EpicFest — Over the years, I have collaborated with the the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library on many worthwhile events and projects, but I am especially pleased to be on the Planning Committee for EpicFest. Sponsored by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation, EpicFest is a free literary festival for children of all ages. It will take place on Saturday, November 7, at ImaginOn, and it will feature nine award-winning children’s authors. The festival will also include learning activities, a family concert, and book signing opportunities. Students from our English Learning Community will be volunteering at this event. For more information about EpicFest, please click on the following link: http://foundation.cmlibrary.org/epicfest
Poetry Reading — Our creative writing program is having a poetry reading on 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 in Fretwell 290B. The reading will feature Cedric Tillman and Coen Crisp. The poets also will hold a Q&A with the audience, and light refreshments will be provided. The event is sponsored by the Department of English with support from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Here is more information about the featured poets:
Cedric Tillman holds a BA in English from UNC Charlotte and graduated from American University’s Creative Writing MFA program. He is a prestigious Cave Canem fellow and a former Boston Review “Discovery” contest semifinalist. Cedric’s poems appear in several publications including Crosscut, Folio, Kakalak, The Chemistry of Color, and Home Is Where: An Anthology of African American Poets From the Carolinas, edited by Kwame Dawes. His debut collection, Lilies in the Valley, was a semifinalist selection for the 2011 42 Miles Press Poetry Award, and was published by Willow Books in 2013. He is the inaugural winner of the Willow Books Emerging Poets & Writers Award. Cedric lives in Charlotte.
Coen Crisp is a writer living in Greensboro, NC. His recently published book of haiku, 575, deals with life as a transgender male transitioning in the South. His work has also appeared
in Original Plumbing Magazine, FTM Magazine, and TransLife.
Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:
Malin Pereira recently published an article titled “A Seat at the Front of the Bus of American Poetry: Wanda Coleman’s ‘Retro Rogue Anthology’ in Mercurochrome” in Hecate 40.1: 97-115. The article appeared in a “Focus Section” of the issue, with six essays on Coleman, the first issue of a journal focusing on Coleman’s work.
Alan Rauch recently gave a presentation titled “Rain, Steam and Speed: What’s So Great about the Greatest Painting of the 19th Century” at an area assisted living center.
Becky Roeder recently co-presented a talk titled “Simultaneous Innovation and Conservation: Unpacking Victoria’s Vowels” at the New Ways of Analyzing Variation conference in Toronto, Ontario.
Upcoming Events and Deadlines— Here is a date to keep in mind:
November 4 — Bryn Chancellor will give a reading and sign her new book, When Are You Coming Home?, at Park Road Books at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4. http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/2015-11
Quirky Quiz Question — EpicFest follows in the tradition of an earlier literary festival sponsored by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Does anybody remember the name of this earlier festival?
Last week’s answer – Dia de las Muertes
In Latino/Latina culture, a major holiday is celebrated in the beginning of November. What is the name of this holiday? For extra credit, what is the Spanish name for this holiday?