Marianne Murphy Zarzana
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Thomas Maltman to Read from Little Wolves at SMSU, 4/22

4/20/2013

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Thomas Maltman will be reading from his new novel, Little Wolves, at Southwest Minnesota State University on Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m. in Charter Hall 201. 

Cindy Votruba at the Marshall Independent recently wrote a feature article about Tom, "Exploring His Imagination."

While I was a graduate student working on my Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Minnesota State University, Mankato, Tom was also earning his MFA. I've always been impressed with Tom's fine writing, and it's an honor to be able to invite him to read at SMSU and meet with our creative writing students.

This afternoon Tom gave a terrific presentation about writing as the keynote speaker for the 9th Annual Creative Writing Contest Awards Ceremony co-sponsored by SMSU and the Southwest/West Central Service Cooperative. It's one of my favorite annual events of the academic year. This contest was established as a partnership between SMSU's Creative Writing Program and the SW/WC Service Cooperative to encourage a love of language and writing for all students and as a way to recognize the talented young writers in southwest and west central Minnesota.

Students from 3rd to 12th grade submit their stories, poems and essays, then SMSU students serve as the first-tier judges, and our English faculty serve as the second-tier judges. Steve Pacheco judged fiction, Jim Zarzana judged non-fiction, and I judged poetry.  I love meeting these students after reading their work, meeting their parents, and watching their excitement as they walk to the front of the room to receive their medal and pick up the Creating Spaces anthology with their published work. 

Writing is a solitary activity, but it is fueled by community, by connection. By a sense that writing matters. As the Director of Creative Writing at SMSU, I thank all those parents, teachers, and writers who encourage and mentor young writers, who tell them to "keep writing, keep going." We need their words, stories and poems. 
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Heroic Yes!

12/18/2011

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A couple years ago I met Jason Freeman, a wonderful poet and an extraordinary person, at the John R. Milton Writers' Conference at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. Since then, Jason has moved from Sioux Falls to San Diego to follow his dream of becoming an inspirational speaker. 

To promote his new business, Jason writes a blog on his website, Heroic Yes! Productions. Check it out--well-crafted, fun, thought-provoking. And to spark your own dreams, read his free e-book "Who's the CEO of Your Life?" If you need an inspirational speaker who is professional, motivational and way outside the box for an upcoming group or event, I guarantee Jason will deliver.
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    I love to play with words. To capture moments on the page. To explore the physical and spiritual geography of what I call "fly-over country." I write from imagination, observation and my own experience of wandering in fly-over country--the literal, physical spaces of my life on the Minnesota prairie and the inner territory of the soul. 

    I teach writing at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota. I enjoy cooking and traveling with my husband Jim, reading, practicing yoga, playing tennis, biking, hiking and gardening.

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