What I love most about mnartists.org’s literary contests (What Light and miniStories) is the rich diversity of our state’s writerly talent they reveal each year. After the jurors read through their anonymous piles of poetry and flash fiction, without fail, the resulting assortment of winners always astounds me. Emerging writers show up on the finalist lists, side by side with established writers, acclaimed up-and-comers, and folks never-before-published.
And the pieces we’ve been lucky enough to put before our readers… I can only urge you to read them yourself through the coming months, and you’ll see — these mnLIT poems and stories are never predictable or easily typed. Rather, they’re by turns surprising, poignant, witty, whip-smart, tricky, and painfully honest. But as varied as these writers are, the pieces are uniformly superb. Keep your eye out for them in each issue of access+ENGAGE: we’ll be publishing two mnLIT winners per month through next spring.
And you must come to the readings! These aren’t buttoned-up affairs – mnLIT celebrations are downright rowdy. The crowds are enthusiastically responsive, the libations flow, and the stories and poems you’ll hear each night are unmatched.
The first of our 2010 mnLIT readings is tonight! If you’re free, you really must come.
The first mnLIT winners’ celebration & reading is tonight, Monday, September 20 at the Red Stag Supperclub in Minneapolis, from 7 – 9 pm. Admission is free and open to the public.
Tonight’s readers will include:
Todd Boss (2010 What Light Poetry Project juror)
Kim Teeple
Hillary Wentworth (2010 miniStories grand prize winner)
About your host for the evening: lead miniStories juror Dennis Cass is a writer, teacher and performer. He is the author of HEAD CASE: How I Almost Lost My Mind Trying to Understand My Brain (HarperCollins). His work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Harper’s Magazine, Mother Jones and the online journal Slate. Dennis also gives writing and career advice on his blog, Dennis Cass Wants You To Be More Awesome (www.denniscass.com)
Read the full list of mnartists.org’s 2010 mnLIT finalists and grand prize-winners here >>
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