Sunday, August 24, 2008

A Cautionary Tale

I had every intention of starting a blog once my poetry collection was taken. That was always the plan. I've been reading and occasionally commenting on other poets' blogs for a long while now, and once I even won the infamous caption contest on C. Dale Young's site. But for some reason, I marked actually getting my book taken as the launching point for something like this.

Like many other poets, I submitted my manuscript to many, many contests. At first, it didn't get much traction, but I kept on revising it and kept on sending it out, and at some point, it started to become a finalist. Which was sweet--the first few times. But it turned into something a little different once it started hitting the double digits. At last count, it reached the number 19.

19 times I was a finalist. Sometimes even first runner up. One time, I actually won the contest, but once my name was put with my ms., it was realized that I had gone to high school with the judge, and even though it was a blind read, and even though he had never read any of my poems, I was disqualified. Apologetically.

So you could say that I didn't have very good luck with this sort of thing.

This past February, I told my husband, who is also a poet, that if my manuscript hit the number 20, if it was a finalist one more time without winning anything, I was going to put it in a drawer and write porn under an assumed name. Later that day, I got the email that I had won! Tony Hoagland had chosen my manuscript, and it was going to be published, with a target release date of January '09.

You can imagine my joy. The muffled-because-my-toddler-is-asleep whoooping silent celebration. The not-so-muffled bottles of champagne later that night. The plans and motions and commotions of the past few months of editing, revising, finding cover art, getting the author photo taken, setting up readings and a website and then...

And then...

And then...

July 22nd, I was notified that my book award was "revoked" and that the press was no longer going to publish it. Even though we had a contract. Even though it was almost all the way done and ready to go to press.

Why?

First, let me tell you that this press has a history of unethical dealings with its authors. The only reason why I didn't know this is because last year's winner had to agree to a gag order as part of the settlement with the press. At their insistence, she is not allowed to tell her story, or warn other poets about what happened. So I submitted to a press that I NEVER would have submitted to if I had known.

Which is why I'm writing this post.

Anyway, back to my story. Everything was hunky dory with this press, though I was a little surprised and disappointed that I didn't get one single editorial suggestion from the editor and, in fact, that I had to do the majority of both my own editing as well as the editing for the book as a whole. At last count, I had found and corrected 32 errors--only 3 of which were mine. The other errors were ones made by the editor--jagged margins, dropped italics, misspelled words. But I didn't mind doing the editing. After all, this was my book, and I wanted it to be right.

Early on, the editor had asked me if I would hire (pay) her to design my personal website. At first, I thought sure, why not? It would streamline the whole process. But in June, as we discussed it and she showed me some mockups, I realized that she wasn't going to be able to do what I needed for her to do, so I told her I was going to go in a different direction and get someone else to do it. From that moment on, EVERYTHING changed. And got really, really contentious.

I guess that since this woman designs websites for a living, my choice offended her on some very deep level. And all of a sudden, everything became a power struggle.

My collection is a book-length poem in sections, and as such, there are no titles. The Table of Contents is just an Index of First Lines. And this was fine--until the website debacle happened. Then she decided that it was her right as an editor to assign titles to my poems. What?!?

She actually told me, in one of our exchanges over this, that I needed to stick with the contents of the book and let her and the other editor do their jobs, which included deciding what went in the Table of Contents. Hello? It's the table OF CONTENTS--as in, the contents that *I* wrote. Needless to say, we disagreed. Big time.

That standoff got resolved in my favor, and things were ready to go to press. Then she sent me a mockup of the cover. When I read the blurbs, I just about fell out. She had taken the eloquent and thoughtful words that serious authors like Naomi Shihab Nye, Major Jackson, and Rodney Jones had written and had mangled them--brutally. I mean, chopped up sentences, moving them around so that the subject and predicate no longer talked about the same things. Just butchered them. Without the permission of these authors.

Although I shouldn't have to remind an editor of this, I had to remind her that these were not her authors and that she did not have the right to change what they said so fundamentally without their consent or approval. In fact, since one of the blurb-ers had specifically said she did NOT want her work edited, this presented a real problem.

And the final power struggle began.

She came back and said, "Okay, we'll reinstate the full blurbs, but in exchange, we're taking your author photo off the book."

What?!?!

At this point, you might be thinking that it was a spatial issue, that the blurbs were so long that there wasn't any room for an author photo. No. That wasn't the case at all. In fact, there was enough room left over for the press to put on a five-sentence advertisement for themselves and for the book award for next year, including guidelines. On the back cover of a book!

Let me say at this point that the very last page of the book was already a FULL-PAGE ad for the book award, with a full list of the guidelines. So this five-sentence ad on the back cover was redundant at best and unprofessional to say the least. How many books of poetry do you own? Do *any* of them have ads and guidelines for the book contests on the back cover instead of an author photo?

I argued with them about it, always beginning each and every email with, "With all due respect," but to no avail. I made logical points--blurbs and an author photo are expected on the back cover of a book, but contest guidelines are not. An author photo provides an emotional point of connection and entry between author and audience. None of it worked. This wasn't about what was right, or about respecting the person who wrote the book. It was about power and bruised egos and control.

And when I asked for a compromise, when I said please, can you reduce the five-sentence ad to one or two sentences, or wrap the text around my author photo, I got a certified letter in the mail saying that my book award had been revoked because I wasn't fulfilling my "contractual obligations."

{Update: Because the contract was rendered void ab initio, its contents are not private, and I can clarify this: there were only three things that I as the author had to do according to the contract before the book came out: provide the text itself, my author photo, and my bio. I obviously did those things.}

But it gets even better.

The letter went on to say that even though they had "revoked" the book award and were not publishing the book, the publishing contract was still valid and in effect and that they owned the rights to my book in all its formats. In order for me to get my rights back, I had to repay them the $1000 prize money I had been given as well as give them the $200 they had spent acquiring the cover art for a book THEY were choosing not to publish.

In short, they were breaching the contract, refusing to publish my book, and holding the rights to my own work hostage.

Needless to say, I wasn't going to pay them one thin dime.

I hired a lawyer and told him straight up that I would pay him that $1200 but that I refused to give them any of it. He drafted a letter of demand detailing the ways in which they had broken the contract and giving them one week to sign a waiver relinquishing all claims to my work. If they didn't sign, we were going to move ahead with litigation against them. They signed--immediately. But it cost me almost all of the money that I had won just to keep the rights to my own book--a book, might I add, that was no closer to getting published now than it was a year ago, when I submitted to this contest.

And in the meantime, the day after they sent me this letter of revocation, they gave the award to the runner-up and erased all signs of me, and my book, off their website. Just like they did to last year's winner.

So there it is. A sordid tale, indeed. But unlike last year's winner, I wasn't forced to sign a gag order. And I'm telling my story far and wide, to anyone who'll listen, because the poetry world is small, and it's hard enough to get your work seen and taken seriously. Because it's supposed to work out if you're lucky enough to get that phone call and win that prize. Because poetry presses should be in this because they love poetry and want to produce quality books--not because they have issues and poetic insecurities of their own and need to feel validated and in control. I'm telling this story because once you sign a contract and give up your finalist position in other contests, you shouldn't have to start over at square one--all because an unethical press broke the law and its word.

And I'm telling you this because their new book award contest opens for submissions September 1st, and I want every poet out there who is considering sending their manuscripts to reconsider. Your work deserves to be seen and placed in a press with ethics and integrity. I know it's tempting to just blanket the market and hope for the best, but if you hit with this press, it could happen to you, too, as both of the last two contest winners had to enter into legal action against this press--and neither has a book to show for it.

The name of the press? Cider Press Review. Pass it on.

89 comments:

Collin Kelley said...

Stacey, what a brave and amazing post to begin your blog. New oets really have no idea the underhanded and manipulative practices publishers implement to undercut the poet and make profit for themselves. That is why this year I gave up on contests and now only submit to open reading periods, of which there are many and by noted presses. I have no doubt your book will find a home. I look forward to reading it when it comes out.

Sandy Longhorn said...

Stacey,

I just want to say that my heart goes out to you, and I will link to your post on my blog.

Matt Walker said...

Sorry this happened. You're definitely off to a good start as a blogger.

Leslie said...

I'm gonna link too! Grr. Arg. This makes me want to tear my hair out and scream and curse.

How disheartening. Know that there are ethical presses, sympathetic poets, good people in your (and your book's) corner.

Brooklyn said...

Oh my god!

I'm so sorry you had to go through all this. This was supposed to be one of the biggest milestones of your life! I'd be crushed. I'll definitely post it on my blog, too.

xo

Keith Montesano said...

I'm going to post a link on my blog too. I had the short Steve Schroeder version linked, but this is obviously from the horse's mouth.

It's horrifying that this happened, and I'll be telling everyone I know -- as I already have -- to avoid them.

Anonymous said...

Pretty horrific. You should try and get this post to Lucille Clifton, the 2008 judge.

Eduardo C. Corral said...

Wow. What a heartbreaking chain of events! I will link to this post too.

Dana said...

Wow. Just wow.

I want to send them an e-mail that goes something like this: #$%* you, you @&%(#* !%$#*@& @^$& !@#*^&( @*(% of !@)%*#@.

But I will try to refrain.

Oliver de la Paz said...

You're linked, girl. I wish I was linking more celebratory news. This, however, is important. Right now I've got my new issue of P&W and right there on page 157 is the ad from CPR.

Tony Hoagland & Lucille Clifton definitely need to know.

--O

Kerry Cohen said...

Stacey,
I didn't know about the 19 times a finalist part of this story! Unbelievable. You are the last person this should have happened to! Then again, it should happen to no one. I KNOW a wonderful press is coming to snatch up your book.
XO Kerry

Anonymous said...

Like MLK said, there is no lie that can live forever.

Cider house lied and manipulated you.

I hope you continue to write poems, and that one day your book will be published.

Rich Villar said...

Posting on my blog. Thank you, Stacey. You are officially gangster.

Rich Villar.

Ron said...

Stacey, thank you for sharing this story. I agree that Lucille Clifton should be made aware of your treatment by Whosis Press... They're in for a blog flog, and I'm more than happy to spread the word.

Unknown said...

As someone else who has been a finalist 20 (21?) times, I feel your pain -- right in my own gut. Thank you very much for telling us your tale. I hope it will soon have a happy ending.

(Maybe one of the publishers who rescued the poets stranded by Zoo Press will also come to your aid.) Best of luck to you.

Jeannine said...

Dear Stacey,
What a nightmare. A better (and more deserving) press awaits your book!
Best!

Jo said...

You know this enrages me. It's hard enough to get poetry published but when small presses are screwing people like this, it's a disgrace. I'm so sorry...I hope you find a decent publisher soon.

Unknown said...

Stacey,

You have my sympathy and compassion for what you are going through. . .and I look forward to reading your fine book-length poem when another press brings it out. This is a heartbreaking tale and you tell it without hysteria and bitterness. Brava.

All best,
Anne Caston

Crafty Green Poet said...

Thanks for sharing your story, there are too many unethical publishers out there, thanks for shining a light on one of them.

Good luck with finding an ethical publisher for your collection!

Anonymous said...

I found your post by way of Jilly's Poetry Hut & C. Dale's blog -- and I'll definitely continue the chain. What an awful experience! I'm so sorry this happened, I hope your collection finds a more deserving home, and soon!

Rachel Mallino said...

Stacey,

What a horror story. I will be posting a link to this post on my own personal blog as well the blog for Tilt Press.

I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Susan said...

Hello Stacey,

Thank you for posting this...I think it's outrageous that they can get away with this kind of garbage...Good for you, standing up to them, even though it required a lawyer, and cost you the prize money to do so. I too, will spread the word, and post a link to this on my blog(s).

I'm sure your book will find a new and better home!

All my best,

Susan

Anonymous said...

This is a horror story. But there will be plenty of poets who read this and think to themselves, "Maybe fewer poets will enter this year and I'll have a chance." I'm sorry this happened.

Paul Siegell said...

horrible! i met the editor of this press a little while back and was going to submit. but damn, eff that shiz. so sorry to hear what happened to you.

Melissa Crowe said...

Wow--I'm so sorry this happened to you. Thanks for sharing your story. I am a firm believer in putting the truth out there no matter what, but I know it takes courage. Good for you.

Diana Marie Delgado said...

Will tell all peeps: do not submit to Cider Review.

Unknown said...

bravo for speaking out . . .

wondermachine said...

Wow.
As a small publisher of poetry books (www.vrzhu.com) and as a poet myself with a new book coming out, I read your long post with great sympathy and outrage.
I hope your work finds a life beyond the horrid little doings of its first publisher.
You are doing yeoman's work of the greatest importance by getting the word out about your ordeal.

mgushuedc said...

I cannot say how sorry I am to hear about your ordeal. Ugh. I will linking and posting on this tomorrow. And I am more than sure your book will find the good home it deserves

Anonymous said...

Kudos to you for not suffering in silence, Stacey. You're certainly on my list of up-and-coming poets whose first books I want to snap up! Keep at it....

SarahJane said...

What a horror story. What a let-down. And what a heartbreaking pain in the ass this must be.
I actually have some poems submitted to this journal, and must be off now to write a withdrawl note....

Tara Betts said...

I am so, so sorry to hear this. No one should go through this. I think that it's important to talk about being a finalist 19 times as well. So many worthy books have an arduous process to come into existence. I'm hoping the best for your book.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for bravely posting your tale so that others do not waste their time, money and efforts on this unprofessional organization. As one who is submitting a manuscript around (even though CPR wasn't on my list), I appreciate knowing whether a publisher is someone I would be proud to be published by. Or if it would be more hassle than it's worth.

C. Dale said...

This will work out. Trust me. You will end up in a far better situation.

Unknown said...

Stacey:

Thank you. I've linke dtou yor post. Best wishes in getting your book placed with a good press!

Amorak said...

Holy crap, what a story. Thanks for sharing it; I most certainly will pass it along to other poets.

Thanks for your honesty and courage. This had to be such a painful experience; my heart goes out.

Montgomery Maxton said...

fierce. a gag order, for real!? in poetry publishing. unreal.

Unknown said...

Thanks! I was going to enter that contest, and will certainly not do it. I have had great experiences with editors so far and don't need one like that. Too bad Foetry.com is not around--but there surely must be an internet watchdog of some sort. Thanks for bravely posting this information.

Karen J. Weyant said...

Stacey, I love your poetry, and am really upset about this! At one time, I worked for a small press, and actions, such as the ones you described, just simply are not acceptable! Thanks for posting this (but what a sad way to start out your blog!)

Diane Lockward said...

Stacey--What a horrible experience! As the others have suggested, surely your book will find the home it so clearly deserves. Your story really points out the absolute necessity of knowing the reputation and practices of the presses we submit to. Sadly, most of us are so hungry for that first book that we don't check enough. Do be sure to let Tony Hoagland know what happened. I'll also post your link and perhaps tell my own nightmare story about my first chapbook, though it pales in comparison.

Kelli Russell Agodon - Book of Kells said...

Stacey,

Thank you for sharing your story on this. The poetry world is small, but poets sometimes don't want to speak up or tell what happened for fear of it somehow being used against them.

Let me say how much I admire you for your honesty (as well as your details!) here.

Congrats on standing up for your work.

Wishing you all the best,
Kelli

Kate Evans said...

OK, my blood pressure is sky-rocketing. I feel for you big time. Thanks for making this known.

Gary L. McDowell said...

Wow. You know, I'd heard that CPR was a bad apple (ha!), but I had no idea there were gag orders and unpublished winners, etc.

I was a finalist at CPR last year... it's a shame.

Your book will land soon. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Janet,

There is a post-foetry of sorts. Please visit http://poets.net

Cheers,
Al

Susan Rich said...

Hey Stacey,

I've passed your story on to several blogger friends. Hope things turn around for you very soon. I think you've started a full disclosure file for those of us who send to contests and journals.

All best,

Susan (Rich)

January said...

Wow! I'm sorry this had to happen to you. Thanks for sharing your story.

I'll link to your post on my blog.

Marly Youmans said...

I wish you persistence and an exo-skeleton to shed the usual and unusual slings and arrows.

Anonymous said...

One of the editors has responded here. :(

Pam said...

This illustrates the corruption of these contests. You should contact Tony Hoagland and let him know what happened to your book.

Stephanie said...

Thank you for the courage to post this story. I am sorry about all of the turmoil you've gone through. I hope that everything works out for you in the future. I will be linking to your post as a warning to other poets who lurk the web.

Unknown said...

Dear Stacey,

Author of four books of poetry and about 250 other poems in various publications, I recently received a printed rejection from CPR with a personally-written admonition added that I should read an issue before submitting more poetry. I believe the Yiddish is "ein kleine Keit"!.

Crassness reigns. My first article in a leading French literature magazine was published without preliminary acceptance. When I gently pointed this out to the editorship their answer was that I should be glad to be published!

Perhaps there should be a catalog of editorial testiness and imperialism.

John

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Oh, my goodness. I'm very sorry to learn of this experience - for your sake.

Best.

Joannie Stangeland said...

How wretched!

I began reading your post and felt so inspired by your tenacity. Stick to it, and good things will happen.

Apparently, not always.

I agree with some of the other comments that the judges need to know what's going on. Who would want a) their name associated with something like this and b) to spend their time and close reading to make their best choice and have it be ransacked this way.

In the end, it's too weird, and thank you for spreading the word. In a perfect world, some publisher is going to find their way to this post and ask to see your manuscript. Crossing fingers...

Jennifer said...

Foetry.com may be an archive now, but Poets.net is taking up some of the slack.

I invite anyone here who has a horror story to come on by and post it on the forum:

poetryinc.net

BTW, there is no need to pay a website developer for a fancy writer's website.

A blog should be enough.

Lisa Nanette Allender said...

Found you through Collin kelley's Blog. He's a dear friend, and I am stunned to read of this--at his blog, and at yours! Your book will get the loving home it deserves. As for CPR, I have been encouraged to submit to them(by an extremely well-known and talented female poet). Now? I'm uh, not-so-sure I ever wanna be associated with 'em......
Peace.

Dave said...

The Cider House publisher concludes his version of the story with "I hope that will do the trick." How telling.

Folks, get over the stigma of self-publishing, hire an editor and graphic designer, and go with print-on-demand. Blogs can be used to flog all sorts of things - and you can see how much attention a provocative post can get.

Elizabeth said...

It always amazes me to hear how opportunist and self serving people can be in the arts. Poetry and the arts are here to raise and renew the human spirit. This press has brought everyone down.It is the very antipathy of poetry. Very disturbing and a big applause for your post. You deserve something "great" to happen with your book after this.

MatthewsMom said...

I'm definitely passing this on to my poetic friends. This can't be allowed to continue.

I'm so sorry for what must be heartbreaking (underneath the outrage). I'm still in that "enter, enter, enter" mode and getting those "so close" letters. I will steer clear of this press.

Pris said...

What a horrendous story! This even beats the Poetry.com scams. I'm going to put a link to your story here in my next post. Yes, let's pass on the word!

Matt Walker said...

This is good advice from Dave above:

"Folks, get over the stigma of self-publishing"

Berenice said...

This is a terrible thing to happen to you! I've posted a link on my blog to your story. B xx

Bookfraud said...

i linked here through collin kelley's blog. wow. whatta nightmare. i've only entered one contest, and i'll never do it again. even when they're on the up-and-up in terms of publishing, they're often unethical in how they choose a winner.

but you already knew all that.

Kiki said...

So sorry this happened to you but I am glad you made the choice to share this story.

Mine is but a wee blog but I linked you.

Anonymous said...

Oh, this is just horrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through this mess.

I will link to your post as well.

kj said...

here's another voice of support. you've written a public service, and god knows we poets and writers appreciate that!

best of luck. self publish, i hope. you can print in batches as low as 25, and you'll market better and more than the press would have anyway.

best of luck.

Kris Underwood said...

Thank you for speaking out. Good luck in finding your book a home.

I will definitely be linking to this post far and wide.

Brian Campbell said...

Horrible! Should be called Rotten Cider Press ... will link to your blog. All the best in finding a new publisher.

nanette rayman rivera said...

Hi. I really feel badly for you. I can really relate to all this horrible stuff. Lots of stories.

I will post a link on my blog.

i believe in getting the word out about these types of things.

best,
nanette rayman rivera

Sally Wilde said...

Hey, why is writing porn under an assumed name assumed to be a last resort and not a pursuit of choice? ;) Thanks for the brave heads-up. A while back, I was a finalist in a contest, and they didn't bother to tell me. I didn't find out until I read my poem being made fun of in the local alternative paper. @ alan cordle: how beautifully cynical and probably right.

Tiel Aisha Ansari said...

As Molly Ivins used to say: Sheesh. I'll do what I can to help spread the word.

BlogSloth said...

Oh, we're going to spread this!!

seanlovelace.com

Kathryn said...

damn b

Anonymous said...

To Collin and Stacy,

No poetry publisher in history has ever made a profit for a first book. Well, maybe that is overstating a bit, but the point is there. Poetry publishers don't do this for profit. Most of them pay for expenses from their own pockets and have to hold down a full-time day job as well. There is a constant struggle to stay in business or find time to edit anything. Seriously, putting a book contest announcement on the back cover is a bit much, but they probably don't have the funds pay printing otherwise. Authors can be really difficult too. Give publishers a break, even if this particular press messed up. I admit, they should have given you the rights back immediately.

Eileen Sullivan said...

More of the old quid pro quo that corrupts the egomaniacs in this business and gives the rest of us bad names. Thank you for outting the press. I would not be able to leave bed for six months had this been done to me! You are linked at my Facebook page. This is a great blog. I think you should write just a little porn, and make them impotent and S&M, then name all the characters after the people who screwed you over. I mean, if you're going to get screwed why not have a little fun, eh? But seriously, well done. You won in every sense of the word here, and I for one am glad your name is not linked to them. You have too mch class.
Eileen Sullivan

Lemon Hound said...

Wow. Unbelievable.

It's time for publishing collectives.

Big time.

Rare Disease Chronicle said...

Stacey, I'm so sorry to read this. A blind read is just that... a blind read. You should have a book and that's that. Keep going at it. You will find a home for your work.

Al1801 said...

Stacey,
The support you've received from fellow poets is outstanding.

I'm wondering now if the runner-up, who took your place will get the same treatment as you did, and so on, ad-infinitum. Also, I'm sure Editors and Preditors would be more than interested in this.

Anyway, the good thing will happen and when it does, crack some more unmuffled champers.
Al

K.A. Bell said...

Stacey, that is some craziness right there. It really puts a black eye on the po-biz. They should be ashamed of themselves. Scam artists...that just pisses me off. As poets, we work our asses off to put something together that we're proud of and a-holes like that just ruin the whole thing. However...it also validates what I do with my poetry journal and my micro-press in the sense that I have more integrity than to re-neg on something like that. I've never entered any contests, but when I read stories like yours, it definitely makes me wary to ever try. However, congrats on getting your book out next year and kudos on being brave enough to tell your story...that I will pass on to every poet I know.

Pris said...

Everywhere I look, I see links to this post. It's wonderful to see the support.

Conor Robin Madigan said...

WITH YOUR ENERGY you should probably be submitting to the big people, like FSG and the houses. No use putting in time with people not worth your own read to be placed. Don't know if that made sense, but gosh what a story. like all that have said it before, my heart goes out to you, as does my close friend's who alerted me your post.

Nick said...

Just when you think you heard it all...!!!???? Hang in there.

JMKH said...

Thanks for writing this post. I'm a poet and poetry instructor who will print this out and tape it on my office door, as well as link to my blog!

Sir James Eric Watkins said...

Wow. Ethics should be above all else.

Thank you for your story.

I was screwed over by the people that wanted to publish my very first poem accepted for publication.

But never for an entire manuscript.

Again. Thank you.


~ James Eric Watkins

Flowers & Votexes accepts submissions all year round.

Hannah Stephenson said...

YIKES!!!

This is very enlightening. Thanks for sharing your horrid experience.

Don't give up!

Sean Patrick Hill said...

Stacey,
I'll link this to my blog as well, now that we are all going into the contest season. So much for the marriage of Poetry and Capitalism.

jaxx said...

what a horrific experience! may your book finally be published by Knopf -- living well is the best revenge. i'm going to send a link to this warning out in my newsletter.

keep on writing!

Manoj said...

Hi Stacey,

Good work and thank you for coming out with the nightmare you had to go through. I was actually planning to submit my m.s. to this press but wanted to know more about them - so I googled and here I am. Thanks again for sharing your story. I wish you success with your new anthology!

Manoj, India

SallyMaria said...

I came here from the link on the poetry site that I frequent. You are right. The poetry world is very small and the "net" has a big voice.

May you leave them in your dust.

ninsthewriter said...

Stacey--
Sorry for your troulbes--glad you wrote about them...

I stopped sending to contests a long time ago. Try small and university presses from now on. I look forward to reading your collection--send me a notice.

Congrats! Nina

http://ninsthewriter.blogspot.com/

(A writer's Blog: Food & Poetry)

P.S. My first collection, Cooking Lessons, was a joy thanks to a wonderful editor Tracey Broussard of Rock Press. I'm looking forward to the next one, Coffeehouse Meditations, which will come out in 2010 with Kitsune Books and editor Anne Petty.

I hope your next publishing encouters will be happy ones like these.