Hey Everyone,
I hope you all survived the terrible hurricane/tropical storm that hit the east coast of the US this weekend. We only lost power and had some nearby trees fall down but that was it. Friends in VT and NC were much more hard hit. :-(
Anyway, thanks to the few of you who donated to Mira's List after my last post. I really appreciate any donation, even if it is small, like $5. It all helps to keep this blog going.
I have some new things to tell you about but will save that for later this week or weekend....lots of deadlines coming up in September and October so if you are thinking about applying for a residency or grant, now is the time to get those applications out there.
More later....love y'all!
Mirabee
Showing posts with label PERSONAL NOTE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PERSONAL NOTE. Show all posts
Some Random Advice from Mirabee on Grants, Fellowships, Residencies and Contests
Hi everyone,
Lately I have been getting a lot of mail—actually, I always get a lot of mail—and much of it the last month has been about some of the same things so I thought I would just post a list of some FAQs that keep ending up in my inbox. It is almost September, after all, and Sept. 15th is a big date for application deadlines. October is the big month for Fulbright deadlines.
Before I go into that though, a reminder, if you write me at:
mirabartok@yahoo.com, please make sure you check ALL my FAQs before writing, okay?
Here is the FAQ link for applying for grants and Fellowships: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/07/faqs-grants.html
Here's the link for residencies, art colonies and retreats: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/09/faqs-residencies-artist-colonies.html
For Fulbright Awards: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/04/fubright-grants-inside-scoop.html
Okay, on to those random questions of yours:
1. HELP ME PLEASE! I am desperate! I need a grant right now! Can I apply for a grant that would start next month?
No. For most grants or large fellowships you must apply nine months to a year in advance. However, if you need emergency funding, check my sidebar on the right hand side for some links to emergency funding organizations.
Also--PLEASE DO NOT SOUND DESPERATE in your application. No foundation wants to give money to people who sound like victims. It is better to present yourself as a resourceful person. Tell them how many other places you are applying to and what you are doing to get out of your unfortunate situation.
2. If I write a nice letter to you, asking you to help me find a grant or a special residency, will you help me?
Nope. PLEASE DO THE WORK. I do this for free. I know I am crazy. I get barely any donations. I think I make less than two cents an hour doing this. Actually—not even that much. Basically, I bring you to the water but you have to fish for yourself, okay? There are special circumstances where I do help individuals, like a couple people who have limited internet access because they are living in countries like Iran and China where important sites are censored and blocked from view. Otherwise—do the work yourself.
3. I run a residency (or a grant foundation) and want you to post my deadline announcement. What's the best way to send you info?
NOT in a pdf. NOT in a word doc. Please send a BRIEF announcement in the body of an email to mirabartok@yahoo.com and include deadline date, cost if there is on, stipend or award if there is one, location and something descriptive about the program. Also, which disciplines can apply. And please send me info way in advance. Thanks.
4. I am a poet who is nearly sixty years old (or an artist, composer, etc.) and have been rejected by every place I apply to. Can you help me figure out why?
Sorry—I can't. I just don't have time to critique people's work. I suggest you get involved with some kind of community—writing group, artist critique group, etc. and get feedback that way.
5. What is your opinion about writing contests that charge a fee to submit my piece?
I think some contests are good and some are bad. Here's my opinion, for what it's worth: Look to see what the big prize is. If the entry fee is, say, 10-25 dollars and the biggest prize is only 200 dollars, well, that's pretty bogus to me. That means they are just making money off you. And do they mention who the judge is? ONLY send work to contests if the judge is a reputable LITERARY writer, not some hack and if the contest is run by a literary magazine or a reputable literary online journal. The Council on Literary Magazines and Small Presses (CLMP) helps to set standards for good ethical practices among literary magazines. You can acquire a great list of presses and journals from their site: http://www.clmp.org/about/dir.html.
You can get a great listing of contests that are worth applying to on the Poets & Writers website: www.pw.org. And if you are a writer and don't subscribe to their inexpensive but invaluable magazine, I do believe you are a doody head.
By the way, you can apply this info to art and music and film contests. Just because someone is offering you money out there doesn't mean they are legit.
6. I'm a writer. Some of my friends say I should send my work to literary journals—ones like Ploughshares, Kenyon Review, Yale Review, etc. But I notice that most of those journals don't pay you a cent! They just give you two free copies and publish your work. So why bother?
Good question. Well, here's the long answer: Many great writers started out in those smaller circulation literary magazines. And many acclaimed authors (and I'm talking LITERARY authors here, not the Danielle Steele kind of commercial bestselling blockbuster author) still send pieces to these magazines because they believe in them and they also respect the audience who reads them. That audience really loves great literature and brilliant, exquisite prose. They read the harder books, the ones you actually have to use your brain to read, not your basic page turner. i.e. We are not talking The DaVinci Code, okay? Nothing wrong with that stuff for entertainment but let's face it folks—it's not great literature.
Case in point—an earlier version of one of my chapters from The Memory Palace (which just made the New York Times bestselling list in paperback for next week :-)) was first published in Kenyon Review. And from there, KR submitted it to be in the Best American Essay series where it was mentioned as a notable essay. That stuff means something to agents and editors at larger houses who are looking for literary writers. And it meant a lot to me. You can't put a price tag on that kind of thing. These journals barely limp along financially. It is a labor of love. I used to work at one as an intern and certainly didn't do it for the money. Okay....I'm done ranting now....
A couple last things:
To people who run international residencies and want me to post deadlines: PLEASE have someone check your grammar and spelling. I spend a lot of time rewriting posts that are too hard to understand. PLEASE tell me WHERE you are located exactly. You'd be surprised how many people ask me to post about a residency with no info on what country it is, even on their website.
And, last but not least.....a reminder: if you are looking for a residency in a specific country, please don't write me and ask. Please check out my residency links on my sidebar because the places I list are amazing and you can search for each individual country.
Thanks....and hey, I'm going to bug you guys for donations soon, just so you know. Although my book is doing really well, I haven't made my advance back yet (a long and mysterious process that even I don't completely understand). I will actually run out of money in November with nothing on the horizon. I do this for free. I do not charge you. People say I am insane because I do not ask for a yearly subscription. I don't want to because I believe in a Gift Economy at heart. So pay it forward—send a donation if you can (see my sidebar for information on how to do that) and if you can't, spread some helpful information to a friend.
Thanks...I love you guys.
Mirabee
p.s. I forgot to mention this one:
I DO NOT POST ABOUT CONTESTS, PUBLISHING OR EXHIBITION OPPORTUNTIES, etc. unless they also offer a residency or there is some fellowship involved. So to all you wonderful places asking me to post about your upcoming artist call for an exhibit or for your writing contest, please go to my facebook MIRASLIST page and post it there, okay? If you write a short announcement it will also be tweeted on twitter.
By the way—I really, really try to post residencies that either don't cost money or that offer a stipend or that are pretty inexpensive. So if you send me an announcement for a residency that costs a lot of money, don't be surprised if I don't post it, okay? Thanks.
Lately I have been getting a lot of mail—actually, I always get a lot of mail—and much of it the last month has been about some of the same things so I thought I would just post a list of some FAQs that keep ending up in my inbox. It is almost September, after all, and Sept. 15th is a big date for application deadlines. October is the big month for Fulbright deadlines.
Before I go into that though, a reminder, if you write me at:
mirabartok@yahoo.com, please make sure you check ALL my FAQs before writing, okay?
Here is the FAQ link for applying for grants and Fellowships: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/07/faqs-grants.html
Here's the link for residencies, art colonies and retreats: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/09/faqs-residencies-artist-colonies.html
For Fulbright Awards: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/04/fubright-grants-inside-scoop.html
Okay, on to those random questions of yours:
1. HELP ME PLEASE! I am desperate! I need a grant right now! Can I apply for a grant that would start next month?
No. For most grants or large fellowships you must apply nine months to a year in advance. However, if you need emergency funding, check my sidebar on the right hand side for some links to emergency funding organizations.
Also--PLEASE DO NOT SOUND DESPERATE in your application. No foundation wants to give money to people who sound like victims. It is better to present yourself as a resourceful person. Tell them how many other places you are applying to and what you are doing to get out of your unfortunate situation.
2. If I write a nice letter to you, asking you to help me find a grant or a special residency, will you help me?
Nope. PLEASE DO THE WORK. I do this for free. I know I am crazy. I get barely any donations. I think I make less than two cents an hour doing this. Actually—not even that much. Basically, I bring you to the water but you have to fish for yourself, okay? There are special circumstances where I do help individuals, like a couple people who have limited internet access because they are living in countries like Iran and China where important sites are censored and blocked from view. Otherwise—do the work yourself.
3. I run a residency (or a grant foundation) and want you to post my deadline announcement. What's the best way to send you info?
NOT in a pdf. NOT in a word doc. Please send a BRIEF announcement in the body of an email to mirabartok@yahoo.com and include deadline date, cost if there is on, stipend or award if there is one, location and something descriptive about the program. Also, which disciplines can apply. And please send me info way in advance. Thanks.
4. I am a poet who is nearly sixty years old (or an artist, composer, etc.) and have been rejected by every place I apply to. Can you help me figure out why?
Sorry—I can't. I just don't have time to critique people's work. I suggest you get involved with some kind of community—writing group, artist critique group, etc. and get feedback that way.
5. What is your opinion about writing contests that charge a fee to submit my piece?
I think some contests are good and some are bad. Here's my opinion, for what it's worth: Look to see what the big prize is. If the entry fee is, say, 10-25 dollars and the biggest prize is only 200 dollars, well, that's pretty bogus to me. That means they are just making money off you. And do they mention who the judge is? ONLY send work to contests if the judge is a reputable LITERARY writer, not some hack and if the contest is run by a literary magazine or a reputable literary online journal. The Council on Literary Magazines and Small Presses (CLMP) helps to set standards for good ethical practices among literary magazines. You can acquire a great list of presses and journals from their site: http://www.clmp.org/about/dir.html.
You can get a great listing of contests that are worth applying to on the Poets & Writers website: www.pw.org. And if you are a writer and don't subscribe to their inexpensive but invaluable magazine, I do believe you are a doody head.
By the way, you can apply this info to art and music and film contests. Just because someone is offering you money out there doesn't mean they are legit.
6. I'm a writer. Some of my friends say I should send my work to literary journals—ones like Ploughshares, Kenyon Review, Yale Review, etc. But I notice that most of those journals don't pay you a cent! They just give you two free copies and publish your work. So why bother?
Good question. Well, here's the long answer: Many great writers started out in those smaller circulation literary magazines. And many acclaimed authors (and I'm talking LITERARY authors here, not the Danielle Steele kind of commercial bestselling blockbuster author) still send pieces to these magazines because they believe in them and they also respect the audience who reads them. That audience really loves great literature and brilliant, exquisite prose. They read the harder books, the ones you actually have to use your brain to read, not your basic page turner. i.e. We are not talking The DaVinci Code, okay? Nothing wrong with that stuff for entertainment but let's face it folks—it's not great literature.
Case in point—an earlier version of one of my chapters from The Memory Palace (which just made the New York Times bestselling list in paperback for next week :-)) was first published in Kenyon Review. And from there, KR submitted it to be in the Best American Essay series where it was mentioned as a notable essay. That stuff means something to agents and editors at larger houses who are looking for literary writers. And it meant a lot to me. You can't put a price tag on that kind of thing. These journals barely limp along financially. It is a labor of love. I used to work at one as an intern and certainly didn't do it for the money. Okay....I'm done ranting now....
A couple last things:
To people who run international residencies and want me to post deadlines: PLEASE have someone check your grammar and spelling. I spend a lot of time rewriting posts that are too hard to understand. PLEASE tell me WHERE you are located exactly. You'd be surprised how many people ask me to post about a residency with no info on what country it is, even on their website.
And, last but not least.....a reminder: if you are looking for a residency in a specific country, please don't write me and ask. Please check out my residency links on my sidebar because the places I list are amazing and you can search for each individual country.
Thanks....and hey, I'm going to bug you guys for donations soon, just so you know. Although my book is doing really well, I haven't made my advance back yet (a long and mysterious process that even I don't completely understand). I will actually run out of money in November with nothing on the horizon. I do this for free. I do not charge you. People say I am insane because I do not ask for a yearly subscription. I don't want to because I believe in a Gift Economy at heart. So pay it forward—send a donation if you can (see my sidebar for information on how to do that) and if you can't, spread some helpful information to a friend.
Thanks...I love you guys.
Mirabee
p.s. I forgot to mention this one:
I DO NOT POST ABOUT CONTESTS, PUBLISHING OR EXHIBITION OPPORTUNTIES, etc. unless they also offer a residency or there is some fellowship involved. So to all you wonderful places asking me to post about your upcoming artist call for an exhibit or for your writing contest, please go to my facebook MIRASLIST page and post it there, okay? If you write a short announcement it will also be tweeted on twitter.
By the way—I really, really try to post residencies that either don't cost money or that offer a stipend or that are pretty inexpensive. So if you send me an announcement for a residency that costs a lot of money, don't be surprised if I don't post it, okay? Thanks.
Trouble with my Internet Service
Hi Everyone!
Now that I have a little more time to post opportunities for you, my internet service goes wonky.
I live out in the boonies and depend on satellite and apparently, the satellite is broken. I don't think it will be fixed for another few days so please be patient. I have some really great things to post but they will have to wait. I'm writing you from the library where I popped in for a few minutes. I hope you are all well and making art!
Best wishes,
Mirabee
Now that I have a little more time to post opportunities for you, my internet service goes wonky.
I live out in the boonies and depend on satellite and apparently, the satellite is broken. I don't think it will be fixed for another few days so please be patient. I have some really great things to post but they will have to wait. I'm writing you from the library where I popped in for a few minutes. I hope you are all well and making art!
Best wishes,
Mirabee
Back Home Again
Hi Everyone....I came back from France and immediately went off to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Northeast Regional Conference but I am finally back home. I will post something soon....just wanted to say hi and let you know that I haven't disappeared.
More to come soon!
Mirabee
More to come soon!
Mirabee
For All You Fantasy Book Lovers Out There: Book Launch Party Tonight in Amherst, MA
Coming soon....this weekend in fact....a delightful interview with author Robert V. S. Redick! And just so you know, those of you who live in my neighborhood, i.e. the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts—there is a book launch party for Robert TONIGHT to celebrate the third book in his fantasy book series. The book is called The River of Shadows and details for the book launch party are here:
---------------------------------------------
Book Launch Party
to celebrate the publication (at long last) of
Book III of The Chathrand Voyage Quartet
HAPPY HOUR, FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 5:30-7:30 PM, at Amherst Books
8 Main St, Amherst MA
Drinks (booze and other) • Indian Snacks • Cake • Books for Sale
HAPPY HOUR, FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 5:30-7:30 PM, at Amherst Books
8 Main St, Amherst MA
Drinks (booze and other) • Indian Snacks • Cake • Books for Sale
I hope to see some of my Mira's List peeps there! And keep your eyes peeled this weekend for an interview with Robert Redick.
---------------------------------------------
Mirabee Update
Hi everyone! I just came back from NYC----the last of my book tour events for THE MEMORY PALACE. Thanks to all of you who came out to hear me read this week in NYC and last week in CT. The paperback is coming out early—August 9th! So all of this starts again. If you have a book club, you should know that the paperback version of my book will have a great book club reader's guide in it as well as an author Q & A.
Anyway, I'm going to post a new interview shortly but first, I want to let you know that I will be out of the country from April 26th to May 11th, then at a conference until May 15th. So you probably won't hear from me in a little while unless I can get computer access where I will be staying overseas. If not, have a great couple/few weeks and check out the interview I'm about to post!
Happy Earth Day!
Mirabee
Anyway, I'm going to post a new interview shortly but first, I want to let you know that I will be out of the country from April 26th to May 11th, then at a conference until May 15th. So you probably won't hear from me in a little while unless I can get computer access where I will be staying overseas. If not, have a great couple/few weeks and check out the interview I'm about to post!
Happy Earth Day!
Mirabee
Mirabee is Reading in NYC Next Week!
Greetings all,
Well, I’m back from the TransCultural Exchange Conference in Boston where I got to meet people from all over the world who run artists residencies. I'll be posting some deadlines from those places over the next few weeks and months as well as an interview or two. If you can make the conference in two years, I highly suggest going! And if you plan ahead, you can apply for a scholarship as well as a small professional development grant from your local arts agency so you can help pay for your trip. I hope to see some of you there in 2013!
The other thing I wanted to tell you is that I will be coming to NYC next week to read from my book The Memory Palace. This is the last leg of my book tour until the paperback comes out in late summer. If you are around and can come and hear me read, please do! On Tuesday, April 19th, I'll be reading at the Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, at 7 pm and on Wednesday, April 20th, I'll be reading at Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow Street at 7 pm with writers Moshe Shulman and Emily Rubin, followed by the band Flutterbox.
And tonight I'll be at the Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Road in Fairfield, CT at 7 pm. I hope to see some of you at one of these events!
Well, I’m back from the TransCultural Exchange Conference in Boston where I got to meet people from all over the world who run artists residencies. I'll be posting some deadlines from those places over the next few weeks and months as well as an interview or two. If you can make the conference in two years, I highly suggest going! And if you plan ahead, you can apply for a scholarship as well as a small professional development grant from your local arts agency so you can help pay for your trip. I hope to see some of you there in 2013!
The other thing I wanted to tell you is that I will be coming to NYC next week to read from my book The Memory Palace. This is the last leg of my book tour until the paperback comes out in late summer. If you are around and can come and hear me read, please do! On Tuesday, April 19th, I'll be reading at the Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, at 7 pm and on Wednesday, April 20th, I'll be reading at Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow Street at 7 pm with writers Moshe Shulman and Emily Rubin, followed by the band Flutterbox.
And tonight I'll be at the Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Road in Fairfield, CT at 7 pm. I hope to see some of you at one of these events!
Mira's Chicago Book Tour Postponed!
Hey everyone,
Just a quick (and very disappointing) note to say that unfortunately, due to a sudden back injury (ruptured disc), I will have to postpone my Chicago part of my book tour for The Memory Palace. My apologies to all of you who were going to come and hear me read at The Book Cellar on March 24th and listen to me talk on WBEZ. I will definitely reschedule my Chicago trip and will keep you posted on future dates. I'll also let you know if there are any other changes in my book tour schedule and my Mira's List speaking schedule this spring. Keep your fingers crossed! I hope I don't need surgery. Right now, it's better living through chemistry and staying on a horizontal plane....
Talk to you soon,
Mirabee
Just a quick (and very disappointing) note to say that unfortunately, due to a sudden back injury (ruptured disc), I will have to postpone my Chicago part of my book tour for The Memory Palace. My apologies to all of you who were going to come and hear me read at The Book Cellar on March 24th and listen to me talk on WBEZ. I will definitely reschedule my Chicago trip and will keep you posted on future dates. I'll also let you know if there are any other changes in my book tour schedule and my Mira's List speaking schedule this spring. Keep your fingers crossed! I hope I don't need surgery. Right now, it's better living through chemistry and staying on a horizontal plane....
Talk to you soon,
Mirabee
More Info on the Residency in Ireland
Hi everyone...on the road in CA...hope to see some of you at my next readings in Berkeley and San Francisco...check out my schedule by going to the EVENTS section of my website: http://www.thememorypalace.com
In the meantime...just wanted to let you know that the Claire Short Residency I recently listed is for Washington State residents only. And people aren't getting much info on the program. Sorry....if any of you have been there or know more about it, please respond to the comment section below and not to me privately so we can share info. Thanks!
Cheers,
Mira
In the meantime...just wanted to let you know that the Claire Short Residency I recently listed is for Washington State residents only. And people aren't getting much info on the program. Sorry....if any of you have been there or know more about it, please respond to the comment section below and not to me privately so we can share info. Thanks!
Cheers,
Mira
Thank You Note: My Words Are My Shelter Project
Dear Readers,
I just got this note from Susan Neth, the Executive Director of Mental Health Services, Inc., the organization that oversees the Norma Herr Women's Center, the shelter where my mother spent her last few three of her life. Her note is in response to the outpouring of generosity from all of you during my My Words Are My Shelter campaign. Each woman received not only a journal, pen and pencil with which to write but also, the shelter received close to $500 in donations. Thank you all for your support and we will do this again next year at Christmas time! Please read below:
Dear Mira,
Please express my deep gratitude to your readers of Mira’s List. Their generous donations supported your gift of journals to over 100 homeless women in our shelter. These journals have been used to capture feelings, create poetry and for documenting to-do lists. Writing is safe. It is cathartic. And it can also break down barriers that otherwise might have remained intact. Mira, please pass on my ‘thank you’ to those who reached out to help others.
Susan
Why Good Conferences Cost Money and Why You Should Go to This One
In response to a comment below my posting about the Transcultural Exchange Conference for Opportunities in the Arts coming up in Boston...(the comment was about the conference being too expensive and also there not being single event/day options). Here’s my opinion and more info on all that:
1. This conference costs less than most I’ve attended in all my years of doing this.
2. If you register early for this conference, you always get a discount and they always offered scholarships—part and full—for those who contact them early in the registration process. Both these things I have posted about in the past, so that readers can take advantage of them. (Too late now though....should have done it before when I posted about it before. Sorry!)
3. TCE doesn’t make any money from this event. This conference doesn’t even pay for itself. TCE flies people in from all over the world and hosts them here so they can offer you their expertise. No one gets paid. But when you attend, you get an amazing array of opportunities. Artists often get invited to stay at residencies overseas, they get to show museum curators their work, and they get to meet the people who decide on enormous fellowships and grants in the arts. I would say: well worth the money!
4. There are many local grants that offer funding to attend conferences like this. One of my readers just told me she applied for a local arts grant to come and she got it.
5. This event is obviously a tax deduction if you are a working artist/writer, etc.
6. Re: the one-day registration/one event comment: if the reader had only gone to the site to find out more information, he/she would know that there are events that are free and open to the public. My event, for example, a panel on publishing your first book, is free and anyone can come. So are the readings a the Boston Public Library. So are some other things.
7. Lastly, the person who runs this organization: Mary Sherman, Director of TCE, basically has been putting these huge conferences and exhibitions and collaborations around the world for little or no money. She does this tirelessly, persistently and passionately, because she believes that art can save the world. The whole point of TCE is to create peace and cooperation by creating exhibitions and artistic collaborations world-wide.
If I sound snippy, it is only because I know the background of this organization; I know how hard everyone works for no money or very little, and I know first hand what a great opportunity it is to attend. So please—don’t jump to conclusions when you see a price tag for something like this. It may be the best money you have ever spent. And if you are creative enough and do things way in advance like I always recommend everyone to do—you can even get a scholarship or a grant to go.
Okay—I am off my soap box! Go forth and make art! And if you can get yourself to Boston in April, take advantage of this excellent chance to meet curators, grant foundation directors, Fulbright representatives, artist residency directors and artists of all kinds from all over the world.
Best Wishes,
Mirabee
1. This conference costs less than most I’ve attended in all my years of doing this.
2. If you register early for this conference, you always get a discount and they always offered scholarships—part and full—for those who contact them early in the registration process. Both these things I have posted about in the past, so that readers can take advantage of them. (Too late now though....should have done it before when I posted about it before. Sorry!)
3. TCE doesn’t make any money from this event. This conference doesn’t even pay for itself. TCE flies people in from all over the world and hosts them here so they can offer you their expertise. No one gets paid. But when you attend, you get an amazing array of opportunities. Artists often get invited to stay at residencies overseas, they get to show museum curators their work, and they get to meet the people who decide on enormous fellowships and grants in the arts. I would say: well worth the money!
4. There are many local grants that offer funding to attend conferences like this. One of my readers just told me she applied for a local arts grant to come and she got it.
5. This event is obviously a tax deduction if you are a working artist/writer, etc.
6. Re: the one-day registration/one event comment: if the reader had only gone to the site to find out more information, he/she would know that there are events that are free and open to the public. My event, for example, a panel on publishing your first book, is free and anyone can come. So are the readings a the Boston Public Library. So are some other things.
7. Lastly, the person who runs this organization: Mary Sherman, Director of TCE, basically has been putting these huge conferences and exhibitions and collaborations around the world for little or no money. She does this tirelessly, persistently and passionately, because she believes that art can save the world. The whole point of TCE is to create peace and cooperation by creating exhibitions and artistic collaborations world-wide.
If I sound snippy, it is only because I know the background of this organization; I know how hard everyone works for no money or very little, and I know first hand what a great opportunity it is to attend. So please—don’t jump to conclusions when you see a price tag for something like this. It may be the best money you have ever spent. And if you are creative enough and do things way in advance like I always recommend everyone to do—you can even get a scholarship or a grant to go.
Okay—I am off my soap box! Go forth and make art! And if you can get yourself to Boston in April, take advantage of this excellent chance to meet curators, grant foundation directors, Fulbright representatives, artist residency directors and artists of all kinds from all over the world.
Best Wishes,
Mirabee
Fresh Air Interview TOMORROW & more
Hi everyone,
So they rescheduled my interview with Terry Gross for tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 11th, on Fresh Air. But if you are able, please listen anyway to Terry talk with Washington Post investigator James Grimaldi discuss gun laws.
I will post about this when I get back from NY but just in case I forget: if any of you are in the Amherst, MA area this coming Friday, January 14th, come join me at Amherst Books at 8 Main St. in Amherst for a book launch party from 5 to 7 pm. It would be great to see some Mira’s List readers there. For more information about the event and other book events, just go to my website: www.thememorypalace.com and click on "events."
And don’t worry. I will get off this promotional horse when I return from NY because I have some cool things to tell you about that thankfully have nothing at all to do with me!
yours,
Mirabee
So they rescheduled my interview with Terry Gross for tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 11th, on Fresh Air. But if you are able, please listen anyway to Terry talk with Washington Post investigator James Grimaldi discuss gun laws.
I will post about this when I get back from NY but just in case I forget: if any of you are in the Amherst, MA area this coming Friday, January 14th, come join me at Amherst Books at 8 Main St. in Amherst for a book launch party from 5 to 7 pm. It would be great to see some Mira’s List readers there. For more information about the event and other book events, just go to my website: www.thememorypalace.com and click on "events."
And don’t worry. I will get off this promotional horse when I return from NY because I have some cool things to tell you about that thankfully have nothing at all to do with me!
yours,
Mirabee
Fresh Air Interview with Mira Postponed
Hi everyone...just a quick note to say that due to the tragic shootings in Arizona, they are postponing my Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross until tomorrow, Tuesday the 11th or Wednesday, the 12th. I’m not sure about when it will be aired but I will try to keep you informed. You can also check the updated schedule on NPR. My sympathies go out to the families whose lives were shattered yesterday at that terrible event. I wonder how many tragedies have to occur before we change our gun laws here in the United States???
On another note, here is a review of my book from the Cleveland Plain Dealer that gets the art and heart of the book much more than the NYTimes (with all due respect!): http://www.cleveland.com/books/index.ssf/2011/01/in_the_memory_palace_mira_bart.html
Best to you all....and many arts opportunities coming down the road when I come back from NY.
Mirabee
On another note, here is a review of my book from the Cleveland Plain Dealer that gets the art and heart of the book much more than the NYTimes (with all due respect!): http://www.cleveland.com/books/index.ssf/2011/01/in_the_memory_palace_mira_bart.html
Best to you all....and many arts opportunities coming down the road when I come back from NY.
Mirabee
More on the My Words Project
Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to let you know that due to some generous late contributors to the My Words Are My Shelter Project, I was able to send off another $150 to the shelter. They decided to open the box of journals, etc. and the cards I sent with checks and every contributor’s name (except those of you who asked to be anonymous) on January 4th since not all the women were going to be at the shelter on Christmas. So thank you once again for your generosity and support for this project. I’ll let you know how the poetry workshop goes in February.
I have some new opportunities to post this week so until then....Happy Holidays and thanks again!
Yours,
Mirabee
I just wanted to let you know that due to some generous late contributors to the My Words Are My Shelter Project, I was able to send off another $150 to the shelter. They decided to open the box of journals, etc. and the cards I sent with checks and every contributor’s name (except those of you who asked to be anonymous) on January 4th since not all the women were going to be at the shelter on Christmas. So thank you once again for your generosity and support for this project. I’ll let you know how the poetry workshop goes in February.
I have some new opportunities to post this week so until then....Happy Holidays and thanks again!
Yours,
Mirabee
Happy Holidays and My Words Are My Shelter Update!
Greetings everyone!
I hope you enjoyed the interview with Gigi Rosenberg, author of the new book, Artist’s Guide to Grant Writing: How to Find Funds and Write Foolproof Proposals for the Visual, Literary and Performing Artist. If you haven’t, please check it out. Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that the My Words Are My Shelter project is officially closed for the season. Because of you, dear and generous readers, I was able to raise enough money to send 125 women each a journal, pen and pencil AND raise enough money for me to travel to Cleveland to do a poetry workshop at the Norma Herr Women’s Center and also send a $100 donation to the shelter. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I will definitely do this My Words project again next holiday season and hopefully it will grow into something much larger over time. Perhaps other writing workshops at shelter or maybe down the road, some kind of foundation. If you would like to read about the project and the story behind it, please go here: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-words-are-my-shelter-project.html. For the story behind my mother, Norma Herr, and the shelter in Cleveland, go here: http://www.mhs-inc.org/CWS.asp
One thing that was particularly lovely, aside from all the donations, was that many of you wrote beautiful letters and emails full of encouragement and support. Some of you told me about your own struggle with a family member who was homeless or who was mentally ill. Some of you said that you had been so inspired from this project that you decided to volunteer at a homeless shelter for the holidays. Others from as far away as Australia and Canada said that you wanted to start a similar project in your home town. That is the power of compassion—one small act can spark a thousand acts of kindness. So thanks again for all you have done—even those of you who couldn’t contribute but who sent me such kind and supportive cards and emails. I love you guys!
Have a safe, peaceful and creative holiday and I will post something when I get back from my family's, after the 26th. Lots of new opportunities coming soon!
Best Wishes and Happy Holidays to you all,
Mirabee
I hope you enjoyed the interview with Gigi Rosenberg, author of the new book, Artist’s Guide to Grant Writing: How to Find Funds and Write Foolproof Proposals for the Visual, Literary and Performing Artist. If you haven’t, please check it out. Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that the My Words Are My Shelter project is officially closed for the season. Because of you, dear and generous readers, I was able to raise enough money to send 125 women each a journal, pen and pencil AND raise enough money for me to travel to Cleveland to do a poetry workshop at the Norma Herr Women’s Center and also send a $100 donation to the shelter. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I will definitely do this My Words project again next holiday season and hopefully it will grow into something much larger over time. Perhaps other writing workshops at shelter or maybe down the road, some kind of foundation. If you would like to read about the project and the story behind it, please go here: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-words-are-my-shelter-project.html. For the story behind my mother, Norma Herr, and the shelter in Cleveland, go here: http://www.mhs-inc.org/CWS.asp
One thing that was particularly lovely, aside from all the donations, was that many of you wrote beautiful letters and emails full of encouragement and support. Some of you told me about your own struggle with a family member who was homeless or who was mentally ill. Some of you said that you had been so inspired from this project that you decided to volunteer at a homeless shelter for the holidays. Others from as far away as Australia and Canada said that you wanted to start a similar project in your home town. That is the power of compassion—one small act can spark a thousand acts of kindness. So thanks again for all you have done—even those of you who couldn’t contribute but who sent me such kind and supportive cards and emails. I love you guys!
Have a safe, peaceful and creative holiday and I will post something when I get back from my family's, after the 26th. Lots of new opportunities coming soon!
Best Wishes and Happy Holidays to you all,
Mirabee
My Words Are My Shelter Update!
Hey everyone....well, talk about a great response! I can’t believe how fast you all got back to me. It is amazing. I believe that I will totally make my goal and then some, which makes me think that this project is much bigger than I previously thought. Some people from around the world have emailed me about starting up their own My Words project at a women’s shelter near them. I’m also thinking that if I can get enough money beyond my journal goal that maybe I will travel to Cleveland and do poetry workshops for the women at the shelter. I’ll keep you updated about that. I know that they have done workshops there in the past and they have been very successful. And what a great use for their new journals and pens!
By the way, ignore the wikileaks/paypal hacking message I sent before. Everything is fine and no one’s account will be hacked into.
Thank you so much for your support for this project, even those who can’t send money but who wrote me really sweet and supportive emails. I’ll keep the project going until the 20th and then see what comes of it—either more journals for the women or poetry workshops if there is extra money. And if you DO donate via PayPal, don’t worry about it saying Mira’s List—that’s the account it will go into and the account I will make a check from. Just write a little note on your donation saying that it is earmarked for My Words Project, NOT Mira’s List, okay?
Cheers,
Mira
By the way, ignore the wikileaks/paypal hacking message I sent before. Everything is fine and no one’s account will be hacked into.
Thank you so much for your support for this project, even those who can’t send money but who wrote me really sweet and supportive emails. I’ll keep the project going until the 20th and then see what comes of it—either more journals for the women or poetry workshops if there is extra money. And if you DO donate via PayPal, don’t worry about it saying Mira’s List—that’s the account it will go into and the account I will make a check from. Just write a little note on your donation saying that it is earmarked for My Words Project, NOT Mira’s List, okay?
Cheers,
Mira
A Quick Note on Donations to the My Words Project
Rumor has it that...according to the NYT, a number of hackers have been threatening to shut down PayPal with denial-of-service attacks during the next few days, to retaliate against PayPal ending its association with WikiLeaks. So I’m not sure what to do...if you are worried, perhaps you should send a check instead if you were thinking of donating? Your choice. I’m not sure what to tell ya.
Thanks!
Mira
Thanks!
Mira
Something You All Should Know
Hey there,
Hi again. Although I haven't been posting as much as I'd like to for the last few months, you should know that I often tweet upcoming opportunities on twitter. If you aren't following me on twitter and would like to get more alerts about residencies, fellowships and grants, as well as exhibition opportunites, etc., you might consider doing it. Go here (http://twitter.com/miraslist) and follow me if you have an account and if you don't, just sign up, that is, if it doesn't annoy you that much. It's kind of like a bunch of people shouting sentences into a room. Personally, I don't like it that much but I use it to get urgent deadlines out when I have no time to do an entire post.
The other thing you can do is become a fan on the Mira's List FaceBook page. I post a lot of extra stuff there too, items that don't appear on my blog or I re-post the link to the blog page. I also have it set up so that most of those shorter messages go directly to twitter.
Listen...if I had my way and more time, you would all get lovely snail mail cards from me. Sad that things have gotten so speedy in the world. Alas. Well...anyway...if you feel like getting more info from me beyond this blog, check out twitter and FaceBook.
Cheers,
Mirabee
p.s. if you join my facebook fan page then you can also post comments easily, post your artwork to share with others, post about opportunities you hear about. Or start a discussion going.
Hi again. Although I haven't been posting as much as I'd like to for the last few months, you should know that I often tweet upcoming opportunities on twitter. If you aren't following me on twitter and would like to get more alerts about residencies, fellowships and grants, as well as exhibition opportunites, etc., you might consider doing it. Go here (http://twitter.com/miraslist) and follow me if you have an account and if you don't, just sign up, that is, if it doesn't annoy you that much. It's kind of like a bunch of people shouting sentences into a room. Personally, I don't like it that much but I use it to get urgent deadlines out when I have no time to do an entire post.
The other thing you can do is become a fan on the Mira's List FaceBook page. I post a lot of extra stuff there too, items that don't appear on my blog or I re-post the link to the blog page. I also have it set up so that most of those shorter messages go directly to twitter.
Listen...if I had my way and more time, you would all get lovely snail mail cards from me. Sad that things have gotten so speedy in the world. Alas. Well...anyway...if you feel like getting more info from me beyond this blog, check out twitter and FaceBook.
Cheers,
Mirabee
p.s. if you join my facebook fan page then you can also post comments easily, post your artwork to share with others, post about opportunities you hear about. Or start a discussion going.
Coming in 2011...Writing Retreats with Mirabee!
Hi gang,Still sick but getting better. I have a few things to post tomorrow or the day after, mostly new residency deadlines. But today, I just wanted to let you know about a couple things: one, I will unfortunately have to monitor comments again and not let anonymous people comment on my posts because I am getting spammed by stupid people trying to sell things via my blog. Argh. I hate to do that. Anyway, the other thing is that I just wanted to let you know that after my book comes out in 2011, probably next fall, I will start leading memoir and nature writing retreats and workshops in the Berkshires at one of my favorite places in the world, the Staveleigh House. It's run by my friend Ali Winston who is also does animal rescue and takes in various critters (see photo of me and one of the exuberant residents of Staveleigh!) that have been abused or abandoned. You can check out their site here: www.staveleigh.com or click here to see the facebook fan page I just set up for them.
Back Home
Greetings Everyone,
I am back home and sick as a dog so I will post something to you as soon as I get over the flu. Just wanted to thank all of you for your many, many lovely messages of congratulations and all of your bon voyages. I had a great time in Prague and didn't get sick until I got on the plane home, which was quite fortunate!
Talk to you soon....Mirabee
I am back home and sick as a dog so I will post something to you as soon as I get over the flu. Just wanted to thank all of you for your many, many lovely messages of congratulations and all of your bon voyages. I had a great time in Prague and didn't get sick until I got on the plane home, which was quite fortunate!
Talk to you soon....Mirabee