Tag Archives: Words and Music

Peauxdunquian Wins Essay Prize

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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

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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

New post about old but good news

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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.”

Peauxdunquians read at Words and Music

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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:

Words and Music will continue through November 13, with most events happening at the Hotel Monteleone.

Upcoming publications and readings

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From time to time, we will update the site with upcoming publications and readings by Peauxdunquians (so come on, y’all, let’s get to work!).

Coming up in less than two weeks, four Peauxdunquians have been invited to read from recent work at the Words and Music Conference put on by the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society in New Orleans. On Wednesday, November 9, beginning at 4:00 p.m., Words and Music will host an event of readings on the conference theme, “Life & Literature in the Global Village,” in the second floor gallery of the Cabildo. The event will be led by nationally acclaimed poet and LSU writer-in-residence Laura Mullen, and will feature new work by New Orleans poet Brad Richard. Also reading from new and recent work will be Peauxdunquians Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Terri Stoor, J.Ed. Marston, and Tad Bartlett. Also scheduled to read will be New Orleans poet (and gold medal winner in the poetry category of the William Faulkner-William Wisdom competition) M’Bilia Meeker.

In publication news, Maurice will see his story, “Mercury Forges,” published in issue 36.2 of REAL: Regarding Arts & Letters, and his essay, “Cheating the Muse,” published in issue 62 of The Apalachee Review.