Annual Appeal * Fall Intern Blog * Book Eaters News * Poet News

PUBLISHING NEW WOMEN POETS SINCE 1997

* Our Annual Appeal *

Dear Friends of Perugia Press,

Building community is at the heart of Perugia Press. When so much of our country and the world seems fractured, the value of community rises. By “community,” we mean strong connections both within the organization and between our press and other organizations. We also mean friends of the press, like you, who help sustain our mission by reading our books, submitting to our contests, attending our events, and making donations that support Perugia’s work. Here are some examples:

In dozens of events and readings over the years, poets we published 25 years ago meet and read with our newest poets. This is a cornerstone of how we build community within Perugia.

For instance, our 2000 prize winner, Catherine Anderson, our 2010 winner, Melody S. Gee, and our 2023 winner, Carolina Hotchandani, have a reading planned at the St. Louis Poetry Center.

This year, we collaborated with Black Writers Read to host readings and conversations with poets Lisbeth White and Lynne Thompson. Other recent partnerships were forged with the Emily Dickinson Museum’s Phosphorescence series and the Straw Dog Writers “Celebrating Voices of Resistance” initiative.

Our monthly Emerging BIWOC Poet Spotlight continues to highlight the work of women poets of color (November’s spotlight was on Palestinian-American poet Deema K. Shehabi). Plus, we donate 5% of our book sales to support organizations that promote the work of women of color.

What does it take to create a welcoming, ongoing, healthy community like ours? It takes hard work, care, dedicated poets, staff, and volunteers, and, of course, financial resources.

Donations are an integral part of how we fulfill our mission to celebrate and support the work of women poets. As part of our community, please consider a year-end gift to our press.

With gratitude,

Rebecca Olander, Editor/Director and the Perugia Press Board

P. S. All gifts to the press are tax-deductible. You can give securely on our website. For donations of $100 or more, or for donors who sign up to give monthly at any amount, we’ll send you a signed copy of The Book Eaters by Carolina Hotchandani.

* Abundant Thanks to Our Fall Intern! *

We're so grateful for the help we've had this fall from our

amazing student intern. Check out this interview with her, conducted by Perugia Board Member Jean Blakeman, to get

to know her, her work with Perugia, and her own poetry.

Westfield State University student Alexis Crafts

* Carolina Hotchandani's The Book Eaters *

Here are the poems Perugia nominated

for a Pushcart Prize from The Book Eaters:

The Book Eaters made the November Poetry Bestseller

list at Small Press Distribution!

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The Book Eaters was included on CLMP's "Poetry of 2023"

showcase in their Year-End Roundup.

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Readings this week for The Book Eaters:

* Perugia Poet News *

Seven Perugia poets received 2023 Pushcart Prize nominations

for poems published this year. Congratulations Janet. E. Aalfs,

L. I. Henley, Carolina Hotchandani, Abby E. Murray,

Jennifer K. Sweeney, Gail Thomas, and Lisbeth White!

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Perugia poet Carol Edelstein is the co-editor of

the new Switch, an online magazine of micro fiction.

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Perugia poet Lynne Thompson's latest book,

Blue on a Blue Palette, is available for pre-order from

BOA Editions and is officially out in April, 2024.

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Perugia poet Nancy K. Pearson's poem "Self-care Bucket List" was featured by Major Jackson on the podcast The Slowdown.

Take a listen here.

PERUGIA PRESS

PO Box 60364, Florence, MA 01062