Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Gotham Writers' Workshop is running a "Hint Fiction Contest": "For this contest, Gotham welcomes the expertise of Robert Swartwood, editor of Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories of 25 Words or Fewer (to be published in November by W.W. Norton). Mr. Swartwood will select the winner from the finalists in this competition." There's no entry fee, and your submission should run no longer than 25 words. Prizes: a 10-week writing workshop, $100, a one-year subscription to The Writer, publication on Gotham's 2011 course catalog, and, of course, "bragging rights." Deadline: October 11, 2010.

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From the Matador Network ("both an online travel magazine and a thriving social network. Or, more simply put, it’s a community"): a Transparent Narrative Writing Contest. "Over the last few weeks we’ve been seeing some really interesting new travel narratives, and we decided to to run a contest. The winner gets $300 plus free enrollment to the travel writing program at MatadorU [worth $350]. The winning story, along with honorable mentions will be published here at the Traveler’s Notebook. Even if you’re a professional writer who doesn’t necessarily need classes, consider this about the U: you get lifetime access to our forums and Market Blog, with leads and writing opportunities researched and curated by Matador editors, along with all future Pro Modules we publish on new media strategies, branding, SEO, and other areas of continuing education." Note that "part of the focus of this contest is to encourage “transparent” writing. This is a prose style where the narrator narrates events / scenes as he or she perceived them at ground-level." For examples and additional information, visit the site. There's no entry fee, and you have until 5 p.m. (EST) on September 10, 2010, to submit.

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Crab Orchard Review has announced its next special issue theme: "Crab Orchard Review is seeking work for our Summer/Fall 2011 issue focusing on writing exploring the people, places, history, and new directions that have shaped and are reshaping the American South. All submissions should be original, unpublished poetry, fiction, or literary nonfiction in English or unpublished translations in English (we do run bilingual, facing-page translations whenever possible). Please query before submitting any interview. The submission period for this issue is August 10 through November 1, 2010. We will be reading submissions throughout this period and hope to complete the editorial work on the issue by the end of March 2011. Writers whose work is selected will receive $25 (US) per magazine page ($50 minimum for poetry; $100 minimum for prose) and two copies of the issue."

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Franklin & Marshall College (Penn.) is looking for an Assistant Director for its Philadelphia Alumni Writers House: "Full-time, year-round position responsible for providing all programmatic, curricular, and some administrative coordination for all aspects of this literary performance space and writing collective at Franklin & Marshall College. The Assistant Director works in collaboration with the Director of the Writers House to identify, produce, and support all Writers House programs, co-sponsorships, and curricular, public relations, administrative, and advancement initiatives."

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"Penn State Shenango invites applications for a faculty position in English, Assistant Professor, (tenure-track, 36 weeks) to begin August 2011, or as negotiated. Responsibilities: Teach three courses (9 credits) each semester using traditional and hybrid delivery modes. Teaching assignments will be based on the successful candidate's areas of expertise, but will include some combination of English composition, literature, creative writing, or poetry, and may require teaching day, evening and/or Saturday classes as needed. Publish in refereed journals. Participate in course, curriculum, and program development. Advise students and provide career guidance. Participate in campus, university, and community service activities and in professional organizations."

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Goucher College (Md.) seeks an Assistant Editor, Northeastern University (Mass.) is looking for a Senior Writer/Communications Coordinator, and California State University-Stanislaus seeks a Public Affairs/Communications Specialist (Writer).

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

From Vagabondage Press: "We are currently open to submissions of novella length fiction for stand-alone publication in digital form, with possible consideration for print publication. Vagabondage Press accepts queries all year round for novella and novel length work and only accepts queries by email. We are currently seeking well-written literary fiction of 15,000 to 50,000 words that explores the human experience. We hope to provide a safe space for authors who've gone underappreciated because the industry has led them to believe that they don't fit a particular format. We hold no editorial bias in regards to stories for or about individuals of any race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or planet of origin." Pays: royalties.
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From Creative Nonfiction: "Creative Nonfiction is looking for new work by MFA students for publication in an upcoming issue. The winner and four finalists will be invited to read during the 2011 AWP Conference in Washington, DC (February 2-5, 2011)." CNF "typically" pays $10/printed page. Deadline: November 5, 2010.
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Guidelines for the annual Helen Schaible International Shakespearean/Petrarchan Sonnet Contest are now available. Prizes: $50/$35/$15. No entry fee. Deadline: September 1, 2010.
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Attention, freelancers: WritersWeekly.com ran an article on paying education markets last week. (Kind of reminded me of another article on the same topic that ran once upon a time.)
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From mediabistro.com (click here to access complete announcement):"mb LEARN is looking for a dynamic, spirited instructor to teach our Intro to Social Media class in New York starting in September. This class meets for 4 weeks and will teach students how to use social media tools to expand and improve their professional life. Topics include social media and web 2.0, blogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds, viral video, social bookmarking, social media news releases, and other emerging web technologies. By the end of class, students will have an established presence on one or more social networks, expanded exposure on existing networks, and a solid understanding of how to best use social media."
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Gettysburg College (Pa.) seeks an Assistant Director of Communications, Wesleyan University (Conn.) is looking for an Editor/New Media Writer, and Stanford University's Graduate School of Business (Calif.) is looking for a Philanthropy Case Writer (one-year appointment).

The Wednesday Web Browser

For my fellow Francophiles: a lovely essay by Anthony Daniels on Flaubert's most famous conte, which is translated as A Simple Heart. "Of course, no summary can do justice to the subtlety, acuity, or beauty of Flaubert's story. The only real way of doing it justice would be to repeat it word for word. Let me, however, point to just a few instances, not by any means exhaustive."
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In The New York Times, Abigail Zuger wonders: "Should memoirs of illness be held to the same standards as other writing?"
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Just in case you didn't catch this essay about author Tim O'Brien's visit to a community college when I posted it (twice) on Twitter last week, I'm sharing it again.
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Tuesday is Poetry Day on Twitter. Follow poetry-oriented tweets at #poettues.
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Debbie Ridpath Ohi took the words right out of my mouth (or head). I was asked to promote the same writing contest here on Practicing Writing, and I declined the request for the very same reasons that made her wary. Be careful, my friends!

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Hurry up if you want to try for the 2010 Frieze Writer's Prize. Aimed to promote and encourage new art critics, the competition invites writers "to submit an unpublished 700-word review in English of a recent contemporary art exhibition. Applicants must be over 18 years old and must not have had more than three pieces of writing on art published in a newspaper or magazine." There is no entry fee. Deadline: June 25, 2010. "The winner will be awarded £2,000 and commissioned to write a review for the October issue of frieze."
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Glamour magazine's "My Real-Life Story Essay Contest": "If you have an inspiring story about a life changing event, an obstacle overcome, a relationship of passion that's defined you - then we want to read it! You may see your essay appear in an upcoming issue of Glamour...and you could win $5000 and a meeting with a top literary agent." For legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia. No entry fee. Deadline: September 15, 2010.
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Last week's WritersWeekly.com featured an article on breaking into environmental markets, complete with sample market listings.
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New from Poets & Writers: an online Literary Agents Database.
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Arts blogger(s?) sought: "KQED Arts is an online arts magazine serving and reflecting the thriving arts scene of the San Francisco Bay Area. The site provides daily local and national arts coverage; brings together all of KQED's on-air arts programming; and is incubator to the station's online originals. KQED’s daily arts blog covers music, film, performance, multimedia and visual arts in the Bay Area. KQED, located right in the heart of the Mission in San Francisco, is aiming to take our Arts coverage to the next level and is looking for smart, talented, versatile writers to help us achieve that. Writers are expected to specialize in a particular medium or community, but are free to follow their own interests, pitching ideas once a month. Each writer contributes roughly twice a month. Generous bylines, dedicated author biography pages and a modest stipend are just some of the rewards."
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Texas State University-San Marcos seeks a Publications Writer, James Madison University (Va.) is looking for a Magazine Editor and Writer, and Arapahoe Community College (Colo.) seeks a College Communications Coordinator.

The Wednesday Web Browser

Happy 50th Birthday to To Kill A Mockingbird.
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Philip Graham writes about French memoirist Jacques Lusseyran and the power of the spoken voice.
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Linda Formichelli offers 7 tips for freelancing at Starbucks (and similar locations).
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Creating Van Gogh reaches its 100th post (and gives us a nice shout-out--thanks!). Especially if you're interested in historical fiction, Creating Van Gogh is a blog to follow.
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You still have a few days to win free short story collections! Check out the list of the Collection Giveaway Project's participating bloggers at the end of this post.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

This Monday's post will be relatively brief, since I'm busy polishing the June Practicing Writer newsletter, which will go out on Friday, before Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S. If you're not yet a subscriber, join us! It's free, and we do not share/sell/distribute your e-mail address.
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Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf opportunity for Wisconsin poets: "Woodrow Hall Editions is accepting proposals from Wisconsin poets for a project that presents poetry to the public in an unexpected or unconventional manner. An award of $500.00 will be given to help him or her implement the project. In addition, an award of $250.00 will be given to a runner-up for the same purpose. A panel of judges will make the selections. See past Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf projects for examples of the kinds of ideas the panel will be looking for. The winners must initiate their projects in summer or fall 2010. No entry fee. Multiple entries from same poet welcome." Deadline: June 1, 2010.
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Next submission deadline for Nashville Review is June 1. Check the site for guidelines and pay rates.
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From Creative Nonfiction: "For an upcoming issue, we are currently seeking experimental nonfiction for our 'Pushing the Boundaries' section ('experimental,' 'boundaries,' yes, these can be loaded terms). We want writing that blows our minds with its ingenuity, essays that not only push the boundaries of the form, but tear down the borders. Be ambitious and send us work like we've never seen before." Send by June 4. "We typically pay $10 per printed page."
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The Guide to Literary Agents blog introduces us to Sarah LaPolla, a new who works at Curtis Brown and is seeking "literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, science fiction, literary horror, and young adult fiction. She loves complex characters, coming-of-age stories, and strong narrators."
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Stanford University's Graduate School of Business is looking for Bay Area residents to work as writing coaches.
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Stanford University (Calif.) is looking for a Copy Editor (appears to be a half-time position), Northern Kentucky University seeks a Director of Alumni Publications & Special Projects, and the New Hampshire Writers' Project is looking for an Executive Director.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Creative Nonfiction is seeking essay submissions for a new book project, Immortality, to be published by Southern Methodist University Press. They're looking for new essays "from a variety of perspectives on recent scientific developments and the likelihood, merits and ramifications of biological immortality. We're looking for essays by writers, physicians, scientists, philosophers, clergy - anyone with an imagination, a vision of the future, and a dream (or fear) of living forever." Submissions must be postmarked by August 6, 2010. The journal "typically" pays $10/printed page.
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Fiction or literary nonfiction writers from North or South Carolina: The Novello Literary Award "gives Carolina writers an opportunity to have their work published and distributed nationally. The winning author receives a book contract with [Novello Festival Press], which includes publication of the work and a $1,000 advance against royalties. The winner will be announced in Fall 2010, and the work chosen will be published in Fall 2011. The award is underwritten by the Cold Mountain Foundation, which was founded by award-winning and best-selling author Charles Frazier and his wife, Katherine." Deadline is May 1. There is no entry fee.
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"Creative writers whose work in any genre reflects a keen awareness of the natural world and an appreciation for both scientific and literary ways of knowing are invited to apply for a weeklong writing residency at Mount St. Helens. The Mount St. Helens Field Residencies will take place July 18-24, 2010, with a base camp near Randle, WA, and will be held in conjunction with the 2010 Mount St. Helens Science Pulse, a gathering of ecologists and research scientists who are engaged in field work on Mount St. Helens. Residency writers will be able to join ecologists on field trips to various locations on Mount St. Helens, interact informally with scientists, and to focus on writing projects that embody creative responses to the volcano and its varied landscapes and the role of volcanic landscapes in the imagination and culture of the Northwest." Deadline: May 1, 2010 (received). There is no application fee; there IS a $1,000 honorarium.
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison seeks a Teacher and Program Coordinator, Continuing Education in Writing. A master's degree and relevant experience required. "Candidates should have published and taught genre fiction and show evidence of competencies in most of the following: teaching writing skills, coaching and critiquing writers, program planning and evaluation, staff and ad hoc teaching supervision, excellent interpersonal skills, conference speaking, classroom management, teaching via distance as well as face-to-face, grant writing, personal computer and educational technology skills, budget management, and experience with non-traditional delivery systems."
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The Macondo Foundation (San Antonio, Texas), founded by Sandra Cisneros, is looking for an Executive Administrator: "The Macondo Foundation is conducting a national search for an Executive Administrator. Responsibilities include: fundraising, organizational business administration, event planning and public communications."
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Grinnell College (Iowa) is looking for an Editorial Director, Smith College (Mass.) seeks a Director of Campaign Communications, and Claremont Graduate University (Calif.) invites applications for an Assistant Director of Media and Online Relations.

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!

Friday Find: Writermag.com's Open House

I know I mentioned this on Monday, but today (the 26th) is the very last day of The Writer magazine's online open house. If you haven't stopped by yet, do so today! This is the last day that everything on the Web site will be open for anyone to view, including market listings and subscriber-only articles. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday.

The Wednesday Web Browser

Robert Lee Brewer shares eight ways he finds inspiration to write poetry.
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Not that I've had the chance to read it yet, but there's a new Joyce Carol Oates story in the current New Yorker. Plus, an e-mail Q&A between New Yorker fiction editor Deborah Treisman and Oates.
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Congratulations to Tayari Jones, whose first novel, Leaving Atlanta (2002), is edging ever closer to a movie theater near you!
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In response to David Shields' controversial new book, Reality Hunger: A Manifesto, the Brevity blog is running a "Mini-Reality-Hunger-Festival" this week. According to Brevity editor Dinty W. Moore, the mini-blog-festival will include "a round-up of the good, bad, and confusing reviews of the book, stolen text, obituaries for the novel, a look at the art of writing the literary manifesto, our own literary manifesto, and thoughtful consideration of Shields' contentious view of literature's future." Join in!

Quotation of the Day: Rebecca McClanahan

Because it can't be said too often or too strongly:

"When we write nonfiction we relinquish our right to change what happened to suit our imagined version. The creative part of nonfiction lies elsewhere, in the way our imaginative eye views the world--selecting details, combining and recombining information, and reshaping experience....Artful arrangement of information was one of the cornerstones of the 'new journalism' of Wolfe and Capote, and remains an important component of creative nonfiction. Facts, information and real-life events do not have to be presented dryly, like encyclopedia entries. They can emerge wrapped in the skin of story, or shaped like prayers, lists, recipes, letters, confessionals, dialogues or diaries. When the eye of imagination is engaged, it illuminates the artful possibilities hidden within actual events. From the hard rock of fact, stone by stone the writer builds a castle."

Source: Rebecca McClanahan, Word Painting: A Guide to Writing More Descriptively (Writer's Digest Books, 1999)

Book Promotion Offers To "Tear Down The Walls" of the Publishing Industry

A few days ago, I turned in my latest review assignment for The Writer: a piece on Stephen Markley's Publish This Book: The Unbelievable True Story of How I Wrote, Sold, and Published This Very Book (Sourcebooks, 2010). You'll have to wait a bit for the review to appear in the magazine, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share with you an interesting promotion I discovered on the Sourcebooks site when I was double-checking some information:

So you work on your manuscript for months, carefully craft a proposal and pitch letter, and send out your heart and soul to agents and publishers. And what do you get in return? A form letter saying “Thank you for your submission, but it does not meet our needs at this time.” Really?

We at Sourcebooks and Julie A. Hill and Associates know how you feel. Well, now we know, thanks to Stephen Markley and his hilarious, innovative, and amazing new memoir Publish This Book. You see, sick of getting rejections that say nothing, Stephen decided to cut to the chase and write a memoir about how hard it is to get a book published. And then try to get that book published—a book about its own creation.

Crazy, right? Well, he convinced us, getting agent representation from Julie Hill of Julie A. Hill and Associates and finally publication by Sourcebooks. And after reading his whole manuscript, we see how hard it is for you out there. So in honor of Stephen’s achievement, and all aspiring writers, we’ve decided to tear down the walls that keep writers from honest and helpful feedback about their work from the publishing industry. That means: no more form letters, but an actual critique of your submission from an agent or publishing company

How Does It Work?

1. Purchase a copy of Publish This Book.
2. Between March 9, 2010 and May 9, 2010 submit your proposal along with a proof of purchase (receipt, order confirmation, etc.) via the form below or by email.
3. Wait 2-6 months (While you’re waiting, why not read your new copy of Publish This Book? It’s amazing.)
4. Receive a 2-4 paragraph critique of your submission.

I know--you still have to buy the book, which contradicts the no-fee opportunity policy I normally follow here and in the newsletter. And in an ideal world, you'd get to read my review before deciding to buy the book. But it's something to look into. And it's a clever promotional idea that might inspire some others.

An Interview with Memoirist Melissa Hart

Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood: An Interview with Melissa Hart

Interview by Erika Dreifus

Melissa Hart is the author, most recently, of the memoir Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood (Seal, 2009). She teaches journalism at the University of Oregon and memoir writing for U.C. Berkeley's online extension program. Her essays have appeared in The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Advocate, High Country News, Orion, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Writer's Digest. She lives in Oregon with her husband, their young daughter, and too many cats and dogs.

Melissa is ALSO, like yours truly, a contributing editor for The Writer magazine. (I always enjoy her "Literary Spotlight" columns profiling individual literary journals.) I am thrilled to present this Q&A with Melissa here.

Please welcome Melissa Hart.

Erika Dreifus (ED): Melissa, Gringa is your second memoir. Can you please describe the connections between the two books, as well as what motivated you to write Gringa specifically?

Melissa Hart (MH): I wrote my first memoir, The Assault of Laughter (Windstorm, 2005) as my Master of Fine Arts thesis at Goddard College. Inspired by teachers Jacqueline Woodson and Mariana Romo-Carmona, I wanted to tell the story of the first year in my life after my mother came out as a lesbian and lost custody of me and my two younger siblings. This was 1979; throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, women who came out routinely lost custody of their children to homophobic court systems. I thought it was critical that my story, as representative of many, come to light.

But . . . I was a young writer, and I felt that I could tell the story more skillfully a decade later. I wanted to explore the idea of growing up Anglo, heterosexual, and seemingly devoid of identity in multicultural Los Angeles with a lesbian mom, a brother with Down syndrome, and a deep desire to be a Latina. I expanded the year in Assault to include all the years of my adolescence, from the day my mother left my father to my post-college graduation trip with her to Spain. I'm indebted to Seal's senior editor Brooke Warner for helping me to shape the memoir as a coming-of-age story and a history of my mother's and my relationship, which prevailed in spite of homophobia on the part of both the legal system and my father.

ED: Both of your memoirs reveal a great deal about your family members. How have they reacted to your writing about and publishing your collective stories? How have their reactions affected your writing processes?

MH: My father and I have been estranged for almost two decades. My stepmother and I e-mail occasionally, and she felt that Assault, in particular, gave her insight into our troubled relationship. My mother is a writer, as well, and she's incredibly supportive of my work. She accompanied me on part of the book tour for Gringa. It's worth noting that she asked me not to write about a few elements of our story, and I honored that. My sister is also deeply supportive; she's told all her friends about the book and helped to organize a reading/signing event in her hometown. My brother has Down syndrome, and he doesn't read, but he does enjoy telling and retelling stories about how my sister and I used to dress him up like a girl.

ED: Food plays an important part in Gringa, and each chapter ends with an unconventionally-presented "recipe." How did the idea to include these recipes develop?

MH: I fell in love with recipes in the context of prose stories when I discovered Laura Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate. I loved how her recipes reflected the characters' motivations and relationships. Then I came across Ruth Reichl's books, and then Diana Abu-Jaber's marvelous The Language of Baklava. Both authors incorporate recipes into their memoir, and I had these wonderful goofy recipes such as Frito Boats and my mother's Tortilla Flats which were so important to me as a child. I took so much comfort in food as an adolescent--still do, in fact--and I wanted to offer up some of these recipes to readers as one more way to illustrate key themes and plot points in the book. Food also became a symbol of culture, or lack thereof, when I was an adolescent. I adored my boyfriend's mother's authentic Mexican dishes, for example, and being able to make a savory salsa or a dozen tamales became my benchmark of acceptance into his culture.

ED: What was the biggest challenge you faced in writing Gringa?

MH: The biggest challenge I faced in writing Gringa was not knowing quite what the book wanted to be. Initially, it looked like a series of linked essays that were all over the place in content and theme. My agent at the time, Michelle Andelman, reined me in and noted with great insight that the memoir format might work better as a method of telling the story. In Gringa's next incarnation, I included several chapters between "O Christmas Tree" and "Citizens of the World"--chapters which explored further my problematic relationship with my boyfriend--but my editor felt that they disrupted the coming-of-age trajectory of the story. I cut five chapters and wrote five new ones in a two-month period. I'm a really slow writer, so getting these out and polished on a tight deadline was challenging.

Creating the book trailer for Gringa was also extremely challenging. Last summer, a colleague at the journalism school taught me FinalCut Pro and I became writer, director, food stylist, chef, actress and cat wrangler for this rather goofy trailer.

ED: How did Gringa find its home with Seal Press?

MH: Michelle Andelman shopped the book around to a few publishers, and we felt a particular affinity for Seal and for Brooke, in particular. Seal Press publishes exciting books on unexpected topics related to women, and Brooke enjoyed the humorous social commentary that informs so much of the book. I'm so happy to have worked with Seal; this is a dynamic publishing house with a professional and devoted staff.

ED: What else would you like to tell us?

MH: I teach a memoir writing course for U.C. Berkeley's online extension program which is open to all. I post my upcoming workshops pretty regularly on both my website and my Facebook fan page. I love teaching and working with other writers; I come away inspired and excited to sit down at my computer.

Thank you so much, Melissa!

A version of this interview appeared in the March 2010 issue of The Practicing Writer.

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?

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

The Erma Bombeck Writing Competition is taking submissions until January 31, 2010. This biennial competition for short personal essays accepts submissions in two categories: humor and human interest. Entries in English are welcome from authors worldwide. Four first-place winners (one global and one local [from the Dayton, Ohio, area], for each category) will receive $100 prizes, free admission to the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, and publication. There is no entry fee. Visit the site for rules and instructions.
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"In June 2010, the Stadler Center [at Bucknell University, Penn.] will conduct the twenty-sixth annual Seminar for Younger Poets. Held for three weeks in June, the Seminar provides an extended opportunity for undergraduate poets to write and to be guided by established poets. Staff and visiting poets conduct writing workshops and offer lecture/discussions, present readings of their own work, and are available for individual conferences.... Numerous readings provide the participants with the opportunity to hear and be heard by their peers. Applicants compete for ten places in the Seminar, all of which come with fellowships. Fellowships include tuition, housing in campus apartments, and meals. Accepted students are responsible only for their travel to Bucknell and a modest library deposit. A limited number of travel scholarships are available on the basis of need." Deadline: February 1, 2010. There is no application fee.
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Last week's WritersWeekly.com newsletter included this note: "We're out of features! Want to write for WritersWeekly? We pay $60 on acceptance for around 600 words - non-exclusive electronic rights only." Check the guidelines for more info.
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Bay Area freelancers: "The Castro Courier, a neighborhood newspaper that serves San Francisco's Castro and Upper Market neighborhoods, is seeking Bay Area-based freelancers to write news and feature stories on a monthly basis. We are principally looking for writers with news backgrounds to write about issues facing the neighborhood, be it development, public safety, transportation, etc. Writers MUST be based in the Bay Area and be willing to travel out to the neighborhood to write their stories. This is a great way to get good experience writing about important and timely urban issues while learning to write for a hyper-local audience." Pays: $40/story.
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From Emerson College (Mass.): "The Department of Writing, Literature, and Publishing seeks a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor, or Distinguished Writer-in-Residence, in the area of Fiction writing. The initial appointment is for the 2010-11 academic year beginning September 1, 2010."
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Johnson & Wales University (R.I.) seeks an Admissions Writer/Administrative Assistant, Elon University (N.C.) is looking for an Assistant Director of University Relations for Alumni Communications, and Boston College (Mass.) invites applications for a Senior Associate Director for Student Affairs Marketing & Communications.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

This week, I'd like to present a sampling of the opportunities that were posted within our January issue of The Practicing Writer (which went out to subscribers last week). If you're not yet a subscriber, join us! (The newsletter is free, and your e-mail address is kept confidential.) And if you are a subscriber already, thank you for your support!

January is a month when Graywolf Press accepts unagented submissions (postmark dates; submissions are also welcome in May and September). "Graywolf Press is a literary press that publishes about twenty-seven books annually, mostly collections of poetry, memoir, essays, novels, and short stories. Our editors are looking for high quality literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that combines a distinct voice with a distinct vision."
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January is also a month to submit fiction to Glimmer Train. Submit up to three short stories per submission month. Pays: $700, plus 10 copies.
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The annual Sylvia K. Burack Scholarship from The Writer magazine honors the memory of the magazine's longtime editor-in-chief and publisher. It is open to full-time undergraduate students (18 or older) enrolled at a university or college in the U.S. or Canada at time of entry. This year, the competition seeks "a previously unpublished 600- to 800-word personal essay in English on the following topic: 'Select a work of fiction or poetry that has influenced the way you view the world and the way you view yourself. Discuss the work and explain how it affected you.'" One entry per student. Prize: $500 and a subscription to The Writer. No application fee. Deadline: March 1, 2010.
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"Each year, Fishtrap, Inc. awards up to five Fellowships valued at $1,000 for Summer Fishtrap Workshops and Gathering, held every July at Wallowa Lake, Oregon. Awards are made on the basis of writing submission only, and are not limited to any one genre. Submissions should follow the Fishtrap mission, which is to promote 'good writing in and about the West.' Therefore, applicants should be from the West, or writing about the West. Fellowships cover the cost of a workshop, registration for the Gathering, and food and lodging for a week. A small travel stipend is also included." No application fee. Deadline: February 1, 2010.
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"Writers' & Artists' Yearbook and the Arvon Foundation have both helped numerous successful authors and artists on the way to their big-break. Now it could be your turn. We're offering you the chance to win £500, plus a place on an Arvon writing course worth up to £575 and to have your work published on the web! All you have to do is write a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words, on the theme of 'Unity or Union.'" No entry fee (though entrants must register with the parent Web site). Deadline: February 14, 2010. Check full details, terms, and conditions online.

The Wednesday Web Browser: NYT Edition

As usual, the NYT After Deadline blog provides useful reminders on grammar, usage, and style.
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How wonderful it was to open the paper a few days ago and see a big, fat article about Open Letter Books, "a small, year-old press here affiliated with the University of Rochester that publishes nothing but literature in translation."
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Like many of you, I suspect, I was caught up for several days this summer following the coverage of Senator Edward M. Kennedy's passing. I've been meaning to read his memoir, True Compass (and I'll do so in 2010). All of which made this piece by Jonathan Karp, the memoir's editor/publisher, compelling reading.
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Adam Begley's travel article on Stendhal's Parma was also quite relevant to me!
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Finally: The NYT asked six prominent authors to name (and read from) books they could never discard.

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!

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Interesting changes in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition: "Amazon.com, along with Penguin Group (USA) and CreateSpace, is pleased to announce the third annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, the international competition seeking the next popular novel. For the first time, the competition will award two grand prizes: one for General Fiction and one for Young Adult Fiction. The 2010 competition will also now be open to novels that have previously been self-published. Each winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance." Note: "Open submissions for manuscripts will begin on January 25, 2010 through February 7, 2010." No entry fee.
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From the WritersMarket.com newsletter: "There is still time to enter the 5th annual Freelance Success Stories contest. This free contest is looking for real stories of freelance success. These should be personal stories (first person) and true. First place will receive $750 and publication in the 2011 Writer's Market. Submission rules: Stories should be 800-1,500 words. Submit as .doc (not .docx) or .txt attachment, or in the body of the e-mail message. Subject line should read Freelance Success Stories (or there's a chance it could be deleted without being read). E-mail submissions only to writersmarket[at]fwmedia[dot]com."
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WOW! (Women on Writing) plans a March issue on Young Adult (YA) lit. Guest editor Margo Dill is looking for a variety of interviews and articles. Check the detailed call for submissions here. Pays: $50-$150/article.
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Memoir (and) is currently reading contest submissions for prizes in memoir in prose or poetry and in graphic memoir. Cash awards ($500/$250/$100 for prose or poetry and $100 for graphic memoir), plus publication and copies of the journal. No entry fee. Deadline: February 15, 2010. (via Kathleen A. Ryan/Women of Mystery)
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It wasn't easy, but I managed to finish the semiannual updates to both our guide to paying markets for essayists and the one for book reviewers. (Clicking on the links will allow you to check out the free previews for each guide, complete with complimentary sample listings.) Give yourself a holiday gift (or two!).
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Recent posts on the Guide to Literary Agents blog will help you meet agent Adriann Ranta, who is looking for "fiction and limited nonfiction, with an emphasis on children’s, middle grade, and young adult books. She is most interested in realistic, true-to-life stories with conflicts based in the real world. She likes edgy, dark, challenging voices, unique settings, and everyman stories told with a new spin." You can also get to know agent Josh Getzler, who seeks "mysteries, thrillers, literary and commercial fiction, young adult and middle grade (particularly adventures and mysteries for boys)." Plus, there's a "new agent alert" spotlighting Natalie Fischer, who is looking for "historical and narrative nonfiction (including memoir, biography, and popular science/culture) and literary and creative fiction in these areas: historical, young adult/teen, women’s, romance (contemporary and historical), cross-cultural, and select paranormal."
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Norwich University (Vt.) has advertised a "One-year Appointment as Visiting Instructor/Assistant Professor of English - Creative nonfiction or advanced writing. There is a possibility of extending this position to a second year."
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Kent State University (Ohio) seeks a Writer, the University of Chicago (Ill.) is looking for a Senior Marketing Writer and Strategist, and Boston University seeks a Writer/Editor.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Interesting "Share the Love Recipe Story Contest" for U.S. residents. "All you need to enter is your story about how this recipe became your favorite, the person(s) with whom you would most like to share your recipe and, if possible, a picture to accompany your story." Your submission (200 words or less) is welcome in one of four categories: Cookie, Cake, Pastry, and Drink. "One winning story will be selected in each category.""The First Prize winner in each category will receive a year's supply of Divine Chocolate, $250.00 in cash, Divine Share The Love Recipe Contest trophe, recipe featured on Divine and partner websites, and a goodie bag featuring gifts from Divine marketing partners. Winners will also have their chocolate food favorite interpreted by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito." No entry fee. Deadline: January 5, 2010.
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Contest based at Agnes Scott College for students (graduate or undergraduate) currently enrolled in a college or university in the U.S. state of Georgia. "Each year students in the state of Georgia have an opportunity to submit their written works for recognition at the Writers' Festival. Agness Scott awards a $500 first place prize for each of these categories: Creative nonfiction, fiction, playwriting, and poetry." There is no entry fee. Deadline is coming up fast: midnight on December 10, 2009.
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"Spirit First announces its first annual meditation poetry contest. Poetry submissions may be of any length and any style but must have a theme of meditation, mindfulnes, stillness, or silence. Poems may reflect any discipline or faith or none. Poems must be previously unpublished." Prizes: $150 (first prize), $75 (second prize), and $50 (third prize). "Winning poems will be published on the Spirit Frist website and in the Spirit First newsletter." No entry fee. Deadline: January 31, 2010 (received). (via crwropps-b)
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"Seton Hill University [Penn.] seeks published genre novelist (priority for popular mystery/crime/suspense writer; will also consider fantasy or romance author) for tenure-track position in our low-residency MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction, starting June 2010. Commitment to genre fiction essential. Composition, online and graduate teaching experience highly desirable. MFA required (Ph.D. preferred). 4/4 teaching responsibilities; half of course load will serve undergraduate English and Composition instruction."
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From Kent State University (Ohio): "Tenure-track Assistant Professor position in poetry writing. Responsibilities include teaching undergraduate poetry-writing courses and portfolio direction for students in our writing minor, as well as graduate courses in poetry writing and thesis direction in the NEOMFA program."
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From Minnesota State University Mankato, an announcement seeking an Assistant Professor of English/Creative Writing (fiction).
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From Emerson College (Mass.): "The Department of Writing, Literature, and Publishing seeks a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor in the area of Creative Nonfiction writing."
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The San Francisco Art Institute seeks a Director of Marketing and Communications, Creighton University (Neb.) is looking for a Writer, and the University of California-Santa Cruz seeks an Associate Editor.