|
 YWA’s MESS WITH WORDS instructor is Sallie Vandagrift. She first set foot on Oregon soil 18 years ago, fresh from California. After a week of drinking coffee in a northwest cafe, reading, and scribbling constantly in her notebook, she knew she could never go back to living any other way. She is a literary fiction and creative nonfiction writer, teacher, and a mother of five. Her short stories have appeared in The Sun and Coffee Talk. She is currently studying Comparative Literature and Creative Writing at University of Oregon. Sallie was a 2011 intern with YWA’s Lively Lit Camps and looks forward to continued work with YWA.
 YWA’s creative writing mentor for middle and high school students is Carter McKenzie. Her poems have appeared in a number of publications, including Raising Our Voices: an anthology of Oregon poets against the war, Dona Nobis Pacem: Grant Us Peace, and The Whistling Fire. New work is forthcoming in the anthology What the River Brings. Carter is the author of Naming Departure, a chapbook of poetry published by Traprock Books. Her full-length book of poetry Out of Refusal was published by Airlie Press in 2010. In addition to after-school writing workshops, Carter leads creative writing sessions through the Writers in Lane County Schools progam.
 YWA's teen writing mentor for fantasy fiction is Nina Kiriki Hoffman. Nina has sold more than two hundred stories and a number of novels. Her works have been finalists for the Nebula, World Fantasy, Mythopoeic, Sturgeon, and Endeavour awards. A STIR OF BONES, a young adult fantasy novel, made the American Library Association list of books for the teen reader, and the New York Public Library list of books for teens. Nina lives in Oregon and has cats. Nina also works with YWA's In-School Programs and Teen Outdoor Writing Camp.
 Louisa Lindsay-Sprouse, the founding director of Young Writers Association, shares literature based curricula developed for YWA programs. Called a visionary in arts education, she has received numerous awards for significant contributions to the cultural life of the community. Louisa has provided literary arts explorations, as both leisure time enrichment and vital learning in classrooms, for teacher groups and intergenerational groups, as well as to teachers-in-training at the University of Oregon. Experienced in addressing educational standards, Louisa has aligned curriculum to benchmarks in Oregon’s arts standards for Oregon Public Education Network and for Lane Education Service District. She also publishes youth, and produces a poetry spot of mixed age writers for public radio. Louisa is a storyteller/poet who simply finds pleasure in sharing her love for words, imagination and the adventure of learning. Louisa has also taught in YWA’s YES!YEA! Days and Lively Lit Camps with her husband Frank and for Umpqua Valley Arts Association.
 At one time Dave Raines sold 67% of all stories he submitted to pro markets (two out of three). Then he started getting serious about writing and the percentage dropped precipitously. Fortunately he has a family he loves and a job he loves; both support his writing habit. Check out one of his stories, Suitcase and Slow Time published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine.
 Eliza Rotterman was born in Cincinnati, Ohio but moved to Oregon in 2005 to complete her MFA in poetry. She has over 4 years experience teaching college writing, both as a graduate student and as a full time instructor. She has also taught creative writing for the Summer Enrichment Program at UO. Currently she lives in a rustic one-room cabin with her boyfriend Taylor and her cat Jasper. When she’s not in the garden, she’s reading or writing. Her poetry and reviews have appeared in Zoland, PHEOBE, The Fifth Wednesday, and the Foundling Review. She has also been awarded the Henry David Thoreau Award from the Vermont Studio and will spend a month next winter on a Fellowship to write poetry in Johnson, Vermont.
|
