Chella Courington is a writer and teacher. With a Ph.D. in Literature and an MFA in Poetry, she is the author of four poetry chapbooks and three flash fiction chapbooks. Her poetry and stories appear in numerous anthologies and journals including SmokeLong Quarterly, Nano Fiction, The Los Angeles Review, and The Collagist. Reared in the Appalachian South, she now lives in Santa Barbara, CA.
Education
Graduate work in Fiction, Spalding University, Louisville, KY, 2013.
MFA in Poetry, New England College, Henniker, NH, July 2009.
Ph.D., English, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, August 1985.
Recent Teaching Recognition
Named for service “above and beyond” to Santa Barbara City College students, May 2012.
Named for service “above and beyond” to Santa Barbara City College students, May 2008.
Fiction Recognition
What Women Do, finalist in Speaking of Marvels Open Reading December 2016.
“Important Facts Remembered from Biology 250,” Camroc Press Review Editor’s Choice 2012.
“Diana loved anything orange,” runner-up in The Collagist’s 2009 Flash Fiction Contest, Judge: Kim Chinquee.
“The Woman Dreamed of the Polished Box,” semi-finalist in the Gulf Coast Journal 2009 Annual Donald Barthelme Prize for Short Prose.
“Blood Moon,” Doorknobs short fiction first-prize winner, Doorknobs and BodyPaint (Issue 55, August 2009).
“She Gets What She Came For,” Tapas short fiction honorable mention, Doorknobs and BodyPaint (Issue 55, August 2009).
Poetry Recognition
Moon Prize, “Eurydice,” Writing in a Woman’s Voice (April 2020)
Nominee for 2009 Best of the Net Anthology: “Help,” shaking like a mountain (Summer 2008).
Chapbook, Paper Covers Rock, first runner up in Qarrtsiluni Chapbook Competition 2009: http://qarrtsiluni.com.
Chapbook, Paper Covers Rock, finalist in the Hot Metal Press Chapbook Competition 2009:
Nominee for the 2009 Best New Poets Anthology (University of Virginia Press): “Medley.”
Poemeleon humor issue (Winter 2008-09).
Chapbook, How to Teach Grammar, runner up in Main Street Rag 2008 Chapbook Competition.
Finalist, Winning Writers Sixth Annual War Poetry Contest, November 2007, “Lynette’s War,”
Jimmy Santiago Baca scholarship recipient, June 2005.
Honorable Mention in Net Poetry Competition, July 2004, “Mary Cade and Jeff.”
Honorable mention in Lotus Blooms Journal Anniversary Contest, January 2004, “Passage.”