In the News: Saints and Sinners 9.5, Occupy Writers, and the Normal Life
Author: TT Jax
November 22, 2011
In order to have an extra spectacular tenth anniversary celebration (particularly in light of unfortunate funding cuts), the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival will be postponed until May 2013. In May 18-20 of 2012, Saints and Sinners is holding SAS 9.5, a fund raising event for the tenth anniversary festival in 2013. The SAS 9.5 agenda includes a “book launch cocktail party celebrating our 3rd annual short fiction contest, a series of custom manuscript review sessions, and a few special events”. Speaking of the third annual short fiction contest, the December 1st postmark deadline is fast approaching. Check out the website for guidelines and details.
Dean Spade, Assistant Professor of Law at Seattle University, editor of the online journal Enough (be sure to check out the call for submissions!), and founder of the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, a crucial organization that “works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination or violence”, released a book from South End Press this month. In Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics, and the Limits of Law, Spade pushes beyond politics of inclusion geared towards equal access and legal protections. More in-depth information on the book is available via an interview with Dean Spade in Guernica Magazine.
The Occupy Movement, now in day 67 after the initial Adbusters call to action led to the first encampment in New York, has inspired much hope, criticism, and momentum in supporters and detractors alike. Many esteemed artists, musicians, organizations, and authors have joined or done teach-ins for the Occupy movement, including Judith Butler, philosopher, professor, queer theorist, and well-known author of such titles as Gender Trouble and Undoing Gender. Butler gave a speech at an Occupy encampment in October in Washington Square Park. Several literary journals have devoted themselves to writings and reflections of the Occupy movement, including Fringe Magazine, Occupoetry, and N+1. A list of writers that have publicly signed in support of the Occupy Movement, including Ursula K. Le Guin and Noam Chomsky among many, many others, can be perused on the Occupy Writers Petition here.
Finally, another upcoming deadline: Glimmer Train‘s Short Story Award for new Writers is due November 30th. $15 entry fee, between 1,000 and 12,000 words, unpublished works by emerging authors only. Cash prizes, publication, and contributor’s copies for winners.
