Recently Received / Recently Acquired BOOKS and CHAPBOOKS

April 2013 folds into May 2016: When a blogpost gets lost in the draft files and then re-emerges:

It seems worthwhile to note once in a blue moon what JOY is brought to any day where I go downstairs to discover a slightly puffier than a bill envelope and rip it open to uncover the gorgeous book that has somehow wended and wound its way possibly on trains, planes and automobiles as well as the back of the bike of our local post office worker (really, she bikes, it is awesome) to here.

Some of the very exciting recent mailbox pleasures from April 2013 which I had in a draft blog post since then include:
Anne-Marie Albiach's Celui des "Lames" (Eric Pesty, 2013)
Jane Lewty's BRAVURA COOL (1913 press, 2012)
MURDER by Danielle Collobert (one of my favorite books in French) now in an English version translated by Nathanael (Nightboat Books, 2013)
Rachida Madani's Tales of a Severed Head translated by Marilyn Hacker (Yale U Press, 2013)

But also there are the 2013 acquired in person books I wanted to tell people about in April of that year, such as:
Brandon Shimoda's Obon
Zachary Schomburg's Scary, no scary (O Books, 2013)

May 2016 shout outs about exciting new arrivals or newly acquired reads, most picked up in NYC on my recent visit include:
Dominique Maurizi Langue du chien (Albertine, 2011)--FYI Dominique will be reading at Berkeley Books of Paris on May 19, 2016 at 19h30
Tears in the Fence's newest issue (62) with a stunning new cover design
4 of the newest books from Nightboat--poetry collections by Michael Heller, E Tracey Grinnell, Brenda Iijima and Maged Zaher!
Early Linoleum by Brenda Iijima (Counterpath, 2015)
Visual Poems and Performance Scripts by Jane Augustine (Marsh Hawk Press, 2015)
3 books, including the fabulous, dense and rich Memories, Dreams and Inner Voices by Michael Ruby (Station Hill of Barrytown, 2012)
Bonny Finberg's Kali's Day (a novel!)
Epître Langue Louve by Claude Ber (got that at Ivy last week--it is fabulous!)
Actes from the colloque "Traduire le rêve" N° 53 of Etudes de Langue et Littérature françaises de l'université Seinan-Gakuin, numéro spécia for the 150th anniversary of Franco-Japonais relations (from Spring 2010)

If you never had time, in 2013, I published a few articles and book reviews, such as on Elsa Von Freytag's Body Sweats (on Drunken Boat), Of Tradition and Experiment articles for Tears in the Fence UK and poem/translation in N° 9 of RoToR magazine, in RoToR's FIRST BILINGUAL edition including my poem "Full Throttle" as well as 2 other texts which I co-translated with Anne Kawala.

In April 2013 we were all awaiting the exciting issue 11 of VERSAL--which you can still order!--and watch for 2016 news on Versal as we launch a call for work sometime this year and get ready for the next issues of the magazine. Versal has been focused on VERSO, its reading and talks series, and the next VERSO will be June 5th 2016 which I will curate--see full information at VERSO site: FIXITY/THE VOID is our Gemini alchemical theme.

Recent publications.... and pics, plus an event announcement!

Travels and travails. The spring is alive with movement, with the awakening despite, today, a return to a fallish greyness here in Paris. But to combat the grey cloudy mood one needs so little, so little of something--perhaps just a bit of joy? Or shiny souvenirs of fabulous encounters and travels and new publications to make one feel loved and to also lead one to discover new authors one is published alongside. SO--here below are a few pics of recent events and announcements for new publications. This mini list ends with info on my forthcoming June 7th reading in Amsterdam! 

I) PRAGUE POETRY MICROFESTIVAL READING: JENNIFER K DICK with OLGA PEKOVA, happened on May 12th:

As these photos show (reading pics by Prague-based photographer Robert Carrithers republished here with his permission, the final pic is by me, as it has the great nightmood of central Prague--taken near Celetna 20), I travelled to Prague for their annual Prague Poetry Microfestival where I met for the second time the wonderful, talented young translator and writer Olga Pekova who brought some of my CERN poems into the Czech language. We gave a reading on one of the 4 nights of the festival, but I was especially excited to discover so many other authors--in particular the novelist who wrote DWELLING (Reality Street books, 2011--click title to order), Richard Mankin--who read on the extra-conference Fiction prequel night to the Microfestival. And what a delight it was to see old friends and new in-person friends after long cyber-contact: Michael Farrell and Vanessa Place. Here is a great picture of them contemplating the wall in the Prague Czech Repulic Senate garden!:

II) NEW POEMS FROM THE CERN PROJECT ONLINE in THE GORGEOUS ISSUE TWO OF MOLLY BLOOM Modern Poetry

MOLLY BLOOM issue two, available free and online HERE, includes work by Rachel Lerhman, Rob Stanton, rob mcclennan, Mark Russell, Sarah Crewe, Frances Presley, Jennifer K Dick, Osip Mandelstam translated by Alistair Noon, Vahni Capildeo, DS Marriott, Clive Semmens, and Geraldine Monk. It is edited by Aiden Simmons. 

III) CRITICAL ARTICLE discusses CERN poems, article BY AMY CATANZANO on JACKET 2 

author and critic AMY CATANZANO for Jacket 2: https://jacket2.org/commentary/ufolanguage

https://jacket2.org/commentary/ufolanguage
--What do you think? Am I part of U+F+O+L+A+N+G+U+A+G+E poetry? Read what Amy says HERE and let me know! See her article to check out a GREAT image by Maria Damon whose work and many others is discussed by Amy in her article.

IV) TEARS IN THE FENCE ISSUE 59--including my 10th column in the series entitled "OF TRADITION AND EXPERIMENT" 

See TITF's website for more info or to order a copy at:http://tearsinthefence.com/
Or join their FB group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2307588990/

My article is Of Tradition and Experiment X: a roundup of 5 excellent small press publications : Afton Wilky's Clarity Speaks of a Crystal Sea (Flim Forum, 2014), The First 4 Books of Sampson Starkweather (Birds LLC, 2013), Matvei Yankelevich's Alpha Donut (United Artists Books, 2012), Laurie Price's Radio at Night (Lunar Chandelier Press, 2013) and Jackqueline Frost's You Have the Eyes of a Martyr (O'Clock Press chapbook). 

Additional mini-reviews included at the closure of my column mention Lily Robert-Foley's M (Corrupt, 2013), Michelle Noteboom's Roadkill (Corrupt, 2013), Frances Richard's ANARCH. (FuturePoem, 2012), Matthew Cooperman and Marius Lehene's IMAGO for the fallen world (Jaded Ibis, 2013), as well as Shira Dentz's door of thin skins (CavenKerry, 2013)

V) CELEBRATORY READING for CONVERSION in the midst of the gorgeous art show for bookmaker, sculptor, painter and engraver KATE VAN HOUTEN of ESTEPA EDITIONS at ELIANE FIEVET's home gallery space.

This was a beautiful evening of sharing poems in a space filled with the most amazing sculpture. If you are interested in ordering a copy of CONVERSION, the limited edition book in handmade boxes, numbered 1-50, can be ordered through Kate Plus Books and via email directly at estepa [dot] editions [at] gmail [dot] com They are 50euros. See an image in the announcement below of the book.

VI) UPCOMING EVENTS--AMSTERDAM READING for CONVERSIONS at BOEKIE WOEKIE collectables and art bookstore! SEE YOU THERE? 

INFO for event: 5PM on Sat 7 June at Boekie Woekie bookstore, Berenstraat 16, 1016 GH Amsterdam in The Netherlands.
 

BIOS/ ARTIST INFO: Kate Van Houten, founder, editor and creator of Estepa éditions, is a visual artist, bookmaker and book-binder based in Paris, France. Her collaborative and individual books include publications of one-off exclusive art books to a more affordable range of small editions of up to 100--see a few samples at http://kateplusbooks.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/books/. She has worked with Jennifer K Dick on two occasions--first for a bilingual edition RETINA/RETINE in 2007 with art and binding by Kate, poem in 8 sections by Jennifer K Dick and a translation by Rémi Bouthonnier (available at Boekie Woekie). Now Jennifer and Kate will be coming to Amsterdam to celebrate their most recent collaboration "CONVERSION"--a set of 7 folio pages in an edition of 50, text printed in a deep blue ink with watercolor and ink images by Kate Van Houten traversing the pages and some of the texts. This is "bound" in a bordeaux colored handmade box in which the folio pages and their cover page slip in and out delicately. Jennifer composed these poems in Greece and Paris and they have the island feel of summer. Jennifer works for the Amsterdam-based literary magazine, VERSAL, and is the author of various other books and chapbooks. 

photo courtesy of http://gycouture.blogspot.fr/

Boekie Woekie's home site is at: http://boewoe.home.xs4all.nl/

VERSAL 11 is out now--order, subscribe, admire, hook this FISH of an issue--a real whale filled with delightful poetry and prose and art

It looks like it was a great great launch the other day when VERSAL 11 hit the stands and celebrated with readings and art in Amsterdam! What does this mean now? Well, YOU can order YOUR OWN copy at: http://www.wordsinhere.com/orderversal.html

And here are a few great pictures by one of Versal's poetry editors Anna Arov from the Versal 11 launch:

Anna Arov and Jane Lewty hold up new ISSUE 11 of VERSAL Journal at the Amsterdam launch

Editors Daniel Cecil and Shayna Schapp readind selections at the VERSAL 11 launch

Live drawing of astronaut during Versal 11 launch by The London Police

On sale now! Anna Arov (right) with others selling and admiring copies of VERSAL at the issue 11 launch!

Editor in Chief and founder Megan Garr has spearheaded her team into creating yet another journal of amazing writing and art. It is Megan's energy and talent and commitment to literature that have brought this into this world! I, personally, am really really proud to have been part of those selecting the poetry for this gorgeous issue! THANKS also to the AUTHORS AND WRITERS who contributed work to this issue and to those who keep versal going by SUBSCRIBING, donating and getting issues for themselves and friends--thus keeping that money part flowing!

Keep up on all things VERSAL by:
Following the Versal Blog at: http://versaljournal.blogspot.fr/
"Like" versal on FB at:
Check in on the WordsInHere site from time to time at: http://www.wordsinhere.com/

VERSAL welcomes subscribers and reviews for the new issue
We will be back accept submissions for Versal 12 from mid-Sept 2013 onwards. Get a copy of issue 11 to see how your work might also fit our magazine!: http://www.wordsinhere.com/orderversal.html

Review excerpts of past issues:
Versal 10 is a stunning powerhouse of contemporary writing and art—one that reflects the commitment of its editors, writers, and readers, and shows us how much there is to celebrate, how much there is to notice, how much to believe.
— Callista Buchen, The Review Review

Versal is the best literary journal in English coming out of Europe.
— Penelope Fletcher, founder and owner, The Red Wheelbarrow, Paris

Listed among the "top indie innovators" in Poets & Writers Magazine, November/December 2010

The Versal 11 launch poster from the May 30th event.

VERSAL MAGAZINE invites you out for some "Beer-Drenched Poetry in Amsterdam" on the 27th of March 2013!

This is just a quick reminder that Wednesday, March 27th is the third edition of VERSAL MAGAZINE's This Is Not A Reading Series. The theme: Biertjes and Barrel-Aged Poetry.

IN AMSTERADAM--Our beer-themed event will feature American poets Joshua Marie Wilkinson, Dot Devota, Brandon Shimoda, and Zachary Schomburg. Beer will be provided by Oedipus and Butcher’s Tears. We’ll also have our first musical guest Seamus Cater playing folk music about alcohol. It’ll be a hell of a night, and a screamer of a morning. 

 

A rare chance to see some of the USA's best emerging poets and some of Versal's finest contributors - and to drink beer at the same time.

This is Not a Reading Series will take place at Lost Property, De Leeuw van Vlaanderenstraat, 1061 CR, Amsterdam. Doors will open at 19:30 with a start time of 20:00. Entrance is free.

 

For bios of our visitors, visit us at http://www.wordsinhere.com/program.html