Category Archives: Publication

Mothman & Little Free Lit Mag

I have a couple new publications to share! First, Mothman Was Here: Tales of the Uncanny is a fantastic cryptid-themed anthology edited by William Woolfitt and published by Tenpenny Books. I would love this anthology even if my poem weren’t included, but I’m extra delighted that a reprint of my poem “Baba Yaga’s Answer” is in such excellent company.

Last week, my poem “When My Spouse Was Hot” was published in the first issue of Little Free Lit Mag, and I’m so happy to be part of this new journal’s launch! The idea is that you can read (and listen to) the issues online and also print out copies to leave in little free libraries near you. So clever! I’m especially honored that they wanted to share this poem, which blends some playfulness with some flashbacks to cancer/chemo.

Lascaux & Desert Rat Prizes

These past few months have been busy with travel and new class preps, but I’m finally taking a moment to share good poetry news here!

My poem “On the Night We Met, My Father Gave Me Icarus” was chosen as a finalist for The Lascaux Review Poetry Prize! The finalist award also included a monetary prize and publication. I’m thrilled that this poem found a home in such good company. Congrats to Nafisa Iqbal and my fellow finalists!

I also learned that my poem “At the Bird Rehab Facility in Vermont” was chosen by Kelli Russell Agodon as a runner-up for the Desert Rat Poetry Prize! Again, my work keeps some great company.

 

Coming soon… an update about the readings I’ve done recently!

My Op-Ed in Tangle

I subscribe to Tangle, this great news source that deep dives into a major story each day and aggregates a spectrum of perspectives on it. They just started a new Sunday Edition and called for reader op-ed pitches, and they chose mine to print first!

They’ve reprinted my “Con Pane” poem (first published in Limp Wrist) along with a short essay about the importance of Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe in my life (and I could’ve said so much more…). ❤️

Note: You do have to be a subscriber to read the op-ed in full on the Tangle site.

Last Syllable is live!

I’m so thrilled to share that we’ve published Issue 1 of Last Syllable, the new online literary journal created and run by the students in PLNU’s M.A. in Writing program!

My Editing & Publishing class created this journal from scratch this semester—everything from choosing the name to designing the website to reading over 500 submissions to curating, setting up, and promoting this first issue and more! They did an incredible amount of work, and this gorgeous issue that they’ve produced is such a great way to bring this new journal to life.

I knew there was a gap in publishing venues for longform writing (which is why that’s our focus!), but I never dreamed that over 500 people would give Last Syllable a chance during this first reading period. I’m so proud of my grad students, who are not only incredible writers themselves, but also such thoughtful and engaged editors who are so fun to be with each week. And I’m grateful for all of the writers—those published in this issue and not—who trusted our new journal with their work! I hope many readers let themselves get lost in this first issue for awhile.

Publications & Reviews & Readings… Oh My!

I just read the last words of this post’s title in George Takei’s voice rather than as the end of “lions and tigers and bears” from The Wizard of Oz, and I’m loving the collision of pop culture references that’s happening in my head!

The last couple of months have been a busy blur, not always in the best ways, but sometimes in wonderful ways. Here are some poetry highlights…

Courtney LeBLanc came to town in September, and I got to read with her at the CHE Cafe! What a brilliant poet, and what a wonderful space!

At the end of September, I hosted PLNU’s 25th Annual Poetry Day. I had the idea to have an ensemble reading of 25 poets for this special occasion, and we pulled it off! San Diego poets and a few guests from LA turned out for this incredible event, and we filled the auditorium. People stayed around talking for a long time afterwards too, and that’s how I know it was a good time. The whole evening felt magical.

In October I was a featured reader for Hafez Day in San Diego alongside some incredible poets. I chose the poems I read that night using Hafez divination: I opened the book of poems and let the lines I landed on point me toward which of my poems I should read. (I loved this! I need to let Hafez choose poems for me more often). This was such a beautiful night of poetry by a gorgeous variety of people.

Jennifer Pollock Michel interviewed me about Hereverent alongside Heather Lanier for The Englewood Review of Books podcast.

My poem “Who Is Like God?” was published in the latest issue of The WIndhover!

Psaltery & Lyre published Jennifer A. Sutherland’s incredibly thoughtful review of Hereverent last week.

The grad students in my Editing & Publishing course in PLNU’s new MA in Writing program are creating a new online literary journal that focuses on longform work, and it’s amazing: Last Syllable. I’m so proud of the work they’re doing. They’ve already had their first reading period and chosen work for the first two issues, and the first issue will be out in December!

I’ve also gotten to be a guest at a poetry salon, attend some delightful readings, receive a couple of exciting acceptances… and I made some fun arrangements that involve licensing “This Poem Is about Dinosaurs” (my Jeff Goldblum poem). More info on that coming soon!

The Bleeding Woman Turns 10! (+ signed copies!)

Now that I’m home from summer travels, I can take a moment to celebrate this quiet milestone: my first poetry collection is 10 years old. What a wild 10 years this has been. These poems are still dear to me, some in very different ways than they were when I wrote them.

Now that I’m home I can also offer to mail signed copies of books! If you’d like to purchase The Gospel of the Bleeding Woman for this 10th anniversary, you can use these links: US or international; shipping included.

If you’d like to purchase a signed copy of my newest collection, Hereverent, I’m also able to mail signed copies of that book for the first time! You can use these links: US or international (shipping included).

Some of my other collections are available too. Details here. 🙂

Thank you to all of you who have read, published, shared, and encouraged my work along the way! I’m so grateful for you.