Local Event: Author Sherman Alexie at the Heard Museum

Though it’s over a month away, we thought you’d like to know that Sherman Alexie, featured poet in Issue 3 of Superstition Review, and accomplished author, will be presenting at The Heard Museum in mid-October.

Alexie will be reading from his newest book, War Dances, due out October 6 and available for pre-order at Amazon.

The event is being hosted by Changing Hands Bookstore, who announced the event on their Facebook page, as well as releasing an event page at their website, in collaboration with the Heard. The event is off-site, meaning instead of being held at the Tempe independent-bookseller site, it will be located at the Heard Museum at 2301 Central Avenue, Phoenix, 85004, and will be running from 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. the evening of October 16.

Tickets to the event are available for purchase only through Changing Hands, who can be reached at 480-730-0205. A trip to Changing Hands is not necessary if you don’t live nearby–you can collect your pre-purchased event tickets the night of the event directly at the Heard. And perhaps best yet, the ticket price of $7 is not only admission, but also a voucher to be applied to the purchase price for an autographed copy of War Dances that evening.

If you can’t manage to attend the event, but still want an autographed book, this can be arranged by phone with the lovely people at Changing Hands–just give them a call and they’ll help you get your own signed copy.

Superstition Review Features the Poetry of Sherman Alexie

Sherman Alexie’s Official Homepage

Heard Museum

Fast Times in Development and Funding

Superstition Review intern, Amber Mosure, comments on her experiences in development and funding.

When I found out I was accepted as an intern for Superstition Review, I was assigned the role of development and funding. My main tasks involve: researching grants, looking into outreach programs, and figuring out innovative ways of generating funding. Already, I’ve gained an exponential amount of knowledge. I feel like the captain of a ship embarking on new landscapes. Applying my own fervor and the past experiences of other English classes has propelled me forward, a little uncertain and uncharted at first, but prepared. I’m sailing along and figuring it out as I go, exploring all the terrain and territories of possible projects and ideas (and I’ve realized I have a penchant for alliteration too).

Recently I helped write a panel proposal for the Southwest Arts Conference. This conference is presented by the Arizona Commission on the Arts and will take place August of this year. SWAC’s theme is “Safety/Sustainability/The Future Is No Accident.” In these times, it is imperative that we create reasonable ways to sustain the arts and literature. Superstition Review does a wonderful job with that, especially, because we are a paperless publication. We encourage and nurture a diverse mix of self-expression and, hopefully, the Arizona Commission on the Arts will agree and invite us to their conference to interactively facilitate a brainstorming session to bounce around ideas for sustainability that will benefit a multitude of art and literature organizations.

Next task: a panel proposal for The Association of Writers and Writing Programs. I will take some of the ideas from the SWAC proposal and apply them to Superstition Review’s application to this event, slated to take place April 2010 in Denver, Colorado. I’m from Denver, so I know that the mile high city is conducive to creativity. I am certain the ideas will be flowing full-force.

Communications and Ruminations

First off, I want to thank our new cast of commenters for coming. I hope you keep reading, and feel impressed or intrigued enough with the goings on of our magazine to get this link our to your friends and loved ones. Feel free to keep leaving us comments here at the Superstition Review Blog, and help us build both a digital and geographical literary community.

(If you have any insight, suggestions, concerns or questions, please leave a message!) 842078_greek_helmet_1

It is the natural means of humanity to connect to the masses in the method of words–the written and spoken words have both served as the gatekeepers to society. It seems as if the rubric of culture is that civilization truly exists once a verbal history has developed. The translation back and forth between spoken and script tradition is how humanity has obtained much of its heritage and history. For example, this is observed in the philosophies of Plato as transcribed by Socrates, and the epic origin poetry of Homer as spread through oral storytelling.

Therefore, it is with great honor and contemplation that we here at Superstition Review invite you to share on this tradition at our side. We have an upcoming reading on Monday, November 17th. This reading circles back to our local Arizona State University community by featuring undergraduate ASU Creative Writing students. If you are a student at ASU and interested in reading, please contact us to see if spots are available. As always, we hope to see you there, and more information is forthcoming.

Finally, keeping in mind the important of written-to-oral-and-back again communication in this culture, consider it an act of service and reverence to the English language to attend and participate in readings. Based on the desires of its participants, all languages will change, flourish, or go extinct over time.

Based upon your emotional and intellectual reactions to the following image, please, Readers, tell us what direction you would like your verbal culture to go next:

funny-pictures-kitten-is-tough-and-should-not-be-messed-with

Other Opportunities for Writing and Awaiting the Issue Release.

This month, November, is known also as National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo.  Starting from November 1st and concluding on November 31st, writers around the world write a novel–50,000 words, on anything they want. Some writers are doing this solo, and others are working in groups based on regional location. I have done NaNoWriMo two years in a row myself, mostly alone, and this year I have decided to take a break. Accomplishing this amount of writing involves shutting off one’s “inner editor,” focusing on pounding out and fleshing out writing, and devotion to keeping up with your word count.

NaNoWriMo has been running for 10 years, and authors have even gotten their NaNo (as it’s called) projects published!

Essentially, it’s like most other writing projects. If you want to step up to the challenge, read the guidelines and tips on NaNoWriMo and cut in as soon as you’re ready–though the longer you wait, the harder it may be to keep up! Good luck, writers!

Recently, as our submissions period has ended, we here at Superstition Review have begun upping the ante to focus on content pages and getting information and interviews from our contributing writers and authors. For me, as a web designer, this means I have begun to scramble frantically to meet our publishing deadline, and worry about content shortages as well as time shortages. We look forward to our release, nonetheless, and hope you’ll keep reading and be there to see our second issue!

Upcoming Events, Submissions Soon to Close!

Writers, Artists, and SR Editors all find themselves wound up this week, as our submissions period is ending. We have hit the home stretch, and will quickly race towards home base and our second issue release.

Remember, the fall-winter submissions period ends on October 31st.

Also coming up is Superstition Review‘s final reading event on November 17th. Our final reading will feature pieces by Arizona State University Creative Writing students.

Mark your calendars and get ready for the next step in issue 2 of Superstition Review!

Superstition Review — Second Reading.

Thank you all for attending the second reading in SR‘s reading series this Monday. We had some excellent writers in attendance, and in addition the audience turn out was also quite good. This included Lois Roma-Deeley (Paradise Valley CC, poetry), Patrick Michael Finn (Chandler-Gilbert CC, fiction) , Josh Rathkamp (Mesa CC, poetry), and Hershman John (Phoenix College, poetry). Our next reading will involve writers who are currently attending Arizona State University. Please note our final reading in the series is November 17th.

Please keep reading to see more photos of our participants.
Read more

Gearing up Superstition Review

After the successful release of our Spring 2008 issue, Superstition Review is back again to present and accept new writing works for your enjoyment. We already have many events and meetings planned, and the best place to keep a heads up on new developments and fresh contact is here on our blog. Keep an eye out for announcements! Here are a few things you should look forward to, coming up soon:

First Reading Series Event: 7:30 p.m. — Monday, September 8th, 2008.

Our readings will be hosted in the Cooley Ballroom in the Student Union at the ASU Polytechnic campus. Admission is always free, and refreshments will be served. This reading will feature writers from the Spring issue of the Superstition Review.

Future readings are scheduled for Monday, October 13th and Monday, November 17th.

Submissions: The Superstition Review is an online national literary publication based out of Arizona State University. We are currently accepting submissions through the month of October. If you are a writer interested in being published, please come check out our submission guidelines. Our projected release for issue 2 is December 2008, and is made possible with your submitted contributions.

End of Submission Period!

Yesterday, March 15th, was the last day that submissions for Superstition Review were accepted. If you missed the deadline, remember that we will also publish an issue in Fall, 2008.

Stay tuned to the News Blog to find out the latest on submission deadlines and other events for Superstition Review.

Don’t Forget!

The first of the Superstition Review Reading Series is debuting today, February 25th at the ASU Polytechnic Campus in Cooley Ballroom B, near the Student Union.

The readings start at 3 p.m.and end at 5 p.m.; there is no admission fee, and free refreshments will be provided to anyone who attends.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Superstition Review Reading Series

ASU Polytechnic Starting Monday, February 25th, Superstition Review will host the first reading of a three-part series that will introduce the magazine to the public. Each reading will take place on a Monday at the ASU Polytechnic Campus in Cooley Ballroom B, near the Student Union.

The reading series is FREE to the public and will offer refreshments along with an exciting cast of authors.

If you are a student who lives in the Phoenix/Tempe area and you would be interested in reading a piece of your work for the Superstition Review reading series, please email us at: superstitionreview@asu.edu or visit our homepage to find out more about the magazine.

To get directions to the readings, click here. We look forward to seeing you there!