AWP tips, a New Review, and Recovery Time

So, as I slowly recover the use of my lungs (from pneumonia) and arm (from a broken/cartilage damaged elbow) I feel the pressure to get ready for AWP and catch up on a bunch of work I had to put off for a while in the last two weeks.

But one piece of nice news was a review of Unexplained Fevers in issue 15 of the LA Review – http://newbinarypress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Unexplained_Fevers_LAR15.pdf – which my publisher kindly scanned and posted for me!

So, I’d like to offer some tips for AWP (along with this great set of tips Kelli has already posted which I heartily agree with)

1. Hydrate. Eat on a regular basis, even if it’s just a Kind bar and a latte. Be better to your body than usual. Use lip balm. Brush your teeth and shower. Sleep.
I know these all seem kind of basic, but even a regularly good self-care-type can go kind of crazy at AWP, and neglect all of these things, which makes you seem 1. cranky and 2. less appealing. Also, practical dressing: it can be too hot in the book fair and too cold in the panel rooms or outside, so dress in layers you can get on and off easily. You’ll be on your feet a lot, and Seattle-ites are very relaxed about their footwear, so wear comfortable shoes.

2. I’m not just saying this because I have a broken elbow this year that I’m worried about getting rammed into twenty times at the book fair – but don’t shove or run into people at the book fair! One of my friends has a story about a bigger, “important” male poet who ran into her small self full-speed rudely at the book fair and didn’t stop to say “excuse me” or apologize. Later, when she had her “important editor” badge on, he tried to be nice to her at a party, but she had already had her first impression. Try to be kind, make space for people in casts and wheelchairs in the aisles, watch for where your bookbag is swinging, and generally try for good manners, because you never know whose foot you might be stepping on.

3. Kelli already covered this a little, but seriously, don’t try to go to everything. Get out of the site once or twice – the best things I remember about past AWPs were things like going to offsite parties, or to little out-of-the-way restaurants a local writer took me to for some down-time and catching up, or sight-seeing on a long stretch of time by myself. You don’t need to be at every reading, panel, and party – you’ll only be exhausted and you’ll remember less. Pick a few things a day, and if one of them doesn’t work out, see that as an opportunity to find someone you like, get some coffee, see the city.

4. Generally, try to have fun and not stress out. This AWP is probably not going to make or break your career. Stop stressing, take a deep breath. During your booth book signing times, it can be awkward – either too busy or too quiet. Relax, make conversation with people nearby but don’t try to cram your book down unsuspecting passers-by’s tote bags, and also avoid being engrossed in your smart phone, or you might miss an opportunity. Also, stop feeling like you need to meet and talk to everyone. The spontaneous stuff that happens naturally is a lot more fun, like getting stuck in the elevator with Margaret Atwood, or whatever.

Horror Poetry, Pneumonia, Recommended AWP events

So a week or so after I broke my arm, I came down with bronchitis that turned into a pretty nasty case of pneumonia, I haven’t even been able to talk on the phone or walk across a room much because of the coughing. Then allergic reactions to the antiobiotics…in short, it’s been an un-fun stretch of February so far. I apologize for being absent here and out of reach by e=mail/phone. I hope you all had fab Valentine’s Days. Much better than mine (although two worthwhile movie shoutouts for sick days: In a World, about a woman breaking into the old-boys-club of voice-over work that was very entertaining, and Austenland, about a fantasy camp for Jane Austen fans, which has a pretty great post-credits video you should definitely watch for laughs which features the song “Hot in Herre.”)

AWP is coming up and I wanted to remind you about two speculative poetry events to keep on your calendar (and I’ll be reading at both with a slew of fantastic spec poets!)

— A Night of Speculative Poetry, or, The Superheroes of Poetry – Thursday February 27. 8 PM – 9:30 PM – at the Jack Straw Gallery

— Drawn To Marvel book launch and reading gala. Saturday, March 1 at 7:00pm. Ray Gun Lounge, Seattle.

I did get some good news, too – I found out one of my poems, “Introduction to the Body in Fairy Tales” is going to be included in “The Year’s Best Horror Volume 6” edited by the estimable Ellen Datlow! For a full list of pieces, see here: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2014/02/table-of-contents-the-best-horror-of-the-year-volume-6-edited-by-ellen-datlow/

Okay, that’s the extent of my sitting-up-typing-with-my-one-good-arm time for now!

A Magical Workshop in Issaqah this Saturday plus NEA and arm bits

Update on Feb 8: This workshop has been cancelled due to snow! That’s right, snow! We hope to reschedule down the road…

This Saturday, in Issaquah, despite the messed-up arm, I’ll be leading a workshop called “In a Land of Make-Believe.” I hope you can join me! Here’s the description:

“Join Redmond’s second Poet Laureate Jeannine Hall Gailey for an afternoon workshop where participants let their imaginations run wild while writing poems based on characters from fairy tales, comic books, mythology, and other magic origins. Swords, villains, grand romance, transformations, and happy endings optional.”

Where? The ARTEast Art Center

When? 4-5 PM

You can register here. The cost is $12, which goes to support the arts and artists on the East side!

I’ve had a frustrating time with the elbow break, which now might include some cartilage damage that might require surgery – eep! More time-consuming imaging  tests and a second opinion with an elbow specialist are pending. Not the way I’d choose to spend the weeks before AWP…

And I’m working on the NEA application, harder when you’re trying to do all the typing and formatting with your one good hand. It’s such a gamble, but all you can do is try!

Fractured Olecranon – or one more poet with a lame broken arm excuse

Well, kids, I’ll be taking a bit of a break from my technology typing habits as I seem to have fractured my elbow bone (scientific name: olecranon) and my left arm is in a (mandatory) sling for 4-6 weeks! Everything is harder and slower with one arm, so forgive me for 1. not responding to e-mails as fast as usual for a while and 2. not posting more here, on Facebook and Twitter. In the meantime, I expect to be able to juggle one-handed by the end of a month’s time. If you ask how it happened, I will tell you a story about mountain biking and mountain lions, which might not be strictly true, but the break CAN be blamed on something with wheels, anyway. No, I was not trick skateboarding!

Hopefully, this time won’t make me insane, but this enforced sabbatical from such things as typing and cutting my own food with a knife AND fork will have some good effect down the road. I was hoping to be totally hale and hearty for AWP, but at least I thought to by my husband a spouse pass, so he can carry my books. So, if you want to get ahold of me, try calling instead of emailing, and maybe recommend some good books and movies.