Two Poems in The Pedestal Magazine, Plus Thanks and Plans for this Fall

First of all, thanks to all of you who wrote to me and commented on the last post. It really helps.

Second, if you’d like to read (and hear me read) two speculative poems, “The Robot Scientist’s Daughter [Apocalypse]” and “Introduction to Mutagensis” go on over to The Pedestal Magazine’s new issue here. The whole issue is wonderful. Thanks to John Amen and his editors for such good work! The celebration of speculative poetry continues. Well, except in representation at the AWP 2013 panels. Hopefully, AWP people, you will have at least one speculative poetry panel at our 2014 Seattle conference – I mean, you will be in geek territory, after all! Let’s all propose a panel on it!

Yesterday I was strolling – well, limping, with my sprained ankle that’s probably a more accurate representation of my movement – through one of the local public gardens, and there, next to a splendid set of bright dahlias, was an apple tree with fall apples all over the grass. They smelled delicious. But like fall. The air – the blue sky, the crisp sixties-temps – called for September. Usually August stays summery here, but already August is slipping away….Watermelons will disappear, replaced by delicata squash and cranberries.

My plans for fall events for the Poet Laureate program have started going into action. I have to write a PR release for the first event, the Inaugural reading (with art exhibit by Michaela Eaves) on October 6th. Set up the Redmond Library Events for “Redmond Reads Poetry” – a program to have the whole community read the same poetry book, this quarter, Kathleen Flenniken’s Plume.
I also have to start sending out poetry packets again, since it is that time of year. Have to straighten out the situation with my second book, third book, and fourth manuscript. Write some reviews. (And, of course, reading. Really enjoying “The 6.5 Habits of Moderately Successful Poets” by Jeffrey Skinner and Lesley Wheeler’s book from local sci-fi feminist press, Aqueduct Press, “The Receptionist and Other Tales,” which is almost like a collection of short stories in verse, if that makes sense.) What are your fall plans?