Schedule:

February 22, 2024

Del Mar College, 101 Baldwin Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78404

Heritage Campus, Reading Lab, Coles Building Room 119

11 a.m.

Session 1

Literature Exploring Mythologies and Literary Villains
Kent Lenz, Wes Jamison, Paul McCann, Annie Huckabee

This creative showcase features fiction, lyrical essay, and poetry that blurs the line between reality and myth. At times, we all need to explore what cannot be easily explained to help us understand and make sense of our world.

1 p.m.

Session 2

Adapting a Short Story to an Audio Drama Script
Pete Lutz

In learning how to adapt short stories to scripts, this workshop will discuss how to decide what to cut and what to keep, how to convert visuals to audio, how to convert third-person narration to dialogue, and tricks to keeping the audio story flowing.

2 p.m.

Session 3

Voices of Latin-America/Voces de America Latin

Gerald Padilla, Rossy Lima de Padilla, Lizbette Ocasio-Russe, Marco Cerqueira, Alfredo Avalos

Writers from across the Americas (including Brazil, Mexico, and Puerto Rico) will read their work in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. These works will showcase the rich, vibrant voices of writing across the Americas.

3 p.m.

Session 4
These Neutral Sea Currents
Featured Poet D.A. Lockhart in Conversation with Scott Obenesser

In readings from North of Middle Island (Kegedonce Press, 2023), Lockhart will explore contemporary rooted Indigenous mythologies. A great deal of attention will be paid to the epic poem, Piper, about famed WWE wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper and an epic battle with evil medicines and Deerwoman on Canada’s most southern inhabited island. Attention will be paid to traditional Lenape language and stories along with the importance of form poetics (specifically Anglo-Saxon verse) in telling stories and reconnecting to our pre-colonial literary roots.

4 p.m.

Session 5

Poetry for Therapy or Purpose

J.D. Leza

In Poetry for Therapy or Purpose, we will explore some of the reasons people write poetry and many of the ways we benefit from writing and reading poems. We then will share topics we are thinking of writing poems about, reflecting and brainstorming together what thoughts, feelings and experiences we might want to express in our poem topics, and then we practice writing, presenting and receiving feedback on our first drafts.

All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 3026 S. Staples Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78404

7 p.m.

Session 6

Corpus Christi Poet Laureate Panel
Sarah K. Lenz, Robin Carstensen, Alan Berecka, Tom Murphy

We will address global threats to democracy and the ongoing war, genocide, and violence near and far—Ukraine, Iran, Gaza, Texas, etc. This includes Texas legislation passed by the Senate and implemented in the New Year—anti-immigration; anti-women; anti-LGBTQ+; anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion; anti-history and anti-books, etc.  What do we face and what counternarratives might we offer to fight the good fight for justice and a better life for all?

Keynote - Nkata Kwsi: Migration as Our Essense

D.A. Lockhart

Speaking to the experiences of the Lenape diaspora and the lives of those residing in Waawiiyaataong (Detroit,MI-Windsor,ON), this talk will focus on the manner that we naturally exist in lives of motion. Rootness and relationships with the land are central to notions of decolonization and healing. Yet these hold a critical position with our need to move. Our relationships hold as relationships rather than ownership when done in constant motion. Looking at the literary traditions of Indigenous and non-Indigenous America we discover a literal path forward one that winds us through the works of writers such as Philip Levine, Simon Ortiz, Joy Harjo, Eugene McNamara, and Natalie Diaz.

Robb and Vanesa Jackson Award Ceremony for High School Poets
This contest, honoring the life of Robb Jackson, who was a Regents Professor of English at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, awards exceptional high school poets, who will read their winning poems.

February 23, 2024

Texas A&M Corpus Christi 6300 Ocean Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78412

University Center, Bayview Room

9 a.m.

Session 7

Place-Based Poetry of the (Sometimes) Heartsick

Robin Carstensen, Nathanael O’Reilly, Joel Ortiz, Srijani Mitra

The poems in here cast a wide net, spanning the globe geographically and in our Coastal Bend borderlands, while exploring place, landscape, migration, travel, colonization and personal impact and resistance. Meanwhile, a psychological interiority will invite us into themes of ancestry, family history and culture, and universal human experiences, such as fatherhood, death/grief, empathy, and love.

10 a.m.

Session 8

The Locusts Are Coming: An Introduction to Locust Review

Mike Linaweaver, Leslie Lea, Tish Turl, Adam Turl

Contributing members of the Locust Arts and Letters Collective and Locust Review will present a series of material consisting of poetry readings (in person and virtually via Zoom), a communique from the future by unknown elements of the Communist Resurrection Cult (video, poem), audio presentation of the “radio play” Millard 19017, Fascist Hunter based on the serialized story of the same name by Mike Linaweaver, and a video introduction to Locust Review by founding member Adam Turl.

11 a.m.

Session 9

American Borderland Poets

Joshua Bridgwater Hamilton, Alex Z. Salinas, Tezozomoc, Ron George

This panel features poetry that explores the cross-generational and cultural melding of languages, memories, literary influences, and heritages that so often occur at the junctures of political, physical, familial, and personal borders. The poems work with different registers of language and intertextuality from English and Spanish language worlds.

1:30 p.m.

Session 10

Rising Islander Writers Talk Writing Process and Concept Development

Lizbette Ocasio-Russe, Indigo Rodriguez, Roy Gomez, Raye Bailey, Derek Willis Jr.

This panel features four undergraduate advanced creative writing students from TAMU CC who will read their work and then discuss their writing process and concept development while taking questions from the audience. The panel is composed of published and unpublished writers (all marginalized voices – POC, women, LGBTQIA+) to showcase diverse experiences and writing journeys.

2:30 p.m.

Session 11

Stories of Home, Transgression and Connecting With Others

Tom Murphy, Andrew Geyer, Thomas Ray Garcia, Thao Dinh

Understanding the human condition that makes us common and also different transpires inside these three stories of a human book, of a living spirit of the grace of place. These heart rendering stories beckon connection with others through self-reflection. The stories speak frankly about tough subjects that invite our understanding.

3:30 p.m.

Session 12
"It's Not Your Fault:" Reframing and Overcoming Writer's Block

Zoe Elise Ramos, Andrea Perez, Lisa Annette Ramos, Kindell Casey, Stephen Gambill

This is a panel that includes both readings and stories related to writer’s block. Part of this event will be a discussion and a compassion-oriented approach to addressing audience-member’s experiences with writer’s block.

4:30 p.m.

Session 13

Strong Women in the Corpus Christi Writers Anthology

William Mays, Julieta Corpus, Susan Daubenspeck, Carol Mays, Patricia Alaniz

This yearly anthology includes the strong voices of women in South Texas. A tentative list of poems/stories: Woman beaten by her husband, woman kills home invader, teenager avoids sexual abuse, woman says there is no shame in being sexually abused, witch’s cat kills an abusive husband.

Lazy Beach Brewing and Cafe, 7522 Bichon Dr #100, Corpus Christi, TX 78414

7 p.m.

Open Mic

Lazy Beach Brewing & Cafe

Hosted by Dylan Lopez and Joshua Bridgwater Hamilton

Spontaneously share your creative work or share a beer with fellow writers, poets, and songwriters at this open mic night at Lazy Beach Brewery. 

February 24, 2024

Ropes Park, 3502 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78411

6:30 a.m.

Session 14

Haiku Walk

Stefan Sencerz

We will meet on the beach about a half an hour before sunrise. We will start with a brief guided meditation. Then, after introducing a “haiku training exercise”, we will write haiku for as long as we wish (say 30 minutes). It will be followed by sharing our efforts and the discussion of haiku and the process of writing them.

All Saint’s Episcopal Church, 3026 S Staples St, Corpus Christi, TX 78411

Special

All Day Session

Austin Typewriter, Ink: Type-In

David Torres

Drop in and type in. Join typewriter enthusiast and master collector, David Torres, who will have a selection of vintage and antique typewriters for you to try. Enjoy writing with the tactile clack of these beautiful machines and see how changing your mode of writing can transform your ideas.

9 a.m.

Session 15A

Children's Literary Authors Talk

Rosa Esthela Mora, David Norec, Claudia Villareal, Patty York Raymond, Roy Cervantes

Four children’s book authors would introduce their books, speak about what goes into an author presentation for school, local libraries or local bookstores. We would discuss our book topics and presentation topics and the lessons they provide.

Session 15B

Remembering the Earth: Three Poets

Alan Berecka, Paul Bowers, Ken Hada, Cullen Whisenhunt

“Once in his life a man ought to concentrate his mind upon the remembered earth. He ought to give himself up to a particular landscape in his experience; to look at it from as many angles as he can, to wonder upon it, to dwell upon it.” – N. Scott Momaday “

This panel features poets from the prairies of Northwestern Oklahoma, the Cross-Timbers section of central Oklahoma, and the Ouachita Forests of Southeastern Oklahoma. These poets “dwell” in these places. Their poetry “wonders” upon these landscapes that shape them and the life filling them. Their poetry looks at this life from “many angles.”

10 a.m.

Session 16A

Postcard Poetry

Laura Pena

With 10 years of experience participating in postcard poetry festivals, Laura Pena will lead this workshop focused on the craft of writing short form poetry directly on postcards. Participants will take inspiration from postcard images and will be provided with postcards to create their own Postcard Poetry.

Session 16B

Young Adult: Multi-Genre

Ron Ramierz, Randal Lee Gritzner, Thomas Ray Garcia, Rosa Esthela Mora

We plan to discuss the Literacy Crisis in an attempt to motivate young adults to read more. Individual futures and the future of our nation are at stake. We will chat about our reasons for writing and the fact that our panelists write in multiple genres. Short readings will be included. 81% of Texas students can’t read at grade level, and we hope to rattle some cages! Our target is readers and writers of YA literature alike.

11 a.m.

Session 17A

The Bad Place: How to Write a Dystopian Story

Heather Twardowski

This workshop aims to teach writers the components of constructing a dystopian story. Topics covered will include defining “dystopia,” how it usually comes about, examples of dystopian literature, world building, conflict and plot development, and character creation. Writers will get the opportunity to develop their own dystopian story by the end of the workshop.

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Session 17B

Haiku Deathmatch

Stefan Sencerz

A legend has it that, in the early 1670s, Bash? and his students devised an event called “the seashell game” in which poets competed head-to-head with their original haiku and a winner was selected by a judge. In the early 1990s, over 3 centuries later, a poet from the Illinois poetry slam scene named Daniel Ferri created the Haiku Death Match, infusing the Japanese practice with a slew of Western conventions ranging from the roast to the rap battle. The slam-style haiku, also known as “ku,” is just a 17 (or less) syllables poem and contains no title. Poets battle one-on-one until only one “haikuin” is left standing.

1 p.m.

Session 18A

Memoir: Genre of Self-Remembrance and Self-Reflection

Jon Dyen, Sarah K Lenz, Ron George

“If you want to write memoir, you need to set caterwauling narcissism to the side,” writes Beth Kephart in Handling the Truth. “Real memoirists open themselves to self-discovery and, in the process, make themselves vulnerable.” In this craft lecture, we’ll discuss the inherent difficulties of this process and how to overcome them.

Session 18B

Ethereal Poetry of Sadness, Longing, Beauty, and the Damned

Tom Murphy, Chuck Etheridge, Dustin Hackfeld, Stephen Gambill, Joe Wilson, Joshua Bridgwater Hamilton

John Keats’s poetry described poetry as moments of feeling “uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.”  Each of the four poets in this panel–Dustin Hackfeld, Stephen Gambill, Joe Wilson, Joshua Hamilton—write of these mysterious moments that find us open to love, hope, beauty, and terror.

2 p.m.

Session 19A

Mutli-Genre Creative Workshop: Documenting (Narrating) Our Families of Choice and Intentional Communities
Robin Carstensen

Through a series of prompts, this workshop invites you to explore the alternative families, safe harbors, and intentional communities that many of us create to find support and belonging. What experiences shape our ability to create nurturing, affirming families and communities in the face of trauma, isolation, marginalization by long held cultural beliefs? How can our stories be a beacon? All ages, backgrounds, genres welcome!

Session 19B

Something Fantastic: Speculative Writers in the Coastal Bend

Chuck Etheridge, Devorah Fox, David Carpenter, John Forbus

Published and aspiring science fiction and fantasy authors take you to strange new worlds–or will make you take a second look at the world you already live in.  Might the stories you write come true?  Is West Texas really as empty as people say, or is it a refuge for magical beings?  How would a shapeshifting outcast nobleman’s son, never groomed for office, do when thrust onto the throne?  These and other questions might be answered…..

3 p.m.

Session 20A

The Short Poem

J. L. Wright

Join J.L. Wright for an exploration of some of the short poem forms through examples and writing. Short poems are often tougher than writing long poems because poets spend more time on word choice and clarity. You will read examples, analyze them, and move what you learn into your own writing. You leave with at least three first draft short poems.

Session 20B

Embodying Women's Bodies in Writing

Zoe Elise Ramos, Heather Stark, Sarah K Lenz, Jayne-Marie Linguist

In this creative showcase of poetry, nonfiction, and memoir, three women writers share their work about writing from a female body about the female body, using both queer and cis-gendered perspectives. Their work explores puberty, toxic beauty and diet culture, motherhood, and mother-daughter relationships.  

4 p.m.

Session 21A

Second Person: You and Your Reader

Wes Jamison

We can’t expect a captive audience: our readers may want more than lists of actions and adjectives, descriptions of what we see, think, and imagine. Readers may wish to have a role, to be more involved. In this generative workshop, we will experiment with the word “you,” with person, voice, and reference to see what new possibilities appear for reader engagement. All levels and abilities welcome.

Session 21B

Central Texas Bilingual Poetry: Versos del corazon de Tejas

Joshua Bridgwater Hamilton, Abra Gist, Joe Lozano, Bianca Perez, Eduardo Villarreal

This panel will feature poets who identify with or work in the central Texas region.  These poets actively engage bilingual poetics to some degree, or they directly address the poetics of living in multiple cultural and linguistic contexts that create tension between Spanish and English.

Date: February 22 - 24, 2024

Location:

Various Venue in Corpus Christi, TX 78412

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