Well for the uninformed, it is in Minnesota and you should google it for more geographical information.   I only know where it is because one of the featured poets in the fall-winter 2014 issue resides in that city.   Once my colleagues and I read her poems, I just had to know how a place that was not on my radar screen or known via aaduna’s breadth of reach could produce a poet whose work overflowed with poignancy, focus, narrative control, and command of her craft.   Oh, I have not mentioned her name yet…oops.   It is Jennifer Wolfe.   And I suspect you will enjoy her work; just knowing the titles can make you anxious to read her work: “The Moon I,” “Motherchild” “ To The Men and Women in the 3 rd Ring of the 7 th Circle of Hell”   So, I now know where Shakopee is… thank you Jennifer! The fall-winter 2014 issue is coming in early 2015...we just have to be difficult with our timeframes...sometimes...we just want to keep you on your toes! Have

Sending thanks and heartfelt wishes to our entire aaduna family; artists, supporters, friends... for a splendid holiday season, celebrating a fantastic year together and looking forward to a fabulous 2015 ahead! Stay Creative! bill  

aaduna …of course! In the forthcoming fall-winter 2014 issue, Enrico Gaveglia based in Phnom Penh and Ernest Williamson III based in Columbia will present their artwork in the aaduna galleries.   We thought we might tease you with an artwork from each artist, but then decided….naaay!   Gaveglia and Williamson are worth waiting for!

David Bendezu, aaduna Fall 2011 issue David Bendezu, a member of the Phoenix Players Theatre Group (PPTG) sited at the Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn , NY and a former aaduna contributor recently received his Associate’s degree from Cayuga Community College through a privately-funded program administered by Cornell University .   This program seeks to give incarcerated individuals the opportunity to earn a college degree after several years of hard work and study under the instruction and guidance of Cornell faculty members.       Mr. Bendezu’s work in aaduna , represented his poignant contribution to the larger PPTG staged theatrical work, titled “Inside Out” presented to a select invited audience at the Auburn Correctional Facility in 2011.   We wish David continued success as he takes those pathways to create a better life for himself. Congratulation David!  Your Mom beamed with pride throughout the ceremony.  Continue to fill her heart and spirit wit

“The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses series, published every year since 1976, is the most honored literary project in America…. The Pushcart Prize has been a labor of love and independent spirits since its founding. It is one of the last surviving literary co-ops from the 60's and 70's.” aaduna nominated the following four fiction writers for the 2016 round of The Pushcart Prize:  (Click the individual titles below to view work) B. Lynn Carter                  One Wild Ride  Millie Chapman                Peony Shelby Settles Harper        Peyote Spirit  Michael Murray                Stage Fright  aaduna nominated the following two poets for the 2016 round of the Prize: Joyce Miller                      EXCRESCENCE:                                         Haiti sampled after the hurricane Noorulain Noor               Atonement  The above work can be found in the summer issue 2014 (Chapman, Miller, Murray) and the w

Haven Blue Escondido, California Scott Saalman Jasper, Indiana Eva Bouchard Syracuse, New York Christopher Gorrie San Diego, California Denise Smith Fairfield, Alabama Congrats to the winners and thanks to all who participated !   If you missed out... don't worry!   We will do only one more raffle that will herald in the New Year [2015,] our fifth year of publishing aaduna .   *** Since the design of aaduna's current shirts will not be repeated in subsequent tee-shirt printings, these originals will soon become a collector's item.  Available in one size (Large), black or gray. The tee-shirts normally sell at $20 each plus a $5 shipping and handling (S/H) per shirt. For the Holiday Period (ends January 2, 2015,) you can purchase a shirt for $18 each, including S/H charges . Visit:  http://www.aaduna.org/support-us to order your Tee Shirt to take advantage of this special holiday sale while at the same time supporting aaduna!   Happy

With that phrase lodged in your brain, you are invited to check out my recent conversation with Millie Chapman now available via our aaduna website:    http://aaduna.org/conversations/ (c) 2014 Millie Chapman (photo provided) It is always special to get to know someone at the onset of a promising writing career so you can watch that person develop  and chart a path that engages a wide spectrum of the reading public.  So, I am not just tossing a phrase around when I say, "Catch a rising star."   And if my chat with Millie does not spark you to want to know more about her, read or re-read her story, "Peony" as published in aaduna's summer 2014 issue.  You will soon see what I initially saw when I read her story for the first time. And just remember, it is always fun to put a "star" in your pocket! Help us increase Aaduna Inc. page likes on facebook, click below - our goal is to reach 500 likes by December 8th.   aaduna-Inc 

In the spirit of the 2014 Holiday Season, we are raffling off five tee-shirts (available only in large, black or gray) with FREE shipping and handling. Winners will be announced this Thursday, December 4, 2014. TO PARTICIPATE :  In the next 24 hours (Deadline is 11:59PM, December 3rd) Send an e-mail to info@aaduna.org with “FREE Tee-Shirt” in the Subject Line.    Just put your full name, State/Province/general location in the body of the e-mail and we will enter your name in the December 4th drawing.  Winners will be announced via our blog, Facebook, Twitter etc. on December 4 th .   That’s all you have to do!   It is that simple.   Mostly everyone (including past and current aaduna contributors) can participate.   The only exception is current aaduna staff can not enter the drawing….boo hoo!   And please, NO multiple e-mails from the same person or e-mail address. ***** And in the Spirit of the Holidays, you may want to cons

aaduna contributor, Frank Gladden aaduna contributor, Frank Gladden shared this important information with us. We share this info with you and hope you do likewise with your colleagues.   2015 Barbados CALLALOO CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP Call for Applications CALLALOO, the premier literary journal of the African Diaspora, is now accepting applications for the 2015 Barbados CALLALOO CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP (CCWW) until January 15, 2015. Given the success of this year's inaugural Barbados CCWW at the University of the West Indies in Cave Hill, the 2015 workshop is sure to be yet another engaging, rigorous, and inspiring event. We invite you to spend May 17-23, 2015, with CALLALOO in Cave Hill, Barbados. The 2015 Barbados CCWW will be hosted by The Faculty of Humanities and Education at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill. Vievee Francis and Ravi Howard will serve as the 2015 workshop

    Christina R. of Las Vegas , NV Heidi N. of Auburn , NY Peter L. of Dakar , Senegal Shirts will be mailed to them later this week. CONGRATULATIONS!        ************************************************************************ Here are the questions   ANSWERS ( with a clue thrown in here ‘n’ there) and the first clue is that all three questions pertain to the summer2014 issue only:      (http://aaduna.org/summer2014/) #1.        The following lines are from what poem?             For this town was our world:             a lake, a dog chasing down a piece of tree.              ANSWER:  "Squaring the Circling Way" by Sarah Wyman                                            Read Poem Here #2.        Who or what is the “Wild Goose” and what story is this reference found in?              ANSWER:   The "Wild Goose" is a bar in the short story, "Fear," written by Tom Backer.  Read Story Here    #

(c) 2014 Portrait by Harry Tiefenbach, Artist When was the last time you had a conversation with someone where you enjoyed the interaction, the give and take, the sharing, the intimacy?  I am so pleased that Judita Pamfil took the time to chat with me.  While I knew some things about Judita due to our "back 'n' forth" short e-mails in preparation for aaduna's publishing of  her poetry and artwork, her willingness and graciousness to engage me in further, intentional conversation gave me several moments of delight.  I invite you to read what we had to say to each other, and hope that you reach out and have a real conversation with someone you want to chat with.    Oh, here is a little tidbit that I have never mentioned in public.  Judita sent me an unsolicited 2013 first edition copy of her book of poems, "Moon Songs."  After reading her work, I immediately reached out to her and asked (and hoped and wanted) her to submit work to aaduna.  

Back in the day, there were melodic voices harmonizing words on street corners devoid of instrumentation. Back in the day, swift hands drummed rhythms from Africa and Cuba sweetened with an occasional timbale, flute, trumpet or voice that stimulated people to congregate on park benches or boardwalks adjacent to the beach. Back in the day, The Last Poets rhymed words into poignant and empowering stories and realistic fables that set the stage for later day rappers, street poets, and word masters. Today, poetry is an ever evolving genre that maintains tradition but encompasses the urban artist who spins words and phrases into insights, who gestures here 'n' there with the dramatic flourish and fluidity of a street corner preacher. So, what is behind Persecution?  Maybe an avenue of twists and turns that brings you to the abyss of understanding your inner truths through another person's experiences. I guess you should find out for yourself what's behind Persecut