November 2008

Welcome to November, friends, and a new format for Inkmail. November 1st marks the day that writers around the country embark on that great challenge known as National Novel Writing Month. Unfortunately for me, the novel I was meant to write has already been written (Drop City by T.C. Boyle) and while NaNoWiMo’s slogan may be “No Plot? No Problem!” it looks like a problem for me this year. But if you are lucky enough to have a story that needs telling, or a character you are waiting to explore, go for it! And don’t forget to bring it along to our community critique nights (see schedule below) and join in our fellowship of local writers who are refining their own stories.

Happy Writing, Amy Stevens, For Inkberry

Congratulations!

Jill Gilbreth, Instructor at MCLA and former Executive Director of Inkberry has been honored by BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES 2008, edited by Salman Rushdie. Her story “When the Stars Begin to Fall” was published in the Fall 2007 issue of Ploughshares and has been included in the list of the “100 Other Distinguished Stories of the Year,” along with Inkberry Advisory Board member Jim Shepard.

Congratulations to Jill and Jim.

Community Critique Group

1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 7:30pm Free Want feedback on your stories or poems? Looking for an alternative to a class? Share your work with local writers in this welcoming community-based workshop. Members submit their writings and receive feedback on a rotating basis. Feel free to drop in and observe. Open to writers of all levels and styles. The workshop meets at the Inkberry office (Western Gateway Heritage Park, 115 State Street, Building 1, 2nd floor) in North Adams. It’s led by members of the group. For more information, contact Inkberry by phone at 664-0775 or by e-mail.

Friday, December 5, 10:00 am at the Milne Public Library, 1095 Main Street, Williamstown, MA Book Discussion Group sponsored by the Williamstown Council on Aging discusses A Sudden Country by Karen Fisher. For questions or additional information call (413) 458-5369, or visit the website.

Wednesday, December 10, 7:00 pm at the Milne Public Library, 1095 Main Street, Williamstown, MA What is Written is Written, from Stone to Stage Series, Lecture: “Art Inspired by Books” with projected images. For questions or additional information call (413) 458-5369, or visit the website.

Saturday, December 13, from 7:00 - 9:00 pm at Papyri Books, 45 Eagle Street, North Adams, MA, Free Inkberry and Papyri Books present WordPlay featuring Jennifer Trainer Thompson reading selections from her book The Joy of Family Traditions: A Season-by-Season Companion to 400 Celebrations and Activities. For questions or additional information call (413) 664-0775, or visit the website.

Berkshire Literary Events in November and December

Wednesday, November 5, 7:00 pm at MCLA, Murdock Hall on Church Street, Room 218 Stephen Collins will perform as the great American bard, Walt Whitman. You can check out reviews of Collins performance at: http://www.unlaunchedvoices.com. The event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, November 6, 3:00 pm at the Milne Public Library, 1095 Main Street, Williamstown, MA The Garden Readers Book Discussion Group will discuss A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. For questions or additional information Contact Patricia Ross-DaVall at (413) 458-5369.

Thursday, November 6, 7:00 pm at Williams College, North Academic Building 241, Williamstown, MA Lecture: Modern Lebanese Literature by Iman Humaydan Younes. For additional information visit the Williams College website.

Friday, November 7, 10:00 am at the Milne Public Library, 1095 Main Street, Williamstown, MA Book Discussion Group sponsored by the Williamstown Council on Aging discusses Blue Shoe by Anne Lamott. For questions or additional information call (413) 458-5369, or visit the website.

Saturday, November 8, from 7:00 -9:00 pm at Papyri Books, 45 Eagle Street, North Adams, MA, Free Inkberry and Papyri Books present WordPlay featuring poet and humorist Seth Brown. For questions or additional information call (413) 664-0775, or visit the website.

Tuesday, November 11, 4:00 pm at Williams College, Griffin 3, Williamstown, MA Fiction Reading by Uwem Akpan, Nigerian author of Say You’re One of Them. For additional information visit the Williams College website.

Thursday, November 13, 4:00 pm at Williams College, Griffin 3, Williamstown, MA The Novel in the World Series lecture by Simon Gikandi from Princeton University. For additional information visit the Williams College website or contact the English Dept. at 413-597-2114 or pmalanga@williams.edu.

Thursday, November 13, 7:30 pm at Blodgett House, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, 84 Alford Rd., Simon’s Rock, Great Barrington, MA Poetry & Fiction Series: Reading by Pulitizer Prize winning poet, Yusef Komunyakaa, author of the poetry collection Warhorses. For additional information visit the Simon’s Rock website.

Tuesday, November 18, 6:00 pm at the North Adams Public Library, 74 Church Street, North Adams, MA Happy Bookers discussion of novels by Vermont Author Archer Mayor. For questions or additional information call (413) 662-3133, or visit the website.

Wednesday, November 19, 7:00 pm at the Milne Public Library, 1095 Main Street, Williamstown, MA What is Written is Written, from Stone to Stage Series, Lecture: “To Protect and Destroy: A Place for the Cure of the Soul and Forbidden Words” with host Robert Campanile. For questions or additional information call (413) 458-5369, or visit the website.

Friday, November 21, 11:00 am at the North Adams Public Library, 74 Church Street, North Adams, MA Tea & Talk, discussion of Norwegian journalist Asne Seierstad’s non-fiction book Bookseller of Kabul. For questions or additional information call (413) 662-3133, or visit the website.

Friday, November 21, 7:00 pm at the Milne Public Library, 1095 Main Street, Williamstown, MA What is Written is Written, from Stone to Stage Series, Theatre “Moving the Earth, Silencing Galileo,” with host Robert Campanile. For questions or additional information call (413) 458-5369, or visit the website..

Thursday, December 4, 3:00 pm at the Milne Public Library, 1095 Main Street, Williamstown, MA The Garden Readers Book Discussion Group will discuss Peony in Love by Lisa See. For questions or additional information Contact Patricia Ross-DaVall at (413) 458-5369.