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Amtrak Writer’s Residency Semifinalists: The Entries

Earlier this year Amtrak, our nation’s beloved but not really well-used (and fairly expensive) rail transportation system announced the Amtrak Residency for Writers, where 24 lucky riders will get to take free, long-distance train trips to work on their writing. It’s just like your favorite residency program, but on the move. Amtrak throws in a private sleeping “roomette”, a bed, desk, and outlets for all your plugins, and meals to help you digest all the beautiful scenery as you write. Amtrak received over 16,100 applications, selected 115 semi-finalists, and their final 24 winners are to-be-announced. In the selection process, Amtrak really wants writers to submit a complete application package, and then to have a lot of social media followers. Lofty criteria. But I’ve got an in with Amtrak, who let me know that they were also accepting non-US trips. I managed to get a sneak peek at some of the semi-finalists’ proposed train trips, their writing sample titles and proposed publication for said writing. (Insider’s note: all submissions referencing The Orient Express were automatically disqualified.) Wishing these (fictional) writers good luck! Writer’s Twitter Handle: @MalGoodblood Proposed Train Trip: Hogwarts Express Writing Sample Title: The Torturous Train: Outmoded Muggle Nostalgia, Or the Ride of the Future? Intended Publication: The Daily Prophet   Writer’s Twitter Handle: @Tolstoyhateswomen Proposed Train Trip: Petersburg to Moscow Writing Sample Title: How the Mundane Train Beat Facebook’s Claim to Fame: Women Cheating on Their Husbands Ain’t Nothing New. Intended Publication: GQ, Playboy, W Writer’s Twitter Handle: @myAntonia4eva Proposed Train Trip: Virginia to Nebraska Writing Sample Title: The Heartland Before it Became a Flyover: My America, One State at a Time. Intended Publication: Time, People Writer’s Twitter Handle: @OrphanExpress Proposed Train Trip: NY to the Heartland Writing Sample Title: The Million Orphan March: Do You Know Where Your Child Came From? Intended Publication: The Future of Children   Writer’s Twitter Handle: @gotGreenGables Proposed Train Trip: Nova Scotia to P.E.I. Writing Sample Title: Gender Preference in Canadian Adoption Practices: You Sure You Want That Boy? Intended Publication: The Globe and Mail Writer’s Twitter Handle: @givethebearahome Proposed Train Trip: Lima, Peru to Paddington Station, England Writing Sample Title: Bears in the City: Overrated or Undervalued? Intended Publication: The Onion Writer’s Twitter Handle: @ithinkican Proposed Train Trip: Up a hill, down a hill Writing Sample Title: With a Little Help from My Friends: The Breakdown of the American Rail System. Intended Publication: NY Times   Writer’s Twitter Handle: @rattyintoadhall Proposed Train Trip: Oxfordshire to the Wild Wood Writing Sample Title: I Fought the Law and Disney Won: The Disney-fication of Classic Lit. Intended Publication: Vanity Fair Anonymous Writer’s Twitter Handle: @boxcarsrule Proposed Train Trip: nowhere Writing Sample Title: Hipsters Ruin Everything: We Invented the Re-purposed-boxcar-as-home. Intended Publication: Dwell ____________________ Expand your literary horizons with New Books!, a weekly newsletter spotlighting 3-5 exciting new releases, hand-picked by our very own Liberty Hardy. Sign up now!  new books Save