The International Walter Benjamin Society has just posted a little note about my book in their publications selection. I’m honored!
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Visiting writer at VCFA
VCFA Visiting Writers and Editors
I am thrilled to have been asked to visit the MFA in Writing & Publishing program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts this upcoming February to speak about my career in writing, my experience with graphic literature, and my work with small independent publishers.
I’ll be joining a panel discussion, craft lecture, and reading on February 8th with Erin Stalcup and Justin Bigos to speak on our collective experience with being published by Gold Wake Press.
Then, I will be collaborating on a cross-genre craft lecture with Vermont poet and artist Bianca Stone on graphic literature.
In the evening, I will join several Vermont authors for a reading. (Time and place forthcoming).
Solstice Celebrations of New Books
Now that I have finally turned in my final grades for the three creative writing courses that I teach here in Vermont, I’m finally reaching my head above the chaos for a breath of fresh air, and I went back to re-read the marketing and publicity paperwork for MIT Press regarding my upcoming book. There, I found a very kind and thrilling description of my book among the Editor’s Picks for 2019 collection, written by the acquisitions editor who helped coach me through this process. Here is her write-up,
“Most of us are familiar with Walter Benjamin, but in revisiting him closely while doing research for this book, I was astonished to realize how persistent his influence is—and, in fact, growing.
Frances Cannon’s passion for Benjamin is infectious. Her graphic translations charm and captivate. In the same way that Benjamin’s writing is likened to a meandering stroll, Cannon’s pen wanders, strays, digresses. She illuminates Benjamin the flâneur—allowing us, along with her, to become flâneurs ourselves, traveling through his mind.
This is a fun read, and unpredictable in the best sense of the word. As one of the endorsers notes: “we need to come up with new names for something this wonderful and brand new in the world.”
The BOOK IS REAL! Walter Benjamin with MIT Press
Here’s an alternate cover, which will not be the final cover, but I wanted to share it as a teaser:
The catalogue has been published, and the book will be released in April.
A BOOK for FRANCES—An old project, retrieved from the archives
I recently found this handmade book that I gave to my father as a gift several years ago (given my terrible memory, it could have been three years ago, or five… who knows). He named me after the badger in Russel Hoban’s “Frances” series, most notably: Bread and Jam for Frances, so I decided to write and illustrate my own version as a tribute to my Dad.
TEACHING: Art and Creative Writing
AUTUMN, my season for teaching. I am teaching several creative writing and fiction workshops at Champlain College this fall, but also visual arts, hybrid, and creative writing courses at the Shelburne Craft School. There is still time to register for one of my courses there. Follow this link to register.
SHELBURNE CRAFT SCHOOL:
INTRO TO WATERCOLOR (Adult):
Thursdays, 6:00pm-8:00pm, September 13- October 18
ILLUSTRATED JOURNALS The ARTIST BOOK: (Adult):
Fall 2018 Wednesdays, 9:30 am -11:30 am September 26- November 14
INTO TO WATERCOLOR (Adult):
Fall 2018 · Thursdays, 6 pm – 8 pm Sep 13, 2018 – Oct 18, 2018
WATERCOLOR PRACTICE (Adult Mixed Level):
Fall 2018Thursday, 6pm – 8pm, November 1- December 13
WORKSHOP: Watercolor Still Life (Adult, one day workshop)
Saturday (one day) 10am- 3pm November 17
CREATIVE WRITING: LYRICAL PROSE (Adult):
Thursdays, 3pm – 5pm, September 13- October 18
Another BOOK on the horizon
I have some BIG ART and LIFE NEWS! I turned my manuscript in today for a new book with MIT Press! It won’t be released until next year, but the deadline was last night, and though I feel like a paper doll or zombie from lack of sleep and overworking my drawing fingers, I’m ecstatic and relieved to have completed this stage of the process. BUT, I am thrilled to be working on this book, which in short, is a graphic nonfiction “translation” of Walter Benjamin’s dreams, philosophies, and aphorisms. It’s been a long process and much more work lies ahead. Here are some teasers and some evidence of the towers of research texts that I accumulated during my process. You’ll also notice a stack of *some* of my notebooks filled with drawings. I can’t share any full illustrations, because art is not free and I want the book to stand alone as a physical art object in collaboration with MIT. For a better idea of what I’m working on, check out the fall 2017 issue of The Iowa Review, they published a visual essay of mine about Walter Benjamin, which was the precursor to this upcoming book, here’s the link.
New art courses at the Shelburne Craft School
I am an instructor of visual arts, watercolor painting, and hybrid media at the Shelburne Craft School in Vermont, and I have a few courses starting this summer and this early fall. Scroll to the bottom of my instructor page on their website to view my courses:
The Daily Palette
I have been involved with so many art and writing projects (and publications) over the past few months that it slipped my mind to share the news that several pieces of mine were published in The Daily Palette, through Iowa Writes.
Here is a link to one of the poetry comics
And here is a link to all of the pieces of my work that they have published
I’ve been published! Read the new issue of MIRACLE MONOCLE: a Poetry, Prose, and Hybrid journal
I’ve been published! Read the new issue of MIRACLE MONOCLE: a Poetry, Prose, and Hybrid journal, out of Louisville. I am going to borrow some of the words of Sarah Anne Strickley, the Faculty Editor of the journal, to announce the release:
“We are now pleased to announce the release of Issue X of Miracle Monocle, the University of Louisville’s online literary journal.
Highlights of this eclectic and spunky issue include a Special Feature delving into the writerly allure of collage art. Enjoy galleries of gorgeous–and sometimes charmingly grotesque–images created by writers of prose and poetry alike, including Karyna McGlynn, Matthew Vollmer, and John Gallaher.
In our Experimental & Hybrid category, you’ll also find an examination of the place of the image in literary art with gutsy work from Frances Cannon and Sarah Rosenthal. Highlights in this category also include genre-bending flash from Sarah Gorham and Mathias Svalina.
If you’re in the mood for salty or genre-expanding poetry, be sure to sample new work from Kent Shaw, Eric Pankey, and Rebecca Morgan Frank. If innovative fiction is your taste, look to Rebbecca Brown and Susann Cokal to spice up your morning. (We also highly recommend our interview with Kayla Rae Whitaker; you’ll find a sample of her debut novel in our Fiction category too.)
You’ll meet the winners of our Award for Emerging Writers and Award for Ambitious Student Writing in our Nonfiction and Ambitious Student Writer categories respectively. Erin Wood and Jessica Newman are writers you’re going to want to watch; we believe they represent a bright future for innovative literary art.
In the end, we encourage you to peruse the whole darn issue–perhaps reading it as you enjoy the first fumblings of Spring through an open window. Or, better yet, get outside and read Miracle Monocle on your phone or tablet. We know you’re going to find something in this issue that will refresh your sensibilities and re-orient your sense of what’s possible on the page.”
