2020—New Year Starts Off Well

The new year/new decade started off well with the publication of three poems in the Kelp Journal (see poetics at https://www.kelpjournal.com/blog/categories/poetry or go to my page directly at https://www.kelpjournal.com/post/poetics-karren-alenier). This journal used two of my photographs to illustrate my poems “upanddown in Mykonos,” “peace” and “visit to the Backside.” The photos throughout the journal are quite striking and feature coasts and waterways. I’m pleased to be published in this journal and like other work published there. I invite you to go to my page and make a comment.

I’m also pleased that the poem “peace” was published in Kelp. It is an important poem in when it drops you gonna feel it, the manuscript I am currently circulating for publication.

Additionally this month, I received acceptance notices of three poems from two other publishers.

Success: 3 Poems published in 2 hard copy publications

Two joyful acquisitions came during the winter holidays—I received two books where my poems were published.

The first was The Skinny, Poetry Anthology edited by Truth Thomas. Truth invented a form called the Skinny and regularly publishes poems in this form on his website. The rules of the Skinny are as follows:

·      Total of 11 lines where first and last lines contain the same words but not necessarily in the same order.

·      The lines between line 1 and 11 are only one word.

·      Lines 2, 6 and 10 are exactly the same word.

Typically, the poem looks like a square capital C.  I took liberties with the form and ran a line of single words down the righthand side so that my poem then looks like a square. The title of my skinny is “Weslaco Texas a dark comedy.” It was inspired by what my sister who lives in Weslaco said about hearing frequent gunshots. She lives in the Rio Grande Valley, the border between Texas and Mexico.

Other poets known to me include: Tara Betts, Brian Gilmore, Gregory Luce, Naomi Thiers, Truth Thomas, and Anne Harding Woodworth. It’s a handsome volume on glossy paper beautifully produced. It includes some poignant photographs of migrants coming into the United States. In his introduction, Truth writes that many of the poems are “drawn from the wellsprings of delight. However, a goodly number testify to acute social pain the twenty-first century’s troubling youth—particularly in America…”

The second book is #68 edition of Pudding Magazine, The Journal of Applied Poetry. In this handsome volume, I have two poems: “what was taken” and “thanksgiving on the rocks.” Both of these poems are from an unpublished manuscript now circulating entitled when it drops you gonna feel it. While I only recognize the name of Diane Kendig, the volume is filled with poets of substantial credits and poems that made me think. The magazine also includes a section of brief book reviews. So pleased to be published in this edition of Pudding Magazine.

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Book Manuscripts & Rejection Letters

Getting a book manuscript published is difficult because competition is stiff due to the numbers of other manuscripts in circulation. Lately I have had the experience of getting rejections that didn’t sting so much. In one letter, the publisher used the name of my manuscript so that I felt that when they wrote: “We were overwhelmed by the abounding talent and strength of the submissions we received, we’re honored that you chose to trust our team with your manuscript” that their words were sincere, respectful, and appreciative. I also felt like they went the extra mile to acknowledge my work in spite of the deluge of submissions. Moreover this publisher issued an invitation to come meet them at the next AWP book conference.

Another element that has made me feel OK with a publisher’s decision that didn’t choose my manuscript is that they sent a list of finalists and semi-finalists. At the same time, they acknowledged that they as a publisher are dependent on writers like me to make their publishing choices successful. Yes, my entry fee helps that publisher with the cost of publishing a book. And yes, my good will is necessary if that publisher wants to sell books.

Probably, the worst rejection letters start with the word unfortunately. If the letter does not begin with congratulations, the gentler, kinder letter begins with thank you.

Publication Brings Invitation to Read at a Concert

As the result of getting my poem "A Widow Starts a Letter to Her Beloved" published, I was invited to do a short reading at a house concert featuring the Milo Trio headed by pianist Carl Banner with violinist Celaya Kirchner and cellist Emma Johnson. Our host was the man of all seasons Captain Richard White.


 I felt it was somewhat awkward to present a political poem despite it being wrapped in an envelope of loss and deep love at a classical music concert featuring the works of Beethoven and Schubert. Nevertheless, the comments from audience members after the conclusion of the much appreciated and well executed musical performance were thoughtful and informed me that there was room for my poetry.

Publishing Strategies for 2019

Has anyone noticed that it has gotten immeasurably tougher to get a single poem published in a literary journal? Over dinner with a bunch of poets, the Steiny Road Poet raised the problem and the overall agreement is that Submittable, the electronic system that helps literary journals and publishing house with online submissions, has exponentially increased competition.

 

One poet in that discussion said that what she is doing is looking for journals that are not using Submittable. She figures that these journals are getting fewer submissions which increases her chance of being published.

Another poet that evening said his tactic is to blitz—he sends out the same poems to different magazines maybe as many as 100 times. Yes, he has to send out a lot of withdraw letters when a poem is accepted but he is getting poems accepted. He also said it doesn’t matter if the publisher takes a long time.

Poets who show up in the literary arena and stay visible sometimes are solicited for poems. So Steiny thinks the only answer is to work harder and faster in submitting work.