Storyteller Mark Goldman

Join the Tribe This Summer!

Join the Storytelling Tribe This Summer!

In 2015 we will gather in America's heartland -- Kansas City, MO, the site of NSN's new home for our first hometown conference! Where our paths cross, we find and celebrate common ground; we examine our options and choose the next steps of our journey. Pathways provide opportunities to view new horizons and make new discoveries, explore new perspectives and make new connections…and find our way home.

WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND

Master Classes - Preconference Workshops - Special Interest Groups

Networking - Fringe Performances - Story Slam

and of course...I'll be there!

Click here for details & info

Support a NEW FACE at the Conference

2015 NEXT GENERATION CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

National Storytelling Network (NSN) is offering Next Generation Conference Scholarships to young adults interested in using storytelling in their respective fields. Recipients of the scholarships will be paired with others at the conference that will act as guides and resources during the conference.

Judy Sima from the Conference Committee writes that, "There were nine applicants, but we only had enough money for two scholarships."

Make coffee home and YOU CAN HELP!
The cost per scholarship is $460. If 20 people donated $23 each (about the cost of three lattes), another applicant would be able to attend. You can send checks to NSN, P.O. Box 795, Jonesborough, TN 37659 or you could call 800-525-4514 to use a credit card.

You can send a check and designate it, "for general use", OR YOU CAN SUPPORT A SPECIFIC PERSON!

Do you know someone who has applied? Here in Arizona, our own Caleb Winebrenner is hoping to gather funds to attend. If you want to support Caleb, or another "youngster" you know who has applied, send a check with their name designated for the funds.

So put on a pot at home and start thinking of the story you will tell about how you helped one of our own!

Advertise in the NSN Conference Program!

Folks, here's a great way to get noticed at the Conference this summer - ADVERTISE!

Last Year's Program cover

GREAT AFFORDABLE PRICING!

Payment and materials due June 15th!

CLICK FOR MORE INFO

Happy Birthday Marilyn

Happy Birthday Marilyn Omifunke Torres.

May today and every day be filled with glorious stories!!

Top of page

This Week

View/Make
Comments

Arizona Storytellers: Stories of Phoenix Restaurant Greats

Thursday - June 11th
First Draft Book Bar at Changing Hands Bookstore

Join azcentral.com, The Arizona Republic and Alliance Bank of Arizona for a night of stories celebrating the Valley’s most iconic restaurants and inspiring chefs, from our past, and our future for a multi-course dinner in the public space at the Newton, now home to Southern Rail and First Draft Book Bar at Changing Hands Bookstore.

Held in the former Beefeater’s space, this night is dedicated to the places, people and culinary creations that define the Valley’s dining scene. Tickets include a dinner, tax, tip and admission to event; ticket purchase serves as your reservation.

Featured Tellers:

Lauren Bailey of Upward Projects (Postino Winecafe, Churn, The Windsor, Joyride)

Ross Simon of Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour

Julie Meeker of Mother Bunch Brewing

Chef Doug Robson of Otro Cafe, formerly of Gallo Blanco

Lorenzo Perez of Venue Projects, the team behind The Newton

Chef Justin Beckett of Southern Rail and Beckett's Table.

Sign Language Interpretation Services Available!

If you require ASL Interpretation services for this event or a future Storytellers event you plan to attend, please contact Melissa Farley at Melissa.Farley@ArizonaRepublic.com with your request.

More info here

East Valley Tellers of Tales

Saturday, June 13th ~ 10am - Noon
Join us to celebrate storytelling successes.
East Valley Tellers of Tales is a Phoenix area guild of Storytellers and Storylisteners. A truly safe place to share your story! We are an affiliate of the National Storytelling Network. Come and find out what this means, and how it benefits you!

Click here for details & info

Top of page

Coming Up

View/Make
Comments

Joyce Story at White Tank Mountain Regional Park

Joyce Story will be telling at the Nature Center of the White Tank Mountain Regional Park.

Joyce tells mesmerizing nature stories. They are all original, fact-based stories about the flora and fauna of the Sonoran desert.

20304 W. White Tank Mountain Rd, Waddell, AZ 85355

Joyce will also be doing programs on:

June 19th at 2:00 pm

June 30th at 10:00 am

Youth Story Journey Workshop

Saturday, June 20, 2015 10:00am - 11:30am

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
You don't have to go to NSN in Kansas City this summer to discover the value of the Hero's Journey in creating inter-generational communities where youth thrive.

Experience the story-based process Harriet Cole uses when working with the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Phoenix right here in Phoenix during her preview of her NSN Conference workshop.

This is a way to empower youth to become the here's of their own journeys. Spend a morning learning the activities that will set the youth in your world on the path to increased presentation skills, confidence, and self-esteem.

More info here

Top of page

Tips

View/Make
Comments

Peaks and Valleys

Have you looked at a mountain lately? South Mountain? Piestewa Peak? Or look to the east of Phoenix to the Superstition Mountains? Or maybe you have a few mountains where you live?

What do you see? Not just a smooth, curved arc. Not just a rise on one side and falling on the other. You see many peaks and valleys. If you look closely, you will discover what are called "saddles". Those are the small places where you can rest, where the terrain is flat. It usually forms a small connection to the next rise.

Stories should be like mountains; with peaks and valleys; with little places to rest, with a great pinnacle near the end, and sometimes a soft, gentle down slope...the denouement.

Top of page

Tidbits

View/Make
Comments

Proof
Have you ever had someone challenge you on the validity or effectiveness of storytelling and you KNEW there have been studies about that...you just didn't know where to find them? Teachers especially need to know where to go to support their use of storytelling in the classroom.

There are numerous sources and studies that show the efficacy of storytelling vs. sharing of just facts or data. Most studies acknowledge that the STORY has to be well told. The fact that one tries to put a math problem into a narrative is not enough. It must have a beginning, middle and end. Saying, “John has ten apples and gives three to Mary. How many apples does John have left?” is NOT a story, it is merely adding verbal identifiers to the numerical problem.

Good stories do more than just entertain; they engage the listeners (and their brains) in multiple ways. We cry out for stories vs. data. We have a natural tendency to “fill in the gaps” in stories with our own personal images and emotions, thus creating a stronger connection to the data that is wrapped in the story.

Here are some sources:

Friend and colleague Karen Langford Chace has assembled an overview and compilation of studies regarding the value of storytelling. In addition, she uses GARDNER’S MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES (a learning styles scale) and shows each aspect's applications to storytelling. Very interesting stuff here (she says it better than I could). Visit the webpage: http://www.storybug.net/teachers.html

SaraJane “SJ” Murray, ‎Associate Professor at Baylor University: a ten minute TEDx talk on why we are “Hardwired for Story”.

Jonathan Gottschall is an American literary scholar specializing in literature and evolution. He teaches at Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania. Here is his TEDx talk (18 minutes) with examples from his recent book: The storytelling Animal:

And colleague Pam Faro shared this greart article a few days ago:

Could Storytelling Be the Secret Sauce to STEM Education?

Top of page

Ongoing
Events

View/Make
Comments

------------------------------------THERE'S A LOT GOING ON EACH MONTH
-------------------CHECK EACH WEBSITE OR CALENDAR TO CONFIRM DATES AND TIMES
---------------------------------CALL TO MAKE SURE THE EVENT IS STILL ON

Infuse Open Mic
Second Sunday of each month - Phoenix
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Infuse-Open-Mic/137811162925031

Yarnball Storytellers Mic
Every Wednesday at 8 pm - PHOENIX
https://www.facebook.com/lawngnomepublishing/events

FStorytellers - Female Story Tellers - Tucson
Usually sometime during the first week of the month - but check their website) at 7 pm - TUCSON
http://www.fstorytellers.com/index.html

Odyssey Storytelling
First Thursday of each month (usually but check calendar) - TUCSON
http://www.storyartsgroup.org/odyssey/Odyssey/Welcome.html

Storyline
Third Friday (usually) of each month - PHOENIX
http://thestoryline.org/

Tucson Tellers of Tales - Storytellers Guild
First Saturday of each month (except July and August) - Tucson
https://www.facebook.com/TucsonTellersofTales

West Side Story Tellers - Storytellers Guild
First Saturday of each month - GLENDALE *NO meetings in July & August
http://westsidestorytellers.com/

East Valley Tellers of Tales -Storytellers Guild
Second Saturday of each month - SCOTTSDALE
http://www.evtot.com

Homebase Poetry
Usually the THIRD Sunday of each month - Phoenix
Make sure you check the Faceboook page
https://www.facebook.com/Homebasepoetryopenmic

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL MONTHLY CALANDAR

Top of page

All Newsletter content ©Mark Goldman
Got some news or information you would like to get out to the storytelling community?
Contact Mark Goldman -x602-390-3858x - Mark@Storytellermark.com