J. Bowers

I’ll be reading in Room 215 of Tate Hall at the University of Missouri on April 22nd at 7 p.m. The reading is part of a special series honoring creative writing students who are graduating this spring, this summer, or during the early fall, which is when I plan to defend.

But wait, there’s more!

Stephanie Kartalopoulos will bring the poetry, Sarah Neuroth will bring some prose, and I’ll bring a new story that’s never been read before. The English Department will bring snacks and wine, you bring your best “I’m listening to a reading” face, and we’ll put on a show in the barn.

Hope to see you there…

I’ll be reading some new stories about the Coney Island Steeplechase and the Midwest Utilitor at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 29th at Columbia, Missouri’s own Orr Street Studios.

There will be poetry, too, from Elizabeth Hatmaker, whose work has appeared in ACM, Epoch, Language and Learning Across the Disciplines, Social Epistemology, Bird Dog, L’Bourgeoizine, MiPOesias, Mandorla, Mirage #4/Period(ical), Mississippi Review and in the anthology Life as We Show It: Writing on Film (City Lights 2009).  She teaches creative writing and cultural studies at Illinois State University.

All I know is, the last time I read at Orr Street Studios, I got a “woooooo!” from someone in the audience. So it’s a pretty chill place to hear a reading.

Hope to see you there.

I am dead chuffed to announce that the editors of The Poydras Review have nominated my story “Midwest Utilitor Breakdown” for The Pushcart Prize!

Each year (since 1976), Pushcart Press has published an extremely influential anthology of the literary work that they deem to be the “best of the small presses.” Getting nominated by a swell journal like The Poydras Review puts “Midwest Utilitor Breakdown” in the running for publication in that book.

Along with lots of other people. But still!

It’s in Issue #2 of The Poydras Review, available now here.

I’m happy to report that “Midwest Utilitor Breakdown,” my tale of tractors and salesmanship in 1920s Missouri, will be part of The Poydras Review‘s second-ever issue, to be published this winter.

To celebrate, let’s enjoy the sweet, sweet sounds of diesel and some Swedish guys, performing the “Midwest Utilitor Blues.”

Even though I didn’t win the 1/2K Prize, The Indiana Review is going to publish “Two On A Horse 1,” “Two On A Horse 2,4,” and “Two On A Horse 3,” hopefully in the December issue.

Yes!

The results are in, and though I didn’t win, I think it’s probably worth announcing that several pieces of “Two On A Horse” were named finalists in Indiana Review’s 2012 1/2K Contest, judged by the inimitable and amazing Michael Martone.