The Fresno State Creative Writing Alumni Chapter celebrated our second summer themed reading, Lit Splash. Admission was $5.

Time: 7 to 8:30 PM
Date: Saturday, June 9, 2018
Place: University Courtyard Pool at Fresno State (5152 N. Barton Avenue)

READERS:
Ethan Chatagnier, Rebeca Flores, Will Freeney, Eddie P. Gomez, Marisa Gutierrez, Gloria Montez, Steven Sanchez, Beatrice Valenzuela, Sally Vogl, HAUNTIE.

Event description: Beat the infamous Central Valley heat at Lit Splash! Cool off with a wave of refreshing local literature performed live, as you enjoy popsicles, sparkling beverages, and the good company of your favorite Fresno writers. If you love poetry and prose, and if you love soaking up the sun, then Lit Splash is the literary pool party for you to dive into.

There were free snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

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Archived livestream from Facebook

The Fresno State Creative Writing Alumni Chapter presented its first Hot Off the Press literary reading, celebrating new books from Fresno Writers. The free event featured Marisol Baca, Ronald Dzerigian, and Steven Sanchez.

Time: 6:30 to 8 PM
Date: Monday, May 21, 2018
Place: Collect Coffee Bar (3142 E. Campus Point Drive)

Marisol Baca is the author of Tremor (Three Mile Harbor Press, 2018). Her work has appeared in Narrative Northeast, Riverlit, Shadowed: An Anthology of Women Writers, The Acentos Review, and others. She received her M.F.A. from Cornell University and won the Robert Chasen poetry award for her poem, Revelato. Currently, Marisol is an English professor at Fresno City College.
Author website

Ronald Dzerigian received his M.F.A. from California State University, Fresno. His poems have appeared in the Australian Book Review, Comstock Review, Prairie Schooner, RHINO, Salamander, and others. His first full-length collection, Rough Fire, is forthcoming late summer 2018. He resides in a small farming community with his wife and two daughters.
Author’s publisher website

Steven Sanchez is the author of Phantom Tongue (Sundress Publications, 2018), selected by Mark Doty as the winner of Marsh Hawk Press’ Rochelle Ratner Memorial Award. A recipient of fellowships from CantoMundo and the Lambda Literary Foundation, he is the author of two chapbooks and his poems have appeared in Poet Lore, Nimrod, Crab Creek Review, Tinderbox, Muzzle, and other publications.
Author website

Author books were for sale, as well as a limited-edition chapbook featuring pieces from all three writers. Food and drinks were available for purchase from The Revue.

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Archive recordings:

The Fresno State Creative Writing Alumni Chapter presented a free panel discussion, After the Final Draft: The Business Side of Writing.

Time: 5:30 to 7 PM
Date: Saturday, November 18, 2017
Location: Peters Business Building, Room 192, inside the University Business Center on campus

This roundtable discussion, moderated by Steven Sanchez, featured authors David Campos, Monique Quintana, and Carole A Firstman. These Fresno State alumni explored the different ways writers approach the business side of being an author.

Some of the topics included: how to pick appropriate journals for your work, strategies for transforming a thesis into a first (chap)book, cover letter advice, opportunities to get paid for writing, how to utilize online tools like CRWOPPS, Submittable, and Duotrope, and the Poets & Writers Database, how to distinguish tiered from standard rejection letters, how to approach and engage editors, how to take advantage of fellowship and grant opportunities, and other advice panelists want to share, along with time reserved for a Q&A session. The panel aimed to leave audience members with pragmatic strategies for navigating the publishing world as authors.

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The Fresno State Creative Writing Alumni Chapter celebrated our second community reading and mixer, Back to the Bucket. Admission was free.

Time: 5 to 7 PM
Date: Saturday, October 7, 2017
Location: The Bucket Grill & Pub on campus

READERS:
Cindy Bradley, Mariah Bosch, Phyllis Brotherton, Wayne Brown, Marisa Mata, Angela Corbett, Eddie P. Gomez, J.J. Hernandez, Sean Kinneen, Esmeralda Gamez, Carleigh Takemoto.

The chapter welcomed ALL creative writing alumni from Fresno State to participate, including those with an MFA (1995 to present) as well as those with a BA or MA in English or another discipline who have studied creative writing here at any time. There was a drawing featuring books by local authors, with proceeds benefiting the chapter. Food and drinks were available for purchase from The Bucket.

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Archived livestream from Facebook

The Fresno State Creative Writing Alumni Chapter celebrated our first summer themed reading, Lit Pup.

Time: 3 to 5 PM
Date: Sunday, June 25, 2017
Place: Gazebo Gardens Nursery (3204 N. Van Ness Boulevard)

The event brought together the love of literature and the love of dogs for one doggone poetic event! It featured literary readings and a competition among dog owners who dressed their dogs as their favorite authors.

READERS:
Emilia Borjas, Wayne Brown, Katreena Duback, Margarita Engle, Carole A. Firstman, Eddie P. Gomez, Alysha Hoffa, Erica Hughes, Aaron Poochigian, Monique Quintana.

FREE Admission. Food trucks. Beer garden. FUN for all ages. NO CATS ALLOWED. Entry for dog competition was $5.

One small dog and one large dog won prizes from Whitie’s Pets as selected by our judges: Mary Castro, First Lady of Fresno State; Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Dean, College of Arts and Humanities; and Bryan Medina, Poet Laureate of Fresno.

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