The rewards of working with poets on their manuscripts

Congratulations to North Dakota poet Madelyn Camrud, whose poetry book manuscript was recently accepted for publication. Oddly Beautiful will be released in the fall of 2013. (I'll wait to name the press, so I won't steal its thunder.) I had the pleasure of working with Madelyn this past spring, when she hired me to help with the editing and sequencing of her manuscript. A talented poet, she's the author of This House Is Filled With Cracks, as well as the chapbook The Light We Go After.

Keep and Give Away -- now on Kindle

My book of poems Keep and Give Away is now on Kindle, good news--and yet news that leaves me with an odd mix of feelings. Joy, of course, for its new life in a different format. But what this news also says to me, in a mocking tone, is that I'm old fashioned. I don't own a Kindle. Or an iPad or any kind of tablet. So it feels as if Keep and Give Away has moved to another planet. 

Yes, this Kindle news is good news. It's also encouragement to catch up--so I can read the electronic version of my own book, so I can visit it on Mars. Somehow, though, I think I'll still prefer holding the old-fashioned print book in my hands, turning one paper page after another. Pure nostalgia--for paper.

Sept. 14-15: Writing, Creativity, and Soul -- Sophia Institute

September 14-15, 2012
Writing, Creativity, and Soul
Sophia Institute
297 East Bay St., Charleston, SC 29401
Mary Alice Monroe, Josephine Humphreys, Debra Moffitt, Stephanie Hunt, Susan Finch Stevens, Susan Laughter Meyers, Nina Bruhns

Be among the unique gathering of writers who will engage in intimate conversations with authors Mary Alice Monroe, Josephine Humphreys, Debra Moffitt, Stephanie Hunt, Nina Bruhns, and poet Susan Finch Stevens about writing, the creative life, and publishing.

Friday Schedule:

Evening session 6:30-8:30: The Writer’s Life: Creativity, Soul, and Survival. Mary Alice Monroe, Debra Moffitt, Josephine Humphreys.  Carolyn Rivers to moderate. Bestselling authors discuss their personal stories in an open fashion.  Topics  include: keys for motivation, sources of inspiration, maintaining a healthy mind and body, overcoming rejection, the muse vs writer's block. Q&A from audience for a very special, intimate discussion.

Books of authors available for sale and autograph. Reception to follow.

Optional: Friday, 2:00-4:00: Debra Moffitt. Master Class. Preparing book proposals and developing platforms $40.

Saturday Schedule:

Morning session - 9:30-11:00: Mary Alice Monroe
Morning session - 11:30-1:00: Josephine Humphreys

Lunch 1-2:30: Catered lunch. Working session: Nina Bruhns,  How to Publish Online.

Afternoon sessions options– 2:30-4:00 with break – focus on genre: Nonfiction and Memoir - Debra Moffitt; Personal essay, blog, nonfiction- Stephanie Hunt; Poetry - Susan Finch Stevens, Susan Laughter Meyers. Methods of Critique, Mary Alice Monroe, Nina Bruhns

Big Conversation - 4:20-5:00: Dialogue with entire group and audience — final questions. Reflections
______________

Authors:

Mary Alice Monroe, NY Times author of 16 novels, including Beach House Memories, The Butterfly's Daughter

Josephine Humphreys, author of NY Times Notable Rich in Love, The Fireman’s Fair,  Dreams of Sleep, Nowhere Else on Earth.

Debra Moffitt, author of Gold Medal award winner Awake in the World.

Stephanie Hunt,  writer and editor published in Charleston Mag, Skirt, HOME, she writes personal essays, profiles features, blogs.

Susan Finch Stevens, author of chapbook Lettered Bones. Her poems appear in publications and invitational book arts exhibitions.

Susan Laughter Meyers,  author of award winning  Keep and Give Away

Nina Bruhns, award winning author of 40 novels and Editor at Entangled Publishing

                         Tuition: $195 by August 20, $225 afterward. 

                         Go to The Sophia Institute for details of workshops and authors.

Reading & discussion held at City Lights Bookstore

On July 19 I had a lovely time reading and discussing poetry at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, NC. Such a charming bookstore, complete with its two cats. We had a small, delightfully engaging group that circled up and talked about the writing process, as well as how poems affect us as readers. My good friend Pat Riviere-Seel took good care to get me from Asheville to Sylva--such a gorgeous drive!--and after the event we enjoyed spending time with Kay Byer, talented poet and former NC poet laureate.

If you're ever in the vicinity of Sylva, be sure to stop in at City Lights.

Poems published by IthacaLit journal

The summer 2012 issue of IthacaLit features the poetry of Bruce Guernsey, plus the poems of twelve other poets. My poems "Helen of the Ravens" (for my friend Helen Brandenburg) and "Oilcloth of My Childhood" are included. The guest poetry editor for this issue is Diane Lockward. I'm delighted to be in the company of such fine poets. To view the issue, including an interview and art, go to IthacaLit

Poets
Bruce Guernsey * Rachel Abramson Dacus * Ruth Bavetta * K. R. Copeland * George Drew * Michaela A. Gabriel * Bridget Gage-Nelson * Tom C. Hunley * Karla Huston * Susan Johnson * Adele Kenney * Susan Laughter Meyers * Michael Young

Staff
Michele Lesko, founding editor
Sherry O'Keefe, editor
Madeleine Beckman, non-fiction editor
Katerina Stanton, copyeditor and design consultant
Kerry O'Gorman, photographer

Sunday, Apr. 15. -- Reading in Georgetown, SC

Poetry reading in Georgetown, SC
The Two Susans: Susan Finch Stevens, Susan Laughter Meyers
Sunday, April 15
3 - 4 p.m.
Coffee Break Cafe, 716 Front Street
... Come early to get a latte or pastry to enjoy during the reading.
Reading sponsor: Harborwalk Books

Other Susans--and poetry lovers of any name--are welcome.

storySouth has published three of my poems

The new issue of the online literary journal storySouth is out, and I'm happy to have three poems in it: "Season of Tourists"; Military Maneuvers, South of Drowning Creek"; and "Passage." Here's a lineup of the poets in Issue 33, Spring 2012:

Special feature: Katie Chaple
Also: Susan Laughter Meyers * Nadine Sabra Meyer * Nathan Friedman * Terri Kirby Erickson * Jenny Z. Wu * John Stanford Owen * Sarah Sweeney * Rebecca Gayle Howell

Congratulations to the editors and staff; many thanks for including my work.

March 19, 2012: Ed Madden's MFA poetry workshop at USC

Tomorrow Bryan Penberthy and I will be guest teachers in Ed Madden's MFA poetry workshop at the University of South Carolina. We're both looking forward to the experience, meeting with the students while Ed is away in Ireland. We'll read a few poems, talk about our writing process and publication experience, and teach a brief mini-lesson. My mini-lesson will be on "The Usefulness of Silence in a Poem."