Author interview - E. Ethelbert Miller

I feel I have no business interviewing poets because the craft is lost on me. I am anxious that everything they say will be deep and I'll be unable to process or decipher what he or she means, thanks to my country bumpkin, community journalism background.

But E. Ethelbert Miller, whom I had a chance to interview last week, was very down to earth. Though still active in social justice issues for African-Americans, he doesn't have traditional Southern African-American roots. His roots are in Barbados and he was raised in the South Bronx before moving to Washington, D.C. for his college studies.

He is a very influential man in American Letters and I liked that he said he feels he should speak up "for people who are not in the room," whether that be an overlooked African-American artist or someone from Utah who is ignored by the New York publishing establishment.

I can't wait to hear his talk here at UHV. Though many give poets the back of their hand, this man's work and advocacy are important, especially in today's ideologue-dominated world.

http://www.uhv.edu/car/newswire/release.asp?id=1004

Author interview - Charles Spurlin - Plus a new press begins

This news release is more about the start of a press here at UHV than it is the author's book, though "Port of Victoria" is certainly an interesting and important part of the history of this place.

I like that the university has begun its own press -- University Press of Victoria. There is an amazing amount of creativity and progressive action toward publishing here, all of it good for the university and the town itself. More plans are in the works for books and literary journals. And today I heard discussion of possible writers' workshops.

A great place to be for readers and scribes.

http://www.uhv.edu/car/newswire/release.asp?id=989

Author interview - McArthur/Smith

This couple teaches at UH-Victoria and just came out with an interesting book dealing with women's rights in the Lone Star State. I interviewed Judith McArthur and Harold Smith who took a new take on the subject, getting down into little known players of the movement, far beyond Ma Ferguson and Ann Richards. Published by UT Press, it will be a good classroom book but it also looks like a good read for anyone interested in women's issues.

http://www.uhv.edu/car/newswire/release.asp?id=966

Author interview - Diana Lopez

Here's another interview with an American Book Review speaker, Diana Lopez, who is now on the faculty at UH-Victoria. She's also a family friend and boarded with us while she and husband Gene were in transition from San Antonio to Victoria. I say "boarded" because much of her time at our home was spent playing board games with our young sons. Diana is a talented writer and a solid addition to the diverse English staff at UHV. This Corpus Christi native is also about the nicest person you could ever hope to meet.

http://www.uhv.edu/car/newswire/release.asp?id=960

Author interview - Kim Herzinger

Kim Herzinger is about the coolest guy you could meet. He recently joined the staff here at University of Houston-Victoria and it was a pleasure to talk with him (though a bit intimidating, to be sure).

Kim owns Left Bank Books in Manhattan a store for rare first-editions, not a business you can establish just anywhere, so he obviously knows writing and knows publishing. He's also THE expert on Don Barthelme, the influential Houston writer, and has edited a couple of books of his work.

You can tell from his photo that Kim is a laid-back guy. Those of us in the words business look at him and think, "Man, what a cool existence."

http://www.uhv.edu/car/newswire/release.asp?id=970

Author interview - Amelia Gray

Here is an interview I did a few weeks ago with Amelia Gray, a young writer who is leading the "flash fiction" genre. While I am no expert on flash fiction, and it's a little hard to follow her train of thought at times, I enjoyed her talk at the ABR Reading Series. She was funny and related well to the students and she obviously works hard as she writes advertising copy during the day. That alone was good info for the students to have if they're planning to make a living writing. Pick up her book if you want some short, fun reads.

http://www.uhv.edu/car/newswire/release.asp?id=976

Author interview - Ann Weisgarber

Here's a link to an interview I did and wrote with Ann Weisgarber. She didn't take the normal university and Iowa Workshop route to writing, and it's nice to see her getting attention from a diverse group of fans. I'm only two chapters into her book, but it is shaping up to be a solid story.

She is extremely gracious for the awards and accolades she has received and I look forward to seeing her talk here in Victoria next week.

http://www.uhv.edu/car/newswire/release.asp?id=985