June 03, 2009

Young Writers Workshop offers public readings

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois University Carbondale Young Writers Workshop, an intensive, five-day foray into daily doses of creative writing for high school-aged students, returns to campus June 23-27. The public may attend the readings series scheduled during the camp.

All public readings begin at 8 p.m. in the Harry T. Moore Auditorium in Faner Hall. There is no admission fee. On the schedule are:

June 24

Michael Meyerhofer is a former Young Writers Workshop staff member and a graduate of the master of fine arts in creative writing program at SIUC. He will read from his new poetry collection, “Blue Collar Eulogies.” Other Meyerhofer poetry collections include “The Clay-Shaper’s Husband,” “Cardboard Urn,” and “Leaving Iowa.” Meyerhofer has a host of awards to his credit, including the Liam Rector First Book Prize for “Leaving Iowa.” He is on the creative writing faculty at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.

June 25

Josh Woods hosts a reading featuring contributors to the “Versus” anthology, a Press 53 publication he proposed and edited while working on his creative writing MFA at SIUC. The reading doubles as a book release party. “Versus” features stories pitting famous characters against each other in battles that can range … well, from anything to anything. The book is available at www.press53.com. Woods and several other contributors will read and will talk about Woods’ concept for the anthology.

June 26

Adrian Matejka is a former assistant director of the Young Writers Workshop and also an SIUC MFA alumnus. Matejka will read from his poetry collection, “Mixology,” published by Penguin Books. The collection is a 2008 winner of the Open Competition of the National Poetry Series. Matejka is also the author of the collection “The Devil’s Garden.” He teaches creative writing at SIUC’s sister campus in Edwardsville.

The Young Writers Workshop accepts donations for scholarships, including opportunities for a named scholarship. The resident camper fee is $275, and includes all meals, materials and lodging. Commuters attend for $225. This reasonable scholarship donation can mean a whole new world to a young writer. For more information, contact Allison Joseph, YWW director, at aljoseph@siu.edu.