"Goddamn Sad Animals"

Here's a sneak peak at one of the illustrations by Joseph Lappie which will be featured in my book, Dork Swagger, forthcoming this fall by Coconut Books.

New Immaculate Disciples Press Chapbook

I'm guest-editing the next title in Dan Magers's chapbook press, Immaculate Disciples, & I'm pleased to say, it's going to be a monster. It's a double chapbook of collaborative poems by Julia Cohen & Mathias Svalina. These are some of the best poems I've read in a long time. They are filled with whimsy and imagination, the dark stuff, the gutted stuff, & the blooming things that go bright in the sky. You can pick it up at AWP (Table Y:J2). After AWP, you'll be able to get it from the Immaculate website, at the CUNY Chapbook Fest, and from Berl's.

The cover was done by Joseph Lappie & screened near the Hudson River by Caitlin Wheeler.

Some Upcoming Events

I'm reading with tons of awesome people on Feb. 5th for Polestar's The White Album. See flyer in previous post.

On March 3rd I'm chairing a panel at AWP on chapbooks with awesome writers/publishers, Angela Veronica Wong, Mathias Svalina, Farrah Field and Sommer Browning.AWP 2012 | Saturday, March 3, 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM | The Chapbook Beyond Cultural Artifact: Contemporary Poetry and the Economics and Vitality of Chapbook Publishing | Honore Ballroom, Palmer House Hilton | Chicago, IL

I'm guest-editing the next chapbook for Immaculate Disciples Press which will be a double collaborative effort by Julia Cohen & Mathias Svalina. Seriously, it's so damn good! Cover art my Joseph Lappie- HOT DAMN! Come find us at Table Y.

Also, at AWP there will be copies of the collab chapbook by Veronica Wong & myself over at the Lame House table. Veronica's full-length from Coconut will also be for sale (I think).

Shortly, before AWP there will be a new edition of Sink Review. We have a new assistant poetry editor, Stephanie Willis. New things ahead for Sink!

Shortly after AWP, Veronica & I, along with Jackie Clark, B.C. Edwards and Amy Lawless will be reading on March 31st for an off-site reading in conjunction with the CUNY Chapbook Festival- location of the reading TBA.

I believe Veronica, Carter & I will read in Philly in either April or May.
Veronica and I will also read in DC in May. Details forthcoming.

One Last Post Before AWP!!

The new issue of Sink Review is up!!
Artwork by
Joseph Lappie of Peptic Robot Press!!

Poetry by:

Kim Gek Lin Short
Jeremy Hoevenaar
Solmaz Sharif
Mark Bibbins
Sasha Fletcher
Sawako Nakayasu
Franklin Bruno
DJ Dolack
Chris Martin
Brett Price
Tony Mancus
B.C. Edwards
Stephanie Ann Whited
Dustin Luke Nelson
Jess Grover
Brad Liening
Elaine Castillo
Jeremiah Gould
Scott Abels
Travis Macdonald
Andy Fitch
Farrah Field

And reviews of & by:

* Heather Christle’s The Difficult Farm by Angela Veronica Wong
* Chris Tonelli’s The Trees Around by Erika Moya
* Abraham Smith’s Hank by Steven Karl
* Ben Fama’s Aquarius Rising& Natalie Lyalin’s Try A Little Time Travel by J.Mae Barizo
* Timothy Donnelly’s The Cloud Corporation by Christie Ann Reynolds
* Eléna Rivera’s Remembrance of Things Plastic by Richard Scheiwe

If you'll be at AWP in Washington DC this week, please visit our table, which we are sharing with Flying Guillotine Press and Small Anchor Press. Please also come to our off-site reading we'll be having with Magic Helicopter Press, Agnes Fox Press, Parthenon West Review, and Small Deck Press, which will be on Saturday Feb 5, from 7-9pm at The Black Squirrel, 2427 18th Street NW. More details here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192594154088471. Also, come check out our limited coinsides by Angela Veronica Wong, Matthew Henriksen, Lauren Ireland, and Dottie Lasky made by Peptic Robot Press.

I'll be reading on Friday btwn 7-8 in front of the Washington Memorial. Stop by the H_ngm_n booth to pick up some hand-warmers then step out for some poetry.

Post-AWP, I'll be reading at the Poetry Project on Feb. 11th at 10pm and on Feb 13th at Zinc Bar for the EOAGH launch party.

The Robot Wants What The Robot Wants

An Afternoon Inside The (Peptic) Robot

Peptic Robot Press Comes To NYC

Monday Catch-Up

Sorry for the long silence. My friend, Joseph, the artist & publisher behind State(s) of Flux was in town so we did exciting things which didn't include sitting around staring at the computer.

We went to Central Booking (in DUMBO), Booklyn (in Greenpoint) Center for Book Arts and Printed Matter (both in Chelsea). Booklyn will have a gallery opening on Feb. 4th & I think it will definitely be worth checking out.

We also had some whiskey nights, conversations at a bar, pizza, thai, some citrus juice and an all night book-making session. Joseph is already missed by many, maybe even you.

I attempted to buy a copy of Maggy today, but didn't see it at St. Mark's Book Store, luckily as I was going through my emails I realized there is a new ish of diode up. Check it out.

State(s) of Flux

I'm thrilled to say my chapbook has arrived. You can purchase it from Peptic Robot Press for $15.00. The book doesn't have its own page yet but you can send them an email here for the deets.

I'll be reading from it tomorrow at Cakeshop so come on out and say hi.

Sneak Peak

a rough-draft of Concertina from Joseph Lappie & a poem by me (previously published in Sawbuck) equals a forthcoming collaboration chapbook by Mr. Lappie & Mr. Me

Respite (while eating a sandwich) in the park

*

I am covered in mosquito bites

*

there are Finches
everywhere hopping on
the red bricks
rubbing their
bellies between
gray stone
crevices

*
Saturday/ in the park/ little chest/ puffed/ in song/

*

Once,
I shared
in sound

Tuesday with Rain

Last night I sent an email to someone saying that it finally feels like summer, in other words, dry & hot. So much for that, huh?

Here's the alternate location for the Bryant Park reading if it is still raining
Uncalled-for Readings Bryant Park: Ana Božičević, Brown, Susana Gardinier

In case of continued rain, tonight's reading will take place at the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen, 20 W. 44th St between 5th & 6th Aves, just 2 blocks north of Bryant Park.

See you tonight at 7:30!
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Washington Square Midsummer Party!
Washington Square is NYU creative writing program’s nationally-distributed literary journal publishing fiction and poetry by emerging and established writers.
Readings by JOHN YAU, TIMOTHY LIU, MIRANDA FIELD, BEN MIROV, KATHERINE BOGDEN, and PORTER FOX, plus a hilarious reading by actor CONRAD WOOLFE reading from Rudolph Delson's story.

Thursday, July 23, 2009
Time:
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Location:
Happy Ending
Street:
302 Broome St, between Forsyth & Eldridge
City/Town:
New York, NY
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Julia (Cohen) & Mathias (Svalina) have a new collab chapbook coming out from Cinematheque Press & you can read an excerpt here
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Artist, Printer, Publisher, Joseph Lappie is on the move (again) from Chicago to Iowa so here's your chance to buy some paintings, prints, and drawings at a discounted rate & he's keeping a blog too! Check out his work & words here
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Sharon Mesmer is making a run at being the next Poet Laurette of Brooklyn. Matt Rohrer is also in the mix, but haven't heard much about his campaign so I'm assuming Sharon wants it more... read & decide & vote here
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Time to make some food. Tofu stir-fry with garlic, kale, and whatever else is left in the fridge.

Nut News & Two Interviews

You may have read her chapbook, Perfect Villagers, from Octopus Books (which is the last section of this book), but this is Sueyeun Juliette Lee's first full-length book & it's pretty damn good. I might have a review of this book forthcoming so for now all I'll say is that I picked as one of the best books for 2008 over on the No Tells blog & you can buy it here. Also the poet (my friend) Meghan Punschke designed the cover.

Speaking of Coconut, issue 14 is up & it contains some poets I can't wait to read such as Eileen Tabios, Graeme Bezanson (who I went to NS with, as well as, worked on LIT with ((he's still the poetry editor there)) and he's part of the Coldfront Crew, yet I haven't really read his poems), Susana Gardner (who edits Dusie press), and Rauan Klassnik.
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Two more interviews with the esteemed artist, Joseph Lappie:

http://chicagoist.com/2008/11/22/an_interview_with_joseph_lappie.php

http://theloop.colum.edu/s/644/index.aspx?sid=644&gid=24&pgid=252&cid=4885&ecid=4885&ciid=16917&crid=0

Chicago: All That Jazz And Then Some

If you find yourself in Chicago definitely check out Joseph Lappie's solo art exhibition.

Believe Inn is proud to present "Before There Was Us And Them There Was We," the solo exhibition of Joseph Lappie.

"Before There Was Us And Them There Was We" is a collection of new drawing prints and paintings continuing the theme of relationships between the self and others, communicative constipation in word and deed, and the necessity of factual fictions in order to move forward day to day. The anthropomorphic qualities of certain figures suggest the true character of each individual. One that often remains hidden under the skin. It is not meant to be a mythological character, merely an aspect of us.

Before There Was Us And Them There Was We

Solo Exhibition by Joseph Lappie

Believe Inn

2043 N Winchester

Chicago, IL 60614

http://BelieveInn.org/

Peptic Robot Press Interview

My forthcoming chapbook, State(s) of Flux is a collaboration with the artist, Joseph Lappie. Peptic Robot Press is Joseph's one-person publishing press which focuses on art books, so it's a distinct pleasure to have Joseph designing, laying-out, creating, and illustrating the book. Here's an interview with Joseph.

If You Find Yourself in Chicago on Friday November 16th

This Friday the 16th from 7pm - 11pm sponsored by Allegoric Space and hosted at the Chicago Country Club Gallery I will have a literal hunk of my work on display Along with 20+ other artists from across the nation. I think 12 or so will be at the actual event for libations and canoodling. Artwork from $20-$1500 so a little bit for everyone.

This is a one night only gig. On Saturday the 17th I'll be gone. Where is this gallery at you ask?

1100 N. Damen Ave Chicago, Il 60622

That is one block south of the Division and Damen intersection. Easily accessible by the Blue Line and getting off at either the
Division or Damen stop then walking (or bussing) 5-6 blocks on either street until you hit the intersection. One block South and Voila!

What will be there? Glad you asked. Prints, Drawings, and Books by me...Paintings, Drawings, Textual sculptures, by others. Check out www.allegoricspace.com for the list and examples of artists.

Hey, while you're at it check out www.pepticrobotpress.com for over 70 new images (mainly in the drawing and print section) The website is in a constant state of flux so excuse the dispirate background images on some of the pages.

Any ?s I'll be happy and speedy in my reply.

Bring your dancing feet, bring your drinking belly, and bring your pocket book because the art is affordable.

Joseph

p.s. I know, logistically, that it is an impossibilty for many of you to attend this event. Nonetheless I wanted to send an invitation.

Thanks.





www.pepticrobotpress.com

Get Art; Get Lit

My good friend and esteemed colleague has revamped his website. He's an amazing artist and a special talent when it comes to book arts so take a look for yerself,

http://pepticrobotpress.com/