Southampton - Stony Brook Southampton's M.F.A. in Writing and Literature Program announces the inauguration of its Manhattan facility with a Spring Writing Intensive, led by Guggenheim Fellow Matthew Klam.

This will be the first of many friendly but rigorous workshops, open to the public, in the city led by some of the country's most distinguished writers and gifted teachers.

"It's an important step for us as we continue to build on the success of our M.F.A. program," said M.F.A. Director Robert Reeves. "Many of the aspiring writers who join us for the summer are from the city, so a Manhattan presence will allow them to participate fully in the M.F.A. program.

"The goal is to provide an opportunity for students to earn an M.F.A. degree by combining work in Manhattan with our summer programs in Southampton," Reeves continued. "No other program can offer that."

The Spring Writing Intensive is a forum for authors of all genres to study and discuss the craft of writing. Over the course of four seven-hour Saturdays, from April 25 to May 16, this exclusive workshop is geared to inspire and guide new writers, established writers, teachers of writing, and editors. Held in New York City's Gramercy Park area, this Intensive offers instruction and is professionally useful and intellectually challenging.

The course is an advanced creative writing workshop in multiple genres, from the novel and short story to literary essay, memoir, and creative nonfiction.

Enrollment in the Spring Writing Intensive is limited. Current M.F.A. students may take this workshop for three credits. M.F.A. and Summer Conference alums may participate on a non-matriculated basis. Those not enrolled in the M.F.A. program may submit an application and writing sample. The deadline is April 20. Contact Magdalene Brandeis, Stony Brook Manhattan M.F.A. Workshop Coordinator, at magdaleneab@mac.com or 631-749-1761, for more information.

About The Instructor
Matthew Klam was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in May 2008, and was named one of the 20 best fiction writers in America under 40 by The New Yorker. He's a recipient of a Robert Bingham/PEN Award, a National Endowment of the Arts, a Whiting Writer's Award, and an O Henry Award. His first book, "Sam The Cat and Other Stories," was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book of the Year, first fiction, and was published by Random House. It was selected as a Notable Book of the Year by the New York Times, Esquire Magazine, the Los Angeles Times and by Borders for their New Voices series. His work has been featured in The New Yorker, Harper's, and the New York Times Magazine, where he is a contributing writer. He has taught creative writing at American University and Stockholm University in Sweden.