Oy. What to say? I’m still thinking about the slaughter in Las Vegas. And our country’s lack of response to gun violence. One thing I plan to do is continue to support the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Now for news. First off, I want to express my sadness at learning Susan Elbe passed away. We both had work in Kiss Me Goodnight so I met her that way, but I was also her FB friend and I enjoyed her posts and poems. An obituary is linked here. Also, I want … [Read more...]
Looking back, looking forward
If you read my last post you know that Solace in So Many Words is one-year-old. I have been thinking of the highlights from the past year. But before I give that account let me tell you how great it was that last week started with congratulatory flowers, sent by neighbor and mentor Fran Podulka and her husband Phil to celebrate the gold medal award Solace in So Many Words won from the Next Generation Indie Awards sponsored by Independent Book Publishing Professionals … [Read more...]
Gatsby Books in Long Beach–sublime!
Our trip to Long Beach was a definite success and a blast to boot. The reading at Gatsby Books went well as we suspected it would since Sean Moor, who owns Gatsby Books, and Alisha Attell, who coordinates the events there, were so enthusiastic about our coming to read there. Thanks to Sean and Alisha for their warm welcome and hot promotion! The bookstore was packed. The reading was kicked off by Donna Hilbert who is not only well-known but also well-admired in the poetry … [Read more...]
Happy coincidences and hearty congrats
Just the other day, the contributor of two poems to Solace in So Many Words was named U.S. Poet Laureate. Of course it should come as no surprise as that contributor is none other than Philip Levine. But what a happy coincidence -- I am so proud to say that the nation's top poet is in Solace in So Many Words! Now another happy coincidence has occurred, and that is that Joan Corwin who wrote "Details" has just won the Pearl's 2010 Short Story Prize for her story "Gone … [Read more...]
The launch was a blast!
The May 6 launch of Solace in So Many Words was great---a packed bookstore (SRO), an intent audience, and wonderful readings by nine contributors. Susan Spaeth Cherry read "Predictabilities," Barry Silesky read "Music Lesson," Kathleen Kirk read the prose poem in "Postponing a Response to the Fact of Mortality," and "Heartbreak House," D. J. Lachance read "Nagasaki Shadows," Lisa Liken read "Winter in Bosnia," Aloka Kamicheril read her father Jayant … [Read more...]