Katie's Blog

Yesterday marked the beginning of Fall 2011, the first day back for many college students. And, I'm not a college student anymore. How strange does this feel? Very, indeed, very. My adult life has always been centered around the university. I started college as a wide eyed and bushy tailed 17 year old, and I've never left the university enviornment. It sure is cozy here... I think I'll stick around! :-D But this fall, I'm done. No more classes to take, no more degree plans to follow, no more academic goals in mind. And it feels awfully strange. I had seriously thought about taking a graduate English course this fall, but then with my new teaching assignment, I figured I kind of needed to focuse. Plus, I've still got my PhD apps to work on, though, that future is looking a bit cloudy at the moment. Its so hard to figure out life! LOL. I'm really happy where I'm at right now. I'm writing, I'm publishing, I'm teaching (and so far I LOVE it...

:-D I'm excited. I just got the news that I'll be teaching an English 1301 course at South Texas College this fall. I'm really fortunate to have this opportunity, and not to mention... did I mention? I'm excited about it! If you've read this blog, you'll know that this was probably my biggest and loftiest goal for the year -- to teach a college level class. This will be my first experience teaching post-secondary education, I mean, I've been a teacher before, but with college students? And at night? That means that probably, the majority of my students will be older than me... (I'm still in the under 25 club, ahem). Ah I'm up for the challenge! So now, I shall be busy with syllabus, going over my text book, and come Monday, meeting my oh so lucky students. Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! My main worry is keeping my motivation up for other things. Typically, when I teach, I kind of get absorbed into it. I live/breath/eat teaching. So my challeng...

Check out the latest issue of Conte: A Journal of Narrative Writing here! You may especially be interested in my poem :-D South Texas Lawn Song. So happy to see it up on the site. So check it out, ok? More exciting things to come!

Well well well... I've always wondered what it was like to read poetry slush... what thoughts editors might have while going through "the stack," what makes them pull one poem aside for that ever illusive "maybe pile". Well... I'm about to find out! That's right folks! I'm reading poetry submissions for Fifth Wednesday Journal ! Today I read my first set of submissions. Its a bit... well... strange, to be on the other side of the desk. I certainly don't profess to know everything there is to know about poetry. My aesthetic is just that, an aesthetic. So, I'm a little nervous to maybe "not get" a poem and chuck it to the "no" pile, just because something's too obsure, or or or overly confessional, or my own bad mood. LOL. But that's how the editorial process is, isn't it? And there's something (I think anyway) inherently magical about "good poetry," that makes the toes curl. Whatever ...

Today I received an email from AWP informing me that my panel, Border Bodies: Womanhood in Verse, has been accepted for inclusion in the 2012 conference. For me, this is a moment to savor. A year ago today, I was down and out about my AWP rejection. But I've always remained positive that my year was coming. Here I am today, making plans to head off to Chicago to present among some of the most talented poets and writers of our time. I'm trying not to be so giddy about the whole thing, trying to compose myself with the professionalism I'm supposed to have... but it's soooo damn hard :-D :-D :-D Ok here goes!! ::HAPPY DANCE:: I just can't believe how far I've come in a year... how everything is just coming together, and how all the hard work is paying off. So here's a note to my future self: If at first you don't suceed, keep on trying. Eventually (and sometimes sooner than later) you'll get what you're working for. Oh happy happy day :...

I'll be back ;) Here's all the juicy details of my next reading: Time Wednesday, August 24 · 7:30pm - 10:00pm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location Carino's Italian 421 E. Nolana Loop McAllen, TX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Created By Edward Vidaurre -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More Info It's back! "Pasta, Poetry & Vino" Some of the proceeds from this event will help the non-profit organization ... The McAllen Arts Council. The McAllen Arts Council is an organization comprised of local artists representing various artistic disciplines. It meets monthly, and oversees several projects: ArtE Magazine Published quarterly, ArtE covers the arts in McAllen. Staff oversees the editorial, sales, layout, printing and distributing of the magazine. McA...