Witschi at WLA

At the 42nd annual meeting of the Western Literature Association, held October 17-20 in Tacoma, WA, Nicolas Witschi presented a paper entitled "'Off the Reservation with Forty Kinds of War Paint On': Dime Novel Journalism, the Outlaw Henry Starr, and Native American Autobiography."

Also at this conference, Nic and Dr. Karen Ramirez of the University of Colorado at Boulder became co-Presidents of the Association, and together they now undertake the organizing of the 2008 conference, to be held in Boulder, CO, Oct. 1-4. Featured speakers will include William Kittredge and Patty Limerick, the Association's Distinguished Achievement Awards recipients for 2008, as well as a terrific array of scholars and creative artists. Moreover, in a collaboration with The Center of the American West, the WLA conference will run concurrently with a community-based series entitled Western Literature Week that will feature prominent Colorado and western writers speaking publicly about their work. For more information about any of these events, check in regularly at the official Western Literature Association website, where you will also find the call for papers for the 2008 conference.

Third Coast Reading Series, November 9

The Third Coast Reading Series, which showcases the work of graduate students in the MFA and PhD in creative writing programs, is pleased to announce its return with a reading this Friday, November 9. So, come join us at 7:30 on the 10th floor of Sprau. The line-up--sure to please--includes fiction writer James Miranda, non-fiction writer Kate Dernocoeur, and fiction writer Melinda Moustakis.

Bradburn Speaks at Two Conferences

Beth Bradburn presented "Invisible Bodies, Transparent Minds: Jeanette Winterson's Written on the Body" at the Theory of Mind and Literature Conference at Purdue University November 1-4, and "The Emergent Novel in Paradise Lost" at the Conference on John Milton in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, October 25-27.

"Little Airplanes of the Heart" by Steve Feffer Nov. 11 and 12 at 5 PM

Steve Feffer's one act play "Little Airplanes of the Heart" will be presented in a full student directed and acted production in the York Arena Theatre in the Gilmore Complex Sunday and Monday November 11th and 12th at 5 Pm. The performances are free, general admission and open to the public. The play is presented as part of the WMU Theatre's Footlight Series and is directed by Leah Okraszewski, a theatre major who recently took part in the Prague Summer Program and has been a student in English Department playwriting workshops. "Little Airplanes of the Heart" tells the story of Uncle John's ill-fated flight in a homemade airplane from Cape Cod to Montana and the lasting effect it has on his family, especially his thirteen year old nephew Sam. The play has been published in Best American Short Plays 97-98 (Applause Books) and Plays From the Ensemble Studio Theatre 2000 (Faber and Faber).

Brinkley, Schulman, Witschi, Walker Receive Dean's Award

Dean Tom Kent announced that Drs. Ellen Brinkley, Jana Schulman, Nic Witschi, and Joyce Walker were selected for the Dean's Staff and Faculty Appreciation Award. This award recognizes the great work done during an entire academic year by exemplary staff and faculty. Last week, Michelle Hruska received this award, which means that our department now boasts five recipients of this honor for AY 2006-2007. Congrats to all!