Wisconsin Academy: Wisconsin Poet Laureate Bruce Dethlefsen and author Jerry Apps announced as Wisconsin People & Ideas 2013 Poetry and Fiction Contest judges

Contact: Jason A. Smith, editor, 608.263.1692 x21

MADISON—Wisconsin People & Ideas, the Wisconsin Academy’s quarterly magazine of Wisconsin throught and culture, is pleased to announce the two judges for our 2013 poetry and fiction contests: Wisconsin Poet Laureate Bruce Dethlefsen and Author/Historian Jerry Apps.

A former librarian and school administrator living in Westfield, Bruce Dethlefsen was named Wisconsin Poet Laureate in 2010. He spends much of his time personally and in his role as Wisconsin Poet Laureate coaching, teaching, leading workshops, and judging poetry throughout Wisconsin. The recipient of several distinguished poetry prizes whose work frequently appears in national poetry journals, Dethlefsen recently published his fourth book of poems: Unexpected Shiny Things (Cowfeather Press, 2012).

Thousands of people have learned about Wisconsin’s unique history by reading books written by Jerry Apps. His distinguished career as a prolific author includes more than thirty fiction, nonfiction and children’s books that relate to rural history and country life. Each book offers a vivid slice of rural life in Wisconsin and the Midwest; taken together, Apps’ body of work provides a compelling picture of the history and culture of this state. Apps and his books are truly beloved by Wisconsinites, who view his work as an accurate portrayal of Wisconsin life. His newest novel, Tamarack River Ghost, was just published by UW Press.

“We are extremely excited to have two brilliant writers judging our contest this year,” says Wisconsin People & Ideas editor Jason A. Smith, adding that “they are both top-notch educators and true Wisconsin treasures.” The 2013 poetry and fiction contests, which are currently accepting submissions (until Dec. 15, 2013), regularly receive hundreds of poems and stories from writers in every corner of the state. Open to Wisconsin residents over the age of 18, the contests are “an excellent opportunity to showcase the wealth of literary talent we have right here,” says Smith.

Every year Wisconsin People & Ideas awards prizes of up to $500 for first-place in the poetry and fiction contests; both first-place awards include a one-week residency at the lovely Shake Rag Alley School for Arts and Crafts in Mineral Point. First- through third-place winners in both the poetry and fiction contests will have their prizewinning works published in a special print and online editon of Wisconsin People & Ideas and will be asked to appear at a contest reading for the public. Visit the Wisconsin People & Ideas Poetry Contest Page and Fiction Contest Page for more details and complete contest rules.

About Wisconsin People & Ideas

The award-winning Wisconsin People & Ideas is the only magazine in the state to focus on contemporary Wisconsin thought and culture. It features articles by and about the artists, scientists, scholars, writers and others who create Wisconsin’s unique culture, as well as cutting-edge fiction, poetry, and visual art. The best resource for an informed and independent perspective on the people and ideas that shape Wisconsin, Wisconsin People & Ideas has been published quarterly since 1954 and is distributed to Wisconsin Academy members and available by subscription and at libraries and bookstores throughout the state. For more information on Wisconsin People & Ideas, visit wisconsinacademy.org/magazine.