XPN's Live at the Writers House featuring Philly Fiction 2

Join Don Ron Books, XPN (88.5 FM) DJ Michaela Majoun, and the Kelly Writers House for this exciting broadcast and reading event!

On January 25th at 7pm, LIVE at the Writers House presents the authors of Philly Fiction 2, a live taping featuring John Carroll, Christine Flanagan, Elise Juska, Benjamin Matvey, and Kelly McQuain in the Arts Cafe at the Kelly Writers House. Hosted by Michaela Majoun and produced by Erin Gautsche.

LIVE at the Writers House is a long-standing collaboration between the Kelly Writers House and WXPN FM (88.5). Six times annually between September and April, Michaela Majoun hosts a one-hour broadcast of poetry, music, and other spoken-word art, along with musical guests, all from our Arts Cafe onto the airwaves at WXPN. You can listed to previous broadcasts at: http://writing.upenn.edu/~wh/involved/series/live/. This month features excerpts from the acclaimed anthology Philly Fiction 2, a collection of short stories highlighting Philadelphia as a city of literary inspiration.

John Carroll was born and raised in Philadelphia, lives in the East Passyunk Crossing area, and works at the Kelly Writers House. John's work has appeared in the Battered Suitcase, 34th Street Magazine, and Dragonfire, as well as the websites Phillyist and CHUD. In 2006 John won the Kelly Writers House Junior Fellows Award, which funded his yearlong experimental mail project, A Place to Stand Productions. In his story "Baby Blue," Phil bumps into his old high school American lit teacher in a Northeast bar watching an Eagles game. The teacher begins to force a bond between them over sports, and despite Phil's wariness, the two go to a Phillies game, where the teacher's uncomfortable antics fuel Phil's desire to escape.

Christine Flanagan's recent work has appeared in Philadelphia Stories, the Pisgah Review, and Burning Leaf. She will be reading from “Return to Ithaca”, which was nominated for a 2008 Pushcart Prize. Her other writing awards include the James D. Bartolomeo Prize from the Drexel Online Journal, Kumu Kahua Theatre Award, Chameleon Theatre Circle New Play Prize, and South Florida Writer’s Contest (drama) First Prize. Her fiction and plays have been produced at InterAct Theatre’s Writing Aloud, the Riant Theatre, the Actor’s Center, and the Northwest Playwright’s Guild. She teaches writing and literature at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.
In "Return to Ithaca," An ad executive who can't control his anger must move back home with his aging parents when his wife issues a restraining order against him. In his efforts to rebuild his relationship with his wife with date nights and by not drinking, her sister—who is also his business partner—stands perversely in his way.

Elise Juska will read from her story "Northeast Philly Girls." Elise is the author of the novels The Hazards of Sleeping Alone, Getting Over Jack Wagner, and One for Sorrow, Two for Joy. Her short stories and essays have appeared in many publications, including the Harvard Review, Seattle Review, Berkeley Fiction Review, Calyx, Salmagundi, Black Warrior Review, the Hudson Review, American Literary Review, Esquire.com, and the first Philly Fiction. She teaches fiction writing at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Read more about Elise at elisejuska.com. "Northeast Philly Girls" is about a teenage girl from the suburbs who visits her aunt's family in Olney for the holidays and is struck by her young cousin's worldliness.

Benjamin Matvey's fiction has been featured in Sunday Salon, Generation X Journal, and twice in InterAct Theatre's Writing Aloud series. His story "Big Secrets" was named one of Cynic Magazine's "Best of 2008." His play Brie! The Musical Dissertation was produced in Philadelphia in the summer of 2005 and he hopes to bring it back for an extended run. He is currently working with a producer to bring his first screenplay, No Regrets, to the big screen, and has completed his first novel. "Piece of Mind" details the story of two kooky students falling for each other in the least likely of places.

Kelly McQuain, a native of West Virginia, has lived in Philadelphia more than half his life. He holds an MFA from the University of New Orleans and an MA from Temple University. He has twice won fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, as well as Philadelphia City Paper writing awards in both fiction and poetry. His stories have appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Rough Trade, Obsessed, the James White Review, Skin & Ink, the Harrington Gay Men’s Fiction Quarterly, Wilma Loves Betty, Best Gay Erotica, and elsewhere. He is an associate professor of creative writing at Community College of Philadelphia. In his story, "Erasing Sonny," a boy growing up in South Philly is betrayed by his sister's boyfriend who tattoos something obscene on his back. After the boy's efforts at concealment fail, his visits to the doctor's office to get the tattoo removed coincide with his awakening sexuality and the disintegration of his family.

Details:
XPN Live at the Writers House
Featuring authors from Philly Fiction 2
Host: Michaela Majoun
Kelly Writers House
3805 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104
tel: 215-746-POEM
Jan 26th, 2010
7pm