Featured Readers:
- Lillian Howan
- Maw Shein Win
- Dawn Angelica Barcelona
Sunday, Jan. 9, 4 p.m. ON ZOOM.
Register here.
Today: Alta Mesa Center for the Arts Kicks Off Reading Series 2022
January 9, 2022 at 2:27 pm (Artists and Writers, Conversations, Filipino Writers, Links, Lists, Recommended, Sundays, Women Writers)
Tags: Asian American Writers, Events, opportunities, poetry, Readings
Banff Centre for the Arts: Introducing the Program in Literary Journalism
January 7, 2022 at 1:53 pm (Artists and Writers, destinations, Food and Drink, Links, Places, plans, Recommended, Traveling, Women Writers, Writing)
Tags: Banff, Canada, Events, fellowships, Fridays, Literary Magazines, Marianne Villanueva, memories, opportunities, restaurants, short story, work-in-progress, workshops, writing process
This summer, from July 4 to July 16, Banff is offering a new program, Literary Journalism. Meetings are in-person on the Banff campus. Self knows one of the instructors, Charlotte Gill.
Self was at Banff Writers Studio, seven years ago, when she was just starting her novel, and the feedback she got from her mentors was invaluable. She wishes she could enroll for this program, as she’d do anything to get back to Banff again, but she’s not a journalist. (The only caveat was that she got fat. They give you a food allowance at the start, and there are five eateries to choose from. By the end of the five weeks, everyone in her program was complaining how much weight they’d gained. Then we had to pose for group pictures, which was really embarrassing.)
At the MacLab, she once sat one table over from k. d. lang — exciting, except she didn’t find out until after k.d. lang left. Part of the Writer’s Studio is giving a public reading, and self signed up for the very last day. She was so nervous, she had to drink a glass of wine beforehand. The story she read from was “Sand,” and had — profanity! There was some restless movement from the audience when she uttered the first word. After that, only laughter. So great.
btw, it took a while, but “Sand” finally found a home last year, in Pembroke Magazine:
Banff Centre’s Literary Journalism 2022 program encourages the exploration of new ideas in journalism and experimentation in writing. Designed to challenge and stimulate, the program aims to inspire creative pieces of nonfiction and to assist the writers in their completion. A preeminent space for long-form journalism, this residency emphasizes the strengths of thorough and articulate reporting, distinctive storytelling, and literary devices.
Application Deadline: March 9, 2022
Complete information can be found here.
Past Squares 4: When Museums Re-Opened
October 10, 2021 at 2:50 pm (Artists and Writers, destinations, Links, Lists, postaday, Recommended, Sundays)
Tags: art, exhibits, Frida Kahlo, Golden Gate Park, inspirations, Judy Chicago, memories, museums, opportunities, San Francisco
For today’s Past Squares challenge, she’s posting a couple of photos from two big exhibits she saw this year: the Frida Kahlo and Judy Chicago exhibits, both in the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.
Self had tickets to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit last year, but the week she was supposed to go, the whole city abruptly went into pandemic lockdown mode and stayed locked down into 2021. As soon as the de Young re-opened to the public, just this past spring, self rushed over. YAY!
The Frida Kahlo exhibit was followed by the Judy Chicago retrospective (which is still on; everyone within driving distance should go: it is FANTASTIC!)
Past Squares 2: Prague, May 2019
October 5, 2021 at 9:57 pm (destinations, Family, Holidays, Links, Niece, Places, plans, postaday, Relatives, Traveling)
Tags: blogs, life of B, memories, opportunities, photo challenge, Prague
This is only self’s third round of participation in Life of B’s Squares Challenge, so instead of choosing favorites from her previous rounds, in April and July 2021, she’ll focus on past trips. She used to be quite the traveler! Everything came to a screeching halt in 2020.
May 2019: Self’s niece was going to Prague and asked if she wanted to come along. Self had never been to Prague. Of course she wanted to come along!
Dinner the first night was in the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. All the surrounding buildings were lit. The view was stunning! The next day, at Prague Castle, we stumbled on a wedding photo shoot. Self was able to squeeze off a quick candid photo.
Help for Afghan Refugees
August 18, 2021 at 8:19 pm (Calls, Links, Places, Recommended, television)
Tags: Afghanistan, causes, CNN, news, opportunities
From the CNN website:
- As the Taliban increases their grip in Afghanistan, thousands of civilians continue to flee their homes fearing retribution, persecution and general chaos. The refugee crisis there is still taking shape amid growing desperation and uncertainty. Relief workers are scrambling to help. You can assist them through the organizations listed here.
Share Your Desktop Photo Challenge: August 2021
August 15, 2021 at 7:29 pm (anthologies, Artists and Writers, Filipino Writers, Links, Lists, Personal Bookshelf, Recommended, Sundays, Women Writers, Writing)
Tags: Calyx Press, Literary Magazines, opportunities, Pembroke Magazine, Prairie Schooner, seasons, short story, summer, transitions, Western Humanities Review
It has been QUITE a summer. How fast it went. And now the Olympics are over, we’re out of Afghanistan, and fall is just around the corner.
You’re alive, we’re alive, wear a mask.
Thank you to the host of this challenge, Clare’s Cosmos!
Support Literary Magazines
Self has short stories in all of these literary magazines.
Gratuitous self-promotion, what?
Stay cool, dear blog readers. Stay cool.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
A Photo A Week Challenge: Unedited
June 28, 2021 at 3:02 pm (Artists and Writers, destinations, Links, postaday)
Tags: A Photo a Week, art, COVID art, discoveries, exhibits, Mondays, museum, opportunities, San Francisco
Love this photo challenge from Nancy Merrill’s A Photo a Week.
tbh, ALL self’s shots are unedited. She takes all her pictures on the fly.
Here are a few shots she took last week at the Legion of Honor. She went to see the exhibit Last Supper at Pompeii. On the way in, her attention was captured by these Wangechi Mutu sculptures, and there was no way to take pictures of those without including the bystanders. Not the ideal, but here they are anyway. The man in the blue jacket has a starring role:
Stay cool, dear blog readers. Stay cool.
April 25 BRIGHT SQUARES
April 25, 2021 at 9:01 pm (Artists and Writers, destinations, Links, postaday, Sundays)
Tags: art, Calder, exhibits, Golden Gate Park, inspiration, museum, opportunities, San Francisco
Self hasn’t missed a day in April! Here’s how to join:
Post anything that’s
sparkling, polished, shining, clever, cheerful, colourful, astute, brilliant, sunny, glorious, translucent, distinct and clear
But whatever you post has to be in the shape of a square. Get inspired by the galleries on The Life of B.
Today, a gallery of Calders from the Calder/Picasso exhibit at the de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park. Photo # 3 is Calder’s homage to Josephine Baker. LOOOVE the fish.
’twas a memorable exhibit. Going on at the same time as the Frida Kahlo.
Stay safe, dear blog readers. Stay safe.
Your Frida Kahlo Picture of the Day: Apr. 23 BRIGHT SQUARES
April 23, 2021 at 4:44 pm (Artists and Writers, Books, destinations, Links, Places, plans, postaday, Recommended)
Tags: art, exhibits, Frida Kahlo, Fridays, Golden Gate Park, inspiration, museum, opportunities, San Francisco
April Bright Squares have been so much fun!
The host of this challenge is Becky at The Life of B.
Yesterday was her birthday. Happy, Happy Birthday, Becky!
Self took loads of pictures at the de Young last Tuesday. And she bought the Frida Kahlo exhibit catalogue (a steal at $19.99). The exhibit was supposed to open last year, self had a ticket for March 2020. Finally, finally, over a year later, she saw it!
Stay safe, dear blog readers. Stay safe.
Essential Beginnings in Nonfiction, UCLA Extension Writers Program
April 11, 2021 at 2:58 pm (Artists and Writers, Calls, Memoirs, plans, Recommended, Sundays, Women Writers, Writing)
Tags: Marianne Villanueva, nonfiction, opportunities, teaching, UCLA Extension, writing process
I have been teaching this course a long time, almost 20 years. It was, and still is, my favorite course to teach. And, because of a lot of pandemic chaotic stuff and fixing my 1939 cottage, I am only teaching it ONCE in 2021. (Promise I’ll be back early 2022)
What happens during the course? YOU happen.
Don’t ask me to explain why I am a better teacher of nonfiction than I am a teacher of fiction. I know, I’m a fiction writer. Maybe I’m too close to the process, I’m not as good as explaining how it happens for me. Nonfiction, though, is a whole other story.
Trust me. I have kept this course as streamlined as possible to allow plenty of time for discussion and interaction with each student.
My hope is to get everyone to the happy place where they see writing as a verdant field of dreams.
There is one text, a classic.
There are my “lectures,” which are much less classic but okay, they’re useful.
There are THE WRITING EXERCISES EACH WEEK which will fill you with so much tension and joy, you can’t even explain it. Because that’s how writing, the act of sitting down and writing, actually feels (If standing on your head writing works for you, hey . . . )
Registration is open NOW. Class begins May 5 and ends June 15.
Since this class is ON-LINE, you can take it from anywhere in the world. I usually have, in one class, students from at least three continents: North America, South America, Asia, and the UK and Europe.
Stay safe, dear blog readers. Stay safe.
Kanlaon 