asu poly

Laurie Notaro Talk September 17th, 6 pm

Superstition Review

Laurie Notaro: “Cracking Up! Humor between the Lines in Literature & Writing”

(Mesa, AZ, September 6, 2013) –Superstition Review is continuing its popular reading series this fall with a talk, book-signing, and Q&A with Author Laurie Notaro.

Laurie Notaro was born in Brooklyn, New York, then spent the remainder of her formative years in Phoenix, AZ, where she created something of a checkered past. She is the New York Times Best-selling author of the humor memoirs The Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club, Autobiography of a Fat Bride, I Love Everybody and Other Atrocious Lies, We Thought You Would Be Prettier, Idiot Girls’ Christmas, There’s a Slight Chance I Might Be Going to Hell, and The Idiot Girls.

She is a terrible typist, doesn’t suffer Big Ikes very well, and lives under an assumed name in Eugene, Oregon where her neighbors believe she is writing about them, but she is not. She has a cute dog, a nice husband and misses Mexican food like a limb lost to diabetes.

While no one can exactly teach you how to be a comedian, this talk can demonstrate where to find the funny, how to get it off to a running start, establish timing, and then incorporate humor into your writing. Notaro will discuss the mechanics of humor, voice, the role of rhythm, subject matter and the value of relatability, as well as writing for your audience vs. writing for yourself while merging the two approaches.

This Superstition Review event is co-sponsored by the School of Letters and Sciences and Project Humanities as part of Project Humanities’ Fall 2013 Kickoff Week, with the theme of “Humor…Seriously!” The evening will include refreshments, a book sale and signing, and an author Q&A.

 

WHO:  Laurie Notaro with Superstition Review and Project Humanities
WHAT:  Talk, Booksigning, and Q&A
WHERE: ASU Polytechnic Campus, Cooley Ballroom
WHEN: Tuesday Sep 17, 6 pm
For further information:  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1377315692498730/ or e-mail superstition.review@gmail.com

Spotlight on Sarah Dillard, by Haley Larson

Superstition Review

sarahdillard_0_0Sarah Dillard, Fiction Editor for the dazzling new issue of Superstition Review, shared a few moments of her busy schedule with me to discuss her experiences as a student intern. An Illinois native, Sarah joined the Literature, Writing, and Film major at Arizona State University’s Polytechnic campus in 2007 after a few years in Indiana. This is her first semester with Superstition Review. She will pass her knowledge along to next semester’s interns as she wraps up her undergraduate career in preparation for next month’s graduation.

Haley Larson: What is your preferred genre as a writer? As a reader?

Sarah Dillard: As I writer, I prefer to write Nonfiction because it allows me to tap into my inner emotions to create a piece of work that emulates my life and beliefs in some form. When I first began taking nonfiction writing courses last semester, I was a bit intimidated by the process of writing about myself and allowing others to read my work. Since then, I have been able to reflect on my writing and release any inhibitions that I previously had. As a reader however, I prefer fiction pieces because they allow me to escape my own reality and focus on something new and interesting.

HL: Who influences your own work and your aesthetic?

SD: It’s hard for to pin point just one author who influences my own work and aesthetic; there are many authors who that I find inspirational and influential! For me, it’s best to surround myself with different writing styles and try to take the inspirations I have drawn from their writing to incorporate it into my own unique style.

HL: How did you first hear about Superstition Review? Who or what aspect of the internship encouraged you to apply?

SD: I first heard about Superstition Review before I even applied to ASU. I emailed Duane Roen to ask him about the Literature, Writing, and Film program and internship opportunities and he mentioned that Trish Murphy started an online literary magazine. I knew I wanted to save the internship until my last semester of school, so as soon as I received the application, I filled it out right away. I wanted this internship because I knew I would gain a great deal of knowledge and insight into the publishing business.

HL: What do you think of the online/paperless format of this internship and publication?

SD: One of the reasons I was attracted to this internship was because it was offered entirely online. I have such a busy schedule, so I liked that it offered a flexible working/learning environment. I feel like I am more creative and productive late at night, so this internship has allowed me the opportunity to work whatever hours I choose, as long as I get my work done. By having Superstition Review published in an online format allows for easy accessibility to our readers. How often to you come across a good article in a magazine just to find out the magazine was accidentally thrown out or misplaced? Superstition Review keeps archives of issues which allow readers to see accomplishments of the past, as well as the present. Even though this magazine is relatively new in the literary field, Superstition Review has published high profile authors in past issues and this online format lets readers view works from these prominent authors.

HL: What has been one of your most exciting assignments/responsibilities at Superstition Review this year?

SD: This whole process has been exciting! One of my favorite moments of Superstition Review was having the opportunity to interview highly successful authors whom I admired and respected. Mary Sojourner and Erin McGraw are big names in the literary field; I was star-struck! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience to connect to the literary world.

HL: What is currently keeping you busy at Superstition Review?

SD: I just finished reading a record number of submissions and sending out acceptance/rejection letters. It was a very time consuming process but I learned so much from it! Now I am just anxiously awaiting the launch of Issue 3 while tying up some loose ends.

HL: With a record number of submissions this year, how have you balanced being a student and a member of busy literary and art journal?

SD: At first, it was hard to find balance between this internship, taking 22 credit hours, and working on top of that. After the first few weeks though, I began to find myself in a routine that I was comfortable with. I think the key to maintaining balance is to stay focused and organized, not to mention laugh at the crazy moments I can’t control! These elements have helped me immensely throughout this internship and semester.

HL: How has your understanding of a literary journal changed by being a part of Superstition Review? What surprises you most about the start-to-finish process of publishing an issue?

SD: I have always had an interest in the publishing world but never knew what it entailed or the work that goes behind publishing a magazine. There were times where I would think to myself there’s no way I’m going to get this done, but in the long run, I learned that everything falls together with hard work. I have even more respect for editors and publishers of literary magazine because of this experience. I can’t say there’s anything that surprised me, because I honestly didn’t know what to expect when signing up for this, which allowed me to keep an open mind and go with the flow.

HL: How has this experience enhanced your education or preparedness? What do you think you’ll take away from this internship after its completion?

SD: This internship has provided me with hands-on work experience that I don’t think I could have gained anywhere else. The online learning environment required me to communicate effectively with peers and stay on top of tasks. I have also increased my organization skills immensely. This internship also taught me what it’s like to work as a team on a project that I can be proud of. Everyone at Superstition Review has been extremely helpful whenever I’ve had a question or was confused about something. I share the role as a fiction editor with Rebekah Richgels who has helped me guide me throughout the process of publishing this magazine. Even though this was an online environment, I feel I was able to connect with my managing editor, advisors, and peers.

HL: Will you consider working on another publication after completing your internship with SR? What are your plans post-graduation?

SD: Once I graduate in May, I plan to return to school to obtain my teaching certification. I want to teach high school composition and literature. This internship has inspired me to create a classroom publication once I am a teacher that will allow students to manage and organize a literary magazine. I want to pass the skills I have gained through Superstition Review to my students.

Spring 2009 Reading Series

Superstition Review

Reading

Superstition Review hosted its first of two readings for its Spring 2009 Reading Series. The Reading Series began in 2008 with a goal to “form a writing community where students can interact with published authors, and where students can also share their own work,” according to Patricia Murphy, Managing Editor of Superstition Review. On March 16th, authors Cynthia Hogue and Peter Turchi dazzled the audience at ASU’s Polytechnic campus with their poetry and short fiction. Hogue read a group of elegant poems that the audience could relate to well, and Turchi read a comical short story that entertained, as well as enlightened, the audience. Those who missed the reading will be able to enjoy an audio podcast of the event here later this month.

Cynthia Hogue
The last reading in the Spring 2009 Reading Series will be held on April 20th at 7:30 p.m. in the Cooley Ballroom of ASU’s Polytechnic campus and will feature student writers from ASU. Students interested in reading their work should e-mail superstitionreview@asu.edu, title it “Student Reading Series,” provide reliable contact information, and paste the work they plan to read in the body of the e-mail. The deadline to submit is April 10th. The final reading will also be a launch party for the new issue, so be sure to attend.

Peter Turchi

Spring Reading Series

Superstition Review

Monday, March 16th Superstition Review will be hosting the first reading of its Spring Reading Series. Arizona State University Creative Writers Cynthia Hogue and Peter Turchi will share their poetry and fiction. The reading will be held in the Cooley Ballroom at the ASU Polytechnic Campus at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The reading is generously sponsored by the Student Affairs organization at the Polytechnic Campus and is catered with organic food shares donated by the CSA. Our menu includes:

Swiss Chard Boules Stuffed w/ Chili Pepper Risotto
Roasted Vegetable Dumplings w/ Dipping Sauce
Local Orange Pico de Gallo w/ Tortilla Chips

Cynthia Hogue has published nine books, including an electronic chapbook, Under Erasure, in thedrunkenboat.com (December 2007), The Incognito Body (2006), and two co-edited editions, Innovative Women Poets: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry and Interviews (2006), and the first edition of H.D.’s The Sword Went Out to Sea, by Delia Alton (2007). Among her honors are an Arizona Commission on the Arts Project Grant and a MacDowell Colony Residency Fellowship, both in 2008. Professor Hogue taught in the M.F.A. program at the University of New Orleans before moving to Pennsylvania, where she directed the Stadler Center for Poetry at Bucknell University for eight years. While in Pennsylvania, she trained in conflict resolution with the Mennonites and became a trained mediator specializing in diversity issues in education. In 2003, she joined the Department of English at ASU as the Maxine and Jonathan Marshall Chair in Modern and Contemporary Poetry.

Peter Turchi is the author of five books: a novel, The Girls Next Door; a collection of stories, Magician; a non-fiction account of the exploits of treasure hunter Barry Clifford, co-written with the subject; an artist’s exhibit catalog, Suburban Journals: The Sketchbooks, Drawings, and Prints of Charles Ritchie; and Maps of the Imagination: The Writer as Cartographer. He has also co-edited, with Charles Baxter, Bringing the Devil to His Knees: The Craft of Fiction and the Writing Life, and, with Andrea Barrett, The Story Behind the Story: Twenty-Six Stories by Contemporary Writers and How They Work. He is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. He has taught at Northwestern University, Appalachian State, and the University of Houston, and for 15 years he directed and taught in the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers. He now teaches and is Director of Creative Writing and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University.

Join us Monday, March 16th to see these talented writers present their original work. I personally have found the readings not only enjoyable and enlightening, but inspirational to my own work as a writer. I have found few experiences to be as motivational as attending a live reading with contemporary authors. The readings have grown increasingly popular over the past year since the magazine first began the series, and our upcoming reading looks to be our most popular to date. We here at Superstition Review are excited to have such respected authors representing the magazine. We look forward to seeing you all there.

written by Alisha Allston

Changes to Website

Superstition Review

If you’ve visited our Homepage recently, you’ll notice some sizable changes. While we’re still in the process of changing some things around, we’re doing our best to make our site as interactive as possible. We want to be an online literary magazine that not only hosts great writing, but does so in a way that compliments the meaning of the writing we’re publishing.

But don’t forget to keep a lookout for our Inaugural Issue, which debuts at the end of April. And as always, don’t forget to check the News Blog for the most recent updates about Authors, Events, and changes to the Superstition Review Homepage.

The Deadlines Have Just Begun

Superstition Review

kevinrosseel_031408_060.jpgEven though the deadline for the potential authors of Superstition Review has already passed, the deadlines are only just beginning for us here at the magazine.

After receiving hundreds of submissions, we need to have all of the final selections for our Inaugural issue decided by March 24th at the latest. The prospect is overwhelming to say the least, especially with all of the amazingly creative and high-quality work that we have received.

We here at Superstition Review can’t thank everyone who submitted their work enough; sending in your work to a publication takes a lot of courage, and we know that for many of you, your writing is a small part of yourself. But we can’t reinforce enough that even if your piece is not published in Superstition Review, we are honored that you shared it with us.

So here’s to a wonderful start of a busy week, and to a wonderful cast of authors, editors, and a wellspring of incredible writing for all!

Who is Superstition Review?

Superstition Review

If you’ve stumbled on this blog after searching on Google or WordPress, welcome! This blog is actually just a very small part of Superstition Review, the online literary magazine for Arizona State University’s Polytechnic Campus.

While this blog gives frequent updates of our progress here at the magazine, please check out our website to learn more about us.  If you’re an author who is interested in submitting work, please visit our Submissions page by clicking here.