THE FLYING ISLAND: The spring/summer 2008 issue of The Flying Island is now available for $5 from the Writers' Center of Indiana, http://www.indianawriters.org. This issue's contributors include poets Verna Austen, Tony Brewer, Michael Brockley, Sally Carter, Terry Cunningham, Jeb Andersen Frisham, Barry Harris, W. Edward Harris, Rebecca Hill, Karen Kovacik, Norbert Krapf, Elizabeth Krajeck, Linda Lee, Rebecca Lilly, Bonnie Maurer, Kathy Mayer, Tracy Mishkin, Roger Mitchell, Lylanne Musselman, Jeffrey Owen Pearson, Roger Pfingston, Katharine Rauk, Stephen R. Roberts, David Shumate, Michael E. Strosahl, Dorothy Summers, Teresa Wyeth, Shari Wagner and Hiromi Yoshida. Fiction writers are E.M. Dalton, Robert Erikson, Shasta Grant and Andrew Scott. The deadline for submissions for the spring/summer 2009 issue is Nov. 30. (added July 25)

NEW COMMUNITY POETRY CLASS: Expect soon details of a fall community poetry class in Indianapolis that will be taught weekly by a nationally recognized poet. (added July 25)

DAVID SHUMATE: The prose poet and author of "The Floating Bridge" and "High Water Mark" will be featured guest in August for the Poetry on Brick Street series in Zionsville. See the Aug. 6 entry in this weekend's accompanying calendar of events for details. (added July 25)

POEM ACCEPTED: Lylanne Musselman reports that her senyru, titled "AM-BUSHED," was published by New Verse News: http://newversenews.blogspot.com/ (added July 25)

STARBUCKS: Poets For Change, a voter registration drive, will hold simultaneous open mics at 10 Indianapolis Starbucks. Free. Locations (and hosts) are: 1420 N Capitol Ave., (317) 686-1183 (Tasha Jones) 10800 Pendleton Pike, (317) 826-8252 (Sheila Chadwick) 854 Broad Ripple Ave., (317) 255-1624 (Allen Imagery) 3778 N Meridian St., (317) 920-8670 (‎Ike Boyd) 2910 N. College Ave., (317) 926-2435 Reedi Garrett and Sharenia Long (youth) 5060 W. 38th St., (317) 299-3787‎ (Nsaychable) 1950 W. Kessler Blvd. #1, (317) 257-2031 ‎ 6706 E. 82nd St, (317) 842-3225 5702 E. Washington St, (317) 354-0927 5599 Emerson Way, (317) 253-2174 Note: Hosts are being sought for the final four listed Starbucks. If interested, e-mail Tasha Jones at iamtashajones@yahoo.com.

CONTEST DEADLINE:Indiana nature poetry to benefit Mounds State Park. http://www.pendleton-gazette.com/mounds07062008.htm. Deadline is Sept. 30.

RILEY "MOVIE": I found this "virtual movie clip" of James Whitcomb Riley reciting his poem "Her Beautiful Hands." http://www.pendleton-gazette.com/mounds07062008.htm. As far as I can tell, the recording is real, but the video is a photograph of Riley that was digitally manipulated to make his facial features "move" during the recitation. (added July 20)

ATHENS BOYS CHOIR: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1: The Athens Boys Choir (aka Harvey Katz) will appear at Out Word Bound Bookstore, 625 N. East St., Indianapolis. Katz is described as a Jewish transsexual man living in the Deep South, who has a sense of humor about the whole ordeal. This "choir" is a one-man show, which incorporates spoken word and hip-hop. http://www.myspace.com/athensboyschoir $5, $7 at the door. 317-951-9100.