Scott Cairns - Jeffrey Overstreet

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Scott Cairns

A collection of 6 posts

The Event Of Poetry: Poet Scott Cairns On Reading, Writing, And Responsibility

The Event Of Poetry: Poet Scott Cairns On Reading, Writing, And Responsibility

From the archives: In 2000, I interviewed the poet Scott Cairns, who would become the director of Seattle Pacific's MFA in Creative Writing program, and a mentor.

Who I thanked on my MFA graduation day

One week ago today — Saturday, March 19, 2016, at Camp Casey Conference Center on Whidbey Island — I was invited to the podium before my special guests, as well as the students, faculty, and staff of Seattle Pacific University's MFA in Creative Writing. This was the moment: I would

Writers of Ambition: a roundtable interview

Writers of Ambition: a roundtable interview

This may be a first: I don't know that I've ever interviewed several of my favorite writers at once. But Ambition has made me ambitious. In Ambition, the Chrysostom Society’s latest collaborative book of wisdom and testimony, nine members of the Society — Diane Glancy, Emilie

Ambition book giveaway

Ambition book giveaway

Well, it's not as miraculous as Christmas coming early. But it's close. New writing by Eugene H. Peterson, Luci Shaw, Scott Cairns, Jeanne Murray Walker, Bret Lott, Emilie Griffin, Dain Trafton, Diane Glancy, Erin McGraw, and Gina Ochsner has just arrived. And it's all

Invitation, not coercion

On Books & Writing

Invitation, not coercion

James P. Carse, from Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility: Storytellers do not convert their listeners; they do not move them into the territory of a superior truth. Ignoring the issue of truth and falsehood altogether, they offer only vision. Storytelling is therefore not

Want to be the best? Want to be famous?

Want to be the best? Want to be famous?

When my friend Mark was recounting his recent vacation in New Orleans, he talked about how it didn't take long for his wife — who has an incredibly powerful singing voice — to start thinking about moving there. No surprise there: New Orleans is one of those places that attracts