Scissortail 2011: Call for submissions

* The Scissortail Festival celebrates published, established and emerging authors reading from their creative works of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. (No workshops, how-to, propaganda or pre-arranged panels are acceptable). Reading sessions will be mixed-genre and styles and will consist of 3 – 4 readers per session.

* Authors should plan for 15 - 20 minutes (maximum) reading time (including fiction!)

* Email submissions encouraged. Submit a brief cover letter with complete contact information and a brief biographical narrative along with title of your program and sample/s of work to be considered.

* Deadline for submission: January 4, 2011 (early submissions and confirmations strongly encouraged – space is limited). Reading schedule will be set by February 1).

* Send email submissions to: khada@ecok.edu. Identify “Scissortail Submission” in the

subject line. You may also mail submissions to: Dr. Hada, Department of English &

Languages, East Central University, 1100 E. 14th St. Ada, OK 74820.

* Participants are not charged registration fees. Please check your calendar before submitting. See http://www.ecuscissortail.blogspot.com for information and updates.

* Special thanks to primary supporters: Dr. Darryl Fisher, ECU Cultural Activities and The Oklahoma Arts Council.

Letter to 2010 Festival Authors

Dear Festival Authors,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to East Central University and to the 5th annual Scissortail Creative Writing Festival. It is my distinct honor to be involved with this festival, and so I want to take this moment to tell each of you in writing (and hopefully, later, in person) how much each of you mean to the festival. You enrich our campus, our state, and my life personally by your positive involvement with this festival.

In the past few weeks I have overheard folks using the terms: democratic, friendly, inspiring, and similar phrases to describe Scissortail. I appreciate these comments because I know that you understand the heart of what we are doing here. You realize that some of you are highly published and internationally recognized, and that others are promising, but are still working on developing your publishing career. At Scissortail, we intentionally mix you all together, regardless of achievement or acclaim, personality or style, because, above all, we are celebrating creativity, even as we inspire one another and our audiences. Some phrase from my athletic past sounds in my ears: No one is special; everyone is important – and that includes you. If such common sense can come from an athletic arena, just imagine what gifted literary people can do with a similar mantra.

I appreciate your embracing of this festival “philosophy” and I hope you have a great time listening, reading, supporting and building friendships. So put your ego in your pocket, take your turn at the podium and Let Er Rip! Who knows when a world may be listening?

Peace,

Ken Hada
April 2010

That's a Wrap!

Scissortail 2010 is in the bag.  Congratulations to all who read.  We look forward to seeing you next year:  March 31-April 2, 2011!


Readers pictured here :  John Yozzo (at left), and then, clockwise: Jane Taylor, Ron Wallace (in the straw hat), Hardy Jones (in the snap brim), and Dorothy Alexander (in the red hat).

It's On!

As of 9:30 this morning, April first, 2010, the Fifth Annual the Scissortail Creative Writing Festival is under way! If you are attending the Festival and have heard you something you like, please leave a comment here so that the authors and everyone else can know what you think. Just click on the comment button below to leave a comment and read the comments left by others.

Scissortail 2010!

Mark your calendar! ECU once again hosts the largest (and many say the best) writing festival in the state and region. (Click here to see the schedule.) This year we have at least 7 poets laureate, past and present, from various states. We have at least 10 state and national book award winners. You’ve read their works (or heard of them) : Joy Harjo, Jim Barnes, Larry Thomas, James Hoggard, LeAnne Howe, Tim Tingle et al!!! Any one of a possible 25 of these authors would be a fine show for us, but all these highly acclaimed authors are just part of the ECU festival! We have 57 authors (click here to read their biographies) slated to read. You won’t want to miss this bonanza of creative energy! Plan to attend various sessions, your attendance is so helpful for ECU as well as appreciated by the authors. Please spread the word via your contacts and media outlets. Thank you!

Also, there will be a special gathering after the Friday evening session especially for you and students (and authors) from other universities – more about this later (under the direction of Drs. Walling, Benton and Grasso).

These authors and I look forward to sharing a great weekend with you!

Ken Hada (that's me at right)

Scissortail TV

This Saturday, March 27, at 5:30 p.m., a 10-minute interview primarily about the soon-to-be-here Scissortail Festival, featuring its director, our very own Ken Hada, will be broadcast by OETA on OKC Metro.


Or click here to get a sneak preview.  Featured Scissortail speaker, poet laureate Jim Barnes, is interviewed at the start of the program.  Dr. Hada and Scissortail reader Jeanetta Calhoun Mish come in at the 13:51 mark.

Winners of the 6th Annual R. Darryl Fisher Creative Writing Contest

Prizes for Oklahoma’s most prestigious high school writing competition will be awarded at the Scissortail Creative Writing Festival, April 1-3, 2010. (Winners are strongly encouraged to attend the awards ceremony at East Central University.)  Congratulations!


Click on the links to read the works.
Fiction
First Place (prize $250)
Nicki Peterson, Norman North, "Forsaken"
Second Place ($150):
Liana Willis, Norman North, "The Congregation"
Third Place ($100):
Lydia Hall, Norman North, "Out"
Honorable Mentions ($25 each):
Teddie Gwinn, Altus, "Because His Eyes"
Joceyln Roberts, Norman North, "Letting Go"
Keaira Woolfolk, Star Spencer, "My Story"
Paige Warren, Norman North, "Fire Inside"
Erin Fuller, Verdigris, "Job Anxiety"
Abbie Vestal,Broken Bow, "Beautiful Destruction on Glory Road"

Poetry
First Place ($250):
Katlynn Fife, Lawton High School, "Windmill or Wyvern?"
Second Place ($150):
Kayla Crego, Norman North High School, "They"
Third Place ($100):
Meghen Mann, Ada High School, "My Play On Words" &  "Human Fire"
Honorable Mentions ($25 each):
Anna Halverson, Lawton High School, "Drowned Out Flames"
Angela Shen, Norman North High School, "What goes on behind closed doors" &  "Shanghai"
KayLeigh Thomason, Pittsburg High School, "I know, I hear"
Gage Few, Ada High School, "Dancing Sheet Music"
Jamie Little, Durant High School, "Last Loves"
Arthur Dixon, Ardmore High School, "Namesake" & "Sonnet for Amy"

We congratulate all the winners and invite you to send us a digital copy of all or part of your winning works if you would like to see them posted on the ecuenglishtalk website where other authors, teachers and the general public may enjoy it. This is not a requirement--just an invitation. If you are interested, send an e-mail to sbenton@ecok.edu and stipulate whether you want us to post all or part of your work (a teaser). If you want only part of it posted, you may also choose to send us an e-mail address we can use to contact you if interested readers write in to say that they would like to read the “rest of the story.” (We will not publish your e-mail address online.)

Thank you!

Contest Guidelines:
* All Oklahoma high school students (9th - 12th grade) are eligible.
* Poetry (up to 100 lines) or Short Fiction (up to 5,000 words) is acceptable.
* Limit 5 poems and 1 short fiction piece per student.
* All entries must be the original work of the student.
* All entries must be neatly typed; please double-space fiction entries.
* Entries will not be returned, so keep your originals.
* No identifying marks should be on the manuscript itself, except for the title.
* Provide cover page with contact information: 1) Student’s name; 2) Teacher’s name 3) School 4) Classification 5) Phone number, Email and mailing address.
* Work may be submitted through conventional mail or email.
Contest Information: Dr. Joshua Grasso (580-559-5430); Dr. Mark Walling (580-559-5440). Scissortail Creative Writing Festival Information: Dr. Ken Hada (580-559-5557)