Jennifer K. Sweeney - James Laughlin Award Winner

Congratulations to friend of Third Coast Jennifer K. Sweeney for winning the 2009 James Laughlin Award of the Academy of American Poetry for her second book How to Live on Bread and Music. Jennifer's beautiful first book, Salt Memory, won the 2006 Main Street Rag Poetry Book Award, and we here at Third Coast can't wait to read her new work.

Mark Irwin writes:

“In Jennifer K. Sweeney’s How to Live on Bread and Music we discover words that weigh the earth carefully and sing it into existence for this poet knows ‘song is the yeast / when the body wants.’ Her poetry is ‘pained with sensation’ and has the power to transform the reader, to resurrect dandelions from a field of armor.”

Summer Reading (Presidential Style)

Thanks to Brian for pointing me towards Swampland Blog's report of President Obama's summer reading list, which includes the following:

• The Way Home, by George Pelecanos
• Hot, Flat, and Crowded, by Tom Friedman
• Lush Life, by Richard Price
• Plainsong, by Kent Haruf
• John Adams, by David McCullough

It makes me glad that our president reads.

Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize

"The Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize (formerly the Lexi Rudnitsky Poetry Prize) is a collaboration between Persea Books and The Lexi Rudnitsky Poetry Project. It sponsors the annual publication of a poetry collection by an American woman poet who has yet to publish a full-length book of poems. The winner receives an advance of $1,000.00 and publication of her collection by Persea.

In addition, beginning this year, the winner receives the option of an all-expenses-paid residency at the Civitella Ranieri Center, a renowned artists retreat housed in a fifteenth-century castle in Umbertide, Italy."

And really, who doesn't want to write at a castle in Italy?

New Issues Summer's End Celebration

Third Coast will be heading over to Bell's Eccentric Cafe on Sunday, August 30th, from 2-6pm, for a Summer’s End Celebration & Gala Fundraiser hosted by New Issues Press.  Looks like a great way to soak up some late summer fun! As the New Issues blog notes:

"New Issues poets and Michigan writers John Rybicki, Heather Sellers,David Dodd Lee, Diane Seuss, and Jamie D’Agostino will read briefly from their poetry. The inimitable Bonnie Jo Campbell will serve as auctioneer for a variety of excellent paintings, rarities, and hilarities.Whiskey Before Breakfast will perform traditional Irish dance music."

Copies of the latest issue of Third Coast, which includes new fiction by celebration auctioneer Bonnie Jo Campbell, will also be available. 

If you're in the Kalamazoo area, come on down to Bell's Eccentric Cafe, enjoying the readings, and be sure to introduce yourselves to our editors!  

Announcing the 2010 Fiction and Poetry Contest

Third Coast is accepting work from now till December 1st, 2009 for our 2010 Fiction and Poetry Contest.  This years judges are Ann Beattie (Fiction) and David Wojahn (Poetry). 

All entrants receive a complimentary subscription to the journal.   Winners receive $1000 and publication in Third Coast.  To enter, send 1 short story or up to 3 poems with a $15 entry fee to: 

Third Coast 2010 Fiction or Poetry Contest

Department of English

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5331

Check out our contests page for complete details!

Aimee Nezhukumatathil Wins Pushcart

Aimee Nezhukumatathil's poem, "Love in the Orangery," will be published in the 2009 edition of the Pushcart Prize anthology. The poem was first published in the Fall 2006 issue of Third Coast.

Nezhukumatathil is the author of At the Drive-In Volcano (2007). Her poetry and essays have been widely anthologized and have appeared in Prairie Schooner, Black Warrior Review, Third Coast, FIELD, Mid-American Review, and Tin House. She is an associate professor of English at State University of New York-Fredonia.

In the Mode of Disappearance

Jonathan Weinert's debut book of poems, In the Mode of Disappearance, is now available. The book won the 2006 Nightboat Poetry Prize. Thomas Sayers Ellis describes it as "inventive as hell," and as "thinking as it is feeling, and never solely linear." Several of Weinert's poems appeared in the Fall 2007 issue of Third Coast. 

Nat'l Book Critics Circle Chooses A Half-Life of Cardio-Pulmonary Function for "Good Reads" List

Congratulations to former Third Coast contributor, Eric Gansworth ("Night in the Ruts," Fall 2007). His new book of poems, A Half-Life of Cardio-Pulmonary Function, has been chosen for the National Book Critics Circle Spring 2008 "Good Reads" list. 

Poetry and Creative Nonfiction Contests

The editors and staff at Third Coast are pleased to announce the winner for the 2008 Poetry Contest. Judge James Tate has selected:

"Performance" by Tyler Caroline Mills as the winner of this year's Poetry Contest. The finalists for the contest are listed below:

Jacob Boyd
Travis Cebula
Jennifer Chapis
Adam Day
Haines Eason
Gail Giewont
Jaimie Gusman
L.S. Klatt
Collier Nogues
Grant Osborn
Jonathan Rice
Susan Rich
Kerry Ruef
Kathleen Winter

For the 2008 Creative Nonfiction Contest, Judge Patricia Hampl has selected:

"How Not to Write a Personal Essay for Freshmen Composition” by Scott Wrobel as the winner of this year’s Creative Nonfiction Contest. The finalists are listed below:

Susan Chiavelli
Annie Dawid
Jennifer Ariadne Hawkins
Benjamin Axford Kamper
Ryan Van Meter
David Torrey Peters
Robert Rebein
Jim Ruland
Hugh Ryan

We thank all of the writers who submitted their work.

The Fear of Being Found

Erin Elizabeth Smith's The Fear of Being Found was published recently by Three Candles Press. Her poems "Sin (Storm): A Pantoum" and "Macha Speaks of Her Children" appeared in Issue 22 of Third Coast.

Knockemstiff Receives National Recognition

Congratulations to Third Coast author, Donald Ray Pollack. His debut collection of short stories, Knockemstiff, has garnered national attention in recent weeks, including a favorable review in the March 23, 2008 edition of the New York Times Book Review. Pollack published his first story, "Discipline," in our Spring 2005 Tenth Anniversary issue (and "Lard" in Fall 2006). In his review, Jonathan Miles describes Pollack's voice as "fresh and full-throated," and claims his best stories, "leave an indelible smear." Here is a link to the complete review.

2008 Contest Winners

Below are the results of the 2008 Fiction and Drama Contests.

Fiction Contest

Winner: "The Three Davids" by Roger Sheffer

Finalists:
"Slackwater" by Heather Brittain Bergstrom
"Long Division" by Timothy Crandle
"Holes" by Teresa Milbrodt
"The Knowledge of Cedar" by Irene Keliher
"In Jersey City" by Siobhan Scarry

---

Drama Contest

Winner: "Penelope and the Sterile Field" by James Magruder

Finalists:
"The Mistress of Wholesome" by Jacob Appel
"The Switch Room" by Jason Lenz
"Simprov" by Laurence Klaven
"Buskers" by Anesa Miller
"Nobody's Watching" by Ed Minus

---

We thank all of the writers who submitted their work.

Third Coast at AWP

If you are attending the AWP conference this week, stop by our table at the bookfair to say hello and check out our newest issue. The Fall 2007 issue features Kate Lane's story, "Red Winter," which won our 2007 fiction contest, and fantastic work by Maggie Smith, Mark Kraushaar, Jonathan Weinert, Terry Wolverton, Nance Van Winkel, Seth Abramson, Jean Valentine, Porter Fox, Charles McLeod, Jessica Roeder, Eric Gansworth, and many other exceptional writers.

We hope to see you there!

Deadline Extended

We have extended our Poetry and Creative Nonfiction Award postmark deadline to February 29th, 2008. Please visit our contest page for complete submission guidelines.

Welcome

Welcome to Third Coast's new blog. We'll be posting news, book reviews, contest announcements, recommended books, and other information.

We hope you'll check in often.