Showing posts with label Vermont College of Fine Arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vermont College of Fine Arts. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Same Busy Saturday Part 3: The Amazing Jandy Nelson & The Sky is Everywhere

Saturday evening, I went to Jandy Nelson's book launch party at Books Inc Opera Plaza in San Francisco. What fun. There was a whole crew of alums from Vermont College's MFA program in writing for children & young adults (and a whole lot of other fans) to celebrate Jandy's debut YA novel, The Sky is Everywhere. Have you read this book? It's amazing. You must read it!

The Sky is Everywhere & VCFA is Everywhere, too!
Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA alumni and current students from the left (back), Lynn Hazen, Sharry Wright, Marsha Morrow, Jandy Nelson, Ann Jacobus, Page Koehlert, and Annmarie O'Brien. Frances Lee Hall in the front. More MFA alum arrived later but it was too crowded with Jandy's fans to gather for another photo op!
Above, Jess from Books Inc (in the back) helped keep things running smoothly. Here's Jandy again, the gorgeous book cover, and Page in pink!

Below is Alisha Niehaus, Jandy's editor at Dial/Penguin, and Jandy of course.
(Below) Jandy Nelson and Annmarie O'Brien, another VCFA MFA grad. Annmarie is teaching a class in Writing the YA Novel at UC Berkeley Extension. Starts soon, so register now all you budding YA novelists!

Jandy, Lynn, and Julia Whelan, the narrator of the audio version of The Sky is Everywhere. I hear the audio book is brilliant, too.

Forecast: Everyone is going to love The Sky is Everywhere.

What do you think, Imaginary Readers? Have you read this book yet? Are you going to?

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Hunger Mountain Announces Winners of Katherine Paterson Prize

Press Release:
Hunger Mountain announces winners of Katherine Paterson Prize

September 28, 2009—Montpelier, VT— The winner of the Katherine Paterson Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing is Liz Cook from Roslindale, Massachusetts, the editor of Hunger Mountain announced today. Ms. Cook’s short story for young adults, “Crazy Cat” has earned her a $1,000 prize and publication in Hunger Mountain, the national arts journal published at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

“We received 300 entries—and the talent and dedication apparent in those entries was overwhelming,” says Miciah Bay Gault, managing editor of Hunger Mountain.

Katherine Paterson, the award-winning author of Bridge to Terabithia, judged the contest. Along with a first place winner, she chose three honorable mentions: Susan Hill Long from Portland, Oregon, for her middle grade novel excerpt “Tornado;” Emily Jiang from Palo Alto, California for her young adult novel excerpt “Paper Daughter;” and Tricia Springstubb from Cleveland Heights, Ohio for her story for young children “No Mistake.” Each honorable mention receives $100 and publication on Hunger Mountain online.

Gault called Liz Cook last week to let her know she’d won the much publicized Katherine Paterson Prize. “She couldn’t believe it,” says Gault. “She was so excited to think that Katherine had read—and enjoyed—her writing.”

Hunger Mountain is a print and online journal of the arts showcasing fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, interviews, writing for children, and visual art. Visit Hunger Mountain for more information about the Katherine Paterson Prize and three other writing prizes offered annually.

Vermont College of Fine Arts, which houses the editorial offices for Hunger Mountain, is the first college devoted entirely to low-residency, graduate fine arts programs, offering three MFA
degrees in Writing, Writing for Children and Young Adults, and Visual Art.


(End of press release and back to Lynn).
Congratulations to Liz Cook, Susan Hill Long, Emily Jiang, and Tricia Springstubb as well as the finalists.

Imaginary Readers,
I think you will find great inspiration at Hunger Mountain.
Find out more info about the contest here:
http://www.hungermtn.org/contest-news

and here:
http://www.hungermtn.org

Read an amazing talk by Katherine Paterson here.

Learn about VCFA (Vermont College of Fine Arts) MFA Program here.

Yes, some of you know I earned my MFA at VCFA. People often ask me if the program was worthwhile. I always answer: Yes, yes, YES!!

Read an interview with Bethany Hegedus & Kekla Magoon, co-editors of the Children and YA section of Hunger Mountain here.

Forecast: More great stories from Hunger Mountain, VCFA, Liz Cook, and the honorable mention writers and finalists!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Katherine Paterson Prize for YA and Children’s Writing

Katherine Paterson Prize for YA and Children’s Writing

This is so cool! It just arrived in my mailbox from Vermont College of Fine Arts. I love Vermont College. I got my MFA there in Writing for Children & Young Adults. Who doesn't love Vermont College? Who doesn't love Katherine Paterson? Not to mention $1000 prize money for this contest! Who doesn't want or need $1000 plus did I mention Katherine Paterson???? Wow!

Take a look:

Hunger Mountain presents the Katherine Paterson Prize for YA and Children’s Writing

Calling all YA and children’s writers! We are thrilled to present the inaugural Katherine Paterson Prize for YA and Children’s Writing in Hunger Mountain.

Hunger Mountain, the arts journal of Vermont College of Fine Arts, will launch our new online arts journal early this summer. Our new site will include YA and Children’s Literature; we’ll feature articles on hot topics and trends in YA and children’s literature, interviews with publishing industry insiders, and fiction selections by well-known and up-and-coming YA and children’s authors. Upcoming issues will feature pieces by Katherine Paterson, Carrie Jones, Cynthia Leitich Smith, K.A. Nuzum, Rita Williams-Garcia, Sara Zarr and many others!

Writers of Young Adult Fiction, Middle Grade Fiction, and Picture Books are encouraged to enter the Katherine Paterson Prize for YA and Children’s Writing. Newbery Award winning author Katherine Paterson will judge. We’re looking for unpublished YA and children’s writing. One winner will receive $1000.00 and publication in Hunger Mountain online, and two honorable mentions will receive $100.00 each.

Entries may include:
• Young Adult Fiction (novel excerpt or short story)
• Middle Grade Fiction (novel excerpt or short story)
• Picture Book (text only)

Submission Fee: $20 per entry

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked by June 30th, 2009

Contest Guidelines:
Your packet should include four items:
• A one-page cover sheet that includes:
o Your name, address, email and phone number
o The title of your manuscript
o The category of your manuscript (YA, MG, PB)
o A brief (one to two paragraph/200 word) bio of yourself
o A brief (one to two paragraph/250 word) synopsis of your manuscript

• Your manuscript (original, unpublished work please):
o Up to 5,000 words of middle grade/young adult fiction, or one picture book manuscript (text only)
o Entries must be double-spaced, with margins of at least 1”
o Please number the pages of your entry, and label each page with the title
o Please DO NOT label the manuscript with your name (entries will be judged anonymously)
o Please paperclip (do not staple) your entry
• Entry Fee:
o Check or money order for $20, payable to Hunger Mountain
• Self-addressed, stamped envelope for notification of award winners
• A self-addressed, stamped postcard for us to acknowledge receipt of your entry (optional)

Packets should be mailed to:
Katherine Paterson Prize for YA and Children’s Writing
Hunger Mountain
Vermont College of Fine Arts
36 College Street
Montpelier, VT 05602

Forecast: A whole lot of good writing in Hunger Mountain!