New Publication!

My poem, "After 7 am," is published in the most recent issue of dot dot dash, the "Gambit Issue." I haven't received my copy yet, but I'm very excited for when I do, and happy to be a part of an international publication. The idea of themed magazines is a good one, not to pigeon-hole, but to open a discourse and to reinterpret words, meanings, definitions, themes.

Prior to submitting to dot dot dash, I didn't know what a gambit is... a wacky chess move? When one makes a sacrificing move to get ahead. So... interesting. I originally heard of the publication through a colleague at Chatham, Miss Laura Davis, her poem is published in the Feast Issue (#5). I love the design choices of dot dot dash, and decided to think about what the word "gambit" means, and if I had a poem suitable for the word/ idea. Looking through my manuscript, I found a plethora of poems on sacrifice, and I'm happy to have found, "After 7 am" a home. The poem personifies Tuesday, and approaches friendship and love.

I'll do a write-up on Issue 8 (examining other writers' interpretations of gambit) when I receive the magazine in the post.

Thanks dot dot dash! For including my work!

A Handmade/ Secondhand Christmas/ Playing a Good Santa

This year I have decided to shop only secondhand, handmade, independent, or at local shops for Christmas. Not only does it save (slightly), but it's also so nice to the earth and to the community. I wanted to avoid online shopping, but along the way, I found some great sites that have allowed me to stick to my promise to myself.

I am brought back to the times of my teenage hood, when I saved up my babysitting money, and shopped at thrift stores for gifts. Finding vintage treasures has the same magical feeling as it did then, and each gift given is bound to be unique, truly the chances of repeat gifts are cut back, and the surprise will always be bigger.

With two weeks left until Christmas, I find myself still shopping, and I figure others are doing the same. I've compiled a list for smart shopping/ unique holiday gift ideas I've fallen upon along the way:

1. Mystic Monk Coffee : For the days when it's hard to make it to the coffee shop to write, this stuff is amazing. My parents first brought home a bag from the National Cathedral in DC. I honestly could not believe the alert state my mind took after drinking my first cup. Brewed by the Carmelite Monks in Wyoming, the blends are all remniscent of their name: mystic. This is a fly high drink, and it really will make the coffee drinkers in your life happy. The coffee/ tea also makes a good gift to the self!

2. For the literary lovers in your life: Small Press Distribution is running a 40% off sale for the holidays. SPD is wonderful. I always feel good shopping with them, a hub for small presses, the non-profit company carries an excellent array of publications from the independent literary world... from Alice James Books to Zone 3 Press.

3. Etsy carries just about anything and everything colorful and unique. Among my favorites are the handmade journals.

4. Book-y earrings -- way cool!

5. Vintage books / things made out of vintage books Story-time clocks? Yes!

Happy Smart Shopping and Merry Merry Everything!

Commercials and Poetry: How Levis has been giving me the shivers

A little while back, I did a blog post on The Beats, it was Jack K's b-day on that day. I included a clip of Tom Waits reading, "The Laughing Heart." G-damn I love that poem.

And then later, I was sitting in the movie theatre, a few months ago, and I literally almost jumped out of my seat when I saw Levi's had done a commercial, "Go Forth..." that featured Bukowski's poem.

But a few moments ago, I was watching a friend's vlog (The Vlog Poet's Channel) and one of the videos talked about poetry in the news... film and media. I was reminded of the commercial again and wanted to share it:



"Be on the watch... the Gods will offer you chances, know them. Take them."

It really is great to see poetry moving into the mainstream, whether viewers realize it or not. Because I do believe, we ought wear poetry the way we wear jeans.

Thank you, Levi's.

And another favorite:



Jeans and poetry. Love and Sex. And strange love... God how that idea grips me... because writing is some strange love, after all.

Return to (a post on self-help for myself...a vent really)

I love it. I love poetry. So why haven't I been letting it permeate my life? Why haven't I been dedicating myself to it? I want to give myself reasons, thus making my problem "public" "bloglic.. public..." (I have a cold and my thoughts are blending together.)

1. I feel broken record-ish.

2. I just want to watch T.V.

3. Grading. I ought to be grading.

4. Does my work feel boring somehow? Or am I just missing a semblance of a writing community?

5. I need a good, independent coffee shop to go to.

6. Job hunting for full time work or supplemental part time work. It takes time.

I need to change something. Maybe write long hand instead of on the computer. Maybe re-focus myself.

I need to, we all need to:

1. Trust my body of revised work and send it out for publications.

2. Revise.

3. Seek advise from writing friends.

4. Re-visit my manuscript and re-shop the market.

5. Let go of timelines. Then create timelines.

6. Become capable of turning negative feelings into positive feelings.

(Lists should always come in 6's.)

Three pieces of Insight for the Day

I write in red ink these days, it spreads across the papers I collect. The words passive voice; word choice, spelling error spill out of my hand, but I never forget: a soul lives in every word written. Every word spoken.




Disfunction. Misinterpretations. Repetitions. Wacky equations. Good is always on the horizon.



Sometimes it's easier to neglect making art; to neglect visual and verbal expression; to stare off into space. Because life doesn't always reveal the importance of reflection; of replication/ interpretation. Because who can tell how big an audience, if ever an audience, what for? These words echo the reminder: the reasons to make art are just as significant as making love: for history, for the better of the body, for the better of the earth, to spread energy, the earth is incomplete and boring without it.

Inspiration for a Sunday

(Thanks, Kim Brown, for sharing!)

Small Press Festival in Frostburg, MD

Dear Good People,

This coming Saturday, October 15th, is Frostburg State University's Center for Creative Writing Small Press Festival, and that's exciting to me for the following reasons:

1. Shady Side Review will be serving on the panel: Online Journals: From Paper to Published.
2. Athena Pappas, my dear friend/ poetry co-editor/ poetic partner in crime, and I will be selling chapbooks we published.
3. I will be selling my own chapbook.
4. Frostburg is beautiful in the fall.
5. The line-up is great:

10:30 am - Registration; Meet and Greet the Editors and Publishers; and Light Breakfast

11 am- Book Fair Opens

11:30 am - 12:15 pm
Publishing Basics
YA/ Children's Writing: A Round Table
Reading and Writing Online
Freelance Writing

12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Sci-Fi and Fantasy Horror: A Round Table
Self Promotion
Writing Spirituality
Blogging, New Media, and Journalism

Break

2:00 pm - 2: 45 pm
DIY and Self Publishing
Poetry: A Round Table
The Novel: A Round Table

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Writing Local
Scriptwriting: A Round Table
Online Journals: From Paper to Published
Publishing Basics

4:00 pm- 4:30 pm
Book Fair
Light Refreshments

If you're in the area: BE THERE!

More Info: http://www.frostburg.edu/cwcenter/smallpressfair.htm