Humanities Symposium Program Finalized

Thanks to the hard work of Professors Annette Sisson and Andrea Stover, the finalized program for the 8th Annual Humanities Symposium is available here. Participants include Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver and memoirist and environmental activist Janisse Ray. Set aside the dates now!

Rock Operatically!

Jennifer Harwell, BU M.A. alum and Artistic Director of Nashville In Motion in collaboration with the Peter Moon Band, invites you to an ENCORE performance of FIX/what's your monkey at the Belcourt Theater August 15th, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. This performance is brought back by audience demand to see a longer, extended version of the rock opera.

Jennifer choreographed this event as well as co-developed the story, and hopes the attention the rock opera is getting will enable them to take it on the road. Get your tickets early!

Haiku Contest Deadline Fast Approaching!

The Haiku Contest
Deadline approaches quickly;
Submit ripe verse now!

BU English Call for Writers

BU English is seeking writers for articles to be posted on the blog (like this one). If you are an alum, write up what you're doing and send it to me at david.curtis@belmont.edu. If you are a current grad or undergrad and would like to add to your published writing portfolio, there are several events about which we'll need write-ups, from visiting speakers to the Humanities Symposium and the Southern Festival of Books and more. Or if you're doing something for your internship that you'd like to write about or promote, we can do that, too. Email me, call me at 460-6307, or come by my office (Wheeler 200-E) to talk to me in person.

English Majors Meeting August 28

On Friday, August 28, there will be a mandatory meeting of all undergraduate English majors at 10:00 in LCVA 117. Please put this event on your calendars for the Fall!

Program Note: English Major on Today Show

Here's an early program note: Jordan Christy will be on the Today show - the Kathie Lee & Hoda hour - on August 13, promoting her book, How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World: The Art of Living with Style, Class & Grace. Jordan will also be having a signing/release party at Davis-Kidd (Green Hills location) on August 27. And of course she'll be here for a couple of sessions on September 11. Set your DVRs!

Hot Tomato Haiku Contest

English major Eileen Fickes, who is interning at Bookfool.com this summer, wanted everyone to know about the Hot Tomato Haiku Contest, going on from now until July 31. You may submit up to 10 tomato-related Haikus in several different categories. Winners will be invited to read their poems onstage during the Tomato Art Fest Award Ceremony in East Nashville on August 8. For details, click here.

If you want to try a few out, use the comments section below!

P-O-E-T-H-O-N

(submitted by Dr. Danielle Alexander)

Hope your summers are going well and that you're surviving the heat.

The Nashville Poethon is a fundraiser for a spoken-word group in Nashville (Youth Speaks) who's trying to get to Chicago later in the summer for a large spoken-word poetry festival. Some Belmont students have already been working with these folks and it seems to be a great group. I have signed up to lead a half-hour of the Poethon (I'll be reading Oulipean poets and leading some interactive Oulipean word-games). It's going to be a lot of fun, and the Poetry Stand will be in evidence.

Let me know if I can answer any questions about this event. Meanwhile, enjoy the long sunny days!

New English Majors, Vol. 7

All of our new English majors not introduced in Volumes 1-6 will be coming at you in a special August edition!