Peauxdunque reads at Words and Music

Posted on November 29, 2012 by tadbartlett

Yesterday, November 28, six Peauxdunquians read from their fiction and nonfiction, and a seventh was the emcee, during a session of the 2012 Words and Music Conference at the U.S. Mint in New Orleans. The emcee for the event was Peauxdunque’s own Terri Stoor, who was the 2011 gold medal winner in the short story category of the Faulkner-Wisdom writing competition, awarded by the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society in conjunction with the Words and Music Conference.

Terri Shrum Stoor emcees the Writers Alliance reading at the 2012 Words and Music Conference

The first reader was this year’s gold medal winner in the essay category of the Faulkner-Wisdom competition, Peauxdunquian Emilie Staat, who read from her beautiful winning essay, “Tango Face”:

Emilie was followed by Tad Bartlett, who read an excerpt from “Addressing You,” his short story that was a finalist in the 2012 Faulkner-Wisdom competition:

J.Ed. Marston then read an excerpt from “The Truth Project,” a novel he collaboratively wrote with Tad, and that was on the short list for finalists in the novel category of the 2012 Faulkner-Wisdom competition:

Next up was Sara Paul, who read an excerpt from her historical fiction about a young scientist moving into New Orleans to conduct some experiments at the turn of the last century:

Maurice Carlos Ruffin followed, reading an excerpt from his current novel project, from a narrator looking back on the former city of New Orleans:

Rounding out the afternoon’s reading was Janis Turk, who brought the “music” into the Words and Music Conference with her reading of a minute in the day of New Orleans:

Great readings by all, and Peauxdunque looks forward to the final four days of an excellent conference!

Another Peauxdunque publication, and a reading

Posted on November 20, 2012 by tadbartlett

Peauxdunquian Emily Choate‘s story “Thunder Sometimes, Never Bells” will be published in an upcoming issue of The Florida Review! “Thunder Sometimes” was previously named to the short list for finalists in the William Faulkner-William Wisdom writing competition. A beautiful story; we’ll update when the issue is available.

A host of Peauxdunquians–Tad Bartlett, J.Ed. Marston, Sara Paul, Matt Robinson, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Emilie Staat, Terri Shrum Stoor, and Janis Turk–have been invited to read from recent work during the Words & Music Conference in New Orleans on November 28, at 3 p.m. The reading will be in the Second Floor Black Box Room at the U.S. Mint, 500 Esplanade Avenue.

Update on Peauxdunquians, long overdue

Posted on October 30, 2012 by tadbartlett

Peauxdunque marches on with its 2012 calendar of meetings and activities, with wonderful meetings in the past few months and the invigorating work and critique by both old members and those new to our ranks (and in between; yes, we’ve been around long enough now to have an “in between”). In November, the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance will be celebrating five years of existence. Feels like just yesterday we met for the first time in Exchange Alley in the French Quarter. And it feels like forever, too.

Peauxdunquians continue to run about in the world. Recently, Helen Krieger has been active with Shipwrecked! A Storytelling Experience, the NO Show podcast, as well as taking her movie Flood Streets international, recently to the Film By the Sea Festival; coming up on November 4, Helen will participate in the Salon de Danse de Macabre at Cafe Istanbul.

Peauxdunqian Maurice Carlos Ruffin‘s The Pie Man is in the most recent edition of The South Carolina Review. L. Kasimu Harris continues his string of brilliant essays and photography in his Parish Chic column on the Oxford American website. Both Maurice and Kasimu have contributed recent work, as well, to the Times-Picayune. Tad Bartlett‘s latest installment of his “Food and …” column has posted to the Oxford American website, on Food and Recovery: Reclaiming After the Storm. Tom Carson continues his fine work at the American Prospect and GQ, making smart mosaics out of various cultural and political shrapnel.

From November 28 through December 2, Peauxdunque and our friends will convene at the annual Words and Music Conference, for lots of good words and good times, and to celebrate the gold medal won by our own Emilie Staat in the essay category of the Faulkner-Wisdom Competition (as well as the finalist, short list for finalist, and semi-finalist placings of a whole slew of Peauxdunquians in the essay, short story, and novel categories).

Peauxdunquian Wins Essay Prize

Posted on September 25, 2012 by tadbartlett

Peauxdunquian Emilie Staat has been named the winner of the essay category of the 2012 William Faulkner-William Wisdom writing competition, announced on William Faulkner’s birthday, September 25! Emilie will receive the prize and the gold medal at the Faulkner for All Ball during the Words and Music Conference, taking place in New Orleans from November 28 through December 2.

Last year’s winner in the short story category, Peauxdunque’s Terri Stoor, was also a finalist in the essay category this year. Tad Bartlett and Maurice Ruffin were finalists in the short story category; and Emily Choate was on the short list for finalists and the semi-finalist lists in the short story category. J.Ed. Marston and Tad were on the short list for finalists in the novel category; and Susan Kagan was on the semi-finalist list in the novel category.

The full list of winners and runners-up in all categories:

Novel, Judged by Jeff Kleinman, Folio Literary Management: Winner: Jerusalem As a Second Language, by Rochelle Distelheim of Highland Park, IL; First Runner-up: An Organized Panic, The Author Has Asked to Remain Anonymous; Second Runner-up: Antonia Lively Breaks the Silence, David Samuel Levinson, Durham, NC
Novella: Winner: Inspection, Daniel Castro, Madrid, Spain; Equal Runners-up: Albert’s Lark: A Concerto for Black Hole, Gary Bollick, Clemmons, NC; The Odd Sea, Petra Perkins, Highlands Ranch, CO; The Saltonfell Case, Alice Leaderman, University Park, MD
Novel-in-Progress, Judged by Deborah Grosvenor, Grosvenor Literary Agency: Winner: A Boy Called Riot, Kim McLarin, Mattapan, MA; First Runner-up: Chiaroscuro, Jennifer Steil, London, England; Equal Runner-up: Lower Case Love, Geoff Schutt, Gaithersburg, MD; Ridgeland, Paul Byall, Savannah, GA
Short Story, Judged by Short Fiction Writer and Novelist Justin Torres: Winner: The Bottom, Alison Grifa Ismaili, Baton Rouge, LA; First Runner-up: Longingly,Milly Heller, New Orleans; Second Runner-up: And The Sun Sets on Walker Street, Will Thrift, Columbia, SC
Essay, Judged by Narrative Non-Fiction Writer, Andrew Lam: Winner: Tango Face, Emilie Staat, New Orleans, LA; First Runner-up: Fossils, Elsie Michie, Baton Rouge, LA; Second Runner-up: April’s Fool, Mary Ann O’Gorman, Ocean Springs, MS
Poetry, Judged by Laura Mullen, Poet and Writer-in-Residence, Louisiana State University: Winner: Aftermaths, Peter Cooley, New Orleans, LA; First Runner-up: Sugar Maple, Judith White, Chevy Chase, MD; Second Runner-up: Words Then Space,James Bourey, Dover, DE; Third Runner-up: Last Will and Testament of L. J., Jennifer Bartell, Columbia, SC
Short Story by a High School Student: Winner: Leigh Vila, Metairie, LA, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts; First Runner-up: The Cult of Happiness, Ryanne Autin, Metairie, LA; Second Runner-up: Misery, Agony, Heartbreak, Tyler DeSpenza, New Orleans, LA; Third Runner-up: History, Sophia Derbes, Mandeville, LA

And now presenting “The NO Show”

Posted on August 22, 2012 by tadbartlett

Just received this email from Peauxdunquian Helen Krieger, about a new creative endeavor also featuring Emilie Staat and friend-of-Peauxdunque Gian Smith:

I want to invite you to the first ever live taping of this variety style podcast, the NO Show produced in partnership with the folks at itsneworleans.com. What is the NO Show? It’s live music, comedy, sketches and interviews with interesting people about town, all taped live in front of a beautiful audience, that hopefully will include you and your friends! The podcast is then posted online at tsneworleans.com.

We’re doing two pilot shows, this week and next, and then we’ll use those shows to look for a sponsor so we can keep doing the show on a regular basis. Here are some of the people who will be featured on this week’s show:

Gian Smith – a spoken word poet who’s been featured on VH1 and HBO, and who’s poem, O Beautiful Storm, was the Season 2 trailer for Treme.

Chris Trew and Tami Nelson – The comedy duo behind the New Movement Theater, they do improv, stand up, and the most entertaining sports show I’ve ever heard.

Chris Champagne – New Orleans born and public school educated, this political satirist knows no bounds when it comes to local and state politicians. His incisive wit at his one-man shows leaves audiences laughing to tears.

Our house band is Hazy Ray, and our sketches feature the writings and/or performances of Chris Kehoe, Cyrus Cooper, Emilie Staat and Mindy Hawes.

Oh, and did I mention all this is free? Tonight from 5-6pm
sharp and next Wednesday same time, at the Maison at 508 Frenchmen.

Cheers!

Faulkner-Wisdom lists released

Posted on August 3, 2012 by tadbartlett

The 2012 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Competition lists of finalists, short lists for finalists, and semi-finalists have now been released for all categories, and Peauxdunqians and friends are scattered throughout the lists again this year, with four continuing on into the final round of judging.

In the Short Story category, Peauxdunque will seek to defend the gold medal won in 2011 by Terri Shrum Stoor, with Maurice Carlos Ruffin and Tad Bartlett each having a story on the list of finalists that will be judged by fiction phenom Justin Torres. This is Maurice’s fourth consecutive year with at least one story on the list of finalists, including his placing as first runner-up in 2010. This is Tad’s third year with an entry on a finalist list, with a finalist entry in the essay category in 2010 and in the poetry category in 2011. In addition to the finalist list, Maurice, Tad, and Emily Choate each have stories on the 2012 short list for finalists; and Emily has an additional story on the semi-finalist list in the category.

In the Essay category, Terri Shrum Stoor and Emilie Staat each have entries listed as finalists, which will go on for final judging. This is Terri‘s second consecutive year on the finalist list in this category, following her second runner-up entry last year.

In the Novel category, Tad and J.Ed. Marston have a co-written manuscript on the short list for finalists; and Susan Kagan has an entry on the semi-finalist list.

Other members of associated New Orleans writing communities have also made a mark on the 2012 Faulkner-Wisdom lists. Friend of Peauxdunque Kiki Whang has a semi-finalist entry in the short story category, as does former UNO MFA-er Jamie Amos and former poetry winner Jenn Nunes. Also on the short list in the novel category is Amy Conner, an alum of James Nolan’s writing workshop. Congratulations to all! Updates as we know them …

Sabrina, Terri, Emilie, Tad, Maurice, and J.Ed. at Words and Music in November 2010

Peauxdunque performances coming up!

Posted on July 9, 2012 by tadbartlett

A couple of readings and performances by Peauxdunquians are coming up soon, and both should be well worth attending.

Tonight, The Megaphone Show Featuring Harry Shearer will feature impromptu story-telling from a cast including Peauxdunquian Helen Krieger. It will take place at The New Movement Theater at 1919 Burgundy, New Orleans, at 8:30. It will be a fundraiser for the Hell Yes Fest, and advance tickets are recommended.

This Saturday, July 14, Peauxdunquian L. Kasimu Harris (along with Friend of Peauxdunque Kelly Harris and several others from the MelaNated Writers Collective, including Ayanna Molina, Geryll Robinson, and Danielle Gilyot), will present works at the second installment of the MelaNated Summer Reading Series. At 4 p.m. on July 14 at Cafe Treme (1501 St. Philip Street – free admission), MelaNated puts on The Literary Jook Joint. Kasimu and fellow Peauxdunquian Ben Morris put together this teaser for the story Kasimu will be reading Saturday:

Another Peauxdunque publication, and a performance, too!

Posted on June 19, 2012 by tadbartlett

Peauxdunqian Tad Bartlett has started a new “Food and …” column on the Oxford American website. The first installment is up, “Food and Writing: Talking Mushrooms with Terroir-ists,” and new installments will be posted once every month or so.

Peauxdunquian Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s reading at the New Orleans Museum of Art during the first night of the summer-long MelaNated Summer Reading Series is now available online. You can view the whole thing here, or skip to the 44-minute mark to pick up with Maurice’s reading:

Bill Loehfelm launch party at Garden District Books tonight

Posted on June 5, 2012 by tadbartlett

Friend of Peauxdunque Bill Loehfelm launches the paperback version of The Devil She Knows, with a launch party at Garden District Book Shop tonight. Starts at 5:30! Recall Bill’s great reading from The Devil She Knows at last Fall’s Yeah You Write show at Tip’s:

Bill Loehfelm’s writerly appearance at Tip’s

In honor of the birth of the paperback version, this:

Maurice Ruffin reading at NOMA’s “Where Y’Art” June 1st

Posted on May 23, 2012 by tadbartlett

On the evening of June 1st, with other members of the Melanated Writers Collective, Peauxdunquian Maurice Carlos Ruffin will read from recent work at the New Orleans Museum of Art’s “Where Y’Art” series. On June 1st at 7 p.m., Where Y’Art will feature A MelaNated Summer, hosted by Kalamu Ya Salaam and including readings by several Melanated Collective members, including Maurice. The Melanated Summer Reading Series will continue with readings at Cafe Treme on July 14 and JuJu Bag on August 2.