In Faculty News: Please join the English Department in congratulating Kathleen Rooney for being named 2013 winner of the Eric Hoffer Award for Poetry for her novel-in-poems Robinson Alone (Gold Wake Press, 2012).

A review in Booklist noted the following of Robinson Alone: “Rooney’s syncopated wordplay, supple musicality, and cinematic descriptions subtly embody… Robinson’s sardonic grace under pressure. An intricate, psychologically luminous homage, tale of American loneliness, and enthralling testament to poetry’s resonance.” Congrats, Prof. Rooney!

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Curbside Splendor Publishing is holding their second monthly Salon Splendor event tomorrow, Thursday, May 16th, at 7:30 p.m., and one of the evening’s featured readers is DePaul’s own Christine Sneed. The show will take place at Madame Zuzu’s, 582 Roger Williams Ave. in Highland Park.

The theme this month, Passages, will be taken on by authors Christine Sneed, Jac Jemc, and Scott Garson. The night will end with live music by house band Good Evening.

The series is confirmed through October, on the third Thursday of each month. Space is limited and reservations are strongly recommended. RSVP at sarah@madamezuzus.com.

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Next week, Newcity, Chicago’s free weekly alternative newspaper, is publishing their annual Summer Guide, and they’re looking for submissions. According to head editor Brian Hieggleke, “It’s one of the most free-wheeling issues we publish all year, on one of our favorite subjects, summer in (and around) the city.”

Newcity is looking for a wide range of meditations on the season, from the trenchant essay to the wistful memoir, from the dream state to the concrete. While they are not actively soliciting poetry, they’re not ruling it out, either.

They are also looking for learned and practical insights into summer (how to pack a proper picnic for Pritzker Pavilion, how to make the perfect summer cocktail, how to bbq on the lakefront), regional travel service pieces (what’s shakin’ at the House on the Rock? Is Detroit really the Chicago of the future?), and even itsy bitsy bon mots about a few of your favorite things about summer in Chicago. Please be specific in your pitch letter.

See summer.newcity.com for an archive of previous summer issues and see their guidelines page for more information. The deadline for copy for the Summer Guide is Saturday, May 18th, but sooner is better.