Author: bstumbaugh

The Four Week Warm-Up

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Unbelievable! Looking at the calendar, I was blown away to see that the Cole Summer Writers Institute is less than six weeks away. June is always such a busy time for me and for the students, it really shouldn’t be a surprise that summer sneaks up on us. But I was thinking that it might be nice to blow off some school stress, and prep for a week of cool creative writing, by getting a set of inspirational activities/quotes to help get ready for the Institute.

So, to that end, starting Monday, I will be introducing a new quote or activity every other day for inspiration. They’re not required, obviously, but are simply suggestions to get us all in the mood to write!

I’ll start with this:

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See you all soon!

Novelist David Klein to Join Cole 2014!

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david-klein-novelistLocal novelist David Klein, author of Clean Break (2012) and Stash (2010) will be joining us as the guest writer this summer for the Cole Summer Writers Institute 2014. Mr. Klein holds an M.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Buffalo and a M.S. in Communication from RPI.

Below is a sampling of praise for Mr. Klein’s novels.

The most moving, powerful fiction most often comes from the stories of ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. Such is the case with David Klein’s newest book, Clean Break.” 
– Book Addict

Utterly engrossing and suspenseful, Clean Break is a must-read.” 
– She Knows Book Lounge

STASH is a novel so intimate in its revelations of desire that sometimes you just want to close it up but you can’t because you want even more to know what happens next.” 
– James Landis, author of THE LAST DAY

… Compelling. Fans of both domestic drama and corporate intrigue will enjoy it.” 
– Library Journal

More information on David can be found at his website:  http://www.bydavidklein.com/index.html.

Cole 2013 a Success!

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The Cole Summer Writers Institute finished strong again this year, hosting nine students from middle and high school, and one student from Spain! Novelist Dennis Mahoney highlighted the week with an engaging discussion of writing and publishing on Wednesday, and students shared works in progress during our Friday workshop.

As always, plans are being made for next year’s Institute. Stay tuned for news and updates.

Dennis Mahoney to join Cole 2013!

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DennisMahoneycroppedDennis Mahoney, local novelist and author of Fellow Mortals, will be joining us at Cole 2013 as this year’s guest writer! A graduate of the College of Saint Rose, Mahoney’s first novel appeared in February of 2013 to much praise. Some examples of the commentary surrounding the book are seen below:

 

The New York Times Book Review said of the novel:

“FELLOW MORTALS, while full of vivid interactions, is perhaps most moving in its subtle depiction of people alone, trying to find ordinary meaning amid disarray…. [It] will stay with me for its watchful portrait of people, imperfect in life as in art, trying to find goodness in one another and themselves.”

Author Stewart O’Nan said:

“As one character in Fellow Mortals explains of another, ‘He needs to feel alive, even if it hurts.’ In this heartfelt debut, Dennis Mahoney shows great care and compassion for its people, all of whom are raw and vulnerable in the wake of a neighborhood tragedy.”

And this from Rae Meadows:

“Dennis Mahoney mines the space between atonement and forgiveness in this unforgettable novel about a neighborhood cast adrift. Fellow Mortals crackles with humanity, with all its messy complexity. Crisp and riveting, poignant and wise. The characters of Arcadia Street will stay with me for a long time. Mahoney is an exciting new literary voice.”

More information on Dennis can be found at his website, http://authordennismahoney.com/

 

Cole 2013 Dates Set!

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colelogo2013The Cole Writers Institute is proud to announce the dates for the 2013 Institute! The Institute will run from July 8th to July 12, from 9:00-11:30, in the Clayton A. Bouton High School Library. Plans are currently being solidified for this year’s guest writer, so stay tuned for upcoming announcements!

Applications will be available from this website on May 1, 2013, and can also be obtained in the Clayton A. Bouton High School and Voorheesville Middle School offices.

Cole 2013: Come Write With Us!

New website!

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Time marches on, changes happen, and we have to roll with it, right?

That’s the mantra for this start of 2013 here at the Cole Writers Institute. And in that spirit I decided to move the website to this new address. I’m using WordPress; no surprise there seeing how I use it on m own personal site. I’m even contemplating the switch to having the site hosted on its own server.

We’ll see.

For now, I’m enjoying this initial change. More will follow, I’m sure/