Poetic Tourism

The editor of Little Patuxent Review (where I have now had the honor of being published twice), Laura Shovan, recently invited me to be one of her guest bloggers for National Poetry Month. Her theme this year is the Technoverse, so my experience with a podcast poetry tour was a perfect fit. Read it and a supplemental poem and enjoy Laura's wonderful illustrations, in today's edition of Author Amok.

As it happens, today is also Poem in Your Pocket Day, sponsored by The Academy of American Poets. Mine is "The Rain" by Robert Creeley. What's yours?

Stepping Away

I am very pleased to announce that Issue 9 of Stepaway Magazine, containing my poem "On the Green Line," is now available for your reading pleasure. This very fine UK-based journal celebrates the experience of walking around (or, in some cases such as with my poem, being conveyed) around and exploring the urban environment. As the editor puts it, "This is flânerie for the twenty-first century." Having greatly aspired to be a flâneur ever since my first reading of Walter Benjamin, I am naturally thrilled.

Publication Roundup

Not to brag (well, maybe a little), but I've had a pretty good string of publications over the last few months, with two recent ones that I haven't yet documented here yet. So to bring everyone up to date, besides my latest book, I have a poem in the latest issue (#3) of Cactus Heart and one in the Winter issue of Rising Tide Review (which also contains a poem by the lovely Naomi). The latter is an interesting journal that is especially interested in publishing the work of writers over 40 and is published in Atlantic, VA, not far from my beloved Chincoteague. Check out these fine magazines!

It's Out!

In record time from acceptance to publication, my new book is now available on Amazon. If you are in or near D.C., you will be able to purchase a copy from me soon, should you prefer to get it that way. I will of course happily sign and personalize your copy if at all possible.

I am hoping to start arranging readings soon, some I hope in conjunction with my lovely friend, Naomi, as she promotes her own collection (which you should also order if you haven't already: In Yolo County. (Use the pull down and find Naomi Thiers.) It promises to be an exciting Spring!

Next Next Big Thing

My (virtual) friend Joshua Gray, a great supporter and promoter of poetry in general and DC-area poets in particular, tagged me for The Next Big Thing, a blog-chain interview now making the rounds. I was naturally flattered and now that his answers have been posted, it's my turn:

What is your working title of your book (or story)?

Memory and Desire

Where did the idea come from for the book?

As I was reviewing my poems with an eye to putting together a third collection, I noticed that a number of my recent poems explored in some fashion memory, desire, or both (memory being often a form of desire). I had already gathered a few poems under the heading “Useless Desires” (inspired by Patty Griffin’s beautiful song with that title) with, of course, the famous opening lines of The Waste Land echoing in my mind as well.

What genre does your book fall under?

Lyric poetry

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

The main character (myself, the lyric “I”): William Powell

Patty Griffin and T. S. Eliot: Themselves

Should the film rights be sold and development begin, I will put out a call for fresh talent to play the other characters (in those poems where characters appear).

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Roaming from childhood recollections to captured moments from the natural and the urban environments, the book includes poems ranging from brief lyrics to longer narratives, some humorous, others wistful.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Neither; it is being published by Sweatshoppe Publications.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The book gathers poems written over the last 5-6 years; it took about a week to put it together.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

N/A

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Each poem, of course, stemmed from its own inspiration. The possibility of another book, coupled with the opportunity offered by a new press, inspired me to compile and shape the poems into a manuscript.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

The beautiful cover.

Publication News

My first pub of the new year (and the first of several pending) is up at the very fine online journal Faircloth Review. Be sure to browse the site for some excellent poems, stories, and other items of interest.

I have more poems appearing soon in print and/or online in Cactus Heart,Rising Tide Review, and The Rusty Nail. Watch this space for details.

Finally, I want to congratulate my dear friend and muse Naomi Thiers for attaining 70 pre-orders for her upcoming book In Yolo County. There's still time to order, so if you haven't, please visit Finishing Line Press and do so.

2013 is shaping us a very good year for Naomi and me as regards our writing and publishing endeavors. Wishing everyone a happy Martin Luther King/Inauguration Day!

Desire Fulfilled

I am thrilled and delighted to announce the publication of my third collection of poetry, Memory and Desire, forthcoming from a new press called Sweatshoppe Publications. I will post details as to publication date, ordering, etc., as they become available. For now, please visit their website and consider ordering one or more of their other fine books. Their mission as stated there is admirable and I urge your support for their endeavors. They have been a pleasure to work with so far, and I can't wait to present my newest book to the world.