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

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

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:

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.

Publications and more! By Peauxdunqians and Friends of Peauxdunque

Posted on March 30, 2012 by tadbartlett

Another month, another set of publications and other writing recognition for the fine folks of Peauxdunque and their good friends …

Terri Stoor and Maurice Ruffin have had work selected for the upcoming New Orleans By New Orleans book project, which should come out at the end of this month. Joselyn Takacs, currently in Baltimore working on her MFA at Johns Hopkins, has the Story of the Week at Narrative, “Flares of Little Warning.” Also, Arion Berger and Tom Carson both have stories in the latest issue of Black Clock. Tad Bartlett has been admitted to the MFA program in fiction at UNO’s Creative Writing Workshop, where he will begin this fall.

Friend of Peauxdunque L. Kasimu Harris has launched a new column, Parish Chic, at The Oxford American’s online site, using fashion as a lens to illuminate the human condition.

An update on competitions and publications

Posted on March 6, 2012 by tadbartlett

Peauxdunquian Maurice Ruffin’s short story “The Winter Lion” was selected as one of the top ten finalists in the 2012 Tennessee Williams Festival fiction contest. Many congratulations to Maurice!

Also, friend-of-Peauxdunque Susan Vallee has published an essay in VIE magazine entitled “A Writing Conference to Ruin the Rest,” (starts on page 64) about the Oxford American Summit for Ambitious Writers. An excellent essay, with great photos, including one of Susan along with friend-of-Peauxdunque Tom Franklin and Peauxdunquians Emily Choate, Terri Stoor, J.Ed. Marston, and Tad Bartlett.

New post about old but good news

Posted on January 24, 2012 by tadbartlett

For awhile now, we have known about the Peauxdunque performance in the 2011 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Writing Competition, held in conjunction with the annual Words and Music Conference, but now the Words and Music folks have updated their website with the official announcement of winners and finalists.

Of course, at the top of the Peauxdunque heap is Terri Stoor, who won the gold medal in the short story category for her story “Bellyful of Sparrow.” Judging the short story category was Harper Collins editor Michael Signorelli, who said of Terri’s story:

“A Bellyful of Sparrow” balances the horror of life with the humor. The mute, immobile, terminally ill narrator wryly observes the life around him, while also inspiring unexpected attention from friends and family. But what could be a dirge is instead quietly mirthful. The story upends expectation and strikes for the elusive territory between bemusement and solemnity. And carried by the strength of its naturally engaging prose-voice, it succeeds.

Terri was also named second runner-up in the essay category of the competition for essay “Bird Dog.” Joining her in placing as finalists in the competition, Maurice Carlos Ruffin was a finalist in the short story category for his “Ten Stories”; J.Ed. Marston was a finalist in the poetry category for his “Voyage of the Limit Perfected Fish”; and Tad Bartlett was a finalist in the poetry category for his “new century/old century: three acts.”

Terri with her gold medal, with Jeff Kleinman, agent and founding partner of Folio Literary Management

Other placings in the competition by Peauxdunqians include: Sabrina Canfield on the short list for finalists in the novel-in-progress for “To the Place Where They Go”; Sabrina was also on the short list for finalists in the essay category for “Spring Sparks Sure Shot”; Tad and J.Ed. cowrote a manuscript on the long list for finalists in the novel category, “Kites, Quite Tall”; Sabrina also had a manuscript on the long list for finalists in the novel category, “Birds of Paradise”; J.Ed. made the semi-finalist list in the short story category with “No Accidental Fall”; and Tad joined J.Ed. on the short story semi-finalist list with “The Non-Artists.”

Peauxdunquian update: publication and residency

Posted on January 23, 2012 by tadbartlett

Maurice Carlos Ruffin‘s short story, “The Pie Man,” will be published in the South Carolina Review in fall 2012. “The Pie Man” was previously awarded with the 2011 Ernest Svenson Fiction Award in the University of New Orleans’ Creative Writing Workshop; and an earlier version of the story was named first runner-up in the short story category of the 2010 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Writing Competition.

Peauxdunqian Emily Choate has been selected for a residency in the ISLAND Hill House Artist Residency program, supported by the Institute for Sustainable Living, Art & Natural Design in Michigan.

Peauxdunquians read at Words and Music

Posted on November 10, 2011 by tadbartlett

On November 9, the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance helped kick off the 2011 Words and Music Conference in New Orleans, with four Peauxdunquians invited to read at the Words and Music Writers Alliance annual meeting in the Cabildo, which fellow Peauxdunquian (and award-winning filmmaker) Helen Krieger caught on video.

First up was Terri Stoor, gold medal winner in the short story category of the 2011 William Faulkner-William Wisdom writing competition, who read “Bird Dog,” her second-runner-up entry in the Faulkner-Wisdom competition’s essay category:

Following Terri, Tad Bartlett read his poem, “new century/old century, three acts,” which was a finalist for the 2011 Marble Faun Poetry Prize:

J.Ed. Marston then read a trio of poems, “Mangy Brown Dog,” “Limit-Perfected Fish,” and “Steel on Wood.” “Limit-Perfected Fish” was also a finalist for the 2011 Marble Faun Poetry Prize:

Finally, Maurice Carlos Ruffin read two flash fiction pieces, “Cocoons” and “Mercury Forges.” “Mercury Forges” will be published in the upcoming Apalachee Review: