I haven't been here for a while. Let's just skip the part where I feel bad about that, k?
The Literary Roundup is going to be renamed. Lit Links sounds fun, but I'm not sure yet. It's also going to be more frequent, until I decide it will be less frequent. So, infrequent sometimes and frequent other times. With changing frequency.
You should read this article by Deborah Copaken Kogan for The Nation. Brave and relevant words.
The third issue of Blast Furnace is up and it's a doozy. John Simon, Valerie Loveland, Bob Walicki, Rachel Bunting, and more. So much delicious poetry. Seriously, go marvel at Mr. Walick's line breaks. He enjambed the crap out of that beautiful, stark poem.
Oh yeah, it's National Poetry Month. I didn't forget, it's just my brain and body decided to go on strike this April, which put me in some awkward situations with my writing journal. I'd just sit there avoiding eye contact, whistling, while the blank pages were just out in the open for all to see. With a pen lying on them, no less! I did manage a few translations of a Bashō poem though. You should try writing one. It's fun.
translations of Matsuo Bashō's poem "old pond" by Laura E. Davis
The Natural Bridge's three-part interview series consists of interviewing a writer, his or her editor, and a reader of said writer. After writing a review of Aimee Nezhukumatathil's book Lucky Fish here and on Goodreads, the editors reached out to me to do the "reader" interview. Of course I said yes after geeking out for a few minutes because I love Aimee Nezhukumatathil. I love her so much that I know how to spell her name by heart and I'm pretty sure I pronounce it correctly. Check out all three parts, interviews with Aimee, Tupelo Press managing editor Jim Schley, and myself.
Issue 16 of Redactions: Poetry, Poetics, & Prose is available. John and I both have poems featured, along with a bunch of other amazing writers. Editor Tom Holmes always puts together lovely issues. Highly recommend.
In other news, there are some reviews rolling in for Braiding the Storm. The book is doing really well with its Goodreads rating.
New issue of Stone Highway Review is live. I've got a poem in there along with my amazing friend Sarah Leavens. Check it out.
The new issue of Right Hand Pointing features a fantastic acrostic poem by Robert Walicki, which is rare these days. The whole issue is worth a read.
Angele Ellis responded to the Next Big Thing on Carol Berg's blog, Ophelia Unraveling. In related news, I finished Berg's chapbook of the same name recently and was hypnotized by her layered, hymn-like tribute to Hamlet's lover.
Enjoy the similes and metaphors from my fourth grade students.
Maybe I should make these permanently miniature? Much simpler.
I'm not sure how I feel about this list of Top 10 Hottest Poets of the 19th Century via The Writing Source. Despite that it's "meant to be fun," it still feels disrespectful. Thoughts?
Cheryl Strayed shares this dynamite quote from Adrienne Rich:
"We may feel bitterly how little our poems can do in the face of seemingly out-of-control technological power and seemingly limitless corporate greed, yet it has always been true that poetry can break isolation, show us to ourselves when we are outlawed or made invisible, remind us of beauty where no beauty seems possible, remind us of kinship where all is represented as separation." -Adrienne Rich
How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was delightful and involved a dinner for two (that neither of us cooked), making egg nog, and playing a Twilight drinking game (the only way to watch those movies. And, boy does Taylor Lautner take his shirt off a lot. Not that I'm complaining).
I have a lot to be grateful for, including the fact that we finally bought our Christmas/New Year's plane tickets. Ten flights between two people, six of which are mine. Right now I'm so relieved it's finished, but come December I'll be anxious about so much holiday travel.
Without further downward-spiraling deeper into my fear of missing a plane fight, I'll get to the goods. Enjoy and thanks for reading.
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In lit mag news, Brusque Magazine released it's first issue, including twopoems from Alicia Hoffman. Both poems feature audio of the poet reading, which I always appreciate. Weave Magazine released it's contributor list for the long-awaited Issue 08. I spent time this weekend printing everything in preparation for sequencing. I'm so excited! Corium also released its eleventh issue; this online journal always publishes polished and petite poems and prose. This just in: I'm an alliteration nerd.
Also, Heron Tree, a new online lit mag, is still accepting submissions until December 1st.
First up in the "Writers on Writing" category, we have Carol Berg, author of the newly released chapbook Ophelia Unraveling (which I just got in the mail Saturday!), discussing how to draft a poem. I found this to be particularly helpful for me, since I've been in a non-writing space lately; Berg reminded me that sitting down with a blank page is rarely effective. You need soil first.
Next is an excerpt from a longer essay about ending a poem by Joy Katz. Not new, but new to me.
Poet Molly Spencer inspires me with her dedication to writing even when you think you have no time. Her recent "how to write when there's no time to write" is just what every stuck-writer needs to be unstuck.
Speaking of inspiration, Davka pours out a dose of deer girl medicine with her wickedly beautiful prose piece about bodies and beauty and death and photographic immortality.
AND two for you in the "Just For Fun" category! Discovered the documentary Lemon via Kelli Russel Agodon. An inspiration-giver, this one. (Also it's FREE to watch on PBS!) Lastly, get out your spare change and check out this book vending machine. No, I'm not kidding. How could I kid about something so awesome?
After a few month hiatus I am back to poeming and back to rounding up literary delights. I had an incredibly busy August, September, and October. Two weddings on the east coast. Writing for ModCloth 30-40 hours a week average. I started teaching in October as well as coordinating for Poetry Out Loud. Since I was so busy with other projects, plus a few personal struggles, I gave myself a vacation from writing. If a poem came out of me spontaneously, then I wrote. But it rarely did. Writing product descriptions, particularly the fun creative ones I write for MC (such as this one I'm proud of), for 6-8 hours just taps out all of my delicious creative syrup.
So I'm back on the writing wagon and kicking things off with a poem-a-day challenge for November. I'm mostly keeping up. It helps to have a group of lovely writers holding me accountable. The poems don't have a ton of focus. A lot of poets like writing projects. I've tried once. I think I'd have to be really motivated or have a lot to say on a particular topic and then give it some structure. Like persona poems for each Zodiac sign. That's kind of a cool idea....
Enough about me though. Without further ado, here's my latest gathering of literary nuggets from around the interwebs. Please help yourself!
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Janice Anderson's essay "How to Move in One Direction While Flying in Another" won the Grand Prize in Hippocampus Magazine's Remember in November Contest for Creative Nonfiction. This is a powerful narrative about Janice's experience following a sexual assault. She submitted as part of Submission Bombers, despite being tentative about submitting in general. And she won. The Grand-Frakkin-Prize. Huge CONGRATS to Janice!
Sarah Leavens' gorgeous poem "Natural History" was featuring in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as their Saturday Poem feature. I love that my hometown newspaper publishes poems regularly. If you've ever been to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, you might remember the PaleoLab where you can watch museum preparators removing dirt from fossils. Here's a picture:
The 56th Issue of Right Hand Pointing features a bunch of Submission Bombers! If you aren't familiar with RHP, it's an awesome journal that publishes super short poems and stories meant to be read in order. You don't even have to scroll! It's satisfying to read the whole issue at once, I promise you. Plus, D. Gilson is published in this issue and he is adorable. Don't believe me? Here is proof:
adorable D. Gilson with two FLP chapbooks
Two Eduardo Milán poems over at Asymptote beautifully translated by John Oliver Simon. Seriously you don't want to miss these lyrical, image-rich lines. Mary Stone Dockery has some creepy-meets-beautiful prosetry at Menacing Hedge. Always love her work. Beth Gilstrap's flash fiction piece "I Am Barbarella" appears in Blue Fifth Review's Blue Five Notebook Series. This story is almost prosetry and exactly what good flash should be. Finally, I have two poems at Doctor T.J. Eckleburg Review. Dig in.
Fall 2012 has been good to me, publication-wise. Braiding the Storm is arriving in mailboxes across the country as I type. I'm told my copies will arrive today. I've had a bunch of poems come out online and a few print acceptances. I was interviewed by Sophie Rosenblum about the Submission Bombers over at Better Magazine. Below are excerpts from three of my poems, all of which you can continue reading with just one little click. Enjoy.
My Muse Is in Remission
She’s gone ice fishing, I guess.
Or maybe she’s taken a lover.
That’s ok. I know she’ll be back
I like this week's search term that lead someone to my blog. I can imagine them typing it into Google, thinking maybe the search would reach much farther (or further) than just a server or another computer somewhere, but past our atmosphere and into the galaxy, hoping to connect with ET, or the bad guys from Independence Day, or the alien from Contact that just looked like Jodi Foster's dad.
No extra-terrestrials here, but I do feel a bit alien-like. I suppose most poets feel this way. Speaking of poets and strangeness, check out what's up first in this week's literary roundup.
"Stacia’s events don’t have the muted atmosphere you sometimes find at an academic reading...you hear cheers when a favorite poet “blesses the mic,” and you see audience members nod their heads to a poet’s voice like they’re listening to a favorite song."
Susan Slaviero has a new chapbook. It is called Selections from The Murder Book (Tree Light Books) and is "handmade, featuring unique endpapers from a mid-century medical textbook." Oh yeah. Here's a nibble:
This might have something to do with predation, a paper cocoon in a dead girls mouth, a bloody arrow drawn on an oak leaf. This essay over at The Rumpus pissed me off. Yeah.
"I grew up writing truly awful poems in my closet or under my covers late at night. I shared them, on occasion, with my family or close friends, and they’d say things like, “That’s cute,” or “That’s nice,” and I couldn’t pinpoint why those comments deflated me, but they did."
This paragraph really struck a chord with me. I had pretty much the exact same experience a bunch of times. Once a family member, after reading a rather lyrical essay I'd just written (at like, 11 years old), asked, "...but what is it for?" *sigh*
Also particularly striking was this bit:
"I realized that every single one of us is ever-in-search of a balance between inspiration, creation, and the mundanity of daily life. Like these women, I write while I empty the dishwasher, fold whites, drive to soccer practice. I write into the slender hours of the morning while the house is quiet."
I'd add motivation to my list of things-searched-for right now, but perhaps that's related to inspiration. I'm trying to embrace the fact that I have limited energy and focus. But a girl's still gotta eat. So lots of my attention goes to work, then promises I've made to other people, then making sure I've eaten, then maybe writing. I need to move these around.
5a. If you’re a woman, writer of color or queer writer, there are probably more barriers. Know that. Be relentless anyway. Strive for excellence. Learn how to kick the shit out of those barriers. Don’t assume every failure is about your identity because such is not the case.
7. ...If you can write a good sentence you are already heads and shoulders above most of what is found in submission queues. You’re not competing against 10,000 submissions a year a magazine receives. You’re competing against more like 200. Those are still intimidating odds but they’re also far more reasonable.
The Twitter hashtag #writetip has an ever-changing stream of advice for writers. If you have any, feel free to use it. Thanks to Nancy Chen Long for this one.
Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman tells us to sleep upside-down, among other things, in order to spark the flames of creativity (via the Huffington Post).
Finally, less literary and more fun: this photo sparked a chain of events that lead me to climb through a window at Princeton to see Bon Jovi. Thanks, whoever you are.
Today's title is inspired by this week's oddest google search that lead someone to my little spot in the galaxy. I know one thing. I beat Sal at Tetris by reaching the highest score first. The little Tetris pieces danced and jumped. Poet Gamer FTW!
I'm going to get right into the roundup because there's been a lot of things I've missed. So what's new with you, lit world?
ModCloth has a post up today about She's the First, a nonprofit that raises money to education girls in developing countries. They've created an anthology where writer's answer the question, "If the world were your classroom, I'd teach a girl...." Definitely check it out.
I'll follow that up with some subversive Young Adult writing advice.The YA Highway talks about how your young adult narratives can subvert expectations. I think this is just good advice about writing complex characters.
Every wonder why writers are crazy? Terrible Minds has 25 answers.
In small press news, the Christian Science Monitor makes a case for more indie publishers. Flavorwire has a list of 12 Awesome Small Presses. April 30th is the Grand Opening of SPD's new Reading Room where you can stop in all day to watch writers read their work quietly to themselves and perhaps read quietly along. You also get a free book of poetry!
Finally, check out the bedroom's of famous writers at Apartment Therapy. I'll leave you with a picture of our bedroom, which due to San Francisco's ban on closets larger than a bread box, all our clothes work decoration. Thanks Ikea.
This post won't have much to do with Jakes Rocks, except to mention that someone found my blog by searching for "Allegheny National Forest Jakes Rocks," which is pretty cool I think. If you've never been to Jake's Rocks, it's better seen than than described, but I'll give it a go. Basically, it's a trail with really big rocks. Big, huge rocks that you can climb in, up, on, between, alongside, and under along with the beautiful trees and addictive mossy scent of Pennsylvania's forests. I went there as a kid with my family. That was also the first time I saw a wild bear. The second time is a funnier story that I'll save for another time.
Before I get to the roundup, I have something confess. I'm lonely. I've been lonely for a good few months now. I've actually progressed beyond lonely and wandered into forlorn, embracing my solitude in a not-so healthy way and become hermetic, reclusive, and withdrawn (thanks Thesaurus.com).
I've been in San Francisco for a little over eight months and I only feel at home in the apartment. When Sal leaves for work, I get really sad and anxious because he's my best - and only - friend here, at least the only friend I see on a regular basis. He's so supportive. I've told him it will just take time.
I try to make plans with new friends, but most of the time I flake out. Sometimes because this city is just too much. Sometimes because I want to be around people who already know me well. Who I can be a total mess with. Who I don't have to leave the apartment to see. So, if you are a new friend of mine from the San Francisco Bay Area, maybe you'd like to come over and watch a movie with me? My couch is comfy and we have a big television.
Now that I got that out of the way, on to some way cool word-related stuff!
Kelli Russell Agodon is spearheading the Big Poetry Giveaway 2012. I participated last year and I will this year too. It's really fun and a great way to give someone a book they might never have bought otherwise.
Three book reviews to check out: Full of Crow reviews Karen Lillis' Watch the Doors As They Close, a novella from Spuyten Duyvil; Fiddler Crab reviews Iris Dunkle's Inheritance (Finishing Line Press 2011); The Scrapper Poet, Karen J. Weyant, reviews Amanda Reynolds’ Heinz 56 (Main Street Rag, 2012).
There are SO MANY poems I want to share! I'm just going to link each poet's name, so click click click. You won't be sorry. Onward, linkitivity!
I went through my bookshelves this week and discovered that I own much fewer books by male poets. I decided to read two books at once, one by a lady-poet and one by a gentle-poet. I'll let you know how it goes.
Finally, I share a great video from this post over at The Storialist, aka Hannah Stephenson. Watch her write a poem in fast-forward. It's kind of revolutionary.
Yesterday I could hear the real ocean's deep white noise. Today, I'm back on my couch with laundry at my feet eating butter noodles because I'm too lazy to go to the store. Someone found my blog by searching for "broken noise." Also, "cats from outer space." I'm going to use these fun phrases for titles.
This won't be about my awesome vacation. I'll write about that later (maybe).
I've been catching up on read the blogs of the lovely poets who I consider my tribe. The poets I run with, whose work I follow, names I notice in tables of contents, poems I reference when I want to grow. Many of them are more like mentors, people who I admire and strive to work as hard as. Some I know in person, some online. Maybe I will meet some of them in Chicago next week.
That's enough chit chat. Here's what's going on in my little poetry universe.
Find yourself flipping to the poems in your favorite lit mags? Hankering for some poetry-only publications? Diane Lockward compiled a helpful list just for you. Also from Ms. Lockward is this helpful list of sources for inspiration-fuel when your poet-brain is sputtering.
Weave's seventh issue is out and selling well. We also have a new Reviews Editor, poet and teacher Thom Dawkins. Except great things to come.
Tiny Hardcore Press has published a fiction collection of five chapbooks, Shut Up / Look Pretty, by five amazing writers, include my friend Lauren Becker. Go get that.
Writer and Los Angeles Review Editor Kelly Davio explains the meaning behind the "status" changes to your submissions in Submishmash. Summary: they have little meaning. A worthwhile read if only because you'll make an editor super happy by not having to email them asking how to withdraw on Submishmash.
A lot of folks are talking about Amazon and books and indie book stores and the "state of publishing" and big stuff like that. Fiction writer Bridgette Shade weighs in saying, "Dr. Evil + the son of the Green Goblin = the metaphorical murder of print via 'books' which can only live on a 5x7 screen." She also tells you to smell your Kindle. Also, writer and librarian Karen Lewis willparticipated in a talk about Amazon and bookselling. Curious to see if she writes a follow up. The latest issue of Wired featured a profile on Amazon's CEO Jeffery P. Bezos. I'll share my two cents on this topic after I read the article.
Recuerdos de Puerto Vallarta
My only vacation-related note is about these amazing books of Spanish poesía I found at a little shop in Puerto Vallarta: two by poet Efraín Huerta and a collection of poems by Salvador Novo. Already started translating a few poems, but I've got to polish them more. Next phase: Spanish class.
In my search for help with promoting my chapbook, I've found a number of articles, interviews, and chapbooks (yes, chapbooks about promoting chapbooks. meta-chaps.). I've amassed said resources below for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!
Great interview with poet Heather McNaugher over at LDP Distro. McNaugher covers so many topics, including one that I feel is super important, yet often overlooked: ask yourself, what have you done to promote someone else's poetry lately?
WordClay talks about building an audience based on your geographic location, as well other other things like subject matter of the poetry. For example, if your poems are about gardening, you might do a reading at your local gardening center or gardener's club. Other aspects covered include book signings, book tours, reviews, and online marketing.
So far, the takeaway I'm getting from most of the resources I've found is this: readings sell chapbooks. Readings seem to be the most important factor in terms of building a new audience. Of course, if you have a pre-order phase like I do, you'll want to have a plan that taps into your current network. I'm feeling pretty good about that though. But thinking in advance, I've already begun to create a spreadsheet of readings. But that's a whole other blog post.
Happy 2012! Sorry it took me this long to say this, but I've been busy playing catch up this week. I think most of us end up standing in a pile of dirty laundry after the holidays. I managed to take down our decorations today though. I couldn't stand the clutter. Or hitting my head on the the icicle lights hanging over the office doorway.
I have a literary roundup post in the wings, but it will have to wait since I have a bunch to finish still tonight. I plan on writing that series still, so if you like reading about the online literary trinkets I collect, I'm sure you are waiting with bated breath. Soon, I promise!
Also in the queue for 2012 is a series of posts dedicated to the process of publishing my chapbook. These posts will address a number of things including marketing, obtaining blurbs, setting up readings, revising, and probably a bunch of other things I don't know about yet. Since Braiding the Storm is my first chapbook, I'd like to document the experience for myself and also for you, dear reader, in case you are find yourself with a chapbook to promote. I'll have a clever little series title too, when I think of one. Ideas?
I also want to write more reviews this year, especially for poetry chapbooks. I like writing reviews and it's also fun to read something you might not have otherwise. I'm also cross-posting my reviews to GoodReads. There seems to be a happy little community over there, though I have so many social networks to keep up with online, I'm not sure how involved I can really be. Only so many hours, right?
I'm at home sick today. It's the kind of sick where you don't want to be far from the couch or a bathroom, but you can't quite sleep. Thankful for my laptop and peppermint tea. Forgive my typos.
I've got lots of literary goodies, old and new, print and online, so I'm just going to dive right in.
Freedom of Expression Wall, Sampsonia Way Magazine
First up, if you haven't already posted your picture for the Freedom of Expression Wall over at Sampsonia Way, you should stop reading this and go do that. I did. I'll wait.
Did you post your post it? Good. Where was I?
Let's talk about print baby! I love when my worlds intersect, such as when the latest issue of Bitch featured a profile on one of my favorite indie publishers, Dancing Girl Press. "These slim, beautifully curated, and lovingly handmade editions by emerging women poets reflect a cross-section of the newest talent..." says Alison Barker. I couldn't agree more, Alison!
Also in print - and I'm a little late the game on this one - is an essay by Sugar, of Dear Sugar online advice column fame, about how she became so sugary in the summer 2011 issue of Creative Nonfiction #42. I was also excited to get the latest issue of Worn Journal, which always has thoughtful pieces about clothing and fashion. You don't want to miss this one, which includes articles about clothes and gender identity, different ways of dying fabrics, and a lovely essay about heartache and a vintage beaded dress.
Ok, now on to some online delicacies. Certainly not new, but worth the read, is Julie Dearborn's essay "Unsolicited" at The Summerset Review. Lauren Becker has some short fiction at Wigleaf. Lots to read in the latest Anti- issue, including some former Weave contributors. Finally, check out Lori Jakiela's piece, "The World and Everything in It Stops and Waits and Considers Whether or Not to Go On," in the most recent New Yinzer.
A couple of cool interviews include poet Nicelle Davis interviewing herself for The Nervous Breakdown and poet Stacey Waite interviewed over at Pilot Light.
The holidays are here and for those of you who wait until the last minute like me, I've included this handy literary shopping section of the Roundup this week. Jeannine Hall Gailey lists her top picks for poetry book gifts on her blog. These agate earrings my friend made are just really pretty, just like all of her handmade jewelry. Consider buying subscriptions to any of the print publications I mention above. I personally think that donations make great gifts, so consider Poetry Inside Out and support the continued art of poetic translation.
In Pittsburgh news, I was so happy to hear that Fleeting Pages won for Best Pop-up Store in the City Paper's Best of Pittsburgh. "With no advertising budget, founder and Braddock resident Jodi Morrison and a volunteer staff kept Fleeting Pages running seven days a week." The more I think about how incredible this project was, the more humbled I am to have been a part of it.
I've been compiling this post very slowly all morning. I think it's time to lie down in bed. With a book of course.
Hello there, friend. How are you? I have some great lit news to share, but first, some personal updates.
I've been home in Pittsburgh in my parents' home, the house I grew up in, staying in my old bedroom. I've been here since the 19th and it has been a fantastic visit. Sal was here until yesterday, but had to head home for work tomorrow. We had a whopping 21 people for Thanksgiving and my 13-year-old nephew is now 5'10" which is just bizarre. I've spent time with family and friends and my heart is filled with some East Coast love. Gratitude: I haz it. Lots.
I've also been able to work from Pittsburgh since ModCloth has a Pittsburgh office. I've been working on the anthologies for my Poetry Inside Out residencies and reading Weave submissions. Now that I've made progress on all of that, I took some time to read blogs, check my G+ literary circles, and sort through emails. Here's a list of shiny (and one not-so-shiny), recent, and some not-so-recent, literary nuggets that caught my attention.
First up - journals you might want to submit to! (ending with a preposition is OK!) qarrtsiluni, Radioactive Moat, and my poet-friend Mary Stone Dockery (also a Weave 07 contributor!) is guest editing The Medulla Review.
Interesting reads: Ursula K. Le Guin weighs in on the 99% with a fantastical story. Teresa Petro poems about machinery and arts and crafts.
Writing tools for poets and prose writers alike! Check out 14 Punctuation Marks That You Never Knew Existed (I'm a fan of the exclamation comma). I really want these in a poem of mine. I love punctuation so much. Also, if you need a good starting place for a character in your next flash piece or person poem, check out this handy list of archetypes. I also like using Wikipedia for this.
Such sad news about the death of Ruth Stone. An amazing, committed, poetic spirit has left us. "Women who love to write poetry are the hagfish of the world. We eat everything. We eat the language. We eat experience. We eat other people’s poems." --Ruth Stone 1915-2011
I thought about listing some AWP news about panels and off-site readings, but I've decided to devote an entire post to that topic. If you read my blog and you are on a panel and/or reading at AWP, let me know. I'd like to prioritize those events if I can! And I'd like to create some kind of awesome flowchart of prioritization about AWP.
Read this fantastic article from Sampsonia Way Magazine. Burmese children share their thoughts on why freedom of speech is important.
I leave you with an adorable picture of Sal and Domino taking a nap. It makes me happy.
I broke the ice last night and dove back into blogging after a hiatus for a couple of weeks. Maybe it was less than that, but I was writing every other day for a while there and then I started feeling guilty and so I just jumped in, jackknife-style, and now I'm covered with bloggy goosebumps and ready to share with you an autumn harvest of literary wonders!
First, in case we aren't Facebook friends, you might not have heard my happy news. My poem "Widowing" one the 2011 Crab Creek Review Poetry Contest. The contest judge of Dorianne Laux, who had some amazingly generous thoughts about the poem. It's a big huge giant honor to be selected and I'm seriously still flying high from the news.
I also attempt being a formalist poet over at Whistling Fire. Check out my poem "The Ordination of Woman" that the published last week.
In online literary news, a bunch of journals have released their latest issues including Toad, Boxcar, PANK, and Sweet. I plan to sit down with all of these issues and read read read this weekend. I love them all. I'm a particularly big fan of Rachel Bunting and Mary Biddinger, both who are featured in Toad. Also, Adanna Literary Journal, a lovely new feminist print journal, has featured the work of some of their latest contributors online. Check out Carol Berg and Mary Stone Dockery, two upcoming Weave contributors.
I just got my copy of Gregory Sherl's Heavy Petting. Super excited to read it. I've flipped through it and caught a few pages, but I've been super busy with starting new jobs this week. I'll be honest, I don't read a ton of male poets. It's taken me a while to find people I like, and sometimes I find myself being uber-critical, and I have to step back and try to take in the experience and perspective of another. Sherl's poetry, often about relationships and sex, is open, funny and honest. It's quirky, which seems to be "the thing" in the hip-poet world at the moment, but not so quirky that it misses the emotional boat ride. These poems resonate. Some are also pretty sexy. I like sexy poems. Also, can I just say, nice job YesYes Books! Your design and print work is simple, yet stunning. Check out the review of Heavy Petting at Read This Awesome Book.
In the intersections of technology and all things literary we find two great bits of news. One, the Poetry Foundation has an app for your smart phone. Pretty sweet to be able to pull up any poem you want, whenever. Also, for you Kindle users out there, you can now check out books from certain libraries that use a service called OverDrive. I haven't tried it yet, but if you do, please let me know how it works. I think this has the potential to be HUGE.
Pittsburgh, I miss you. I miss autumn and pumpkins and the gorgeous hillsides ablaze with color. The last reading I attended in Pittsburgh was City of Asylum's 2011 Cave Canem reading. It was fantastic and featured readings from poets Toi Derricotte, Cornelius Eady, Natasha Trethewey, and special guest Amiri Baraka. If you missed it, never fear. I've posted the video of Amiri Baraka's reading at the end of the post. You can also read an interview with Baraka in the latest issue of Sampsonia Way. While his poetry often sparks controversy, I think that is one of things I see less of in the world of poetry these days. Let's all go write some poems that piss people off this week, okay?
Oh boy, there is still more literary deliciousness!
Issue 06 of Weave was reviewed by NewPages. Says reviewer Hazel Foster, "this issue offers an accessible mix of prose and poetry." I agree! Also, "Weave is a great example of how an independent print magazine can succeed. Subscribe, submit, find a comfortable place to devour and enjoy." Thanks so much. Oh yes, subscribe or purchase by tonight and you can get half off anything you buy. Just use the code "BICOASTAL" at checkout.
On an unrelated note, everyone in California is wearing these shoes. I want them too now. They look super comfortable. I'm going to Nordstroms tomorrow to try on a pair I think. I need some comfy walking shoes. Also not literary, but still fun, are these comics about bisexuality. Definitely relatable.
My last morsel of lit news comes from the United States Postal Service. Thanks for putting more poets on stamps. I can't wait to get my hands on these! Send me a postcard with one of these and I'll love you forever and ever.
Hi friend! How are you? I miss you, probably, but if I've never met you, well then thanks for reading my silly little blog.
On the personal front, life is improving. I realized last week that I was drinking way too much caffeine. I have since cut it in half and despite the terrible headaches in the morning, I'm feeling so much better. Like, beyond better. Turns out, caffeine produces anxiety and fucks with your sleep. Duh, Laura. I accomplished a number of things this week that I have been putting off.
Good news on the job front: I got a call about a tutoring job! I would teach writing to small groups of kids in grades 1-5. Fun! I also applied to work at this little cafe down the street, so hopefully I will be able fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a barista.
I also finally ventured over to Books & Bookshelves, which specializes in books of poetry. I can't tell you how awesome this store smells. Old books + wood furniture = Nose Heaven. They also have a large collection of beautiful paintings. I bought a book by San Francisco poet Michelle Tea and I chatted up the employee, David Highsmith, also a poet and he gave me his book for free! Really nice of him. The furniture was surprisingly affordable, so Sal and I might venture over there this weekend to look at some headboards. The store is now officially carrying copies of Weave Issue 06. They also have readings there, so I'm considering holding one for Weave.
Speaking of Weave, people are really talking up the latest issue on Facebook this week. There is lots of contributor love happening, which is great. I love when contributors find one another online and form mutual admiration societies. So cool. Also, this week we posted book reviews by poet (and friend) Thom Dawkins. Go read and then buy some books
Ok, what else is happening in my literary world this week?
Well, classes started up at Chatham and it's strange to not be a part of it. Grad school was over so quickly and now I keep finding articles that examine the value of the MFA. I have opinions on this. I will share them someday. In the mean time, read this fun piece by fellow Chatham alum Robert Isenberg, called "The Vanishing of Sombrero Man." He wrote this in our literary journalism class. It's cool to see it all finished and published.
The fall issue of A cappella Zoo is out. Online version coming soon. Somehow I missed the spring version (maybe it was that whole thesis-writing thing...) but I hope to read it later today and belatedly share some goodies with you.
That's all for this week, as I'm behind on blog reading. I started a new writing project, so I've been focusing a bit more on that. I hope you all have a fantastic long weekend. Enjoy all the fruits of your labor. Eat some BBQ. Read a book. I leave you with pictures of awesome people reading and a picture of me and Lindsey during her visit last weekend.
Well, everyone is back to school this week for the most part. I am sitting at home taking turns sending out job applications and weeping over my Master's degree.
We're cooking up some delicious goulash over at Weave. It's smellin' good. So many astounding submissions. I think this issue might just be a plump and juicy one. Also, collaborations abound! Expect to see some new things happening soon. Yay for being cryptic!
New word I learned this week: swale. n. a hollow or low place, especially a marshy depression between ridges. (I learned this word from reading poetry. It has made an appearance in a poem of mine now too.) That's a sexy word, right? Mm.
At the bottom you find a slideshow of pictures from last months InsideStoryTime reading. I have this months, but they are not uploaded yet.
Now, onto the Roundup for this week! (or however often I write these...)
Good things happening on the Interwebz. The new issue of Pedestal is up and it's a doozy. These twelve poems are all super different, but also dark, creepy, specific, grand, and just plain good. Some of them have an audio, which is awesome. Two of my favs: Wendy Miles' poem "Still Life" (you MUST listen to her lovely voice read this poem) and Adam Hughes' "Love Poem" which is weird and includes cats in blenders, but it works because of all the detail and tiny moments. I never realized how the crackling of shrimp shells does sound a lot like ice crackling. These two poems are really different, but I love that I found them in the same journal. I must also shout out to Christopher Shipman's "Ruins" simply because it deals so well with the death of elderly family. Such a tough topic to get into while avoiding the overly sentimental. Kudos.
I bought some new books this week. Looking forward to reading Sarah Sloat's new chapbook Excuse me while I wring this long swim out of my hairfrom Dancing Girl Press. I also got Gregory Sherl's Heavy Petting from YesYes Books. Both of these poets have had work in Weave, so I'm a bit biased, but I'm really looking forward to reading these.
Roxane Gay writes about happy endings over at HTML Giant. D. Gilson writes about submitting and queerness on the Sibling Rivalry Press blog. And finally, for the book lovers out there (all of you, I hope), here is some bookshelf porn. I can't only imagine how many weirdos are going to find my blog because of that link.
I've got so many chills today. From sexy, sexy poems. Also scary, still, hauntingly violent poems. And from an amazing article in praise of Patrick Swayze's sweet sweet hip thrusts.
Online journal qarrtsiluni has a poem by Ruth Foley called "If You Want Me" and it is a must-hear. Hear? Why, yes! They do a short podcast with each published poem featuring the poet reading their own words. Ms. Foley's poem and voice bring out the sad layers in this narrative.
Next up, we have Quartier Rouge, a quarterly literary video journal, from the lovely ladies of NYC's Poetry Brothel. These lady-poets have lots of lace clothing and male suitors. And for good reason. The Brothel features one-on-one poetry readings (think of it like a class-up, poemified, lap dance) at their performances. Now you can hear and see their alter-egos reading their words. Reading isn't quite right. It's more like a conversation where you can't possibly think of anything to say, because they are speaking. And when these poet's speak, you listen.
Finally, a happened upon this analysis of Dirty Dancing and why it is the greatest movie of all time. Writer Irin Carmon argues that Dirty Dancing is pro-woman, pro-sexuality, and pro-choice. Baby is ultimately a strong young woman who works hard and comes into her own in this story, which doesn't shy away from tough issues like class, race, abortion and sex. Plus, I learned that Patrick Swayze was the son of a ballerina and a cowboy. Now that's just begging to a poem, right?
All of these words are calling to you: Come here, loverboy...
