University of Central Arkansas
Department of Writing and Speech
Thompson Hall
201 Donaghey Ave.
Conway AR 72035-0001
(501) 450-3653
E-mail: johnv@uca.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D., English, 1997. University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Areas of concentration: Twentieth-Century American
Literature, Twentieth-Century British Literature, Early
American Literature, Renaissance Literature, Creative
Writing.
Passed comprehensive examinations with distinction.
Dissertation: Christopher Robin Lives (fiction).
Director: Darrell Bourque.
M.F.A., Creative Writing, 1991, George Mason University,
Fairfax VA.
Areas of concentration: Creative Writing, Modern and
Contemporary Poetry, the Irish Literary Revival.
Thesis: Talking to the Dead (poetry)
Director: Susan Tichy.
B.A., English, 1983. University of Virginia, Charlottesville VA.
DISSERTATION
Collection of short fiction with a critical introduction that examines the nature,
development and use of epiphany in modern and postmodern fiction, particularly the short
story.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Burnt Norway (novel-in-progress)
Island Fog (short story collection)
HONORS AND AWARDS
Dana
Literary Society Award for Excellence in Short Fiction, 2005.
Finalist, Tartt First Story Collection, 2005.
Pushcart Prize nomination for short story, 2004.
Pushcart Prize nomination for short story, 2003.
Honorable Mention, Taproot Press Short Fiction Award, 1997.
Finalist, Klappert-Ai Poetry Prize, 1990.
Member, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Member, Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society.
Profiled in Who’s Who in America.
University Honors, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 1993-97.
Dissertation Fellowship, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Spring 1997.
Doctoral Fellowship, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 1993-96.
Continuing Graduate Student Fellowship, George Mason University, 1989-90.
Intermediate Honors, University of Virginia, 1981.
PUBLICATIONS
Fiction
"Morning Meal." Dana Literary Society Online Journal (June 2005) (www.danaliterary.org)
"Selling Price." Sou'wester 33.2 (Spring 2005).
"Beaten." Oasis 13.1 (2005).
“Easy Prey.” The Laurel Review 38.2
(2004).
“Call Me Eve.” Timbercreek Review 10.1 (2004).
“Three of Us.”
Pangolin Papers 11.1 (2004).
“A Desert Has
No Exits.” Pedestal Magazine
22
"Dooknobs." Mid-South Review (Jan.-Mar. 2004). (http://www.geocities.com/midsouthreview/)
"Proof." The First Line 5.4 (2003).
"Mendicant." Crazyhorse 63 (2003).
"Cell Biology." The First Line 5.1 (2003)
"Going to Harry's." Red Wheelbarrow 3 (2002).
"Blind Date." South Carolina Review 33.2 (2001).
"Chicago." Quarter After Eight 8 (2001).
"The Body He Went to Bed With." Chick for a Day. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000.
"Meeting Him." Windhover 5 (2000).
"Wedgwood Blue." Southern Humanities Review 34 (2000).
"The Face." Blackwater Review (1998/99).
"Daily Reckoning." Kiosk 11/12 (1998/99).
"a.k.a. ‘The Singing Bone.’" Short Stories Bi-Monthly (August 1999).
"Running." Chiron Review 59 (1999).
"Trial." Red Booth Review 1.4 (http://wtp62.com/rbr.htm).
"Sun Moon Earth Stars." Short Stories Bi-Monthly (July 1998).
"Rescue." Oasis 6 (1998).
"The Burglar." Taproot Literary Review (1997).
"Drew." Wind 79 (1997).
"What Happened That Night at Betty’s." The Southwestern Review (1996).
"Ventriloquism." The Southwestern Review (1995).
Poetry
"Unbottomed Lines." The Southwestern Review (1994).
"Evening Etude." The Southwestern Review (1994).
"Disciples." Phoebe 20 (1990).
"Was: An Epitaph." Phoebe 19 (1989).
"After Snow." Virginia Literary Review (1983).
Criticism
"Dickinson’s ‘Behind Me—dips Eternity." The Explicator 58 (2000): 195-98.
"Frank O’Hara’s ‘In Memory of My Feelings’: Self-Defense or Murder?" Notes on Contemporary Literature
30.3 (2000): 5-7.
"Spenser’s The Faerie Queene. The Explicator 57 (1999):197-99.
"The Canonization of Whitman." Publications of the Arkansas Philological Association 24.2 (1998): 81-94.
"Herbert’s ‘The Thanksgiving.’" The Explicator 56 (1998).
"A Hidden Key to Styron’s Nat Turner?" Notes on Contemporary Literature 28.3 (1998): 8-9.
Book Reviews
Review of In Lithuanian Wood by Wendell Mayo. The Literary Review (2000): 607-09.
Review of Bernard Shaw: A Research Guide, by Stanley Weintraub. Bulletin of Bibliography 54 (1997): 281.
Other
Included
in “Ruminations and Memories of Spring” (a collection of
“No Moral Values Exist in Bush Administration.” The Echo 1 Dec. 2004: 5.
“Teaching 112.” The Adjunct 1 (1992).
FORTHCOMING
"Hairy Palms" (short story). The 13th Warrior Review. Summer 2005.
"The Burglar" (short story). To be reprinted in Tartts: Incisive Fiction from Emerging Writers. Livingston Press.
Fall 2005.
TEACHING INTERESTS
Fiction Writing, Poetry Writing, Creative Nonfiction Writing, Travel Writing, Advanced
and Introductory Composition, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Southern Fiction,
Modern and Contemporary Poetry.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Central Arkansas
8/04-present: Assistant Professor
8/00-7/04: Lecturer 1
8/99-7/00: Instructor
8/97-7/99: Adjunct Instructor
Fiction Writing.
Forms of Fiction.
Introduction to Creative Writing.
Travel Writing.
Rhetoric and Composition (Guided Study).
Academic Writing and Research.
Intoduction to College Writing.
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
8/97-5/99: Adjunct Instructor
Research Methods and Academic Writing.
Introduction to Composition.
Composition Fundamentals (Basic Writing).
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
8/96-12/96: Adjunct Instructor
8/93-8/96: Doctoral Fellow
Introduction to Creative Writing.
Introduction to Composition.
Creative Writing Workshop. Acadiana High School.
Scott LA, 15 April 1997.
CAAP Tutor.
George Mason University
8/92-7/93: Adjunct Instructor
Advanced Composition for Social Sciences.
Advanced Composition for Humanities.
English Literature I: Middle Ages to 17th Century.
Literature and Society. Topic: Wealth and Class in Early
Twentieth Century English and American
Literature.
World Literary Masterpieces I.
Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale
8/90-6/92: Adjunct Instructor
American Literature I: Origins to 19th-Century.
Writing About Literature.
Introduction to Composition.
Remedial Composition.
St. John’s College High School, Washington DC
8/87-5/88: English teacher
American Fiction.
American and British Novel.
The Adolescent in American Literature.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS
8/89-5/90: English Department, George Mason University
Writing-Across-the-Curriculum evaluative project. Student and faculty surveys, faculty
interviews, data analysis, summary reports.
Project director: Dr. Chris Thaiss.
8/88-5/89: English Department, George Mason University
Assembly of primary essays from Irish Literary Revival for proposed reference work.
Editing of essays, secondary bibliographies, annotations.
Project director: Dr. Coilin Owens.
PAPERS PRESENTED
"Yeats’s Assumption of Michael Robartes." Twentieth-Century Literature Conference. Louisville KY,
28 Feb. 1998.
"Styron’s Nat Turner: The Confessions of Mr. Wiseman or Mr. Badman?" South Central Conference on
Christianity and Literature. Clinton MS, 13 Feb. 1998.
"The Canonization of Whitman." Arkansas Philological Association. North Little Rock, 17 Oct. 1997.
"Spenser’s Mixed and Mixed-Up Picture of Love in the Central Books of The Faerie Queene." South Central
Renaissance Conference. Austin, 21 March 1997.
"Scudamour and Amoret: The Course of True Love in the Real World of The Faerie Queene, Book Four." South
Central Conference on Christianity and Literature Lafayette LA, 30 Jan. 1997.
"Frank O’Hara’s ‘In Memory of My Feelings’ : Selfhood and the Strategies of Poetic War. " Twentieth-Century
Literature Conference. Louisville KY, 24 Feb 1996.
"The Conception of Service in Herbert’s Poetry." South Central Renaissance Conference on Christianity
and Literature. Longview TX, 9 Feb. 1996.
"’In My Hands Swedensborgs Volumes’: Reconsidering Blake’s Attack in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell."
Arkansas Philological Association. Hot Springs, 13 Oct. 1995.
"The Grieving Subject of Lycidas." South Central Renaissance Conference. Oklahoma City, 7 April 1995.
"Milton and the Invisible." South Central Conference on Christianity and Literature. New Orleans,
3 Feb. 1995.
"Herbert’s ‘The Thanksgiving’ and ‘The Reprisall’: Adversarial Adoration."South Central Conference on
Christianity and Literature. Shreveport, 4 Feb. 1994.
PUBLIC READINGS
Include:
Fiction Reading. AWP Conference. Vancouver, British Columbia, 31 March 2005.
Fiction
Fiction Reading. Arkansas Writers Festival. Conway, 9 March 2004.
Fiction Reading. Arkansas Writers Fesitval. Conway, 18 March 2003.
Fiction Reading. Arkansas Writers Festival. Conway, 15 April 2002.
Fiction Reading. Texas Writers Festival. Belton, 4 Jan. 2001.
Fiction Reading. KGB Bar. New York NY, 15 Feb. 2000.
Fiction Reading. Arkansas Philological Assocation. Eureka Springs, 23 Oct. 1999.
Fiction Reading. Focus on Learning Conference. Hope AR, 5 March 1999.
Fiction Reading. Central Arkansas Writing Arts Series. Conway, 15 Feb. 1999.
Fiction Reading. Arkansas Philological Association. Hot Springs, 30 Oct. 1998.
Fiction Reading. Arkansas Philological Association. North Little Rock, 18 Oct. 1997.
Fiction Reading. Deep South Spring Literary Festival. Lafayette LA, 18 April 1997.
Fiction Reading. Barnes & Noble. Lafayette LA, 25 April 1996.
Fiction Reading. Books-A-Million. Lafayette LA, 19 Oct. 1995.
Fiction Reading. South Central Conference on Chrisitianity and Literature. New Orleans, 3 Feb. 1995.
Poetry Reading. Deep South Writers Conference. Lafayette LA, 23 Sept. 1994.
Fiction Reading. Baton Rouge Art Gallery. Baton Rouge, 6 March 1994.
Poetry Reading. City Cafe. Lafayette LA, 18 Nov. 1993.
ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Advisor to Vortex literary magazine, University of Central Arkansas. 2001-present.
Reader, Deep South Writers Conference Nonfiction Award. Fall 1996.
Reader, Deep South Writers Conference Short Story Award. Fall 1995.
Assistant Editor, Deep South Writers Conference Chapbook. 1994.
Fiction Reader, Southwestern Review, 1994.
Advisor to Saber student newspaper, St. John’s College High School. 1987-88.
ACADEMIC SERVICE
Committees
Student
Publications Board, University of Central Arkansas, 2001-present.
Chair, General Education Committee, Department of Writing and Speech, University of Central Arkansas,
present.
Curriculum Committee, Department of Writing and Speech, University of Central Arkansas, 2004-present.
CV
Review Committee, Department of Writing and Speech, University of
Creative Writing Activities Committee, Department
of Writing and Speech,
2000-present.
Summer Reading Program Committee, Department of Writing and Speech, University of Central Arkansas,
Fall 2004.
Assessment sub-committee, Department of Writing and Speech, University of Central Arkansas, Fall 2003.
Curriculum Committee, College of Fine Arts, University of Central Arkansas, 2001-03.
Hiring Committee, Department of Writing and Speech, University of Central Arkansas, 2001-02.
Hiring Committee, Department of Writing and Rhetoric, University of Central Arkansas, 2000-01.
Host committee, South Central Conference on Christianity and Literature. Lafayette LA, Spring 1997.
Student representative, University Graduate Council, University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Member of
Curriculum Committee. 1995-96.
Student representative, Graduate Committee, English Department, University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
1995-96.
Grant Writing Committee, English Department, University of Louisiana at Lafayette. 1994-96. Co-writer of NEA
grant for visiting writers series.
Student representative, Creative Writing Committee, English Department, University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
1994-95.
Textbook Selection Committee for Adjunct Courses, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale.
Spring 1992.
Theses
Advisor, Honors thesis, Ms. Jessica Phillips, University of Central Arkansas Honors College, Spring 2005.
Reader, Honors thesis, Ms. Sarah Simers, University of Central Arkansas Honors College, Spring 2
Advisor, Honors thesis, Mr. Joshua Elmore, University of Central Arkansas Honors College, 2004..
Reader, Honors thesis, Ms. Ama Addo, University of Central Arkansas Honors College, Spring 2004.
Advisor, Honors thesis, Ms. Jessica Owen, University of Central Arkansas Honors College, 2001-02.
Advisor, Honors thesis, Mr. Brandon Givens, University of Central Arkansas Honors College, 2001-02.
Other
Session leader, Freshman Writing Conference,
Section Leader, Summer Reading Program, University of Central Arkansas, Aug. 2001.
Fiction judge, Central Arkansas Humanities Fair. April 2001.
Coordinator and chair, panel on creative writing pedagogy, Deep South Writers Conference. Sept. 1996.
Little
Rock
, 16 April 2005.
Volunteer,
Volunteer,
Florence Mattision Elementary library.
ADDITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Insurance Correspondent. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Washington DC. 1985-87.
Contributing Feature Writer. South Prince George’s Independent / South County Current, Prince George’s
County, Maryland. 1984-85.
Theatrical Performer. Hard Bargain Players. 1984-86.
Promotional Writer. WAMU (radio), Washington DC. Summer 1983.
Disc Jockey. WUVA, Charlottesville VA. 1982-83.
Sports Reporter. WUVA, Charlottesville VA. 1981-82.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Phi Kappa Phi
Sigma Tau Delta
Modern Language Association
Associated Writing Programs
National Council of Teachers of English