Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The 17th Annual Poets House Showcase April 4-11, 2009

Poets House
Poets House Showcase
The only event of its kind, the annual Poets House Showcase is a free exhibit featuring all of the new poetry books and poetry-related texts published in the United States in a single year—with more than 2,000 titles on view (including volumes by individual authors, anthologies, biographies, critical studies, CDs and DVDs) from over 500 commercial, university and independent presses. The Showcase provides writers, readers and publishers with a fascinating vantage point from which to assess publishing and design trends and linguistic, aesthetic and philosophical shifts. Established in 1992 by Executive Director Lee Briccetti, the Showcase reflects Poets House’s mission to make the range of modern poetry available to the public and to stimulate public dialogue on issues of poetry and culture.

Each year, Poets House adds the bibliographic records of all the books exhibited in the Showcase to its free, fully-searchable online database, the Directory of American Poetry Books. With over 20,000 titles, the Directory contains the most comprehensive information about U.S. poetry books and publishers from 1990 through 2008.


The 17th Annual Poets House Showcase April 4-11, 2009

Opening Reception: Saturday, April 4, 1:00–4:00pm
Exhibit Hours: Saturday, April 4-11, during regular library hours

Catch an eyeful of what's happening in poetry today with this divergent, cacophonous display of all the new poetry and poetry-related books published in the United States in the last year. From micro-press chapbooks to masterworks from major commercial publishers, over 2,000 titles share shelf space for one week.

@ NYPL Jefferson Market Branch 425 Sixth Avenue (at West 10th Street) For library hours, call (212) 243-4334 Admission free

Guidelines & Submission Form | Showcase Facts


TEMPORARY OFFICE ADDRESS:
Poets House | 594 Broadway, Suite 510 | New York, NY 10012 | (212) 431-7920 | info@poetshouse.org

Project Verse Seeks Applicants! Deadline 03-01-2009

Project Verse Seeks Applicants!

Can you write under pressure without breaking a sweat?
Always telling friends that writing a crown of heroic sonnets is a cinch?
Do you dream of perfect line breaks?
If you think you’ve got the write moves, I’ve got the poetry competition for you.

Project Verse

Dustin Brookshire, through I Was Born Doing Reference Work in Sin and Limp Wrist, is proud to announce Project Verse, the self-proclaimed “Project Runway” of the poetry world.

Project Verse is a free competition set to be a grueling but fun competition for poets. It’s a 10-week competition, and the winner will be announced week 11. Each Monday, an assignment will be posted in I Was Born Doing Reference Work in Sin. Poets will have to complete and submit the assignment by noon Friday of the same week. The judges will read and score the assignments over the weekend, and the judgment will be posted in I Was Born Doing Reference Work in Sin the following Monday.

Who are the judges? Dustin Brookshire, Beth Gylys, and Dana Guthrie Martin are your weekly judges; however, it wouldn't be fun without a little variety. Each week, except for the first week of the competition, there will be a guest judge. I would give you the list of guest judges, but that wouldn't be any fun either! We have a varied list of guest judges ranging from Pushcart Prize nominees and winners to a Lambda Literary Award recipient to National Endowment for the Arts fellowship recipients.

And a competition wouldn't be complete without a prize! The winner of Project Verse receives the following prize package:
How do you apply to compete in Project Verse?
  • Write a short bio with a max of 200 words. (Make it personal yet poetic.)
  • In 500 words or less, respond to the words of Ellen Bryant Voigt, "It's all a draft until you die."
  • Submit a max of 10 unpublished poems, no more than 20 pages total.
  • If available, provide links to no more than two sites where your work may be viewed.
  • Copy and paste the Rules/Regulations/All That Jazz section on its own page
  • I, *Insert name here*, agree to follow all items listed under the Rules/Regulations/& All That Jazz for Project Verse. I understand that not following these items, at any point during the competition, will result in my being disqualified from Project Verse.
All requested information should be sent in the order requested above, in one Microsoft Word document, to Dustin Brookshire at dustinvbrookshire@gmail.com by 3/01/09. The subject line of the email should read, "Project Verse: Insert Your Name." Your name and email address must appear on every page of your Microsoft Word document. Numbering your pages will make us smile; however, it won't sway our decision on having you as a contestant.


Rules/Regulations/All That Jazz
  • Contestants will be selected from a pool of 15 semi-finalists, which in return will be narrowed down to the 11 Project Verse contestants.
  • Contestants may not have published more than one full collection of poetry. (Number of chapbook publications does not matter.)
  • Contestants must not have studied with any of the weekly judges in a collegiate setting or be related to any of the weekly judges (by blood, marriage, or love affair).
  • Contestants must work solo on the weekly Project Verse assignments. Outside help from friends, family, professors, etc. is strictly prohibited and is cheating. Cheaters will be disqualified from Project Verse and thoroughly gossiped about throughout the blogosphere.
  • Contestants must agree not to use any previously written poems for a Project Verse weekly assignment, unless the weekly assignment requests it.
  • Contestants must be willing to complete pages two and three from the Soul Mountain Retreat application package. (Click here to see the forms.)
  • All written information collected from the application, excluding the information from the Soul Mountain Retreat forms, may be published in I Was Born Doing Reference Work in Sin.
  • The winner's chapbook will be published in the Limp Wrist limited edition chapbook series. The chapbook will include, but will not be limited to, the poems the winner wrote during the Project Verse competition. The chapbook must receive approval from Limp Wrist before being published.
  • By participating in Project Verse, you agree to acknowledge Project Verse as first publisher in future reprints of books, anthologies, website publications, podcasts, radio, etc. Copyright reverts back to authors upon appearance in the Project Verse competition, which takes place on the I Was Born Doing Reference Work in Sin site.
  • While the copyright reverts back to the author upon appearance in the Project Verse competition, Dustin Brookshire in combination with Project Verse and I Was Born Doing Reference Work in Sin, reserve the right to use any poems from the competition to create an anthology in the future.


*Please note: The winner of the competition will be required to arrange transportation to and from Soul Mountain Retreat. The fees of the residency are taken care of by Dustin Brookshire on behalf of I Was Born Doing Reference Work in Sin.

Don't forget about the autographed items on raffle:
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON THE LIMP WRIST SCHOLARSHIP RAFFLE

Reprinted from I Was Born Doing Reference Work in Sin.Thanks to Ellen Bass for sharing this submission call.

Manorborn Submission Call 2009 Theme Water Deadline 04-15-2009

Manorborn
Rockfield Manor in Bel Air, Maryland
Call for 2009 Submissions

Manorborn is an annual print journal published by the Harford Poetry and Literary Society (MD). The anthology features poetry, fiction, memoir, essay, and black and white art and photography.

Deadline: April 15, 2009

Theme: Water

Manorborn is now accepting submissions for its 2009 issue on the theme of WATER. The theme is deliberately broad, intended to allow you maximum room for creative expression.

E-mailed submissions are accepted and should be sent to: hpls@harfordpoetrysociety.org with work sent in a Word or Rich Text Format attachment.

Send postal mail submissions to: HPLS/c/o M. Mullins/2121 Cox Rd/Jarrettsville, MD/21084

Your name and email address should appear above each poem or piece of prose in the attachment. USPS-mailed submissions must be typed on unlined paper using 12 point Times New Roman or similar font; your name and address should appear on each page. Digital artwork and photo images at 300 dpi should be no larger than 8.5" x 5.5". Original artwork or photos should be no larger than 8.5" x 11".

In your email or cover letter, please include the following information: Name, City and State, Email address, Description of attached or enclosed work(s), and brief biographical sketch. Simultaneous submissions and previously published work are accepted, but must be identified as such. Submissions will not be acknowledged, but if your work is selected for publication, you will be contacted before June 30. Manuscripts and artwork will not be returned, so do not send your only copy.

You may submit up to five (5) poems, one (1) fiction or non-fiction piece, and up to three (3 ) pieces of artwork or photography. All submissions should focus on the theme of WATER. There is no submission fee, but neither is there compensation for accepted work. Copies of Manorborn will be available for purchase upon publication; discounts will be given for purchase of multiple copies. Manorborn is available at amazon.com and is distributed and sold locally.

Poetry: Poetry in any style or form is welcome. Poetry must be single spaced, maximum 40 lines per poem, 5 poems maximum.

Fiction, memoir, essay: Work should be typed double spaced; maximum word count per piece is 1,500 words, 1 piece per contributor.

Artwork, photography: Submit up to 3 pieces in 300 dpi no larger than 8.5" X 5.5".

Please check your work carefully before submission; all work submitted should be polished and free of errors. Manorborn does not publish all submitted work.

Reprinted from http://www.harfordpoetrysociety.org/callfor.htm. Thanks to Ellen Bass for forwarding notification of this submission call.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

The Rainbow Book Fair at The Center on March 28, 2009

The Center
The Rainbow Book Fair
Saturday, March 28 2009 : 11:00am – 6:00pm
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
208 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Between 7th and 8th Aves (map)
Phone: 212-620-7310


The Center presents The Rainbow Book Fair on Saturday, March 28, 2009, 11:00AM - 6:00PM.Unleash the colors of your imagination. Let your hip, seductive, fabulous, smart side out at the First Annual Rainbow Book Fair, Saturday, March 28, from 11 am to 6 pm. Discover books for the entire LGBT community. Fiction, non-fiction, how-to, travel, poetry, erotica, hot books and cool ones, smart and fun books. Bestsellers and hip reads from cutting-edge indie publishers you won’t find at your local Barnes & Noble, many at rock bottom prices. Meet other readers and book lovers, authors and publishers. Readings, signings, and appearances by our community’s brightest authors, thinkers, and doers. Books for the entire wonderful rainbow of the LGBT family. You’re sure to find your next book and favorite story here. Free of charge, and open to the public.


Sponsored by Greater NY Independent Publishers Association (GNYIPA)


FREE TO THE PUBLIC

Authors and Publishers may reserve space in advance.

Registration levels:

  • Sponsor Table, $250, 10 foot table. Sponsors will be listed on the Center's website and included on printed promotional materials (deadline January 23, 2009)
  • Full Table, $100, 5 foot table
  • Half Table, $50, Shared 5 foot table

For More InformationFor Author/Publisher relations: hermes@mindspring.com or belhuepress@earthlink.net.

Directions:
Subway & PATH
Directions 1, 2, or 3 to 14th Street and 7th Avenue
A, C, E, or L to 14th Street and 8th Avenue
F or V to 14th Street and 6th Avenue
PATH to 14th Street and 6th Avenue

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Call for Menu Poems: Deadline March 4th

Alimentum-The Literature of Food
Call for menupoems!

April is National Poetry Month


Alimentum will once again publish a poetry broadside of menupoems for National Poetry Month.

The poems are distributed to participating restaurants for diners to enjoy some poetry with their menu!

We need your poems! Only about a dozen poems will be selected.

Here are the guidelines:


  • Short menu-dining-food-related poems.
  • 12-line length limit.
  • 3-poem submission limit.
  • Deadline-March 4th, 2009. (March Fourth!)
  • Email submission to menupoems@alimentumjournal.com


IMPORTANT- poems must be pasted into the body of the email, no attachments.

To see some menupoem examples check the archive on our Alimentum Online website page. See link below.

ATTENTION Restaurants (or do you have a favorite restaurant?):
Participate by giving your diners menupoems during National Poetry Month. We'll ship you a stack, and post your name and address on our website throughout April. Participation is free!

Write to let us know if you'd like to take part in the menupoem party!


The Editors
Alimentum-The Literature of Food
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
email: menupoems@alimentumjournal.com
web: http://www.alimentumjournal.com/alimentumonline.html

The World According to Goldfish anthology submissions deadline: March 10, 2009

News from Goldfish Press!

Carpe Verbum - Seize the Word


Goldfish Press has created a fundraising project on behalf of Heifer International and we're excited that the proceeds of it's very first publication;

The World According to Goldfish

a Poetry Anthology is going to buy some cows!

Cows?

What would be the better gift for someone? Another present that gathers dust on a shelf? Or a donation that represents a heifer and training in its care, that brings health and hope to struggling families around the world?

The concept is simple, every gift given multiplies, as the animal's first offspring is passed on to another family-then they also agree to pass on an animal, and so on.

A good dairy cow can produce four gallons of milk a day - enough for a family to drink and share with neighbors. Milk protein transforms sick, malnourished children into healthy boys and girls. The sale of surplus milk earns money for school fees, medicine, clothing and home improvements.

And because a healthy cow can produce a calf every year, every gift will be passed on and eventually help an entire community move from poverty to self reliance. Now that's a goal and a gift worth giving!

Please check back for updates!

Debra Marlar, Editor-in-Chief
GOLDFISH PRESS
500 E. Magnolia Avenue
Eustis, Florida 32726
Tel 352.589.4446
e-mail goldfishpress@yahoo.com
http://goldfishpress.org

* * *

OPEN INVITATION

Calling all Poets! Be a part of giving the gift to the World that keeps on giving! At our Submissions Page upload up to six (6) text only, original, never before published poems for us to consider and possibly include in the first poetry anthology to be published by Goldfish Press. Please note you will not be paid for the use of any selected poems in this fundraising project as the proceeds from the anthology will be donated to Heifer International. You will however be able to purchase the book upon its release.

Submissions Deadline: March 10, 2009

Goldfish Press has also recently added an Online Writers Workshop primarily for this project. Go here if you'd like to test-drive your work and receive valuable feedback from a talented group of peer writers and GFP Editors!

Learn More about Heifer International

Monday, February 9, 2009

The Day After the Election Anthology - call for poetry


Richard Vargas (American Jesus, Tia Chucha Press) and Rafael Alvarado (internet radio producer/host of the Moe Green Poetry Hour) are co-editing a poetry anthology to be titled The Day After: Poets Respond to the 2008 Presidential Election.

They are open to submissions. Says Vargas: “Please limit length to 2 page max per poem. We’re getting a lot of emotional expressions of joy, and a lot of rants. A lot of the stuff comes off more like a history lesson than a poem. If it’s warm and fuzzy, it better be really good. What we really want are those slice of life moments that capture the mood… surprise us with the unexpected and still address the theme of the anthology.”

No limit on number of poems submitted, but no poem should be over two pages in length. E-mail submissions: rvargas5 at yahoo dot com. Paste poems into the body of your email; files and attachments will not be opened.

THE FIB REVIEW Seeks Submissions Year-Round


Why Bother With The Fibonacci Poem?


Where Did It Start?

As most readers of The Fib Review know, the Fibonacci poem is a new phenomenon made popular by Gregory K. Pincus on his Gottabook blog. His invitation for readers of his blog to send this unique six-line poem created a blogosphere-wide gold rush of Fibonacci poems. Mr. Pincus’ blog invitation, the responses he received, and the subsequent article by Motoko Rich in the April 14, 2006 issue of the New York Times that discussed this new phenomenon brought the Fibonacci poem to the forefront.


What Is It?

The Fibonacci sequence is a mathematical sequence in which every figure is the sum of the two preceding it. Thus, you begin with 1 and the sequence follows as such: 1+1=2; then in turn 1+2=3; then 2+3=5; then 3+5=8 and so on. For literary purposes the sequence stops at 8 using each number as a set of syllabic counts. The sequence is 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8. Each number represents the number of syllables that a writer places in each line of the ‘poem.’ As a literary device, it is used as a formatted pattern in which one can offer meaning in an organized way. A close distant relative might be the Japanese haiku in which one of the traditional haiku tenets is the syllabic count of each line. In English, the traditional count has been a poem of three lines. The first line is 5 syllables, the second line is 7 syllables, and the third line is 5 syllables. The haiku in English has matured and changed over the years to reflect more of a focus on content than an exact syllabic count, but the syllables help to keep focused in a way that disciplines the poet.


Submissions:

You may submit to The Fib Review by sending your Fibonacci poems, narratives, or experiments to musepiepress@aol.com. Make sure that what you send is your best work. Please also make sure to type in the subject line “For The Fib Review.” Submit the poems only in the body of the e-mail in plain text. No submission e-mails will be accepted with attachments. If for some reason your work is long and attachments might be necessary, contact the editor, Mary-Jane Grandinetti, at the above e-mail address first so that a plan can be formulated to receive your submission.


The Fib Review accepts submissions year-round and will publish accepted submissions in its annual to be sent to readers between June and August.




R.G. Rader, Editor/Publisher
Muse-Pie Press
73 Pennington Avenue
Passaic, NJ 07055

PERSPECTIVES Magazine: Winter Contest & Submission Call

Perspectives Magazine January 2009
Writer's Guideline


Who writes for PERSPECTIVES? New or published writers challenging their imaginative ability by giving inanimate objects human qualities. Observe and write about the world through an object’s perspective.

Submission Requirements

Describe the object's world using:

  • short stories (1st person POV)
  • poetry (you can submit many but send each one separately)
  • plays, interviews
  • illustrations (art or Photoshop manipulated)
  • or any other form I haven't yet thought of.

I'm looking for:

  • Submissions that include the senses. I want to see, smell, hear, touch, and taste the object's world.
  • Specifics: instead of writing I [the object] walked across the street, write I [the object] shuffled or limped across the street.
  • Generally, active vs. passive sentences structures.
  • Circular or surprise endings.

Word/line count maximum: 1,500 for short stories and 30 lines for poems. Fillers: Half of a single-spaced 8'11" page. Poetry: Allow all types. Photos or art: Attached jpg format; do not send it in a pdf document. Formatting: Use 1.5 inch left/right margins, double-space entries, and indent paragraphs. Important: Include contact information (REAL name, address, phone, email) at the top-left hand corner.

Deadlines: December 15 and June 15 for the January/July online editions. Response time: 1-2 weeks. I will reply with personal comments. Submissions are subject to editing but you will have an opportunity to approve suggestions before it’s printed. I prefer using the 'comments' feature in MS Word if revisions are necessary. If you don't know how to use it, I will send them in an email. Rights: First, electronic, 6 month exclusive rights, and reprint rights for the print edition. Payment: Writers will be paid for their time and talent as well as online exposure with a contributor's copy.

Email perspectivesmagazine@gmail.com with “Submission:[object]” in the subject line. Replace '[object]' with the object you are writing about. *NOTE* Do not type the word 'object' or put more than one colon because it will be recognized as spam. Also, tell me how you came to find the website (web search, referred to by someone who wrote for the magazine, etc). I will accept inline text, MS Word, or PDF attachments. If your submission is accepted and you were referred by a previous contributor, both will receive a gift in the mail.

If your submission is accepted, I will ask for an optional photo (head/shoulder shot), a minimum two-three line bio, and an author contract that has to be faxed.

Monique Berry, Editor
http://1websurfer.wordpress.com/
http://perspectivesmagazine.googlepages.com/about

A free sample copy of the January 2009 edition is available as a PDF attachment. Send an email with "Request January09 copy" in the subject line to perspectivesmagazine@gmail.com.

* * *

Winter Contest
TOUCHED BY A SNOWFLAKE

Deadline for Part 1: February 28 at 6:00pm
Deadline for Part 11: March 20 at 12:00pm

Part 1*

A snowflake** has been seeing Dr. Jack Frost. After listening to its story for several months, the doctor decides that the best treatment for the snowflake is to send it to the earth one last time and touch a couple*** who have lost their appreciative perspective. “I am sending you,” said Dr. Frost, “because you’re the only one who has enough wisdom amongst all the snowflakes to ignite the needed spark.”


Questions for the snowflake:
Where did your sessions take place? What are you being treated for? You have an objection to taking this treatment. What is it? You are also suffering from ___phobia. What fear do you have to overcome to finish your assignment? What will your reward be? What is the one thing that you like/dislike about the winter season? Out of the thousands of ways to be romantic, what event did you use to kindle the couple’s feeling of wonder at the uniqueness of this season? What are you going to do to be remembered by the couple? What lesson did you learn about facing your fear?


Include:
  • A name suitable for a snowflake.
  • A quote about snowflakes, winter, or elderly wisdom.
  • At least three of the following words/phrases in your entry: whispering trees; poetry; flame; wind; quiver; warm windows and a frosted roof; glints of firelight; thermometer; numb; frozen.
  • Dialogue between the couple.
  • Medical terminology.


The phrase: We interrupt this season/event to…

Rules:

  • Begin your entry with one of these headlines:
  • The Secret of _____
  • How _____ Made Me _____
  • You Don't Have to _____ to _____
  • Entry must be a minimum length of one single-spaced page.
  • Send it to perspectivesmagazine@gmail.com with “Winter Contest-Part 1” in the subject line.
  • Sign your entry with the snowflake’s username and your real name underneath.
  • Use the wisdom and experiences of the elderly snowflake to tell the reader how it romanticized the couple.
Note:

* You will receive instructions for Part II only if you enter Part 1.
** The snowflake is a senior and can be male or female.
*** The couple can be physical, conceptual, or both (eg., two humans; or bitterness and boredom; or a widow and his/her memory).


Prizes will be announced February 14, 2009

Reprinted from http://perspectivesmagazine.googlepages.com/contest2.