Poet Salvatore Marici Reads & Leads a Workshop at MWC This October 12th & 22nd

Posted on by Ryan Collins

Midwest Writing Center is excited to welcome poet Salvatore Marici to MWC for a pair of events this October. First, Marici will give a poetry reading from his new book, Sneezing Coyotes and his previous books (all published by Ice Cube Press) as part of our Brown Bag Series on Wednesday, October 12 at 12:00 p.m.

Then, on Saturday, October 22, Marici will be leading a workshop called “Balancing Tension” — seating will for the workshop will be limited, and the cost for the workshop will be $15 for MWC Members, $20 for non-MWC Members.

QC Banned Book Reading — Sept. 21, 6pm, RIPL

Posted on by Ryan Collins

Join the Rock Island Public Library and the Midwest Writing Center for their annual “Banned Books Reading!” Please note: this event is after library hours, so please arrive no later than 6 pm.

Local authors, librarians, and guests will read passages from their favorite challenged/banned items to celebrate our Freedom to Read. Everyone welcome to attend; content might not be suitable for some attendees. It’s time we “ban”d together” against censorship! 

Submissions are open for the Foster-Stahl Chapbook Series

Posted on by Ryan Collins

The Foster-Stahl Chapbook Series, which looks to publish outstanding short collections of poetry, prose (fiction or nonfiction), or hybrid work from poets and writers living in the upper Midwest region (this includes the following states served by Arts Midwest: IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, ND, OH, SD, WI). Submissions for the third year of the series are open now.

Great River Writers Retreat Reading at RIPL, Sept. 1 at 5:30 p.m.

Posted on by Ryan Collins

The Midwest Writing Center is proud to present the winners of the Great River Writers’ Retreat from both 2021 and 2022 as they share their work and current projects for a live reading at the Rock Island Public Library.
Both winners will be sharing some of their experiences and reading from the projects they will be working on during the retreat on September 1st at 5:30 pm in the Rock Island Public Library (401 19th St, Rock Island, IL 61201) Community Room on the second floor.

Announcing the 2021 Foster-Stahl Chapbook Series Selections

Posted on by Ryan Collins

Thank you to all the terrific poets and writers who shared their manuscripts with us for the second year of the Foster-Stahl Chapbook Series. We are grateful for everyone who gave us the opportunity to read and consider their work. The range, variety, and excellence of the submissions made them thrilling to read, and provided the series editors with an extremely difficult task in selecting a manuscript.

In the end, two manuscripts were selected for publication: one manuscript for the Series, and a second manuscript selected for publication as an Editors’ Choice. Below are the complete results, include the finalists…

Announcing the winner of the 2022 Great River Writers Retreat — Jo Ivy Young!

Posted on by Ryan Collins

Congratulations to this year’s winner of the Great River Writers Retreat, Jo Ivy Young! Young will be in residence August 29-Sept 4, 2022 (along with our 2021 winner Jeffrey Wolf who postponed his retreat due to COVID-19), concentrating on her writing at Benet House Retreat Center in Rock Island, IL. They will both celebrate their experiences in the area, and share some of the writing they worked on during the retreat at a public reading (date and location TBD–stay tuned for more info).