AWP'd

Heyo Normals!

Thanks for stopping by the table at the AWP Bookfair and saying, "Hey," or for attending our Normal Nonfiction Reading or our Low Down Writers' Bash with The Pinch, Colorado Review, and the Colorado Art Ranch. It was great to meet all of you.

EXTRA special Normal thanks to those of you who subscribed at the conference and joined our merry band, as well as to those of you who purchased one of our issues (nearly 200 sold!!!) or our SOLD OUT Shark Bear t-shirt. Some of you asked to take some submission guidelines and we didn't have them out. Sorry about that. See them here. And send us your best fiction, nonfiction, and poetry now, before our April 30 deadline hits.

Stay tuned also for the announcement of our inaugural Normal Prize Contest, judged by David Shields and Margot Livesey.

And now for a quick favorite AWP moment at the Normal School table: Several of us are gathered around talking and laughing, enjoying the buzz of the bookfair, when we hear a voice, "I LOVE The Normal School!" and look up to see Sherman Alexie standing at our table, praising the design and production of the magazine, talking about how he thinks of it as one of the best magazines in the country.

Needless to say, we were quite proud. We're also proud to say (and I think it speaks volumes about Mr. Alexie's support of young writers) that he was a subscriber to The Normal School before he became a contributor to our 3rd issue.

Stay Normal,

Barry Wayne

Normal Things at AWP

Hey Normals,

The TNS crew is getting all psyched for AWP next week. We can't wait to show off our new issue, #4 and our new limited edition "Shark Bear" t-shirts. Stop by the table (Exhibit Hall A, K-18), check out the Vend-O-Prose Machine, pick up a copy of the magazine, subscribe, do a little dance, get down tonight. And please don't miss these Normal School events. We know there's a lot of other things to grab your attention. We'd love to see you, even if you just stop by and say hi:

-- AWP Kickoff Bash, co-sponsored by The Pinch, Colorado Review, the Colorado Art Ranch on Thursday, April 8 from 8:00 - ???? at the Wynkoop Brewery (see attached flier).

-- Normal Nonfiction: A Reading from The Normal School Literary Magazine featuring
contributors, Dave Griffith, Abraham Brennan, Oz Spies, Patrick Madden, and Duncan Murrell on Friday, April 9 from 4:30 PM to 5:45 PM in Room 111 - CCC

-- Normal Editor, Steven Church reads on Saturday, April 10 from 12 - 1:15 in CCC 303 with Normal Contributor, Wendy Rawlings and George Kalamaras, Bill Tremblay, Mary Crow, and his dear friend and mentor, John Calderazzo.

Hope to see all of you there!

- SWC