Acceptances

The Prose-Poem Project.

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My prose poem Depression will be published in The Prose-Poem Project, an online and print literary journal devoted entirely to the prose poem. I’m excited about this acceptance. This piece is quite different from most of my work to date, so it’s a great feeling to intentionally step out of my comfort zone and compose something that ‘s been deemed worthy enough to be published.

I’ve been gravitating toward writing prose poems lately. For some reason, I’ve found them less constraining and more forgiving when I attempt new things with my writing. This is a departure from my previous mode of operation: although I've written a handful of prose poems, I usually like the border between fiction and verse to not be blurry. So swan diving into the deep end of the prose poem pool is a big step for me.

I’ve written fifteen or so prose poems in the past two months, and Depression was one of those. I am considering trying to put together a manuscript of prose poems as a long term project. Sort of my own personal "prose-poem project." We’ll see if I can overcome my truncated attention span and make it happen.

Be good.

Redemption.

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My poem Redemption recently won the 2010 Southern Illinois Writers Guild National Contest (Poetry Division)!  Big thanks to Roger Poppen (the Contest Chair) and anyone else involved in with this wonderful contest opportunity. My poem Education also earned a tie for third place.

I am both happy and humbled that my work has been received this positively. Redemption especially was an experiment of sorts for me, a venture into a different style of poetry than I usually write, so I am encouraged by its victory.

To see a complete list of the contest winners, you can click here.

Since Redemption garnered first place, it will be published in an anthology – I’ll pass along those details later.

Quick Update.

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Can’t knock my hustle.

The Tidal Basin Review will publish my poems The Blues Almanac and Education in an upcoming edition.

My micro-fiction piece Anniversary recently appeared in One Forty Fiction.  Click here to read it, and leave a critique there if you feel compelled to do so.

Finally, the online journal A Handful of Dust will publish my poem Hello, My Name Is sometime in the future.

Things are looking up.



The Binnacle.

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I recently received word that my prose poem Incantation will appear in The Binnacle, the literary and arts journal of the University of Maine at Machias. The poem is an Honorable Mention piece in The Binnacle's Seventh Annual International Ultra-Short Competition.  This is the third time I've had the opportunity to contribute to The Binnacle, and I am happy to be on board again. Big thanks to the staff of The Binnacle for not only selection Incantation, but also for providing an annual competition for writers who write micro-fiction and short poems.

Acceptance.

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Quick note:  my poem titled Instructions (for Reading this Poem) will appear in an upcoming edition of The Broken Plate.

The Broken Plate is a literary magazine produced at Ball State University featuring poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The magazine accepts submissions from writers around the world while continuing to devote pages to the work of Ball State students. The Broken Plate is beginning an exciting new phase in its growth toward a more diverse representation of the creative community. Looking at excerpts from the 2009 plate, I'm excited to see what this issue will look like.

Personally this acceptance makes me really happy, since Instructions (for Reading this Poem) is one of my favorite poems (Wait...is it vain to have favorites of your own work? Oh well...) from my unpublished manuscript The Blues Almanac.

Thanks to the editors for the opportunity to contribute – I’ll have more news as publication nears.

Three Poems Accepted by Front Range.

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I’ll have three poems in the next edition of Front Range: A Review of Literature and Art. 

Front Range (formerly MO:  Writings from the River) is an annual nationally-circulated literary journal which features work from writers and artists from all around the world, many of them award winners.

I’m especially proud of this acceptance because two of the poems are prose poems – so they symbolize the growing diversity in my published works.  In other words, I’m like growing as a writer ad stuff.

Thanks to editor Fredrick Bridger for the chance to contribute.  I’ll post more info once the newest Front Range comes out in 2010.

Putting Anger to Good Use.

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Good news.  My poem titled a condensed history of anger, with footnotes will appear in the upcoming edition of Interrobang?! Magazine, a web and print ‘zine for the arts based in Providence, RI.  Interrobang’s goal is to provide a formal venue for voices of all kinds, whether it be fiction, nonfiction, creative essays, fine art, or experimental music and video.  Big thanks to Poetry Editor Astrid Drew for the chance to contribute to this magazine.

Incoherent babble and upcoming stuff.

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Been writing poetry like a madman. About halfway done with my second poetry manuscript, tentatively titled the truth handbook. Hard for me to work on the second book when I have yet to find a publisher for the first one, but I have to push on.

I have yet to learn how to control my muse, so I have not written much fiction lately, but hoping that will change soon. Obviously I let that NaNoWriMo goal slip past me. I didn’t even feign trying. I didn’t even sign up. My bad. I’ll get ‘em next year.

My poem Hello Songs, winner of the Poetry Society of New Hampshire’s August 2008 contest, was recently published in The Poet’s Touchstone. 

My poem Tell Me Lies in a Dead Language, which appeared online in The Shine Journal, has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize – click here for proof. Yay!  I consider being nominated a huge honor, so big thanks to editor Pamela Tyree Griffin.

My poem Prophecy will appear in the online journal Stone's Throw, a literary magazine based in Montana featuring writers and artists from around the world. Sweet. Thanks to poetry editor Tami Haaland for the chance to contribute.

My poem Seasonal Affective Disorder will appear in Main Channel Voices, a literary journal based out of Winona, Minnesota. This is my second chance to be part of this “dam fine” publcation, and I definitely appreciate the opportunity.

Well, it’s past 10 PM. Time to write. Such is the life of an insomniac creative. Be good…

Quick Update

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I will have a poem in the new print edition of If Poetry Journal titled Invocation of the Muse. I’m excited about this one because it will be my first published prose poem. Click here to see a list of contributors for this edition of If – it looks like it will be a great read.

I also found out my poem An Abundance of Scarcity will appear in an upcoming edition of inscape. inscape is the literary journal published annually at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. The publication, which premiered in 1972, features poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction and visual art. Happy to have this chance to contribute – big thanks to poetry editors Michelle Lassiter and Leif Anderson or the opportunity.

New Hampshire rocks. And so does the Ouroboros Review.

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Honestly, I know little about the state of New Hampshire and whether it rocks or not. What I do know is my poem Hello Songs was awarded first prize in the Poetry Society of New Hampshire’s August 2008 National Contest. From the contest rules I’ve deduced that this entitles me to a nice cash prize and the chance to have Hello Songs published in The Poet’s Touchstone, a quarterly magazine. That’s enough for me to repeat my original statement – New Hampshire rocks. Thanks to the contest coordinator Lynne Birdsall for this opportunity and also to judge Mark DeCarteret for deeming my work worthy of this award.

And I received news of another acceptance yesterday – my poem Truth will appear in the inaugural edition of the Ouroboros Review, a new journal of poetry and art. Ouroboros intends to publish an online review quarterly and will offer a print magazine twice a year. I’m excited for the chance to contribute to this new publication – thanks to editors Jo Hemmant and Christine Swint for the chance to contribute.

It looks like folks can still submit to the Ouroboros Review, and the editors seem friendly and gave a prompt response . Of course, this is a fledgling publication, so the editors will have plenty of time to become overly highbrow, stodgy, condescending, and unresponsive in the future (just kidding). If you are a poet or artist who is interested in this publication, you can check out their submission guidelines by clicking here.

Tell Me Lies in a Dead Language

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My poem Tell Me Lies in a Dead Language will be in the October 2008 edition of The Shine Poetry Journal, an online journal that showcases flash fiction, poetry, art, and photography.  The Shine Journal was voted by Writer's Digest Reader's Poll as one of the "Best Websites for Writers" and also placed in the top ten of the 2007 Preditors & Editors Poll.  Needless to say I am excited for this chance to contribute - thanks to editor Pamela Tyree Griffin for this opportunity.

Upcoming Publication - 95Notes

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My poem Personal Errata will appear in an upcoming edition of 95Notes. 

95Notes is an independent Literary Magazine started by Chicago State University writing students to represent creative writers within the literary community.  Many thanks to the editorial staff for including my work in their literary vision.

Acceptance to miniStories + upcoming reading

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Just found out my microfiction piece What is Between Us was selected by mnartists.org to be included in the miniStories series. I appreciate this opportunity; a big thanks to miniStories coordinator Geoff Herbach and everyone else involved with the competition.

miniStories is a quarterly flash fiction competition coordinated by Electric Arc Radio's Geoff Herbach (author of The Miracle Letters of T. Rimburg, Three Rivers Press). This literary series showcases previously unpublished short stories by Minnesota writers which are selected by authors, editors, and publishing industry veterans from across the country. Winning stories are then published on mnartists.org and in the e-magazine access+ENGAGE. I’ll post something here on my blog once my story is unveiled on the internet.

As part of the whole miniStories shebang, I’ve been invited to read my story at the miniStories reading on Monday, July 27 at 7 PM. The reading will be at the Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave NE, in Minneapolis . If you are in the Twin Cities and have a craving to experience literary ecstasy, stop by…the lineup of authors reading their stories looks amazing and it is sure to be a great time.


The Poetics Noire: Volume I

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Great news - I recently found out one of my poems titled Survival Tactics is slated to be part of an anthology called The Poetics Noire: Volume I.  Much thanks to editor Britany Elise Rickett for deciding to include my piece.

The Poetics Noire: Volume I is an anthology dedicated the promoting the minority point of view.  This book is not dedicated to only portraying how minorities feel on given issues; it is about helping to rid stereotypes of ALL people through art.  Sounds like an ambitious book that our world really needs, which is why I am excited about the chance to contibute.

According to the website, submissions are still being accepted for this anthology.  Click here to check out more info on this future publication if you are interested.

Poem to appear in Asphalt Sky

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smallskybutton.jpgJust got word that my poem Last Call Confessional will be published online in the inaugural edition of Asphalt Sky.  Sweet.

According to their manifesto, Asphalt Sky is committed to publishing emerging artists and giving a place for thoughtful and engaging poetry, prose, and art work.  I am looking forward to being a part of this new exciting online publication - thanks to editor Jessica Fox-Wilson for giving me this great oppotunity to reach more readers.  I'll be sure to post a link when the first issue Asphalt Sky is up and running!

Acceptance to What Light: This Week's Poem

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Great news. My poem Mistakes will be part of What Light: This Week's Poem. A a result, the poem will be published online at both http://www.mnartists.org/ and http://www.magersandquinn.com in the near future (circa 3/31/08), along with a pic, a bio note, and a blurb about my poetry.

This acceptance means a lot – Mistakes is the first poem that represents my recent subtle style shift. I’ve moved a bit away from the rant poems and narrative verse that dominated my writing last year, towards something a little more fragmented, less linear. I discuss this in the blurb that will appear in What Light.

What Light: This Week's Poem, sponsored by Magers and Quinn Booksellers in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis, spotlights a poem each week by a Minnesota poet, selected by a panel of writers and publishers. I’m excited to be included in this series of What Light, and plan on attending and reading at the next reading for the series on March 30 at Magers and Quinn. Thanks to all those involved with What Light, especially Lightsey Darst and Jen March for deeming my work worthy.

You may have noticed the lack of blog posts on my part lately. That is partially due to Mistakes being my first accepted piece of the year. Yep, after a red hot 2007, things have started a lil’ lukewarm for my writing so far in 2008. That being said, I have been writing a lot – more than 20 poems and a short story in the past month alone – and submitting a lot of manuscripts to various places, so it’s only a matter if time before things heat up again. I hope.

Oh yeah, Survival Notes, my first fiction chapbook, is still available through Cervena Barva Press. Buy a copy for each of your personalities.