Ex Libris

by Ex Libris on March 12, 2026

The Graduate Reading Series at Uncommon Ground

Join us for another Graduate Reading Series at Uncommon Ground (3800 North Clark Street) on Thursday, April 2, 2026 from 7-9 p.m. The event will feature six graduate writers in the MAWP/MFA programs, who will share their works of poetry or short prose. It’s a wonderful opportunity for fellow writers and readers to come together and celebrate creative storytelling! The reading is free and open to the public, but requires registration here to secure a seat. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the reading will begin at 7 p.m. Contact Kendall Polidori at kpolidor@depaul.edu… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on March 12, 2026

Spring English Conference Call for Submissions!

Submit your work to the 17th Annual Spring English Conference!  We are now accepting submissions for literary essays and creative writing pieces for the conference, where you will have the opportunity to present and discuss your work with audience members and fellow student panelists. The deadline for submissions is April 15, 2026.  The Spring English Conference is a time-honored tradition that originated in 2010 as the EGSA (English Graduate Student Association) Spring Conference. We have been very pleased to accept work from both graduate and undergraduate students over the years, expanding our annual conference into… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on March 9, 2026

Author Event: Becky Wills (BA ’16) Celebrates Launch of New Novel, “Stun”

Becky Wills, a 2016 graduate of the English Department, is celebrating the release of her new book Stun: A Novel in Pieces via Tortoise Books at Uncommon Ground on Wednesday, April 1 at 6 p.m. Wills received a BA from DePaul University, an MFA from The New School, and a PhD from University of Surrey, where she teaches creative writing.

by Ex Libris on March 9, 2026

Author Event: Timothy J. Hillegonds (MAWP ’14) in Conversation with Michele Morano

In celebration of his new memoir, And You Will Call It Fate, MAWP alumni Timothy J. Hillegonds will be in conversation with Graduate Director and author Michele Morano at The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square on Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m. Click here for more details. About the Book:In And You Will Call It Fate, Tim Hillegonds explores an eight-year relationship with Sean Dempsey, a charismatic yet volatile former NFL player turned entrepreneur who profoundly reshaped the trajectory of Hillegonds’s life. Set against the backdrop of Chicago’s financial district, the memoir follows Hillegonds—a high school dropout, struggling addict,… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on March 5, 2026

Nominations are Open for the 2026 Gerald Paetsch Academic Advising Award

Has an academic advisor made a difference in your progress toward your educational goals? If an academic advisor has provided you with outstanding guidance, please nominate her/him/them for the Gerald Paetsch Academic Advising Award! Please click here for additional information.  The Gerald Paetsch Academic Advising Award recognizes DePaul academic advisors who demonstrate excellence in advising undergraduate and/or graduate students. Any faculty, staff or administrator involved in the delivery of academic advising services is eligible for this award. Nominations will be accepted until March 25, 2026! Submit your nomination here.

by Ex Libris on February 26, 2026

Spring & Summer Internships 2026

See below for the latest Spring/Summer 2026 internship opportunities from Chris Green. If you have any questions, email Chris at cgreen1@depaul.edu and let him know if you are selected for any to register for the async online ENG 509 Internship course. 1. Agate Publishing: July 1–December 31 If interested in this internship, please email SOON your cover letter, resume, and writing sample (essay) to Prof. Green first; he will then instruct you on whom to contact at Agate. This is the best publishing internship in Chicagoland! Agate is seeking interns for its six-month training internship… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on February 24, 2026

NYU Summer Publishing Institute

The NYU Summer Publishing Institute is a four-week introduction to Big Five publishing for students looking to make the move to New York City publishing. You would spend those four weeks living in the NYU dorms and meeting people at Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Macmillan, and HarperCollins, and taking classes related to the business of editing and publishing. Grad students who attend this program can earn 4.5 credits they can transfer toward their MFA or MAWP degree. The program begins on June 1, so there are some logistical issues to work out… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on February 24, 2026

The Radical Imagination of Blackness in Music & Magic

The Center for Black Diaspora is hosting an event tomorrow, February 25, at 4 p.m. featuring a discussion on the theme of black imagination with Dr. Corey Miles. The event is part of an ongoing series for the center to discuss and celebrate the themes of the film Sinners. You can join in person or via Zoom. See the flyer below for more details.

by Ex Libris on February 17, 2026

Alumni Authors Chat with Anna Sortino

Last month, ahead of the Blue Demon Challenge, alumna Anna Sortino (MAWP ’19) visited DePaul for a Q&A with graduates in the MFA and MAWP program. The visit was recorded for the Blue Demon Challenge, where Anna discussed her time at DePaul, what led her to writing in the YA genre, any advice she has for current students in the program, and so much more. Check out the full video below, and if you missed the interview we did with Anna last month as part of her visit, you can read it here.

by Ex Libris on February 12, 2026

Here’s What Big Shoulders Books is Working on

Last month, ahead of the Blue Demon Challenge, Depaul’s Big Shoulders Books hosted a livestream to discuss how students are editing a group of oral narratives from people in Calumet City and near the Calumet River, on Chicago’s South Side. This year, the Blue Demon Challenge raised more than $6.3 million in support of students. Check out the full video below to learn more about Big Shoulders Books and the book they are currently working on, as current graduate students walk through the narratives that stood out for them.

by Ex Libris on February 3, 2026

2026 Winter Quarter Partial Tuition Scholarship Awards 

The M.A. in English, M.A. in Literature and Publishing, M.A. in Writing and Publishing, and M.F.A. in Writing and Publishing programs are offering Partial Tuition Scholarships (PTS) to recognize the outstanding academic achievement of students in the English department’s three graduate programs. Partial Tuition Scholarships provide a partial reimbursement for tuition paid for 2026 Winter graduate courses in English taken toward the MAE, MALP, MAWP, and MFA degrees.  You are eligible to apply for a PTS award if:  Please note that only graduate classes offered through the English department (ENG courses) are eligible for PTS funding.  Courses offered through other departments and courses over and above those needed for MAE/MALP/MAWP/MFA degree completion are not… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 30, 2026

DePaul Grad Reading at Uncommon Ground

Thank you SO much to everyone who came out last night to support our first grad reading series at Uncommon Ground! It was so special to get together, share our work and support each other. We hope to host a monthly series, so stay tuned for more information on upcoming readings, and how to get involved.

by Ex Libris on January 29, 2026

Spring 2026 Course Added Titled ‘The Essay: History, Theory, Practice’

ENG 426 The Essay: History, Theory, Practice is cross-listed with WRD 515 The Essay. Course description:In this course, we’ll study the essay: what it is and has been, and how we read and write essays now. We’ll situate the essay historically and within relevant disciplines, and focus on the contemporary essay. We will read essays alongside theory on essay form and style. Most important, you will write essays, largely on topics you choose. This class is a space where you can think in depth about your own writing style and goals, and explore your intellectual… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 27, 2026

Updated Submission Deadlines!

The Ghost Story – The Screw Turn Flash Fiction Competition – January 31, 2026 Interested in flash fiction pieces of between 250 and 1,000 words Entry fee: $15  Brink Literary Journal No. 12 – February 1, 2026 Poetry  Fiction Creative Nonfiction Video Essay & Cinepoetry  The Masters Review Winter Short Story Award for New Writers– February 1, 2026  PEN Emerging Voices Fellowship – February 2, 2026 The Emerging Voices Fellowship provides a virtual five-month immersive mentorship program for early-career writers from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the publishing world.  The Journal Call for Submissions – February 15, 2026 Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Photo essays Author interviews Book reviews  2026 Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Competition – February 22, 2026 Submit an… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 26, 2026

Alumna Spotlight: Anna Sortino

After Anna Sortino graduated from DePaul’s MAWP program in 2019, she applied for a publishing mentorship program called Pitch Wars (which is now defunct) and was picked by renowned YA author Aiden Thomas. At the time, the program was encouraging authors to write stories inspired by their own lives and identities, which ultimately pushed Sortino to write stories centered with disabled characters living their lives and falling in love. She has published two YA books—Give Me A Sign (2023 via Penguin Random House) and On The Bright Side (2024 via Penguin Random House)—with another set… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 15, 2026

2026 NOR Literary Prizes are Open for Submissions

Submit your best work to New Ohio Review’s 2026 contests in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction! Three prizes of $1,500 each and publication in New Ohio Review will be awarded for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Submit a story or essay of up to 20 pages or a poem or group of poems of up to 6 pages with a $22 entry fee between now and April 15th. For the cost of your entry, you will also receive two complimentary issues of NOR (37 and 38). See the full guidelines on the submissions page… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 14, 2026

2026 AWP Award Series

The 2026 AWP Award Series is open for submissions! Submit your manuscript in poetry, creative nonfiction, short fiction, or the novel between now and February 28, at 11:59 p.m. ET, for a chance at a cash prize and publication by one of our partner presses. This year’s prizes will be judged by Maggie Smith, Kiese Laymon, Weike Wang, and Justin Torres. The 2026 AWP Conference and Bookfair will take place on March 4-7, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. Check out how to attend or get involved here.

by Ex Libris on January 14, 2026

2026 Editorial Fellowship at A Public Space

Are you interested in a career in independent publishing? In exploring the role of the editor and imagining new possibilities for the future? Applications for the 2026 Editorial Fellowship at A Public Space are now open. In addition to working alongside APS staff on the magazine and other programs, fellows have the opportunity to create and oversee an open call and edit a piece for the magazine. The deadline to apply is February 28. Find additional details, including work by previous fellows and a link to the application, here. 

by Ex Libris on January 14, 2026

“Borders as Fictions,” an Essay by Libby Kalmbach Clark

Libby Kalmbach Clark, an alumna of the MAWP program at DePaul University, published her essay Borders as Fiction in Witness, a magazine of the Black Mountain Institute. Libby is a nonfiction writer and a legal representative at the National Immigrant Justice Center. Her work has appeared in Electric Literature, Ascent, and the Prairie Schooner blog. She lives and works in Chicago. For more information, visit her website here.

by Ex Libris on January 13, 2026

“Look At Us,” a Poem by Chris Tran

Chris Tran, a graduate student in the MAWP program, had her poem “Look At Us” published in the Chicago Sun-Times this past weekend. The poem is a response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE officials and a tribute to her: Say her name, / Renee Nicole Good. / Remember her name, / Renee Nicole Good. / Look at us and insist / All of this is meant for good. You brand her a domestic terrorist, / But herein lies: / Beloved mother and wife / Daughter / Neighbor / Poet Justify your murder /… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 13, 2026

Submit to These Writing Contests!

Check out these writing contests for January through September 2026:   One Room, One Hour Contest – Open submissions  One essay on what you encounter. $1,000 for no more than 1,000 words will be awarded to winning entries posted to Substack. Essays accepted through the end of the year. Give it a whirl and see what you see.  New Millennium Writing Awards – January 31, 2026   $1,000 EACH for Best poetry, fiction, nonfiction, flash fiction. All winners published in our anthology and online.   Kentucky Visions Short Story Contest – January 31, 2026   Enter your fiction (up to 7,500 words) for a chance to… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 6, 2026

LatinX Book Club: ‘Fever Dream’

Join the LatinX Book Club, sponsored by the Center for Latino Research and the LatinX Cultural Center, for a discussion of Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin. DISCUSSION DATES:February 17, 2026March 3, 2026 All meetings will be from 4:30 – 5:30pm at the Latinx Cultural Center (360 O’Connell Hall). The first 15 students who register will receive a free copy of the book. Students who receive a free copy of the book will be required to attend all the discussion meetings. Discussion will happen in English, but the original text is in Spanish. We encourage students… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 5, 2026

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a restful break, and has an easy transition back to classes for Winter Quarter! Here are a few announcements, reminders and submission deadlines to keep in mind as you get back into the swing of things. 1. REMINDER: The deadline to apply for graduate assistantships for the 2026–2027 academic year is January 15, 2026. If you’re interested, please send the following materials directly to Prof. and Director Michele Morano (mmorano@depaul.edu): 2. Check out this fantastic article in Oxford American written by Francesca T. Royster, professor of English at DePaul, about musician Willie… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on November 10, 2025

Charles S. Longcope Jr. Writers and Artists Grant Opportunity

The Gay & Lesbian Review/WORLDWIDE (The G&LR)—a bimonthly magazine of history, culture, and politics focusing on LGBTQ+ issues that publishes non-fiction and poetry, as well as reviews of books, movies, and plays—announced the 4th annual Charles S. Longcope Jr. Writers and Artists Grant for emerging scholars, writers, and artists across disciplines and fields that make a contribution to LGBTQ+ scholarship or the arts. The purpose of this grant is to bring new and diverse ideas and voices to the magazine and to encourage and support emerging and unpublished LGBTQ+ writers, thinkers, scholars, and artists. Recipients will receive funding (up to $5,000) to write… Read Article →

by Kendall Polidori on October 31, 2025

Alumna Spotlight: Avery Cunningham

Last year, Avery Cunningham (MAWP ‘16) released her debut novel The Mayor of Maxwell Street via Disney/Hyperion. “The year is 1921, and America is burning. A fire of vice and virtue rages on every shore, and Chicago is its beating heart,” the book states. The novel follows a Black debutante who hires a low-level speakeasy manager to uncover the head of an underground crime syndicate, against the backdrop of Prohibition-era Chicago.  We chatted with Cunningham about the extensive historical research the book required, what inspired her to write the story, her experience in editorial for… Read Article →

by Kendall Polidori on October 14, 2025

Alumna Spotlight: Caroline Macon Fleischer

In 2022, Caroline Macon Fleischer (MFA ‘20) released her debut novel The Roommate, a work she started as a graduate student at DePaul for her MFA thesis. Fleischer is a writer, editor, and theatremaker, and teaches creative writing at Loyola University. Her second novel, A Play About A Curse, is set for release on October 21, 2025, via CLASH Books. We sat down to chat about the upcoming release and its key inspirations, writing processes, her time at DePaul and background in theatre, and what advice she has for students.  This interview has been edited for clarity… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on February 19, 2026

Submit to Crook & Folly by February 22!

The deadline for submitting your work to Crook & Folly is this Sunday, February 22! Check out the submission form here. Guidelines: Submissions are open from January 12th – February 22nd, with incentive period running from January 12th – February 1st. This is a great opportunity to have staff take a look at your pieces before the final deadline. What can you submit? Poetry – 1 to 3 poems Fiction – no more than 3500 words Creative Nonfiction – no more than 3500 words Flash Fiction – no more than 800 words Dramatic Lit – no more than 15 pages When… Read Article →

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