June Sylvester Saraceno

Poet, Fiction Writer

Truckee, CA
California US
Email: 
jsylvestersaraceno@gmail.com
Website: 
www.junesaraceno.com
Twitter/X: 
@JuneJuniverse

Author's Bio

June Sylvester Saraceno is the author of the novel Feral, North Carolina, 1965, listed in Buzzfeed as one of “18 Must-Read Books from Indie Presses.” In addition to fiction, she writes poetry and has three collections in print: The Girl from Yesterday, of Dirt and Tar, and Altars of Ordinary Light. Her work has appeared in The Rumpus, Southwestern American Literature, Big Muddy, Adirondack Review, and other journals. She is director of the low residency MFA program in creative writing at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe, and runs the literary speaker series Writers in the Woods. More information at www.junesaraceno.com

 

 

Education: 
Bowling Green State University MFA
Writers Retreats: 
Community of Writers

Publications & Prizes

Fiction

Anthology:
Santa Fe Writers Project Annual (Santa Fe Writers Project, 2017)
Book:
Feral, North Carolina, 1965 (SFK Press, 2019)
Journals:
Bartleby Snopes
,
Belle Reve Literary Journal
,
Big Muddy
,
Birmingham Poetry Review
,
Deep South Magazine
,
Per Contra
,
Quicksilver
,
Santa Fe Writers Project
,
Steel Toe Review
,
The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature
,
Third Wednesday
,
Village Rambler

Poetry

Anthologies:
All We Know of Pleasure: Poetic Erotica by Women (Carolina Wren Press, 2018)
,
Changing Harm to Harmony (Marin Poetry Center Press, 2014)
,
A Bird as Black as the Sun (Green Poet Press, 2011)
,
Intimate Kissses: The Poetry of Sexual Pleasure (New World Library, 2001)
,
Passionate Hearts: The Poetry of Sexual Love (New World Library, 1996)
Books:
The Girl From Yesterday (WordTech Communications, 2020)
,
of Dirt and Tar (Cherry Grove Collections, 2014)
,
Altars of Ordinary Light (Plain View Press, 2007)
Journals:
Adirondack Review
,
American Journal of Nursing
,
Big Muddy
,
Blue Lyra Review
,
Bridge Eight Literary Magazine
,
California Quarterly
,
Common Ground Review
,
Connotation Press: An Online Artifact
,
Deep South Magazine
,
Fifth Wednesday Journal
,
Ginosko Literary Journal
,
Haight-Ashbury Literary Journal
,
IthacaLit
,
Mead: The Magazine of Literature & Libations
,
Meadow
,
Northwind
,
The Pedestal
,
Penny Ante Feud
,
Poetry Quarterly
,
Poetry South
,
Silk Road
,
Smartish Pace
,
Southwestern American Literature
,
Tar River Poetry
,
Thin Air
,
Third Wednesday
,
Tiferet: A Journal of Spiritual Literature
,
Tiferet Journal
,
Two Hawks Quarterly
,
Up the Staircase
,
Worcester Review
,
Word Riot
,
Work
Prizes won: 
  • Southern Fried Karma novel contest, runner-up, awarded publication (2018)
  • First place: Moonshine Ink Creative Brew (2016)
  • Moon City Press Fiction Award Finalist (2015)
  • Twice nominated for Pushcart Prize (2014)
  • Sierra Artist Grant ($1,000.00) for excellence in Literary Arts (2013)
  • Awarded the Nazir and Mary Ansari Gold Medal for Distinguished Teaching (2014)
  • Recipient of two month-long artist residencies at Camac Centre d’Art, France, (2013 and 2014).
  • Outstanding Teacher of the Humanities Award, Nevada Humanities Council, (2013).
  • First Place Poetry Prize in Winter Annual Literary Contest, Moonshine Ink, (2013).

Personal Favorites

Favorite authors: 
Patricia Smith, Sharon Olds, Pablo Neruda, Brian Turner, Luis Alberto Urrea, Lidia Yuknavitch, Peter Makuck, Seamus Heaney, Eavan Boland, Gayle Brandeis, Nick Flynn... too many to list.
What I'm reading now: 
New Collected Poems by Eavan Boland

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Born in: 
Elizabeth City, NC
North Carolina
Raised in: 
Elizabeth City, NC
North Carolina
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Nov 17, 2023