Jitters

Can’t sleep. First writing workshop tomorrow!

*My short blog will make a little more sense as soon as you read my corresponding post workshop blog. Consider this a little preview of the fun Arnold Hall participants and I will be having tomorrow night during our first Bolton session!

Meet Our Fall 2011 Workshop Leaders

... or Boltoneers, as we like to call them. And stay tuned for more info about workshop dates and times.

Justin D. Anderson, of Weirton, WV, graduated with an English degree from West Virginia University in 2000. He primarily writes fiction and admires many authors but returns most to the work of Raymond Carver, Lydia Davis, Anton Chekhov and Cormac McCarthy. Prior to coming back to WVU to pursue his MFA, he covered the West Virginia Legislature as a reporter for the Charleston Daily Mail. Justin will be working with writers in Dadisman/Stalnaker.

Melissa Atkinson is a second-year poet. Melissa will be working with writers in Summit.

Lisa Beans is from rural Nebraska. She received her Bachelor's of Arts in English at Nebraska Wesleyan University. She is a poet. Some authors she likes are Thomas Hardy, James Wright, Christine Garren and Jeffrey McDaniel. She can knit scarves and only scarves. Lisa will be working with writers in Bennett Tower.

Ben Bishop is a native Kentuckian from a suburb south of Cincinnati called Burlington, and studied English with a creative writing emphasis at Kentucky Wesleyan College, also minored in music. He is a poet of the American confessional stream, but also delves into flash fiction and electronic poetry-- yes, you read that correctly. He loves classic Transcendentalist authors, as well as Christian mystics and scholars (Emerson, Annie Dillard, Thomas Merton) for brain food, and Carver, T. C. Boyle, and Lewis Nordan for gems of fiction. His biggest hobby is easily consumer tech/personal computers; he speaks Linux, Windows, Android, and generally runs a pro bono tech support service for friends and family. Ben will be working with writers in Fieldcrest.

Matt London is a 3rd year MFA student in WVU's poetry program. He has taught English 101 here for 2 years and looks forward to teaching 102 this fall. A graduate of Waynesburg University, Matt's background in writing includes poetry, fiction, and dramatic writings, both electronic and print. Publications in Muse & Stone, past simple, Connotation Press, and Zero Ducats. Matt will be working with writers in Brooke.

Because of divorce Connie Pan has two hometowns: Lahaina, Maui, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. She’s not bitter —it’s just a premeditated explanation because most people ask why she would ever leave Hawaii. She got her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing at Grand Valley State University. She’s dabbled in all genres but fiction is her love. She adores Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Junot Diaz, Sherman Alexie, Janet Fitch and Kate Braverman. Her name is twenty-four letters long. If she ever gets married, she’d be tempted to hyphenate her name just to make it longer. She likes long names. Connie will be working with writers in Arnold.

Andi Stout hails from Belington, WV, and received her undergraduate degree in English with a minor in Philosophy from WVU. Her focus is poetry, but she writes in creative nonfiction, fiction, and screenplay as well. Andi is a fan of great writers and three of her favorites teach right here at WVU: Jim Harms, Mark Brazaitis, and John Ernest. In an attempt to combat issues related to social anxiety, Andi has dyed her hair purple. Andi will be working with writers in Braxton.

Rebecca Thomas is from Orange County, California (the land of Disney, The OC, and Arrested Development). She received her undergraduate degrees in creative writing and screenwriting. She is a fictioneer who has writerly crushes on Salman Rushdie, Sandra Cisneros, Flannery O'Connor, Carson McCullers, Daniel Handler (and his alter-ego Lemony Snicket), Dave Eggers, Mark Twain, Arthur Miller, and David Sedaris. She was married in Yosemite National Park. The first house she lived in with her husband was a re-purposed 1920s community center and church for the fruit packer community. Rebecca will be working with writers in the Honors Hall.