Visiting Writers & Artists – 2020

EDGAR ALANDIA
Edgar Alandia C. ( Bolivia 1950 ) has completed his musical studies, Composition and Conducting, at the Conservatory and the National Music Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome (Italy).He has won numerous awards throughout his stellar career and has been Composition teacher in several Master courses and Composition workshops in Brasil, Cuba, Perù, Bolivia, Mexico, UK, Germany, Norway, Ireland, Poland, Rumania, etc. His works are published by Ricordi (Milan), Edipan (Rome), BMG (Rome) and Musicinco (Madrid).

FRANCISCO ARAGÓN
Francisco Aragón completed graduate degrees in creative writing from UC Davis and the University of Notre Dame. In 2003 he joined the faculty of the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies where he established Letras Latinas. A CantoMundo fellow and a member of the Macondo Writers’ Workshop, Aragón is the author of two books, Puerta del Sol and Glow of Our Sweat, as well as editor of the anthology, The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry. His third book, After Rubén, is slated for publication in 2020. His poems and translations have appeared in various print and online journals, as well as numerous anthologies. His work as a translator includes four books by Francisco X. Alarcón, as well as work by Spanish poets Federico García Lorca and Gerardo Diego. More recently, he’s been rendering versions of the Nicaraguan poet, Rubén Darío. He has read from his work widely, including at universities, galleries, and bookstores. He’s been a featured poet at the Split This Rock Poetry Festival as well as the Dodge Poetry Festival.

JENNA BLUM
New York Times and internationally bestselling author of novels THOSE WHO SAVE US and THE STORMCHASERS and the novella "The Lucky One" in the postwar collection GRAND CENTRAL. Jenna is also one of Oprah’s Top 30 Women Writers. Presented with Miami Beach JCC.

CAROLYN BURNS BASS
A longtime journalist for entertainment, travel and lifestyle media, Carolyn Burns Bass has published nonfiction and short fiction, and has completed three novels. In fall 2020 her children’s biography, All About the Bronte Sisters, will publish with Blue River Press. Currently at work on her forth novel, THE FLAVORS OF TIME, Carolyn hopes to merge her lifetime love of food in her fiction. Carolyn is the founder and moderator of #LitChat, the popular literary discussion that occurs through Twitter. She would like to list prestigious colleges attended and degrees obtained, but she restricts her fiction to made-up people. Follow her on Twitter at @CarolyBurnsBass, visit her blog at www.carolynburnsbass.com/blog and visit her website at www.CarolynBurnsBass.com.

CHRISTOPHER CASTELLANI
Christopher Castellani is the son of Italian immigrants and a native of Wilmington, Delaware. He currently lives in Boston, where he is the artistic director of Grub Street, the country’s largest and leading independent creative writing center. He is the author of three critically-acclaimed novels, A Kiss from Maddalena (Algonquin Books, 2003)—winner of the Massachusetts Book Award in 2004— The Saint of Lost Things (Algonquin, 2005), a BookSense (IndieBound) Notable Book; and All This Talk of Love (Algonquin, 2013), a New York Times Editors’ Choice and finalist for the Ferro-Grumley Literary Award. The Art of Perspective: Who Tells the Story, a collection of essays on point of view in fiction, was published in 2016 by Graywolf Press. His newest novel is Leading Men, for which he received Fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the MacDowell Colony, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Leading Men was published in February 2019 by Viking Penguin. In addition to his work with Grub Street, Christopher is on the faculty and academic board of the Warren Wilson MFA program and the Bread Loaf Writers Conference. Christopher was educated at Swarthmore College, received his Masters in English Literature from Tufts University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Boston University.

GABRIELLE CAVOCARESSI
Gabrielle Calvocoressi is the author of The Last Time I Saw Amelia Earhart, Apocalyptic Swing (a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize), and Rocket Fantastic, winner of the Audre Lorde Award for Lesbian Poetry. The recipient of numerous awards and fellowships including a Stegner Fellowship and Jones Lectureship from Stanford University. Presented in partnership with O, Miami

TYREE DAYE
Tyree Daye is a poet from Youngsville, North Carolina. He is the author of two poetry collections River Hymns 2017 APR/Honickman First Book Prize winner and Cardinal forthcoming from Copper Canyon Press 2020. Presented with O, Miami.

MARY GALVIN
Mary Galvin lives in Lake Worth, Florida, and has been reading and writing poetry since she was a child. Her poetry has been published in Southern Women’s Review, Homestead Review, East Coast Literary Review, Tiger’s Eye and elsewhere. In addition to being a poet, she is the author of Queer Poetics (Greenwood/Praeger, 1999), a critical study of Modernist women poets. Mary holds a Doctor of Arts from the State University of New York at Albany, and is currently a Professor of English at Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth. Presented as part of the SOFLOPOJO Poetry Residency.

DANIEL HALPERN
Born in Syracuse, New York, on September 11, 1945, Daniel Halpern is publisher and president of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. He is the author of nine collections of poetry, most recently Something Shining (Alfred K.) In 2009, he received the first Editor's Award, given by Poets and Writers.

REBEKAH HELLER
Praised for her “flair” and “deftly illuminated” performances by The New York Times, bassoonist Rebekah Heller is a uniquely dynamic solo and collaborative artist. Called "an impressive solo bassoonist" by The New Yorker, she is fiercely committed to expanding the modern repertoire for the bassoon. Her debut solo album of world premiere recordings (featuring five new pieces written with and for her), 100 names, was called "pensive and potent" by The New York Times and her newly-released second album, METAFAGOTE (also entirely made up of pieces created with and for her), is receiving wide acclaim. As Artistic Director and bassoonist of the renowned International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Rebekah performs all over the world. Not only is she committed to advancing the music of our time, she is deeply engaged in working with younger musicians to continue the ICE-y legacy of fearless exploration and deep collaboration. She is also a committed advocate, through platforms like ICEcommons (a free, crowdsourced index of newly composed music), for underrepresented voices and outrageous experimentation. Presented with Miami Classical Music Festival.

LISA KINGSLEY
Lisa Kingsley is a creative director and designer. Her accessories brand, KINGSLEY, launched in 2008 and features artisan-crafted bags, hand-molded jewelry, pure plant oil fragrances, and graphical apparel. Each is made in small batches. Lisa's premiere retail concept, KINGSLEY MARKET, was located in the central highlands of Mexico from 2013-2018 when she returned to the US to evolve the collection state-side. Historically, Lisa’s journey into fashion began in 1999 when her Bali-based clothing line was worn by Madonna and sold out repeatedly through Fred Segal Melrose. Throughout her career, she also designed signature, ready-to-wear and denim collections that sold through over 250 retailers worldwide, including Bergdorf Goodman and Sakes 5th Avenue. Notable accolades for Lisa include being chosen for "The Vogue 100" group of inspiring women in fashion by Vogue Magazine, receiving FGI's "Rising Star" Award, a Ragdale Writer's Residency, and placement a the Miami International Film Festival for her short film about artisanship and authenticity: Luxury is the Richness of Experience. Lisa has been featured in several publications including WWD, Vogue, T Magazine, ELLE, Bazar, W, and Refinery 29.

AMELIA KLEIN
Amelia Klein's poems have appeared in journals including Tin House, Colorado Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, and Boston Review. Her manuscript, under the title "Brilliant Dust," was recently a finalist in book contests with Moon City Press, Ohio State University Press, Cleveland State University Press, and Unicorn Press. (She has since retitled the manuscript "Asunder.") Amelia is a scholar of lyric poetry and is especially interested in romantic poetry and its ecopoetic legacies. She currently teaches at Saint Joseph's University and lives in Philadelphia with her husband, their three-year-old daughter, and their cat.

LING MA
Ling Ma is author of the novel Severance, which received the Kirkus Prize, was a finalist for the PEN Hemingway Award, and named a New York Times Notable Book Of 2018. Her fiction has appeared in Granta, VICE, Playboy, Ninth Letter, and others. She received an MFA from Cornell University. She lives in Chicago. Presented in partnership with FIU Writers on the Bay Series.

MARCO RAMIREZ
Marco Ramirez has had plays produced at The Kennedy Center, The Juilliard School, The Arsht Center, and Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival of New American Plays (where he's twice received the Heideman Award). TV writing credits include FX's "Sons of Anarchy." He trained at both NYU and The Juilliard School.

CHELSEA RATHBURN
Chelsea Rathburn is the poet laureate of Georgia and author of three books of poetry, including the New York Times New & Noteworthy collection Still Life with Mother and Knife, published in 2019 by Louisiana State University Press. A native of Miami, she received a B.A. in English/Creative Writing from Florida State University in 1997. Her poems and essays have appeared in Poetry, Ploughshares, the Atlantic, Creative Nonfiction, and many other journals. She currently lives in Macon, Georgia, with her husband, the poet James Davis May, and their daughter. She is an assistant professor of English and creative writing at Mercer University. 

RICHARD RUSSO
Novelist and screenwriter Richard Russo is the author of eight novels, two short story collections, and the memoir Elsewhere. Empire Falls won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2002 and was made into an Emmy-nominated HBO miniseries starring Ed Harris and Helen Hunt. His most recent novel, Everybody’s Fool, is a sequel to the earlier Nobody’s Fool, which was made into an award-winning movie starring Paul Newman. Russo is currently vice president of the Authors Guild. He lives with his wife Barbara in Portland, Maine, where his daughter Emily recently opened a bookstore called Print. He’s collaborated with his other daughter—artist Kate Russo—on the book Interventions and more recently on screenplays. His collection of essays, The Destiny Thief, was published last year, and his new novel, Chances Are…was published in July of 2019.

MICA SCALIN
Mica Scalin is a professional enthusiast and creative instigator. From grassroots to broadcast, her passion lies in creating cultural experiences that make meaningful connections between people. She has worked in communications, marketing and creative development for Showtime Networks, CBS and NBC Universal. Presented in partnership with Arts & Business Council of Miami.

STEVEN SCHICK
Percussionist, conductor, and author Steven Schick was born in Iowa and raised in a farming family. For forty years he has championed contemporary music by commissioning or premiering more than one hundred-fifty new works. Schick is music director of the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus and artistic director of the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players.

PAMELA STARR
Pamela Starr is a leading authority on building customer loyalty and a professional speaker for Grow with Google. A sought-after keynote speaker, Pamela also consults for brands and elite performers. She helps them achieve more measurable and profitable results from their digital and offline communication programs. For all her clients, she delivers real-world tools and strategies that drive stellar results. Presented in partnership with Arts & Business Council of Miami and Miami Arts Marketing Project.

TERESE SVOBODA
Terese Svoboda has published 18 books of poetry, memoir, biography, a book of translation from the Nuer, and fiction. Winner of a Guggenheim, a Bobst Prize in fiction, an Iowa Prize for poetry, a NEH grant for translation, an O. Henry Award for the short story, the Graywolf Nonfiction Prize, 3 NYFA fellowships, a Pushcart Prize for the essay, a Bellagio residency for a libretto, and the Jerome Foundation Award in video, she also wrote the libretto for the opera WET that premiered at L.A.'s RedCat Theater. Bloomsbury Review writes: "Terese Svoboda is one of those writers you would be tempted to read regardless of the setting or the period or the plot or even the genre.” Great American Desert was published in 2019, a book of stories about climate from prehistoric times to the future. In a starred review, Kirkus writes: “[Svoboda\'s] enigmatic sentences, elliptical narratives, and percussive plots delve into the possibilities of form, genre, and plausible futures, but always with an eye on the vast subterranean psychologies of her all-too-real creations.” Presented in partnership with SWWIM (Supporting Women Writers in Miami).

NICK VAGNONI
Nick Vagnoni teaches writing classes at Florida International University and at prisons in Miami-Dade County via the local non-profit Exchange for Change. He is the author of the poetry chapbook Victual (Floating Wolf Quarterly 2010) and co-author of Forager: A Subjective Guide to Miami\'s Edible Plants (Jai Alai Books 2014). His poems have also appeared in Columbia Journal, Mid-American Review, Terrain, and elsewhere. A graduate of New College of Florida and FIU, Vagnoni grew up in Key West and now lives with his wife and son and daughter in El Portal. Presented with O, Miami.

CEDRA WALTON
Cedra Walton, daughter of famed pianist Cedar Walton and President of the S E Group. She has over 10 years experience creating and producing film. Ms. Walton is currently writing a book on her dad, a noted jazz pianist. Cedra Walton came across a story about an L.A.-based music marketing and promotions company with a grand street rep and long roster of impressed clients. Stepping out on inspiration and faith, she headed to Hollywood, earning a meeting with the president of the aforementioned firm that led to her eventually landing a position as his assistant. Mission accomplished: Over 30 years later, Walton\'s determination and optimistic energy have resulted in a rich professional history that includes having founded two pioneering marketing/promo outfits -- one of which created the West Coast\'s first all-woman street team and nabbed HBO\'s highest ratings for original programming -- leaving many a satisfied client in her wake, brands that include Sony Pictures, Disney, ALIZE, Starbucks, Comcast, AEG and record labels like Tommy Boy, Ruthless, Atlantic, and Columbia.

ORIN WOLF
Orin Wolf is a Broadway and tour producer whose credits include The Band’s Visit (Tony Award), Fiddler on the Roof (Tony nomination), Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Tony nomination), Orphans (Tony nomination), Once (Tony Award), That Championship Season and A View From the Bridge (Tony nomination). Off-Broadway, London and touring: The Band’s Visit, Once, Not By Bread Alone, Groundswell, Judy Gold’s 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, Robert Wuhl’s Assume the Position and History of the Word. He was the inaugural recipient of the T-Fellowship for Creative Producing at Columbia University and is now the Director.