Words Matter Spring 2013

2012/2013

MATTER Book Award Winner Tours State

by Ismet Prcic, 2013 Oregon Book Award Winner (Ken Kesey Award for Fiction)

Art is a word that makes some people roll their eyes as soon as you say it aloud with, God forbid, even a hint of earnestness. In an era when publishing is an industry—when the most-read

Ismet Prcic accepting the Oregon Book Award for fiction.

authors are doctors and lawyers; when most literary artists have to teach composition to pay bills; when our college students shamelessly feel entitled to easy As in poetry, drama, and creative nonfiction and are fine with Cs and Bs in algebra, statistics, and biology—we, as readers, sometimes forget that writing is an art, and that good art is hard work and means time away from our loved ones.

What we choose to read should have nothing to do with our likes and dislikes,

our pet peeves, our upbringing and values, morals and limits, our literary baggage. When I was growing up in Bosnia, most of the books in my house looked the same; they were hardcovers sporting nothing but the title and the name of the author on the cover. You had to open them and start reading to see if they were something you wanted to commit to. Nobody put a book down because the back page summary told them it was a harrowing historical tale of rural life in Prussia; you had to find that out on your own. Chances were, that by the time you did, you were too invested to stop reading.

Recently I was at a party and I met someone next to a bowl of anemiclooking, defrosted Thai shrimp who told me in a gushy, hush-hush manner that he couldn’t get through my book, that it was not a page-turner, that it was too disturbing, uncouth, that he didn’t like it, that it was not his cup of tea. It was obvious that it was meant as a criticism.

I proceeded to say that I was impressed that he was so willing to admit his failure publicly. This was taken as an affront. I was asked to explain myself. I said that art is not a cup of tea, that art should be more than liked (Michelle Latiolais taught me that). Just because an idea is continued on page 5

Jonathan Franzen Connects with Local College Students

by Monica Drake, PNCA Associate Professor, Chair BFA in Writing

Jonathan Franzen is a towering

literary figure—a National Book Award winner, and one of only a dozen American writers to ever make the cover of TIME magazine, among other accolades.

Earlier this year, when Literary Arts invited him to meet with Portland-area students from a range of colleges at Literary Arts’ downtown center, he said of his own younger days, “I was kind of a misfit, but I made friends with other misfits who are still some of my closest friends.” Any awkwardness in the crowded room shifted immediately toward warmth. continued on page 3

Words from the Director › 2

Connect with Literary Arts online!

@LiteraryArts Events › 4

»» »» »» »»

Writers in the Schools › 6

Visit literary-arts.org Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/literaryarts Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/literaryarts Get news about Oregon writers and readers: paperfort.blogspot.com

Thank you to our donors! › 7

Words from the Director Most readers and writers experience a transformative moment that ignites a lifelong

passion for books. That moment might involve a specific title, or a special teacher, or an extraordinary writer who provided a glimpse into the true power of literature.

If you are reading this newsletter, you are most likely someone who has had this transformative moment and believes that literature gives voice to people, issues, and ideas that need to be heard.

Oregon is a community that values its readers and writers. We have a vibrant history as creators of great art and as a community that supports the creation of such work. Stories are all around us and this edition of Words Matter is all about the vital connections literature can make and how people from all walks of life can be inspired, changed, and otherwise impassioned to make their community a better place.

With my sincere gratitude for your support, Literary Arts’ Executive Director, Andrew Proctor

Andrew Proctor, Executive Director andrew@literary-arts.org

2012/2013 SNAPSHOT 163

Total events hosted in which readers and writers gathered at: LiteraryArts; the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall; the Gerding Theater; in classrooms; and at many additional locations across the state in libraries, schools, and bookstores.

35%

Increase in individual giving over the last three years.

109

Writers paid by Literary Arts through employment, awards, and fellowships.

440

Classroom sessions led by professional WITS writers in Portland Public high schools.

1

Professionally published anthology of student writing (1,200 copies printed and distributed).

26,287

Seats filled by an intergenerational audience of readers.

3,459

Teens inspired through: creative writing residencies taught by professional writers; author visits to schools; attending Portland Arts & Lectures; sharing their work at bookstores and cafes; and being published in print and online.

901

Generous donors gave to the programs of Literary Arts.

$1.4 million

Operating budget put to work to engage readers, support writers, and inspire the next generation with great literature.

By supporting Literary Arts, you help: • Bring the world’s most celebrated writers, artists, and thinkers to Oregon to engage our community.

• Inspire public high school students to write, revise, edit, publish, and perform their own creative writing.

• Support, promote, and celebrate Oregon’s writers and publishers.

• Engage readers in exploring challenging books in lively discussion-based seminars led by an experienced scholar.

Give today at literary-arts.org 2

MATTER

from “Jonathan Franzen Connects with Local College Students” That spoke to the students.

Isn’t every writer and would-be writer a misfit of sorts, building his or her own world on the page?

Franzen offered a wonderfully informal talk, leaving the local college students free to ask questions, in that potentially endless quest to discover how one moves from being a student writer to a published author. He sat in a folding chair, his backpack dropped casually against a bookcase—looking as though he too might be on his way to a college, as a student or as the cool professor—and then he spoke largely of being faithful not only to writing, but specifically to the craft of fiction and the novel. He admitted, “For a long time I refused to even think of writing nonfiction because it seemed like a

to say what he meant, more directly.

He offered that in fiction, “One needs to attend to giving the reader a good time—though there are different people and different kinds of good times…

Good art tends to be suspicious about righteousness.”

It was a conversation full of small moments to reflect upon later, ideas for the students, faculty, and authors to take away from the literary space in which they gathered. In person, right in front of them, Franzen made the claim, “The novel is essentially a liberal form. It’s about having sympathy for people who aren’t you.”

He said, “I need two things for a character. I need to picture somebody who is not me. Somebody I really liked, though don’t know, maybe only

“The novel is essentially a liberal form. It’s about having sympathy for people who aren’t you.”

– National Book Award winner Jonathan Franzen betrayal of the novel…I’m very much a team player, and my team is the novel.”

Just like that Franzen drew teams out of nowhere, lining up fiction in opposition to nonfiction, showing us the inner positioning of a young writer.

These days, of course, he’s come to let those borders drop, to write both fiction and nonfiction. When asked about journalism he’s written for The New Yorker, he confessed, “It was the first piece of my writing that my mother ever liked.”

He grew into the role of writing nonfiction. As a reason, he offered, “I was so seething with opinion and I thought maybe the novel wasn’t the best place to seethe with opinion.” Fiction can be a very oblique way to convey any sort of message. To laden it with opinion puts one in danger of drafting propaganda. Nonfiction became a place

met once. Somebody who seems real and loveable. And I need to figure out why I’m feeling bad.” There was a pause, and he added, “It’s a process not unlike therapeutic analysis—I need to find those things that are most upsetting to me, unresolved, ideally unresolveable, and then, because I’ve

2013/2014 Portland Arts & Lectures Season Salman Rushdie: Oct. 8 Ann Patchett: Nov. 20 Lawrence Wright: Jan. 14 Chris Ware: Feb. 18 Julia Alvarez: Apr. 3 Subscribe online at literary-arts.org lived a relatively unremarkable life, I exaggerate.”

Some students took notes. Others chewed their pencils, or raised a hand.

There were always more questions in the room, more energy, and more of that urge to find the route toward written self-expression. It was the sound, the feeling, the palpable sensation of engagement.

Near the end of his hour-long student visit, Franzen offered, “The more you write, the more your character is revealed, for better or worse. That’s part of the trust equation, too.” And that’s what happened in that crowded room—the trust equation. We left feeling like we’d been invited into a circle of trust, sharing ideas about how to make written art. n

Jonathan Franzen meets with local students at Literary Arts in January, 2013, during his Portland Arts & Lectures visit.

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Inclusive Approach to Book Culture @LiteraryArts

by Paul Martone, Executive Director of Late Night Library

Last fall, Literary Arts invited me to discuss Late Night Library’s nonprofit mission to support talented writers early in their careers. At the time, I was unaware of their plans for the Literary Arts center, but as a longtime Literary Arts enthusiast, I couldn’t have been more thrilled to learn about their inclusive approach to book culture in Portland. They invited Late Night Library, the nonprofit literary organization for which I serve as Executive Director, to utilize the Literary

Paul Martone of Late Night Library leading a literary event featuring Natalie Serber and Katie Arnold-Ratliff.

Arts center at 925 SW Washington in downtown Portland for podcast recordings and live events and asked for little in return.

Since then, Late Night Library has scheduled @LiteraryArts recordings with Rob Spillman, Lysley Tenorio, Kara Candito, Dan DeWeese, Lidia Yuknavitch, Vanessa Veselka, Alexis Smith, and Carter Sickels—as well as Literary Arts’ very own Susan Denning and Mary Rechner. (You can hear these conversations by listening to our podcasts, Late Night Conversation and Late Night Debut, online at latenightlibrary.org.)

But Late Night Library is not the only beneficiary of Literary Arts’ bookshelflined event space; the versatile, hardwood-floored center is quickly becoming Portland’s town hall for 4

those of us who love books and cherish community. Showcasing a variety of entertaining events every month of the year, Literary Arts opens its office doors to a local procession of organizers, publishers, authors, and emerging writers. Every organization enlivens the space with its own unique and creative format, making the Literary Arts center one of the most distinct event locations in Portland.

Literary Arts has proven to be an ideal location for our “In and Out of Town Reading Series,” in which we pair a local author with a visiting author for a live reading, and I’m certain we’re not the only group to have found a great presenting partner in Literary Arts.

Over the course of the past year, events at Literary Arts have been co-hosted by organizations and publishers such as Tin House, Loggernaut Reading Series, Small Doggies Reading Series, Portland Review, Live Wire!, and many others.

Our events feature live music and other performing arts, and so we were thrilled to learn that the Literary Arts space is equipped with a built-in sound system and recording capabilities. Our goal is to attract a wider audience for early career authors through a multigenre approach, and we’ve attracted age-diverse crowds and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees of our events at the center. And not only are events free to the public, but Literary Arts provides a lovely assortment of snacks and beverages for the audience.

Wendell Berry once wrote that “a proper community…is a commonwealth: a place, a resource, an economy. It answers the needs, practical as well as social and spiritual, of its members—among them the need to need one another.”

Literary Arts has strengthened its community-based approach to serving Oregon’s readers and writers through

@LiteraryArts audience members attend a free public reading.

their downtown center. As an arts nonprofit Executive Director—and as a fiction writer, arts educator, and Oregonian—I’m delighted to forge a partnership with the remarkable staff at Literary Arts. n

New York City Poet to Teach at Literary Arts Visiting writer Adam Fitzgerald will offer two classes at Literary Arts this July. Fitzgerald is the New York City-based author of The Late Parade. He is the founding editor of the poetry journal Maggy, and the small artisan press Monk Books. He teaches creative writing at Rutgers University and The New School.

Fitzgerald will offer two classes on July 20th: a generative workshop in the morning, and a master class in the afternoon.

In the evening, he’ll be joined by the poet Mary Szybist for a free @LiteraryArts reading.

For more information and to register, visit literary-arts.org or contact Susan Denning at susan@literary-arts.org.

MATTER

from “Book Award Winner Tours State” continued from page 1

uncouth or disturbing does not mean that it is not an idea or that it cannot teach you anything. Page-turning is the job of the one who reads the book, not of the one who writes it. Failing to read a book, watch a play, or listen to a composition all the way to the end is just that—a failure on the part of the reader, the watcher, the listener.

Recently, I was nominated for an Oregon Book Award and was invited

by Literary Arts to tour around our state, giving readings and workshops about writing and reading fiction. In fact, I’m writing this as I’m gearing up to drive to La Grande tomorrow. As part of the Oregon Book Awards Author Tour a few months ago in Astoria, I visited first a community college, then a high school, then taught a class that included students from the above-mentioned college and high school, and also from the community at large. In Astoria I met a man who worked as a custodian at the U.S. embassy in Belgrade at the time my ex-homeland (Yugoslavia) was breaking apart. Later that same day I ate spit-roasted lamb at a Bosnian

A Letter from Coos Bay You can’t imagine how pleased

Oregon Book Award Author Tour participants in La Grande.

restaurant right there in Astoria (the owner realized I was an expatriate and brought extra goodies for the table).

Even the owner of the hotel where I stayed, a spritely fellow with a lot of heart, joined the afternoon workshop and participated in full.

I’ve lived in Bosnia, Croatia, Scotland, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Thousand Oaks, but I’ve never seen a community so hungry to express itself, to make a mark upon the world, as it is in Oregon.

I’m so lucky to have been given a chance to be a part of it. n

my wife Jill and I were to be sitting in the Gerding Theater when Shards was announced as the winner of the 2013 Ken Kesey Award for Fiction. Ismet Prcic was our first face-to-face, in-the-flesh author exposure at the Oregon Book Awards Author Tour workshop in Astoria, thanks to the wonderful work of Literary Arts.

I’m a veteran of Vietnam and Jill is a survivor of severe family trauma, so it is especially meaningful to us that Izzy’s moving, excellent depiction in Shards of the horrors of war and the long-term impact of PTSD has received this notable award.

Peaceful regards, Thomas Brinson Coos Bay, Oregon

Raise Your Glass to Writers in the Schools!

Save the Date! Join us for lunch on October 22, 2013 and celebrate student achievement and the inspiring role literature plays in the lives of teens on and off campus!

Over excellent food and wine at Bluehour restaurant, we will hear directly from the teens involved in the program, and also from the teachers and principals who value having WITS on their campuses.

This event highlights the great work being done for public school teens. Participate as a Sponsor ($5,000-$10,000), Table Host ($2,000), or a Donor ($350+).

To get involved, contact Lydah DeBin by email at lydah@literary-arts.org, or phone at 503-227-2583 x106.

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Discovering the Passion of Rhythm and Poetry

by Desmond Spann, Writers in the Schools Writer-in-Residence

This past spring, I had the opportunity

to work with Benson High School sophomores in their Radio elective class through Literary Arts’ Writers in the Schools (WITS) program. When I began to consider what to teach, I looked back to the life lessons that had the most impact in my own life.

In fifth grade, the performance bug bit me. My father forced me to perform in a youth fashion show. I say “forced” because at that moment, all I wanted to do was to play in the championship basketball game for my team. Nevertheless, after I gave a few ear-to-ear cheesy grins onstage, and thunderous laughter erupted from the crowd, I was definitely hooked on public performance. I had found my passion.

However, recognizing this was my passion took much longer to admit. In high school and college this bug bite turned into an itch to perform, write poetry, and ultimately rap.

As a student at Wilson High School, I began scratching this itch. The process of writing always seemed very strenuous; I believed I wasn’t any good at writing.

Scribbling thoughts in journals and making desperate attempts to rid myself of teenage emotions, I began writing poetry. Many voices were in my head saying, “This is cheesy,” “No one is going to get that,” and, “You can’t do this.” And yet, after a few days passed and I read what I had written, the voices were saying, “Hey, that’s not bad,” “That was cool,” and, “That was profound.” I found my confidence. Despite the fear and the doubts, I managed to impress my biggest critic: myself.

In college, I took my words to the stage. It was open mic night at Kijiji’s Coffee House where I first began to connect with an audience of living, breathing people. Poets would gather after the show and freestyle rap about love, peace, unity, and having fun. This conscious style of rapping matched 6

my style of poetry. It was then I knew I could rap about anything I wrote poetry about. In fact, college is where I learned and experienced rap as Rhythm And Poetry (R.A.P.). Ever since that moment, I have been developing and maturing as an emcee, having found my authentic voice.

Desmond Spann leads Benson High School students in a public end-of-residency reading of their creative writing at Broadway Books.

Without regrets, I wonder how my life would be different if I’d found my voice in high school. How much better would I be if I began rapping at sixteen or seventeen? Imagine if I had not believed the voices in my head when they said, “You can’t,” and instead believed in myself. This is why it’s important to me to participate in programs like Writers in the Schools. Many great voices get lost in the silence of the crowd because people are afraid to speak their truth.

Emceeing challenges students to be authentic and discover their identity.

In the WITS session this spring, a sophomore, we’ll call him Kyle, experienced a moment of self-discovery.

When I met him, Kyle told me, “I am not a creative person.” He went on, “I tend to think logically, not in the abstract.”

Having to overcome this similar limiting belief in high school myself, I told Kyle, “Try to think of writing rap like a Rubik’s Cube. We twist words, rhymes, and rhythms to complete the puzzle, with one exception. The completed puzzle is whatever we want it to be; it only needs to make sense to you.” Kyle nodded, but I wasn’t quite sure he understood my point. However, in his reflection after the course he wrote, “Before, I saw rap as this weird abstract thing that I never bothered to understand. Now I can get a better picture of what rap is.” In addition, he wrote one of the best verses in the class. Kyle may not be passionate about emceeing, yet he explored it, discovered his creativity, and became more confident in himself.

As an emceeing teacher, I look to share the best of my life lessons and experiences to make an impact in the classroom. The goal of the class at Benson was not to turn all the students into emcees. Rather, the main purpose was to challenge students to discover and explore their creativity. I believe teaching emceeing encourages students to discover their passion, confidence, and power to speak in their unique voices.

Though mainstream rap draws its share of negative attention, it has a place in education just like poetry, fiction, and comics. The sophomores in Benson High School’s Radio class, for one, countered the negative stereotypes about rap through their positive emceeing. Thanks to Writers in the Schools, these students and I were granted an opportunity to explore together and demonstrate the nuances and brilliance of Rhythm and Poetry (R.A.P.). n

We are grateful to our community of supporters.

The following people made a contribution to Literary Arts between June 1, 2012 and May 31, 2013.

Individuals $5,000+

Rocky & Julie Strasser Dixon Susheela Jayapal & Brad Miller David J. Johnson Barbara Kingsolver Phillip M. Margolin John Meadows & Libby Barber Jessica Mozeico-Blair & Jordan Blair Jan & Steve Oliva Diane Ponti & Ward Greene

$2,000+

Betsy Amster & Barry Glassner Gwyneth Gamble Booth in honor of Brian Booth Nancy & Roderick Boutin Rick Comandich & Maya Muir Tracy Daugherty & Marjorie Sandor Theodore & Nancy Downes-Le Guin Ann P. Edlen Ann & Ron Emmerson Bob Geddes Cecelia & Robert Huntington Kurt Hutton & Melissa Burch Stacy Lewis Carol Mayer-Reed & Michael Reed Anne Mendel & Mark Henry Halle & Rick Sadle Dan Wieden

$1,000+

Betty Bradshaw Joan Cirillo & Roger Cooke Rebecca & Michael DeCesaro Penny & Ken Durant Barnes C. Ellis Wayne & Sandy Ericksen Andy Glass Reuben Rich Paul Schneider & Lauren Eulau Norm & Barbara Sepenuk Drs. Donald & Roslyn Sutherland Jackie & William Willingham Christopher Lord Tom & Marcia Wood Steven E. Wynne & Deborah J. Hewitt Dr. Candace Young

$500+

Anonymous Carole Alexander Ray & Jean Auel Tom & Molly Bartlett Dianne Bocci Diane Boly Kathleen Bristow Richard L. Brown Peggy Busick Karyle Butcher Ellyn Bye Jane Carlsen & John Estrem Amy Carlsen Kohnstamm & Kevin Kohnstamm Jan A. Christensen Molly Cliff-Hilts & David Hilts Maribeth Collins Mary Louise & W. Bruce Cook David & Denise Corey David & Julie Dietzler Heidi W. Durrow & Darryl Wash Bart Eberwein & Jill Collins Sheila Edwards-Lienhart Sue & Ed Einowski Kendra & David Farris Bob & Konky Forster Richard Frantz Diana Gerding Susan Hathaway-Marxer & Larry Marxer Hayes Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Betsy Henning Pamela Smith Hill Terri & Robert Hopkins Paul & Jane Jacobsen Grant & Elaine Jones John Kroger & Michele Toppe Frank Langfitt & Mary Janet Steen Ursula & Charles Le Guin Graeme Jr. & Martha Leggatt Carol Schnitzer Lewis Janet Lunde Richard Meeker & Ellen Rosenblum Brenda Meltebeke & Scott Stuart Rob & Kate Melton Deidra Miner Carolyn Moore Meghan Moran Mona Mozeico Carol Olwell Nancy & Dick Ponzi Amy Prosenjak & Steven Guy Naseem Rakha & Charles Sheketoff

Bonnie & Peter Reagan Jim & Natasha Reinhart John Shipley R. Philip & Barbara Silver Shirley A. Skidmore & Ronald E. Quant Kaarin & Van Smith Merri Souther Wyatt Barbara Spence Victor Trelawny Ann & Tom Usher Cynthia Wallace & Kay Gardner Pyle Eric Walsh & Harriet Rubin Norma L. Winemiller

$250+

Joseph Albert & Cynthia Chase Elizabeth Ash & David Morganstern LinaBeth Barber Tom Booth & Megan Holden Todd Bradley Evie Brim Doris Carlsen Christine Carr Emily Chenoweth Neale & Marian Creamer Michael E. Davalt Mary Fellows Myron Filene Nancy Fishman Joan Fondell Janice Geier Sara & Andrew Guest Cecelia Hagen & Craig Spilman Edward & Leah Hershey Barb & Chris Jones Susan & Rick Koe Jan Kurtz & Duncan Carter Susan Lane Jane & Robert Lightell Julie Mancini & Dennis Bromka Robert Matheson Monique McClean & Lars Topelmann Michael & Sylvia McGregor Brad & Julie McMurchie David & Debbie Menashe Violet & Robert Metzler Lora & Jim Meyer Joanne Nehler Tom & Chris Neilsen Katherine O’Neil & Toby Graff Corrine Oishi & Lindley Morton Irja Orav Beverly & Milo Ormseth Molly L. Osborne Jo Ellen Osterlind Judy Rice

Joan Hunt Robinson Trudy Sargent Randolph & SueAnn Schneider Sue Sell Stephen & Micky Shields Lori Singer Abigail L Solomon Micah D. Stolowitz & Shauna Krieger David F. Stout Jean & Milan Stoyanov Greg & Martha Struxness George & Nancy Thorn Stephanie Vardavas & Mike Radway Kristi Wallace Knight & Eric Wallace Susan & Brian Wong Morton & Audrey Zalutsky

$100+

Lisa C. Alan Katya Amato Sally & John Anderson Kimberly Bakken Joan Baldwin Kim Batchellor John & Susan Bates Andres Berger-Kiss Maryka Biaggio Dick Binns Tom & Kristen Boothe Gloria Borg Olds Leslie Breaux Louisa J. Brown Amy Brown Richard T. Brown Sonia Buist Patricia Cain Michael R. Campbell Brian Carroll Brent & Barbara Chalmers Peyton Chapman Becky Chinn Margaret Chula Kathleen M. Clarkson Ava Jan Clements Kirsten Collins Liana Colombo Larry Colton Deborah & Jim Coonan Tom & Barbara Cooney Therese Cooper Ginnie Cooper Alice Cuprill-Comas Jim Dameron Eloise Damrosch John Daniel Charles H. Deaver Eric Delehoy Loree A. Devery Kenneth & Sandra Dixon Terrence Dolan

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Anne Draper Paul & Francesca Duden Justin Dune Erica Dunn Betty Duvall Tina Edlund Rachel Effros Daniel Eisenbeis Linda Elegant Nancy Ellis Karen Ellmers Ronnie-Gail Emden Arthur & Margianne Erickson Ellen Fader Judith Fejta Stephanie Fine Pamela & Tim Fleischmann Nancy Flynn Ellen Fortin Russell & Lynn Francis Howard & Linda Franklin Steve & Heather Frederick Marilynn Friley Morris Galen Patricia Gallagher Theresa Garcia Patsy Gauer Molly Gloss Ron P. Gronowski Meri Grotzinger Lloyd & Nancy Gurney William Jay & Marty Hall Barbara Hall Jon Hanifin Ulrich Hardt Tom & Jan Harvey Kathy & Tony Harwood Jane Heisler Maureen Herndon Robert Hill Mary E. Hirsch Nancy Hogarth Kathleen Holt John & Susan Hoover Peter & Anne Jarvis Brita Johnson Ellin & Fletcher Johnson Elizabeth Joseph Marjorie Kafoury Karen Keltz Beverle J. Kerns Mary L. King Tamara & Ron Kizziar Beverly & Clair Klock Morley & Jim Knoll Molly Kohnstamm Karen Kruse Carolyn Kulog James Lain Ann Lanfri Kelly A. Larson Shannon Leonetti Susan J. Lienhart Karen Locke

Linda Lovett William Lyons Melissa Maag Carter & Jenny MacNichol Deborah Mandell Carolyn Marieb Linda Marshall Mike Matylewich Lynn Mayer Melinda McCoy Pete McDowell Jack & Carolyn McMurchie Leonard & Beverly Meeker Linda Meng Dr. Elizabeth Metcalf Ruth & Arnold Metz Henry Milczuk Philip Miller Rich & Lisabeth Miller James C. Mohr Douglas & Candace Morgan John C. Morrison Barbara Morrison Carole Morse Eliza & Alex Nelson Amy Nist Ray & Carol North Emma Oliver Phoebe Olson Sona Pai Jollee Patterson Cheryl Perrin Judy & Mark Peterman Paulann Petersen Michael G. Phillips Lisa Platt Sandy Polishuk David Pollock Amy & Oscar Polo Wally & Bettsy Preble Dawn Babb Prochovnic Shelley Reece Barbie Rice Joan & Marvin Rittenberg Robin Roberts Rosemarie Rosenfeld Ruth Roth Lex & Debbie Runciman Karen & Norman Sade Henry Sayre Mary & John Schmitt Mark Schneider Anne Scott Virginia Sewell Manya Shapiro Martha Sharman David Shipley Marjorie M. Smith Gail P. Robinson Annelisa Smith Sid Snider Scott A. Sparling Bob Speltz Kim Stafford & Perrin Kerns

Emily Standish Sunny & Gary Stautz Leah & William Stenson Dennis & Ann Stenzel Lee Stewart Laura F. Stockwell Sandra Stone Patricia & Marvin Straughan Walter & Gloria Sweek Catherine Theriault Margaret Thomas Jeanne Tobey Helen Van Belle Alice Vaux Julie & Ted Vigeland Stephanie Volkman Stella Voreas Tricia & Jim Walker Patricia West Samuel S. Whittemore, Jr. Dara Wilk Margaret M. Willer Carolyn Williams Patricia S. Williams Crystal Williams Charlene Williams Dr. Diane Williams Janet Williamson Christina & Reed Wilson Susan & Jim Winkler Anita & Marvin Witt Pavel & Giovanna Zivny

Gifts in Honor of

Leslie Bradshaw Thomas B. Carey Martha Curry Cara Filsinger Mara Forsythe-Crane Bob Geddes on the occasion of his 75th birthday Eli Zheng Behr Hall Susan Hathaway-Marxer Brian Kettler Anne Lebwohl Vailey Oehlke Sybil Gordon Payne Andrew Proctor Mary Rechner Joan Shipley Carole Smith Dorothy Stafford Jeff Stautz Bruce, Phyllis, and Susan Stout Kelly Thomas Anne Willer Writers in the Schools

Gifts in Memory of Brian Booth Richard Fejta Mara Forsythe-Crane Sylvia Frantz

MATTER

Dorothy D. Hirsch Karen La Mothe Tom Osterlind Lawrence M. Smith William Stafford Steve N. Voreas

Interns

Acacia Blackwell Olivia Croom Daniel Grant Alex Hebler Kimberly Maier Veronica Martin Ellie Piper

Volunteers

Kris Anderson Sheri Anderson Morgan Azinger Alexandra Behr Alexei Bien Jane Braunger John Braunger Jo Brody Dylan Brown Sara Bruckner Kaitlyn Burch Clifford Carlsen Kelly Chastain Donna Childs Clark Chipman Rebecca Claren Molly Cliff-Hilts Susan Climo Phillip Coates Trudy Coler Marjorie Dial Terry Dolan Deborah Downs Polly Dugan Pam Everett Margaret Foley Joan Fondell Vivian Foster Jeanne Gabriel Bob Geddes Leah Gibson Win Goodbody Eve Goodman Amy Gray Carol Greist Nancy Gronowski Sara Guest Ellen Hansen Susan Hathaway-Marxer Susan Hauser Pamela Smith Hill Deborah Hobbie Henry Hooper Susheela Jayapal Liz Kamerer Lauren Lederman

Medusas Smoke rising up curls down the same shapes

as ink through water placed lightly with a dropper medusas fall like petticoats spread wide and fall within falling There are things beyond senses but we are not built for them We do not know their number or the number we contain or where our edges are We infer them from the apparently miraculous As ink forms a Man O’ War in the drinking glass Ophelia floats neatly face up eyes open under the river bridge dress spread like a farthingale staring elsewhere one hand open one curled tightly on what we cannot see

Long Distance Astronauts say their dreams are like earth dreams but the people are floating.

Last night when Frances answered her dream phone I was down under the pastry layers of sheets and blue throw. Later she asked did I hear it.

No, I had been orbiting myself, misreading a box in Carol’s kitchen “cloudless” for cordless.

At night when stars fall on Alabama water goes granular and steps back, dreams improve us with their thick pastels, revisits in tints.

Maybe the astronauts called from their cloudless telephones with news from Long Distance: Romans invaded Arabia Felix, Columbus discovered Ohio.

by Allan Peterson, 2013 Oregon Book Award Finalist from Fragile Acts (McSweeney’s), a finalist for the 2013 Stafford / Hall Award for Poetry (an Oregon Book Award)

Barbara Liles Ruth Lizotte Kaarin Marx-Smith Maya McOmie Linda Mihata Tara Rae Miner John Morrison Sally Morris Jessica Mozeico-Blair Chris Nordquist Diane Nowicki Natalie Oaks

Jenny Owen Katelyn Oldham Tori Padellford Mark Peterman Patricia Raley Shelley Reece Rae Richen Alida Rol Richard Sames Grace Sanders Kristen Seidman Jessica Shulsinger

Georgene Sink Joe Soldati Michael Sugg Toni Thomas Sarah Thomas Jennifer Tiana Karen Unger Sarah Wexler Eleni Wilson Lisa Zuniga

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Businesses $10,000+ Baker Ellis Asset Management Chubb Group of Insurance Companies Lewis & Clark College NW Natural Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) Powell’s Books The Standard Stoel Rives LLP Wieden + Kennedy

$5,000+ Ater Wynne LLP Boora Architects Davis Wright Tremaine LLP First Tech Federal Credit Union Hoffman Construction Natural Epicurean Pacific University University of Oregon Portland ZGF Architects

up to $5,000 Ball Janik LLP Broadway Books Hawthorne Books The Heathman Hotel Knowledge Universe Lyceum Agency Pacific Northwest Law LLP Reed College Target Tin House The University Club

Matching Gifts From ADP Apple Bank of America IBM The Standard U.S. Bancorp Foundation

Foundations & Government Agencies $20,000+

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation The Collins Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Oregon Arts Commission Regional Arts & Culture Council including support from the City of Portland and Multnomah County

$5,000+ Juan Young Trust The Kinsman Foundation Mancini Family Fund Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation The Nara Fund Oregon Cultural Trust PGE Foundation Betsy Priddy Advised Funds of the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation Herbert A. Templeton Foundation Wessinger Foundation Work For Art, including contributions from more than 70 companies and nearly 2,000 employees in the region

up to $5,000 All Hands Raised Friends of William Stafford Hayes Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation Edna L. Holmes Literary Arts Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation

The Holzman Foundation, Inc Irwin Foundation The Jackson Foundation Kinder Morgan Foundation Carol Schnitzer Lewis Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Mandel Family Foundation Multnomah County Cultural Coalition Neilsen Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation Philip S. Harper Foundation Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation U.S. Bancorp Foundation Wyss Foundation

Community Partners

Annie Bloom’s Books Baker County Library BiPartisan Café Broadway Books Cannery Pier Hotel (Astoria) Coffee House Books Eastern Oregon University Feast Food Festival Girasole Pizza HarperCollins Hollywood Theatre Klamath County Library Late Night Library The Library Foundation Literary Mixtape Live Wire!

Loggernaut The Moth Multnomah County Library Native American Youth & Family Center Newport Public Library North Bend Public Library Oregon Historical Society OPB Oregon Writers Colony Portland Art Museum Portland Center Stage

Portland Public Schools Librarians

Paige Battle Linda Campillo Jan Donald Kira Liljequist Joel Machiela Nicole Newman Tracy Russell Bryan Smith Nancy Sullivan Betsy Tighe

Portland Public Schools Principals

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Petra Callin Carol Campbell Peyton Chapman

Brian Chatard Margaret Calvert Kelli Clark Paul Cook Shay James A. J. Morrison Vivian Orlen Macarre Traynham Charlene Williams

Portland Public Schools Teachers

Amy Ambrosio Susie Bartley Brady Bennon Gene Brunak Sandra Childs JoAnna Coleman Stephanie D’Cruz Jerry Eaton Jennifer Edelson Bianca Espinosa Eleanor Flores Daniel Fredgant Stefanie Goldbloom John Golden Ben Grosscup Jordan Gutlerner Emily Hensley David Hillis Keri Hughes Cindy Irby Tom Kane Paige Knight Stephen Lambert Dylan Leeman Eric Levine Barb Macon Darryl Miles Irene Montano Dave Mylet Steve Naganuma Amanda-Jane Nelson Michele Potestio Mary Rodeback Alicia Smith Kris Spurlock Norman Stremming Catherine Theriault Sophia VanWyk Dana Vinger Virginia Warfield Elisa Wong Tracey Wyatt Powell’s Books Portland State University Random House Small Doggies TaborSpace Tin House Walters Cultural Arts Center

MATTER

Thank you to our generous corporate sponsors Literary Arts Board

Baker Ellis asset management llc

Susheela Jayapal, Chair Betsy Amster Rick Comandich Alice Cuprill-Comas Tracy Daugherty Rebecca DeCesaro Theo Downes-Le Guin Marie Eckert Robert Geddes Pamela Smith Hill Amy Carlsen Kohnstamm

Frank Langfitt Phillip Margolin John Meadows Jessica Mozeico-Blair Amy Prosenjak James Reinhart Barry Sanders Jacqueline Willingham Thomas Wood

Strunk & White Society

An honorary society of distinguished advisors Gwyneth Booth Julie Mancini Bart Eberwein Brenda Meltebeke Brian Gard Diane Ponti Diana Gerding Michael Powell Molly Gloss Halle Sadle Carrie Hoops Steven Paul Taylor Ursula K. Le Guin Steve Wynne Barry Lopez

Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships Advisory Committee

Tracy Daugherty, Co-Chair Pamela Smith Hill, Co-Chair Katie Anderson Apricot Irving Tom Booth Linda Leslie Nancy Boutin Michael McGregor Karyle Butcher Jon Raymond Julie Dixon Barry Sanders Cecelia Huntington

Writers in the Schools Advisory Committee Generous in-kind support provided by local businesses

Sara Exposito Diana Gerding Cindy Williams Gutierrez Susheela Jayapal

Amy Carlsen Kohnstamm Catherine Theriault Tracey Wyatt

Portland Arts & Lectures Patron Advisory Council

Susan Hathaway-Marxer, Co-Chair Jessica Mozeico-Blair, Co-Chair Seth Alley Steven Neighorn Liana Colombo Jan Oliva Rebecca DeCesaro Nancy Ponzi Sue Einowski James Reinhart Ann Emmerson Dru Rosenthal Nancy Gronowski Grace Sanders Kristi Wallace Knight Barbara Sepenuk Deidra Miner Roslyn Sutherland

Staff

POWERING

Andrew Proctor, Executive Director Jenny Chu Lydah DeBin Mary Rechner Susan Denning Evan P. Schneider Jennifer Fejta Mel Wells Newsletter designed by Olivia Croom

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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE

PAID

PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO.1652

MATTER

Contact Us:

Phone: 503.227.2583 • www.literary-arts.org Write or visit: 925 SW Washington St, Portland, OR 97205

Our mission is to engage readers, support writers, and inspire the next generation with great literature.

The programs of Literary Arts Portland Arts & Lectures brings the world’s most

celebrated writers, artists, and thinkers to Oregon to engage with our community. In addition to original hour-long talks that are broadcast statewide on OPB radio, the program connects readers and writers of all ages with classroom visits and workshops.

Writers in the Schools inspires public high school students

to write, revise, edit, publish, and perform their own creative writing.

WITS programming reinforces the real-world importance of reading and writing in all professions, and is designed to meet state and national standards for the arts and language arts.

Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships supports,

promotes, and celebrates Oregon’s writers and publishers. In addition to financial support, the program produces the Oregon Book Awards Author Tour, which connects writers and readers throughout the state with readings, classroom visits, and workshops.

Delve Readers Seminars engages readers in exploring

challenging books in lively discussion-based seminars led by an experienced scholar.