Pacific Northwest native TAMARA KAYE SELLMAN is a journalist, creative writer, blogger, and publishing professional living and working in Bainbridge Island, Washington. She specializes in literary fiction, magical realism, short stories and flash fiction, food and garden writing, freelance feature/interpretive journalism, independent publishing, and citizen journalism. She also facilitates various kinds of writing workshops (generative, motivational or educational); specialty subjects include magical realism/"strangeness," short fiction, revision, citizen journalism, and Web 2.0 concerns for writers.
Sellman's fiction, poetry, columns, editorials, reviews, and other writings have been published widely and internationally. She has earned various literary honors, such as the Story of the Year for Long Story Short (2007); Editor's Pick at Cezanne's Carrot (2006); 2nd Place prize for fiction at the Clackamas Literary Review (2006); the Peninsula Writers Association poetry contest (2005); the Northwest Cultural Council 2nd Place prize for poetry (2004); a James Hearst Poetry Prize (North American Review) honorable mention (2003); the King County Arts Commission's bus poetry contest (2001); and Rosebud's Best of 1997. She is the recipient of two Pushcart Prize nominations (1997 and 2006) and twice completed the National Novel Writing Challenge successfully (in 2005 with the children's novel, Fiddlehead's Odyssey, and in 2007, the paranormal mystery novel, Lost & Found). Sellman has completed two other novels, The Chalk Match and Leafminers, as well.
Her work has also been anthologized, in Freak Lightning, edited by Pamelyn Casto (forthcoming): Jane's Stories II, edited by Glenda Bailey-Mershon; MOTA: Courage, edited by Karen Joy Fowler; Voices Along The River, published by the Kellogg Environmental Center; Cantaraville II, edited by Cantara Christopher; O Taste and See: Food Poems, edited by David Lee Garrison and published by Bottom Dog Press; and HairTrigger XIII, a student-edited anthology from Columbia College Chicago. See below for a comprehensive list of literary publishing credits.
Sellman holds a undergraduate degree with honors from Columbia College Chicago with an emphasis on journalism and a specialty in magazine editing and publishing. She also took extensive coursework in the Story Workshop undergraduate program at Columbia under Zoe Keithley and Shawn Shiflett and has since studied under such writers as Aimee Bender, John Crowley, Brian Evenson, Kim Barnes, Bruce Holland Rogers, and Michelle Cliff.
As the retired founder of the electronic anthology, MARGIN: Exploring Modern Magical Realism (http://www.magical-realism.com) and its companion interactive community, MRCentral.net, Sellman is now at work on a practical writer's guide to literary magical realism.
She has worked previously in cookbook editing, desktop publishing, print production, literary conference organizing and public relations/marketing. Sellman has held memberships with the Field's End writer's community of Bainbridge Island, the Richard Hugo House in Seattle, Jane's Stories Press Foundation, the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, Associated Writing Programs, PEN-Washington, PoetsWest, Washington Poets Association, the Speculative Literature Foundation, and SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network).
Local community involvements include appearances as featured poet for the BIB "Poetry Is...: Island Poets In Performance And Conversation" series; guest speaker at the Richard Hugo House; small press publishing panelist for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association; panelist on Web 2.0 issues for the Associated Writing Programs annual conference; instructor for the Write on the Sound writers' conference; and the It's About Time reading series.
She has appeared previously at the KGB Bar and at Carnegie Hall (Manhattan); Columbia College and Roosevelt University (Chicago); the Poulsbohemian Coffeehouse and Jewel Box Theater (Poulsbo WA) Penny Cafe, University Bookstore, Elliott Bay Books, Third Place Books, and Lottie Mott's (greater Seattle area); Barnes & Noble (Woodinville WA); and other venues. She has contributed to the BIAHC annual Poetry Corners event four times since 2000 and co-hosted The Hive, a local writers' marketing group, with Kelli Russell Agodon, from 2000 to 2007.
Sellman has also participated in fundraising events, including the production of Southern Revival: Deep Magic for Hurricane Relief to benefit First Book, Ovation! Musical Theater production of "A Wave of Caring: A Tsunami Relief Benefit" (Bainbridge Island, WA), the Writer's Harvest reading annually sponsored by Barnes & Noble (Chicago) to raise funds for food banks, and Poets for Peace for fundraising for victims in the wake of September 11 (Poulsbo WA).
When she's not working, Sellman enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. Other interests include reading, gardening, cooking, volleyball, hiking, digital photography, shellfishing (clams, oysters, crab), paranormal topics, and drinking lattés with friends at the local coffeehouse.
Memberships Field's End writer's community core team annual conference director, 2008-2009 Jane's Stories Press Foundation women's writing collective, 1998-present Small Press, Artists and Writers Network, 2006-present Associated Writers Programs, 2006-present Indie Press webgroup (hosted by CLMP), 2004-present The Richard Hugo House, 2004-present The Speculative Literature Foundation, 2004-present PEN Washington/PEN USA WEST, 2002-present The Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, 2001-present Bluestocking 8 Women Writers, 2008 The Hive || Marketeers writers markets group, co-host with Kelli Russell Agodon, 2001-2007 Co-founder, Wild Dove Writers Studio, 1998 River Oak Arts, 1996-1999 Barrington Area Arts Council member/writer's workshop, 1995-1996 Teaching history Web 2.0 discussion panelist, AWP Conference Chicago, 2009 "Diagnosis: MR" magical realism workshop, MRCentral.net, 2008 "Wet Dog Poems" revision workshop, Writer's Rainbow, 2008 New media discussion panelist, AWP Conference NYC, 2008 Panel moderator, PNBA, 2007 "Curses!" magical realism workshop, MRCentral.net, 2007 Guest presenter, It's About Time reading series, 2007 Roundtable leader, Field's End, 2005-2006 Guest lecturer, World Literature, Highline Community College, 2004 Workshop facilitator: Writer's Marketing Groups, with Kelli Russell Agodon, PNWA, 2004 Writing workshop facilitator, Mundelein Park District, 1999 (various offerings) Writing workshop facilitator, Mount Prospect Library, 1999 (new writers workshop) Writing intensives instructor, Wild Dove Writers Studio, 1999 (short fiction workshop) Magical realism lecture, First Friday Coffeehouse, Prairie Moon, 1998
Appearances & Readings KGB Bar reading sponsored by Mad Hatter's Review, New York City, 2008 Jane's Stories reading series, with Bette Lynch Husted and Kat Vellos, In Other Words Books, Portland, 2007 ProseWest, with Bette Lynch Husted and Kat Vellos, Newberry Books, Seattle, 2007 Ugly Mug Reading Series, with Bette Lynch Husted and Kat Vellos, Newberry Books, Seattle, 2007 Foolscap panelist, Bellevue, WA, 2006 ProseWest "Pacific Northwest Magical Realists," with Kathleen Alcalá and Wayne Ude, Epilogue Books, Seattle, 2005 Foolscap panelist, Bellevue, WA, 2005 "Magical Realist Poetry" with Marjorie Rommel, Erin Fristad and Marge Manwaring, The Richard Hugo House, 2005 "A Night of Magic (Realism) and Midnight Liar's Fest," Our Town Cafe, Vancouver BC, 2005 Margin 5th Anniversary Celebration, Lottie Mott's, 2005 A Wave of Caring: Tsunami Benefit Concert, 2005 Featured guest, Woodinville Barnes & Noble, 2004 Jewel Box Theater featured reader, 2004 Pacific Northwest Writers Association conference panelist, 2004 Norwescon featured reader, Midnight Special reading event, 2004 Featured reader and hostess, O Taste and See! Food Poems, Russian Tea Time/Chicago, 2004 Featured guest, Richard Hugo House, 2003 (Kathleen Alcalá's magical realism workshop) Panelist with Bruce Taylor, Norwescon, "What Is Magical Realism?", 2003, 2004 "Poetry Is…: Island Poets In Performance and Conversation" feature with Neil Baker and Marian McDonald, Bainbridge Island Broadcasting special, 2003 Lottie Mott’s featured reader, 2002-2003 Otis Café featured reader, 2002 PEN Washington Internet Marketing for Writers panel moderater, 2002 Poets for Peace/September 11th Red Cross fundraiser, 2001 Kitsap Community Arts Center featured reader, 2001 Poulsbohemian Coffeehouse featured reader, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 "Market Mosaic" columnist, Wild Dove Review, 1998-2000 Barnes & Noble/Writer’s Harvest featured reader, 1997
SHORT STORIES "Apparent Suicide: A Postpartum Fairy Tale," Literary Mama, October 2006; Freak Lightning (anthology), 2009/TBD "Arrogant Gretel," Bellingham Weekly, 2004 "Cinderella: Postmodern Torch Song," Susurrus: The Literature of Madness, December 2006 "The Drift," Outsider Ink, 2003; Literary Mama, April 2004 “A Fish Story,” Hair Trigger XIII, 1991 “Flight,” The Crescent Review, 2000 “The Intuitions of Mim,” Zacatecas, 2003; Fine Print, 2000 "Least Resistance," Sunspinner, Spring 2005 “Madam’s Curse,” Margin: Exploring Modern Magical Realism, 2002; Words of Wisdom, 1999 "Messages," Cezanne's Carrot, Spring 2006 "Nests," Faultline, May 2001 “Oyster Coast,” AIM: America's Intercultural Magazine, 1997 “Passage Into No Man’s Land,” Jane’s Stories II (2000: Wild Dove Studio & Press, ed. Glenda Bailey-Mershon) "Peppercorns," Gargoyle, Spring 2005 “The Rosaries of Raggedy Ann,” Rosebud, 1997 "Sandman," Cenotaph Pocket Editions, Fall 2003 "Search Engine," Long Story Short, Fall 2007 “Shrapnel Over Chicago: August 1989,” MOTA: Courage (2003: Triple Tree Publishing, ed. Karen Joy Fowler) "Since That First Night of Lit Halls," Other Voices, October 2001; Writing it Real, November 2005; Cantaraville II, Fall 2007 "The Third Way," Terrain, January 2008 "Tiger's Eyes," Clackamas Literary Review, June 2006 "The Weight," The Hiss Quarterly, Fall 2007
POEMS “Accepting Yellow,” Scotch Broom, 1999 “After Midnight, I’m Reduced,” the Lyric Recovery poetry festival winner's anthology, 2004; Facets, 2002 "Alive," The Pedestal, 2004 "Alone on the Day Before Mother's Day," The Gateway, 2005 "American Blackshirt," Edge City Review, 2002 "Angels: La Push, Washington," Exhibition, 2001 "Anniversary Portrait," BIAHC’s Poet’s Corners Project, 2002 "Asking Back The Pheasant," Voices Along The River, Kellogg Environmental Center, 2001 “Bubble,” BIAHC’s Poet’s Corners Project, 2000 “Bus Stop Meditation,” Poetry Jumps Off The Shelf project, 2007 "Carmelita Licks a Stamp," Collections, Fetishes, & Obsessions anthology, 2008-2009; King County Arts Commission Bus Poetry, 2001 "Cellular Movement," The Pedestal Magazine, 2001 “Child’s Daydream,” Segue, 2002 “Clam Season,” Segue, 2002; Stories with Grace, October 2003 “Dozens of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books,” Poetry Midwest, 2003 “Driftwood,” Moon Journal, 1997 "Early Winter," The Pedestal Magazine, 2001 "Entwined," Lunarosity, 2004 "Evacuation Plan #1," Peralta Press, Winter 2002 "Expedition on the Windward Side," WAH 3, Autumn 2005 “February Ferry Ride,” Segue, 2002 “First Radish,” Quarterly West, 2003; O Taste and See: Food Poems (2003: Bottom Dog Press, ed. David Lee Garrison) “The Flame Blue Road,” Exhibition, 1999 “Fleas,” New Verse News, 2005 “Grace,” Artemis, 2002; Stories with Grace, October 2003 "Hawthorns Grew Outward in Threes," ByLine best of 2002 edition, 2003 "How to Talk About Race," Collections, Fetishes, & Obsessions anthology, 2008-2009 “Immortality,” Switched-on Gutenberg, 2001 (prose poem issue) "A Late Hike, and I am Caught," The Griffin, 2002, 2003; Artemis, 2002 “The Law of Eating,” hipMama, 1999; BIAHC’s Poet’s Corners Project, 2002 "L-U-C-K," Red Rock Review, Summer 2005 "Making Paneer," Spoon River Poetry Review, 2003 "Marvels in Maritime" (haiku triptych), BIAHC's Poet's Corners Project, 2006 "Oak Park Avenue," Collections, Fetishes, & Obsessions anthology, 2008-2009; suspect thoughts, 2004 "On Being Pregnant During Chicago's Hottest Summer," Lunarosity, 2004 "On September 22," The Pedestal Magazine, 2001 “On the Development of Clouds,” Segue, 2002; Stories with Grace, 2003 "Once Upon a Time," suspect thoughts, 2004 "The Opening and Shutting of the Cemetery Gate," 13th Moon, 2007 “Outing in Seattle,” Segue, 2002 "A Poem (from Scratch)," ByLine, 2002 "Post-September 11th Vision," poetsagainstthewar.org, Winter 2003 “Projection,” Facets, 2002 “Puddles,” BIAHC’s Poet’s Corners Project, 2000 "Racer in July," Lunarosity, 2004 "Resolution," Melange, 2001 "Runaway," suspect thoughts, 2004 "Sea Change," HerMark 2004 Datebook, WomanMade Gallery, 2003; Bainbridge Island poetry exhibit, 2007 "Sea Monster," Sea Stories, 2006 "Sharing Roethke with Amanda," BIAHC’s Poet’s Corners Project, 2007 "Slow Information," Alligator Juniper, 2002; poetsagainstthewar.org, 2003 "Sea Monster," Sea Stories, 2006 "Spur: Big Quilcene River Road," kaleidowhirl, Spring 2006; Tower Poetry, Winter 2001-2002 "Stubborn Tourist," North American Review, Spring 2004 "Taboo," BIAHC’s Poet’s Corners Project, 2002; The Raven Chronicles, 2003 “Thistle, in a Prism,” Can We Have Our Ball Back?, 2003 “Traveling Salesman,” Tattoo Highway, Jan 2003 “Two A.M.,” Poetry Midwest, 2003 "Water Birth," Quarterly West, 2003 "Urban Flight," Northwest Cultural Council, Barrington, IL, 2004 WTO haiku collaboration (with Kelli Russell Agodon, Janet Norman Knox and Marian McDonald), The Bremerton Sun, 2000
Editorials (samples) "Citizens Don't Have to Be Weak Links," Candleflame, March 2003 "The Great Disconnect: Do You Recognize These Symptoms?" Candleflame, June 2003 "If You Could Pick One Book... a student's quest ends, then begins again," (book review: Magical Realist Fiction by Keith Holloman and David Young, Margin: Exploring Modern Magical Realism, 2001 "Recycling a Worry," Chicago Tribune, January 1990 "What Do American Readers Know About Magical Realism? A Book Group Infiltration" Margin: Exploring Modern Magical Realism, 2001 "Why We Don't Need Irradiation," American Harvest, Spring 1994
General Interest Writing Ford Times||Discovery Magazine, various department features,1989-90 Various articles for Margin: Exploring Modern Magical Realism, 2000-2007 Various cooking articles for Cornucopia,1990-1994 Various organic gardening columns, articles and department features for Cachepot, 1990-1995 Various food articles, columns, product and book reviews, and department features for American Harvest, 1990-1995 Other food and nutrition articles have appeared in Wine & Dine (1992), VegetarianGourmet (1995, 1996), The Family Connection (1995), The Growing Edge (1995), The Weedpatch Gazette (1996), Raven Chronicles (2004),
Original Recipes Tamara Kaye Sellman has published original recipes with the following magazines, blogs, and/or organizations: American Harvest, The Best of Bainbridge, Better Homes & Gardens, BuzzFood, Cachepot, Catch of the Month Club, Cornucopia, Country Woman, The Family Connection, Rhymes With Camera, Taste of Home, and Vegetarian Gourmet
AWARDS & HONORS Pushcart board nomination: Pushcart Prize, 2006 Finalist, the Speakeasy Poetry Contest (judge: Li Young-Lee), for a three-poem submission, 2004 "Alone on the Day Before Mother's Day" (poem) -- winner, Peninsula Writers Association poetry contest, 2005 "American Blackshirt" (short story) -- honorable mention, ByLine Formal Poetry Contest, 2001 "Carmelita Licks A Stamp" (poem) -- King County Arts Commission Bus Poetry competition, 2001 "Eating Words," EMG-Zine, July 2008 "Evacuation Plan #1" (poem) -- 1st place, Illinois State Poetry Society, 2001; 3rd place, Louisiana State Poetry Society, 2001 “Hawthorns Grew Outward In Threes” (poem) -- 1st place, ByLine Fall Poem Contest, 2002; Byline Best of 2002 edition, 2003 “The Intuitions of Mim” (short story) -- finalist, Authors In The Park contest, 2001 "Madam's Curse" (short story) -- Best of Entries, Whelks Walk Review, 1998 "Making Paneer," (poem) -- finalist, Spoon River Poetry Review, 2003 "Messages," (short story) -- Editor's Pick, March 2006; nominated, 2007 Million Writers Award for best online short story "Other People's Stories" (poem) -- 2nd prize, ByLine Poems of Loss contest, 2003 “Oyster Coast” (short story) -- second prize, AIM: America's Intercultural Magazine annual contest, 1997 "Resolution" (poem) -- honorable mention, Illinois State Poetry Society,2001 "The Rosaries of Raggedy Ann" (short story) -- Pushcart Prize nomination, 1997 "The Rosaries of Raggedy Ann" (short story) -- Rosebud 's Best of 1997 edition "Search Engine" (short story) -- Long Story Short's Story of the Month selection for October 2007 AND Story of the Year winner for 2007 “Shrapnel Over Chicago: August 1989” (short-short story) -- honorable mention, ByLine Short Short Story Contest, 2003 "Spur: Big Quilcene River Road" (poem) -- honorable mention, Louisiana State Poetry Society, 2001 "Stubborn Tourist" (poem) -- finalist, James Hearst Poetry Prize, 2004; honorable mention, Louisiana State Poetry Society, 2001 "Tiger's Eyes" (short story) -- finalist, Clackamas Literary Review, 2005 "Urban Flight" (poem) -- 2nd prize, Northwest Cultural Council art/poetry contest, 2004
