Terrapin Books: The Year in Review

  

First, I want to let you know that Terrapin Books will open for submissions of full-length poetry manuscripts on Sunday, January 1, and will remain open thru Tuesday, January 31. Please carefully read and follow the Guidelines. Also be sure to read our new FAQs; hopefully, any questions you might have will be answered there. If not, then use the Contact form or email address and ask your question. I will quickly respond. I look forward to reading some great submissions.

The press celebrated its first birthday in October. We are very proud of the books we’ve published in our first year. They include the following titles, each linked to its page at the website:

One Anthology:
The Doll Collection, including 89 poems by 88 poets such as Alice Friman, Kelly Cherry, Richard Garcia, and Jeffrey Harrison.


Six Poetry Books:
Confessions of a Captured Angel, by Neil Carpathios

The Persistence of Longing, by Lynne Knight

Cutting Room, by Jessica de Koninck

Bluewords Greening, by Christine Stewart-Nunez

The Canopy, by Patricia Clark

Route 66 and Its Sorrows (forthcoming very soon), by Carolyn Miller


Two Craft Books:
The Crafty Poet: A Portable Workshop, revised edition, edited by Diane Lockward
The Crafty Poet II: A Portable Workshop, edited by Diane Lockward


For more information about any of the above titles, please visit the website page.


We are thrilled by the attention and appreciation that titles from Terrapin Books have received thus far. We hate to brag, but can’t help ourselves. Here’s what we’re bragging about:

3 Verse Daily features
1 Poetry Daily feature
1 Missouri Review online feature
3 reviews in the Washington Independent Review of Books
1 poet featured at the South Dakota Poetry Festival
1 poet featured at the College English Association National Conference in Hilton Head, NC (March)
6 Pushcart Prize nominations (and hoping for a win)

And as if all that weren't enough, Terrapin Books will make its first appearance at AWP in February with a table in the Book Fair, a reading on Thursday evening featuring three of our poets with new books along with a group of poets from The Doll Collection, and 3 book signings. But more about that next time.

Yes, Virginia

Each Christmas I like to revisit the following essay from the The Sun. My grandmother read it to me many years ago. I've always remembered it. If you don't already know this piece, I hope you'll enjoy it. I also hope you'll have a Merry Christmas if that's what you're celebrating. And I hope you'll have a wonderful New Year. Thank you for being a Blogalicious reader.

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's The Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial on September 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.


Here's Virginia's letter:

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."


Here's the reply:

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Holiday Gift Books for Poets

Since I posted these recommendations two years ago, both The Crafty Poet and Wingbeats have been joined by companion volumes, so this seems like a good time to update my recommendations.

Poets love nothing more than books. A book is always the right gift for a poet, and if it’s a poetry book, then it’s the perfect gift. We poets devour books of poems, but we also love craft books and prompt books. Why? Because we’re always honing our skills and always looking for new ideas for poems. So I have two pairs of books and a singleton to suggest for you and your poet pals.

Now some of you might wonder why I’d be recommending craft books other than my own. Here’s why: Most poets need and want multiple books on craft. We can’t get enough of them. My own shelves are loaded with craft books. Each one has something to offer that the others don’t. That’s certainly true of the ones I’m about to recommend. Together, they should keep you and your friends growing and writing for a long time. I have them arranged here in what seems to me a logical order, from craftiest to promptiest.

Click Cover for Amazon

1. The Crafty Poet II: A Portable Workshop. Edited by Diane Lockward, Terrapin Books, 2016.

This sequel to the original The Crafty Poet picks up where the first book left off, but it also can stand by itself. It is a poetry tutorial ideal for use in the classroom, in workshops, or at home. It includes craft tips, model poems, prompts, and Q&As. Contributors include more than 100 of our finest poets, among them 16 current and former state poets laureate. You will find work by such poets as Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Alberto Rios, and Ellen Bass.

Like the original, The Crafty Poet II is organized into ten sections, including such topics as "Revising Your Process," "Entryways into Poems," "Expanding the Material," and "Revision."

All ten sections include three craft tips, each provided by an experienced, accomplished poet. Each of the thirty craft tips is followed by a Model poem and a Prompt based on the poem. Each model poem is used as a mentor. Each prompt is followed by two Sample poems which suggest the possibilities for the prompts and should provide for good discussion about what works and what doesn't. Each section includes a Poet on the Poem Q&A about the craft elements in one of the featured poet's poems. Each section then concludes with a Bonus Prompt, each of which provides a stimulus on those days when you just can't get your engine started.

Comments:
The biggest reason to read her books? They're fun. Poetry is fun. And the poems in The Crafty Poet II will leave you Wowed. They will jazz you up, compel you to write your own poems. There are many poems and prompts to get you started writing, using the same tools our finest poets use.—BB

The Crafty Poet II, like its predecessor, is full of a wide range of inspiring prompts, tips, and examples. In a large market of books on the craft of poetry, both Crafty Poet books stand out in their clarity, dynamic suggestions, and fun. And I really mean fun. One can see the joy both the contributors and the editor, Diane Lockward, have in poetry and that makes this book a vital source to have on one’s shelf, whether you are a new poet or a seasoned one.—MTY

Click Cover for Amazon

 2. The Crafty Poet: A Portable Workshop, Revised Edition by Diane Lockward, Terrapin Books, 2016.

This book includes craft tips, model poems, and prompts based on the craft elements in the model poems. In addition, each of the ten sections includes a Q&A with one poet about the craft elements in a single poem. Each section ends with a short bonus prompt that can be used over and over again. The material is organized by craft concepts such as Diction, Imagery / Figurative Language, and Line / Stanza / Syntax. Fifty-six poets, including 13 former and current state poets laureate, contributed the craft tips, model poems, and Q&As. An additional 45 accomplished poets contributed sample poems written to the prompts, two for each prompt. The book is craft-oriented and is ideal for classroom, workshop, or individual use.

This Revised Edition includes a full Table of Contents and an Index.

Named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers Magazine
In this resource for poets, Lockward offers practical advice and insights about establishing sound, voice, and syntax in poetry while also providing writing prompts and other poems as inspiration.

Comments:
I received your The Crafty Poet in the mail today and found that I was only a few pages in when I was compelled to go get a pen. Not sure why, since I just held it in my hand while I read, but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with sitting down to a feast without a fork.—JE

Writers and teachers of writing: If you’re looking for a book that illuminates the nuances of poetic craft, then you’ll find The Crafty Poet to be a terrific teaching tool. It’s also a powerful text for individuals seeking to break through creative blocks. You’ll encounter model poems with accompanying prompts, interviews with poets, discussions of process and inspiration, and more.—CD 

Click Cover for Amazon

1. Wingbeats II: Exercises & Practice in Poetry, edited by Scott Wiggerman and David Meischen, Dos Gatos Press, 2014.

This eagerly awaited follow-up to the original Wingbeats is an exciting collection from teaching poets. It includes 58 poets and 59 exercises. Whether you want a quick exercise to jump-start the words or multi-layered approaches that will take you deeper into poetry, Wingbeats II is for you.

The exercises include clear step-by-step instruction and numerous example poems, including work by Lucille Clifton, Li-Young Lee, Cleopatra Mathis, Ezra Pound, Kenneth Rexroth, Patricia Smith, William Carlos Williams, and others. You will find exercises for collaborative writing, for bending narrative into new poetic shapes, for experimenting with persona, for writing nonlinear poems.

For those interested in traditional elements, Wingbeats II includes exercises on the sonnet, as well as approaches to meter, line breaks, syllabics, and more. Like its predecessor, Wingbeats II will be a standard in creative writing classes, a standard go-to in every poet's library.

Comments:
Whether pursuing the poetic muse on one's own or with a writing crew, Wingbeats II will be an accessible, surprisingly fun bag of tricks, toolbox, serious simulator for those who want to play. I'd suggest purchasing Wingbeats II, today.—MW

This book belongs on every writer's shelf! A wide variety of voices and approaches, with sample poems in every essay, this teaching collection has something for everyone.—anon

Click Cover for Amazon

2. Wingbeats: Exercises & Practice in Poetry, edited by Scott Wiggerman and David Meischen, Dos Gatos Press, 2011.

This is a collection of sixty-one prompts contributed by fifty-eight poets, including Naomi Shihab Nye, Ellen Bass, and Oliver de la Paz. The book is organized into seven sections under such concepts as Springboards to Imagination, Exploring the Senses, and Structure and Form. The exercises range from quick and simple to involved and multi-layered. Prompts include such intriguing titles as "Metaphor: Popcorn, Popcorn, Leaping Loud," "Aping the Masters: Poems in Imitation," and "My Mother's Clothes." The book's focus is on prompts, but most of them are preceded by some discussion regarding purpose and benefits; you will find some craft material included in those discussions. The contributing poets were asked to follow a suggested format, so you will find clear step-by-step instructions and sample poems that were written to the exercises. Ideal for the classroom, workshop, or individual writing space.

Comments:
Wingbeats is a fabulous toolbox of innovative and practical ideas that literally every teacher of poetry workshops and at every level, from elementary poets-in-the-schools through the graduate MFA, will find indispensable. Covering a vast range from image to sound to form, the exercises are all concrete and clearly presented—a marvelous way to mine the imaginations and experiences of today’s most dynamic poets. Invaluable!—CS

No teacher, no aspiring poet should be without the gentle guidance of this book.—GR

Click Cover for Amazon

3. The Daily Poet: Day-by-Day Prompts for Your Writing Practice, by Kelli Russell Agodon and Martha Silano, Two Sylvias Press, 2013.

The 365 prompts in this collection were all written by the two authors, both of them well-published poets. The book evolved out of several years of their regular writing dates during which they challenged each other with prompts. The book is arranged like a calendar with one prompt for every day of the year, though the user is free to skip around. Quite a few of the prompts begin with a reference to some historical event that occurred on that day. While the book is strictly brief prompts, many of them ask you to employ craft elements. This book is suitable for a beginning poet or one with a lot of experience but in search of some new ideas. It can be used in a classroom to supplement assignments, in workshop groups, or at home by the poet working alone.

Recommended by The Huffington Post Books:
. . . you could use The Daily Poet year after year and track how your writing evolves. Or you can just crack open the book, pick one out at have at it. They're all equally thought provoking.

Comments:
The variety of prompts also encouraged creative exploration of topics I might not have considered fertile ground for poetry (candy cigarettes, anyone?). For me, this is the book’s greatest gift to its user: its power to dig deep inside the rabbit holes of your poet’s brain and/or subconscious and pull out work that might never have been pulled out without it.—MS

Whether you write to prompts on your own or you use them when you meet with writing groups or with a friend at a coffee shop, there is something here for everyone.—DV


If you need to select just one of these books, I hope I've given you enough of a description that you can choose. But what I really hope is that you will choose all five.

By the way, Scott Wiggerman, co-editor of both Wingbeats books, has work in both of my Crafty Poet books; I have a lesson and prompt in Wingbeats II; Martha Silano, co-editor of The Daily Poet, has work in the original Crafty Poet; and both Kelli Russell Agodon and Martha Silano, co-editors of The Daily Poet, have work in The Crafty Poet II. 

Book Launch for The Crafty Poet II: An Invitation

It's a Book Launch for The Crafty Poet II: A Portable Workshop. We'd love to have you with us.

Terrapin Books News

Turtle slowly making its way to AWP

The first and only time I attended AWP was in 2007 when the conference was held in NYC. Though I had a good time, I didn’t think I’d ever go back. However, this year I was invited to be on a panel: "The Independent Press Anthology: Focusing, Editing, Organizing, Designing, Publishing, and Marketing," moderated by Lucille Lang Day, with Wendy Barker, Bryce Milligan, Claire Ortaldo, and me. Since I had recently begun Terrapin Books and had done our first anthology, The Doll Collection, I thought I might have a thing or two to say and also thought this seemed like a good opportunity to introduce the press to a larger group, so I said yes. I’ll be heading to the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington, DC, in February. The panel will be on Thursday from 4:30 - 5:45 PM.

Since I was already going to be there, I decided to book a table in the Book Fair. I’ll be sharing the space with Storyscape Journal. Having the table entitles Terrapin to hold book signings for its poets, so on Friday, I’ll be having signings for Christine Stewart-Nunez with Bluewords Greening, Jessica de Koninck with Cutting Room, and Patricia Clark whose book, The Canopy, will debut at the conference.

Then I also thought that as long as I was going to be there, I should also try to schedule a Terrapin reading. That was a significant challenge as I’m not at all familiar with the area. I contacted poet Kim Roberts, one of the poets in our anthology. She lives in DC and gave me a list of venues to try. They were all prohibitively expensive. One place on the list was the Methodist Church which seemed promising, but the person in charge of booking space was away. Weeks later Sandra Beasley and some other poets sent out a list of venues. I saw the Methodist Church listed so decided to try again. This time I got hold of the person in charge and was happy to learn that they had space and it wouldn’t put me in debtors’ prison.

So there will be a Terrapin Books reading on Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. The reading will include Christine Stewart-Nunez, Jessica de Koninck, and Patricia Clark, all reading from their Terrapin books. They will be followed by a group reading of close to twenty poets from The Doll Collection, each poet reading one poem. The poets scheduled to read include Meg Hurtado Bloom, Kim Bridgford, Jessica de Koninck, Roberta Feins, Kelly Fordon, Alice Friman, Richard Garcia, Meredith Davies Hadaway, Donna Hilbert, Christina Lovin, Jennifer Perrine, Susan Rich, Kim Roberts, Hayden Saunier, Enid Shomer, Elaine Terranova, J. C. Todd, and Kristin Zimet. Should be a fun, poetry-packed evening.

That’s going to be a very busy Thursday as I’ll be setting up the table and lugging in books in the morning, manning the table all day, doing the panel late afternoon, then hosting the reading in the evening—all in that one day.

Please come to the reading on Thursday evening! And stop by the Terrapin table. We'll be at table #525T. Stop by and say hello, especially on Friday around noon. All three poets will be doing their book signings on Friday.

Poetry Update

Since starting up Terrapin Books, my new small press for poetry books, I've been giving scant attention to my own poetry. The bulk of my time has been spent learning how to make the books happen, i.e., how to obtain the manuscripts, how to format a book, how to make a book cover—and a score of other tasks. But I've got the basics covered now, our first four books have been published and two more are underway, the original The Crafty Poet has been published in a revised edition by Terrapin, and the new The Crafty Poet II is out in the world. So I find myself with some free time! Time for poetry.

First an update on my own still new poetry collection, The Uneaten Carrots of Atonement.

Click Cover for Amazon

I've had several nice reviews to boast about.

Satire on the Menu
by Zara Raab  

Better View of the Moon
by Karen Craig 

Washington Independent Review of Books
by Grace Cavalieri, includes the poem "Your Blue Shirt" 

Boston Area Small Press and Poetry Scene
by David P. Miller


I was also interviewed about the book, about how it fits in with my earlier books, what my intentions were, and some craft issues.

The Schuylkill Valley Journal
by Adele Kenny


In September I drove up to Manchester, New Hampshire, to participate in The New Hampshire Poetry Festival organized by Jennifer Militello. I'd sent in a proposal to give a presentation about Terrapin Books, a kind of behind-the-scenes look at what's involved in beginning a new small press. The presentation was called "Terrapin Books: From Seed to First Fruit." The culmination was a group reading with poets from The Doll Collection, Terrapin's first publication, an anthology, the first-ever to focus on dolls. I had a great time!

In October I participated in the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark, NJ. As a Dodge poet, I worked there on Thursday and Friday, hosting a few events. That's a great opportunity to hear some poets and do a bit of service for the poetry community. Friday was the most populated day as it was Student Day. Look at all these teenagers!

That's inside the Performing Arts Center. If the weather had been more cooperative, many of these kids would have been outside enjoying the food court, walking around, and sharing poetry. But trust me, they had a great time!

The highlight of the festival for me was reading on Saturday. I read in the beautiful Trinity & St Philips Cathedral, one of several festival locations. My co-readers were Robin Becker, Marty McConnell, Christian Campbell, and Aaron Smith. I last read at the 2006 festival, a whole decade ago. That time the venue was the Waterloo Village in Stanhope, NJ, a rural setting.

I was also happy to see that I sold a boatload of books in the B&N bookstore at the festival. Sold a bunch of my poetry collections and completely sold out of The Crafty Poet and The Crafty Poet II.

Here's a onesie I couldn't resist buying for my new granddaughter. Poet-in-training?

Now, of course, it's also time to pick up the pen and get back to writing new poems. I'm happy to say at least that these past few weeks have seen the completion of two poems that I started long ago—one 3 years ago and one maybe a year ago. That feels very good. I need more.

What's Been Going On Around Here

It's been pretty busy around here. Since I haven't had time to post as often as I used to, this post will begin a round-up of recent news. More will follow in subsequent posts.

First some Terrapin Books news. My new press has proven to be a very challenging enterprise and a very rewarding one. I'm proud to say that thus far we have one anthology in print, The Doll Collection, and four single author poetry books: Confessions of a Captured Angel by Neil Carpathios, The Persistence of Longing by Lynne Knight, Cutting Room by Jessica de Koninck, and Bluewords Greening by Christine Stewart-Nunez. Two more collections are in progress: The End of Grief by Patricia Clark and Route 66 and Its Sorrows by Carolyn Miller.

We've had two open reading periods and expect to have another one within a few more months. (Check the website for updated information.) The press saw a better than 30% increase in the number of submissions during the second reading period.

We've also already been receiving some poetry love from the poetry world. A review by Grace Cavalieri of Neil Carpathios' Confessions of a Captured Angel appeared in the Washington Independent Review of Books. Dream Circuit, a poem by Lynne Knight from The Persistence of Longing, was featured on Verse Daily. And Viriditas, a poem by Christine Stewart-Nunez from Bluewords Greening, was featured at The Missouri Review online. Christine was also a featured poet at the South Dakota Festival of Books.

Two craft books, both edited by me, are also now in print: the original The Crafty Poet: A Portable Workshop is now available in a revised edition which includes a full table of contents (i.e., includes all poem titles and poets' names) and an Index at the back of the book. The brand-new sequel, The Crafty Poet II: A Portable Workshop, has just been released. Here's what it looked like when the shipment of contributors' copies arrived:

Since arriving at my house, all books have gone out to contributors. Some books have been spotted in various places across the US. Here's one spotted at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts. Thanks to contributor Hilde Weisert for donating a copy of the book so that other poets might use it.

Check out the very nice "#1 New Release in Poetry Anthologies" that appeared at Amazon shortly after the publication of The Crafty Poet II:

That's what's been happening with Terrapin Books. More news coming soon.

Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival 2016

I'm delighted to be reading at this year's Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, a special one as it's the 30th anniversary of the festival. The festival is held at the Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ. It begins on Thursday, October 20, and runs thru Sunday, October 23. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the festival runs from morning into the evening. On Sunday it runs until 5:15 PM.

I'll be reading on Saturday, October 22, along with Robin Becker, Christian Campbell, Marty McConnell, and Aaron Smith. This reading is 5:00 - 6:00 PM in the Trinity-St. Philips Cathedral. Please come and say hi!

Of course, the festival offers much much more. You can get a good Festival Overview at the website.

You can also see the Full Festival Program. This is a detailed list of all events for all four days.

You can also see the Festival Lineup of Poets. Each poet who will be at the festival is included in this list. Just click on each name to be taken to that poet's bio.

The festival consists of individual readings, group readings, panel discussions, and open readings. As if that weren't enough, there's also music, a food court, and a fabulous bookstore hosted by Barnes & Noble. All festival poets will have their books available for sale in the bookstore.

The Crafty Poet II Just Published

Click Cover for Amazon

At last, after three years of gathering material from my monthly Poetry Newsletter and many months of putting all that material into some kind of sensible order and more months of doing countless revisions and proofreading, The Crafty Poet II: A Portable Workshop has entered the world. This is the companion volume to the original The Crafty Poet. It can be used as a companion that picks up where the first book leaves off or it can be used as a stand-alone volume.

This craft book is divided into ten sections. Each section includes three Craft Tips, three model poems, three prompts, six sample poems written to the prompts, one Q&A with a poet about the craft elements in one of the poet's poems, and a Bonus Prompt. There's lots of good craft information on such topics as using humor, creating good titles, writing poems from photos, using sound devices such as anaphora, revision strategies, and so much more. The book also provides a rich anthology of contemporary poetry and enough prompts to keep you writing new poems for a long time.

Sixty-five poets contributed the Craft Tips, model poems, and Q&A poems. Among these poets are sixteen former and current state Poets Laureate. An additional forty-seven poets contributed the sixty sample poems. This group includes two former state Poets Laureate. I am enormously proud of the lineup of poets and the material they contributed to the book. Look for work by such poets as Tony Hoagland, Robert Wrigley, Ada Limon, Ellen Bass—way too many to name here. Find the complete list of poets HERE.

I hope that The Crafty Poet II, like its predecessor, will find its way into college and university classrooms. I hope that it will also prove useful in workshop groups. And I hope that individuals using it alone at home will profit from it. This is a versatile poetry tutorial that can be used in a classroom or group setting or by an individual learning on his or her own at home.

The Crafty Poet II is available at Amazon and B&N. It can also be ordered through your favorite bookstore. Bookstores and libraries may order through Ingram.

Dolls on the Move

This ad for The Doll Collection appears in the current issue of Redactions, a lovely print journal. Editor Tom Holmes was kind enough to run it for me.

Here’s the cover of the journal. I think you’ll agree that it’s beautiful. See those two eyes? They’re cleverly reproduced on the back cover. I admire that kind of attention to detail and design.

The journal includes poetry only—the way I like my journals. The back section of the journal also includes a number of book reviews. Perfect combination.

Poets with work in this issue include Angie Macri, Sandy Longhorn, George Looney, Rob Cook, Jeannine Hall Gailey, Amorak Huey—a total of 23 poets.

Speaking of The Doll Collection, I’m gearing up for an appearance at the New Hampshire Poetry Festival. I put in a proposal for a presentation and it was, much to my delight, accepted.

The event will be held on Saturday, September 24.

There will be many poets reading and presenting on a variety of topics. The schedule includes three different time slots for the presentations. There are also four poets—Wyn Cooper, January Gill O’Neil, Paige Ackerson-Kiely, and Cate Marvin—who will each give a workshop. The day will end with a reading by Ellen Bryant Voigt.

My own presentation is in the 3:00 - 4:15 time slot. It’s called “Terrapin Books: From Seed to First Fruit.” My plan is to talk about the development of my new small press for poetry, what needed to be done, the challenges, the rewards, and so on. Then we’ll have a group reading with poets from Terrapin’s first book, The Doll Collection. There might even be a few dolls present. The reading will be followed by a Q&A. If you’re in the area, please join us.

My fabulous poets include: Kim Bridgford, Lori Desrosiers, Christine Gelineau, Lori Lamothe, Kyle Potvin, Marybeth Rua-Larsen, and Emma Sovich.

I'll end this post with the full color cover of The Doll Collection. I can't resist as I am in love with it.

Terrapin Books Now Open for Submissions

Terrapin Books is now reading full-length poetry manuscripts during its second Call for Submissions. Our doors opened for submissions on Monday, August 1, and will remain open thru Wednesday, August 31.

Please read and follow our Guidelines. Then make your submission via Submittable.

We anticipate accepting 2-4 manuscripts. We take pride in putting out beautiful books by wonderful poets. We are selective and devote time and careful attention to each book. We work closely with our authors. We do not maintain a long list of upcoming titles as one of our goals is to publish accepted titles in a timely manner.

We look forward to reading your work.

Take a look at the covers of our current titles:

The Doll Collection: Book Launch

 

On Sunday, July 17, a group of poets gathered at the West Caldwell Public Library to celebrate the publication of The Doll Collection, the first book published by my new press, Terrapin Books. The poets included Jeanne Marie Beaumont, Kim Bridgford, Gillian Cummings, 
Jessica de Koninck, Jane Ebihara, Adele Kenny, Mary Makofske, Charlotte Mandel, 
Susanna Rich, Hayden Saunier, Elaine Terranova, Marjorie Tesser, J. C Todd. Each of these poets has work in the book which she read at the event. (There are a number of guy poets in the book, but none could make the reading.)

We were joined by lots of dolls! Gillian Cummings and Jeanne Marie Beaumont both brought their vintage doll collections for display. In addition, a number of the poets brought the dolls that starred in their poems. These dolls made the event extra special and fun.

Following the reading, we had a reception with homemade cookies made by me and iced tea. Lots of good conversation.

 Dolls on Display

 Hayden Saunier demonstrates her flip doll

Vintage Dolls from the collection of Gillian Cummings

 Adele Kenny's original Ginny Doll

 From the collection of Jeanne Marie Beaumont

 Dolls belonging to the poets

The Poetry of Pizza

I knew that my book, The Crafty Poet: A Portable Workshop, had inspired the creation of many poems, but never imagined that it would somehow inspire the creation of a new pizza! And yet Caleb Michael Price, pizza chef, poet, and student of Melissa Studdard in Texas, has created a new pizza, the Crafty Poet Pizza. Check it out on the chalkboard at the shop where Michael crafts his pizzas along with fellow chef, Zach. The Crafty Pizza includes avocado, basil, roasted tomatoes, and more! Wow! Too bad they don't deliver to New Jersey. Thanks, Melissa, for being the kind of teacher who inspires her students in multiple ways. And thanks, Michael, for this tasty tribute to The Crafty Poet.

Now speaking of The Crafty Poet, I announced here a few months ago that Terrapin Books, my new poetry press, had issued a revised edition of the book. The content remains exactly the same as does the pagination, but there is now a complete Table of Contents, i.e., one that includes the titles of all the poems and the names of all the poets. Most importantly, there is a full Index at the back of the book. This is very useful when you are looking for a poet or a poem—and especially useful in the classroom. Also I changed the paper from cream to white for enhanced print clarity. And I moved the page numbers to the left and right for easy thumbing through pages.

And yet in spite of these upgrades, people persist in buying the original version of the book. Nice, but I really wish that anyone who wants to buy the book would kindly purchase the revised edition. Why? Well, because of the upgrades, because this edition is put out by Terrapin, and because royalty payments come directly to the press and help support it. So, please, direct your students, your fellow poets, and colleagues to the revised edition. Thanks!

Click Cover for Amazon

Book Launch for The Doll Collection

If you're in New Jersey on Sunday, July 17, please join us 

for this reading and book launch for The Doll Collection, 

the first anthology from Terrapin Books. 

The reading begins at 2:00 and is free of charge. 

The following poets will read their poems from the book:

Jeanne Marie Beaumont  Kim Bridgford   Gillian Cummings    Jessica de Koninck  
 Jane Ebihara   Adele Kenny   Mary Makofske   Charlotte Mandel   Susanna Rich  
Hayden Saunier  Elaine Terranova   Marjorie Tesser   J. C Todd


In addition to the reading, there will be a display of vintage dolls provided by poets 

Jeanne Marie Beaumont and Gillian Cummings from their personal collections.



Reception follows the reading. 
Everyone is invited to stay for cookies, tea, and conversation.

                      

Reading at the Jackson Inn in DE

If you're in Delaware this Saturday, please join us!

I'll be reading from my new book, 

The Uneaten Carrots of Atonement

Summer Journals Q-Z

Here's the third and final installment of the list of print journals that read during the summer months. Again, please let me know if you spot any errors or omissions. Good luck!

No rejections allowed.

**Remember that the asterisks indicate that the journal accepts simultaneous submissions.

Journal accepts online submissions unless otherwise indicated.

**Quiddity—2x

**The Raleigh Review—2x—opens July 1

**Rattle—4x

Raven Chronicles—2x—April 1-July 1
snail mail

**Redactions—2x—by email–opens July 1

**Redivider—2x

**Rhino—1x—April 1-Oct 31

**River Styx—3x—May 1 thru Nov 30
snail mail

**Rosebud—3x
via email

**Sakura Review—2x

**Salt Hill—2x
August 1-April 1

**San Pedro River Review—2x
month of July
via email

**Saw Palm—1x—July 1-Oct. 1
must have a Florida connection

**Smartish Pace—2x
via email

**South Dakota Review—4x

**The Southeast Review—2x

**Southern Humanities Review—4x—Aug 1-Dec 1

**Southern Poetry Review—2x
snail mail or via their website

**Sugar House Review—2x—Jan 31-July 31

**Tahoma Literary Review—3x—now thru August

**32 Poems—2x

Threepenny Review—4x—reads thru June

**Turnrow—2x
snail mail

**Tusculum Review—1x

US 1 Worksheets—1x—April 15- June 30
snail mail

**Washington Square Review—2x—Aug 1-Oct 15

**West Wind Review—1x—July 1-Sept 1

**Women Arts Quarterly Journal—4x

**Yemassee—2x


Summer Journals A-F

Summer Journals G-P

Summer Journals G-P

Here's the second installment of the list of print journals that read during the summer months. If you find any errors or have others to add to the list, please let me know. Good luck with your submissions.

This mailbox is ready to receive good mail.

**Indicates that simultaneous submission is ok
Unless otherwise indicated, the journal accepts online submissions.

**Gigantic Sequins—2x—opens July 1

**Grist—1x—June 15-Sept 15

Hanging Loose—3x
snail mail

**Hartskill Review—3x

**Hayden’s Ferry—2x—opens for submissions August 1

**Hiram Poetry Review—1x
snail mail

Hudson Review—4x—April 1-June 30 (all year if a subscriber)
snail mail

**Lake Effect—1x
snail mail

Little Star Journal—1x
strong preference for snail mail
strong preference for no sim sub

Louisiana Literature—2x

**Lumina—1x—check in July

**MacGuffin—3x
via email attachment

Manhattan Review—2x
(prefers no sim but will take)

Measure—2x
metrical only

**Michigan Quarterly Review—4x

**Mid-American Review—2x

**Minnesota Review—2x—August 1–November 1

**Missouri Review—4x

**The Mom Egg—1x—June 1-Sept 1

**Naugatuck River Review—2x—July 1-Sept 1
for the winter issue

**Nimrod—2x—Jan 1-Nov 30
snail mail

**Parnassus: Poetry in Review—1x
snail mail

Pinyon—2x
via email

**Pleiades—2x—Aug 15-May 15

**Ploughshares—3x—June 3 to January 15

**Poet Lore—2x
snail mail

**Poetry—11x


Summer Journals A-F

Summer Journals Q-Z 

Summer Journals: A-F

Get your mailbox ready to receive good news.

It's that time of year again. During the summer many of us have more time to write and submit, but quite a few journals close their doors to submissions for the summer months. Do not despair. There are still many journals that do read during the summer and some that read only during the summer. This is the first of a 3-part list of those journals, all print. Please note that this year I have done only minimal updates. Be sure to check website.

I've added links for your convenience. I've also indicated the number of issues per year, the submission period dates, which journals accept simultaneous submissions, and which ones accept online submissions. If you find an error, please let me know.

**Indicates that simultaneous submission is ok
Unless otherwise indicated, the journal accepts online submissions.
If no dates are given, the journal reads all year.


**American Poetry Review—6x-tabloid

**Asheville Poetry Review—3x—Jan. 15-July 15
snail mail

**Atlanta Review—2x—deadlines June 1 & Dec 1
reads all year, but slower in summer
snail mail

**Bat City Review—1x—June 1-Nov 1

Beloit Poetry Journal—3x

**Black Warrior Review—2x—June 1-Sept 1

**Bone Bouquet—2x
women only

**Briar Cliff Review—1x—deadline Nov 1

**Burnside Review—2x
email sub ok
$3 reading fee /pays $50

**Caketrain—1x
email sub

**Chariton Review—2x
snail mail

**Cimarron Review—4x

**Columbia Journal—2x—March 1- Sept 15

**Columbia Poetry Review—1x—July 1-Nov 1

**Conduit—2x
snail mail

**Crab Orchard Review—2x—Aug 15-Nov 5 (special issue)
snail mail

**Cream City Review—2x—Aug 1-Nov 1

Cutthroat—1x—July 15-Oct 1

**Edison Literary Review—1x

Field—2x—August 1-May 31

**The Florida Review—2x—Aug 1-May 31 (subscribers all year)

**The Fourth River—1x—opens July 1


Summer Journals G-P

Summer Journals Q-Z

Enter to Win a Free Copy of The Doll Collection

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Doll Collection

by Diane Lockward

Giveaway ends June 14, 2016.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

A Reading for The Doll Collection

Click Cover for Amazon

Last week a group of poets whose poems appear in The Doll Collection held a reading at the Mystery to Me Book Store in Madison, Wisconsin. Andrea Potos, Susan Elbe, Robin Smith Chapman, Alison Townsend, and Karla Huston arranged the reading and the book store supplied the books. Each poet read her own poem along with two others from the book. From all reports, it was a wonderful reading. Although I couldn't be there due to distance, one audience member, Martha Jackson Kaplan, took some photos. It was a pleasure for me to see those poets reading from and holding The Doll Collection, the first book from my new press, Terrapin Books.

Here are some photos to give you a hint of the evening.

Robin Smith Chapman waiting to read

Robin Smith Chapman reading "Puppet World"

Susan Elbe reading "Colleen Moore's Doll House"

Karla Huston waiting to read

Karla Huston reading Plié

Andrea Potos reading "Every Body She Carries"

Alison Townsend reading "Madame Alexander's Amy"

Here's one of the poems read that night. It's by Cecilia Woloch who wasn't able to be there but the poem was read by Susan Elbe.

Burning the Doll

I am the girl who burned her doll,
who gave her father the doll to burn—
the bride doll I had been given
at six, as a Christmas gift,
by the same great uncle who once introduced me
at my blind second cousin's wedding
to a man who winced, A future Miss
America, I'm sure—while I stood there, sweating
in a prickly flowered dress,
ugly, wanting to cry.

I loved the uncle but I wanted that doll to burn
because I loved my father best
and the doll was a lie.
I hated her white gown stitched with pearls,
her blinking, mocking blue glass eyes
that closed and opened, opened and closed
when I stood her up,
when I laid her down.
Her stiff, hinged body was not like mine,
which was wild and brown,
and there was no groom—

stupid doll,
who smiled and smiled,
even when I flung her to the ground,
even when I struck her, naked, against
the pink walls of my room.
I was not sorry, then,
I would never be sorry—

not even when I was a bride, myself,
and swung down the aisle on my father's arm
toward a marriage that wouldn't last
in a heavy dress that was cut to fit,
a satin dress I didn't want,
but that my mother insisted upon—
Who gives this woman?— wondering, Who takes
the witchy child?

And that day, my father was cleaning the basement;
he'd built a fire in the black can
in the back of our backyard,
and I was seven, I wanted to help,
so I offered him the doll.
I remember he looked at me, once, hard,
asked, Are you sure?
I nodded my head.

Father, this was our deepest confession of love.
I didn't watch the plastic body melt
to soft flesh in the flames—
I watched you move from the house to the fire.
I would have given you anything.

                     —Cecilia Woloch

The Crafty Poet Now in a Revised Edition

Click for Amazon

This is an update about my craft book, The Crafty Poet: A Portable Workshop. Many of you are already familiar with this book as it now approaches its third birthday. You already know that it includes work by such poets as Kim Addonizio, Kathryn Stripling Byer, Sydney Lea, Jan Beatty, and Baron Wormser. You know that the book includes Craft Tips, model poems, prompts based on the model poems, sample poems written to the prompts, and Q&As with poets. However, I want to let you know that I am now carrying this title with Terrapin Books which will also publish the sequel, The Crafty Poet II, sometime this summer.

I also want to let you know that Terrapin Books has just issued a Revised Edition of the original book. This edition includes a full table of contents which includes titles of all poems, including the sample poems, and all the poets' names. Another significant change is the addition of an Index at the back of the book. The Index includes the names of all poems, poets, and craft tips. The Index should be especially handy for teachers using the book in a class.

For this revision I switched to white paper from cream for enhanced readability. I also moved page numbers from the center bottom to bottom right and left for easier paging through the book.

Other than those changes, the book remains the same. If you already have the original Crafty, you don't need the new one. All pagination and content remain the same. However, if you don't have the book and were planning to get it, get the revised edition. If you are planning to use the text for a course or a workshop, you will want the revised edition. And of course, if you're planning to give the book as a gift, you'll want the revised one.