I have two new poems in this week’s issue of The Point: “How to Be Pure” (a true story from a past AWP conference) and “After Reminiscing with a Friend about 90s Purity Culture, I Make a Found Poem from Snow Blower Instructions” (which just told you what it is). Here are screenshots of the beginning of each poem to entice you to read more…
I was delighted that the Englewood Review of Books invited me to contribute to their year-end Favorite Books of 2023 podcast! A link to listen and a complete list of recommended books is available at this link.
I gave a shoutout to These Walls are Starting to Glow by Karen Bjork Kubin and Box Office Gospel: Poems by Marissa Glover, which you can hear starting around 17:39.
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.
I had so much fun being a featured poet at the San Diego Union-Tribune Festival of Books on August 19 alongside wonderful poets, including some brilliant students (Ell Huang and Jaden Goldfain) and friends (Jane Muschenetz & Jason Magabo Perez), and I completely fell in love with Marilyn Chin and her poetry too. Thank you to everyone who showed up for this special event, especially right before a storm. ❤️
I’m so glad to have this special poem, “On Our Twenty-Year Dating Anniversary,” in the new issue of The Lumiere Review!
Hereverent has been thoroughly and lovingly launched!
My poetry & jazz book launch was fantastic on April 20 at PLNU. We had poetry, music, drinks, and dessert in this little parlor that makes me feel like a wealthy great aunt has invited me to tea. 😁 I’m so grateful to Brenda Martin for her gorgeous music and her fun improv collaborations! (And thanks to Emma McCoy for the photo!)
Then my virtual book launch for Hereverent on April 21 was also lovely. What a gift to hear poets I adore read my poems alongside theirs. I’m so grateful to Agape Editions for publishing and celebrating my book! ❤️ (And thanks to Nicelle Davis for this shot!)
Finally in this countdown to launch, 15 of my favorite local poets read with me in my church’s sanctuary this past Saturday night, and I brought my favorite brownies (a recipe from my beloved dissertation advisor, Marthe Reed), and many more dear friends and delightful people came to celebrate my new book too. (And thanks to Margarita Pintado for this picture!)
My heart is full. Thank you to all who read with me, attended, and made these events possible!
It’s publication day! Hereverent is officially released into the world!
My first two launch events for Hereverent have been announced!
My publisher is throwing me a virtual launch on April 21 that will be part of the Favorite Poems series! Each poet will read a favorite poem or two from my new book in addition to work of their own. Join me with Fox Henry Frazier, Diane Glancy, Charles Jensen, Tania Runyan, Nicelle Davis, Jen Grace Stewart, Charnell Peters, and Jane Muschenetz!
Register in advance at this link.
And if you’re in San Diego, you can join me in person for a very special Poetry & Jazz book launch celebration on April 20 at 3 p.m. in Cooper Music Parlor at PLNU. I’ll read poems, my friend Brenda will do some jazz piano improvisation in response, and we’ll have dessert! I can’t wait!
In the mean time, you can still pre-order Hereverent! The book officially drops on April 3.
I’m spinning too many plates right now. Some plates that should be spinning are actually still packed in the box, but I’m limited, and between the ongoing pandemic and the violence in Ukraine, it’s hard to continue on as usual. Even so, here are some poetry highlights from the past month…
In early March, I got to be a virtual featured poet for Wednesday Night Poetry, the longest running weekly open mic in the country, and it was a joy to share some of the poems for my spouse from How to Play.
Also in March, I received my contributor’s copy of Dear Vaccine, the print anthology created from the global poetry project of the same name. It’s fun to see work by friends in here with me, and I was excited that Naomi Shihab Nye was one of the editors.
At the end of March, I got to release the new spring issue of my journal, Whale Road Review, and it’s amazing. Even when the rest of life is chaotic, I love doing this editing and publishing work.
Yesterday, John Compton hosted me on the jojo show, and it was so fun to talk with him about How to Play, all things poetry, and whatever else we stumbled upon.
To anyone reading this, I hope you’re safe and well.
I’m so happy that Legible wanted to share my poem “Penguins at the Art Museum.” I hope I can get myself to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art again before too long also.
