Saturday evening and I'm resting my tired legs from 4 days of AWP Conference in Washington D.C. Tomorrow, it's back home with new reading material as well as tons of information to process. Additionally, I was accepted into the AWP Writer 2 Writer Mentoring Program. Above I am standing with Diane Zinna who directs the innovative program that has to be one of the most exciting member services available. I am matched with a mentor Ken Waldman for the Spring session. There are two sessions each year - and so far about 200 writers have been through the program. I applied for the program 6 different sessions and finally was matched. On the final day I was able to meet Shaindel Beers, author of two poetry collections and one of my favorite poets. After reading both her books and interacting with her for several years no on social media it was cool to connect.
One of the most fascinating panels I attended was the Manifesto Project. I also picked up a copy of the Manifesto Project published by Akron University Press. I'm sure I will have more to say about this work in the near future.
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So, from the Exciting News department, AWP is coming to Kansas City! Okay, it is four years away, but three new future host cities for the AWP annual conference were announced this week and they include my fair city. The 2021 event will be here. God that sounds so far away.
It will be so cheap with no air travel or hotel accommodations needed. My expenses for D.C. next month will be substantial. Still, I'm looking forward to the craziness. I feel that a very optimistic fall has pushed summer aside. I can see the fall colors coming. Anticipation is high.
Fall ball has pushed aside the regular season as well. We are now into the playoffs and with that comes the elimination of some teams that fall away like those fragile bright leaves. Things too get a little crazy and spooky and sticky sweet. Do grown ups still plunder the kids trick-or-treat bag for the good stuff? What I'm not looking forward to is the mania that often comes with the holidays. Perhaps this year my holiday gift will be material for better poems. I hope my muse is reading this. |
AuthorMichael Allyn Wells - notes & musings Archives
February 2024
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