Some Favorite Links:

Associated Writing Programs: AWP is the national nonprofit service organization whose mission is to foster literary talent and achievement, to advance the art of writing as essential to a good education, and to serve the makers, teachers, students, and readers of contemporary writing. AWP publishes The Writer's Chronicle and sponsors a widely attended annual conference.

Cascadia Publishing House: Cascadia Publishing House prints books that examine faith, history, and contemporary life from an Anabaptist perspective. Amid ferment diversity and often conflict in culture and church, Cascadia aims to give voice to authors able to offer fresh and creative visions. Cascadia Publishing House's DreamSeeker Books imprint includes poetry, memoirs and biographies.

The Hermitage Artist Retreat: The Hermitage Artist Retreat is located in Englewood, FL on the Manasota Beach. It is an artist retreat for painters, poets, playwrights, composers, translators, sculptors, and artists working in digital media. Part of its mission is to preserve a Florida historic site and protect native Florida ecology. Debra Gingerich had the honor to spend nine days there in spring 2008.

MFA in Writing at Vermont College: The MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College offers concentrations in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.  It was one of the first low-residency programs, offering adult students the opportunity to earn an MFA degree through study with accomplished writers without moving away from their families or communities.  Debra had the opportunity to study under four gifted professors and poets: Roger Weingarten, Ralph Angel, Robin Behn, and Betsy Sholl. It is a highly recommended program.

Mennonite Poetry: This site, hosted by Goshen College, provides information on the poets included in A Cappella: Mennonite Voices in Poetry, the premiere anthology of Mennonite poets in the United States.

Poets & Writers: Poets & Writers Magazine is the leading journal for creative writers. Along with essays on the literary life and interviews with contemporary writers of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, the magazine publishes articles with practical applications for both emerging and established writers. In addition, it provides listings of literary grants and awards, deadlines, and prize winners.

Wising Up Press: This press is committed to the written word that encompasses welcome, difference, surprise and inclusion, truthfulness and authenticity, and an equal place for each of us and what we hold most dear. Debra is a member of the editorial advisory board for the Wising Up Press writers collective and has several poems published in Wising Up Press' anthology Families: The Front Line of Pluralism.

Some Favorite Poets:

Choose the links below to find out more about some of Debra's favorite contemporary poets who she has been fortunate to benefit from their teachings, friendship or inspiration.

Ralph Angel
Robin Behn
Monica Berlin
Frank Giampietro
Jeff Gundy
Ann Hostetler
Jean Janzen
Jim McGarrah
Betsy Sholl
Julia Spicher Kasdorf
Roger Weingarten