Wayback Machine (News Division)

Students

Student Publications Summer 2011

"Princess," a short story by graduating fiction writer Toni Todd, will appear in a forthcoming issue of Glassworks magazine.

CWLA graduate Christine Byl's first book, Dirt: An Education on the Ground, will be published by Beacon Press. Though this book is nonfiction, she studied fiction at UAA. She also won the Western Association of Graduate Schools Distinguished Master's Thesis Award for Breathing Under Water: Artist's Work, Artist's Mind. 

CWLA nonfiction graduate Shehla Anjum has a memoiristic essay on pomegranates in the current issue of Creative Nonfiction, which focused on food in a special section. Her essay began as a class exercise.

Award-winning Students

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First-year nonfiction student Mary Harris (Kudenov), graduating poet John McKay, and second-year fiction writer Jonna Laster were among the winners chosen in F Magazine's 2011 Statewide Writing Competition. Their work will appear in the June issue.

CWLA big contributor to Cirque journal

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The Summer Solstice edition of Cirque includes work from several current and former CWLA students and staff. Coordinator Kathy Tarr has an essay about her first encounter with writer Richard Rodriquez, which is a timely read given his imminent appearance at the residency. Other familiar writers appearing in this issue include Jason Eisert, Leslea Smith, John McKay, and Vivian Prescott. Among the alumni are Sherry Eckrich, Marybeth Holleman, and, of course, editor Mike Burwell. You can read the issue online here.

Faculty

 Poetry mentor wins Hugo Award

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Poetry Northwest interviewed faculty mentor Derick Burleson as the winner of the magazine's 2010-2011 Hugo Award winnter. The award recognizes the magazine's best work of the year. His new book of poems, Melt, will be published by Marick Press later this year. Derick wrote and read some of Melt during CWLA's first residency.  

An Interview with Judith Barrington

Nonfiction mentor Judith Barrington was interviewed in April by WGDR radio in Plainfield, Vt., which recently posted the interview. You can hear Judith discuss her memoir, Lifesaving, here.

 Nonfiction Mentor Publishes
Tlingit Books

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Nonfiction faculty mentor Ernestine Hayes has written what is thought to be the first children's book in Tlingit.  Aanka Xóodzi ka Aasgutu Xóodzi Shkalneegí or The Story of the Town Bear and Forest Bear is available in English as well. The Juneau Empire interviewed Ernestine here. An article about her book also appeared The Guardian, a newspaper in the United Kingdom. Ernestine is planning a second book, Persuasive Raven, for older children and intermediate Tlingit students. She explains the project on the fundraising site United States Artists. Pledges will be accepted until August 24.

Poet and Former CWLA Prof
 Receives National Recognition

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Tom Sexton's newest collection, I Think Again of Those Ancient Chinese Poets, was recently featured in a New York Times review of new poetry books. The reviewer notes: "A former poet laureate of Alaska, he revels in the natural: river otters and Arctic char, sedge wrens and yellow warblers, witch hazel and the wolves of Denali. He’s an atavistic avatar of how to look hard yet write simply." Sexton's book includes 59 eight-line poems. He will read at the UAA Campus Bookstore on July 25 from 1:45 to 3:45 p.m.