Have you seen your work in print, given readings, attended other workshops, formed a writing group, worked for a magazine? E-mail your news to farfield@oakland.edu and we’ll make sure to include it as we update the site.

Amy Campbell ('06) reports that an in-class assignments she wrote for Dinty Moore has been accepted by the on-line journal Flashquake for its spring edition (March). The story is named for the assignment, "A Certain Understanding." She also continues to write for her local paper, The Advance, in Blissfield, Mich.

Zilka Joseph ('05) is happy to announce the publication of her first chapbook, Lands I Live In, to be published in spring 2007 by Mayapple Press.

Sara Talpos (’00, “02)) has had poems published in several literary journals, including THE FLORIDA REVIEW, THE AMHERST REVIEW, CONTROLLED BURN, and RIVENDELL, which awarded her its Emerging Writer award. She lives in Philadelphia where she teaches high school creative writing.

Brenna Burns (’03) writes from San Francisco where she says, “I've been volunteering for the 826 Valencia Writing Center. It's an organization that provides free tutoring, writing workshops, and storytelling field trips for kids. We also go to the schools and help out with writing projects in the classroom. I love doing it!”

Elizabeth Pellerito (’02) plans to get a Ph.D. in literature after spending a year in Oxford as a Visiting Student.

Matt Bell (’04) has published stories in HOBART, CELLAR DOOR, THE DRIFTWOOD REVIEW, THE DREXEL ONLINE JOURNAL, ME THREE, and elsewhere, and he’s given his first “real reading” at Delta College. He’s also started a micro-fiction blog called DANCING ON FLY ASH (www.mdbell.com/flyash/) and is hoping to develop a section on his site devoted to news about Michigan writers.

Sarah Wilder (’02) is finishing her degree at Wayne State, contemplating graduate school in Library Science, and busy working for STRUT! MAGAZINE, a new publication for women from Third Street Publishing. She’s also written two plays and performed in a play titled MAHOGANY DREAMS. Sarah also reports that Steve Johnson (’02) is in his third year teaching at Coffee Middle School where one of his students won first place in a national writing contest.

Lynn DiGiacomo (’04) has participated in a writing workshop locally and attended the Springfield Arts workshop where, we’re happy to report, she spread the word about how much she enjoyed Far Field!

Val Condor (’00, ’01, ’02, ’03) has had work appear in RATTLE MAGAZINE and has been active in several writing groups. He’s also helping a friend with a novel and has kept in touch with other Far Field alums.

Jennifer Merrifield (’03) is currently in the MFA program at Virginia Commonwealth University where she’s teaching and assisting with the literary magazine BLACKBIRD. Her work has appeared in TERMINUS, CONTROLLED BURN, WHITEWATER REVIEW, and the anthology WILD SWEET NOTES II.

Jennifer Merrifield also sends along news of Karin Hoffecker (’03), who had her chapbook, SEA OF SILVER GLASS, published by Finishing Line Press.

Karin and Jennifer are also part of the e-group (“Allison’s Far Field Women”) that Far Field faculty member Allison Joseph (’03) set up for her students to keep in touch.

Luise Bollebar (’04) has helped start a student writing group at Oakland University and has had an essay accepted by THE DUNES REVIEW.

Elizabeth Khan (’02, ’03) published a few poems in HANGING LOOSE MAGAZINE and a story in THE DRIFTWOOD REVIEW. She’s also completed her first novel, which is currently with a New York agent.

Nancy Manning (’02, ’03, ’04) is now working at the Saginaw Valley Writing Center as a mentor and has had work in THE CHEYBOGAN DAILY TRIBUNE SENIOR LIVING, CARDINAL SINS, and MICHIGAN OUT OF DOORS, where she recently published her first “sold” piece in the February 2005 issue. Nancy also reports being in touch with John Jamieson, Julia Weston, and Audrey Rudofski.

FAR FIELD FACULTY NEWS

Gerry LaFemina’s lastest collection of poetry is THE WINDOW FACING WINTER (New Issues 2004). The prize-winning THE PARAKEETS OF BROOKLYN is forthcoming from Bordighera Press in a bilingual (English-Italian) edition in 2005. Gerry is currently Director of the Center for Creative Writing at Frostburg State University. One of his newer projects is a journal, REVIEW REVUE, devoted to reviews of poetry. He also continues to design all of Far Field’s publications.

Retreat Director Mary Ann Samyn’s newest book is PURR, out in early 2005 from New Issues. Mary Ann is an Assistant Professor of English/Creative Writing in the MFA program at West Virginia University.

Jerry Dennis’s (’02) most recent book, THE LIVING GREAT LAKES: SEARCHING FOR THE HEART OF THE INLAND SEAS, won the 2004 Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award, as well as the 2004 Gross Award for Excellence in Literature from Saginaw Valley State University, and the 2004 Great Lakes Culture Award from Michigan State University.

Brenda Flanagan (’02) has a new book, IN PRAISE OF ISLAND WOMEN AND OTHER CRIMES, out from KaRuPress (2004).

Allison Joseph (’03) has a new book of poems, WORLDLY PLEASURES, from Word Press (2004). She also reports that she’s started publishing prose and has prize-winning stories and essays in CONFLUENCE MAGAZINE, ALALITCOM, and SEA OATS REVIEW.

Similarly, Sue William Silverman (’04) is now publishing poetry and has two books forthcoming: HIEROGLYPHICS IN NEON from Orchises Press (Jan. 2006) and a chapbook from Main Street Rag Press (Jan.2005). She is also featured in the award-winning documentary "Pursuit of Pleasure."