Electronic Literature Interactions Series to Launch Friday August 31st http://www.eliterature.org/interactions/ Dear Chicago Friends of Electronic Literature, We're proud to announce the launch of the Interactions series. This series of events will bring together some of the most innovative artists working in electronic literature with humanities scholars, who will lead audience and author discussions of works shown. All four of the interactions series events will take place here in Chicago. The ELO's Interactions series kicks off Friday, Aug. 31st 7 P.M. at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Student Services Building, Conference Room B, 1200 W. Harrison (northwest corner of Harrison and Racine) with "Newspoetry." Admission to the event is free. Newspoetry <www.newspoetry.com> is an alternative online news source that presents a poem or prose every day responding to current news. The Urbana, Illinois-based writing collective's efforts produce a unique and ongoing form of social history, commentary, satire, and poetry. An ensemble reading will be performed by a group of newspoets including founder William Gillespie, editor-until-chief Joseph Futrelle, singer-songwriter Paul Kotheimer, Nicolle Ruth Neulist, Anne Bargar and others. Following the reading a discussion of the work will be led by Notre Dame University Associate Professor of English Steve Tomasula. The Interactions series will continue in October, when the editors of the kinetic poetry site "Poems That Go" <www.poemsthatgo.com> will be featured. November 11th, as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival, the 2001 Electronic Literature Award Winners John Cayley and Caitlin Fisher will read at the Chicago Cultural Center. In January 2002, Shelley Jackson, author of Patchwork Girl, <www.ineradicablestain.com> will read from the classic and other works. Audio from the events will be archived on the ELO site. The Interactions series is sponsored by the Illinois Humanities Council, the Chicago Humanities Festival, and the University of Illinois - Chicago Communication Dept. ******************* ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC LITERATURE ORGANIZATION The Electronic Literature Organization <www.eliterature.org> is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to promote and facilitate the writing, reading, and publishing of literature designed for the electronic media. Based in Chicago, the ELO is directed by a national board of leading experts in electronic literature, technology, and publishing, and is additionally advised by an international board of literary advisors. The ELO maintains the Electronic Literature Directory and an Electronic Literature Web Resource Center. The ELO is supported by the donations of individual members, by corporate sponsorship and by foundations including the Ford Foundation. ******************* CONTACT If the web site doesn't answer your questions about the Interactions series, or for further info contact Scott Rettberg, ELO's Executive Director at <773.769.3540> or <rettberg@eliterature.org> ****************** Hope to see you on the evening of the 31st. Tell your friends! All Best, Scott