REDBIRD NEWS - APRIL, 2005

 

An insider's update on Redbird people and plans.

For more info contact Judy Bridges,

414-481-3195

jb@redbirdstudio.com

www.redbirdstudio.com

 

 

1. WHAT'S UP AT REDBIRD?

2. WORKSHOPS

3. KIDS' CAMPS

4. NEWS ABOUT REDBIRD WRITERS

5. OTHER PLACES

6. HOW TO: help/contact/report

 

 

1. WHAT'S UP AT REDBIRD?

 

NEWS -- RB Writers Cheer Jenny's Play

Nine of us were lucky enough to get tickets to the March 19th performance of Jenny Najoom's first play, "The Turn of the Shoe," at the Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa's 20th Annual Wisconsin Playwrights Festival. Bravo for Jenny, VPW, and writers who support writers!

 

NEWS -- Redbird A Fragrance Free Zone

Don't know why, but several of our writers (including me) are getting choked-up this season. Must be we figured it would never happen to us. In any case, we have a new policy: Fragrance Free. Please check the labels on products -- including soaps, shampoos, hand lotion and after-shave. If you wear a fragrance by mistake, please try to sit as far from the front of the room as possible. Thanks.

 

NEWS -- Registrations for Kids Camps Coming In

The 7th and 8th grade group is nearly full, others are well on the way. The kids and teachers are getting excited. See "Young Authors" on the Redbird site.

 

 

2. WORKSHOPS - Call or see web site for updates and more info.

 

April-June

WEB WORDS, Anne Landre, Sat., April 9

SHUT UP AND WRITE! #3,  starts May 9

 

July-August

SHUT UP AND WRITE! #4,  starts July 12

 

ROUNDTABLE GROUPS  If you would like to join a roundtable group, put your name on the waiting list as soon as you are sure you'd like to attend. Spaces are offered in the following order: 1) current participants, 2) long term Redbird Writers, 3) graduates of Shut Up and Write!, 4) other writers.

 

 

3. KIDS CAMPS -- YOUNG AUTHORS, Grades 2-12

 

For kids who like to write

Monday thru Friday, 9:00-2:30, $295

 

Grades 2-3         July 11-15

Grades 4-6         July 18-22 and July 25-29

Grades 7-8         Aug 1-5

Grades 9-12       Aug 8-12

 

Details and registration information on web site

 

Can you Contribute?  Our scholarship fund is small and informal. When we receive contributions, we use them to help deserving young writers who have been recommended by teachers. We try to help at least one or two kids per class, and do so quietly. We appreciate any amount you can send.

 

ENCOURAGE YOUNG WRITERS!    TELL TEACHERS AND PARENTS

Ask for flyers to distribute, or tell us where to mail them.

 

 

 

4. NEWS ABOUT REDBIRD WRITERS AND FRIENDS

 

Note: "R.W. and Friends" either attended Redbird workshops, or taught them, or support the studio in some special way. If you sent information and it did not appear, please forgive and send it again. Web sites are listed but not necessarily linked.

 

Shauna Singh Baldwin  Nine poems by Shauna are included in "Red Silk: An Anthology of South Asian Canadian Women Poets" edited by Rishma Dunlop and Priscilla Uppal. Her short story "Naina" was reprinted in the "Harper Collins Book of New Indian Fiction" edited by Khuswant Singh (no relation). A personal essay about her trip to Pakistan to research her first novel "What the Body Remembers" has been accepted for publication by Zubaan Books, India. Shauna also read at the literary festival Blue-Met-Bleu in Montreal.

 

Ludmilla Bollow won the Council for Wisconsin Writers Drama Award for her play, "Flickering Fireflies." (see "Other Places") Lu's comedy, "A Bungle of Joy!" will be read by Cornerstone Theatre Company at The Brumder Mansion, Milwaukee, on May 7. It had a staged reading at the Triangle Theatre in New York in 2003.

 

Judy Bridges was featured in a personality profile in the Milwaukee Post. The profile was written by Matthew Olson. (Thank you, Matthew!)

 

Bill Gagliani is serving on a panel and reading from his book, "Wolf's Trap," at the World Horror Convention in New York. (Convention dates: April 7-10.)

 

Carole Glasses' essay "The Ritual Salad" published in Wisconsin Academy Review.

 

Steve Gorski gets the March, 2005 award for responding to the Redbird News from the greatest distance: "This message comes to you from a Spanish restaurant in Basel, Switzerland (tapas, paella, and a glass of rioja can substantially improve one's outlook), where my colleagues have graciously allowed me to type on my Blackberry while I have consented to their Camel cigarettes."

 

Kira Henschel is teaching "Intro to Book Publishing" at Goblin Fern Press in Madison, April 16 and May 21st. email kira@goblinfernpress.com.

 

Shannon Jackson Arnold hosts Writer to Writer at Martha Merrell's Books and Cafe, Waukesha. The featured topic for Saturday,  May 7th, 3-4 p.m., is Beating Writer's Block.

 

Anne Landre's article, "Common Sense and the Art of Norwegian Knitting" is in the current edition of knitty.com.  It's listed in the "features" section of the zine.

 

Deb Karpek's "Sheba" pins -- based on her book, "Possessed by Peri" -- are popular items at local wellness centers and on her web site: www.shebasplace.com.

 

Phil Belair and Chris Krajniak were interviewed by Gus Gnorski, TV6, about "Lineage," a showing of the two cousins' art at the Art Gallery at the Marian Center thru April 10th. (Phil and Chris are two of several artists and writers who sublet Redbird studios.)

 

Carol LaChapelle has scheduled several writing workshops in the Madison area. See the listing at www.carollachapelle.com.

 

Mel Miskimen is doing guest shots on The Reitman and Mueller Show, WKTI 94.5FM.

 

Joel Narlock's novel, "Target Acquired," was published by Leisure Books, New York City.

 

Pat Pollworth recently released her latest book, "Milwaukee County Street Names-Street Games."  She was interviewed on Channel 4 on Tuesday, March 22nd and on WUWM on March 29th.

 

Jeannee Sacken's photographs, "Unspoken Labor: The Quiet Work of Women of the Americas," will be on display at Harry W. Schwartz Bookstore (Oakland Ave., Shorewood) throughout the month of April. A narrative of each woman's story accompanies each photograph.

 

Judith Zukerman is listing readings related to her book of poetry, "Amsterdam Days," on her website: www.jzukerman.com.

 

 

 

5. OTHER PLACES

 

FOX VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE, NEENAH

THE POWER OF THE PEN: A DAY FOR WRITERS

Ellen Kort, Joanne Flemming and Judy Bridges

Saturday, April 16, 9am-4pm

920-720-6800, or toll free 1-877-515-5151

www.fvtc.edu

 

GREAT LAKES WRITERS WORKSHOP, ALVERNO COLLEGE

SPECIAL 20TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM (Several presenters, including JB)

Friday-Saturday, June 24, 25

Alverno College Telesis Institute

414-382-6218

 

THE CLEARING, DOOR COUNTY

WRITERS' WELLSPRING, (A writers retreat led by JB)

Sun to Sat., Sept 11-16

920-854-4088

www.theclearing.org

 

Other Events of Special Interest

 

The Council for Wisconsin Writers Awards Banquet  The event of the year for Wisconsin writers, editors and publishers. Hear award winners read excerpts from published work, meet others who support Wisconsin's writers. Saturday, April 30th, 11 a.m. at The Wisconsin Club (thank you Harry Schwartz!). Reservations  required: Lois Blinkhorn, email: Loisblink@aol.com

 

Wisconsin Regional Writers' Association Spring Conference  Saturday, May 7th at Arrowhead (Best Western) Lodge & Suites in Black River Falls. Registration chair: John Danish, email: registration@wrwa.net

 

 

 

 

6. HOW TO HELP/CONTACT/REPORT NEWS

 

TO HELP: Distribute flyers. Tell people about Redbird. Contribute to the Scholarship Fund.

TO CONTACT REDBIRD : See address, email, phone and web address below.

TO REPORT NEWS: Email or snail mail to Judy Bridges at Redbird

 

May we suggest:

-- A gift to the Scholarship Fund in your name, or to honor your favorite writer.

-- A Redbird gift certificate for your favorite writer (for full or partial registration.)

-- Books by Redbird Writers and Friends. See the list on our website.

-- Books, period. First choice is to purchase from your local Independent bookstore.

-- If you are purchasing books from Amazon, you can help Redbird by ordering through our site.

-- "Redbird Writers" tee shirts for your writer-friends. Available in black with red "bird" logo. M, L and XL. $15.