Roundup: Ploughshares Readings and Q&A’s

ByJon Simmons

As we launch a new blog format for the new year, we’re also looking back at all the great posts since the blog started in 2009. Our roundups explore the archives and gather past posts around a certain theme to help you jump-start your week. This week we have posts on author readings and Q&A’s.

Public readings are a great way for authors to promote their work, and for audiences to hear their favorite (or soon to be favorite) writing read aloud. Maybe you’re dying to hear how an author reads a particular character’s voice. You knew it was a soft southern accent all along… Or maybe you just want to be read to. Because really, who doesn’t like being read to?

Going in person is ideal, but what’s the next best thing? Here we’re taking a look back at video clips of Ploughshares’ guest editors’ readings and Q&A’s.

Poet Tony Hoagland, former guest editor of the Ploughshares Winter 2009-2010 issue, reads his poems “Wild” and “Barton Springs” here:

In these three clips, former guest editor of the Ploughshares Fall 2010 issue Jim Shepard reads his story “Poland is Watching.”

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1LPx83uFzw&list=UUNXM7CcoAT5y9YGDBj1JhMA&index=22
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KygRENbAavM

The following video segments are from a December 2010 Ploughshares Q&A with Terrence Hayes, guest editor of the Winter 2010-11 issue and (then) a recent recipient of the National Book Award for Poetry for his collection Lighthead.

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KLoaoRqpck
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO9jeOtKI7Q
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqOL6hGMkxk

In this Q&A, Colm Toibin, guest editor of the Spring 2011 issue of Ploughshares, discusses storytelling, the writing process, and more:

The original blog post can be found here: http://pshares.org/blog/colm-toibin-on-guest-editing-ploughshares/

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