A Fun Way to Feel Bad

I have been putting off a blog post for a long time for a number of reasons.

First of all, this post SHOULD consist of a number of things. I promised a review of Ginger Piglet Press's Issue One, which really is lovely, and which I will, eventually, delve into more. For now, just know you ought to go to their website and purchase a copy yourself. The layout is beautiful, and is probably one of my favorite things about the magazine (not to devalue the words inside!). It's visually pleasing, and the binding is durable; it has survived in my work bag for three weeks. I tote it to and from work every day as a reminder of my promise to review it. I walk and bike to work, so the bag bumps my rump and has seen better days. But this little magazine is still going strong, and has a few coffee stains on it, like all my other well-loved items.

I have also been meaning to give a few words about Hayden Ferry Review's Word of Mouth, which is a fantastic collection of interviews with some really kickass writers (among them, Francine Prose, Bob Hicok, Franz Wright, and others). I love interviews and hearing about how other writers dive into their craft, and this is no exception. I'm addicted to the Paris Review interviews, and if you like those, you'll like this, too. Check it out. And to put myself on the line again: a longer review will come later.

This should say a little more about how busy I have been: my bookmark in Word of Mouth is a handwritten letter sent by a dear faraway friend which I have been meaning to respond to for a few weeks. I keep my to-dos closeby and together so as to add the guilt exponentially, which is a fun way to feel bad!

There is also some news to report that's not just ways that I'm slacking.

I have been named Managing Editor for Specter Literary Magazine. I am very excited about this. I am reading all of the poetry submissions, so please send in whatever you have. There are also other duties, such as remembering passwords to a new email address, a dropbox account, one more Submishmash account to look through, etc.

I have been going to classes at my local YMCA, and my legs feel like tiny things are inside of me lighting fires.

Another thing I have to do is remind myself of the good things that are eventually going to occur. I was pleased to be reminded that I have two poems up at Metazen. Some other upcoming publications include Beloit Poetry Journal and RHINO Poetry (both in 2012), Camroc Press Review, Stone Highway Review, and S/Word (all forthcoming this fall/winter), and I am STOKED to say I have had two poems accepted for publication in the third volume of Stoked!

Obviously things are changing up. I have had little time to write in the past few weeks, things with Specter are new and exciting, and the leaves are beginning to turn colors (I absolutely adore autumn).

But there are some things in which I find some consistency and comfort: reading submissions for PANK is always a delight, the rhythm of poetry editoring at Stymie is old hat, my husband keeps farting in his sleep, and of course I keep getting rejected. The count so far this year is six.

Look forward to some more posts from me in the near future. For now, we go to celebrate Will's birthday! Happy golden birthday, husband. (Oh Lord, we are so young. That is a good thing.)