Good Reads, Idaho Grown: Faculty, Students and Alumni Pen Nationally Recognized Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry and Literary Criticism
Monday, December 29 2008
Dec. 29, 2008 By Donna Emert MOSCOW, Idaho—University of Idaho faculty, students and alumni are producing some of Idaho’s and the West’s most award-winning literature, and some great winter reads. “Having a productive, respected and well-published faculty is of utmost importance for students,” said Brandon Schrand, coordinator of the university’s Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing Program. “When one of our students opens The New Yorker and sees a poem by her professor, and then sits in class with the same professor that evening, it means something. It means our students are learning from those who know the pulse of the literary world because they are part of that world.” “Our students are learning from some of the best minds in the field,” Schrand added. “They are learning how language works, how stories surprise, and how images can drive an idea. So there’s a kind of transference that takes place in the workshop, and it is evidenced in the students’ own published work.” University of Idaho faculty members are available to discuss their recent work and awards, the university’s MFA program, and how working writers best serve their students. Recent MFA faculty publications and awards include:
- Kim Barnes’s novel, “A Country Called Home,” has been chosen one of the Five Best Novels of 2008 by the Kansas City Star, sharing company with the likes of Aravind Adiga, Louise Erdrich, and Toni Morrison. Her work also was named the October Autograph Book Club selection by Denver’s prestigious Tattered Cover bookstore. A Pacific Northwest indie bestseller, Barnes’s novel was also named one of the Best Western Books of 2008 by NewWest.com. Most recently, the Washington Post also chose the novel as one of the best books of 2008.
- Mary Clearman Blew’s novel, “Jackalope Dreams,” was selected by NewWest.com as one of the Best Western Books of 2008.
- Ron McFarland’s critical study of historic and recent memoirs from the northern Rockies, “The Rockies in First Person” was recently released by McFarland & Company Publishers (no relation). McFarland offers analysis of historical memoirs, and pairs the memoirs of contemporary Western writers, including Ivan Doig, Mark Spragg, Mary Clearman Blew and Teresa Jordan, to reveal and interpret common themes.
- Daniel Orozco’s story, “Only Connect,” will appear in a forthcoming special issue of Ecotone, published out of Wilmington, N.C. His story, “Shakers,” which appeared in the Best American Essays 2007, received Special Mention in the 2009 Pushcart Prize anthology.
- Joy Passanante’s essay, “Visitations,” which won the literary magazine Shenandoah’s esteemed Thomas Carter Prize, received Special Mention in the 2009 Pushcart Prize anthology.
- Brandon Schrand’s essay, “Comparative History,” is forthcoming in “The Book of Dads: Essays on the Joys, Perils, and Humiliations of Fatherhood,” published by Ecco/Harper Collins and edited by Ben George, a 2005 University of Idaho alumnus. Schrand’s essay, “Camera Obscura,” will appear in the craft book, “Now Write! Nonfiction Writing Exercises from Today’s Best Writers and Teachers,” published by Tarcher Penguin. Another essay, “Eleven Ways to Consider Air,” which won the 2006 Willard R. Espy Award, and the 2009 Pushcart Prize, was listed as a Notable Essay in the Best American Essays 2008. Schrand’s memoir, “The Enders Hotel,” also was selected as one of the Best Western Books of 2008 by NewWest.com, and School Library Journal named it one of the Best Adult Books for High School Students for 2008.
- Robert Wrigley’s poem, “Exxon,” appeared in the post-election issue of The New Yorker.
- Ben Gotschall '07 has published his first book of poems, “Where it Happened,” with Lewis-Clark/Sandhills Press.
- Robert Campbell ’08 has had his story, “Martha in the Yard,” accepted for publication by pacificREVIEW out of San Diego State University.
- Paul Cokeram ’04 has an essay on the Bridges of Madison County, Iowa, forthcoming in the Laurel Review.
- Jen Hirt '04 has two essays forthcoming in spring 2009: "Laying Dynamite with the 9th Duke of Devonshire" has been accepted at Redivider, and "Arrived to Find" has been accepted at Natural Bridge.
- Sarah Kaplan ’07 has two poems--“The Masses Flock to Shoreline” and “Paddling the Salmon River”--forthcoming in the next issue of Ruminate Magazine.
- Jill Kupchik ’07 has had two poems, "Mea Culpa" and "Gossip About the Girl Who Works at the Erotic Theatre Ticket Counter" accepted in Poetry East for autumn 2009. Two more poems by Kupchik, "Ellipsis" and "Penelope at Home" are forthcoming in Cider Press Review for its spring issue, and "L'Hymne de la Coupable," will appear in its autumn 2009 issue.
- Joe Wilkins’ ‘07 story “Real Cowboys” has been accepted for publication in the spring issue of the Mid-American Review. His poem about the rumored later life of Butch Cassidy, “William T. Phillips,” was also an editor’s choice in Mid-American Review’s Fineline Contest for Prose Poetry, and will be published this fall. His essay "Out West," has been accepted for publication in Orion. And Burnside Review will be publishing his poem "He Is Only Six and Has Not Yet Seen Anyone He Loves Die" in their next issue.
- Lindsay Wilson ‘06 has had his prose poem "Three Elegies for a New Year" accepted by the Blue Mesa Review, published out of the University of New Mexico. And his poem, "I Own an Early Memory of Him," has been accepted for publication in the Hiram Poetry Review, published out of Hiram College in Ohio.
- Claire O’Connor ’08 has had her story, "Cape Town," selected for the 2010 Best New American Voices prize anthology. The story was nominated by faculty member Daniel Orozco. Each year, the Best New American Voices publishes "stories culled from hundreds of writing programs such as the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and Johns Hopkins and from summer conferences such as Sewanee and Bread Loaf." This marks the second year in a row that a University of Idaho MFA student has been selected for the Best New American Voices. Last year, Larry Mayer’s '09 story "Love for Miss Dottie" was selected.
- The poetry of Matt Zambito, a first-year MFA student, appears soon in a multitude of literary publications: His poem, “White Light, White Stars," was accepted in the New York Quarterly; "Locusts" and "Read My Lips" will appear in Cream City Review; "Because the People of the World Want War" will appear in West Branch; "Which is Almost Unheard Of" will appear in, Sentence; "How to Write Me a Love Poem" is forthcoming in Concho River Review; "Disconnected" will appear in HazMat Review; "City Snow" and "Dying Wish" will appear in Red Rock Review; "Sideshow Prayer" will appear in The Sow's Ear Poetry Review; "What 1/116 of Your Life Means" will appear in Spoon River Poetry Review; and "Yellow Birthday to You" is forthcoming in The Eleventh Muse.
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.