FROM A LINE-PLUCKER'S LIFE

Because Moi is crazy enough to want to read every poem ever written, she responded strangely to a request while in the crazed midst of trying to release GR #13. She was asked to judge a poetry contest. If she hadn't been distracted by GR #13, she would have automatically replied, "No thank you" while diplomatically hiding a grimace. But, embroiled in poems, she paused ... and had a thought.

So she said she'd judge this contest if she saw every book submitted for it -- i.e., as she told the contest coordinator, "no winnowing". See, Moi thought it might be interesting to see what happens if she was forced to sit down and read through hundreds (will be it thousands...?) of books and ....

The contest coordinator said, Okay...though he knew Moi well enough to say, "As long as you don't pluck lines from the books to string up a cento..."

Cackle. Well, as is often my modus operandi for poem-making, Let's see what happens...
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One of the reasons putting out GR #13 was so crazed was because the chill of the last couple of weeks apparently adversely impacted my internet infrastructure -- not to mention that Sprint (Google me, you Sprint) has got to IMPROVE its cell-phone towers in my area (St. Helena/Calistoga border--google me, Sprint!). Said infrastructure is in a cold storage space somewhere in the mountain. After failing to find cashmere blankets to swaddle the various electronic components, I had to find a heater, hire an electrician to install a plug, and then run the dang heater to warm up said components and get me internet. All this made me forget until this morning about the Galatea Resurrects Publishers' Prize! So, official proclamation:

Hail to the recipient of GR #13's Galatea Resurrects Publishers' Prize!

Moria Books, Ed. William Allegrezza and based in Chicago

May this honor get you at least one book ordered!

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Now, speaking of line-pluckers, John Bloomberg-Rissman alerts Moi that 1000 VIEWS OF 'GIRL SINGING' made an Editor's Pick over at the U.K.'s Stride Magazine. Moreover, he has a discounted RELEASE OFFER available per below. So, go hear Moi's Avatar sing...a thousand times, why dontcha!

From JBR:

First, our anthology made Stride Magazine's The Editor's Picks 2009 list:

Poetry
1000 Views of 'Girl Singing', ed. John Bloomberg-Rissman (Leafe)
Nowhere's Far, Phil Bowen (Salt)
The Hunt in the Forest, John Burnside (Cape)
Songbook, Ken Edwards (Shearsman)
The Migraine Hotel, Luke Kennard (Salt)
Ascension Notes, Sarah Law (Shearsman)
Catalyctic Exteriorisation Phenomenon, Mel Nichols (Edge)
London: Ghost Autopsy, Nick Scammell (Kitchen Door)
American Hybrid, eds. Cole Swensen & David St. John (Norton)

Second, Richard Lopez writes, "my copy arrived a few days ago and it is most probably the liveliest and original anthols i've read in some time. this is a book that makes me happy in mind and body."

Thanks, Richard, and thanks, Rupert Loydell, ed. of Stride. Thanks most of all to the contributors, who made this happen.

As posted previously, reiterated here, now that your mouth is watering:

1,000 Views of ³Girl Singing²
John Bloomberg-Rissman (ed.)
ISBN: 978-0-9561919-1-5
Since there's lots of color. the book¹s kinda expensive. It will list for £23.00/$45.00. BUT: if you buy it from us, instead of Amazon or wherever else it's listed, we'll sell it for cost plus a little to help cover postage:

£16.00/$27.00

Just contact me at j at johnbr dot com and we'll get the ball rolling.

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Just as I was finishing this post, another query came through wanting to know if I'd judge a poetry contest. I replied, "No thank you...."