ANNOUNCEMENTS

PAROS STORY STUDIO

This October, Stella Skordalellis (Fiction, S’17) will be leading a series of courses in Paros, Greece, through her newly launched Paros Story Studio. Courses include the Creative Writing Intensive, which focuses on the underlying principles of story; Reading for Writers, where we explore these principles through the stories we love; and a Fiction Writing Workshop where writers bring their own work to the table. Participants may enroll in individual courses or the full series. Stella would be especially glad to welcome members of the Stonecoast community and is offering a 20% tuition reduction for alumni. For more information, please visit www.parosstorystudio.com.

CANOPY LITERARY REVIEW

Canopy Literary Review launched on March 30, 2026, featuring work by Stonecoasters JJ Amaworo Wilson (Faculty), Alex Jennings (Faculty), Eben Thomas (Poetry, S’25), Calla Eris Orion (Fiction, S’25), Cassie Mangano (Fiction, W’25), Wyrd Lea (Poetry S’26), Z! Haukeness, Jeff Kass (Fiction, S’09), and Heather Jones (Fiction, W’25). Come check us out! 

MIDNIGHT DRAFT

Frank Ard (Popular Fiction, S’14) has launched Midnight Draft, a free, online writing community for writers working to sustain a creative practice alongside full lives. Designed for those balancing writing with careers, family, and other responsibilities, Midnight Draft focuses on building consistency, momentum, and accountability in a supportive, low-pressure environment. The community includes craft discussions, shared accountability and support, and live structured writing sessions to help members stay engaged with their work. Additional workshops and programming will be offered over time as the community grows. Writers interested in reconnecting with their practice and building sustainable writing habits are invited to join. More information here. 

ALUMS 

Kathryn Balteff (Fiction, W19) is pleased to announce that her novel, James and Natasha, which began as some scribblings during her time at Stonecoast, will be released by Winter Woods Publishing on April 1,2026.

Peter Adrian Behravesh (Popular Fiction, W’18) will be appearing at Norwescon in Seattle, April 2–4. Here’s where you can find him:

• April 2: Myths as a Structure, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. | The World as a Character, 7:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
• April 3: Worldbuilding Series 201: Geography, 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. | Editing Anthologies, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. | Space and Space Travel in Steampunk, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. | Consulting, Sensitivity, and Culture, 6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
• April 4: Epic Movie Themes & Composers, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.

In anticipation of I Can Tell You The Version That Will Make You Take My Side, their upcoming debut poetry release in June, J Brooke’s (Poetry, S’19) poetry reading and discussion with fellow poets Jendi Reiter and Brad Richard at BGSQD bookstore within the LGBTQ Center in NYC was a big fat sold out (well it was free… but all the chairs were filled) success and can be viewed here. They will be the featured poet reading at the Trans Poetics Archive sponsored Poetry Slam at Second Rodeo Coffee 124 Sawyer St, South Portland, Maine, on Friday, April 17th at 6 :00 p.m. Remember to contact J, the Book Reviews Editor at The Rumpus, if you know of a prose book review that would be an appropriate fit or wish to write a review. J.Brooke@therumpus.net

Jen Dupree (Fiction, W’15) will be on the April 7th edition of Maine Calling to discuss her new memoir, Slow Motion: A Memoir of Friendship, Advocacy, and Disability. You can listen to the live broadcast on MPBN or live or after the fact here. 

Kendall Giles (Popular Fiction, W’13) is happy to share that three teaching case studies he wrote have been published by Virginia Tech as Open Educational Resources: AI Risk Management, Silicon Valley Ideologies, and Engineering Gaze Case Study.

Veda Boyd Jones (Fiction, S’17) explores found family and friendships, kindness and spitefulness, grief and healing in the fourth of her slice-of-life Lost Creek novel series, The Alley South of Main, available now on Kindle. 

Folks around the midwest, or folks who know folks around the midwest, please join Jeff Kass (Fiction, S’09) in Ann Arbor for poetry extravaganza called Poems for the People on Friday, May 22nd, at Schreiber Auditorium at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor. This incredible event celebrates Jeff’s 32 years of teaching and literary arts organizing and will feature an incredible slate of poets including Ross Gay, Hanif Abdurraqib, Sarah Kay, Shira Erlichman, Carlina Duan, Adam Falkner, Angel Nafis and, of course, Stonecoast alum and former instructor, the 2025 National Book Award Winner Patricia Smith! $15 for general public, and $5 for students of any kind. All proceeds to benefit the non-profit press Dzanc Books. Reserve your ticket here. Here’s an article in the Ann Arbor Observer written by Carlina Duan about Jeff [Editor’s note: Jeff didn’t send in this link; I just happened to run across it via Patricia on Facebook].

Stephanie Loleng (Fiction, W’20) is thrilled to announce her flash fiction piece “The Visitor” was recently published in Issue II: Wistfulness & Woe of the Lunae Literary Review. You can download a pdf of the issue here. Steph also published an essay for The Masters Review series “Writers on Not Writing” about how running informs her writing. You can read it here. An avid runner, Steph completed the Tokyo Marathon last month and plans to write about her experience on her Substack.  

The Georgia Writers Association has awarded Acree Graham Macam (Fiction, W’25) their inaugural sponsored residency at the Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts & Sciences. She will spend two weeks this summer writing in the North Georgia mountains.

Nadja Maril (Fiction, W’20) is pleased to share that her prose poem “St. Patrick’s Day Green” was published by Commuter Lit. Nadja, who lives in Annapolis, Maryland, will be hosting a Roundtable Writer’s discussion at the Maryland Hall for the Arts, November 18th. Writers in Maryland who would like to connect to be part of this event or future events, please contact Nadja at Nadjamaril21@gmail.com.

Marisca Pichette (Popular Fiction, S’21) headed south to her fifth ICFA in mid-March. She had a fantastic time connecting with friends new and old, including Stonecoast alumni faculty and students Dora Goss, Liz Levin, Chloie Piveral, Jessica Kormos, and Jim Kelly. She signed copies of Storyteller: A Tanith Lee Tribute Anthology, edited by Stonecoast alumna Julie C. Day and now a Bram Stoker Award finalist!

Kathleen Saville (Creative Nonfiction, W’13) is excited to share an interview she recently did with Hugh Taylor on The Art of Adventure podcast. On Episode 4 which dropped on March 4th, she talks about the stories behind her 2017 memoir Rowing for My Life: Two Ocean, Two Lives, One Journey, published by Arcade Publishing and distributed by Simon & Schuster. 

Linda K. Sienkiewicz (Fiction, S’09) has an essay in Women Writers, Women’s Books —“The Long Game: How Asking For Help Landed Me a Book Deal.” We often talk about the solitary nature of writing, but the truth is, books are built in community. Often, asking for help is a commitment to your story. 

Christopher Watkins (Poetry, W’08) has taken on the role of Poetry Editor at Rooted Literary Magazine. Additionally, his poem “Erosion” has been accepted for publication by Sheila-Na-Gig, and his poem “Tinsel” has been accepted by Tipton Literary Journal. Both pieces are from Christopher’s forthcoming full-length collection, Shoebox and Other Broken Sonnets.

Robin Clifford Wood (Creative Nonfiction, S’15) will be teaching a 5-week online class—”personal essay as a path to memoir”—through Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, starting on April 7th. The class runs on Tuesdays from 6:00-8:00 p.m., For more information and registration, follow this link.

FACULTY  

Elizabeth Searle (Fiction and Scriptwriting) interviews fellow Stonecoast Faculty JJ Amaworo Wilson in the Spring 2026 Solstice magazine, out on April 10th. Elizabeth is Guest Fiction Co-editor of this issue, which also features a story from JJ’s forthcoming collection. Elizabeth will be In Conversation with author Jessica Treadway at Newtonville Books on April 26th at 2:00 p.m. In theater news: a new full production of Elizabeth’s Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera— produced by Dogged Utopia Productions—had a sold-out run at BeBe Theater in Asheville, NC, in March; the show was described by local critic Blaine Greenfield as “an electrifying theatrical punch.” An encore production in NC is in the works. For updates, see: www.elizabethsearle.net