SALAMAT SO LONG, EUGENE OREGON'S GRAFFITI ZINE AND PARTING WORDS FROM WORDCRAFTERS.ORG, OR THE STINKY LITTLE GIRLS BATHROOM OF LATE WOKENESS
To: Sierra Maish
From: Cantara Christopher
Sierra,
I've placed ads (above) in Graffiti when Don was there. Please send me your rate card for display advertisements, starting from card size up to 1/8 page, 1/4 page, 1/2 page and full page (or however you divide your space) and please include exact dimensions. Copy submitted in .jpg, of course. Also, is there a discount for repeated ads, say, 4 runs for the price of 3?
~Cantara
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Date: Fri, Jan 24
To: Sierra Maish
From: Cantara Christopher
Sierra,
I've waited EIGHT DAYS for a reply from you about, you know, actually THROWING SOME MONEY TO GRAFFITI but never even received the courtesy of a reply.
So what is it? Why are you purposely pissing off people WHO WANT TO PUT MONEY INTO YOUR COFFERS??? What kind of an outfit are you running?
This is definitely going into my book, and on X.
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Date: Fri, Jan 24
To: Cantara Christopher
From: Morgan Smith
Hello Cantara,
This is Morgan, President of Graffiti magazine.
I just tried to give you a call. I will be available for the next hour this evening if you would like to call me back, at 541-485-8569.
Thank you.
Morgan Smith
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Date: Sat, Jan 25
To: Cantara Christopher
From: Sierra Maish
Hi Cantara! I’m sorry for not getting back to you. When we sent out an email it was sent to over 150 people, and the inbox was flooded. Alas, I hear that you are upset. While I appreciate you wanting to contribute to Graffiti, you must understand that meeting someone with such disrespect is not the way to go when trying to work with anyone. Taking Graffiti over has been a daunting task. In tandem with working and continuing education my time is stretched thin. We’ve also had other people complain about attempting to work with you* based on your previous ad in Graffiti, and felt very disrespected by you. Maybe another local magazine would like to work with you on purchasing ad space because I do not. Thanks.
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Sat, Nov 2, 2024
To: Cantara Christopher
From: Jeaux Bartlett
Subject: Responding to Graffiti Magazine ["Writing Mentees Wanted" - ed.] ad
Hello,
I'm reaching out from Wordcrafters in Eugene, a local literary arts nonprofit organization. I saw your ad in Graffiti and wondered if you'd be interested in having a chat about possibly volunteering with Wordcrafters in some capacity.
Wordcrafters is all about helping writers have the resources they need to tell their stories. We offer classes, intenstives [sic] and retreats, community events, and a monthly open mic. More about us at wordcrafters.org.
Hoping to hear from you,
Jeaux
Jeaux Bartlett
(they/them or xe/xem)
Associate Director
541-525-1212
___
Date: Sat Nov 2, 2024
To: Jeaux Bartlett
From Cantara Christopher
Dear Jeaux,
I would be happy to give your group a 1-hour talk followed by a 1-hour Q&A (approximately) about the current state of publishing (big and indie publishing as well as self-publishing) and where they as writers might fit in and find success in ANY prose genre, wherever they live, whoever they may be.
I'll do this for free, you can keep all the gate if you're charging. I have only 3 requirements: - That I get a ride to the meeting and back (we live in the Whiteaker); - That I bring my husband (blind; he used to be my magazine's editor); - That we get food and drink at the meeting.
I was a member of the New York-based Small Press Center and the Council (now "Community") of Literary Magazines and Small Presses; a panel moderator at the yearly New York Round Table Writers Conferences; ran my own small literary press and literary magazine; and was a mentee of the legendary Barney Rossett. (I'm also in the index of the British Film Institute for my work in the early 80s as an actress, but that's another story.) And—just like I said in my ad—I worked at Simon & Schuster, Doubleday, Ballantine/Fawcett, and Macmillan, when they were still around.
Attached are PDF copies of my book, A Poet from Hollywood: Love, Insanity, Stephen Gyllenhaal, and the Creative Process, a compilation from my literary magazine, The Best of Cantaraville, and my husband Michael's shortest (and my favorite of his) novel, Quality Time.
~Cantara
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Date: Sat, Nov 2, 2024 (an hour later)
To: Jeaux Bartlett
From: Cantara Christopher
“Jeaux”:
I took a look at your website and quickly understood that your “writing” group is actually some sort of social group rather than a working group, which doesn’t interest me, except in a sociological way (including that you contacted me in the first place—totally ignoring the implications of my ad—the usual gwilo stinkiness).
I will also overlook your rudeness in not responding to my genuine offer to your unsolicited request. Of course you know not to contact me again.
___
Date: Nov 4, 2024
To: Cantara Christopher
From: Jeaux Bartlett
Cantara,
I apologize for offending you. I haven't been at work since the weekend when you replied to my email. I typically don't work on Mondays. Wordcrafters has a very small staff and we're all part time. But when I saw your reply, I emailed the executive director about it, as we've been talking about putting together a publishing panel event. I honestly didn't expect you to offer to teach a class for us -- I was hoping for a conversation about where your interests might align with what Wordcrafters participants are looking for.
I responded to your ad as you said you're looking for writers to mentor of any age, at any stage of writing, in any prose genre -- which is similar to our audience. I'm sorry I seem to have misunderstood.
I'm sorry a connection with Wordcrafters doesn't look like it's going to work out.
Best,
Jeaux
Jeaux Bartlett
(they/them or xe/xem)
Associate Director
541-525-1212
___
More Stinky Bullshit from Wordcrafters.org ("Statement of Solidarity" - Undated)
Black Lives Matter
As an organization, we want to say unequivocally that BLACK LIVES MATTER. We stand in mourning of the racist murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbrey, and the countless other Black people who have been the victims of violent, systemic injustice.
The movement to dismantle systemic racial injustice asks that we examine our beliefs, educate ourselves, increase empathy, and amplify, center, and support marginalized voices within our community and within our work.
As we experience the grief and the power of this moment in history, our organization is looking inward to develop long-term strategies for increasing equity and access in our programming, planning towards sustained, substantive, non-performative betterment. We know that a well-meaning declaration of intent will be meaningless without ongoing effort. Our resources are limited, our efforts will be imperfect, and we will continue to learn as we go. As a team, we are committed to holding each other accountable, sharing in challenging conversations, and building on the momentum of this moment. As an organization, we are committed to helping develop and amplify long-repressed voices.
Wordcrafters exists to serve our community and help our writers and readers find their voice in these challenging times. Writing and storytelling are tools for self-examination. Reading and listening are tools for self-education and empathy building. We believe in the power of deconstructing old stories, and the power of writing new ones.
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