It’s past time for an update! Let’s imagine this blog is a nice, cool swimming pool and jump right in with some recent news:
Interviews
This month I was delighted to interview poet Theresa Burns, author of Design, on Diane Lockward’s “Blogalicious” blog. Diane, the publisher of Terrapin Books, has been featuring a series in which Terrapin press mates interview each other, especially featuring books whose tours were impacted by the pandemic. Theresa was great fun to talk with, and I adore the sample poem we’ve included in that blog, “The New Black.” Read it at dianelockward.blogspot.com/2022/06/terrapin-books-interview-series-kory.html
A quote from Ann Keniston’s interview with me
Poet Ann Keniston also recently interviewed me on the same blog, asking some great questions with regards to Sugar Fix and my thoughts on facts, stories, kinship and the poetry community, and more. The interview concludes with my poem “He drove a a four-door Chevy, nothing sexy, but I’d been thinking of his mouth for weeks,” which appears in Sugar Fix and was originally published in Helen. Check it out at dianelockward.blogspot.com/2022/06/terrapin-books-interview-series-ann_29.html
New(ish) Poems
Although I’m pretty good about sharing newly published work on social media, I don’t always get it to my website! Here are some recent publications I’ve had work in:
- Yellow Arrow Journal, (Vol. VII, No. 1) UpSpring – “Whatever Happened to Jill”
I’m thrilled to be included in this journal, as Yellow Arrow Publishing is doing impressive work to support women writers through both publications and programs–some virtual and some in the Baltimore area. Learn more - I’ve been writing travel-inspired poems, especially during the pandemic, and some of those appear in:
- The Literary Bohemian – “Never Without Her Umbrella” and “Reception”
- Scrawl Place – “If you were her my love, you’d be all talk”
- I also have new work recently appearing in Poetry South, Peauxdunque Review, and Reckoning: Tennessee Writers on 2020, a project of The Porch in Nashville.
What I’m Reading
South of Heaven by Patti Frye Meredith was recently published by Main Street Rag. Patti and I were in a writing group together when we lived in the same area years ago, and I am so thrilled that the world can now get to know Fern, her sweet son Dean, his long-missing father Mac, and a host of other memorable characters who are all jockeying to protect various secrets. If you like Southern writing, this is a satisfying, must-read title to add to your list!
Next on my list of fiction is Susan O’Dell Underwood’s debut novel, Genesis Road (Madville Publishing). Susan’s a fantastic poet, so I can’t wait to read this novel.
In poetry, I’m enjoying new work by Jeff Hardin, Watermark (Madville Publishing); and Lisa Dordal’s newest, Water Lessons (Black Lawrence Press). Both of these poets recently appeared at Poetry in the Boro, the series I founded and co-manage.
I’m also thrilled for publications recently out or forthcoming from our Poetry in the Boro community:
- Toriana Williams has published her debut collection, Poetically in Motion
- Hil Hoover has their debut collection in the pipeline at Read or Green Books
- PitB co-manager and my frequent partner in good creative trouble, Amie Whittemore, has been publishing some fantastic poems. She’s got TWO collections coming out in 2023 and 2024! Star-Tent: A Triptych will be published by Tolsun Books in 2023, and Nest of Matches will be released by Autumn House Press in 2024.
More
I’m already looking forward to the MTSU Write Fall 2022 Conference on September 23-24. Entitled Truth or Dare: Writing Beyond the Boundaries of Form, Genre, Tough Topics & Taboo, it’s got something for everyone, including both virtual and in-person options. Learn more at mtsu.edu/write/conference.php.
Speaking of MTSU Write, I’ll close with poem by one of the poets I’ve recently mentored:
“Mush, Winter 2021” by Marceline White in Atticus Review
If you’re interested in a from-home, one-on-one mentorship that helps you with your creative writing goals, learn more here.
