Yesterday afternoon I got a call from Tom C. Hunley of Steel Toe Books, and you can imagine how hard it was to finish the day knowing that my box was here in Akron, likely on my doorstep waiting for me. As I drove down the street I started squinting blocks away trying to see it, and there it was.
The cover looks even more striking than I imagined, especially the way that the photo stretches to the bottom edges. It is so strange--and fantastic-- seeing all of my poems inside. Opening the box was a fairly quiet moment (except for the yeowling of a certain obnoxious red tabby Maine Coon) compared to other milestones (like when I got my job offer from UA, with a house full of poetry friends already sipping margaritas), and it's still sinking in.
This morning I woke up and saw a copy on my desk, and it was like meeting the book all over again. I resisted the urge to sleep with a Prairie Fever, however, which was difficult. I can't wait to celebrate at AWP, when I'm away from Microsoft Outlook and piles of theses.
You can catch the fever here. My new website will go live this weekend (though this blog won't be going anywhere).
21 comments:
Yippee!!! I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on one of those! Congrats, Mary.
Beautiful! I'll see it in a couple weeks.
Terrific!
That quiet little moment alone with your book will stay with you forever, as it should.
I am counting the moments before I can take in your book as a whole.
Again, congratulations! You deserve everything good which comes of this.
Must be surreal. Congratulations! I will be leafing through a copy soon.
Congrats!
A BIG congrats!!!
Congrats! I'm so glad I found you and your work. I look foward to getting my hands on a copy.
cheers
Brent
I am so excited for you! I can't wait to own my very own copy.
Congratulations, Mary! That is so exciting. I can't wait to get a hold of a copy.
Speaking of which, for those who can't make it to AWP is it possible to buy a signed copy direct from the author?
Thanks so much, you guys!
MQT, I will definitely be doing signed copies. I'll email you the scoop (and put it on my website in case anyone else is interested). MQT, we'll definitely have to celebrate at AWPNYC!
Oh great! Yes indeed we will!
Hooray! I simply can't wait to read it.
congratulations on your book, mary. very exciting stuff.
Huzzah!! Congratulations!
whoo hoo!
Congratulations on the book and hello – from right here in Akron. Found you linked on a friend’s site who lives way way up in Wisconsin. Quite the long way around the bump into a local poet. Well, very glad to find Word Cage. Are you doing any local readings any time soon?
Hi Keith!
Thanks for stopping by (via Wisconsin...how funny). I have several readings lined up in Youngstown and Canton, and hopefully I'll get something going in Akron too.
Are you enjoying the snow? I am going to flush ice cubes down the toiled tonight and keep my fingers crossed for no school tomorrow.
Yes, about the snow ...
One must have a mind of winter
To regard Main Street and Jillian’s
crusted with snow;
And have been cold a long time
To behold my car in the lot shagged with ice ...
(my official literary offense for the day)
Good luck with the ice cubes.
Good job on those ice cubes, Mary. First time in my 8 years at the u of a that I can remember a snow day!!
Woohoo!
Stay cozy, Sara.
yay!
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