Valerie Fioravanti

Writer * Writing Instructor * Coach

Valerie Fioravanti Home     Sacramento Workshops     Stories on Stage     Contact Me      
WRITER
 
I write fiction, essays, and prose poems. Stories from my linked collection, Garbage Night at the Opera, have appeared in North American Review, Cimarron Review, Hunger Mountain, Night Train and others. These stories have received four pushcart prize nominations and Special Mention in Pushcart Prize XXVIII. I received a Fulbright Fellowship in Creative Writing to work on a novel set in Italy, Bel Casino, which is one of two novels currently in the works. My essays and prose poems have been published in Eclectica, Silk Road, Puerto del Sol, International Living, and others. I live in Boulevard Park in midtown Sacramento, where I run the Stories on Stage reading series and Midtown Writing Workshops.
  
INSTRUCTOR
 
I teach short story, flash fiction, and multi-genre classes for the UCLA Writers' Extension and private workshops from my home in midtown Sacramento. I've previously taught writing for New Mexico State University and National University's MFA program. Please email me if you would like further information about my teaching schedule/interests.
 
COACH
 
If you prefer individual mentoring, I do work with writers privately when my schedule allows. My coaching methods are holistic; in addition to comprehensive feedback on specific work (which includes line commentary and end comments), I address your overall writing needs and recommend writers and craft books to study. For short pieces, I charge a per page rate of $10 per page. A page, for billing purposes, utilizes Times New Roman 12 point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. For book-length manuscripts, I charge a flat rate between $1,500-2,500, depending on page length. I handle flash fiction, prose poems, micro essays, short fiction, novellas, novels, memoirs, essays, and narrative nonfiction. For poetry or scholarly writing, I recommend the services of Dorine Jennette.
 
EDUCATION
 
I received my Master's of Fine Arts degree in Fiction from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, under the fine tutelage of writers Kevin (Mc) McIlvoy, Robert (Boz) Boswell, Toni Nelson, and Connie Voisine.
 
I received my Bachelor's of Arts in Liberal Arts from the New School in New York City, where I was born and raised.

 

WELCOME!

  

I have four stories published online:

"Haliled" in Prime Number Magazine

 

"Kissing Decisions" in Night Train

 

"Bouquet" in Babel Fruit

This is a reprint. "Bouquet" originally appeared in Green Mountains Review.

 

"Distance" in Pindeldyboz

 

I have three stories available as .pdf files:

"Permanence" from Cimarron Review, #148

 

"Beer Money" from Harpur Palate, Vol. 6.2

 

"Seventeen" from Hunger Mountain, #9

 

I have a short essay published online:  

"Kissing in Tandem" in Eclectica
(If you're curious about the story mentioned in this essay, it's "Kissing Decisions" listed and linked above) 

 

Here's a video of a condensed version of my story "Garbage Night at the Opera" from my reading at the Sacramento Poetry Center in 2009:

 

 

 

 

 

NEWS

 

My collection, Garbage Night at the Opera, was just named a finalist for the Flannery O'Connor Short Fiction Award.

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At the UCLA Writers' Extension, I'm teaching Intermediate Short Story in the fall and winter.

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My flash story "Haliled" is up at Prime Number Magazine.

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My essay "Kissing in Tandem" appears in the current issue of Eclectica. I love the cover art they chose for my essay. Kudos to artist Costel Iarca.

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Sacramento Magazine thinks Stories on Stage is something to go and do (I think you should listen to them).

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Order Dorine Jennette's Urchin to Follow here.

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Stories on Stage received a write up in the Sacramento Press. You can read the article here.

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My short short "Kissing Decisions" was the story of the week over at Night Train.

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Stories on Stage was featured on Capital Public Radio's Insight program. You can listen to the clip here.

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I was interviewed about my workshops by the Sacramento Press, a local paper that encourages citizen journalism. You can read the article here.

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New Pages mentioned my story "Beer Money" in their review of Harpur Palate. The reviewer wrote, "If fiction is supposed to make humans more tolerant...this is a must-read story for the journey to enlightenment." Doesn't get much better than that, huh? You can read the full review here.