Big Read presentations, fellowships and scholarships, Summer Fishtrap 2010 lineup

Hello Friends of Fishtrap,

A quickie this week. We're all hustling to stay on top of ...

THE BIG READ

I found myself in Portland this past weekend, and took advantage of the fact to enjoy an up-close and personal viewing of Profile Theatre’s fine staged reading of To Kill a Mockingbird. It was a fine example of “less is more,” as the cast used minimal props to maximum advantage while acting out Horton Foote’s Academy Award-winning screenplay. Meanwhile, here in Wallowa County, we’re just getting started:

Join us at Fishtrap’s Coffin House in Enterprise this Wednesday, January 27, to hear Whitman College history professor David Schmitz speak on “The Structural Origins of Racial Change in Mid-Twentieth Century America.” David, who gave a great talk for us back in 2006 when we were reading Fahrenheit 451, will examine the political and social structures of race relations during the 20th century, and the forces that brought forth the post-World War II Civil Rights Movement. 7 pm. Admission by donation.

And next week, on Tuesday, February 2, we will host a Big Read panel discussion on the question "Who is Your Mockingbird?" In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch teaches that mockingbirds cause people no harm, but only "make music for us to enjoy." And yet some people harm them.

In similar fashion, out of blindness, bias, or prejudice, we can harm others even though they cause us no harm. The panel, moderated by Eastern Oregon University Director of Student Relations Colleen Dunne-Cascio, will examine the ways in which we form our identities with respect to other groups, the ways in which we act with prejudice towards those "others," and the ways in which we can live with each other with respect. Other panel members include Wallowa County residents Katie Boyd, Don Harker, and Angie Lunde. Join us at 7 pm at the Fishtrap house. Admission by donation.

FELLOWSHIPS and SCHOLARSHIPS

We’re still accepting submissions for the Fishtrap Fellows program. It’s a free process, and the blind judging is totally impartial. Five fellowship winners will get a free ride to Summer Fishtrap. Submission deadline is February 1. Details at www.fishtrap.org/fellows.shtml.

We will also have scholarships available for Summer Fishtrap, and it’s not too early to check out the guidelines and send in an application. The Sally Bowerman Scholarship is for working women, and the Frank Conley and Bryn Lunde scholarships are for young people (anyone under 30 years old). Guidelines are available at www.fishtrap.org/scholarships.shtml.

SUMMER FISHTRAP LINE-UP

Speaking of Summer Fishtrap, we’ve got our faculty pretty well lined up, and full details will be available soon. Registration will start on April 1. The theme for 2010 will be “Matter and Spirit,” and we’re pleased to have the following folks joining us:

John Daniel, Brian Doyle, Karen Fisher (historical fiction), Charles Goodrich (Outpost), Ehud Havazelet (fiction), Holly Hughes (poetry), Ursula Le Guin, Jack Loeffler ("aural" history), Amy Minato (memoir), Robert Michael Pyle, Kirsten Rian (kids’ workshop), Beth Russell (teens workshop), Cosy Sheridan (songwriting), Jack Shoemaker, Gary Snyder, and Jane Vandenburgh (yearlong novel workshop)

This promises to be another fine Summer Fishtrap, so keep an eye out here for more details.

FISHTRAP FRIENDS

The Oregon Cultural Trust invites all with an interest in the literary life of Oregon to submit nominations for the next poet laureate of Oregon. There was a 16 year hiatus after the close of William Stafford’s tenure in 1989. Lawson Fusao Inada, the current Poet Laureate, will complete his second term in early 2010. Nominations will be accepted until February 15, 2010. See the Cultural Trust’s website at www.culturaltrust.org/pdf/poet_laureate_nomination.pdf for more details.

PageToFame is a writing contest that allows writers to have their work reviewed by a large audience of readers. An escalating series of submissions and reviews move your work along. The organizers have offered a submission fee waiver to Fishtrap friends. Go to their website at www.webook.com/poll/writers.aspx, and use this coupon code: WGFISH001.

Lost Horse Press is accepting submissions for the Idaho Prize for Poetry 2010, a national competition offering $1,000 plus publication by the press for a book-length poetry manuscript. Check out www.losthorsepress.org for more information.

That’s it for the moment,

Rick Bombaci
Executive Director