High school and college students with an interest in writing about social justice issues are invited to compete for the 2018 Student Stowe Prize, which was established by the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford in 2012 as a biennial award commemorating the 200th anniversary of Stowe’s birth in 1811, but is now presented each year.
The award honors writing by U.S. students that has had an effect on a contemporary social justice issue, such as, but not limited to, race, class and gender. Entries must have been published or publicly presented before submission for the prize, which will be presented in June 2018 at the Center’s annual fundraising event, the Big Tent Jubilee. Student winners will speak at a Real Stories of Social Change panel discussion that will precede the Big Tent Jubilee.
The college winner will receive a $2,500 prize and the high school winner will receive $1,000. Winning entries will be printed in the Big Tent Jubilee program book and posted on the Center’s website. The deadline to enter is Feb. 2. Winners will be notified in March.
The Stowe Prize for Writing to Advance Social Justice also will be presented in June. This $10,000 award, now given annually, honors a U.S. author whose work has affected a social justice issue, just as Stowe did with her classic 1852 novel, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which spurred the antislavery movement as well as the divisions that led to the Civil War. Submissions for that competition are now closed.
Information: StudentStowePrize@StoweCenter.org or harrietbeecherstowecenter.org.
Wintonbury Branch Poetry
The free Wintonbury Branch Poetry Series will continue Thursday, Dec. 21, from 7 to 9:30 p.m., followed by an open mic, at McMahon Wintonbury Library, 1015 Blue Hills Ave., Bloomfield.
The “Two from the Faxon Poets” program will present June Sidran Mandelkern, a founder of the Faxon group, who will read from her newest collection, “To the Far Country,” and David Mello, another member, who will read from his recently published “Finding My Way.” Tom Nicotera will be the host. prosserlibrary.info or 860-242-0041.
Writing Military Experiences
Russell Library, 123 Broad St., Middletown, continues its writing program for veterans, “We Were There: Writing Your Military Experiences,” on Thursday, Dec. 21 and Dec. 28, at 6:30 p.m.
Veterans are invited to share personal stories and photos and new members are welcome to visit and join.
Elisabeth Petry, a writer, former journalist and lawyer from Middletown, founded the group. Her husband, Lawrence Riley, is commander of the American Legion Milardo-Wilcox Post 75 in Middletown. Petry’s first book, a collection of edited correspondence, was “Can Anything Beat White?: A Black Family’s Letters.” Her second is “At Home Inside: A Daughter’s Tribute to Ann Petry.” The workshop facilitator is Christy Billings. 860-347-2528 or cbillings@russelllibrary.org.
New Yorker Discussions
Fans of The New Yorker magazine are invited to share their opinions of its articles from the previous week at a free discussion group that meets weekly at West Hartford’s Noah Webster Library, 20 South Main St., West Hartford. The meetings, led by volunteer moderators, are held on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the next meeting is Dec. 22.
Copies of the magazine are available through the library’s Zinio subscription, suitable for any internet-connected device or computer, and limited copies are distributed to those who will attend the next meeting.
Parking in the nearby Isham Garage will be validated by the library. 860-561-6990.
?Book Club Bookstore
Book Club Bookstore & More, 869 Sullivan Ave., South Windsor, will hold a meeting of its free Stephen King Book Club on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. with a discussion of Ur from “The Bazaar of Bad Dreams” and the annual Pot Luck dinner. Guests are asked to bring a dish to share.
On Saturday, Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be an Author & Artisans Pop-Up Shop, with Joe Adomavicia (poetry); Melanie Cherniack (children’s and women’s fiction); Dan Foley (horror); and Paul Hensler (nonfiction, baseball). 860-432-7411 or bookclubct.com.
?Serengeti Friendship
West Simsbury author Bruce William Deckert has published a revised edition of his 2009 novel for “young people of all ages,” “Serengeti Friendship: Soccer Forgiveness.”
The new version of his tale of soccer rivalries at the Wild Animal World Cup in Africa has a new beginning that provides background information, as well as five appendixes, including a glossary, outtakes, bloopers and makeovers.
Deckert began his journalism career at The Wethersfield Post and was an editor at ESPN.com. 860-651-1966 or DeckertBruce@gmail.com.
Authors In Waterbury
A book signing to celebrate the release of “Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library,” the second book in the Secret Files of Fairday Morrow children’s series by Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson, will take place Sunday, Dec. 17, at 1 p.m., at Barnes & Noble at Brass Mill Commons, 235 Union St., Waterbury. It is a humorous tale of a mystery and three young amateur sleuths, set in the fictional town of Ashpot, Conn. 203-759-7125.
The authors also will give a free talk about their books on Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 1 p.m., at Middlebury Library, 30 Crest Road, Middlebury. 203-758-2634.
On Saturday, Dec. 23, at 1 p.m., local author and City of Waterbury Police Officer Mary Jane Robinson will sign copies of her memoir, “Don’t Tell Me I Can’t: It’s Never Too Late” at Barnes & Noble at Brass Mill Commons, 235 Union St., Waterbury. 203-759-7125.
