Mar 12 2009 - How a Powerful SEO Strategy Can Give Corporate Communications More Impact and Reach

PR and marketing professionals who want to discover new tools of search engine optimization and how to incorporate search into current programs will discover practical strategies at a new webinar from Bulldog Reporter's PR University: "Advanced SEO Workshop for PR: Search Marketing Expert Shows How a New SEO Strategy Can Give PR More Impact and Power." Attendees will come away with valuable tips, new techniques and step-by-step instructions that will positively impact a company or brand's perception, positioning and coverage.

This exclusive, dial-in PR University webinar takes place on Thursday, March 12th at 1PM EST (noon CST, 11AM MST, 10AM PST) with one of PR's foremost SEO experts: Sally Falkow, APR, Principal, Expansion Plus; Blogger, "The Leading Edge." Sally is a widely acknowledged speaker and consultant in Internet marketing strategy -- SEO/PR, blogs, RSSfeeds, online news and social media.

This 60-minute interactive call will give public relations professionals practical ideas, tips and proven methods on how to find a keyword sweet spot and how to use those words and phrases to increase the number of people who visit their site. It will also address how to boost pickup of key messages and announcements and how to write optimized PR copy in releases to drive greater visibility and return on investment.

Attendance at Bulldog Reporter's PR University webinar costs $299 per telephone site. Participants in the 60-minute call will be able to pose specific questions for the panelists at several junctures during the discussion. Attendees of PR University conferences receive one credit toward PRSA accreditation maintenance. Registration also includes an up-to-the-minute webcast manual and a full transcript. For more information on taking part in the event, go to our conference home page or phone toll free: 1-800-959-1059.

Mar 3 2009 - How to Write A Press Release For Search Engines

How to write a press release for search engines will be one of the topics featured in Business Wire's award-winning free webinar series in March. The popular session has been updated to incorporate how-to hints on Business Wire's new Press Release Builder, a free optimization tool that coaches those who write press releases to consider not just the writing but the technology that makes press releases effective.

"Our session on Press Release Optimization (PRO) details how to strike that delicate balance between writing for the Google bots and writing for real people," said Monika Maeckle, Vice President of New Media for Business Wire. "In other sessions, we explain why adding photos and graphics makes such a difference in press release performance."

The free webinars, attended by thousands of professional communicators since the series inception last year, are archived on Business Wire's home page.

Business Wire's upcoming webinar schedule follows:

Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Press Release Optimization: Build Your Press Release Like a Pro
10 AM Pacific / Noon Central / 1 PM Eastern

In this webinar we'll dig deeper into the relationship between your company's overall Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Press Release Optimization (PRO) strategies and provide keyword selection tips using our new Press Release Builder tool. The goal? Increased online traction.

Hosts: Maria Van Wambeke, Product Development Manager, Business Wire
Michael Toner, New Media Specialist and Account Executive, Business Wire
To register: ttps://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/243678110

Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Happy News Release Resolutions
10 AM Pacific / Noon Central / 1 PM Eastern

In this presentation we'll show you how to build more robust, interactive press releases that are more likely to gain online visibility. We'll also explain how to harvest data from your analytics and tracking reports.

Hosts: Monika Maeckle, Vice President of New Media for Business Wire
Malcolm Atherton, New Media Specialist and Account Executive
To register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/518472577

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Your Text Needs a Partner: Using Multimedia to Drive Press Release Results
10 AM Pacific / Noon Central / 1PM Eastern

Learn to use multimedia for increased visibility & viability of your press releases and review success stories from your peers. We'll look at what makes - and breaks - a photo, video and caption.

Hosts: Jennifer Saragosa, Account Manager, Business Wire - Boston
Malcolm Atherton, Account Executive, Business Wire - Phoenix
To register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/363239368

Thursday, April 2, 2009
Press Release Optimization: Build Your Press Release Like a Pro
10 AM Pacific / Noon Central / 1 PM Eastern

In this webinar we'll dig deeper into the relationship between your company's overall Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Press Release Optimization (PRO) strategies and provide keyword selection tips using our new Press Release Builder tool. The goal? Increased online traction.

Hosts: Maria Van Wambeke, Product Development Manager, Business Wire
Michael Toner, New Media Specialist and Account Executive, Business Wire

To register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/537557577

To watch the archived webinars, click on the links below:
Be An SEO Hero:Optimize Your Press Release for Search
http://tinyurl.com/5mltrj

Mar 5 2009 - Literary Reading Series features alumnus in March reading

The Purdue University Literary Reading Series on March 5 will feature a reading with fiction writer and 1997 alumnus Fred Arroyo.

The reading is at 7:30 p.m. in the Krannert Auditorium. The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Department of English, the Creative Writing Program and the Latino Cultural Center.

Arroyo is the author of "The Region of Lost Names" and was selected by LatinoStories.com as one of the top 10 Latino authors to watch in 2009. He was the recipient of an individual artist grant from the Indiana Arts Commission and has published in Washington Square, Pinyon, Writing on the Edge and Crab Orchard Review.

Arroyo, an assistant professor of English at Drake University, is a graduate of Purdue's master of fine arts program in creative writing and also holds a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His work explores themes of migration, translation and Latino culture.

Website: www.purdue.edu

Mar 9-13 2009 - Share a Story - Shape a Future

Children's book bloggers are so passionate about literacy, they have created an international event to promote it. Share a Story -- Shape a Future is a week filled with discussions and ideas on ways to promote sharing stories with kids.

We aren't born readers. We learn to read. Like many other skills -- shooting basketball, playing piano -- it takes practice. Reading is the foundation for all other learning, and it takes years of practice. Unfortunately, children in our communities don't always get the help they need to be successful readers.

The online community of children's book bloggers -- librarians, teachers, authors, illustrators, and literacy advocates -- believes that we can do more to help each other build a community of readers. Share a Story -- Shape a Future is their grassroots effort to promote reading.

Share a Story -- Shape a Future is a week-long event where people who believe in the power of reading will blog about their ideas. Their goal is to offer tons of practical advice about reading that is free of statistics and educational jargon. “We don't want to point fingers and tell people they have to read. Our purpose is to offer ideas on ways reading can be part of their everyday experience,” says Terry Doherty, one of the event organizers.

From March 9 to 13, 2009, blogging librarians, teachers, parents, authors, illustrators, and other people passionate about literacy will be writing about different aspects of reading. Each day has its own theme, with a host blogger and several guests. Here's the schedule:

Monday, 9 March: Raising Readers. Host Terry Doherty will cover the topics of finding time at home, making time in t he classroom, helping a reader in need (remedial readers), building strong readers, and keeping gifted readers engages. Her guests include Cathy Miller, The Literacy Ambassador and Education World columnist; Donalyn Miller, a 6th grade language arts teacher and author of The Book Whisperer column for Teacher Magazine; Sandra Stiles, a remedial reading teacher; and Tricia Stohr-Hunt, a teacher, Mom, and author of The Miss Rumphius Effect blog.

Tuesday, 10 March: Selecting Reading Material. Host Sarah Mulhern, a middle school language arts teacher and author of The Reading Zone blog. Guests include Valerie Baertz of The Almost Librarian blog; Anastasia Suen, author, teacher, and literacy consultant; and author/teacher Mary Lee Hahn, one of the co-authors of A Year of Reading blog. Mary Lee will be posting on the Stenhouse Publishers blog.

Wednesday, 11 March: Reading Aloud: It's Fun -- It's Easy. Host Susan Stephenson will blog on Book Chook blog about the importance of reading aloud. She'll have tips from award-winning author Mem Fox; interviews with Sarah Mulhern about reading aloud stage fright and technology; reading from a dad's perspective with Brian and Steven, authors of the Book Dads blog; author Aimee Buckner talking about moving beyond just the book; and teacher and author Donalyn Miller talking about reading aloud with older readers.

Thursday, 12 March: Eva Metnick, a librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library, will host A Visit to the Library. She'll cover all aspects of using the library, from storytimes for younger readers to the multimedia content for independent readers. Guests include children's librarian Elizabeth Bird of the Children's Center, New York Public Library system and author of A Fuse #8 Production blog, hosted by the School Library Journal; librarian-turned-mom Julie Danielson (aka “Jules”), co-author of the blog Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast; children's librarian Adrienne Furness of the Webster Public Library, New York; and Melissa, who blogs at Librarian by Day and A Chair, A Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy.

Friday, 13 March: Author and illustrator Elizabeth O. Dulemba will host discussions about reading, technology, and what the future holds. Bruce Coville of Full Cast Audio and Mary Burkey Audiobooker will talk about audio books; Harold Underdown of The Purple Crayon and Sheila Ruth of Hornbook will discuss eBooks; and Andrea Ross of Just One More Book! and author Cheryl Rainfield will talk about podcasts.

The organizers also have several giveaways planned, including a number of books related to reading. There will also be lots of free, downloadable content that includes ideas for making bookmarks and templates; links to book lists, children's book reviewers, and resources for selecting material; and tips for reading with kids and getting involved with your community.

Website: http://shareastory-shapeafuture.blogspot.com/

Mar 26 2009 - Pitt to Host Documentary Director and Writer Ed Robbins

The University of Pittsburgh's Global Studies Program and the Global Solutions Education Fund Pittsburgh will present a free public lecture by Ed Robbins, documentary director, writer, and videographer at 6 p.m. March 26 in 113 Barco Law Building, 3900 Forbes Ave., Oakland.

During his address, Robbins will share his personal experiences of shaping war and crisis stories into documentaries. He also will address the issues associated with that process, including possible ethical implications of amateur photographers disseminating on the Internet images from inside war-torn countries.

Robbins is an award-winning director, writer, producer, and videographer of national and international documentaries on a wide range of subjects. He has worked in many countries, including Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Iraq, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria. Robbins' programs have been shown on highly respected broadcasting outlets around the globe, including "ABC News Nightline," BBC2, CourtTV, Channel 4 UK, Discovery Channel, PBS, National Geographic, The Learning Channel, FOX Channel, and NBC.

This lecture is part of the spring Global Issues Lecture series, Images of War: Representations of Conflict and their Impact on Public Discourse.

The Global Studies Program is part of the University Center for International Studies at Pitt.

Website: http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/

Spring 2009 Reel Journalism Series

The Newseum, in partnership with American University's School of Communication, announced today the next two films in its popular series, Reel Journalism With Nick Clooney. The spring program will feature "The War Room" and "A Mighty Heart," which were chosen to highlight films that encourage discussion of the critical role and responsibilities of a free press in a democratic society.

The series begins May 18 with "The War Room," a behind-the-scenes documentary of the 1992 Clinton presidential campaign. George Stephanopoulos, a former Clinton aide and now host of "This Week," will join Clooney to discuss the love-hate relationship between candidates and the press. As the Clinton campaign's senior political adviser and later White House communications director, Stephanopoulos will draw from his first-hand experiences and talk about life inside a political campaign.

On June 1, "A Mighty Heart," based on Mariane Pearl's 2003 memoir, will tell the story of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan while investigating links between al-Qaida and the Pakistani intelligence service. Pearl's widow, Mariane, and Steve Stecklow, the last journalist to share a byline with the slain journalist, will sit down with Clooney to reflect on Pearl's life, death and the dangers journalists face in a post-9/11 world.

The announcement of the May and June films comes as Reel Journalism is set to screen the classic "Citizen Kane," the third film in the sold-out winter program. Veteran journalist Clooney, author of the book "The Movies That Changed Us: Reflections on the Screen," will continue his role as moderator and host of the spring films. Clooney, appointed Distinguished Journalist in Residence at American University's School of Communication, is teaching a course based on his book. The appointment is part of a long-term partnership between the school and the Newseum.

Film Schedule:

May 18, 2009, 7 p.m. - "The War Room" (1993); with special guest George Stephanopoulos

June 1, 2009, 7 p.m. - "A Mighty Heart" (2007); with special guests Mariane Pearl and Steve Stecklow

Tickets to Reel Journalism include all-day admission to the Newseum on the day of each film. Films are screened in the Newseum's state-of-the-art Walter and Leonore Annenberg Theater. Doors to the theater will open 30-minutes prior to the start of the 7 p.m. program. Tickets for each film are on sale now for $25 each, and are available at the Newseum's admission desk or online at www.newseum.org.

Prominent Authors to Celebrate 'Girls Write Now Day' on March 8

Girls Write Now (GWN), New York's premier creative writing and mentoring organization for high school girls, today announced its annual commemoration of "Girls Write Now Day," a local celebration of International Women's Day. On Sunday, March 8, join participants in the program for an afternoon with young women writers and the writers who inspire them -- featuring Annette Gordon-Reed, 2008 National Book Award Winner for "The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family," and Marlon James, critically acclaimed author of "The Book of Night Women" -- at the New School University's Theresa Lang Community & Student Center (Arnhold Hall, Second Floor), located at 55 West 13th Street (between Fifth & Sixth Avenues).

The event will take place from 4-6 p.m., and a $10-20 donation to Girls Write Now for admission is suggested (although no one will be turned away at the door for lack of funds). This program is sponsored by the New School Diversity Committee and the Bachelor's Program of the New School for General Studies.

More information: www.girlswritenow.org.

Free Podcast - PRSA Diversity Today

Gain a new understanding of the role of Black media in lives of African Americans by listening in on the Public Relations Society of America's (PRSA) series of free podcasts, "PRSA Diversity Today." Produced in partnership with WebmasterRadio.FM, the podcast is a monthly series that reinforces the importance of diversity in today's business and society.

Joining the series as the new host, Dr. Rochelle Larkin Ford, APR, is an award-winning scholar who also has published work on diversity and public relations pedagogy. Dr. Ford is an associate professor at Howard University, where she teaches public relations and serves as associate dean for research and academic affairs coordinator. She writes the column "Diversity Dimensions" for Public Relations Tactics. Dr. Ford has spoken at several national conferences, and is winner of the 2008 D. Parke Gibson Multiculturalism Award. She received a Master of Arts from the University of Maryland and a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Show topics include:
Understanding the African American market better.
Gaining loyalty of Black consumers.
Building partnerships with grass roots organizations.
Gaining notice within Black media.

To listen to the Feb. 24 podcast, visit PRSA Diversity Today (www.prsa.org/diversity/communications.html). The show also will be hosted on WebmasterRadio.FM on the PRSA Conference Channel (http://www2.webmasterradio.fm/public-relation-society-america-conference/).

Feb 26 2009 - Novelist William Henry Lewis to Give Literary Reading

Novelist William Henry Lewis will give an evening reading at the University of Pittsburgh at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 26 in 501 Cathedral of Learning, 4200 Fifth Ave., Oakland. The event is a continuation of the 2008-09 Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series.

Lewis is the author of the short story collection "I Got Somebody in Staunton" (Amistad/Harper Collins, 2005), which was named one of four finalist for the 2006 PEN/Faulkner Prize for Fiction, and "In the Arms of Our Elders" (Carolina Wren Press, 1995). His works of fiction have appeared in such publications as "Ploughshares," "African American Review," and "Best American Short Stories 1996". His works of nonfiction have appeared in "Black Issues in Higher Education," "Washington Post Book World," and
"O Magazine".

Along with being a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, "I Got Somebody in Staunton" was named one of Kirkus Reviews top 25 books of 2005 and received a Black Caucus of the American Library Association Literary award. Lewis' other honors include a grant from the Virginia Commission of the Arts as well as the Prize for Short Fiction from the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation.

Lewis was born in Denver, Colo., and grew up in many U.S. cities. As an academic, he has taught at the University of Virginia, Denison University, Mary Washington College, and Trinity College.

The 2008-09 Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series season is cosponsored by Pitt's Department of English in the School of Arts and Sciences, University Center for International Studies, Asian Studies Center, China Council Confucious Institute, Cultural Studies Program, Women's Studies Program, and Book Center and by the Carnegie Mellon University Creative Writing Program.

All events in the Writers Series are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Jeff Oaks at oaks@pitt.edu.

Feb 26 2009 - IABC Houston: Canadian Barbecue Guru Mixes Business with Brisket

In his day job, Ron Shewchuk is a business consultant who helps organizations communicate better with their employees. In his spare time, he's built a second career as his alter-ego, Rockin' Ronnie, international barbecue champion and bestselling cookbook author.

A few years ago Shewchuk had a crazy idea to combine his lifelong passions for outdoor cooking and indoor business communications. The result: a combination multi-course meal and keynote address called "Everything I Know About Communication, I Learned From Barbecue."

Shewchuk is bringing his smoke-infused business wisdom to Houston's famed Armadillo Palace on February 26, where he'll deliver his talk to the local chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. His visit is timed to coincide with The World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, the first big event of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

"If famous motivational speakers and self-help gurus can use mountain climbing or sailing or soup to bring home their messages about making life and business better," says Shewchuk, "why not use backyard cooking?"

In what he calls a "communication cookout," Shewchuk serves up his winning grilled and barbecued dishes using each course of the meal to illustrate a message about how cooking is a lot like communication.

Fresh asparagus, seared for just a minute on a hot grill and served with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil, becomes a metaphor for the simplicity and power of face-to-face communication. The contents of a tasty grilled quesadilla serve to illustrate the importance of having the right content - in this case, the cheese filling represents information - to meet the needs of today's employees. And the traditional cuts of meat featured in a barbecue contest - chicken, pork ribs, pork butt and brisket - become the four personality types found in every workplace.

"The session is a delicious and fun way to get some important messages across about what businesses can do to improve communication with their employees," says Shewchuk, who first brought his sizzling session to a global conference of business communicators in Vancouver, British Columbia. His talk was one of the highest rated sessions of the conference.

Shewchuk is delighted to be taking his unique show on the road. "As a barbecue competitor, I'm thrilled to come to Houston, which is home to one of the world's biggest barbecue contests. And as a Canadian, I know it's a bit of 'coals to Newcastle,' but I can't wait to cook some barbecue for a group of Texans at the Armadillo Palace!"

Location: The Armadillo Palace, 5015 Kirby Drive @ Barlett, Houston, Texas

Date: Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009

Lunch event: Registration 11:15, lunch runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Afternoon event: Ron's Communications Cookout will be followed by an optional afternoon workshop on employee communication from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

More information and event details: www.iabchouston.com

April 4 2009 - Writers and Dreamers Get Help from a Bestselling Author

Two new writing workshops from John Lee that can be taken individually or together with bestselling author, John Lee.

Day One: Write to Live & Love What You Write: For Writers & Dreamers

Date: Saturday, April 4, 2009
Time: 10am-5pm Central Time
Location: John Lee's writing studio Mentone, AL
Cost: Early registration $99 by March 15 after $125.

Day Two: Getting the Word Out: Editing, Publishing, Agents And Marketing

Date: Sunday, April 5, 2009
Time: 10am-4pm Central Time
Location: John Lee's writing studio Mentone, AL
Cost: Early registration $99 by March 15 after $125.
Pre-register for both before March 15 for only $175.

For more information on the writing workshops or to register visit www.johnleebooks.com


Day One: Write to Live & Love What You Write

For Writers who are currently writing novels, poems, non-fiction, screenplays, articles or keeping a journal. For Dreamers who know in their bones and in their souls that they have something to say and a story to tell; a book, play, or poetry that has always been inside them and now is the time to write it down.

This workshop goes beyond questions of craft and art to explore the deepest sources of the creative impulse. If followed, this impulse will enhance and even change a person's life and perhaps the lives of others. This workshops is for those who need to free their voices and live the lives they were meant to live through writing.

This workshop is not about creating from the "head" but rather from the heart, the shoulder, the back and the soul.

All levels of writers welcome to join this highly informative, insightful, and experiential day. Bring journal, pen & paper or laptops and begin or continue The Writing Life.

Day Two: Getting the Word Out

For Dreamers & Writers—The publishing world is constantly changing. Participants of this workshop will receive coaching and support for editing, publishing, getting an agent, self-publishing, marketing and promoting.

An old Arabic proverb goes like this, "A person starts out on a journey that takes them 200 years to complete. If they had a good guide it would have only taken 2 days."

Join John Lee to find out more about the ins and outs of publishing. John has published books with by Random House, Bantam, Perseus Group, Health Communications, St. Martin's Press and self-published through iUniverse, as well as his own publishing company. John has worked with a half dozen agents and marketed his own work for 22 years. He will share with workshop participants the secrets and successes that were attained the hard way.

Nation's top journalists, new media and public relations executives convene in Reno March 2 to 7

To better predict where journalism must go over the coming months, individuals directly involved in such big headlines as "Salmonella Scare Prompts Spinach Recall,'' "World's Ice is Melting," "OJ Simpson Is Guilty," and "An Appeals Court Rejects Damages Against ABC in Food Lion Case,'' will convene at the Reynolds School of Journalism as part of J Week March 2 to 7. The event is sponsored by the Reynolds School of Journalism and Center for Advanced Media Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Speakers include some of the nation's most significant journalists, including executive environmental editor of National Geographic and editors from The New York Times, new media innovators of Washingtonpost.com and top bloggers, George W. Bush's White House photographer, an award winning public relations executive who helped corporate America navigate the spinach recall, the spokespeople for the Los Angeles and Las Vegas courts and media history makers like the producer at ABC who went undercover at Food Lion to report the handling of meat for "PrimeTime LIVE."

Salmonella Scare Prompts Spinach Recall,'' "We chose to focus on big headlines to uncover the emerging realities of how the important stories are managed both from a traditional and new media perspective," Dean Jerry Ceppos said. "We've assembled these people to better understand how to navigate the complex media challenges of tomorrow."

The week's events will begin with an evening discussion about "Investigative Journalism," then move to a focus on the future and online journalism on Tuesday. Wednesday presentations will stress diversity and law. Public relations will get the spotlight on Thursday.

All presentations are free and open to the public. Speakers have either reported or had intimate involvement in some of the most significant headlines in modern history and will present around campus, work one-on-one with undergraduate and graduate students, participate in think tanks and meet with local professionals.

Those who cannot attend may register on the school's Web site and receive news about the events at the journalism school Web site - http://journalism.unr.edu/.

The Reynolds School of Journalism is Nevada's only accredited journalism school. The school's graduate program in Interactive Environmental Journalism is a three-semester intensive program for students who want to help invent the next forms of journalism.

To view a full lineup of speakers, locations and topics or to register to receive podcasts or videos, visit http://journalism.unr.edu/.

New Three-Year Journalism Program Begins at Loyalist College in September

In September, Loyalist College will offer an exciting new blend of journalism training with the introduction of a three-year advanced diploma, Journalism - On-line, Print and Broadcast. The program will prepare graduates for a career in journalism with hands-on experience in the fundamentals of reporting and writing for print, radio, television and on-line. As students progress through the program they will develop on-line expertise and have the opportunity to focus on the print or broadcast sector. Members of the College's journalism advisory committees were united in their support for Loyalist's initiation of this advanced diploma that will meet the industry's need for professionals with a wide range of diversified skills and ability to work within the converging media environment.

Tony Grace is a graduate of the College's 2000 Broadcast Journalism class and is currently the 11 p.m. Ottawa news anchor for ATV which is part of the CTV Network. He is also the back-up anchor for their flagship weeknight 6 p.m. newscast. "Broadcasters and journalists who graduate from Loyalist are already recognized by leading employers in our industry as well-prepared, hands-on, skilled and ready to grow. The new program will create even more opportunities for graduates by recognizing the increased focus on on-line journalism which is affecting all aspects of our industry. Whether it is radio, television or print, we all share the common bond of using the web as a way to promote and publish our work."

"The skills needed to succeed as a journalist today are constantly evolving," said Lynn Haddrall, Editor-in-Chief of the Waterloo Region Record and Guelph Mercury and graduate of Loyalist's 1983 Print Journalism program. "We look for journalists who can tell compelling stories in many ways including print, video, broadcast and on-line. This program will help to prepare Loyalist students for the journalism of today and tomorrow."

"Every major media organization in Canada, the U.S. and around the world is converging so it's fantastic to hear that Loyalist is doing the same," said Marlo Pelysz, Project Manager Canoe.ca and graduate of Loyalist's 2001 E-Journalism program. "Here at Canoe.ca we're partnered with Canada's largest daily urban newspaper chain, Sun Media and the TV network SunTV. Together we're constantly building multimedia content packages to bring news to our readers faster and with more information than any of our other national competitors. I am excited to see what the graduates of this program will bring to this ever-evolving industry."

"In the third year of the program students will hone their craft and learn to flourish in the environment of an integrated newsroom where audio, visual, print, traditional broadcast and on-line professionals work side-by-side," said Jane Harrison, Acting Dean of Media Studies. "The program includes an eight-week internship that will give them valuable hands-on experience and open the door to amazing networking and career development opportunities. This program addresses the changes journalism is experiencing and will position our graduates as the new leaders of this landscape."

For more information about the new Journalism - On-line, Print and Broadcast program visit www.loyalistcollege.com.

March 21 2009 - NEWSOUT Asks "What happens when newsroom lights dim?"

Declines in the quantity or quality of local news, and the impact on participatory democracy in New England communities, is the topic of a daylong collaboration among public officials, journalists and concerned citizens set for Saturday, March 21. "Newsout: Options and strategies for New England communities when the newsroom lights dim," is co-sponsored by the New England News Forum (NENF), the Boston University College of Communication and the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism.

The conference will be held from 10am- 3pm at Boston University's College of Communication. A $45 registration fee includes a box lunch and one-year NENF membership.

Featured speakers are Steve Clift, founder of Publicus.Net; Joe Bergantino, director of new New England Center for Investigative Journalism; Jane Stevens, a Donald W. Reynolds fellow at the University of Missouri; Carol Amick, former editor of the Bedford [Mass.] Minuteman weekly, a one-time Massachusetts state senator; and Steve Collins, a reporter with The Bristol Press, a Connecticut daily which nearly closed in January.

Many newspapers are closing their doors or reducing staff size as they scramble to stay afloat amid declining revenues. In the last 18 months, some 15,000 U.S. journalists have lost their jobs through retirement, buyouts or layoffs.
"The impact is greatest at the local and state levels," explained Meredith McCulloch, Interim Director of the News Forum, located at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. "As the number of reporters declines, the watchdog role of the press is reduced

Advertising, and the revenue it brings, is migrating from newspapers to a variety of web sites. The resultant revenue shortfall for newspapers is compounded by the recent economic downturn. Newspapers no longer have the funds required to cover local and state government as in the past. Many are working on a new financial model for the press, but no clear solutions are on the horizon.

Website: www.newenglandnews.org

Feb 19 2009 - Editor Susan Goldberg to Speak to Cleveland Chapter of Society of Professional Journalists

Susan Goldberg, editor of The Plain Dealer, will be the speaker at the noon, Feb. 19, meeting of the Cleveland Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The meeting will be at the City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Ave.

With newspapers nationally reeling from the double whammy of the recession and a structural shift in advertising due to the World Wide Web's advent, Ms. Goldberg titled her talk "Newspapering in the Internet Age."

Seating is limited to 40. Reservations are required by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16 to Tom Moore by phone at 440-454-3282 or by e-mail at tmoore56@msn.com .

The program includes lunch and costs $20 for SPJ members, $25 for non-members and $15 for students with an ID. SPJ bills for no-shows.

Doors open at 11:45 a.m. for networking. A question and answer session is included. The program will end at 1:30 p.m.

Clifford Anthony, SPJ Cleveland's vice president and program chair, put together the Feb. 19 program.

SPJ Cleveland's website is http://www.spj.org/cleveland/.

Paul Harding's Feb. 18 reading will be streamed live by UI Writing Universit

Iowa Writers' Workshop alumnus Paul Harding will read from "Tinkers," his debut novel that is creating a buzz in the literary world, in a free event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, in the Prairie Lights bookstore at 15 S. Dubuque St. in downtown Iowa City. The "Live from Prairie Lights" series event will be streamed live on the University of Iowa Writing University Web site http://writinguniversity.uiowa.edu, and then added to the site's archive.

In "Tinkers" an old man lays dying, and as time collapses into memory, he travels deep into his past, where he is reunited with his father and relives the wonder and pain of his impoverished New England youth.

Writers' Workshop faculty member Marilynne Robinson commented, ""Tinkers is truly remarkable . . . It confers on the reader the best privilege fiction can afford, the illusion of ghostly proximity to other human souls."

A review in the San Francisco Chronicle gushed, "In Paul Harding's stunning first novel, we find what readers, writers and reviewers live for: a new way of seeing, in a story told as a series of ruminative images, like a fanned card deck. . . . Beneath the men's stories flows a series of heart-wrenching inquiries into the nature of life on earth, its terrible beauty, and the limits of our ability to comprehend and bear it."

And Elizabeth McCracken, author of "Niagara Falls All Over Again," wrote, "In astounding language sometimes seemingly struck by lightning, sometimes as tight and complicated as clockwork, Harding shows how enormous fiction can be, and how economical. Read this book and marvel."

Harding now teaches creative writing at Harvard University.

The Writers' Workshop is a graduate program in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

For UI arts information and calendar updates, visit http://www.uiowa.edu/artsiowa. To receive UI arts news by e-mail, go to http://list.uiowa.edu/archives/acr-news.html, click the link "Join or leave the list ( or change settings )" and follow the instructions.

Feb 26 2009 - How To Turn Books into Amazon.com Bestsellers - FREE teleseminar

Kathleen Gage aka The Street Smarts Marketer is hosting a FREE teleclass on how any author (or aspiring) author can become an Amazon.com bestseller.

You'll learn proven strategies used by many of the most recognized authors to create a solid foundation for turning you and your book from being unknown (to anyone but your family and friends) to gaining global recognition and market reach with unlimited potential for your success.

Discover the #1 mistake most authors make that prevents them from selling lots of books.

Learn what you absolutely must do before you ever launch a campaign

Learn how to determine if this type of marketing and book selling strategy is for you.

Learn how to avoid spinning your wheels trying to figure the system out and missing essential ingredients to success.

Find out about 1 simple thing you can use right away to begin the pre-launch of your book.

Discover how to set yourself up for long-term success and make 2009 your best year ever with my simple, "Vision Your Future" Plan.

This call is an introduction to Kathleen Gage's 4 week Street Smarts Marketing Amazon.com Bestselling Author and Book mentoring program that begins in March, 2009.

If you're serious about selling your book and being a recognized author and expert, you'll learn important keys on this free telecall. Just enter your information below to receive all the details for the FREE teleseminar on Thursday, February 26, 2009 from 6 - 7 p.m. EST.

Don't miss out on this FREE call. Remember, you must register to get the details of the calls.

http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/amazonfree.htm

A limited number of spots are available. Claim yours today!

Even if you can't make the call, you can listen via the Internet or to the recording, but you must be registered to do so.

This is information packed teleclass designed for coaches, speakers, authors, and consultants who want to learn how to make 2009 the year you market and sell more books than ever before.
To learn more and register visit http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/amazonfree.htm

May 15-17 2009 - Pittsburgh to Host Writers Conference

New York Times best-selling author Lisa Scottoline will deliver the Friday evening keynote address at Pennwriters 22nd annual writers' conference, scheduled for May 15-17 at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott.

The multi-genre conference will feature 30 hour-long workshops in three tracks of simultaneous sessions for both aspiring and published authors of fiction and nonfiction, as well as genre-specific read-and-critique sessions.

Pittsburgh author and poet Timons Esaias, who is adjunct faculty in Seton Hill University's master's in writing popular fiction program, will speak at the Saturday conference luncheon.

"Both Lisa Scottoline and Tim Esaias have a real gift for helping and encouraging new writers," said Pennwriters conference coordinator Annette Dashofy. "Writers of any level will find valuable advice and inspiration."

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one to pitch their manuscripts to literary agents Lucienne Diver of the Knight Agency, Colleen Lindsay of FinePrint Literary, Paige Wheeler of Folio Literary Management, Uwe Stender of TriadaUS and Becca Stumpf of the Prospect Agency, as well as editors Esi Sogah of Avon Books and Matt Holliday of "Pennsylvania Magazine." Agent/editor appointments and read-and-critique sessions are available in limited numbers on a first-registered, first-assigned basis.

The registration fee of $214 for Pennwriters members and $254 for nonmembers covers tuition for the three-day conference, read-and-critique session and agent or editor appointment, Saturday breakfast and lunch, and a copy of Scottoline's April 2009 hard-cover release, "Look Again." The cost for the Friday keynote dinner is $49 for members and $55 for nonmembers. Conference registrations received after April 17 require a $15 late fee.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.pennwriters.com/, e-mail to conferenceco@pennwriters.com or call Annette Dashofy at 724 255-7955.

Feb 26 2009 - Webcast with Authors of Pearson's Blown to Bits

Safari Books Online, the leading provider of an on-demand digital library for technology, creative and business professionals, will feature Hal Abelson, Ken Ledeen and Harry Lewis, authors of Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty and Happiness after the Digital Explosion, published by Pearson’s Addison-Wesley Professional, in a webcast on Thursday, February 26, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. PST / 1:00 p.m. EST.

In Blown to Bits, co-authors Abelson, Ledeen and Lewis provide readers the knowledge they need to help shape their own digital futures, while not letting others do it for them. Blown to Bits builds on the authors’ pioneering MIT/Harvard course. Together, the authors teach “Quantitative Reasoning 48,” an innovative Harvard course on information for non-technical, non-mathematically oriented students.

In this webcast, the authors will reveal how the digital revolution is changing everything, in ways that are stunning even the most informed experts. Webcast participants will learn how the decisions corporations and governments are making right now will shape their futures and how they can have a say in those decisions.

To register for this event, click here, or visit: http://www.safaribooksonline.com/events/BlownToBitsEmail.html.

March 7 2009 - Workshop on Skills For Budding Authors - Atlanta GA

The Southern Review of Books newsletter has announced that eight outstanding authors and book professionals will teach a day-long seminar on writing on Saturday, March 7, at Atlanta's Cobb Galleria Centre.

The workshop, entitled "Authorship 101," will focus on writing, getting published and marketing fiction and nonfiction. It is being staged in conjunction with the Spring Book Show, being held at the same location.

The Southern Review of Books newsletter has announced that eight outstanding authors and book professionals will teach a day-long seminar on writing on Saturday, March 7, at Atlanta's Cobb Galleria Centre.

The workshop, entitled "Authorship 101," will focus on writing, getting published and marketing fiction and nonfiction. It is being staged in conjunction with the Spring Book Show, being held at the same location.

Website: http://www.anvilpub.net

Feb 20 2009 - California's Poet Laureate to Read, Answer Questions at OSU

California's poet laureate Carol Muske-Dukes will visit the Oregon State University campus on Friday, Feb. 20, to read from her works. The reading, which begins at 7:30 p.m., will be held in the Valley Library main floor rotunda, 201 S.W. Waldo Place, Corvallis, and is free and open to the public. A question and answer book signing will follow.

Muske-Dukes in the author of seven collections of poetry, including 'Applause,' 'Red Trousseau,' and 'An Octave above Thunder: New and Selected Poems.' Critics have praised Muske-Dukes's poetry, lauding its 'insight, emotional accuracy, and terrifying sureness of moral discernment.'

'Sparrow,' her seventh collection, was a National Book Award finalist, and has prompted comparisons with the 20th century's most enduring poetic voices. Harold Bloom said 'Sparrow' is 'worthy of the tradition that includes Elizabeth Bishop, May Swenson and Amy Clampitt. It has their vibrant intensity, authentic insight and uncanny power of describing what is at the border between the visual and the visionary.'

In addition to writing poetry, Muske-Dukes has found acclaim as a novelist; her most recent of four novels, 'Channeling Mark Twain,' was a Los Angeles Times bestseller. She has received many awards and honors, including a Guggenheim fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, and several Pushcart Prizes. Muske-Dukes is the founder and director of the doctoral program in Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Southern California.

In the fall 2008, Muske-Dukes was appointed California's poet laureate, with a mission to educate Californians about their rich literary heritage, and to bring poetry into the lives of students who would not ordinarily have the opportunity to be exposed to it.

Muske-Dukes's visit to Corvallis is sponsored by the OSU Visiting Writers Series, and supported by the Valley Library, the Office of the Provost, and the OSU Department of English.

Feb 12 2009 - Romantic-Era Women Poets and the Anxiety of Impermanence

Author of numerous books and articles on British women poets, Dr. Behrendt will speak about Romantic-era women poets who write about (and sometimes to) other women poets about the consequences for themselves (and for women generally) when they opt for professional careers as writers. Among the poets discussed, Felicia Hemans, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Charlotte Smith, and Mary Robinson will emerge as significant figures in the development of a Romantic aesthetic.

Thursday, February 12 at 4:00 P.M.
University of Nebraska
Copeland Hall, Room 140
Website: http://www.unk.edu/news/releases.aspx?id=43530

Free Webinar Series: Press Release Tips and PR Pointers from Former Journalists

Business Wire continues its award-winning free webinar series in February, with sessions on optimizing press releases for search and a panel of former journalists providing PR pointers to their peers.

"We know that former journalists often make the best PR pros," said Monika Maeckle, Vice President of New Media for Business Wire. "Given that so many are leaving the profession right now, we figured it appropriate to share the wisdom they've learned working both sides of the pitch," she added.

The free webinars, attended by thousands of professional communicators since the series inception last year, are archived on Business Wire's home page.

Business Wire's February and March webinar schedules follow:

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Be an SEO Hero -- Optimize Your Press Release for Search

10 AM Pacific / Noon Central / 1 PM Eastern

Learn to write for search engines and robots as well as real human readers with this tutorial of the EON: Enhanced Online News Text Optimization tool.

Hosts: Maria Van Wambeke, Product Development Manager, Business Wire

Michael Toner, New Media Specialist and Account Executive, Business Wire

-- To register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/905757230

Thursday, February 19, 2009

From News Cycle to Spin Cycle: Former Journalists Share Wisdom as PR Pros

10 AM Pacific / Noon Central / 1 PM Eastern

Former journalists turned PR professionals share wisdom they've gained working both sides of the pitch.

Panelists: Bill Day, Director of Media Relations, Valero Energy Inc., San Antonio, former Deputy Business Editor, San Antonio Express-News

Amanda Fox, Vice President, Fenton Communications, New York, former associate producer and field producer, NBC and MSNBC

Lynn Kettleson, Managing Partner, Kettleson Group, Boston, former business and financial editor, The Boston Herald

David Postman, Senior Media Relations Manager for Vulcan, Inc., Seattle, former political reporter and columnist for the Seattle Times

Moderator: Monika Maeckle, Vice President of New Media for Business Wire

-- To register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/650105427

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Press Release Optimization: Build Your Press Release Like a Pro

10 AM Pacific / Noon Central / 1 PM Eastern

In this webinar we'll dig deeper into the relationship between your company's overall Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy and its Press Release Optimization (PRO) strategy and provide keyword selection tips using our new Press Release Builder tool. The goal? Increased online traction.

Hosts: Maria Van Wambeke, Product Development Manager, Business Wire

Michael Toner, New Media Specialist and Account Executive, Business Wire

-- To register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/243678110

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Happy News Release Resolutions

10 AM Pacific / Noon Central / 1 PM Eastern

In this presentation we'll show you how to build more robust, interactive press releases that are more likely to gain more visibility online. We'll also explain how to harvest data from your analytics and tracking reports.

Hosts: Monika Maeckle, Vice President of New Media for Business Wire

Malcolm Atherton, New Media Specialist and Account Executive

-- To register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/518472577

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Your Text Needs a Partner: Using Multimedia to Drive Press Release Results

10 AM Pacific / Noon Central / 1 PM Eastern

Learn to use multimedia for increased visibility & viability of your press releases and review success stories from your peers. We'll look at what makes - and breaks - a photo, video, and caption.

Hosts: Jennifer Saragosa, Account Manager, Business Wire - Boston

Malcolm Atherton, Account Executive, Business Wire - Phoenix

-- To register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/363239368

To watch the archived webinars, click on the links below:

Be An SEO Hero: Optimize Your Press Release for Search

http://tinyurl.com/5mltrj

Lost In MySpace?

http://tinyurl.com/68h3g9

Desperately Seeking Google Juice: Crafting Web Friendly Press Releases

http://tinyurl.com/5e2m4c

Your Text Needs A Partner: Using Multimedia to Drive Press Release Results

http://tinyurl.com/6kfuf5

A Social Media Conversation: How PR, IR & Marketing Professionals Can Engage and Participate in the Social Web

http://tinyurl.com/6atw95

EON: Enhanced Online News Solutions: Power of Press Releases in the Social Web

http://tinyurl.com/5dmera

Visit the EON: Enhanced Online News Resource Toolshed on Delicious: http://del.icio.us/eon_resources

The 2009 New Yorker Festival: Festival 10

In honor of its tenth anniversary, the annual New Yorker Festival broadens its span to ten days, bringing together even more of today's most celebrated personalities from the worlds of literature, politics, music, theater, fashion, food, and film.

This year's Festival, which runs from October 9th-18th, 2009, will feature a full week of innovative programming leading up to the traditional Festival weekend. Events will include a Free Poetry Event, hosted by Paul Muldoon, featuring poets from our pages; a special Fiction Live event in which actors of the stage and screen will read fiction pieces from the magazine; the New Yorker Humor Revue, showcasing some of the magazine's funniest writers; "Best of the Fest" events, in which Festival veterans return to celebrate the anniversary with new presentations and events, and New Yorker Writers on The New Yorker, an event co-hosted by The Moth, in which New Yorker writers share personal stories about the magazine.

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Festival, the magazine is establishing The New Yorker Festival Fund, which will this year benefit the Harlem Children's Zone, an innovative, community-based not-for-profit that has created a comprehensive network of education, social-service and community-building programs for children and families in central Harlem. A portion of each ticket price and the net proceeds from a special online auction of singular New Yorker experiences will go toward the Festival Fund.

Tickets to the New Yorker Festival will go on sale on September 18th, 2009, at noon E.T.

Adults Age 50 And Older May Enroll In Five New Writing Classes

Adults age 50 and older may enroll in five new writing classes offered this spring by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Iowa ( OLLI at Iowa ). Led by participants in the UI Nonfiction Writing Program, part of the UI's "Writing University," the new classes are:

--"What's Your Story: Reading and Writing Nonfiction," Mondays 5 to 7 p.m., Feb. 2 to March 30 ( no class March 16 ).
--"Long Live the Prose Poem," Thursdays 7 to 8:30 p.m., Feb. 12 to April 9.
--"Tell Me a Story: How to Begin, How to End," Sundays 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., March 1 to March 22.
--"Performance Poetry," Tuesdays 6 to 7:30 p.m., March 31 to May 5.
--"The Lie That Tells the Truth: The Art of Fiction," Mondays 3 to 5 p.m., April 6 to May 4.

There are no course prerequisites for enrollment and no tests or grades. Complete course descriptions and registration information, including fees, are available at http://www.olliatiowa.org or contact Julie Bobitt, 319-384-4222.

March 8 2009 - Place and Prose Workshop: Writing Nature, Writing Culture - NYC

Place is an important component in all writing. "Place-based" literature is increasingly recognized as a vibrant and evolving genre, one that intersects with memoir, environmental nonfiction, nature writing and cultural criticism. In this non-fiction seminar/workshop, we will examine how place works--just as character or action does--to bring writing to life. We will look at place-based essays by John McPhee, Annie Dillard and Mike Davis, among others, with an eye toward how they use place to create fuller, more relevant work. Discussion of each week’s reading leads into workshopping of students’ own non-fiction pieces.

Ginger Strand, a former fellow at the Behrman Center for the Humanities at Princeton, is the author of the novel Flight and the non-fiction work Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power and Lies. Her essays and fiction have appeared in Harper's, The Believer, The Iowa Review and Orion, where she is a contributing editor.


First Session: Sun, Mar 8, 2009, 2:00pm-5:00pm

Sessions: 8

Instructor: Ginger Strand

Location: 92nd Street Y (Lexington Avenue at 92nd St, NYC)

Code: TP3LS11-03

Price: $350.00

Call 212-415-5500 to register; website

Feb 21 2009 - Washtenaw Literacy Announces Power Tutoring Event

Washtenaw Literacy, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating adult illiteracy, is pleased to offer Power Tutoring, a free day-long series of workshops designed to help tutors advance their effectiveness and learners continue to improve. The Saturday, February 21st event is sponsored by Washtenaw Community College and held on their campus.

Tutors will experience sessions covering social work value in tutoring, workplace skills for the 21st century, Ebonics in tutoring, working with learning disabled adults, and more. Learners will learn how to improve their job skills, receive coaching in writing resumes, discuss techniques for increasing vocabulary, and will receive computer time. The event is expected to draw participants from around the state, so early registration is strongly encouraged.

Recently the National Center for Education Statistics produced estimates of the percentage of adults lacking Basic Prose Literacy Skills. "While it remains difficult to precisely quantify the number of people who need help in Washtenaw County, it could be as high as 11% of the total population of Washtenaw County, nearly 29,000 adults living among us. We know we have a long waiting list of people who wish to use our services," said Amy Goodman, Executive Director of Washtenaw Literacy. "Events like the Power Tutoring workshop allow us to touch a large number of tutors and learners in a full content-rich day."

For more information, please call Washtenaw Literacy at (734) 879-1320 or go to www.washtenawliteracy.org.

Feb 12 2009 - Social Media Expert Peter Shankman Discusses How to Reach National Editors

Social media expert Peter Shankman will discuss "Using HARO and Other Social Media to Reach National Editors," at the February 12 program co-sponsored by IABC Pittsburgh and Jack Horner Communications.

Did you ever wonder how national editors find sources for the millions of articles that are published every year? Have you ever read an article and thought your client or organization had the perfect person to be interviewed for a similar topic? Have you pitched stories to national and regional media only to be repeatedly turned down?

If you said yes to any of these questions, then you won't want to miss the February 12 program featuring Peter Shankman of helpareporterout.com (HARO). Peter is nationally known for his use of social media to connect reporters with valid queries to the communicators who can provide the best sources for their stories.

Business owners, communications professionals and more are encouraged to attend the lunchtime program as Peter shares his knowledge about how to use social media to get your company name in the national news.

Peter Shankman's Help a Reporter (www.helpareporter.com) has over 50,000 members. He is also the author of Can We Do That?! Outrageous PR Stunts That Work and Why Your Company Needs Them and is the founder and CEO of The Geek Factory, Inc., a marketing and PR strategy firm in New York city. He has served as a marketing pundit for Fox News, CNN and MSNBC.

The lunchtime program February 12 at The Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania, 337 Fourth Ave., Downtown, will begin at 11:30 a.m. with registration and breakfast.

Reservations, due by Monday, February 9, are available by visiting www.iabcpittsburgh.com. The cost is $30 for members of IABC, $45 for nonmembers, and $20 for full-time students.

Feb 12 2009 - Writing University's 'Live from Prairie Lights' features Stephen Lovely

The "Live from Prairie Lights" reading series, which is streamed live on the University of Iowa Writing University Web site, http://writinguniversity.uiowa.edu, will feature Stephen Lovely, an Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate and the director of the Iowa Young Writers' Studio, on Thursday, Feb. 12.

The reading will originate as a free public event at 7 p.m. in the Prairie Lights bookstore at 15 S. Dubuque St. in downtown Iowa City.

Lovely, who also worked as a night clerk in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the UI Hospitals and Clinics for seven years, has titled his first novel "Irreplaceable."

Ann Hood, author of "Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine" called the book, "wise, heartbreaking, funny, and human in every possible way. In this debut novel, he manages to humanize the sterile world of heart transplants, the faceless victims and lucky receivers of their organs, and the families who are touched forever by happenstance. Irreplaceable is unforgettable. I simply love this book."

A starred review in Publishers Weekly stated, "Lovely's debut novel, a touching journey of the heart, tracks what happens to two Midwestern families after a death and a gift of life. Archeologist Alex Voormann and his plant biologist wife, Isabel, had a pleasant enough life in Iowa until Isabel was struck and killed while riding her bicycle. Alex reluctantly complies with her wish to be an organ donor, which saves the life of Janet Corcoran, a 34-year-old Chicago art teacher and mother of two.

"Lovely thoughtfully weaves the tales of these two families together, tracing the realities of love and loss of all kinds as Alex attempts to move on, the man who was driving the truck that killed Isabel begins popping up in unexpected places, and Janet seeks out Alex and Isabel's mother to thank them and express her guilt and empathy. Lovely does a great job of staying out of sappy melodrama as the gravity of Isabel's death pulls the cast together in memorable fashion. The delicate handling of loaded material, attention to detail, and depth of character make this a standout."

Every summer, 120 young writers from across the country come together at the Young Writers' Studio to share their work, practice their craft, and improve their writing in America's first City of Literature. Visit the program's Web site at http://www.uiowa.edu/youngwriters.

The Writers' Workshop is a graduate program in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

For UI arts information and calendar updates, visit http://www.uiowa.edu/artsiowa. To receive UI arts news by e-mail, go to http://list.uiowa.edu/archives/acr-news.html, click the link "Join or leave the list ( or change settings )" and follow the instructions.

March 9-10 2009 - The 38th Annual Book and Author Event - North Carolina

Friends of the Library at Queens University of Charlotte will present two award-winning authors for its 38th Annual Book and Author Dinner on March 9 and Luncheon on March 10. Both events are held on the campus of Queens University.

John Hart and Ron Rash, both North Carolina writers, will be the featured presenters at this year's event. If you like thriller novels that have you on the edge of your reading seat, John Hart will appeal to you. Ron Rash, a talented novelist and poet will also be sharing the podium with Hart. Both writers will be discussing their books and writings.

The 38th Annual Book and Author Event, presented by the Friends of the Library at Queens, begins with a Monday evening, March 9 reception at 7 p.m., followed by a sit-down dinner with presentations by the guest authors. The format is duplicated on Tuesday, March 10 with an 11:30 a.m. reception and luncheon followed by the authors' presentations. The cost of the dinner ticket is $55 per person and the luncheon ticket is $40 per person. Both events are held in the Frances Young Dining Room in Morrison Hall on the Queens University Campus at 1900 Selwyn Avenue in Charlotte. Ticket sales open to the public after February 13. For more information and reservation availability, please call (704) 337-2437 or email brycew@queens.edu.

March 13-15 2009 - Writing is Hard Enough. Publishing Shouldn't Be!

The "Writing is Hard Enough. Publishing Shouldn't Be!"(TM) seminar series is designed to introduce new authorpreneurs to the self-publishing business. Getting Started with Publishing is the first course in a series of five. This course is an introduction to understanding the publishing industry and provides participants with concrete ways of setting themselves up as a self-publisher. Publishing is a business and is not for the feint at heart. The first five Wagfest participants to sign up for the workshop will receive a free self-publishing package. (Valued at $550) All participants will receive the newly released book, "The Self-Publishing Journal" with their registration to the class.

WagFest Networking Bazaar WagFest Litertainment is more than a literary conference and bazaar; it is a movement that promotes self sufficiency and resourcefulness. Come out and share in the spirit of creativity, entertainment, and entrepreneurship. WagFest Seattle is March 13-15, 2009 and registrations are open now.

Visit www.wagfestlitertainment.com and register today.

Assuanta Collins is known for her dynamic personality and vast knowledge about the self-publishing business. She began her career in higher education, serving over 17 years in various leadership roles. She managed grant funded programs with budgets over 3 million dollars. In addition, Collins is qualified in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.

May 4-6 2009 - The Construction Writers Association's Annual Conference

The Construction Writers Association's Annual Conference, Building Connections-Linking Media and People, will be held May 4-6, 2009 at the Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, Va.

Social media tools will be in the spotlight at this year's conference, as keynote speaker Denise Graveline, president of Don't Get Caught, shares key tips on the latest social media resources such as Twitter,

@SkyDiver, and more. Amanda Kolson Hurley, Senior Editor of Architect magazine, will lead an interactive workshop on using social media tools.

Other highlights include panel discussions on major construction projects around the world and the impending reauthorization of SAFETEA-LU; a multi-roundtable session on hot topics in the design and construction industry facilitated by more than 15 editors representing leading industry publications; professional development sessions on ethics and branding; and a tour of the recently completed Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. A construction tour will also be conducted of the new Building For Peace. This

150,000 square-foot building will serve as the headquarters and national center for advancing the study and practice of peacebuilding.

Capping the 2009 Annual Conference will be the Grand Awards Dinner, where winners of CWA's annual Journalism and Photography Awards programs will be recognized along with recipients of the association's Silver Hard Hat and Hall of Fame Awards. CWA will also present its 2009 Build A Future Scholarship to an outstanding undergraduate student who aspires to apply his/her communication and journalism skills to the fields of architecture, engineering, or construction.

For more information about Building Connections-Linking Media and People, log on to the "Events" section of the CWA website or contact Deborah Hodges (info@constructionwriters.org; 773-687-8726).

April 30 2009 - The Histories of Science Fiction

Robots and race, aliens and science fiction music are among the themes internationally known scholars of science fiction literature will explore in a lecture series at the University of California, Riverside in April and May.

The lecture series will include an afternoon symposium, "The Histories of Science Fiction," on Thursday, April 30, which will lead into the 2009 Eaton Science Fiction Conference May 1-3. The lectures are free and open to the public. Parking costs $6.

"This speaker series will further cement UCR's growing reputation as the most important academic site for science fiction scholarship in the world," said Rob Latham, associate professor of English and organizer of the lecture series.

The speakers also will meet with graduate students enrolled in a course Latham teaches, "The Origins and Promise of Science Fiction," which is part of the Ph.D. track in Science Fiction, Science and Literature in the Department of Comparative Literature. The Department of Creative Writing is conducting a search to fill a position in science fiction writing, and there are plans to hire an additional science fiction scholar next year in another department.

"This will give UCR three active faculty members who specialize in science fiction, providing the nucleus for future campus events and, I hope, for the establishment of an academic unit in Science Fiction and Technoculture Studies," Latham said.

For more information contact Rob Latham at rob.latham@ucr.edu or ( 951 ) 827-196

Feb 5 2009 - How PR Pros Can Craft a Powerful Elevator Pitch

PR and marketing professionals who want to improve pitching skills and hit rate will discover practical strategies at a new audio conference from Bulldog Reporter's PR University: "Crafting the Perfect Elevator Pitch: How to Place More Stories on the Phone, Via Email and in Person." Attendees will come away with practical insights on how to create a powerful media pitch and compress it into a presentation just a few seconds long.

This exclusive, dial-in PR University audio conference takes place on Thursday, February 5th, at 1PM EST (noon CST, 11AM MST; 10AM PST).

This 90-minute interactive call will give public relations professionals actionable insights, tips and skills on top pitching faux pas PR people make when phoning or meeting the press, the magic words reporters want to hear in the first few seconds and the key elements of a stellar elevator pitch. It will also address how to best rehearse a pitch and how to avoid "voice mail jail."

Attendance at Bulldog Reporter's PR University audio conference costs $299 per telephone site. Participants in the 90-minute call will be able to pose specific questions for the panelists at several junctures during the discussion. Attendees of PR University conferences receive one credit toward PRSA accreditation maintenance. Registration also includes an up-to-the-minute conference manual and a full transcript. For more information on taking part in the event, go to our conference home page or phone toll free: 1-800-959-1059.

Feb 12 2009 - Free Webinar On Public Relations Tactics

Andrea C. Carrero, president of Word Technologies Inc., based in Glen Mills, PA, will be presenting a free half-hour webinar on "Using Public Relations Tactics to Promote and Build Your Business or Nonprofit" from 12 to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. The presentation is free; registration is via SearchitRight.com at http://tinyurl.com/92kpb5.

The free webinar will educate attendees on how to create and use a press release to publicize their businesses or nonprofits. Among the topics are: the difference between advertising and publicity; the style of writing; what makes something newsworthy; what is an angle; and the items included in a press release.

"I'm thrilled to be co-sponsoring this free webinar with SearchitRight.com," Carrero explains. "It is an opportunity to help business owners and nonprofit organizations understand what they need to know when performing public relations tactics."

Carrero has a strong background in marketing, journalism and creative writing, which she uses to write and produce strategic marketing plans and materials, as well as public relations tools, as part of her company's service offerings. Her experience includes writing and editing for mass media such as daily and weekly newspapers as well as radio—and in public relations and publications for large nonprofit organizations.

In addition, Carrero's experience includes more than 15 years in Information Technology (IT), where she has specialized in technical communication and training in a wide variety of vertical industries, including business-to-business and business-to-consumer companies with offices and customers worldwide.

Carrero will be presenting a half-day workshop on "Using Public Relations Tactics to Promote and Build Your Business or Nonprofit" from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2009 in Albuquerque, NM. Registrations currently are being accepted at www.whoscoming.com/prtactics.

July 9 2009 - Learn Photography on Location with Professional Travel Journalists

The 2009 SATW Institute for Digital Travel Photography is set from Thursday evening, July 9, through Monday afternoon, July 13, at the Dept. of Journalism, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisc. Highlights include sessions by top SATW photographers and other photo specialists in technology, marketing and art. Among the new offerings this year is a seminar on "backpack journalism," using video, photos and editorial. In addition to intensive classroom work, participants will be extensively shooting in the field under the direction of SATW and local photo mentors.

The Great Circus Parade that weekend is a special feature, with unlimited marketable photo opportunities. The dazzling pageant on July12 has more than 150 historical, horse-drawn wagons selected from the collection at the Circus World Museum, operated by the Wisconsin State Historical Society. The facility is located in Baraboo, Wisc., winter quarters of the old Ringling Bros. Circus from 1897 through 1918. The parade, featuring more than 400 horses as well as elephants, clowns and authentically costumed bands, was first held in the 1960s and originally sponsored by the Jos. Schlitz Brewery. This is rain or shine, so be prepared!

Other Institute assignments will cover night photography during a tented circus performance, and another at the 50-year-old South Shore Frolics with lively music, a traditional Wisconsin fish fry and fireworks. Critiques and portfolio reviews are integral to the Institute program. The Wisconsin Division of Tourism is again working on pre/post tours. Special SATW accommodation rates will again be offered at Straz Tower, near MU's Johnston Hall, site of the classroom sessions. The Digital Photography Institute's mission is to help you sell more pictures, so come to Milwaukee this summer prepared to make money.

You are encouraged to find photo and writing assignments prior to arrival, as well as to follow up with regular and new editorial outlets.

Reserve the dates and look for more details and registration material on http://www.satw.org/ in the near future. To accommodate all the scheduled power-packed programs, the 2009 Institute will be a half-day longer than last year's!