Have you checked out the fall issue of our online journal Good River Review yet (@goodriverreview.bsky.social) Our tenth issue is out now!

Congrats to Fall '25 graduate Mike Fitzer! “What an incredible program! I'm going to miss the residencies, working with my peers and mentors, and the tremendous support from faculty. This is the best gift I've ever given myself. I wish I could do it again, just without the student loans!”

Congrats to Fall ‘25 graduate Lori Marra! “Because of Spalding, I have a warm, welcoming writing community. We all share passion for the creative process and respect for one another's hard work, creativity, and talent.”

Congrats to Fall ‘25 graduate Ben Swindler! “Being part of this MFA program at Spalding University has been a wonderful experience. I've met so many great people, made many new friends, and learned so much about my writing. Leaving the program with new stories and a polished novel, is amazing.”

Screenwriting alum Andie Redwine is at the Heartland Film Festival with her film The Tenderness Tour. They are very close to winning an audience choice award! You can stream it online for the next four days and vote 5 for Audience Choice: buff.ly/IwYaefF

Fiction and CNF faculty Lee Martin provides a playful writing exercise for those interested in the lyric essay. Read it now on our faculty blog at Good River Review! buff.ly/jA8RYlK

Fall students and faculty! Be sure to check out Kathleen's preview of fall residency! We have a pre-residency kickoff reading by faculty, arts events, a labyrinth walk, and more! Read all about it: buff.ly/keovpED

Emerging prose writers! The Masters Review Novel Excerpt Contest is open to submissions from unpublished or in-progress novels. The winning excerpt earns $3,000, online publication, & a consultation with literary agent Marin Takikawa. Apply by Nov. 9, 2025: mastersreview.com/novel-excerp...

Support the Spalding Graduate School of Writing: buff.ly/993gXpq On behalf of the Spalding community, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has already donated! If you haven’t made a contribution yet, there is still time! We’re inching closer to our fundraising goal. Thank you!💙💛

Our students, alums, & faculty have enjoyed Vietnam! Did you know about our travel enrichment option? Current Naslund-Mann students may opt to fold travel into their studies. The trip may be especially appealing to students who attend virtual summer residency.

Beware the too-good protagonist. This week, Beth Bauman looks at the shades of complexity needed for compelling characters. Read it now on our faculty blog at Good River Review! buff.ly/hCWxDme

Giving Day is noon Wed, Oct. 1, through noon Thurs, Oct. 2, but psst—the giving portal is open! Now’s your chance to support the Naslund-Mann School & the Spalding MFA Alumni Association. Thanks to generous alums, gifts to the Naslund-Mann School up to $2k will be matched $1 to $1! buff.ly/muFMWLX

@pacificalit.bsky.social is seeking submissions of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for our upcoming issue. If you haven't heard, PLR is an independent mag based in Seattle. For guidelines on how to submit, check out their submissions page: www.pacificareview.com/submissions/

Announcing our Spalding School of Writing faculty workshop leaders for the Fall residency: Whitney Collins (Fic), K.L. Cook (Fic), Keith S. Wilson (Poetry), Erin Keane (Creative Nonfiction),Lesléa Newman (Writing for Children and YA), Charlie Schulman (Playwriting), and Bruce Marshall Romans (SW).

In a move that aligns all of Spalding’s creative writing programs, the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Creative Writing has joined its graduate-level sister programs under the umbrella of the Sena Jeter Naslund-Karen Mann Graduate School of Writing. Send your undergrads our way! buff.ly/VUWaEmi

One of Kathleen Driskell's Kentucky Poet Laureate projects is the Kentucky Writer’s Notebook, a podcast which shares great writing by contemporary Kentucky authors, lit news about events happening around Kentucky, & some thoughts about writing. The first 2 episodes are now available! buff.ly/J8hOC5I

In this excerpt from the introduction of her forthcoming book Creating Some Measure of Beauty: The Healing Power of the Artful Essay, Spalding faculty Nancy McCabe tackles some myths and misunderstandings around writing about trauma. Read it now: buff.ly/8WkIegx

This Thursday! Each ticket for this event includes a copy of House’s collection of poetry, ALL THE GHOSTS. Purchase your tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e/silas-hous...

The Missouri Review’s 35th annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize is accepting entries. This is a cash prize & publishing opportunity. $5000 each is awarded for the best story, set of poems, & essay. Winners will be published in the Spring 2026 issue. More info: missourireview.com/contests/jef...

Every serious writer can benefit by playing in other genres. Join this hourlong virtual info session w/Lynnell Edwards, associate programs director of the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing, & Karen Mann, co-founder of the Spalding MFA program. Reserve your slot now: buff.ly/m7QdDC9

Extra extra! Announcing the Distinguished Visiting Authors for our fall residency, also the winner of the 2025 Spalding Prize for the Promotion of Peace and Justice in Literature! www.goodriverreview.com/post/writing...

This week on the blog, faculty member Lynnell Edwards makes some discoveries when she takes on the book-a-day #SealeyChallenge. www.goodriverreview.com/post/sealeyc...

Calling all students, alums, & faculty! Don’t miss the Business of Writing Seminars on Saturday, September 6! Virtual sessions offer extracurricular instruction in the world of professional writing, editing, & publishing. More info: www.goodriverreview.com/post/coming-...

Congratulations to Spalding alum Anne Bucey! Her new book of poems A SHADE PULLED JUST BARELY is coming out November 14, 2025. Reserve your copy now for a limited presale discount: www.finishinglinepress.com/product/a-sh...

Join us Thursday, August 21, for Voice & Vision! Presented by Spalding University’s Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing, The Louisville Review, & 21c Museum Hotel this month's featured writers are Kathleen Driskell, David Flores, Ellen Hagan, Michelle Tyrene Johnson, & Jeremy Paden.

Congratulations to Spalding alum Robert X. Golphin! His short film Chest Candy had its world premier this summer at the 14th annual The People's FILM Festival in Harlem, where it won Best Short Film (Honorable Mention)!

We are proud to announce that Spalding alum AshleyRose Sullivan (writing as Archer Sullivan) will be in Louisville for her book tour! Come to Carmichael’s bookstore on August 12 at 7pm to support her debut novel THE WITCH'S ORCHARD.  Link for virtual Pre-launch: calendar.time.ly/9plshfqx/pos...

Spalding Writing for Children faculty Ellen Hagan is coming back to Louisville! Ellen and David Flores present their new book, TELL ME EVERY LIE , at Carmichael's Bookstore, August 19, at 7 pm. Hope to see you there!

Congrats to Spalding poetry faculty Keith S. Wilson on his upcoming book, GAMES FOR CHILDREN! The book is available August 26 from @milkweededitions.bsky.social, but you can preorder now: milkweed.org/book/games-f...

Congrats to Spalding alum Jill Cox-Cordova! Her Q&A with Kweli Journal founder/editor Laura Pegram is in the July print issue of the Library Journal. The two-page spread celebrates and commemorates Kweli Journal's 15th anniversary.

The Missouri Review’s 35th annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize is now accepting entries! Recipients of the award receive a $5000 cash prize. Winners will also receive a publishing opportunity from the Missouri Review. More info: missourireview.com/contests/jef...

Catch our Chair, Kathleen Driskell, at Poetry at the Table in Lexington, KY! She’ll be a featured poet alongside Tom Hunley. Open mic as well!

This week on our faculty blog, poetry faculty Greg Pape reflects on walking in the footsteps of Bashō and Buson on the hottest day of the year in Kyoto. Read it now: www.goodriverreview.com/post/the-hot...

Congrats to @spaldinguniversity alum Jill Cox-Cordova & her husband Tony Cordova, who've been nominated for the People’s Choice Podcast awards for "I'm Right. I'm Right!," in 2 categories: 1) People's Choice & 2) the "Society-Culture" category. Vote for them at podcastawards.com. Vote by July 31!

How do you know which low-res MFA program is right for you? Check out these seven considerations and questions to ask. (PSST! Our early-decision deadline is August 1!) www.newpages.com/tag/spalding...

Congratulations to Spalding alum Amy Foos Kapoor on the debut of her new children’s picture book. INTO THE BLUE: A COUNTING ADVENTURE is available now! More info here: www.amyfooskapoor.com

THURSDAY! The July edition of our summer reading series presented by The Louisville Review and The Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing features Sarah Gorham, Lynn Slaughter, Jeffrey Skinner, Richard Taylor, & Sonja Wilde-de Vries. Hosted by Flora K. Schildknecht. Hope to see you there!

Last chance to apply for a 2026 FSG Writer's Fellowship! This program is open to emerging writers from underrepresented communities & includes $15,000 in funding, editorial guidance, & support from the FSG community. Application period closes July 18. More info: fsgfellowship.com

Have you or someone you know been thinking about an MFA program? The time to apply for our fall semester is approaching! Click here to find out more: spalding.edu/school-creat...

Congratulations to our Spring and Summer 2025 graduates! Together we’ve built a community of strong voices and storytellers. Carry that support into your next chapter!

Check out the latest edition of LIFE OF A WRITER, chock full of exciting news & updates from Spalding's Naslund-Mann School of Writing students, alumni, faculty, & staff! www.goodriverreview.com/post/life-of...

Our Virtual Summer Residency kicks off today! We're excited to see everyone's faces! If you are curious how our virtual residencies work, read more here: spalding.edu/school-creat...

Congrats to Spalding alum Colleen Harris! The Brussels Review published "To Dr. Oppenheimer: An Admonition in Terza Rima," "The Longest Kiss Goodbye," and "Not My Sleeping Child" as a mini collection which they titled THE ASH PSALMS. You can read them at thebrusselsreview.com/colleen-s-ha...

Two Spalding CNF alums are featured in this month's Issue of BREVITY! Check out Laura Johnsrude's essay "Reading to Mom" and Lindsay Pharr's short nonfiction "Night Chorus" in this months issue of BREVITY. Congratulations! brevitymag.com

Who is the REAL villain in Peter Pan? This week on the blog, faculty Larry Brenner revisits a conversation with Andie Redwine—about the subtle, sinister villain who is *not* Captain Hook—as they prepare their book, Write Like a Mouse: Analyzing Disney Movies to Develop Your Craft. buff.ly/0J0n5kI

THURSDAY! The June edition of our summer reading series presented by The Louisville Review & The Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing kicks-off Thursday, June 12, in downtown Louisville! Steven Michael Carr, Ashleé Clark, Lisa M. Miller, Lee Mandelo, and Renée Rigdon, hosted by Lynnell Edwards.

Congratulations to Spalding alum, Elizabeth Wilks! During our spring residency, Liz presented the Distinguished Alumni Lecture "Down the Rabbit Hole: Retelling’s of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland." Liz will also deliver this presentation to our virtual summer residency students in a couple weeks!

THIS THURSDAY! Alumni Gathering at Noble Funk Brewing Co. (922 S 2nd St, Louisville, KY 40203) Hosted by the Spalding MFA Alumni Association. Appetizers, pizza, drinks, and plenty of catching up. Hope to see all alums there!

"In the case of a misreading, the usefulness lies not so much in identifying what needs to be 'fixed' in the manuscript, but rather in the opportunity to dig deeper..." This week on the blog, John Pipkin discusses the usefulness of productive misreadings. www.goodriverreview.com/post/the-use...

NEXT TUESDAY! We're delighted, in partnership with the Louisville Free Public Library, to bring best-selling Nina LaCour, our next Visiting Distinguished Writer, to Louisville. This event is free and open to the public. We hope you'll join us!