This year, I vow not to let fall semester creep up on me. I'm already ready. Or ready to get ready. I even bought my school supplies yesterday. I am not going to wait until the last minute.What were you doing this time last year? Apparently I had a kid with hives and a new puppy.
On Thursday I finished my largest task of the year. Or my largest task ever, really. I read 595 poetry manuscripts. Now I'm down to the final deliberations.
Reading that many mss made me think all kinds of strange things about poetry. Like, isn't it bizarre that so many people are doing pretty much the same thing in such different corners of the world, but using the same techniques? And sometimes ripping off the same poets, but in different ways? What does a line break mean to someone in Japan, versus Jackson, MI?
As exhilarating as it all was, it made the writer part of me feel tired and uninspired. But now I'm on the rebound. It's kind of like being sick back in grad school and staying home all day and watching everything on NBC all day long, without hardly moving, and taking it all in, then having to go to sleep at night with your mind swirling. Only multiply that by about thirty days, and exchange the NBC for assorted poetry manuscripts.
Now I need to get my groove back. I had it a while ago.
Jay and I are both doing a BFS this year. To help with this, we got a copy of the Poet's Market 2009. It's pretty. I like duotrope, and randomly sending to places with cool names, but I do miss the thrill of flipping through TPM. Some journals aren't in there, though (ahem). We were afraid of getting more subs than we could handle.
I may even simultaneously submit with this BFS. I'm getting antsy.
One interesting news flash is that the formidable Keith Montesano is going to be starting a series of first book interviews, a la Kate Greenstreet.
Another news flash: Hard Reds is here. Congrats to Brandi Homan!
8 comments:
I am just not ready for school this fall. So I am simply not thinking about it. I know, I know, I don't think that will stop the fall semester from coming.
Am excited about Keith Montesano's First Book Interviews. I really liked Kate Greenstreet's series.
I clicked here this afternoon and was a little bit confused. Is this a new "blog look" for you, or am I just confused!
Karen, I have gone blue! :)
Once in a while I change the color. I think I like it so far. Your eyes are not deceiving you.
I like the sky blue. It makes your entries look as though they are written on a cloud.
Is you blog feeling blue, or just whistling bluesleeves?????
This does not mean that I have dyed my eyes blue to match, fyi.
Thanks for the Brandi Homan link. I didn't know she had a book coming out.
Yes, thanks for the Brandi Homan link! ;)
I'm mailing your copy this week!
xoxo
Thank you so much, Brandi! I can't wait!!!!
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