Maria Mazziotti Gillan is a recipient of the 2011 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award from Poets & Writers and the 2008 American Book Award for her book, All That Lies Between Us (Guernica Editions). She has published 18 books, including What We Pass On: Collected Poems 1980-2009, The Place I Call Home, The Silence in an Empty House, Ancestors’ Song , and Writing Poetry to Save Your Life: How to Find the Courage to Tell Your Stories.

Mazziotti is the founder/executive director of the Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College in Paterson, NJ and editor of the Paterson Literary Review. She is also director of theBinghamton Center for Writers and professor of poetry at Binghamton University-SUNY.  With her daughter Jennifer, she is co-editor of four anthologies. Visit www.mariagillan.com.

 James Mammarella is a poet, business journalist and editor.  He will read from his newly published poetry collection, Sonnets for Silvertoes.  He is founding editor and associate publisher of License! Magazine leading his team to a Neal award, known as the “Oscars” of business publishing. He also won several juried awards, including the Godfrey Lebhar Award for Editorial Excellence and the Jesse Neal National Business Media Award.

He studied poetry at George Washington University and performed at antiwar rallies in Washington, D.C. in the 1970s, Native American-based cultural events and most recently at the Enigma Bookstore in Astoria as a member of the group Queens Writers Read at Enigma Bookstore.  Mammarella is currently studying Italian. 

Upcoming Readings:

March 8: Marisa Labozzetta and Christopher Castellani @ Cornelia St. Cafe

April 12: Mark Saba and Joey Nicoletti @ Sidewalk Cafe

May 10: Fred Misurella and Frank Lentricchia @ Cornelia St. Cafe

June 8: Maria Terrone and Paola Corso @ Sidewalk Cafe

About Italian American Writers Association (IAWA)

IAWA aims to promote Italian American literature by encouraging the writing, reading, publication, distribution, translation and study of Italian American writing. Since 1991, IAWA has given voice to writers through its Open Reading series held every second Saturday of the month at Cornelia Street Café on odd months and at the Sidewalk Café on even months. For membership information, please visit www.iawa.net .  To learn more about IAWA, also visit the Italian American Writers Cafe blog at http://www.i-italy.org/bloggers/italian-american-writers-cafe 

Contacts:

Maria Lisella, IAWA Board Member and Co-curator

Phone: (718) 777-1178

Email:  [email protected]

Amy Barone, IAWA Board Member

Phone:  (646) 942-4972

Email:  [email protected]