With all the holiday hub-bub, I almost forgot to mention that local arts magazine Rapid River published my poem, “Abstract Painting in Blue,” in the December issue. It’s a short poem in a series of poems I’ve been writing on the topic of art theory as explained through the life of an artist.
Tags: [writing, writer, poetry, poet, Rapid River]
There are these ads from True that keep populating my Hotmail page when I go to check email. In most cases I just ignore them because I’m checking emails not reading ads. But today I actually glanced at one and remembered how lonely it can be for single adults during the holidays.
A friend of mine sent me an email this week to let me know his band was playing at Westville Pub on Christmas Eve. The band is Gypsy Bandwagon and “wanted to do something for the folks that have nowhere else to go for the Holiday.” I can’t think of a better place to be on Christmas Eve.
I came up with a Web banner ad to replace the ubiquitious True ads:
The show starts at 8:00PM and is free to the public. Gypsy Bandwagon is an “Eastern European Pre Post-Modernist Folk Revivalist kind of thang.” Should be a good show. Maybe I’ll see you there. Cheers! Egg nog! and all that ho-ho Merry Christmas goodness!
A number of poetry submissions were sent out this weekend.
The one thing I abhor about the whole process is the “write a brief bio” portion of the submission letter. I mean, shouldn’t my publicist do that (not that I have one).
It’s like an intellectual swimsuit contest for a literary pageant. How do you look in a two-piece swimsuit with a tiara on your head? If you fit the definition of intellectual beauty and you’ve been published by notable literary magazines than you avoid the slush pile. If not, try finding another line of work.
So, here’s a new bio I wrote to accompany my latest submissions. It’s me in a red thong with a bright yellow Wisconsin cheese wedge on my head.
Bio: I am a cultural creative theory slut from Asheville, NC who is considered by some a true postmodernist. I collect hard cover books in foreign languages, eat critical theory articles for breakfast, bath in Icelandic and mythology and digest ancient manuscripts for light reading.
Do you think it’s too over the top?
Just received an email from the editor of H_NGM_N that the latest issue (#4) is available online. H_NGM_N published my poem “Last Bus” in this issue. I’m still reading through it myself and really enjoy the company… especially, Tim Bradford’s “Scope.” H_NGM_N also offers merchandise (T-shirts, coffee mugs, bumperstickers and journal notebooks) which is just in time for the holidays.
Yesterday afternoon, I received my first royalty check from my publisher. I thought about celebrating, but then I looked at the amount… it should cover this week’s bus fare. I didn’t expect a big fat royalty check; after all it is a small poetry book by a virtually unknown character. I do find it curious that it’s delivery coincided with the birthday of American poet Emily Dickinson (she only had seven poems published in her lifetime).
Most (if not all) the books were sold through online retailers, and almost half the books were purchased in the last three months.
So, thanks to those who purchased Late Night Writing. The sophomore book cometh soon.
For those who haven’t purchased Late Night Writing… it makes a great gift. Or as my brother put it: “I have it displayed in the most predominant room in the house, the bathroom. I can’t tell you how many times I have enjoyed reading through this quality reading product. But a rough guess is at least once a day.” No, I didn’t pay him to write that.
So, next time you pick up a roll of toilet paper, remember to purchase a copy of Late Night Writing for that special room in your home. Here’s a list of places where you can find Late Night Writing. It is also available at Amazon.com, Abebooks.com, Alibris, Powell’s Books and Barnes & Noble.
One reviewer wrote: “Late Night Writing is easy, feeling-good reading, almost like a Rimbaud sobering up with Miles Davis over tequila sunrises at Venice Beach on a windy September late afternoon.”
Another reviewer wrote: “[T]hese poems are for & of the quiet moments we mostly overlook & are doomed to lose, snapshots of what’s been lost. This collection provides a kind of recollection & understanding,… in that space where we are alone with memory & desire.”
Tags: [writing, writer, poetry, poet, books, late night writing]
Coffeehouse Junkie 