The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE

 


Contact: Sari Krosinsky, 277-5813
Carolyn Gonzales, 277-5920

February 15, 2006

UNM Writers Festival to Foster Dialogue Across Genres

The University of New Mexico English Department's creative writing program starts a new tradition this year with the Spring Writers Festival, Wednesday-Friday, March 1-3.

The festival is part of the Poets and Writers series, a monthly reading which brings celebrated authors to UNM.

This semester, English professor Lisa Chavez and graduate student Izzy Wasserstein transform the monthly format to bring three authors for one big writing gala.

“In the past the events have been isolated,” Wasserstein said.

He hopes the combined event will draw writers and readers from UNM and the community together in a broader discussion of writing across genre and geography.

All readings start at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Fiesta room. Books by the featured authors will be sold at all events.

Demetria Martinez, author, activist, lecturer and columnist, will read fiction Wednesday, March 1. Her books include “Confessions of a Berlitz Tape Chicana: Collected Columns,” the widely translated novel “Mother Tongue,” winner of a Western States Book Award for Fiction, and two books of poetry.

H. Lee Barnes will read creative nonfiction Thursday, March 2. His books include “ The Lucky ,” a novel, two collections of short stories, “ Gunning for Ho” and “ Talk to Me, James Dean ,” and “ Dummy Up and Deal ,” a narrative nonfiction. He also writes screenplays.

Jim Daniels, known for his portrayals of the urban working class, will read poetry Friday, March 3. He has written nine collections of poems, including “Show and Tell: New and Selected Poems,” which was a finalist for the Paterson Poetry Prize. He also writes fiction and screenplays.

“They are all writers that Lisa and I admire a great deal,” Wasserstein said.

In addition to readings, the festival will include afternoon panel discussions on several topics:

– “Writing and What Else?: Ways to Make a Living as a Writer,” March 1, 3:30 p.m., English Department Lounge, Humanities Building

– “We Do it All: Writing Across Genres,” March 2, 3:30 p.m., English Department Lounge, Humanities Building

– “Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Writing for Film'” March 3, 3:30 p.m., Humanities 108

Whether this will become an annual event is up to future organizers, Wasserstein said, “it's certainly something that we hope will become a tradition.”

All events are free and open to the public. Contact Izzy Wasserstein at wasserst@unm.edu for more information.

 


The University of New Mexico is the state's largest university, serving more than 32,000 students. UNM is home to the state's only schools of law, medicine, pharmacy and architecture and operates New Mexico's only academic health center. UNM is noted for comprehensive undergraduate programs and research that benefits the state and the nation.

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