March 2003 E-Calendar

Regional Literary Events

LSW MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL OFFER

JOIN Lake Superior Writers or RENEW your membership with a special spring offer. Beginning in 2003, all of our memberships will be offered on a July - June basis to match our fiscal year. In order to celebrate, we are offering a 16-month membership period from March 2003 - June 2004 for the 12-month rate of $25.

Member benefits include discounts on LSW workshops, publications and the annual contest entry. LSW also offers mentoring; genre-based writing groups (we have 17 active groups!); venues for public reading; plus this E-calendar, a newsletter, discounts, special speakers, and more. And the best part is joining a dynamic and thriving organization! Send $25 and: Name, Genre(s) in which you write, Address, Phone numbers, and E-mail Address to: LSW PO BOX 3025, Duluth, MN 55812.

Let us know if you are interested in attending workshops, participating in readings, attending social or outreach events, having or becoming a mentor, or joining/facilitating a writing group. Are you interested in joining a committee? The committees are: contest, development, fundraising, membership, program, publicity and social. Tax-deductible gifts for our scholarships, writers fund, and the writing center are appreciated.

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***EVENTS, CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

March 1 - 1-2 pm, Dave Benson signs his book "Stories in Log & Stone: The Legacy of the New Deal in Minnesota State Parks." Northern Lights Books & Gifts, 722-5267.

March 2, 2 pm àMinnesota author George Erickson signs his new book "True North: Exploring the Great Wilderness by Bush Plane." Barnes & Noble, 786-0710

March 3, 7:30 pm, Lysistrata a classic comedy by ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes produced by Colder by the Lake Comedy Theater . Lake Superior Writers members Margi Preus, Cheryl Reitan, Nancy Fitzgerald, and Jean Sramek are participating in this event. Over 650 readings of this work will be read in 40 countries all over the world, all on March 3. For information see www.colderbythelake.com or call 218-724-0237, or 218-390-3337.

March 3, 10, 17, 24 - 8 p.m., Open mic, Mondays at Amazing Grace Bakery and Cafe, (basement of Dewitt-Seitz Bldg. in Canal Park) Info: 723-0075 March 5, 12, 19, 26, 7-10 p.m, Open mic, Wednesdays at Beaner's Central. Info: 624 5957.

March 6, 6:30 pm, Bruce Netland will read from his debut legal thriller set in Minnesota "Distant Judgments." J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee, 394-2665.

March 6, 6:30 p.m. Tom Sullivan, co-author of "Wildflower Safaris by Car: A Unique Guide to Minnesota's North Shore and the Superior National Forest," Virginia Public Library Auditorium," 215 5th Ave. S., Virginia MN. For info, check www.virginia.lib.mn.us or call Nancy at 218-748-7525.

Mar 13, 8 p.m. Norshor Theater. Poetry Slam, open mic. The emphasis is on the performance/presentation, and it's also a competition!

March 15, 12-1 pm - Kirstin Gilpatrick signs her book."Footprints in Courage: A Bataan Death March Survivor's Story." 1-2 pm - Mark Munger signs his book "Pigs: A Trial Lawyer's Story and The Legacy," Northern Lights Books & Gifts, 722-5267.

March 13, 6:30 pm, Author of "The Legacy, " Mark Munger will share excerpts from his new Minnesota morality tale "Pigs: A Trial Lawyer's Story." J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee, 394-2665.

March 13, 6:30 pm - George A. Erickson, reads from his book "Time Traveling with Science and the Saints." The program begins at 6:30 PM in the auditorium. Virginia Public Library Auditorium," 215 5th Ave. S., Virginia MN. For info, check www.virginia.lib.mn.us or call Nancy at 218-748-7525.

March 14, 7 pm, Mark Munger will discuss and sign his new book "Pigs: A Trial Lawyer's Story." Barnes & Noble, 786-0710.

March 15, 1 à 2 p.m. Margaret Olson Webster reads and signs her book "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Cemetery." J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee, 394-2665.

March 19 & 26, April 2 & 9, Stuck? Need a tow to get you to the end of your story? Finish your prose at a workshop designed to help you finish what you started. Margi Preus (herself a winner of several lifetime procrastination achievement awards) leads "All's Well that Ends at All: Finish Your Story" at the College of St. Scholastica. This 4-week workshop will help you write those final paragraphs, cross the t's, dot the i's and lick the stamp you'll put on the envelope to mail it out to anticipating editors. Cost: $25. Info? Call 723-5940.

March 20, 6:30 pm, Jack Kulpa will read from his collection of outdoor essays "True North: Reflections on Fishing and a Life Well-Lived." Some of his work was previously featured in Field & Stream magazine. J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee, 394-2665.

March 22, all day, Linda Glaser will lead a journal and memoir writing workshop at McCabe Renewal Center. To register, call 724-5266.

March 22, 10:30 a.m. Mary Casanova shares her new book "One-Dog Canoe" at this special story time for young children. Booksigning will follow.. J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee, 394-2665.

March 22, 1-2 pm, Mary Casanova signs her book "One-Dog Canoe," Northern Lights Books & Gifts, 722-5267.

March 22, 2 pm - Duluth author and science teacher Larry Weber will discuss his new book, "Spiders of the North Woods." Barnes & Noble, 786-0710

March 25, 7 pm, The Vibe Show, CHUM Drop -in Center, 125 N. First St. Info: 218-525-1854.

March 27, 6:30 pm, Native Fran Gabino will share her memoirs of growing up in the not-so-fabulous fifties in Superior à "Fair Game." She also authored "Crocodile Tears and Lipstick Smears." J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee, 394-2665.

March 27, April 3, 10 & 17, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, LSW Room, 1323 Rice Lake Road. Sheila Packa teaches "Poetry: Writing That Casts More Than One Shadow." $60 LSW members/$75 non-members. Register by March 20. 15 participants. Questions? Call 218-722-3094 and leave a message or see www.lakesuperiorwriters.org. REGISTRATION FORM

March 29, 1-2 pm - David Benjamin signs his book "Life and Times of the Last Kid Picked: A memoir," Northern Lights Books & Gifts, 722-5267. March 20, 7:30 pm - Spirit Lake Poetry Series, reading by Nancy Fitzgerald. Music and refreshments. Free. Somers Hall, College of St. Scholastica.

March 29, 7:30 pm - Spirit Lake Poetry Series, reading by James Armstrong. Music and refreshments. Free. Somers Hall, College of St. Scholastica.

April 3, 6:30 pm, Area author and publisher Mike Savage reads from "Lake Effect,---"Best Book of 2002 by the Reader's Weekly. J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee, 394-2665.

April 5, 9 am - 3 pm, LSW Room, 1323 Rice Lake Road, A One-day Workshop, "Writing From Myth" with Margi Preus $35 LSW members/$55 non-members. Register by March 31. Limited to 12 participants. Questions? Call 218-722-3094 and leave a message or see www.lakesuperiorwriters.org. REGISTRATION FORM

April 10, 6:30 pm, Sharon Wichlidal discusses her mystery "Death Lives On." J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee, 394-2665.

April: The Duluth Public Library has announced the selection for Duluth's second annual Reading: Bridge to a Wider World project --- Mitch Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie, a New York Times Bestseller. Tuesdays With Morrie is a poignant story of a professor and student confronting death, our ultimate common ground, and how the professor's wisdom can help all of us. Community-wide events featuring the book will be held in April 2003. A resource guide will be available at local book stores and libraries by March 2003. All members of the community are encouraged to read and discuss the book. April 11-12, Midwest Writing Workshop with National Geographic Traveler Writer, Jeff Rennicke. Three-day seminar centers on the ways we connect with our surroundings through writing. Learn about keeping journals, the revision process and getting work published, as well as methods for enhancing creativity, all in the Old Rittenhouse Inn.Two nights lodging, full breakfasts, workshops, a Sat. dinner and a Fri. reception is $425. For info see www.rittenhouseinn.com, Old Rittenhouse Inn, Bayfield, Wisconsin 54814, 715-779-5111, 888-611-4667.

April 12, 9 am - 3 pm, LSW Room, 1323 Rice Lake Road, A One-day Poetry Workshop, with Ryan Vine. $35 LSW members/$55 non-members. Register by March 31. Limited to 15 participants. Questions? Call 218-722-3094 and leave a message or see www.lakesuperiorwriters.org. Scholarships for high school and college students are available for this class only. To apply, send a letter requesting the scholarship and one poem by March 14 to Lake Superior Writers, Attn. Poetry Scholarships. Register by April 7. REGISTRATION FORM

Saturday April 26, 1:30 pm. "Writers Speak Out on Loss and Healing," LSW Room, 1323 Rice Lake Road. This LSW event is held in conjunction with the city-wide reading of Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays With Morrie." An open reading will follow the featured readers.

May 3, 7:30 pm - Spirit Lake Poetry Series, reading by 2001 Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Dunn. Free. Somers Hall, College of St. Scholastica.

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***LSW MEMBER KUDOS!

BRUCE HENDRICKSEN's short story "Rest Stop" appears online at Full Circle Journal and in the "best of" print edition. The story is set near Duluth.

DIANA RANDOLPH of Drummond, WI has a poem included in The Lake Superior Sounder, the January inaugural issue of a new publication published in Ashland. She also recently received notification of winning third place for a short story in the fiction category of Wisconsin Press Women's "Impressions/Expressions" contest. Randolph's story, "Leaping Out of the Blue" will be published in the Wisconsin Press Women's Spring Yearbook.

BERNADETTE SAVAGE has her first chapbook, "Sometimes I Call Old Lovers," coming out in March. The book is published by Poetry Harbor

FRANCINE STERLE will read from her book, "Every Bird is One Bird," at Molly's Cafe and Bookstore, in Philadelphia in March.

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LSW WRITING GROUPS

***OPEN, GENRE-BASED, WRITING GROUPS

Several LSW writing groups are open to all members. Expect a different number of people at each session and lively contributions from a variety of viewpoints. March 6, 13, 20, 27, 7 - 9 p.m, Thursdays at Browsers N'etc, the Circular Muse Collective. All genres. Bring something to share. Contact Bob or Rachel at 786-0102.

March 11, 6:30 - 8 pm, Creative nonfiction group, At Sara's Table, 1902 East 8th Street Duluth,. Contact Gail Trowbridge at 218-728-1354. March 16 (Third Sunday of the Month), 3 pm, LSW Memoir Group. Bixby's Bagels. All are welcome. Contact Mara at 728-1253.

March 17, (Third Monday of the Month), 6:30 pm, LSW Children's Writers. Designed for both published and unpublished writers of fiction or nonfiction children's materials. J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee, 394-2665. March 18, (Third Tuesday) 5:15 pm, Beecroft Writer's, Poetry and Short Stories. J.W. Beecroft Books & Coffee. 394-2665.

March 19, (mid-month Wednesday) Open Fiction and Poetry group. 6 - 8 pm, Pepper McGregor's Coffeehouse & Cafe, 4721 E. Superior St. Contact Jill Hinners at 525-1463 or Cheryl Reitan at 728-3154.

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***SMALL WRITING GROUPS

Writing is an extremely personal activity and often times a small group works best for giving support and critique. Several LSW groups meet regularly. When established groups have openings, we will list the contact people in this space. Call to arrange a meeting with the contact person to see if your work and style will be a good fit.

A Creative Prose group may have an opening. Contact Sheila Packa, 279-3549, spacka@juno.com

Fiction group may have an opening. Contact Kathy Leino, kayemhills@netscape.net, 724-4822

***ABOUT FACILITATING A GROUP

If you wish to start your own group, contact Mara Hart at mhart2@d.umn.edu for guidelines and help.

Do you like to write non-fiction? Plays? Journals? Would you like to discuss your work with other others writing in the same genre? LSW is looking for one or two people to facilitate a non-fiction/essay/ or scriptwriting group. Interested? Contact Mara Hart at mhart2@d.umn.edu.

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***NEWS/CONTESTS/SUBMISSIONS

SMALL TOWN USA. Small towns evoke a special tranquility that lends itself to story telling and sharing. Small Town USA publishes collections of stories and pictures about small town life across America. Contribute a story for Small Town USA's next book. For information see: http://smalltownusa.net/ or contact Devon LaHar, editor, devon@smalltownusa.net and Richard Barrett, publisher, richard@smalltownusa.net.

NORTH COAST: Submit poetry to the North Coast Review. Poets residing in MN, WI, NP and the UP, send 3 - 6 pages with SASE and brief bio to Poetry Harbor, P.O. Box 103, Duluth, MN 55801. (Name and address on all pages) Always reading, 218-525-1854.

AREA WOMEN MAGAZINE is looking for freelance writers. If you have a story already, a story idea or are looking for an assignment, contact Sheryl Jensen, Editor: AWMag@aol.com

MN LIT: Minnesota Literature wants essays, up to 900 words, that express opinions on literary issues and questions, or profile interesting events or personalities. Payment $50. Minnesota Literature, 1387 Berkeley Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, 651-698-3059; or mnlit@aol.com. Minnesota Literature is a statewide, monthly newsletter ($10/10 issues) that provides the literary community with information about workshops, residencies, new publications, grants, awards, contests, and a monthly calendar of readings.

THE PEDESTAL Magazine is currently accepting submissions of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. For info and to read the work of contributors, including Sharon Olds, Michael McClure, Susan Ludvigson, Thomas Lux, and Maxine Kumin see www.thepedestalmagazine.com

OUT OF THE HAT PLAYS needs scriptwriters! Renegade Comedy Theatre needs 8-10 writers, 8-10 directors, and a slew of actors for one-act scripts that are written, directed and performed in 24 hours. The tentative performance dates are May 2 & 3, 2003. * Here's how it works: Thursday evening, each writer gets a who, what, where and then writes a ten to fifteen-minute one act play based on those suggestions before the next morning. On Friday morning, each director chooses a script from a hat and then draws names of actors until his or her script is cast. Friday evening, the doors open and 8-10 world premieres are staged! After the shows are complete, the audience provides new suggestions and the whole process starts all over again for a Saturday night show. For info on how to get involved, contact Brian Matuszak, Executive Producer, Renegade Comedy Theatre, matuszak3@msn.com.

MONEY FOR CLASSROOMS: The Minnesota Reading Association awards up to $1000 to school and/or community literacy programs and events. Grants can be used to pay for author visits, workshops, storytelling and other book-related events. Deadline is May 1. More information and application forms available at www.mnreading.org

VIETNOW IS looking for a few good writers who can write from a positive point of view about things of interest to Vietnam veterans and their families. You don't have to be a veteran. VietNow National Magazine, P.O. Box 736, Pine Island, MN 55963. Writer's guidelines: www.vietnow.com/magazine.htm

KUMQUAT Meringue is a strange acorn of poetry dedicated to the memory of Richard Brautigan. Send your quirky minutiae of love, sex, syrup, life, and death. If there's a connection to Richard Brautigan, so much the better. Sample: $6. Three issue subscription: $12. P.O. Box 736, Pine Island, MN 55963.

POETRY MOTEL is seeking poetry submissions for its magazine and Wallpaper, a broadside series. Send 3à6 pages, sase, brief bio. No deadline. Prefer work under one page. For a copy of the latest Poetry Motel include $7.95. Submit to Poetry Motel, P.O. Box 103, Duluth, MN 55801.

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***LSW NEWS!

WRITE IN THE LSW OFFICE ---The board of Lake Superior Writers is seeking applications by members who need a room of their own in which to write. For a nominal fee, you would be able to use our quiet, well-furnished office space. Please call 722-3094.

THE LSW ANTHOLOGY, "Between Stone and Flesh," contains twenty LSW poetry and prose writers. To purchase this book, which is available to LSW members for $8, or to find out more about our contest, contact Jim at 724 1653.

We have two e-mail addresses: writers@lakesuperiorwriters.org
and a special e-mail for this calendar at calendar@lakesuperiorwriters.org

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***ABOUT THE LSW CALENDAR

THIS CALENDAR is a benefit of your membership in Lake Superior Writers.

We are a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the literary arts. We welcome information from you regarding events, classes, kudos or announcements to be included in upcoming calendars.We reserve the right to edit all submissions.

TELL US ABOUT IT! Have you just been published? Received a grant or an award? Let us know! We love to celebrate the successes of the members of our writing community. E-mail your news items to calendar@lakesuperiorwriters.org.

SEND CALENDAR ITEMS to calendar@lakesuperiorwriters.org by the third Friday of the month. Include date, time, location, brief description and contact person. Be sure to include "LSW Calendar" in your subject line.

LSW MISSION: to foster writing communities, to provide an audience for literature, and to further the artistic development of writers through workshops, readings, and publications.