Take a free MR class from Tamara Kaye Sellman at the Write-O-Rama!

June 7 marks the semi-annual fundraiser for Seattle's Richard Hugo House.

Seattle-area MRists:
Collect $45 or more in sponsorships and you can come on down to the House (a groovy eclectic place on Capitol Hill), chow for free, and choose from more than 30 different workshops taught at Seattle's Richard Hugo House. Open mics and wrap session included!

It's a great chance to mix with area writers, sample the literary finery at the House, and generate some terrific new writing.

My class will happen during the morning shift of hour-long workshops:

ALCHEMY 101
The magical realist method for turning lead into gold (and back
again)
One of the key markers of magical realism is the peaceful coexistence of
the magical with the mundane. Using insights from magical realism, we'll create
fictive situations, both ordinary and extraordinary, then rewrite them as their
opposites. This workshop's all about stretching our own writerly perceptions.
Great for writers of all forms.

I would love to see you there, so if you do come, please introduce yourself if you get the chance. I'll be there at the door signing in participants and helping throughout the day as well.

It's a really fun event and all the money collected goes to a really important literary cause. Come for a couple of hours or stay for the day: your choice. Registration begins at 9:30; classes start at 10am sharp!
More info

RE: Big Blog of Marvel

While this blog has completed its cycle, you can still read all about magical realism at the new blog, Big Blog of Marvel. Come one, come all, and if you'd like to contribute as well, just contact me at magicalrealismmaven (at) hotmail (dot) com.

MRNews Update

From Tamara Kaye Sellman, director, MRCentral.net:

Thanks for your support of this news feature associated with Margin, MRCentral and magical realism literary news in general. I've enjoyed putting this regular newsblog together over the years, but now must bid it adieu as my schedule and focus have shifted to other related pursuits. Any future news interests I am interested in developing will be done through the private, members-only portal, MRCentral.net. If you are not yet a member, but wish to become one, simply visit the site's front page and click on "join" for further instructions.

Members of MRCentral and past contributors to Margin are encouraged to contact me directly with their own MR-related news (book releases, short work publications, awards, workshop and education news, etc.) at magicalrealismmaven [at] hotmail [dot] com.

Also, if you are already an active member of MRCentral, you can certainly post your news directly to the yahoo! group message site and thereby skip the middleman (me).

Thanks again and don't forget to keep it [magically] real!
Fondly, TKS

RE: NEW MAGICAL REALISM MENTORSHIP

PRESS RELEASE, June 8, 2007 (for immediate release, please forward to interested parties)
Tamara Sellman, director of MRCentral, announces the first annual Magic Carpet Ride, an innovative one-on-one creative writing mentorship.

This competitive opportunity is the first of its kind to provide specialized instruction, direction, and motivation specifically for a writer of literary magical realism.

The purpose of the Magic Carpet Ride mentorship is to assist a promising magical realist writer from anywhere in the world in the completion of a polished manuscript by the end of the session which can then be actively submitted to potential publishers.

Qualification This mentorship, valued at $1500, will be awarded annually, and on a competitive basis, to a single applicant who is able to demonstrate: • a deep commitment to completing their work in progress • strong writing skills • a desire to learn and to succeed • a good understanding of the magical realist nature of their manuscript
Applications for the 2008 mentorship session are now available.

Postmark deadline for receipt of all application materials for the 2008 mentorship session is October 31, 2007. Email deadline for receipt of all application materials for the 2008 mentorship session is midnight [Pacific time], October 31, 2007.
More info