New Plains Press
Writing in Sicily
Workshops in Sicily
June 10th through June 23rd, 2009
June 10th through June 23rd, 2009
June 2009 will mark the first ever New Plains Press workshops on the island of Sicily. Goethe once said, "If you haven't been to Sicily, you haven't been to Italy." Sicily was part of the Greek Empire, and has also been home to many cultures from Northern Europe to Saharan Africa. Home to fabulous doc wines, some of the planet's greatest cuisine, most beautiful art, and breathtaking scenery. If you cannot be inspired here, you may not be able to be inspired. Come and join us for a memorable vacation and writing workshops from a few writers who love Sicily and writing.
Mylène Dressler, PhD, the award-winning author of three novels, The Medusa Tree, The Deadwood Beetle, and The Floodmakers, has taught creative writing and literature on campuses in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Born in the Netherlands to a world-traveling family, she specializes in techniques and approaches that invite students to think creatively and dynamically about the experiences that inform their own lives, cultures, and dreams. "Creative Writing, Creative Living" will be her first workshop in Taormina, Sicily. She will also do one-on-one sessions with the participants. Her website:
http://www.mylenedressler.com
Sergio Claudio Perroni, Sicilian writer, translator, and editor will meet the
participants and talk about publishing in Italy, and discuss his work, to include his fiction novel Non muore nessuno. His website:
http://www.morli.it/agenzia-letteraria.html
Johnny Summerfield, author of I, Suwannee, and co-author of Remembering Sicily (due out this Fall), is an adjunct writing instructor at Columbus State University. His MFA in Writing is from Goddard, attained after having lived in Europe for over eight years. His poetry and his teaching involves visiting nature poetry and coming up with new ways to write it in an effort to educate readers about the importance of local living and global thinking. He will be leading a workshop titled, "Taormina, Your Triggering Town," and a workshop titled, "A Natural Approach to Nature Poetry."
"Living Amongst the Giants" in two parts, the first focusing on Sicilian writers throughout history (to be taught by a Sicilian local), and the second part focusing on writers who could not resist coming to Sicily to write, will be lead by Scott Wilkerson, who is published in various journals and who also teaches at Columbus State University.
Language Courses at Babilonia are available, but are not included in the price or the program. Babilonia also has art classes and various other extra-curricular activities.
Participants will be staying close to downtown, in the resort town of Taormina. The sea is very close, and depending on your villa, may be visible. Three day- long excursions to Agrigento, Siracusa, and Catania are included as well as one 1/2 day excursion, boat ride in the Gulf of Catania, visiting the grottoes.
The flight and any passport expenses are not included in the price. A visa isn't needed when visiting Italy for less than 90 days. The cost of this writer's adventure in Sicily is $3000.
The dates of the program are June 10th - 23rd, 2009. The Taormina Film Festival, which brings hundreds of people from around the globe to Taormina, has tentative dates of the 20th through the 26th of June. If participants decide to stay throughout the entire festival, they will need to secure new lodging starting the evening of the 23rd. We can assist participants in getting reasonably-priced accommodations for this.
This series of workshops in Sicily requires a minimum of fifteen people, and a maximum of twenty. A medical and health waiver are required and participants should have their own health care plan. There is a supplemental accident plan through INA, which can be purchased through the Italian post office. Participants will also need to release Summerfield Publishing (New Plains Press) from any liability. Passport, and visa (if staying longer than 90 days) are also the responsibility of the participant.
If you are interested, please email me, the publisher, to get further instructions/information on the program. Email publisher@newplainspress.com
Below is a form to receive a brochure, and below the form is a YouTube (R)
presentation on Taormina.
Other Great Inspiration Spots:
Stephen Foster Folk Cultural Center
The Cotswolds
The Lake District
Paris, France
Oxford, England (V Tour)
Stowe, Vermont
Mylène Dressler, PhD, the award-winning author of three novels, The Medusa Tree, The Deadwood Beetle, and The Floodmakers, has taught creative writing and literature on campuses in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Born in the Netherlands to a world-traveling family, she specializes in techniques and approaches that invite students to think creatively and dynamically about the experiences that inform their own lives, cultures, and dreams. "Creative Writing, Creative Living" will be her first workshop in Taormina, Sicily. She will also do one-on-one sessions with the participants. Her website:
http://www.mylenedressler.com
Sergio Claudio Perroni, Sicilian writer, translator, and editor will meet the
participants and talk about publishing in Italy, and discuss his work, to include his fiction novel Non muore nessuno. His website:
http://www.morli.it/agenzia-letteraria.html
Johnny Summerfield, author of I, Suwannee, and co-author of Remembering Sicily (due out this Fall), is an adjunct writing instructor at Columbus State University. His MFA in Writing is from Goddard, attained after having lived in Europe for over eight years. His poetry and his teaching involves visiting nature poetry and coming up with new ways to write it in an effort to educate readers about the importance of local living and global thinking. He will be leading a workshop titled, "Taormina, Your Triggering Town," and a workshop titled, "A Natural Approach to Nature Poetry."
"Living Amongst the Giants" in two parts, the first focusing on Sicilian writers throughout history (to be taught by a Sicilian local), and the second part focusing on writers who could not resist coming to Sicily to write, will be lead by Scott Wilkerson, who is published in various journals and who also teaches at Columbus State University.
Language Courses at Babilonia are available, but are not included in the price or the program. Babilonia also has art classes and various other extra-curricular activities.
Participants will be staying close to downtown, in the resort town of Taormina. The sea is very close, and depending on your villa, may be visible. Three day- long excursions to Agrigento, Siracusa, and Catania are included as well as one 1/2 day excursion, boat ride in the Gulf of Catania, visiting the grottoes.
The flight and any passport expenses are not included in the price. A visa isn't needed when visiting Italy for less than 90 days. The cost of this writer's adventure in Sicily is $3000.
1st 1/2 or $1500 to be paid by January 15th, 2009.
Though, if paid by 31 December, the expense may be
used as a 2008 tax write-off for writers, since this is
work-related training and research. Contact your tax
adviser. If paid after December 31st, use it during the
2009 tax season.
2nd 1/2 or $1500 to be paid by April 1st, 2009.used as a 2008 tax write-off for writers, since this is
work-related training and research. Contact your tax
adviser. If paid after December 31st, use it during the
2009 tax season.
No refund on payment(s) once made. Though, if you pay the first and then decide not to go, the second payment is not necessary. If you find out about the program and decide to participate in the program after January 15th, the 1st 1/2 payment will be needed immediately. No applications will be accepted after February 15th. Application forms can be printed and filled out and mailed to New Plains Press, PO Box 1946, Auburn, AL, 36831-1946
PDF Application Form
PDF Disclaimer Form
PDF Application Form
PDF Disclaimer Form
The dates of the program are June 10th - 23rd, 2009. The Taormina Film Festival, which brings hundreds of people from around the globe to Taormina, has tentative dates of the 20th through the 26th of June. If participants decide to stay throughout the entire festival, they will need to secure new lodging starting the evening of the 23rd. We can assist participants in getting reasonably-priced accommodations for this.
This series of workshops in Sicily requires a minimum of fifteen people, and a maximum of twenty. A medical and health waiver are required and participants should have their own health care plan. There is a supplemental accident plan through INA, which can be purchased through the Italian post office. Participants will also need to release Summerfield Publishing (New Plains Press) from any liability. Passport, and visa (if staying longer than 90 days) are also the responsibility of the participant.
If you are interested, please email me, the publisher, to get further instructions/information on the program. Email publisher@newplainspress.com
Below is a form to receive a brochure, and below the form is a YouTube (R)
presentation on Taormina.
Other Great Inspiration Spots:
Stephen Foster Folk Cultural Center
The Cotswolds
The Lake District
Paris, France
Oxford, England (V Tour)
Stowe, Vermont
