UIUC Creative Writing

Professor Michael Madonick reads "American Kestral," from his new poetry collection, Bulrushes. Bulrushes is forthcoming in early spring from The Backwaters Press. Listen

MFA candidate in poetry and Ninth Letter staffer Angela Hine reads "Out There," her essay reflecting on In Cold Blood from a Kansas native's perspective. "Out There" appears in the Spring/Summer 2012 edition of Ninth Letter. Listen

MFA candidate in fiction and Ninth Letter staffer Laura Adamczyk reads her essay on growing up in the Midwest, "Of Fossils (Softball) and Catfish: Or, the Essay Is in the Ground," which appears in the Spring/Summer 2012 edition of Ninth Letter. Listen

Professors Alma Gottlieb (Anthropology) and Philip Graham (Creative Writing) read from their newly published memoir Braided Worlds. Listen

Creative Writing major Sidney Sheehan was awarded the 2012 John L. Rainey Prize in Fiction, the first place award for fiction in the Undergraduate Creative Writing Awards. This year's judge was Susan Power. For more information about the Undergraduate Awards, visit the Undergraduate Awards page. In this month's podcast, Sidney reads from her award-winning story "Rock." Listen

English major Kelsey Wiora was awarded the 2012 Folger Adam, Jr. Prize in Poetry, the first place award for poetry in the Undergraduate Creative Writing Awards. This year's judge was Maxine Scates. More information about the Undergraduate Writing Awards can be found on the Undergraduate Awards page. Here, Kelsey reads her award-winning poem "Diving a Gainer." Listen

Eric Tanyavutti, MFA Candidate in Fiction, has won first place for fiction in the 2012 Graduate Writing Awards. This year's judge was Joseph Skibell. More information about the Graduate Writing Awards can be found on the Graduate Awards page. Here, Eric reads an excerpt from the opening passages of his award-winning story "Brothers." Listen

Sara Gelston, MFA Candidate in Poetry, has won first place for poetry in the 2012 Graduate Writing Awards. This year's judge was Tyehimba Jess. More information about the Graduate Writing Awards can be found on the Graduate Awards page. Here, Sara reads the poem "The Root Cellar," a selection from her award-winning work. Listen

Professor LeAnne Howe reads an excerpt from her novel in progress, "Memoir of a Choctaw in the Arab Revolts." Creative Writing graduate student Natalie Mesnard gives the introduction. Listen

Professor Alex Shakar reads from his recently released novel Luminarium (Soho Press, 2011) and Professor Philip Graham reads from his forthcoming memoir, co-authored with Alma Gottlieb, Braided Worlds (Univ. of Chicago Press, Fall 2012). Creative Writing graduate students Laura Adamczyk and Michael Don give introductions. Listen

Professor Janice Harrington reads from her latest poetry collection The Hands of Strangers, and assistant editors Sara Gelston and Max Somers read poems by Laura Lee Washburn and Roger Reeves from the latest issue of Ninth Letter. Listen