Monday, October 26, 2009

Concerning Bees and Staying the World


Reading through all the submissions it has come to my attention that there is much concern for bees. Bees have become metaphors for a number of things, they are crawling through the pages, over the words, bees are swarming and humming and disappearing into the innards of flowers. What is going on with the bees; why so many writers concerned with keeping bees buzzing through their work? The many appearances of bees in the poetry and fiction made me do a little google research.
Then, I found this informative NY Times Article on the disappearance of bees. I had heard the rumor, but had not stayed up to date on the apiary news.

The disappearance of bees in the U.S. and the preponderance of bees flitting through the fiction and poetry submissions around the IR office has made me think about the role of words in an ever rapidly shifting world. What role do our words play in preserving the natural world? Will speaking bees into our poems and stories act as peter-pan hand-claps that preserved Tinkerbell's life? Learn more about Bees Here.

bzzzingly yrs, Alessandra

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

New Book from Laura van den Berg


Congratulations!

Laura van den Berg, a former contributor in our 29.1 issue, has just had her short story collection--"What the World Will Look Like When the Water Leaves Us"--published by Dzanc Books. It's getting good buzz, including being selected as a winter/holiday selection for the Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” Program, receiving a starred Booklist review, and garnering a review in the October Believer.

Way to go, Laura!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

New Podcast with francine harris!




Loyal Blue Light readers, make sure you check out poet francine harris as she reads her piece "here is the sweet hand you always turn back on yourself" (forthcoming in IR issue 31.2) and talks shop on our oh so fly BlueCast. Scroll down on the left side of your screen and click play.






Peace,






Marcus

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Don't forget!


Tomorrow is the postmark deadline for our 2009 Fiction Prize! See our guidelines here. Final judge: Ron Carlson. Prize: $1000. Awesometown.

submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit !

Monday, October 12, 2009

On Technology, Podcasts and Twitter


Here at Indiana Review we value technology that brings people together! While technology is not always easy to master or to understand how it works, we strive to be on good terms with it.

I am happy to announce we have uploaded a new Bluecast of Eugene Gloria reading his poems "Young Americans" and "My Favorite Warlord" which are forthcoming in our next issue 31.2. It was fun to hear him read and ask him a few questions about his poems! Join in on the good times by scrolling down on the left side of the screen and clicking the "play" button.

In the spirit of technology, we have also decided to join the Twitter community. If you are on Twitter, you can follow IndianaReview and get updates about the goings-ons at IR like contest deadlines reminders, podcasts announcements and other fun facts.

Be Well, Alessandra

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Up, Up and Away


This isn't a blog about the 5th Dimension's 1967 hit.

It's about the concept of "organic unity" that Antonya Nelson introduced during a 2005 workshop at the Taos Summer Writers Workshop. This "marriage of form and content" was further explained in her workshop description as the "ways in which form (shape, voice, style) participates in content (theme, psychology, meaning) in the short story. The best stories are ones that the reader can imagine no better way of telling; they are hermeneutically radiant, and as a result continue to offer up new riches upon every re-reading." It was a great workshop.

Since then, I have returned to that concept over and over. I've looked for it in short stories and strive for it always in my own writing. Those are the stories that catch my eye when I'm reading submissions to the Indiana Review.

I found it again this summer when I saw "Up." It was, for me, an almost flawless tale whose every moment is sharply rendered, whose every thread is tied up, whose characters are resonant. Wow. That's organic unity, I thought. I still do.

Thanks, Antonya. Thanks "Up."


Take care,

Catalina

Monday, October 5, 2009

News from Tupelo Press


Flinch of Song by contributor Jennifer Militello (winner of Tupelo Press's First Book Prize) is now available!

You can also listen to Jennifer Militello read her poems from issue 29.2 on our Bluecast. Click on the "Posts" and scroll down to her name and click!

Happy reading and listening!