All-Poetry, All-the-Time, or Why I’m Glad to Be Back in Seattle
Some things make you feel really feel like you’re back “home.” Like when the sun comes out in February, and you can see Mount Rainier (or a big full moon.) Like going over to your friend’s house for a poetry group meeting – a group that’s been meeting regularly for almost eight (nine?) years – and listening to your poet friend’s war stories and poems, hearing their good news and discouragements, shared over hot tea and plates of snacks. Like going back to a poetry reading series I used to help with – the SoulFood Books series – and seeing Lana and Michael. The guest poet last night was Tom C. Hunley, publisher of my first book. He’s a funny, laconic deliverer of poems. He also said that Becoming the Villainess is Steel Toe Books’ bestseller (Yay! that warmed my heart!) I’m also going to participate in another Seattle ritual tomorrow, and attend a poetry reading at Open Books – Mary Ruefle is in town!
All the socializing and poetry-izing is wearing me out, but in a good way. I feel like my life’s pace has quickened from the gradual, laconic heartbeat of California life to a caffeine-buzzed doubletime here in Seattle. More people to see, more stuff to do. It’s a poetry-stuffed town! In fact, I missed two readings this week already! But I wrote a new long poem, I sent out a few subs, I heard back from some lit mags, and Glenn is still dusting up his poetry submission database system we’ve been working on since December. (Much more thorough than my Excel spreadsheet, I can say that.) I also know I need to get on the ball and start booking readings for my new book this fall and next spring. If you feel like you’d love to have me come out to your conference or college, to read a bunch of poems about love, marriage, Japanese anime, etc, please let me know! I am feeling bashful about asking this time around, but I’m not sure why. The ARCs should be ready in a couple of months…it’s getting so close!
Look for Suzanne Frischkorn and Tom Hunley on Verse Daily this week!
And, since it’s “Cyber Monday” and you’re all shopping for Christmas presents, did I mention poetry books make a great holiday gift? I am going to put on my winter special and offer this limited-edition, beautiful broadside of “The Snow Queen Explains” for free to anyone who buys a copy of Becoming the Villainess from me between now and Christmas. The art work on the broadside was done by the lovely and talented Michaela Eaves, who also did the cover art of my book. I only have a few copies around, so this offer won’t last 🙂
Here’s the link to order the book:
https://webbish6.com/orderform.htm
or you can e-mail me at jeannine dot gailey at live dot com.
All I want for Christmas is an enthusiastic publisher for my second book manuscript. And total financial security. And shiny happy healthiness. And, well, some world peace would be nice, too. Come on, Santa!
Earthquakes, My Publisher’s New Book, and Pop Culture and Poetry
Yes, my friend, almost one week after we moved in, we had a 4.0 earthquake near our new home. Now, the Pacific NW ain’t California, but it’s no earthquake-free zone. This one didn’t even rock our plants, although the cats were acting crazy about the time of the quake.
My publisher, Steel Toe Books’ Tom C. Hunley, just won the Holland book prize from Logan House Press for his newest MS, Octopus. Congrats Tom!
So, I’m writing a little article about pop culture and poetry, so I’m curious to get some discussion going and hear your thoughts…
What do you think about artists like Denise Duhamel, Bob Hicok, and others who drop pop culture references (from Pepsi to baseball blayers to Barbie) in their poems? What role do you think pop culture plays in the “high arts” ie painting, poetry, music, etc? Should it play a role?
Has advertising language penetrated our minds and souls?
Is there a way to subvert the culture while participating in it?
Are superheroes the new Greek myths?
