Writing Events

All posts in the Writing Events category

Light to Dark: Using Mood to Create an Effective Narrator

Published March 15, 2017 by Philip Ivory

The Writers Studio Tucson Lecture Series presents

Light to Dark:
Using Mood to Create an Effective Narrator

Join us for an evening of craft and conversation featuring local Tucson writers Donna Aversa, Phil Ivory, and Lilian Vercauteren

When: Thursday, March 23, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Woods Memorial Library (3455 N. 1st Ave)

This event is free and open to everyone.

The moderated panel discussion will feature these Tucson Literary Luminaries:

  • Donna Aversa is a fiction writer who has studied and trained to teach at The Writers Studio Tucson, and is passionate about The Writers Studio method. With degrees from the University of Arizona, she is an attorney in private practice. Donna is currently working on a collection of short stories.
  • Phil Ivory studied literature at Columbia University. His fiction has been published in The Airgonaut, Literally Stories, Devolution Z, Bewildering Stories and elsewhere. Nominated in 2017 for the Pushcart Prize, he was previously a winner of the 2015 Writers Studio “Write-to-Read” contest and Bewildering Stories’ 2016 Mariner Awards. Phil teaches at The Writers Studio Tucson and maintains a blog at writeyourselfsane.com
  • In her early twenties, Lilian Vercauteren came to the US to see what the fuss was all about. More than a decade later, she has only barely scratched the surface of discovering the American spirit. She has written and published several short stories and is currently querying a novel length manuscript with literary agents. She is an alumni of The Writers Studio Tucson Master Class.

Questions? Contact Reneé Bibby at renee@writerstudio.com or 520-591-8795.

 

Epiphany Magazine Spring Writing Contest

Published February 23, 2017 by Philip Ivory

Deadline’s been extended to March 1 for this contest run by Epiphany magazine. There’s cash money to be had, so consider entering!

 

ANNUAL WRITING CONTEST

Our annual Spring writing contest deadline has been extended until Wednesday, March 1. We have four fantastic judges—writers whom we respect and admire—judging this year. They are:- Peter Ho Davies (Fiction)- Saïd Sayrafiezadeh (Nonfiction/Memoir)- Patricia Smith (Poetry)- Ann Goldstein (Translation: Fiction) —–1st Prizes: $400 + publication in our contest issueRunners-up: $100 + publication in our contest issue*Contest submission fee includes a free 1-year subscription to Epiphany (a $23 value). Join our mailing list to be notified about future submission periods.

Source: Epiphany Magazine Submission Manager

11th Annual Short Story Challenge

Published February 22, 2017 by Philip Ivory

I recently participated in the 11th Annual Short Story Challenge, sponsored by NYC Midnight. Each writer is given a prompt involving three elements: a genre, subject, and character assignment.

My genre was political satire (something I’ve not done before, and I wasn’t jumping for joy to be assigned it.) My subject was a loophole. My character was a bodyguard.

I tend to enjoy the creative challenge of responding to arbitrary parameters. The piece I ended up writing is called “How We Cured Racism.” I had 8 days to write it (a maximum of 2500 words) and uploaded it in time for the Contest’s first round deadline on January 28.

I’ll find out in March whether I will be selected to advance to the second round, which will require responding to new parameters and writing a piece at a maximum of 2000 words, but this time in only 2 days.

I hope I get to try the next round, as I found the first one stimulating and was pleased with the result. Currently, I’m revising the story and hope to start submitting it for publication soon. I’ll post more about the contest as soon as I hear anything. 

 

Tucson Poetry Event: The Offering with Eleanor Kedney

Published September 8, 2016 by Philip Ivory

Join Writers Studio Tucson for a special event on Sept. 9.  For details, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1684550965200130/

 

Eleanor Kedney’s poems constantly surprise the reader with flashes of sheer intelligence and attention to language. While her spirited work no doubt engages the intellect, these are also poems of the body and the voice; this book never disappoints. The sensuality of The Offering is unavoidable and ultimately joyous. There is a music here that sings and rings and lingers in the mind.

—Juliet Patterson, winner of the Nightboat Books Prize

Fiction Publication: Most Of Us Are From Someplace Else

Published July 5, 2016 by Philip Ivory

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I’m pleased that today the online literary journal, “Literally Stories,”  published my short story, “Most Of Us Are From Someplace Else.” It’s about a group of eccentric characters who have created an unusual community in an abandoned railway station in a town in Pennsylvania. Read it here.

“Literally Stories” was launched in 2014, created “by writers for writers.”  It showcases a wide spectrum of short story fiction from new and emerging writers to more seasoned authors.

This story wouldn’t exist except for the “Write-to-Read” challenge issued last September by Writers Studio Tucson. The contest was open to past and present students of the Writers Studio and featured a writing challenged crafted by award-winning Tucson author Adrienne Celt. The writing prompt centered on the idea of “nested narratives,” inspired by the image of the matryoshka, or Russian nesting doll, containing smaller dolls.

I was honored that my entry was chosen as one of three winners of the contest, and I enjoyed the privilege of reading my story aloud at a Writers Studio event last November. (Read more about the event here.)

In accordance with Adrienne’s writing challenge, the story has a larger narrative in which are contained smaller back-stories about the residents of this oddball community, each of whom has suffered some disillusioning experience before finding a place to call home.

I hope you’ll read “Most Of Us Are From Someplace Else” and let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Upon a Time: How Fairy Tale Feeds Fiction

Published May 10, 2016 by Philip Ivory

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Tucson writer friends … unlock the mythic story-telling power of fairy tales, and enrich your own writing. Join our friends at Tucson Writers Studio for this enthralling and illuminating event at Tucson Hop Shop on Saturday, May 14.

Beer and fairy tales, a combination devoutly to be wished!

Follow the link to learn more:

Source: Upon a Time: How Fairy Tale Feeds Fiction

Challenge! | World of Horror

Published December 8, 2015 by Philip Ivory

Recently, the World of Horror blog held a cool challenge:  Write a horror story in only two sentences.  Well, a winner was chosen and it wasn’t me …. but my entry is below, just for the fun of it. After you read my entry, go and check out the others including the winner on World of Horror.

 

After having, in rage, bludgeoned Janie with a hammer until she’d finally staggered and fallen, he had then dragged her sticky, unmoving form to the woods, and was now grimly patting down the rocky soil that covered her in the grave he had dug with the shovel. Reaching for his phone to check the time, he found his pocket empty, and stood as still as death as he heard the eerie beep-beep-beep of a cell being dialed, the sound rising up from below the cold stony ground at his feet.

Source: Challenge! | World of Horror

Public Reading of My Story

Published November 13, 2015 by Philip Ivory

On Nov. 7, 2015, I had the privilege of reading my short story, “Most of Us Are From Someplace Else,” at a public event held by the Writers Studio Tucson.

I’m in the advanced class of Writers Studio, and was eligible to enter the 2015 Write-to-Read competition.  I was honored to be named one of three winners, along with Jenny Hedger and Lisa Harris.  The judge was Tucson novelist and friend of the Writers Studio Adrienne Celt.  Here we are all together last Saturday:

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At Tucson’s first Write-to-Read Event. From left to right: Jenny Hedger, Lisa Harris, Adrienne Celt and Phil Ivory. (Photo by Writers Studio Tucson.)

We had an excellent turnout, so good in fact that many had to stand while the three stories were read.  I want to thank my good friends who came out to support me and other writers.

The Writers Studio Tucson is doing a great job putting together public events like this to encourage the growth of local writers.

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Lots of literary Tucsonans turning out for the 2015 Write-to-Read event on Nov. 7. (Photo courtesy of Kim Kloes.)

Reading my story was a very rewarding experience. It was a little nerve-wracking at first, looking out at so many faces and not knowing if people were enjoying or even following my story. But I started to hear laughter at some appropriate points and I knew that the audience was with me. After that, I was able to relax a bit and enjoy the experience.

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Phil Ivory. (Photo courtesy of Kim Kloes.)

I know, as a listener, it can be hard to follow a story being read. Become distracted for a moment and you can lose the whole thread, and there’s no paging back to reclaim your bearings. So I tried to read as clearly and deliberately as possible.

I got lots of positive feedback afterwards, both on the read and the story itself, and I’ll be submitting the story for publication shortly.

Congratulations to my fellow writers, and special thanks to Adrienne as well as Writers Studio teachers Renee Bibby, Janelle Drumwright and Lela Scott MacNeil for putting this fantastic event together.

Writers Studio: My First Contest Win

Published November 6, 2015 by Philip Ivory

Very excited … I recently submitted a story to the Writer Studio Tucson’s first “Write to Read” Contest.  My entry,”Most of Us Are From Someplace Else,” was chosen as one of the winners.  That means I get to read my story in its entirety at a public event tomorrow night here in Tucson.

I’m grateful to the teachers at Writers Studio Tucson for helping me grow as a writer and for spearheading this contest and hosting the reading.  Also, thanks to local author Adrienne Celt for creating the writing prompt for the contest, which reflected structural elements in her fine novel, “The Daughters,” available on Amazon.

Looking forward to seeing many fellow writers and other friends at the reading tomorrow.

You can read the contest announcement below:

 Write to Read Announcement 3

FROM WRITER STUDIOS TUCSON:
The Writers Studio Tucson teachers are excited to announce our first ever Write-to-Read contest, featuring guest judge Adrienne Celt, whose debut novel The Daughters was published in 2015.

Join us for a reading of the three winning stories! Lisa Harris reading “Spilled Milk”; Phil Ivory “Most of Us Are From Someplace Else”; and Jenny Hedger reading “Threads.”