid stipends." Apply by August 2 (fall term internships begin August 16).
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Job announcement from Texas State University-San Marcos: "Assistant professor of English, specialty in fiction writing, with secondary specialization in non-fiction writing. The successful applicant is expected to maintain an active record of publication in fiction and/or creative non-fiction and to teach primarily in the graduate fiction program and to direct MFA theses, with some teaching of undergraduate creative writing. Teaching assignment may include other undergraduate literature or composition courses. Course load is 2/2 plus direction of at least four thesis students each year. Reading of admission portfolios required every January."
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AboveTheLaw.com seeks a "Morning Docket" blogger. Pays: "modest monthly stipend."
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The Chronicle of Higher Education is looking for a European correspondent. "We are looking for someone who has lived in Europe for several years, speaks a second language, and has a minimum of five years' reporting experience. Our correspondents also must have the curiosity and experience needed to develop a wide network of sources and look beyond daily news headlines for story ideas. A background in science and technology reporting is a plus. The Chronicle is an independently owned newspaper based in Washington, D.C. It is widely read by college and university administrators, faculty members, graduate students, policymakers, and journalists. The new Global Edition is part of a broad effort to deepen our readership outside of the United States. Our international correspondents receive a monthly retainer and payment by the word."
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Georgetown University (D.C.) seeks a Senior Writer/Editor, the University of Nevada-Reno is looking for an Assistant Writer/Writer, and Stevens Institute of Technology (N.J.) seeks a Staff Writer.
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I'm busy putting the finishing touches on the August Practicing Writer newsletter, which will go out to subscribers at the end of this week. If you're not yet a subscriber, please join us (it's free, and your e-mail address will be kept private). Also, don't forget that our free paying-market e-books for essayists and book reviewers will be retired on August 1--you still have the week to download your copies.

The Wednesday Web Browser

Back when I was helping newbie book reviewers build up a reviewing practice, we'd spend a chunk of time discussing how to obtain review copies. A recent "tweet" from Algonquin Books makes the process simple: "Book bloggers: If you ever want to request an Algonquin review copy, email me: michael(at)algonquin(dot)com. Easy peasy." Meantime, Harper Perennial is inviting book bloggers to join its email list for reviewers.
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This week on the Dollars and Deadlines blog: veteran freelancer Kelly James-Enger critiques queries. Really interesting and useful.
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It hasn't been a terribly uplifting time in the litmag world lately: Mississippi Review's future is unclear. Brevity considers charging a submission fee. And The Paris Review has begun "unaccepting" some poems.
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My friend Deonne Kahler (a.k.a. "DK") just spent a week at the Taos Summer Writers Conference (an event I've also been lucky enough to attend). DK got to work with Sarah Manguso in a memoir master class. And she was generous enough to tell the rest of us about it here and here.
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I love this guest post by Diane Lockward (on Meg Waite Clayton's 1st Books blog) about her (Diane's) evolution toward published-poethood.

The Wednesday Web Browser

If you've spent any time in the writerly Twitterverse in the past 24 hours or so, you've probably seen multiple mentions of I Write Like..., which will "analyze" a sample of your writing and tell you which famous writer you write like. Kinda fun (even if I don't really believe that my writing resembles the work of Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft, and even if it seems odd that so few [any?] female authors' names are turning up). (UPDATE, 7/18: READ THIS--seems we've all fallen for a con.)
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Additional notes on grammar, usage, and style, courtesy of After Deadline.
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Just posted this week on the Fiction Writers Review site: my review of Jacob Paul's debut novel, Sarah/Sara. (Those of you who thought that this post was interesting should definitely take a look.)
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Last week's compilation of Jewish literary links draws from the Association of Jewish Libraries, The Boston Bibliophile, Tablet magazine, the Forward's "Arty Semite" blog, and more.
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Looking for some writing prompts? Sign up to receive a prompt each day through August from Lisa Romeo (I have).

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

From White Pine Press: "The Marie Alexander Poetry Series has an open submission period during the month of July. An award of $500 and publication will be given for a chosen collection of prose poems by an American poet. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages, which can include some lineated pieces, along with a cover letter with complete contact information and an SASE for notification only. Postmark must be between July 1 and 31. Entries should also include a simultaneous electronic submission of the manuscript (MS Word or PDF format)." There is no entry fee.
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Interesting opportunity for Edinburgh-based writers: "We are looking for new, emerging writers to read their work as part of Story Shop at the Edinburgh International Book Festival this August. Story Shop is a free, un-ticketed event produced by the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust and takes place in the Book Festival’s Bookshop. It is a showcase for new writing and new writers from Edinburgh. Each day features one author, giving them a ten minute slot to read either two 4-5 minute ‘flash fiction’ pieces or one 8-10 minute piece of fiction. The idea is to give a free taste of new writing to a new audience." NB: "Applications from newly published writers are particularly welcome (published meaning some form of peer reviewed publication – anthology, literary magazine, newspaper, novel or short story collection) and we are looking for fiction targeted at an adult audience." There is no application fee. Deadline is midday (presumably Edinburgh time) on Fri., July 16. Pays: "Each author featured will receive a small appearance fee and a one-day author pass to the Book Festival’s green room, the ‘yurt.’ Their event and author biography will feature on the City of Literature Trust website and Story Shop is promoted via the Book Festival programme, in the Bookshop tent and via the Book Festival entrance tent screens. Our press staff will also send out a press release to all relevant media with information about the writers who will be reading."
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In case you haven't seen it, our July Practicing Writer newsletter is now available as a reprint at freelancewriting.com. It went out to subscribers at the end of June, but it's not too late to take advantange of the many no-fee competitions and submission alerts for paying publications that are listed there. (Of course, if you subscribe on your own, you'll get each free newsletter delivered directly to you via e-mail.)
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Similarly, if you haven't yet downloaded your free copies of our guides to paying markets for essayists and for book reviewers, you can still do so. (But you have only until August 1.)
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Franklin and Marshall College (Pa.) is looking for a Campaign Writer, Harvard University (Mass.) seeks a Stewardship Writer, and Radford University (Va.) is looking for a Web Content Editor.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Our July newsletter is just about ready to go. As usual, it's packed with info on no-fee competitions and submission alerts. Plus, this month we feature an interview with poet and professor Kimiko Hahn, who has a new book, Toxic Flora, out from Norton. Not yet a subscriber? It's never too late to join us! (The newsletter is free, and we do not share our subscribers' e-mail addresses.)
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In case you missed the announcement last week, you can now download (for free) our guides to paying markets for essayists and book reviewers. Enjoy!
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The SEVEN-CIFA Essay Competition asks writers "to submit a first-person narrative describing enterprise solutions to poverty that are faith-based, faith-inspired, or interfaith efforts. Illustrations may come from any domain, including healthcare, education, consumer products, human rights, and others; examples must represent innovative private solutions to public problems." The competition will award two prizes of US $5,000 each." No entry fee indicated. Deadline: October 15, 2010.
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From Bucknell University (Pa.): Tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of English (Creative Writing), entry-level (no more than four years of full-time post-doctoral teaching experience at the time of appointment), beginning August 2011. Minimum Requirements: MFA or Ph.D. and teaching experience required. Preferred Qualifications: Record of publication in fiction strongly preferred.
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From the University of North Carolina-Pembroke: Assistant Professor of English/Interim Editor of Pembroke Magazine, a "full-time two-year interim position, beginning August 2010. Teach classes in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and other creative writing courses--3/2 teaching load--and also edit a well-established magazine with a distinguished history whose previous editors have been award-winning authors. Applicant should have an MFA or equivalent from a recognized program, teaching experience, publication in reputable literary magazines, and, preferably, experience editing a creative writing magazine. Rank and salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.
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College of the Canyons (Calif.) seeks a Public Information Writer/Photographer, DePaul University (Ill.) is looking for a Senior Writer, and St. John's University (N.Y.) seeks a Writer.

Friday Find: Free Guides to Paying Markets

As some of you may remember, in my former (freelancing) life, I offered a slew of writing-related e-books for sale. As the years passed--and as I transitioned into a full-time staff job--I didn't have sufficient time to update each e-book as frequently as I wanted. Other reasons prompted me to bid farewell to those guides: The guides to paying fiction and poetry markets, for instance, seemed less relevant once Duotrope became such an established and vital (and free) site. So, over time, I retired several of the guides, making each of them available at no charge for a period of time before sending them to the great virtual beyond.

Ultimately, I was maintaining (and updating, twice each year) two guides. One provides a directory of paying markets for book reviewers, and the other one lists dozens of paying markets for essayists. The most recent updates for both guides were completed last December.

The time is coming to say good-bye to updating--and selling--these two guides, too. But before they disappear from view (which will happen on August 1, 2010), I want to give you all the opportunity to access them (free of charge). They're still available on the site that has handled the sales from the start: I warn you that you may need to jump through some hoops to access them (you may need a free account on that site, for instance). If you have any trouble, please contact the help staff at the site. I simply have no ability to fix any technical problems you may encounter there.

But let's be optimistic! Let's hope that you can access whichever book you want (or both, if that's the case), and that the markets I've researched and updated over the years bring you--and your writing practice--much success!

A Review of Carol Sklenicka's "Raymond Carver: A Writer's Life"

WHAT WE WRITE ABOUT WHEN WE WRITE ABOUT RAYMOND CARVER

Raymond Carver: A Writer's Life by Carol Sklenicka. Scribner, 592 pages. Hardcover or digital, $35.00 (paperback to be released in November).

By Erika Dreifus

For me (and, I suspect, for many of you), delving into a biography of a famous author must resemble what non-writers experience when they sit down with a celebrity profile. What an incredible opportunity to know the person behind the reputation. What a way to gain an intimate and comprehensive view into a life we may have perceived mainly through the individual’s professional output and public persona (perhaps mixed with some apocryphal stories and gossipy hearsay). And for writers—especially short story writers who came of artistic age in the last quarter of the 20th century, few contemporary authors have proved more influential than Raymond Carver.

Carol Sklenicka’s recent biography, Raymond Carver: A Writer’s Life, possesses an exceedingly apt subtitle. The book provides an absorbing and meticulously documented account of how Carver, born in 1938 in Clatskanie, Ore., to a millworker and his wife, developed into a world-famous author.

As Sklenicka notes in the Introduction, by the time of Carver’s early death (from lung cancer, in 1988), “Where I’m Calling From, a selection of his short stories that the New York Times named a favorite book of the late twentieth century, had just been published; he had just completed his third collection of poetry in five years. His work appeared in twenty-two languages and the Times of London called him ‘the American Chekhov.’ He was a full-time writer, acclaimed by the press and supported by royalties from his books and a generous five-year grant from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.”

But this road to literary success was far from smooth. Sklenicka not only demonstrates the struggles, sacrifices and sufferings that Carver’s achievements demanded —particularly from his first wife, Maryann Burk Carver—but she also reveals the extent of Carver’s own single-minded dedication to his writing and the incremental steps, decisions, encounters and experiences that combined to shape the history of his career.

The biography thus recounts well-known staples of Carver’s life story, such as his undergraduate creative writing studies with a then-unknown John Gardner at Chico State College (now California State University, Chico); the dynamics of his relationship with editor Gordon Lish; the alcohol-soaked times he shared with John Cheever when both were visiting professors at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop; the reputation he earned (and disliked) for literary “minimalism”; and the second marriage, to poet Tess Gallagher. But readers are guaranteed to glean new insights and discoveries in this book, too.

For example, there’s the correspondence course that introduced to the 15-year-old Carver the “Essential Elements of a Short Story and How To Develop Them.” The first short story publications, in the spring of 1961: “Furious Seasons,” which appeared in Selection, a Chico State literary magazine for which Carver served as an editor, and “The Father,” which was published in the Humboldt State College (now University) student magazine, Toyon. The first book publication: Near Klamath, a poetry collection published by the English Club of Sacramento State College in 1967. The promises and efforts to produce a novel that was never completed. The reactions of his two children when they saw their lives rendered on the page. The genuine friendships with a staggering array of writers familiar to us all. The messiness and disputes surrounding his estate and the rights to his work after his death.

If you are put off initially by the sheer size of this book—the quintessential “doorstop” tome—I have two words of advice: Don’t be. I guarantee that you will find Sklenicka a talented writer in her own right, and, again, there is something simply captivating about reading such a detailed account of an admired author’s life and literary career.

Beyond that, you will discover that nearly 90 of the book’s pages are devoted to extra-narrative material: acknowledgments and sources, an inventory of Carver’s works, endnotes and an index. You will leave this book with an infinitely expanded understanding of Carver as a gifted author - and, just like the rest of us, an imperfect human being.

(A version of this interview appeared in The Writer magazine.)

Short Story Month 2010: The Collection Giveaway Project

UPDATE, 5/31: Congratulations to commenters #24 (John Vanderslice) and #2 (Cara Holman), who, with some help from Random.org, have triumphed and emerged as winners of our short story collection giveaway project offerings. John and Cara, please e-mail me and let me know which book you prefer (first e-mailer gets first choice). Please include your mailing address--I will order the books and have them shipped to you asap. And thanks to everyone for participating!

Remember last month, when I stumbled on the National Poetry Month Poetry Book Giveaway? Well, all of the wonderful energy and ideas behind that project made me think that a similar enterprise should be undertaken for May, which has lately become something of an unofficial Short Story Month (as Poets & Writers recently noted, crediting organizations such as the Emerging Writers Network for the development).

Because I have such huge respect for the work of Anne Stameshkin and the entire team over at Fiction Writers Review (FWR), I contacted Anne to see if FWR might want to take on the considerable work involved with hosting a multi-blog "Short Story Collection Giveaway" this month. Fortunately, Anne agreed, and FWR is the hub for the project, and that's where you'll be able to check the full list of participating bloggers (improve your chances for winning by entering multiple giveaways, and get to know some bloggers who love short story collections in the process!).

Now, following the rules that FWR has come up with, I am happy to recommend to you two story collections. On May 31, I'll announce the names of two winners selected at random from the comments section for this post. And then I'll purchase two books and mail one to each lucky winner.

To participate in Practicing Writing's portion of Short Story Month 2010: The Giveaway Project, I'm asking you to add a comment here, telling us about (or at least the name of) a collection you love or one you're looking forward to reading. Comments that don't mention a specific collection will not be eligible for the giveaway. Comments should be submitted no later than noon (U.S. Eastern) on Monday, May 31 (Memorial Day here in the U.S.), and I'll have the winners' names posted before midnight.

And now (drum roll, please)...I am delighted to announce the two story collections that this practicing writer will be purchasing and sending to two lucky winners:

First, we have Who I Was Supposed to Be (published in 1999 by Simon & Schuster), written by Susan Perabo. One of the bright lights that sustained me through my MFA program was my friendship with Susan Perabo, a gifted teacher (her "large group" workshops and craft seminars were among my very favorites) and equally gifted writer. I read Susan's debut collection, Who I Was Supposed to Be, very soon after meeting the author at my first residency in May 2001. And then I reread it, bought it for friends' birthdays, etc. I even mentioned it right here on the blog three years ago. And now I'll buy a copy for one of you.

Meantime, in preparing this post, I discovered a terrific interview with Susan that I hope you'll all take a few moments to listen to. If you're very time-pressed, skip ahead and read through some of the praise that the book received from The Los Angeles Times and The Baltimore Sun. Who I Was Supposed to Be was named a "Book of the Year" by the Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald, and The St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Moving on to the second book I'll be delighted to purchase and send to a lucky winner, allow me to present The Pale of Settlement (published in 2007 by the University of Georgia Press), written by Margot Singer. This is another book I have mentioned here before. (I've also written about it for Kenyon Review Online.) Winner of the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction, the Reform Judaism Prize for Jewish Fiction, and the Shenandoah/Glasgow Prize for Emerging Writers, The Pale of Settlement is also another book that I've been unable to stop recommending to others.

But don't just take my word for it. Read excerpts from one of the stories on the National Endowment for the Arts website. Check out interviews with Margot Singer in The Southeast Review Online, Reform Judaism magazine, and the old Nextbook (now Tablet) site. And listen to Alan Cheuse discuss the collection for NPR.

Want to win one of these books? Remember, to be eligible, you need to submit a comment to this post, telling us about (or at least the name of) a short story collection you love or one you're looking forward to reading. Comments that don’t mention a specific collection will not be eligible for the giveaway. If your comment doesn't link to your personal site, please leave your e-mail address for me to use if I need to contact you about your prize. I look forward to reading all of your recommendations, and I thank you for participating in any way you are able: commenting, joining the giveaway project as a participating blogger, or even simply spreading the word.

The Wednesday Web Browser

Two posts I read a day apart but which seem to me an interesting pair: Sage Cohen on "The Life Poetic: Shifting Our Lens from Poverty to Prosperity" and Allison Winn Scotch's response to a reader's question on "Saying Sayonara to Your Day Job."
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On InsiderHigherEd.com, Serena Golden interviews Robert Burns Stepto on his forthcoming book, A Home Elsewhere: Reading African American Classics in the Age of Obama.
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Especially for my fellow Francophiles/Francophones: "De 1980 à 2009, les livres qui ont marqué la vie littéraire française." (via The Literary Saloon, which offers the astute observation that "in quite a few cases...there's a case to be made for other titles by the selected authors.")
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Links to some of Jewish Woman magazine's recent content on Jewish women's writing.
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Follow me on Twitter!

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Eurowriter is a new online resource for those seeking English-language freelance assignments in Europe-based publications. Check out the competitions link, too!
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Juicy job announcement from More magazine (full-time, New York City): "The Senior Editor/Books assigns and edits essays and memoirs by first-rate writers, while serving and overseeing books coverage in the magazine and on More.com. Also conceives, assigns and edits general features for the well."
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You'll need to act fast for this one! The Waterman Fund's Alpine Essay Contest has shifted its deadline from May to March. March 15, to be precise. The competition seeks essays "about life in the mountains of the northeastern U.S." that celebrate "the spirit of wildness." Prize for the winning essay includes $1500 and publication in Appalachia Journal; honorable mention includes a $500 prize. No entry fee. Be sure to read the detailed competition conditions.
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The theme for this year's Ray Bradbury Creative Writing Contest has been announced: the relationship between life and death. "Categories for the Ray Bradbury Contest include creative writin (poems, essays, short stories), visual arts and multimedia. Winners in each category will receive $200 for Waukegan (Ill.) residents and $100 for non-residents." No entry fee. Deadline: March 19, 2010.
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Red Berry Review, based in British Columbia, is taking submissions for its summer 2010 issue and is looking for writing "that speaks to the people, the places and the landscapes of the West." Considers fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Pays: $10/printed page, $25 minimum/title, $50 maximum/author, plus two copies. Deadline: March 31, 2010. (via placesforwriters.com)
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Fairleigh Dickinson University (N.J.) is looking for an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing (fiction).
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The College of the Holy Cross (Mass.) has announced a visiting faculty position in creative writing, with a specialty in prose (fiction and non-fiction).
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The University of Michigan-Dearborn seeks a Public Relations and Communications Specialist, Clark University (Mass.) is looking for a Director of Online Community, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale seeks a Research Publications Coordinator.

Book Reviewing is NOT the Same as Sitting on the Couch Watching Bad TV

Earlier this week, Jason Boog reported on Arianna Huffington's keynote speech at the "Tools of Change" conference. As I read the summary, I thought: Hey, Arianna! I'm with you! Especially when I read: "Huffington also explored the idea behind The Huffington Post books section, rejecting 'this magical pub date'-- the traditional time-period for scheduling book reviews and running book tours. 'Forget about it--the idea that you have three weeks between pub date and oblivion. It doesn't have to be like that,' she said, earning a smattering of applause." (A smattering of applause? I should think she would have received a standing ovation, at least from the writers and publishing professionals in the room.)

Anyway, as I say, I was with her--until I read this:

"Finally, she addressed the perennial criticism that many writers on the site don't get paid. 'Self expression is the new entertainment,' she explained. 'We never used to question why people sit on the couch for seven hours a day watching bad TV. Nobody ever asked, 'Why are they doing that for free?' We need to celebrate that moment rather than question it.'"

(Spoken like someone who might have both a huge divorce settlement AND a slew of advertisers and may not exactly depend on income generated by her own writing to pay her bills.)

Now, it may surprise some of you to learn that I'm just as capable of sitting on the couch for seven hours (when I have seven hours to spare) watching bad TV as the next person. (While I'm in confession mode, I may as well tell you that last weekend my sister and I went to see Kathy Griffin perform here New York. She--Kathy Griffin-- was hilarious. There. By the way, if you don't watch television, don't bother going to see Kathy Griffin. Whenever she's not imitating her mother, she's talking about various reality shows and "characters. Or Anderson Cooper. Or Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.)

But I digress.

When I write, the "entertainment" factor differs significantly from what results when I stare at my TV. Any "entertainment" that comes from reviewing, for instance, is pure pleasure from the work, satisfaction from reading a book I (hopefully) want to tell others about (for that matter, reading it at least twice), thinking about that book, rechecking everything from the list price to the page count, and writing and crafting a text that will make sense and perhaps even resonate with readers. It's work. It may be absorbing, self-expressive, and even entertaining work. But even if we choose not to be paid for it--as we might when writing for a particular cause/organization--it's still work.

It's not sitting on a couch watching bad TV.

From My Bookshelf: Recent Reads

It seems as though it has been quite some time since I've written up a "From My Bookshelf" post. So let me fill you in on some of my notable recent reads, leaving aside titles I've been reading for review assignments and feel that I should not disclose prior to the reviews being completed/published (how do other reviewers approach this, btw?).

LIT: Many months ago, I attended a reading at Hunter College featuring Mary Karr. Karr is a writer I've admired for a long time, but I'd never had the chance to see/hear her read in person. WOW. What an amazing presence. That evening, she read from her then-forthcoming third memoir, Lit. I knew right away that I'd want to read Lit as soon as it came out. It took me a little while, but I did get to read it last month. It was terrific, especially for someone with varying levels of degrees of familiarity with the "scenes" of low-residency MFA study, Cambridge/Boston, and literary awards. Intrigued? Check out Francine Prose's reliably smart take on Lit here.

THE HELP: Remember last week's link to Michael Copperman's Luna Park post on "authenticity"? Particularly if such questions interest you, you'll want to take a look at Kathryn Stockett's novel, The Help. Chances are, even if you haven't read it, you've heard about it. Here's a snippet from a November 2009 Motoko Rich/New York Times article to refresh your memory:

'The Help,' a novel about the relationships between African-American maids and their white employers in 1960s Mississippi, has the classic elements of a crowd pleaser: it features several feisty women enmeshed in a page-turning plot, clear villains and a bit of a history lesson.

The book, a debut novel by Kathryn Stockett, also comes with a back story that is a publishing dream come true: at first rejected by nearly 50 agents, the manuscript was scooped up by an imprint of Penguin and pushed aggressively to booksellers, who fell in love with it. Since it came out in February, 'The Help' has been embraced by book clubs and bloggers who can’t stop recommending it to their friends.

By the way, The Help, too, features writing and publishing within its narrative. Very much so. Which surely contributed to my engagement with it.

GRINGA: A third book I've had the pleasure to read lately is Melissa Hart's memoir, Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood. Although Hart and I have never met, we're both contributing editors for The Writer magazine, and I'd seen Gringa mentioned in her bio notes. I'm delighted to have had the opportunity to read her new book, which she'll be talking about in an interview featured in the March issue of The Practicing Writer. I don't want to say too much about Hart or her book quite yet, but you can of course learn more on your own.

And what am I reading right now? Currently, I'm a little more than 100 pages into Chris Bohjalian's Skeletons at the Feast, a novel which will be the focus of the next Jewish Book Council Twitter Book Club "Twunch and Talk" on February 25. Perhaps you'll join me there?

The Wednesday Web Browser

I knew I was truly starting to recover from my flu bug this weekend when I was able to read a full article in the New York Times Sunday magazine: "James Patterson Inc.", a COVER story on the author and his writing/publishing empire.
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Something that unfortunately got past me in the days before the Tamiflu worked its magic was a new "Indy Press Friday" initiative on Twitter. The point is to promote titles by small/indy presses via tweets with an #ipf hashtag. See Galleycat for more. (This week, I'll be prepared! How about you?)
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On the Poet Hound blog: useful tips on requesting a review of your book. (Many thanks to Diane Lockward for highlighting this in her recent roundup post titled "Some Cool Stuff," in which yours truly is also mentioned!)

Friday Find: 10 Questions on Reviewing

Over on Lemon Hound, there an excellent series of posts under way: "10 Questions on Reviewing." In this feature, experienced book reviewers (of poetry, mainly), respond to questions such as: "What do you think the purpose of a review is? If you also write about books on a blog, why? What does blogging let you do differently?" and "Critical work is increasingly unpaid work; will you continue to do this work despite the trend? Do you see this trend reversing, or changing course?". (via Anselm Berrigan/the Harriet blog)

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

The University of Mississippi Summer Poetry Residency "supports a poet who desires a quiet, beautiful location in which to further his or her work, and it lasts four weeks, from June 15 to July 15." It "is designed for poets who have at least one book (either published or under contract) and no more than two books" and includes some special lodging (read announcement for details), a travel reimbursement, and a $1,500 honorarium. There is no application fee. Deadline: January 15, 2010.
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"World Hum updates daily and is dedicated to publishing travel stories, videos and slideshows of the highest quality. Since World Hum's inception in 2001, stories from the site have appeared in "The Best American Travel Writing" anthologies and Travelers' Tales anthologies, and they have won Lowell Thomas Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers." Posts "several types of features," including travel stories, "speaker's corner" essays, book reviews "and other travel book-related pieces," and more. "Payment varies."
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From JournalismJobs.com: "The Forward, a prestigious national Jewish newspaper founded in 1897, is developing a network of freelance reporters available to cover stories in major urban centers, such as Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Boston for our English language edition. We are also interested in writers based abroad. We are looking for journalists able to pitch ideas and accept short-notice assignments on issues of interest to our readers who can tell the story in generally 800-1,200 words. These include stories dealing with Judaism, religion and spirituality, labor, civil rights, interethnic and interfaith relations, U.S.-Israel relations and Middle East-related activism, Jewish culture and arts, and personality profiles. A willingness to work with editors to hone stories to a fine point of clarity is a must."
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Posted on Chronicle.com: "The Department of English and the BFA program at Stephen F. Austin State University [Texas] seeks applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, with a specialization in fiction and a strong secondary strength in creative nonfiction or poetry."
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Georgia College & State University is looking for a Writer/Editor, Clark University (Mass.) seeks an Online Community Director, and Emporia State University (Kan.) invites applications for a Director of Advancement Communications.

The Wednesday Web Browser

John Griswold ("Oronte Churm") offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes account of a day at Dalkey Archive Press, the well-known publisher of translated literature in the United States.
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According to Meghan Daum, "Kirkus Reviews may have been annoying, but its successors are inane."
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The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman, responds to questions about editing David Foster Wallace's work, past and posthumous present. (via The Book Bench)
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The new (January/February 2010) issue of Poets & Writers is out. Check out some of the online content here.

Friday Find: Free Market Guides!

[UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. Thank you all for the comments. I'm always interested in what you've been up to and what your future goals may be. I really appreciate the participation here.

Our two winners (per the random number generator) are #2 (Rob) and #9 (Joan Bailey). Rob and Joan, please e-mail me to claim your prize. Please indicate which e-book you would like to receive, and the e-mail address where you'd prefer to receive it. Congratulations!]

So, in case you missed Monday's announcement, I've just completed the latest updates for both of our market directories. One provides information on publications that pay essayists, and the other concentrates on paying venues for book reviewers.

I update these guides twice each year (admittedly, not the most exciting work in the world) to check links, make sure each publication is still in business AND is indicating its guidelines AND pay rates online, and, when we're lucky, add new finds. You can see what each guide is all about, and peruse sample listings, by clicking here.

Now, here's the fun part. Since this evening marks the conclusion of Chanukah, I'm going to offer a giveaway. Actually, I'll offer two giveaways. I'm feeling generous.


Our two lucky winners will each be able to select a free copy of the e-book of his/her choice. To enter, please leave a comment on this post telling us about a) the publication you're proudest to have added to your credits in 2009 OR b) a publication you're hoping to crack in 2010. Please be sure to leave your name AND check back at the blog on Monday morning (12/22) when the winners--who will be selected randomly--will be revealed. Please note that any winner who does not contact me by Tuesday midnight (U.S. Eastern time) will forfeit the prize.

Sound clear? Oh, and one more thing--this blog's comments are moderated, so don't worry if your comment doesn't appear right away.

Thanks for playing, and good luck!

The Wednesday Web Browser

Big congrats to Tayari Jones, whose third novel, The Silver Girl, has been accepted for publication by Algonquin Books.
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Diane Lockward reviews The Working Poet: 75 Exercises and a Poetry Anthology.
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Thanks to Anne-Marie Nichols's article on blog analytics, I'm learning more about you, dear readers!
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Please tune in tomorrow over on My Machberet for a guest post from memoirist Jessica Handler on her recent visit to a Jewish book festival.