Winner of the 2020 Perugia Press Prize

Tomorrow Night - Thursday, 5/28!

 

AWP and The Writer’s Chronicle’s next TWC Live! conversation, “Marketing Your Poetry Collection,” is Thurs. May 28 at 7pm ET (virtual). Moderated by Natasha Kane of Trio House Press, the convo also features Rebecca Hart Olander of Perugia Press, Cassie Mannes Murray of Pine State Publicity & Karisma “Charlie” Tobin of TRP: The University Press of SHSU. Join us for this free offering, incl. live Q & A. Tune in to TWC Live! on AWP’s YouTube channel.

 

Winner of the 2020 Perugia Press Prize

Holli Carrell's Apostasies

This collection received two recent reviews, one by

Erica Goss published in Another Chicago Magazine,

and one by Tessara Dudley published in MER.

Apostasies was also chosen to be featured in 

"The Wardrobe's Best Dressed" at Sundress Publications, which highlighted several poems from the book. 

 

 

Winner of the 2020 Perugia Press Prize

Emerging BIWOC Poet Spotlight

 

May 2026 Poet: Farnaz Fatemi

 

Passage

 

In translation, I am a succulent flower

punctuating arid days. I am 

a girl without words

listening for a familiar rattle in the seed pods.

I am the book my cousins can't hold

in their hands.

Only in translation, beyond the names 

of oceans or latitudes of rice, I belong.

I am in this new place 

but haven't noticed yet.

 

Here I spoon my envy in my cereal, 

can't say who it is I'd rather be.

I know the Alborz mountains 

but pronounce them without the accent

of absence, the way all my aunts do.

My permits are in order.

I come and go, carrying only their stories 

as baggage. I know nothing of exile.

I blink and pass through walls 

not meant for me.

 

 

from Sister Tongue زبان خواهر 

(Kent State University Press, 2022)

 

To read about this poet and her work, check out our blog.

Winner of the 2020 Perugia Press Prize

* Poet News *

 

Amanda Auchter has a poem, “Gift Left During a Thunderstorm,” in the new issue of Cimarron Review (see excerpt below). She also had reviews published in RHINO

(The Strange Wondrous Works of Eleanor Eleanor: A Catalog) and The Indianapolis Review (Singing from the Deep End)

 

 

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Megan Peak has an essay in the latest MER, Issue 24, the "Mothers & Family" Issue! Here is an excerpt, and you

can order the issue, dedicated to Jennifer Martelli, here.

Megan also had a poem, "Dreamscape with Cogs and Crickets," published in Literary Mama.

 

 

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Lynne Thompson had three poems published in Cultural Daily. Here's an excerpt of "Nina's Abracadabra": 

 

 

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Gail Thomas and Deb Lohmeyer have a new book in the world: This World, which features poems by Thomas and black-and-white photographs by Lohmeyer, and reflects on immigrants, the houseless, invisibility, grief, love, and hope. All proceeds support organizations serving immigrants and the houseless. To order, email: gthomas2550@gmail.com.

 

 

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Carolina Hotchandani had the poem, "Elegy for Freedom

of Feeling" published in "The Open Space for Democracy," North American Review's online platform.

 

 

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Corrie Williamson's book Your Mother’s Bear Gun (River River Books) is a Poetry Finalist in the Reading the West Awards! Vote for your favorites until May 31 here.

 

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Melody S. Gee’s debut essay collection We Carry Smoke and Paper: Essays on Grief and Conversion (University of Iowa Press) was reviewed at Sundress Reads by Catie Macauley.

 

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 Rebecca Pelky’s poem “We are here!” will be installed on public transit in Racine, Wisconsin by the Poetry Movement and appear in a related anthology. Rebecca was also awarded a fellowship at Quarry Farm, where she’ll “spend two weeks in August writing with Mark Twain’s ghost.” Finally, she has a new poem, “What it’s like being childless at 50,” published in Quartet. Excerpt below, and you can read the whole here.

 

 

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Jennifer K. Sweeney had three poems published at Wayfayer Magazine (see below for excerpt). She also had the poem "All along, it was like this" published in ONE by Jacar Press and the poem "Ritual" published at SWWIM Every Day.

 

 

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Gail Martin's Celery City winning chapbook Three Lies and a Truth was published by Kalamazoo Friends of Poetry.

 

 

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Abby E. Murray had three poems up in ONE ART: a journal of poetry (excerpt of one is below). They also had a new poem “The Peace of Human Things,” a response to Wendell Berry, in the latest Grist Journal, and a poem "In Praise of Plastic Flowers" in Hole in the Head Review.

 

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Celebrating three of our poets for recent finalist nods

they’ve received - congratulations to Joan Kwon Glass,

 Rebecca Pelky, and Jen Siraganian! 

 

 

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Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month showcases this year included Joan Kwon Glass at Writing Workshops (see below), Asterism, and CLMP, and Melody S. Gee at CLMP.