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Soaring
Letter from the EditorAshleyRose Sullivan
Last winter, Corrine Jackson contacted me to inquire about whether I’d like to take on the Editor-In-Chief position at Soaring. I was honored and more than a little nervous but I said yes.
I’ve had a wonderful year working on Soaring. Through my work on this publication I’ve come to know many alumni who I’d never previously met and they have consistently impressed me with their dedication and quality of writing.
I feel that my work on Soaring has brought me much closer to my own alumni community. I therefore urge my fellow alumni to participate in
Soaring--to suggest articles or help with copy editing. Our Spalding writing community is strong but our ability to work together without the constant stress of competition sets us apart from other MFA programs. Soaring is a great example of our unique ability to share in the joy of one another’s successes and ideas.
Of course, while I’ve enjoyed the experience, my time as Editor-In-Chief cannot last forever. This is my last issue and I’m pleased to pass on the mantle to the next lucky recipient.
Thanks to each of you who submitted articles, helped with copy editing and publicizing. Thanks to all of you for reading Soaring and thereby strengthening our alumni community.
If you have any interest in serving the alumni community as the new Editor-In-Chief, please contact Terry Price at [email protected].
In this issue you will find articles covering the most recent Spring Homecoming Celebration. Additionally, in line with the warmer weather and because I believe that physical activity (whether it’s walking the dog, gardening, or running and lifting weights) helps us write, there are a few pieces from alumni about how physically moving inspires their writing. I hope you enjoy this issue of Soaring as much as I enjoyed working on it.
Best Regards,
AshleyRose Sullivan
Alumni WorkshopsBrian Russell covers the MFA Alumni Workshop from Homecoming 2013Page 2
Making Your Writing Practice More FitDave DeGoyler discusses how Yoga can benefit your writing.Page 3
Zen and the Art of Labradoodle Wrangling Page 6
Upcoming Events for Spalding MFA AlumniPage 8
Field Trip to Jaipur India
Helena Kriel has an adventure for you! Page 5
Letter From The EditorA last message from Editor-In-Chief AshleyRose SullivanPage 1
Upcoming Events & Submission OpportunitiesPage 11
A Quarterly Newsletter Homecoming 2013
Dream of a BikeLauren Shows reveals how her bike rides contribute to her writing process.Page 9
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Last month was the +irst time I’d attended Spalding University’s MFA Homecoming weekend since graduating in May 2010. This year, for the +irst time ever, there were workshops offered for returning alumni and I eagerly participated in one of the CNF workshops. My workshop partners were fellow alums Martha Bourlakas and Jim Wilson. The several hours the three of us spent together over the course of two days (Friday and Saturday) were absolutely a highlight of the weekend. (Tim O’Brien’s talks were pretty darned good too, of course!)
Here’s what I’d like to point out about having material workshopped at Spalding – it’s Spalding, and therefore, oh-‐so-‐very-‐similar to the experience we all enjoyed during our 5 residencies while earnings our MFAs. I’ve workshopped new work at other national literary conferences, and while I’ve certainly got something out of
those experiences, they simply aren’t Spalding. They are not infused with the type of support and care and respect for both work and writer that we all bene+itted from during our time at Spalding. This truly felt like a Homecoming; a return to home.
At the start of each residency Sena says, “Welcome home.” In every smile, every hug, every conversation, and every encounter, however brief, while in Louisville last month, I felt that sort of welcoming. I don’t think I knew just how thirsty I was for it before experiencing it +irst hand.
My understanding is that of the more than 100 alums who attended Homecoming this year, 40 or so participated in one of the alumni workshops. I hope – and expect – they got as much out of their workshops as I got out of mine. And, if you are an alum who has never attended Homecoming before, I’d like to urge you to consider it next
year. To once again have your work read with such care, such attention to detail, and such considerate and learned feedback is truly something special. You remember. It’s unique, and in our busy lives many of us don’t get that sort of attention on anything like a daily basis. The weekend is a chance to reconnect with people and with your own work. It is restorative, like a spa or a dip in the ocean. And, for me, at least, it is inspiring (again) and encouraging and quite a bit less lonely than our daily writing days tend to be.
I am grateful to Marjetta Geerling for taking the lead in organizing these workshops and to Spalding University and the entire Spalding MFA staff for making these workshops possible at no cost whatsoever to alumni. What a terri+ic and lasting gift.
MFA ALUM WORKSHOPS: An Idea Whose Time Has Come!
Brian Russell
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Chances are when you think of wordsmiths like Hemingway, Thomas, Fitzgerald, Kerouac (and how many others), you don’t think of health or fitness. Research suggests that some of the most influential writers of the past couple centuries may have used alcohol as a way to temporarily “escape” the pressures of day-to-day life. There sure are a lot of those pressures, it seems, but what if there were healthier ways to get similar results? And what if some of those ways could also help you with the act of writing?
Yoga isn’t just a form of mind-body exercise or a philosophy or an art, it’s also a science. And science plays a part in its many benefits, from the calming effects of certain restorative poses (like Child’s Pose and Legs-up-the-Wall Pose), to the way certain poses (asanas) or breathing techniques (pranayama) manipulate internal organs like the
pineal gland, the thalamus (which helps in processing information from the senses), the hypothalamus (which affects heart rate as well a emotional responses like fight-or-flight and relaxation), and the limbic system (which controls emotions and is also associated with skills you learn, like how to create a complex character through the use of dialogue, for example), all of which can benefit the writer.
Poses like Mountain Pose take something as ordinary as standing in place and make it much more than simply standing. The balls of your feet and your heels should be grounded, with your ankles lined up over your feet (and each body is, of course, different with regards to just how aligned you can be), your knees stacked over them, your hips, and so on. You focus on your breath and on how and where you connect to the mat. Feel that connection and draw your awareness to it. Work your way up. This grounds you, literally, to the spot, but it also allows you to
Making Your Writing Practice More Fitby Dave DeGoyler
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connect with yourself, to observe yourself, and to practice directing your focus (which is one thing writers struggle with at times).
Poses like Tree Pose and Warrior II take that centering and expand on it, as they test your balance while at the same time offering you a sense of stability (as you feel your feet under you, your legs under you, your hips under you). But there’s more to yoga than how it feels physically or emotionally, there are also physiological and neurological benefits.
You can develop a practice of yoga separate from your writing to enhance your health, calm your mind, restore some balance into your life, but one of the things I love about yoga is putting together a few specific poses as a way into the writing. Of course, breathing techniques are also very helpful when it comes to redirecting energy and attention.
Here’s a statistic that might surprise you: “70% of the body’s waste products are eliminated through the lungs.” Yet most of us breathe all wrong- we typically don’t inhale beyond the top of our chest (and, when we get stressed, we often hold our breath without even realizing it which can impact blood pressure, energy, concentration, and stress). Breathing exercises like alternate-nostril breathing, for just five minutes, can calm your mind and your emotions, stimulate the whole brain, and improve concentration.
You don’t need to sit for an hour or even half an hour to benefit from meditation (though the benefits of doing so can be many) or from simply slowing down. Several breathing techniques can change the way you feel and think in a matter of minutes (providing you energy or calming the nervous system if needed).
It’s also one way to train your brain to move from the stressed, flight-or-flight response to the relaxed
response. And in order to immerse yourself into your writing, being able to have some say into asserting a bit of relaxation can make a huge difference. That doesn’t mean if you’ve just had an argument with someone you love or learned some alarming news that all you need to do is breathe. But you might be surprised how a few techniques, like alternate nostril breathing or bumble-bee breath can help.
Of course, as Summer unfolds we tend to be more physically active (both indoors and outdoors, though extreme heat can certainly impact such activity and common sense should be employed when undertaking any exercises that require exertion).
If you’re looking for something a bit more frenetic (though yoga can be quite intense if you want it to be), High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an effective way of getting an intense workout in just 20 minutes three times a week while doing something you enjoy like bicycling, running, even walking. You can improve strength, endurance, energy, muscle-tone, and more. To learn about HIIT and to see a sample workout broken down, follow this link.
But be sure, as with any new fitness routine, to talk to your doctor to make sure it’s right for you.
Improving your endurance, your ability to calm your busy mind, to redirect your focus, and to shift your emotional and physical energy can help you not just feel healthier, but also shape your time at the page. That’s where we want you, after all. Writing. Doing the thing you love.
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FIELD TRIP TO THE JAIPUR LITERARY FESTIVAL LED BY HELENA KRIEL
Calling all adventurous MFA students and alumni:We are putting together a +ield trip to the best literary festival in the world!The Jaipur Literary Festival is held in India and has a line up of Nobel laureates,Booker, Pulitzer, National book award winners. It encompasses a range of readings, talks, debates, performances, workshops and world music. The festival is held in the Diggi Palace, which is a beautiful heritage property in the colorful and crazy city of Jaipur. We will have VIP passes, this will give us access to the parties, wonderful lunches and dinners and the world music festival at night. It is kite festival and wedding festival time in India, so the city will be at its most colorful and craziest best. The dates for 2014 are Jan 17th – 21st Jan 2014.
After the festival we will remain in India for 5 days. During this time we will travel a little, the intention being to stimulate creativity. Everything we see/hear/touch/taste/smell will be fodder for the page. Some ideas for the last +ive days would be: a visit to the Taj Mahal, perhaps a camel safari into the desert where we will overnight in huge tents, visits to the historic palaces in the area, culinary experiences, and a day spent painting and washing an Indian elephant. This gives you some idea of what the ten days could contain.
Let us know if you are interested at [email protected] and much more information will be forthcoming! Visit the alumni website at http://www.spaldingmfaalum.com for updates!
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6 Nullam arcu leo, facilisis ut
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Have you ever walked a labradoodle? It’s like trying to walk the wind. Ok, perhaps that’s not quite accurate. Walking a labradoodle is like trying to harness and direct the shifting tides….only those tides are hell-bent on eating that squirrel, dead bird, and the other squirrel that is obviously taunting them.
I haven’t taken the time to leash-train my 85-lb. leviathan of a Labradoodle because, well, I’m supposed to be writing. I’ve got better things to do, right? Her name is Lola (No, not after anything by Barry Manilow. She’s named after the song by The Kinks. And don’t you dare judge me.) and she is enormous, headstrong, and has a wicked case of puppy-related ADD. What does this have to do with anything?
In his book, On Writing, Stephen King says, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” Harsh truths, Stephen, harsh truths. But here’s my question: can’t you do both at once?
Can you not wait for inspiration and be sitting down to work at the same time? Walking Lola, oddly enough, does an amazing amount for my writing.
You know how you’ve always been told that doodling or doing other such menial tasks can occupy one side of your brain so that the other side is free to play unencumbered? For example, Albert Einstein worked in the U.S. Patent office and, during that time, formulated the foundation for his beliefs about the relationship between space and time. T.S. Eliot was a bank clerk. Apparently, Kurt Vonnegut worked at a Saab dealership.
For me, some of my best ideas about my writing have come in the moments when I am fearing most for my life as I try to wrestle my poorly-trained Lola away from school-buses, squirrels, and Canadian Geese protected by multiple migratory bird acts, which, if caught, would make sweet Lola a hardened felon. Let me tell you: my girl’s not cut out for jail, a fact that is true for me as well. This obviously rules out bank robbery as a way to pay the bills. Not exactly relevant, but as much inspiration as I get from chasing my dog, I can’t imagine that situation translates to being chased as a part of a bargain wherein one is traded for Skittles and a pack of cigarettes. (Clearly, I watch too many crime dramas and know nothing about prison.)
Zen and the Art of Labradoodle Wranglingby Kate Beer
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S O A R I N GBut I digress. I would argue, with all due respect to Mr. King, that getting up and going to work can be one and the same with waiting for inspiration because it makes that waiting an active rather than passive gesture.
We are told by our mothers and cardiologist alike to be more active, to get 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 days a week, to get up and move, to live lives less sedentary. When I’m particularly lardy, nothing in my life really syncs up. But when I’m active, I have more energy, I feel more intelligent, and I watch a lot less South Park. (Though, this may be the reason for the former.)
What’s more that this? No one has ever told a writer that they spend too much time in their own skulls. Our minds are where our characters live and play
and talk to us. I have found that I am most productive inside of my own head when I am walking Lola. Is it an experience fraught with near-death experiences for both of us? Youbetcha. Is it stressful? Pshyea. Do I get more of a cardiovascular workout than she does because I am not only running at the same pace as she but am also worrying for both of us about our survival? More true that you know, buster. But all that heart-pumping adrenaline and fresh air has inspired some pretty great things in my writing, some “Ah ha!” moments, if you will. So whenever I’m feeling particularly stuck, I walk the dog. If nothing else, it offers perspective so that I can tell the character in my head who is grappling with his inability to call his mother, “Dude, shut up. I almost got hit by a moving van and just saved a duck’s life. Call your mom.” And, because I am being towed by a behemoth, blonde, bombshell of a dog, no one notices that I’m talking to myself.
For those of you with tiny or well-trained animals, my Lola is available for rent. All we ask is some liver treats and to be acknowledged in your next novel or cover page. She says that she would like to be a character or, at the very least, have a cameo. I told her that’s ridiculous and that an acknowledgement will suffice. She told me that she’s going to chase the neighbor’s pet raccoon on our next walk. Bring it on, Lolabear: maybe I’ll finally nail that ending.
Follow Kate at her daily humor blog: http://www.thenestedblog.com/
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Novel Practice Pitch Sessions 2014 Homecomingby Vickie Weaver
Pitching your novel to agents and/or editors is one way to representation, and preparation is the key to a confident, skillful pitch. At homecoming the past three years, I have been excited to work with alums in one-on-one sessions to make their pitches productive. I’ve met with old friends, and I’ve made new friends. My job is fun, because I enjoy listening to each person share their project. I offer feedback, and we brainstorm together. The exchange of ideas about words and books and the writing life knocks me over. I hope I energize my friends; without a doubt, they energize me. If you’re one of those writers who works better with a deadline, plan to be ready for the practice pitch sessions at our next homecoming. It’s my goal to have a full schedule in 2014. My email is [email protected] – email me if you have any questions, and please write Pitch Session in the subject line.
Northern California Regional Alumni EventSave the date now! Saturday, October 5, for our first Northern California Regional Alumni Event. The event is open to all MFAers, alums, students, and faculty. Friends, especially those who love to write, are welcome! Join us for an afternoon of enjoyment, good conversation, readings, refreshments, a presentation on Social Media, and . . . more. MFA Alum Corrine Jackson, author of If I Lie and Touched, will present “Social Media for Writers: Before Publication and After.” She will address the following issues: Why should I engage in social media? What social media platforms are right for me? Where do I even begin to build up an online audience? How do Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs differ from each other and how can they be used in concert? Many new authors are asking these questions, while published authors seek to expand their social media presence and leverage new tools. An online presence isn't built overnight, but more publishers are seeking authors willing to engage with their audience in a digital space. This presentation will break down the major tools of social media and how to begin to build your audience, even before you are published. Then we'll discuss tools to use after you are published to leverage your presence and book visibility. You'll learn about conducting a blog tour and what it means to your promotion efforts. When: 1:45-4 p.m. Saturday, October 5 Where: Fort Mason near Fisherman’s WharfFort Mason Center, Building C, Room C3702 Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94123
RSVP by Friday, September 20. (Just reply to email or call 502-873-4399). If you would like to give a 5-6 minute reading of your work, please let Karen know. We have time for 6-8 people to read.
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I have this real dream of a bike: it's a Huffy Galaxie, circa the '60s, bright blue with a headlight that works. It's got a squeaky seat, a little rust and gears that creak every third turn or so, but otherwise it is a seriously sweet ride. I have actually seen people turn to their friends and loved ones and point at my bike as I round the corner, and in these moments, I wish I had a bell that I could chime, to acknowledge these acknowledgements, to let these people know that I see their approval, their bald envy, and yes, it is both appropriate and understandable. I’d also like to give a jaunty little wink and a tip of the hat. I guess I should get a hat.
I live in a little hippie village of about 3,500 in Ohio, one that takes itself pretty seriously in terms of its commitment to things like personal health and wellness. Taking a look at the local phone book, I see that there are 38 practitioners listed under "Holistic Healthcare/Wellness," 17 massage therapists, two yoga studios, and four places that sell vitamins, one of which is the local newspaper, where I work. I say all this, not to make fun of my town (alright, I'm making fun of it a little bit), but to highlight the incongruous nature of my personal level of activity to that of the general local populace.
My bike, a gift from my partner Anthony this summer, was a veritable god-send for somebody like me; that is, a particularly inactive person in such a very, very active town. I wasn't always sedentary. Like most kids, I was up and running as soon as I could get to it, but I slowed down quite a bit when I started reading and writing in earnest, and it got even worse when I discovered Nintendo and corn-based snacks. To this day, I love me some Mario and Cheetos, but my bike was something of a game-changer for me this summer, for a few reasons.
First of all, the bike really is the sedentary person's best option for being active. It's literally exercise that you do while sitting down. I'm not saying it's easy or anything, but the fact that I don't actually even have to move my arms brings a lot of appeal to bike travel for me. Second, and this is a big one, living in a small town means I rarely drive anymore.
I used to drive around for hours before I moved here; it's how I've traditionally rooted around for material throughout my writing life. Driving is such a rote physical task, one that requires the same repeated actions of my eyes, my muscles, my reflexes. For better or for worse, though, driving does not get all of my
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Dream of a Bikeby Lauren Shows*editors note: This article was commissioned for the Winter Issue
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brain, because any long stretch of road sends me into myself, flushing out anything that might be living there in the shadows.
This summer, I began to use my bike more and more to try and fill that role. Our town is a stop on the Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail, a lovely, quiet stretch of asphalt that winds on for about 75 miles. It's a safe place to ride, and to try and retreat into myself in the same way I would in my car. It works, to a point, but the physical exercise involved brings me out of myself quite a bit (especially when panting and huffing up a hill), as does the scenery, which I pass at an embarrassingly slow speed, and am thus able to better appreciate. Invariably, riding a bike means I have the potential to be inspired two-fold: by my own thoughts, and by the
world outside my head. To be clear, I don't actually get concrete ideas from sight-seeing on my bike. Rather, it's as though getting outside and being active not only wakes up my brain, but opens it up some, makes it better able to accept whatever information might be lying dormant in its many recesses.
Today, my bike is locked up and covered, unused during the cold months. And I have to admit, my brain seems to have shrunk since I last rode my bike; it took me at least a week longer than I thought it would to write this brief piece. For now, I do a lot of sitting by the window with my hand in my chin, waiting for the ideas to show up, but mostly, waiting for spring.
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Wanted: Editor-In-ChiefIf you’re interested in contributing to the Spalding MFA Alumni Community in a new way and want to try your hand at editing, contact Terry Price at [email protected]
Get Your Work Out There! 94 Creations: 94 Creations is a print literary journal that publishes an eclectic assortment of outstanding fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, drama, and art by both emerging and established writers and artists. http://www.94creationsjournal.com/
A Capella Zoo: This is an independent web & print magazine of magic realism & slipstream. We seek surprising imagery, layered storytelling, well-explored perspectives & ideas, and a natural, contemporary sense of place & person.Find more information and submit at: http://scapezine.com/
Used Furniture Review: Used Furniture Review is an online literary magazine founded in November 2010. We are interested in all genres of writing, art and music; we are also interested in running interviews with authors and musicians, as well as chapbook or book reviews.Look them up at: http://usedfurniturereview.com
100 Word Story: The whole is a part and the part is a whole. The 100-word format forces the writer to question each word, to reckon with Flaubert’s mot juste in a way that even most flash fiction doesn’t. At the same time the brevity of the form allows the writer “to keep a story free from explanation,” as Walter Benjamin wrote.Find them at: http://www.100wordstory.org/
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