Endicott College/Ibbetson Street Press Visiting Author Series Nov. 18, 2010

(Beverly, Mass.)



The Endicott College/Ibbetson Street Visiting Author series will continue Nov. 18, 2010 with poets Miriam Levine and Bert Stern. The series directed by Ibbetson Street Press founder Doug Holder, will be held at Endicott's Halle Library at 4P.M. The series is open to the public, and will include an open mike after the features. Free admission. Check http://endicott.edu for directions to the college.








"I'm interested in people and their stories,"
says Miriam Levine. Her most recent book is The Dark Opens, winner of the 2007 Autumn House Poetry Prize. She is the author of In Paterson, a novel, Devotion: A Memoir, three poetry collections, and A Guide to Writers' Homes in New England. Her work has appeared in Harvard Review, The Kenyon Review, The Paris Review, and Ploughshares, among many other places.


A recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts writing fellowship and grants from the Massachusetts Artists Foundation, she was a fellow at Yaddo, Hawthornden Castle, Le Château de Lavigny, Villa Montalvo, Fundación Valparaíso, and the Millay Colony for the Arts.

She is Professor Emerita at Framingham State College, where she chaired the English Department and was Coordinator of the Arts and Humanities Program.
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Miriam Levine now divides her time between Florida and Massachusetts. Currently she is at work on a new novel and a poetry collection.









Bert Stern is Milligan Professor Emeritus at Wabash College, and has also taught at the University of Thessaloniki and at Peking University. At present, with his wife, Tamlin Neville, he edits Off the Grid Press. Bert also teaches in an alternative sentencing program called Changing Lives through Literature.

Bert’s poems have appeared in Poetry, Hunger Mountain, The American Poetry Review, Beloit Poetry Review, Ibbetson Street, and in many other journals and anthologies. Steerage, his recent poetry collection, is on the “Must Read” list selected by the Massachusetts Book Award. He has been nominated tfour times for a Pushcart Prize, and is the recipient of an Artist’s Grant from the Somerville Arts Council.


Interview with Miriam Levine by Doug Holder


http://dougholder.blogspot.com/2008/04/poet-miriam-levine-makes-dark-open.html


Bert Stern's Blog

http://bertstern.blogspot.com




Interview with Miriam Levine by Doug Holder

Book Fair --- Haverhill Public Library-- Aug 26, 2010

PARTICIPANTS




Christopher & Nancy Obert, owners of Pear Tree Publishing and authors of “The Next Harvest, Vineyards & Wineries of New England.” (Event Organizer)



Coralie Hughes Jensen, author of the novels “Passup Point,” “Lety’s Gift” & “Winter Harvest.” (Event Organizer)



Christopher Golden, nationally famous author of many comic books, plays, horror & fantasy novels, including “Wildwood Road,” Straight on Til Morning” and Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels.



Allan Hunter, author of “The Six Archetypes of Love” and “Stories We Need To Know.”



Bruce Valley, author of “Seahawk: Confessions of an Old Hockey Goalie, “Flying Frenchmen: The Story of the Berlin Maroons and the REAL Hockeytown USA” and “Rye Harbor, Poems of the New Hampshire Seacoast.”



Claire Gibeau, author of 2 novels and 8 children’s books.



Elena Dorothy Bowman, author of “The Sarah’s Landing” Series.



Jean Foley Doyle, author of “Life in Newburyport, 1900 – 1950” and “Life in Newburyport, 1950 – 1985”



K. D. Mason, author of “Ice Harbor” and “Changing Tides.”



Lucinda Marcoux, author of “King of the Forest.”



Nate Kenyon, author of many horror books and short stories including “Prime” and “The Bone Factory.”



Tracy Carbone, short story author with stories in the “Traps” anthology and many other publications.



Scott Goudsward, author of horror novel “Trailer Trash,” editor of “Traps” and author of the non-fiction horror guidebook “Shadows over New England.”



Paul Stone, author of “Or So It Seems” and “How to Train a Rock.”



Monique & Alexa Peters, authors and illustrators of “Cooper and Me.”



Michael LaFosse & Richard Alexander, owners of Origamido Studio and authors of numerous books on origami.



Ashlyn Chase, author of “Strange Neighbors” and other Romantic Comedy.



Anna Soria, editor of “Voices of Haverhill” poetry by Greater Haverhill Poets.



Jeanine Malarsky, author of “Black Raspberries.”



Anne Ipsen, author of “Karen from the Mill”, a novel from the golden age of sail; as well as other novels.



Christina James, Author of “Naughty and Wicked Romance...With No Strings Attached” and other novels.



Cindy Davis, author of the novel “Voice from the Ashes.”



Dave Daniel, author of “Murder at the Baseball Hall of Fame.”



Ed Marshall, author and creator of the hand made poetry books “Sandalwood,” “Lilacs” and “Ripples.”



John Katsaros, author of the World War II memoir “Code Burgundy, the Long Escape.”



Kevin Conley, comic book illustrator for comics such as “Kid Houdini and The Silver-Dollar Misfits.”



Michael Bisceglia, author of the novel “Room 600.”



Michael Kilday, author of numerous Spiritual books.



Michaeline Della Fera, author of “Women at the Table.”



Nikki Andrews, author of “Chicken Bones” and “A Windswept Star.”



Pat Emiro, author of the memoir “Finger of God” and the poetry book “Expressions from His Heart.”



Roxanne Dent, author of supernatural Romance novels.



Doug Holder, founder and editor at Ibbetson Street Press – which publishes the best of the small press poetry.



William Bond, author of many business books.



The Greater Haverhill Poets, a group of poets and writers based in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Authors of the poetry compilation books “Pen & Brush,” “Voices of Haverhill” and “Poetic Fairy Tales.”

4th annual Ibbetson Street Poetry Contest Deadline Sept 15, 2010

4th annual Ibbetson Street Poetry Contest





Ibbetson Street Press is pleased to announce the 4th annual Ibbetson Street Poetry Contest.

The winner of the Ibbetson Street Press Poetry Contest award (must be a Massachusetts resident) will receive a $100 cash award, a framed certificate, publication in the literary journal "Ibbetson Street" http://ibbetsonpress.com/ and a poetry feature in the "Lyrical Somerville," in The Somerville News. The award will be presented at the Somerville News Writers Festival: November 13, 2010. The Somerville News Writers Festival is in its eight year and has hosted such writers and poets as: Rick Moody, Franz Wright, Robert Olen Butler, Sue Miller, Tom Perrotta, Steve Almond, Sam Cornish, Margot Livesey, Robert Pinsky, and many others. The Festival was founded by Timothy Gager and Doug Holder in 2003, and has been sponsored by The Somerville News, GRUB STREET, Porter Square Books and others.

To enter send 3 to 5 poems, any genre, length, to the Ibbetson Street Press 25 School St. Somerville, Mass. 02143. Entry fee is $10. Cash or check only. Make payable to "Ibbetson Street Press." Deadline: Sept 15, 2010.

The contest will be judged by The Somerville News Arts Editor and founder of the Ibbetson Street Press, Doug Holder http://dougholderresume.blogspot.com.

The winners will be announced at the Somerville News Writer's festival, where they will receive his or her award. A runner up will be announced as well.

Bagel Bards Reading at Newton Open Studios May 16, 2010

(click on picture to enlarge)

--Photo by Jack Scully

Doug Holder, Paul Steven Stone, Steve Glines and Andrey Gritsman to read at KGB Literary Bar in NYC June 9, 2010

The Event is "Boston Small Press Poetry Scene"



BOSTON SMALL PRESS POETRY SCENE
KGB Bar, 85 East 4th StreetNew York City, NY
June 09, 2010
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Doug Holder is the founder of the Ibbetson Street Press. His poetry and prose have appeared in Rattle, Long Island Quarterly, Endicott Review, Main St. Rag and others. Doug is the author of many books and chapbooks. He teaches writing at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, and Endicott College in Beverly, Mass. He holds an M.A. in Lit. from Harvard University.

Paul Steven Stone’s writings have appeared in a boatload of newspapers and magazines. His comic masterpiece, Or So It Seems has been called “A rollicking spiritual page-turner!” His story collection, How To Train a Rock, was culled from 25 years of genre- and mind-bending columns. Stone lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts and works as Director of Advertising for W.B. Mason.

Andrey Gritsman is a poet, essayist and translator, born in Russia. He writes in two languages. His works have appeared in multiple magazines and anthologies. Andrey is the author of several collections and recipient of an honorable mention in the Pushcart Prize Anthology, and his current book of poems Live Landscape has just been released by Cervena Barva Press.

Steve Glines is the founder and Editor of Wilderness House Press and WHLReview. He is the author of Seven Days in Fiji a literary travelogue and the poetry chapbook Opuscula (Cervena Barva Press). His works have appeared in Ibbetson Street Press, four Bagel Bard Anthologies and elsewhere. Steve is also editor-in-chief at ISCS Press.

Host: Susan Tepper

Women Musicians Network 13th Annual Concert at the Berklee Performance Center March 4, 2010

Women Musicians Network 13th Annual Concert
at the Berklee Performance Center
March 4, 2010

Directed by Lucy Holstedt & Christiane Karam

By Reza Tokaloo


As a drummer and a music fan, I have been looking forward to this evening—and writing about it. I arrive at the event at 8:00 pm, 15 minutes before the opening act. My wife and I find two seats in the rapidly filling BPC. Looking around as the starting time approaches, the venue appears close to sold out.

At 8:15 Lucy Holstedt—our main emcee for the evening—walks onto the stage, along with fellow Berklee faculty member Christine Karam and student leader Arielle Schwalm. Lucy welcomes the audience, gives a brief overview of the W.M.N. group, and then the concert is off to a rousing start with a vibrant Brazilian act. Vocalist Tais Alvarenga and her Samba band have a hip-swaying intensity that fills the performance center.

This is just the first of 12 acts. Lucy Holstedt explained to me several days before that the W.M.N. “listening committee” received over 120 submissions last fall; this meant a long weekend of deciding which dozen would create the best, most diverse musical “set.” (Space constraints will prevent me from commenting on all the acts, but every one was first-rate—as evidenced by the applause that erupted frequently from the audience.)

Pianist Sonia Belousova, from St. Petersburg, Russia, is one of the crowd’s favorites. Her original “contemporary classical” piece Humouresque is an amazing demonstration of creativity, fun, passion and solo technical virtuosity.

Soon after, a rousing performance is turned in by Nadia Washington and her all-male band. Nadia mesmerizes the crowd with her composition When You Fall. Nadia’s silky voice has an amazing range. And what a great improvised segment between Nadia and her drummer! Great scat-vocalizing and stage presence make for a powerful song, and an equally strong crowd response.

Hanna Barakat’s Cycle takes us on a multi-faceted journey through her Lebanese identity, exploring both inner (personal) and outer (regional, Israeli-Palestinian) motifs in a piece that combines Middle Eastern rhythms and modern rock. Hanna’s group includes oud and quanun players, plus two backup singers. There is a strong peace message.

As the next act prepares to take the stage, Lucy announces that a special award is being given to Nabil and Joseph Sater, the “creative visionaries” responsible for the famous Middle East restaurants and nightclubs in Cambridge, as well as the extensive Center for Arts at the Armory, in Somerville.

A quick note on the history and mission of the W.M.N.: this student group, co-founded by Lucy Holstedt (also its faculty advisor) was created in response to a request by female students: as a minority at Berklee College of Music, they wanted a greater opportunity to perform. As the percentage of female students has increased, this annual concert has expanded to include a significant number of male performers. Still, the focus is on Berklee women—as composers, band leaders, bass players, lead guitarists, producers, and in other roles more often associated with men.

You don’t see lots of female drummers, for example, but Ayeisha Mathis is tremendous. I enjoy watching her as part of a group from City Music, the Berklee music education program that gives opportunities to public school students in the city. The group, Voices of Mercy, performs a gospel/spoken word piece inspired by the situation in Darfur (Sudan).

Another unique treat is the duo of Julgi Kang (violin) and Evan Veenstra (electric bass). Julgi and Evan playfully converse musically in the aptly titled Funky Caprice No. 24, Ms. Kang’s arrangement of a work by Paganini. Julgi’s violin takes on the serious voice, and Evan uses a slap bass technique in their quirky, virtuosic exchange.

Vocalist and songwriter Jill Peacock gives the evening some lyrical humor with her piece Embrace Technology, in which it quickly becomes clear that technology is the last thing she wishes to embrace. She has arranged a witty and well- written jazz study, with all members of her group giving very solid performances.

Indie-rock group Mrs. Danvers, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Ann Driscoll, has gathered a solid cult following in the area after being together only about a year, and it sounds like a large number of their followers has turned out tonight. Mrs. Danvers presents solid instrumental chops and lots of classic rock moments in Driscoll’s What Did I Do.

The finale begins with Ayumi Ueda and her group Women of the World onstage, performing—with bassist Karien DeWaal—a song written by Karien and co-arranged with Ayumi. As Life Has a Cycle unfolds, two lines of Berklee women make their way down the aisles through the crowd and then up on stage to joining the others, forming an extended chorus. A very percussive piece, Cycle finally builds into the crescendo of the night, as all the evening’s prior performers come out and join in.

The Women Musicians Network 13th Annual Concert was a great event for Berklee and a treat for the surrounding community. The evening flowed extremely well and all of the acts moved steadily into each other with “tuning time” or other (typical) technical issues all but invisible. And it’s difficult to imagine a broader range of the musical spectrum being fit into an evening that lasted less than two hours.

You can get on the W.M.N. mailing list by going to thewmnclub@gmail.com. They may have more events before the next annual concert, which is always held in March.