PAUL GRONDAHL

Hello friends and fellow readers: I am thrilled to announce that I began my new position in February as Director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany. It is the nation's premier literary series and we bring dozens of acclaimed authors to Albany each year to present readings, lectures and panel discussions. In addition, we host a Classic Film Series, writing workshops and other literary programs.

I invite you to join us at our events, which are always free to the public. To see a calendar of events: www.albany.edu/writers-inst Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter at @NYSWI Stay tuned for more announcements here about Writers Institute events and my own writing projects. "Literary conversation is the best conversation in the world" is how William Kennedy, Writers Institute founder and my mentor, put it.

Please keep on reading and celebrating the joys of literature. Best regards, Paul Grondahl Director NYS Writers Institute Science Library 320 University at Albany 1400 Washington Ave. Albany, NY pgrondahl@albany.edu

ASSORTED LITERARY PIECES

• Here's my link to an appreciation column I wrote after the death at 91 of legendary reporter Shirley Armstrong, who covered courts and was one of the great reporters in the annals of the Times Union. http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Trailblazing-TU-reporter-Shirley-Armstrong-dies-4958906.php

• Here's a link to my column about editing my Times Union editor, Harry Rosenfeld, and his new memoir. http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Editing-my-editor-Harry-Rosenfeld-a-legend-in-4822677.php

• Here's a link to my first-person piece of going on a bike ride with Nobel Prize-winning novelist J.M. Coetzee. It was published in the Times Union on Oct. 12, 2012. http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/A-Nobel-novelist-as-cyclist-3944687.php

• Here's a link to my story chronicling the final chapter in an independent bookstore in Schenectady, the Open Door. http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Bookstore-s-epilogue-or-a-new-chapter-3941285.php

-- Read my obituary and appreciation of Adirondack Woodswoman Anne LaBastille in the fall 2011 edition of the Adirondack Explorer. Follow the link to read it online. http://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/2011/08/22/anne-labastille-1933-2011/

Daniel Mandel Literary Agent

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