Council for Wisconsin Writers

Supporting Wisconsin writers from 1964 to 2022

Nikki Kallio

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CWW Board Member Among Poets Reading at State Book Festival

The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters invites members of the public to join them at the 2015 Wisconsin Book Festival for a reading featuring the Wisconsin People & Ideas 2015 Fiction and Poetry Contest winners. Fiction readers include: Nikki Kallio (Hortonville), Erica Kanesaka Kalnay (Madison), and Kathryn Gahl (Appleton). Poetry readers include Council for Wisconsin Writers board member Lisa Vihos (Sheboygan), Sean Avery (Madison), and Kathleen Dale (Milwaukee).

More information about this event and the Academy’s quarterly magazine, Wisconsin People & Ideas‘s annual writing contests is at www.wisconsinacademy.org/events/wisconsin-people-ideas-2015-fiction-and-poetry-contest-reading#sthash.Nm1AsxSj.dpuf

Information about the Council for Wisconsin Writers’ annual contests, which will be open for entries from Nov. 1-Jan. 31, is at www.wiswriters.org.

The Council for Wisconsin Writers is a non-profit, tax-exempt, membership organization dedicated to promoting local, state, and national awareness of Wisconsin’s great literary heritage and to encourage excellence among today’s Wisconsin writers.

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WI P&I Fiction Winners Announced

Here’s the magazine’s news release:
Congratulations to the Winners of the
Wisconsin People & Ideas 2015 Fiction Contest:

  • “Geography Lesson,” by Nikki Kallio—Hortonville
  • “Duck, Duck, Goose,” by Erika Kanesaka Kalnay—Madison
  • “Stones,” by Kathryn Gahl—Appleon
Winners of the Wisconsin People & Ideas 2015 Fiction Contest receive publication in the magazine and cash awards of $500 (first place), $250 (second place), and $100 (third place). The first-place author also receives a one-week artist residency at Shake Rag Alley School for Arts and Crafts in Mineral Point, and all three award-winning authors will read their stories at the 2015 Wisconsin Book Festival in Madison.
HONORABLE MENTION STORIES AND AUTHORS
“The Confession of Cassius Troy,” by Shaun Melarvie—Sturgeon Bay
“His First Revolution,” by William Lawlor—Stevens Point
“Enough,” by Melaney Poli—Waukesha
“Oh You Kids,” by Jonathan Hakes—Appleton
“Anna’s Quilt,” by Robert Holzman—Wautoma
“The Singing,” by Rheba K. Sanders—Oshkosh
Wisconsin People & Ideas publishes fiction and poetry from Wisconsin writers, highlights new works from our visual artists and photographers, and covers science and environmental issues that affect Wisconsin’s people, lands, and waters. The magazine hosts annual fiction and poetry contests that award cash prizes up to $500, publication in the magazine, and a reading at the Wisconsin Book Festival, and more.  Since 1954, the independentWisconsin People & Ideas magazine has been a trusted resource for people who care about the issues and ideas that shape life in Wisconsin. Wisconsin People & Ideas is available at Wisconsin Academy events and exhibitions as well as selected bookstores, and is delivered quarterly to Wisconsin Academy members and libraries across the state.
This year the fiction contest lead judge is author and poet Nickolas Butler (right). The 2015 contest was coordinated by Jason A. Smith, editor, Wisconsin People & Ideas, and Aaron Fai helped with preliminary judging. The contest received 82 short story submissions from across the state of Wisconsin. All judging was done blindly and ranking was done solely on the merit of individual stories in the opinion of our judges.

Thank you to everyone who submitted their work to the 2015 fiction contest. Your participation is what has made this contest one of the best showcases for Wisconsin writers for over a dozen years. Look for the first- through third-place short stories to appear in forthcoming issues ofWisconsin People & Ideas, beginning with the spring/summer double issue this July. Congratulations to all our winners and honorable mention authors—and keep on writing!

Wisconsin People & Ideas thanks lead and preliminary judges for volunteering their time and

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Lots of WFOP News

The following is from the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets’ Cathryn Cofell-Mutschler:

Monday, SEPTEMBER 15, 6:30 p.m., Harmony Cafe, Appleton ​ – KATHRYN GAHL & WENDY SCHMIDT

Kathryn Gahl loves red lipstick, home cooking, and vintage clothing. The author of Life Drawing Class, a poetry collection, she belongs to The Poets of Mead (Sheboygan).  Find her stories and poems in many journals, including Margie, Salamander, The Notre Dame Review, and Wisconsin People & Ideas. She dances mad hot ballroom with her second and last husband, Robert–that is, when not playing with her grandson, Leonidas. More at www.kathryngahl.com.

Wendy L. Schmidt started seriously writing poetry and short stories about six year ago.  Since then, she’s been published in numerous anthologies, poetry magazines and websites including No Rest for the Wicked, Lake City Poets, B., Dark Moon Digest, Verse Wisconsin, Literary Hatchet, Twisted Dreams, Rebelle Society, Moon Magazine, Chicago Literati, and most recently was featured in The Horror Writers Association, Poetry Showcase Volume 1. She’s also a winner in the Reedsburg Farm/Art Festival and has several blogs including, She’s Got a Short Fuse and Bumpy Night Publications. She has an author page on Goodreads and is now offering up some spooky fun with her latest endeavor, a Youtube Channel entitled. Wendy L. Schmidt, Phantom Poetess.

The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets (WFOP) Fox Valley Poetry Series meets at Harmony Café, 233 E. College Ave, Appleton on the third Monday of most months. Featured reader(s) at 6:30 pm, brief open mic after.  For more information contact Sarah Gilbert at pses@sbcglobal.net .

​ON DECK AT HARMONY:

Oct 20            Paula Anderson and Mariann Ritzer
Nov 17           Joan and Jeffrey Johannes
Dec 1              2015 WFOP Calendar reading with editors Steve and Jeannie Tomasko

 ADDITIONAL READINGS

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NEW NIGHT!  TUES, SEPT 2, EDWARD SCHULTZ AT THELMA, 51 Sheboygan, Fond du Lac: The Foot of the Lake Poetry Collective in partnership with Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts begins its 10th season of readings with poet Edward Schultz at 7 pm, accompanied by avant-garde jazz, duo Frank Wildingway on stand-up bass and clarinetist Robert Perry. Edward is founding President of the Driftless Writing Center, Inc., Viroqua, and current board member of Council for Wisconsin Writers. His writing has appeared in dozens of literary journals and anthologies; Atlanta Review, Chronogram, Rosebud, Haight Ashbury Literary Journal, Willow Review and has received a Contributing Editor’s Pushcart Nomination for his poetry. He has acted as preliminary judge for the Wisconsin People’s & Ideas Magazine poetry contest. Edward works as writing coach, mentor, and facilitates reading and writing workshops.

The reading is free and open to the public with an open mic following the featured reader. All readings take place on the first Tuesday of the month, September through May. For more information contact Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts or marywehner@charter.net.

NEW! FRI, SEPT 12:  Join the Fox Cities Cycling Association on our Moonlight Poetry Ride 8 pm at City Park in Appleton.  This free event will bike through the streets of Appleton in search of sidewalk poetry.  Helmet and lights required – more information at https://www.facebook.com/events/677983958950212/

SAT, SEPT 6, THE BAY AREA SPOKEN WORD POETRY NIGHT FEATURES MARYBETH MATTSON:  Help Barnes & Noble, Stadium District, Green Bay kick off spoken word poetry nights on the first Saturday of each month, 7:00 p.m.  Open to all ages and experience levels, with a special focus on youth, young adults and children. Try your hand at spoken word poetry and get tips from experts!  Singer/songwriter Marybeth Mattson first took to the stage as a performance poet in college. Moving home to Door County after completing college, Marybeth began singing with her mother (folk musician Jeanne Kuhns) before beginning to write and perform her own songs, solo at first, and later with Seth Raddatz. With lyrics that are both poetic and deliberate, Marybeth offers a new twist on the folk genre as she enchants listeners with level and lovely vocals.

 WED, SEPT 10, JUDY ROY featured at the DICKINSON POETRY SERIES: On the second Wednesday of every month the Dickinson Poetry Series features a reading by a local or regional poet followed by an open mic and reception. The public is welcome, and admission is free.  7:00 p.m. at the UUF, 10341 Highway 42 in Ephraim.  For more information visit www.uufdc.org or call 920.854.7559.

TUES, SEPT 23, JANET LEAHY at the Caramel Crisp, 200 E City Center, Oshkosh at their new time of 6:15 p.m.   Janet is a member of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets and the American Academy of poets. Her poems have been published in a variety of print and online journals including The Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar, Wisconsin People and Ideas, Fox Cry Review and Verse Wisconsin and several anthologies including Empty Shoes, Echoes, The Clearing Speaks, Goose River Anthology, and Wingbeats II.   Her first collection of poetry was “The Storm, Poems of War, Iraq.”  Poems in her most recent book “Not My Mother’s Classroom” are drawn from her experience teaching in Milwaukee.

An open mic will follow where participants may read one or two of their own poems or poems by others that they love.   Come early and enjoy a meal or grab a cup of coffee!  For more information, contact Kay Sanders at rksanders42@gmail.com or Mandi Isaacson at mandiisaacson@gmail.com

THURS, SEPT 25, READER’S LOFT PRESENTS CATHRYN COFELL, ROBERT VAUGHN & MARILYN WINDAU, 6-8 PM:  The trio will read poems around the theme of  “New Beginnings”  — bring your own to share for the open mic!  2069 Central Ct, Suite 44, Green Bay.   Welcome All! Open to the Public.   Wine, water, coffee, light finger food available.  Call 920-406-0200 or email amy@readersloft.com for more information.

WORKSHOPS & CONFERENCES

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New at The Mill: A Place for Writers

Note that in two of the classes offered, the maximum enrollment is 8,

so don’t wait too long. All classes held at Atlas Coffee Mill (www.atlascoffeemill.com)
425 W. Water Street, Appleton, WI 54911

Monday Nights (7 to 9 p.m.)

1. Poetry Workshop – “Wearing the Mask” Poetry and Persona– with Karla Huston

8 weeks, 9/15 – 11/3. 8 students only. Fee is $200.
Contact: info@karlahuston.com

2. Fundamentals of Fiction – with Steve Polansky

10 weeks, 9/15 – 11/17. 12 students only. $250
Contact: smpolansky@hotmail.com

Wednesday Nights (7 to 9 p.m.)

1. Writing Authentically – with Nikki Kallio
8 weeks, 9/24 to 11/17. 12 students only. $200.
Contact: nikkikallio@yahoo.com

2. Poetry Workshop – with Bruce Dethlefsen

8 weeks, 9/17 – 11/5. 8 students only. $200.
Contact: bpdethlefsen@gmail.com

3. English Prose Style – with Steve Polansky

10 weeks, 9/17 to 11/19. 12 students only. $250.
Contact: smpolansky@hotmail.com

Mill Saturday with Abby Frucht

The Tarot of Character” (for fiction and non-fiction writers)
Saturday, 9/13, 9 a.m – 12 p.m. Class fee: $65, which includes lunch, tax and tip and morning coffee.
Class is open to 12

 DEADLINES & SUBMISSIONS

CALL FOR POEMS ABOUT DOOR COUNTY for an anthology to be published in 2015, tentatively titled Soundings: Door County in Poetry.  The Door County Poetry Collective invites poets who have lived, worked or visited Door County for extended periods of time to submit up to 3 poems by September 5, 2014.  We welcome original poems about specific people or places, the topography, the social, cultural, historical or political milieu and/or the “spirit” of Door County. The editors are looking for fresh, accessible poems that reflect many kinds of experiences in this place–from Brussels and Forestville all the way to Rock Island, from the Bay side to the Lake side and everywhere in-between.

Poems may have been published if no fee is charged for re-publication. Poems may be in free verse or forms but they should be limited to one page in 12-point type. Electronic submission in the body of an email or a Word.doc attachment is required (doorcountyanthology@gmail.com). Please put “DC Anthology Submission” in the subject line of your email. Please include a brief (50 word) bio that describes your association with Door County. Questions may be addressed to estella.lauter@gmail.com.

Call for 2015–2016 Wisconsin Poet Laureate!

Beginning August 18, 2014, applications are welcome from individual poets who are seeking the position. Applications may also be submitted by a person who is nominating a poet for the position of Wisconsin Poet Laureate. A complete application package must be sent to the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission at wipoetlaureate@gmail.com no later than October 10, 2014. Application instructions and additional information are available at www.wisconsinacademy.org/newpl.