Hello, Monday! I’m actually pretty awake for a Monday, especially considering we have now added a new kitten to the household and he is a bit frisky 
- I recently finished reading the graphic novel version of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. I read the book a few months back and the graphic novel is very similar, of course, but with more action. It was ok and actually might be a fun pick instead of the book if you have already read the un-zombie, original version of Pride & Prejudice but I did find the illustrations a bit annoying because so many of the characters looked like the other characters. That drives me nuts in graphic novels!
- I’ve read some good posts about the MFA recently. Here is one.
- This week author AJ Jacobs will be speaking at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC. The event starts at 7pm. AJ is a non-fiction writer. I really enjoyed his books Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically.
- Story with great use of extended metaphor.
- I recently finished reading Praying at Coffee Shops by Maureen Sherbondy. I picked this up when Maureen and I read together at the end of April so you can see how far behind I still am on my reading list! I love this little collection. It confronts some issues with being Jewish in the South. My favorite poem is probably A Child’s Voice where Maureen writes: In the room of silent prayer /eyes closed to visual distraction / air spinning with thoughts / and wishes, one young voice / breaks through / Where is God? / drops like a rock / in the sanctuary.
I may need to do a link round up soon because I have a document full of great links for you guys! Tomorrow I am hoping to post an interview with a poet. So stay tuned!
And, have a great week
Hi Jessie — I love, love, love “Praying at Coffeeshops” and am sending the link around to others I think will like it
Listen, I’m looking for a Santa Fe poet who could read a couple of poems to a gathering of about 100 people there this February. Do you know anyone, or have any leads? Thx so much . . .
I don’t know a lot of people out in the western part of the country but hopefully mentioning it here will get some interest and I’ll try to mention it around!
Glad you like “Praying at Coffeeshops”. It is a neat little collection, as is Maureen’s other chapbook “After the Fairy Tale”
Thanks! So thrilled when folks actually read my books (and comment). You both made my day.
-Maureen
I’ve heard my own book has sold a few copies recently and I wonder – who – and how did they find it? It is nice to hear when other people have found your work!
Yaay — Maureen, both people I sent the link to also loved your poems
I just got a chance to read and so you can count me in for loving her poems too! Hope to add it to my small, but wanting to grow, collection.
Thank you, Jessie, for always bringing us good stuff. And congratulations on the new kitty! Who will have to post a pic of him sometime soon . . .if he will hold still long enough.
I have finally taken a few decent pictures of the new kitty. Maybe I’ll post that as unrelated fun on Thursday or Friday..hmm
Hey, Jessie,
I wanted to visit your website before commenting at Poetic Asides, the first of many blogs I’ve been posting to. To which I have been posting. Whatever.
I’m going to find Paper House online and see if I can purchase it there. I just self-published a chapbook and realized that, while I was trying to be environmentally conscious and cram two to a page, most chapbooks have only one to a page. Is this a steadfast rule? Even if you have a short poem? I feel like I’m killing trees!! Any thoughts?
Thanks for stopping by and chatting with Robert. He’s a gas, and so is Tammy. Peace, Amy (AKA Sharp Little Pencil)
Nice to meet you, Amy! I’m looking forward to stopping by your blog as well. Would you like to be on the blog roll here?
Paper House is pretty widely available now and if you order it from my publisher directly I believe the shipping may still be free and it’ll be signed by me!
Most poetry books do have just one poem per page but I know a few literary magazines who combine poems on a page. I think if you self-publish you can do whatever you want which is the fun of self publishing, no?
I hope to meet Robert and Tammy some day in person. They are only 4 hours away from me
Hi Jessie,
This is Emily from the MFA Chronicles. I also saw your interview on Poetic Asides and was inspired to stop by your journal. I hadn’t realized that you also took a lot of time off between undergrad and MFA – it’s so nice to know I’m not the only one! Also, I see after coming to your site that you published a chapbook with Pudding House; I love those people. When you talked in your interview about poetry communities I immediately thought of the readings I went to in Columbus and all the wonderful poets I met there. So, anyway, just wanted to say hello, and I wish you continued good poetry things!
Hey Emily! I love reading your posts over at the MFA chronicles
I’ve met a lot of people who took time off in between degrees, but I felt really old when I first decided to go back. I finished my undergrad a good 9 years before I started grad school!
Is there a good poetry community in Columbus? My brother lives in Lancaster and I’ve always thought about finding an excuse to go up there to do a reading.
Thanks by stopping by the blog!