AWP 07 Recap

We just got back into the office after a good time at AWP: we sold our journals, then gave away the remaining copies; we traded issues with other journals, especially those with whom we haven't organized a formal exchange yet; we went to panels; we met lots of people; we probably forgot other people, and we're sorry about forgetting those people; we attended readings; we had drinks; we saw famous people, etc.

We did many things, and those things were mostly fun.

I can't speak for everyone on our crew, but here are a few of the highlights from my trip.

• Hobart. This is a great journal, which I recommend everyone read. I chatted with Aaron Burch, the editor, for a bit about his starting it up, his reading submissions, and other things. The design itself is very nice. And he's been receiving plenty of submissions to keep him busy reading. The guest edited issue (edited by Ryan Boudinot) is particularly good, by the way.
• Also, many people came to our table and said they really enjoyed reading Phoebe. This was a nice surprise, as we rarely hear anything back at all. Putting together an issue always seems to end after it's printed and distributed, so it's nice to see how the process continues. Thanks to those who continue to read us. And many thanks to those who continue to submit as well: you're where it all begins.
• Robert Olen Butler read a story that he wrote about Nixon. The story, "18 1/2," appeared in the most recent issue of Zoetrope: All-Story. And his Nixon impression is pretty good. He also read from his newest collection, Severance: Stories.
• Went to the Fence/Actionbooks poetry reading at some bar (django?) on Thursday evening and had my first PBR tallboy in a long while. Wade, our assistant poetry editor, helped me to understand the meaning of certain poems. Other poems I did not understand as well.
• On Friday, I was happy to hear Susan Shreve read from her new memoir, due out in June 07. I didn't realize that she'd be coming to AWP, so that was great to see her and to say hi.
• Met Liam Callanan, an '02 graduate from Mason's writing program and author of two books. He teaches in the writing program at UW-Milwaukee. He'll be in D.C. on March 18th, I think, to give a reading at Politics and Prose to support his most recent release, All Saints.
• Talked to the Bat City Review folk and picked up their first two issues. Hopefully I'll read them in the next few days. Other journals I checked out that are worth noting: American Short Fiction (the people at Badgerdog are doing lots of good things right now), DIAGRAM, and Backwards City Review. I could list plenty others too, I suppose, but I don't know. That would take a long time.
• I met and spoke with Andrew Brown of Red Morning Press. He and two other Mason poets started the press in '04 after they graduated from the writing program and, according to their catalogue, it looks like they're putting out a title a year, though I also remember Andrew said that they plan to expand that number to two titles a year fairly soon, and eventually they'll accept nonfiction and fiction submissions as well.
• Finally met Richard Peabody, editor of Gargoyle and a very active figure in the lit scene here in D.C. I think he plans to reopen his submissions period this summer. Apparently, he's been a bit backlogged over there, which is no surprise considering the many other projects he's working on.
• Checked out the new issue of Redivider, in which one of our readers, David Conner, has a painting. It's a fine issue, I think, both because of Conner's work and the fiction.
• Heard Martone and Barth both give readings from new work. They are funny people. I think Barth's story, "Us/Them," will be printed in the newly resurrected Johns Hopkins Review? However, I can't find any links to this news online, so I don't know if it's true or not. I don't know what's true when Barth speaks. Or Martone for that matter. But either way, it was good to see and hear both of them.
• Met up with the Black Warrior Review staff at the local pub late Thursday and Friday nights to celebrate nothing in particular. They are great folks, who put out a great magazine and seem at home in any bar with anyone. Thanks BWR for the company.

That's about it for now. I think at some point Wade will give a brief rundown of AWP from the poetry side. Otherwise, I think you can check out Perpetual Folly and the Emerging Writers Network for some other comments about the conference. And I think Erika over at the Practicing Writing blog will post something soon as well.

That's about it; I'm off to log some fiction packets.