Whatcom Writers and Publishers June 2008 Newsletter

"Asian American Novel to Movie and Beyond"

"When I was nineteen, I decided I wanted to be a writer, but I realized that I was the only Asian American writer I knew in the world. No high school teacher or college professor had ever mentioned an Asian American writer, let alone assign a book by one." Shawn Wong.
 
Since then, Shawn has written two novels, Homebase and American Knees, as well as co-edited and edited six Asian American and American multicultural literary anthologies, including the pioneering anthology Aiiieeeee! An Anthology of Asian American Writers.
 
And while Cathy Belben, last month’s speaker, was the first WWP speaker to talk about writing for Hollywood, Shawn will be the first speaker for WWP to talk about how his novel was made into a general release Hollywood movie. American Knees was retitled as the movie Americanese, directed by Eric Byler, and is to be released this year. Joan Chen volunteered to do a bit part in it for a small sum because she wanted movies that portrayed Asian Americans, not as gangsters or master martial artists, but, well . . . as Americans.
 
Shawn has also been awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship and a Rockefeller Foundation residency in Italy. He has won several writing awards, including a first prize from the Society of Professional Journalists in the humor category in 1997. Shawn was featured in the 1997 PBS documentary, “Shattering the Silences,” and in Bill Moyers’ PBS documentary, “Becoming American: The Chinese Experience,” in 2003. 
 
Shawn received his undergraduate degree in English at the University of California at Berkeley and a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing at San Francisco State University. Shawn has taught at several colleges and universities since 1972, including Mills College, University of California at Santa Cruz, and San Francisco State University. He is currently Professor of English at the University of Washington where he served as Chair of the Department of English from 1997 to 2002, Director of the Creative Writing Program from 1995 to 1997, and Director of the University Honors Program from 2003 to 2006. In addition, Shawn has taught at the Universität Tübingen (Germany), Université Jean Moulin (Lyon), and at the University of Washington Rome Center (Italy) seven times in the last ten years.
 
Shawn has been a featured speaker at Rainbow Bookfest (Seattle) several times and at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association annual conference. He is a charismatic, poignant, humorous speaker who will talk not only about how Americanese was made but also about the touching background in his life for writing another novel, sixteen years after his last one.

RSVP Protocol:

Seating is limited! Paid-up members got first crack at “first RSVP, first served” in an early newsletter sent out May 28.
 
A waiting list will be established. After RSVPing, if you determine that you cannot make the meeting, please notify Mary Michaelson (below) about your cancellation. Newly opened slots will be filled through the waiting list.
 
I’m sorry, but if you don’t RSVP and you’re not on the list, you will most likely be turned away at the door.
 
New changes for RSVP. Please RSVP to Mary Michaelson and not to Fred Su. If you reply to Fred and not Mary, then you may likely miss your spot in the RSVP line.
 
RSVP with number in party by Tuesday, June 17, noon, to Mary Michaelson, michaelsonmary@yahoo.com, or 201-7373. Sooner is better!
 
Caveat: Pastazza is undergoing renovations from May 25 – June 8. In case construction goes beyond the expected time frame, we will let attendees know. As this may be at the last minute, be sure to include a phone number in your reply. If you hear nothing, then expect that the renovations went as scheduled and that Pastazza will be our venue once again.
 
Business News

New Officers:

We are in the midst of making the transition from old officers to new ones. New President: Susan Browne, new Vice-President: Mary Michaelson, new Treasurer: Molly Murray, new Newsletter Editor: Carolyn Leeper, new Website Manager: Dina Berry. Thank you all for stepping forward!
 
Thank you, also, to the old officers: Ken Morrow and Fred Su (also Newsletter Editor), Co-Presidents; Dorothy Morrow, Treasurer; Kate Weisel, Website Manager.
 
Whatcom Writers and Publishers can only flourish under new leadership! 
 

Next Meeting:

WWP will take the summer off and resume meetings in September. Look for a newsletter around September 1. Have a nice summer, everybody!

Dues:

Dues are still $20, after all these years. People can pay either in the fall or spring. Dues fund the speakers. And while we don’t twist any arms, if you like WWP’s focus and find the speakers and topics useful and enlightening, then support our organization by paying dues. Please pay Molly Murray, our new Treasurer, at the meeting. If you can’t make it to the meeting, then please send a $20 check, payable to WWP, to WWP, P.O. Box 2342, Bellingham, WA 98227.

Thank you!