New England Review is pleased to present a gathering of faculty and alumni writers during Middlebury’s reunion weekend, June 9, 2:30 p.m. Faculty members Kathryn Kramer and Christopher Shaw, from the Department of English & American Literatures; Stephen Kiernan ’82; Alison McGhee ’82; Jason Tandon ’97; and Bruce Willard ’77 will read from their work in Middlebury College’s Axinn Center, Room 229.
Stephen Kiernan has published nearly four million words in newspapers, magazines, and elsewhere, and his books include Last Rights, an examination of how to die beautifully, and Authentic Patriotism, a call for national renewal through philanthropy and volunteerism. His novel The Curiosity will be out in early 2013; 20th Century Fox acquired the film rights as well. He lives in Vermont with his two amazing sons.
Kathryn Kramer has published novels, short fiction, essays, and reviews. Her most recent novel is Sweet Water. She is currently completing a memoir entitled Missing History: The Covert Education of a Child of the Great Books, an excerpt of which appeared in New England Review (vol. 32, #2),and a novel entitled Countries, Disappearing. She has taught at Middlebury since 1997.
Alison McGhee is living proof that you can major in Chinese and still make your writing dream come true. Alison is a New York Times bestselling author who writes for all ages in all forms, from novels to poetry to essays and picture books. She is the Pulitzer Prize-nominated recipient of many awards, including several ALA Best Book awards. Two of her books have been named among the New York Times Ten Best Books of the Year. She can be found at her website, alisonmcghee.com and also on her blog, where she writes short memoirish things and posts poorly-taken cell phone photos. She loved her four years at Middlebury with all her heart and soul and is still mourning the fact that she had to graduate.
Christopher Shaw has taught writing at Middlebury since 2003. His work has appeared in New England Review, Middlebury magazine, the New York Times, Outside, and numerous anthologies. He is a former editor of Adirondack Life, the author of Sacred Monkey River, a Bread Loaf Fellow, and the associate director of the Middlebury Fellowships in Environmental Journalism.
Jason Tandon is the author of three collections of poetry: Give Over the Heckler and Everyone Gets Hurt, winner of the 2006 St. Lawrence Book Award for a first collection (Black Lawrence Press/Dzanc Books, 2009), Wee Hour Martyrdom (sunnyoutside, 2008), and Quality of Life, forthcoming from Black Lawrence/Dzanc Books in 2013. His poetry has appeared in the Bellingham Review, Columbia Poetry Review, New York Quarterly, Poetry International, and on The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor, and he has published essays and reviews of contemporary poetry in Boston Review, Mid-American Review, Pleiades, and other magazines. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in English from Middlebury College and an M.F.A. from the University of New Hampshire. He teaches in the writing program at Boston University.
Bruce Willard’s poems have appeared in African American Review, Agni Online, Harvard Review, Mead Magazine, Salamander, 5 A.M., and other publications. His new collection of poems, Holding Ground, is due out from Four Way Books spring of 2013. Outside of his work as a poet, he works in the clothing and retail business. He is a graduate of Middlebury College and received a M.F.A. from Bennington’s Writing Seminars in 2010. He divides his time between Maine and California.