Meet America’s Simple Man, Doc Dalton: Author, Poet and Radio Host

Doc Dalton is a poet, radio show host, ordained minister, and a friend to many people. He writes about his life experiences and to connect with others about their own good times and hard times. Learn more about him by visiting DocDalton.com.

There are many things we want to talk to you about such as, why you are called, America’s Simple Man, and how you feel poetry saved your life. Also, your new book is being released, and there is a lot to talk about regarding Depression, Suicide and Dark Times. Let's start with describing yourself to our readers.

I have said many times over that if it would be possible, I could be the eccentric love child of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson if they could have a child. I just think different and act different. The older I get, I find myself disliking phonies more and more. I just want to surround myself with good caring positive people who don't bring drama and craziness in to my world. I just need to be me 100% and for those who don’t like it, who cares, they weren't my friends in the first place.

America's Simple Man is a title that you believe in and seem to be extremely comfortable with.

It's been a long road for me, and it hasn't been the best road at times. Some is my own fault and some isn't. At this stage of my life, what I need more than anything is Common Sense and Simplicity, and that is in every aspect of my life including business and faith. I keep it as simple as possible and do my best not to get caught up in the world of Hype, Drama and Bull S_ _ _, and I teach that as well.

To keep this in order, how about if we talk about depression first and then your poetry?

It's well-known and I don’t hide the fact that I suffer from depression and have been hospitalized a few times, not only being depressed but suicidal as well. It's a terrible thing to have, and at times it becomes dark and scary and feels as if someone pulled the floor out from under you. I have been diagnosed with a disease called Sarcodosis and recently learned that it can add greatly to a person's depression. If you remember comedian Bernie Mac, he died from it. As far as depression goes, people should understand that there is help and they should take that help and not put it off. Waiting one extra day could be one day to late. Get your self-help today.

You been called the Eccentric Poet, and you refer often to your poems as God Poems. How did you start writing, and how do you feel it saved your life?

I was hospitalized for depression, and a doctor came to me and said, I do not want you writing a journal, and he had his reasons. He told me to try my hand at poetry and personally, I thought he was crazier than I was. But I was locked in and couldn't leave, so I said to myself, why not? To my surprise, words just started coming out one after the other, and everything I wrote was somehow connected to God.

Till this day it hasn't stopped, and I write like I talk which is cool for me, but it covers everything from God sending Angels who become your friend to Hey Bartender, a shot of Cuervo and some Jesus to go. I believe poetry saved my life because I express things in my poetry in ways I don't think I could otherwise. It's not about who reads it--it's about me keeping my mind calm and at peace while I am writing it. I have been lucky to be published a few times but even if I wasn't, I would continue to write each and every day. It's my personal therapy.

You have a new book being released at the end of this year with several more to follow in 2018 and 2019. Can you tell us a little about that?

Old Dogs of the Whiskey Pie Trails will be released later this year, and it is a combination of poetry, "my poetry" and short stories that are related to each of those poems. Each poem really does have its own story as why it was written and who might be involved within that story. The book itself is spiritual in nature and so will be every book after that. At this point I am looking to do a total of eight books through 2019 as a series which will be called "Watering the Spirit." All will be published with Joseph Martin Publishing.

Can you tell us something that folks might be surprised at or maybe even close friends and family don't know about you?

What a lot of people do not know is that I am an Ordained Minister and did so as a personal commitment to God. Kind of a thing just between he and I. There were No other reasons involved. I am a giant believer in Prayer and feel Prayer is the most un-selfish act of kindness that someone can do because you are asking God to help someone with No strings attached. I am Ordained with two different organizations and since being so, I have been asked to perform a number of weddings which I have, but I am more than likely the only Pastor that doesn't charge to do this service. I ask the bride and groom to make a donation to a local charity as an additional way to make their special day even more special. I just can't charge for what I call a God Thing. Because of this, some folks even started calling me America's Simple Pastor. It seems to me to fit nicely with the other title, so I consider it a win/win.

Are there any other projects coming up for you in the near future?

I have an Income Team that I will be promoting shortly that is all about common sense and simplicity. It’s showing folks how it does not need to be expensive, difficult, and time consuming. It shows them how great success can be created by following just 3 Simple Steps and teaching those 3 Simple Steps that should take no longer than 1 minute to learn or teach. Also, I have a video series coming up in the end of 2016 early 2017 called, Simply Dalton. It's just me talking about the important things in life and how keeping it simple is what is really important. The Team will be starting this month and the series is being developed as of this writing.

Can you tell our readers where they can learn more about you and maybe tell us the title of your most recent poem?

I am writing two poems at the moment with one being called "Waitin on an Angel to Take Me Home" and the other is called "Feeling Like a Million Bucks While Sitting in the Five and Dime." As far as learning more about me, folks can go to, DocDalton.com and everything is there from information on up-coming books, radio shows I have hosted in the past, gallery and even my Prayer Church called "Open Air Church of Prayer" where there is never a donation or collection because it's all about Prayer. They should stop by and leave a prayer--it's only a few simple lines.

Thanks, Doc!

Meet Jamell Crouthers, Poet and Writer

Jamell Crouthers is a poet and writer who creates thought-provoking content about different aspects of life. His goal is to write poetry books on societal issues that we all face in today's age. Through writing poetry, he says, "it is an easy read for others, and it's a gateway to getting inside of my mind and how I write."

You can learn more about Jamell and read samples of his work by visiting his Amazon author page, as well as his author profile on Bublish. He is also on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and he maintains a personal website at http://www.aquarianmind.info/.

1. How did you first get started with writing poetry, and who are some poets whose work inspires you?

I got started with poetry when I was 13 years old. I wrote about life and thoughts that I had going on in my mind. As I got older, I wrote about my life experiences, love, and family. It wasn't until my 30s where I started writing about societal issues and more serious things regarding life.

A lot of the poets I follow on Instagram inspire me to write. Their poems relate to some life experiences I've been through. They give me a lot of ideas to write different things, too. I don't want to say names or anything, but I appreciate their work and self-expression through poetry. It takes a lot to share your thoughts and be vulnerable these days.

2. Why do you see poetry as the way to communicate your stories and ideas, rather than prose?

I see poetry as a way of self-expression. It's a lot of formulated thoughts all put onto a piece of paper. I find writing poetry and reading it as an experience that the reader will feel.

3. What's your process like for determining what goes into the manuscript of a book that you intend to publish?

I spend a lot of time brainstorming. I write everything down. I have a blue book with pens with me at all times. It's writing out chapters, developing the character I'm going to write about and thinking of a storyline for each character. I observe the world. I have a quiet personality at times, and that's where I'm thinking. I also talk to people and listen to their experiences. Listening to music gives me ideas too.

4. In sharing your work both in book form and through social media, do you get a lot of responses from readers?

With the readers that have read my books, I get a lot of wow responses and a lot of emotional responses from readers. It's an emotional rollercoaster for readers who read my books, and that's my goal. I like to create imagery and make people emote. I've had a reader tell me that she cried reading my book: that's when I knew I had them drawn in.

5. What else would you like readers to know about you and your writing?

I would definitely like to let readers know that my books are different. They deal with a lot of societal issues head on, and there is a lot of emotion that comes from the characters I've created. While it is fictional, these are characters that will relate to you in some way or they will relate to someone you may know. It's definitely not the traditional read. It's different but it's a good different and worth the read.

Thanks, Jamell!

Meet Rich Marcello, Author

Rich Marcello is the author of three novels, The Color of Home, The Big Wide Calm, and, most recently, The Beauty of the Fall. He also writes poems and songs, and teaches writing at Seven Bridges' Writer Collaborative. He previously had a long and successful career as a technology executive, managing several multi-billion dollar businesses for Fortune 500 companies.

Learn more by visiting http://richmarcello.com. You can also find the author on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and SoundCloud.

1. What gave you the idea to write The Beauty of the Fall?

When I started the novel three years ago, I was interested in writing about technology as a healer and a community builder. There are many good novels out there about the evils of technology, but few, if any, about technology companies that bring about positive social change. The idea of using technology to enable true democracy, as opposed to the slew of representative democracies in existence today, intrigued me. The events in the world this last year­­–--the rise of fake news, populism, racism, and sexism--confirmed that I was one the right track. However, as my protagonist, Dan Underlight, emerged, I realized I was actually writing a redemption story. Once I was clear on that point, the themes broadened out to include non-violence, trust, honor, forgiveness, and simplicity.

2. How did your past experience as a technology executive come into play in shaping some of the aspects of the novel?

I spent many years in tech running different kinds of hardware and software businesses. Even though the technology used in the company Dan starts, Conversationworks, is beyond the industry's current capabilities, I wanted the feel of CW to be as real as possible. I spent a lot of time speaking with technology executives, many of them friends, to make sure the business scenes were authentic. And yes, I drew on my experience, especially around the norms of a healthy company.

3. What are some of the challenges you experienced in writing about grief?

The Beauty of the Fall is, at its core, about grief. That's why it was important for me to spend so much time developing Dan's inner life. I wanted to show, through his actions and his thoughts, what he was going through as descended further into his grief. At the same time, I wanted to show Dan ascending through his work at CW. Getting the balance right between the ascent and the descent was the hardest part of writing the book.

4. How does being a poet inform or enrich your prose writing?

I think it mostly informs at the sentence and phrase level. There are days when the poet in me takes over in a given scene, and I spend hours making sure the words I'm using have the right level of poetry in them. A number of my writer friends are also poets, and we seem to all agree that our best writing happens when poetry and prose meld together.

5. Do you see the fictional companies in your novel, RadioRadio and Conversationworks, as offering a commentary on the social media and/or tech climate of the moment?

Yes. I think many companies, particularly in America, have lost their focus. They're too focused on profit and quarterly results and have lost their way when it comes to the customers, communities, and employees they should serve. RadioRadio is the composite of many of these broken companies. On the other hand, I tried to show Conversationworks as a company of the future, one that better balances customer needs, communities, employees, and profits. I'm a firm believer that a revolution in business is coming, and it will be leaders like Dan Underlight, and companies like Conversationworks that lead the way.

Thanks, Rich!

Meet Pragathi Yadhati, Actress

Born in Anantapur, India, Pragathi Yadhati is a film and theater actress who lives in New York. In addition to acting, Pragathi writes plays and poems, and she also does modelling work. Learn more about her by visiting her IMBD profile.

1. How does it feel to be an Indian actress in New York City?

It feels great. In this era of globalization, the world is coming together sharing all the different cultures that exist in it. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to portray my own and contribute to creating this awareness of multicultural impact globalization has. New York audiences loved my performances in off-Broadway shows like Bollywood Wedding, Baggage Claim, and others, and my stand up comedy which introduced our culture to them. We all know that a high percentage of Indians are into IT as engineers, and many of them work here in the United States. But there are hardly any Indian actors who represent this population or capture the essence of their lifestyles. I'm working in cross cultural movies that are mainly targeted to present this to the American audience and at the same time provide a platform for those Indians to connect their lives with the global culture.

2. What was it like for you to attend the well-known Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute?

It was a wonderful experience and I learned a lot in the two years that I spent there. Apart from acting on stage and in front of camera, I've learned the importance of punctuality and discipline. I learned how to keep my body, mind, and soul in tune so as to perfect the craft that I perform.

3. Would you tell us about some of the awards you've won so far for your acting work? What are some of your achievements so far?

As I'm working my way to doing big things, one of my short films got nominated for the Best Film at Queens World Film Festival (2011), and the other one just got accepted at the prestigious Heritage Film Festival. One of my Indian short films won the Best Short Film award at the Kalaignar Television channel awards show called "Naalaiya Iyakkunar 3" in 2012. Now I'm working in a feature film which is the first language agnostic film ever made. Apart from these, I’ve received several prizes in dance and acting growing up when arts was just an extracurricular activity. I performed on many a great stages in my hometown in India such as Hari Hara Kala Bhavan, Thyagaraya Gaana Sabha, and others, all places dedicated for performing arts and cinema. I won several prizes for these performances and received them from the hands of notable people in India like the present Home Minister for the State of Telangana, India, Nayani Narasimha Reddy (formerly the Technical Education Minister of the State), elite stars of South Indian cinema like Ramya Krishnan and Chiranjeevi. I feel fortunate to have received several awards from award winning seasoned actors and movie industry prominents like Dadasaheb phalke award winner (India's highest award in cinema) Dr. Akkineni Nageswara Rao , C. Narayana Reddy, Telangana Shakuntala , Madhukar Anand, Shobha Naidu, and others. The tradition in India is that the awardee is honored by donning a silk shawl around their shoulders for their contribution to excellence in their field. I feel extremely proud to have received such an honor by Mr. Nageswara Rao and Mr. Reddy at such a young age that I was.

4. As someone who enjoys writing as well as acting, do you hope to expand your career into writing and possibly directing work in the future?

Acting and performing is my passion. There is nothing like being on stage, in the moment and in front of the live audience. And there is no feeling better than reaching out to and touching lives of millions of audience through cinema. I choose to be an actor.

Putting in words what you want to bring to live performance is a tough process. I love writing and I enjoy this process of writing. I've started writing my own screenplays. But I haven't thought about directing yet though.

5. What else would you like American audiences to know about you--and when can we see you on screen?

As many of you in New York call me, I'm your Indian girl. An authentic Indian girl who has roots in India and education in America. Who else could better portray all those Indian roles that you wanna see on TV and movies? With a few projects currently in works, I'm looking forward to more opportunities that give me a challenge to bring out my full potential and present it to the audience.

Thanks, Pragathi!

Meet Ali Larsen, Author

Ali Larsen is a self-published author. She writes mostly about life, love, and the relationship between the two. Visit her website at www.NeverSigningOff.com

1. Have you always been interested in writing, or did your desire to write develop over time?

I've always had some interest in writing, for as long as I can remember. When I was little kid, I wrote poetry and works of fiction. My book Stand By Me was actually written over the span of 10 years. But, as I grew older and wiser, I started writing based on personal experiences. My commitment to writing definitely developed over time.

2. I noticed that you publish in PDF format and sell your own books on your website. Why do you publish and distribute independently instead of through big retailers?

I actually considered trying to get my work published, but I wanted to try selling it all myself first. I figured having it up myself was a good way to gauge if anyone would actually purchase my writing. I chose the PDF format because I see it as a very universal file type that anyone would be able to view.

3. As someone who writes both poetry and prose, how do you decide which genre is the best for the ideas you want to express?

My writing sort of chooses me. Whenever I have an idea, it usually comes to me formed already. I'll think of a couple rhyming sentences, and then I'll write a poem. Or I'll think of a couple lines and know it would work as prose instead. The real challenge is deciding between prose and articles. For that I just see what sounds better at the end. Then I make whatever changes I need to.

4. Who are some authors, artists, musicians, or other people who inspire you creatively?

I would say one of my biggest inspiration is Gerard Way (formerly of My Chemical Romance). He always had an attitude that said "it's okay to be a little messed up." I've always felt different, so his message really stood out to me. But my biggest inspiration is the author Christopher Gutierrez. He made an entire career out of telling stories about his life. They aren't even well written, but it's because he always delivers powerful messages with them. He's an amazing author. Every time I feel like my writing isn't very good, he reminds me that it doesn't have to be. It just has to have a whole lot of heart.

5. What projects are you currently working on?

I'm currently working on two novels. One is a sort of autobiography about the places I've been and the people I've known. The other is about the challenge of living with a mental disability. I was diagnosed as bipolar when I was teenager. It's been rough journey into adulthood. Obviously, it affects personal relationships, keeping a job, and everything else. I want the message of the book to be that it's okay to be a little messed up.

Thanks, Ali!

Meet Sullee J, Poet and Hip Hop Artist

Sullee J is a warrior poet and philanthropist from Baltimore. He's an emcee whose strong will and devotion to the human spirit carries his exploration of the language, making serious play of the words that represent the deepest of the mind's pains, hopes, losses, and fears. He has recently collaborated with Young Buck, Project Pat, Joe Moses, Royce Da 5'9, Crooked I, Canibus, Cashis, Cyssero, K-Rino, and more.

Check out Sullee J's music on SoundCloud and YouTube, and follow him on Twitter.

1. When you were a kid, what came first for you--music or poetry, or did you become interested in both around the same time?

Poetry. If anything made sense at that point, it was putting my feelings into words. I felt like it was the best way to understand myself, and for myself to be heard. I would write for hours, and somehow it all came out in rhythmic patterns. The ink bled my thoughts, allowing me to escape my mind's darkest caverns.

2. What is your process like when it comes to composing new work?

Sometimes, depending on my mood, a whole song can take me under 20 minutes to write, and sometimes I will spend a week. It all depends on what I'm going through, and the current emotion I'm allowing to peak.

3. You do a lot of collaboration with other artists. What does collaboration add to your own work?

It allows me to build with the other artists and show versatility in my music. Because most of the collaborations I've had are with major artists, it really allows me to challenge myself as a musician. I will always be different--I choose not to be congruent. I want to show my fans, but also other artists on the come up, always stay true to yourself, regardless the influence.

4. What projects are ahead for you in 2016?

Stay tuned for a lot of brilliant works in the mix right now. My latest project coming out next is Andrew Slayer: The Undefined Soul. A clash between Hip Hop/EDM.

5. What is your advice to others who are interested in rap and hip hop but haven't started recording and sharing their own rhymes yet?

Don't let anyone else tell you how to feel about yourself. If you believe in your dreams, then keep going. You don't need people in your circle that are constantly putting you down. Stick to positive energy only. Life is too short to allow negativity to surround.

Thanks, Sullee J!

How to Write a Love Poem for Your Valentine

I've dedicated this blog to helping other people get the word out about their books, businesses, and creative projects, but now and then, I have a little project of my own to share. This week, I released an ebook called How to Write a Love Poem for Your Valentine. It contains twelve different writing exercises to help you craft a poem for someone you love.

The idea of the book is that it's straightforward and easy to use. You don't have to be a poet to read through this book and sit down and write a poem. The book guides you through some well-known types of love poetry such as sonnets and odes, and it contains ideas for other techniques like writing a found poem or a poem inspired by text messages.

I hope you'll check it out! It's just $2.99, or it's free if you have Kindle Unlimited.

Meet Glenn Lyvers, Editor and Writer

Glenn Lyvers is the masthead at Prolific Press, Inc, where he oversees eight literary journals, a full publishing program, and a chapbook series.

Born in Michigan, he now lives in a fishing village in Virginia. He is also the creator of the online submission management tool, Green Submissions, which is used by a number of literary magazines.

1. Why did you decide to start Prolific Press, Inc?

I think anyone who founds a press does so because they want to decide what is printed. It's not for the money, because there isn't any when you first start. I wanted to create opportunities for writers, without regard to pedigree or past achievements. It seemed to me, at the time and even today, that most notable journals seem to care far more about the name of the writer than the quality of the work. That's not how it should be. I have strong convictions about that.

I also knew that any vision for the kind of press I founded would be a diverse mix of journals and other projects. I have many interests. It made sense to house the various journal brands and publishing branches under an umbrella corporation. Most large publishers have that type of structure. If you look at any of the "big 5," you will recognize a loosely-similar framework. I wanted to have that in place and build into it, instead of figuring out how to combine multiple projects later. That can be confusing. Besides, "Prolific Press" is a catchy name, don't you think?

In point of fact, all our brands are good names. Poetry Quarterly, Haiku Journal, Jitter Press, Inwood Indiana, Tanka Journal, Dual Coast Magazine, Three Line Poetry, and 50 Haikus... these are all great names, popular and recognizable. If I had it to do over again, I'd probably have chosen a different name for 50 Haikus, as "Haiku" is the plural spelling, but it's a legacy. It felt right at the time, and the writers seem to like the quirky name.

Prolific Press is a family of journals and publishing programs--most importantly, we have a great group of passionate writers that submit regularly. We keep growing year after year. It's been a great ride, and it only seems to expand. I hoped it would be like this. It's been a dream-come-true in some important ways, and I thank the writers and staff for it. I know this interview is about me, but I take only a meager portion of the credit for Prolific Press's success. Without great people and talented writers, Prolific Press would have died in the first year like the majority of companies in this business do.

2. How do you find the time and motivation to balance the demands and publishing schedules of so many journals, chapbooks, and longer books?

I have probably been asked this question more than any other. I think people fail to realize how much time they waste. Facebook, Twitter, TV, Radio, yada yada yada... we live in a culture of time-wasting mechanisms. We have invented so many ways to waste time that we are amazed when we encounter someone who seems to get things done. I get a lot done because I work hard. I also have good assistants and technologies that reflect positively upon me. What that boils down to is.... Well, let's stay on point. The question is how I find the time and motivation.

I get some of my work ethic from my father. He worked long hours and always provided financially. Growing up, I remember him playing motivational cassette tapes in the car. I recall the speaker saying, "Everyone, rich or poor, has the same number of hours in a day." You never know when life will deliver up a nugget of gold like that. I can't tell you who said it, but I can tell you that it stripped away the mystery between those who get things done and those who don't.

The motivation comes from having a passion for poems, stories, and the heroes that write them. That passion never seems to fade. I get plenty of praise and reinforcement from the writers I work with. They recognize how hard I work, and how much I care about them--and I do. I really do.

3. When reading manuscripts, what catches your eye--and your mind as a reader?

A manuscript should grab my attention right away. I don't care about who wrote it. I care about the impact it has on me. I look at the mechanics--how the writer reveals the characters, backstory, and whether they make me care about the story. I can be a little callused about manuscripts because I read so many. The same is true of the short stories and poems. It comes down to impact.

The writer should care. If they don't, I can spot that almost instantly. Not to be cliché, because it's probably used too often to make this point, but Frost said, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." I think that's very true, and if the writer doesn't have strong feelings about the offering, I can pick up on that fairly quickly.

4. Do you also pursue your own writing in addition to all the time you devote to publishing the work of other writers?

I do. I am writing a book of poems now. I don't write as often as I'd like--I don't have the extra time. But I do write, and I have some of the same concerns the writers who approach me have. I don't know where I'm going to publish when I do. I've been approached, but I don't know what the best choice is, or when. I feel these things; have these problems--I hope that makes me a better editor, too, because I know what other writers are going through.

I can't decide when my book is finished. I keep going back to fuss over the work. I have a passion and a vision for the work. I hope that when I'm ready, I can show that to others--give them something valuable. In the meantime, I help others realize their goals.

5. I admire your dedication to publishing poetry, in particular shorter poems. For those of us who share your interest in poetry, what do you think we can do to encourage others to read our own poetry, or get a press to notice our work?

That's hard. First, the poets need to deliver a worthy product, and that begins by having an audience in mind. Imagine whom you are writing for--and be specific. It's probably not enough (as an emerging poet today) to seek broad appeal like Collins, Bishop, Alexie, and Hayden. I'd suggest new poets look at icons like Olds and Neruda--they definitely have an audience in mind, and managed to climb to the top by building on political angles.

The first thing a poet needs to do is carve out some kind of readership. Not to be crass, but some poets seem to approach the whole thing like self-gratification. That's completely wrong. If you want a readership, then you must write for others--give them something of value. Poetry should make people feel something. It should make our lives better. When it is written to do that, then and only then, people will seek out your poems.

For the poet, this often means submitting to presses that have more relaxed acceptance rates, and then slowly adjusting until you find some presses that will publish you regularly. It is far more important to develop good relationships with a few stable presses than to have a thousand acknowledgements.

Readers rarely read one poem and choose to buy a poet's work. It's much better to find a platform to expose your work to readers regularly, so they come to know and trust your voice. Then they will buy, and probably buy everything you ever do.

I have built some good relationships with many writers. It's an honor to publish some of those voices. I get to watch them grow and evolve as artists. The readers seem to agree with my choices. The feedback from our publications is almost unanimously positive. Good relationships benefit everyone, the poets, our press, and most importantly, the readers.

Thanks, Glenn!

Meet Rima Laforce, Poet

Rima Laforce is a Russian woman who lives in France. Over the last several years, she has written between 750 and 800 poems. They are about such topics as love, nature, health, philosophy, and fairy tales. Her writing is available in Russian on Amazon.com and she hopes that her poems will be enjoyed by the Russian community all over the world and students of Russian language.

1. When did you first start writing poems?

In 2010, we were on the island of Malta and we visited a known Santa Maria cathedral on Gozo's island. And in one of the next days early in the morning, I sunbathed on the terrace of a hotel and listened to music in earphones. And suddenly I had the vision come to me that I was inside an egg, and the shell broke, and as it seemed to me, I was extended by a hand by the Angel. It was a very bright, and subsequently life-changing, vision. The first poem, and rather it was a quatrain, I wrote exactly there. Upon my return home, I had a need and irresistible desire to write verses every day. I wrote about everything that excited and impressed me.

2. What inspires you to write a poem?

As I already answered in the first question, the first inspiration to writing poetry came after I visited the island of Malta. But the Love was the true inspiration, of course! Love inexplicable, unique, almost unconditional. I said "almost" because I couldn't explain myself, the nature of this Love. It was part of me, of my soul, of my skin, of my breath--of everything!

3. You have written quite a large number of poems. How do you find the time to write? Do you write every day?

Actually it didn't take a lot of time. Usually I wrote after the morning jog in the park, with a cup of coffee in the kitchen. Usually, the thought was coming during the jogging time. Only a phrase... And subsequently, the poem was born at home. Sometimes some minutes were enough. Sometimes, I finished next day if the thought had no development.  For example, I wrote the longest poems--narrations as they say--"on one breath": 1 hour to two. When the inspiration visits you, it conducts you. You don't need to invent something and to squeeze out from yourself. The inspiration draws a cloth!

4. Who are some of your favorite poets to read?

To my shame to admit, I can't tell you that I read many poets. Sometimes I find some verses, and I read them. From the first lines I define for myself, whether I like it or not. But I can precisely tell that I like Pushkin's and Akhmatova's verses. Akhmatova's verses to me are more congenial.

5. Do you have any plans to translate your work into English?

I had plans to translate my verses into other languages. But as I am not the carrier of other languages, it is difficult to transfer all subtlety of sense and speech turns of Russian language. Thus, I postponed this thought. If there are persons who are interested in reading my verses in English (my many verses--are my feelings) and if there are persons who are interested in helping me with the translation, why not?

Thank you very much, Mandy. I am grateful to you for paying attention to my verses. My verses--expression of my soul. 

Thanks, Rima!

Meet Eric Wayne Dickey, Author

Eric Wayne Dickey is a poet and the author of a recently published children's book, Alex the Ant Goes to the Beach, published by Craigmore Creations. Find the book on Amazon by clicking here.

1. How did you come to write a children's book?

I wrote it on the occasion of a birth. Close friends were having their first child. I had intended to give it to them as a gift, but I never did. Around that time, I had a friend who was studying entomology and had also gone to art school. I asked her to draw up some ideas of what the main character would look like. But then, as things go, the story languished untouched for over a decade.

I kept writing poetry and other things. As the years passed, I had my own family, and had read hundreds of children's books to my two kids. A few years ago as I was reading a bedtime story to my youngest, I had an epiphany: I could do this. I can write a children's book. I have a creative writing degree and I am a writer. Then I remembered the ant story. So, I dug it up and brushed it off. I read it to my kids and got their feedback, and I read it to some friends and got their feedback. I also connected with some local children's authors, Margaret J. Anderson and Tom Birdseye, who both gave me a wealth of knowledge for which I am still grateful. It's kind of funny, too, because the things that I learned from them, and the feedback that got from my friends, is very similar to the kinds of practical information that I've learned as a poet, but I had to shift my understanding of audience. I had to take the things I learned as a poet and writer, and realign them to address the issues of writing for children. Things like image, structure, and function are approached similarly but with different intentions. After assimilating all the feedback and soul searching, I started researching publishers.

I had found a few publishers that I thought would be interested, Sterling, and Scholastic, or course. As I kept researching, I learned that I should pursue publishers who specialize in science literacy. The book explores entomology and coastal and ocean topics for young people. I found Dog-Eared Publications, and had started drafting a query letter. Around that same time, I had caught up with an old friend who had just finished working for a new, independent children's book publisher in Portland, Oregon: Craigmore Creations, which specializes in science literacy and children's books. I reviewed their catalog and checked out a few of their books from the library. I noticed that they didn't have any books for three-to-eight year old readers. So, I decided to query them first. I used my hook for expanding their offerings, my connection to my friend who had worked there, I focused on my story and its potential, and I sent the query letter. And wouldn't you know it, they said, "Yes!" It's unusual to get an acceptance right off the bat. Usually, book inquiries for new writers get rejected a dozen times or more. I was elated, to say the least.

2. Being a father surely helped. Did being a poet help?

Absolutely. The language and word choices in children's books, as in poetry, need precision. There can be no room for misinterpretation. I labored over each sentence, the phrasing, each word, if not each letter in the story. What's more interesting is that I had to leave room in the text for the imagination. In the case of poetry, we leave room in the text for the imagination of the reader. While this is true for children's books, we also have to leave room in the text for the illustrator. The text and the illustrations work together.

3. What did you learn about children's publishing?

I learned that writers should only submit texts to publishers. This is not always true, of course, but for new writers it is true for several reasons. Children's book publishers have their own cadre of illustrators that they keep on staff or on contract. This helps them develop a consistent brand identity. For example, Scholastic books generally look like Scholastic Books. Each publisher has a their own aesthetic, their own certain appeal, and a specific look that helps them establish their markets. So, submitting a text to a publisher will allow their illustrators to imagine what the story will look like. If you submit a text with illustrations, the illustrations will influence the way the publisher sees the book. Or, as Tom Birdseye put it, "You don’t want to give a publisher two reasons to reject your work." Just submit the text, and only give them one reason.

Oddly enough, this advice is useful to poets, too. When writing and formatting a poem, don't give your readers too many reasons to reject your poems. Authenticity in poetry easily couples with accessibility. Poets can be nurturing and kind, as well as difficult and thought provoking as long as their voice is authentic.

Another thing I learned about children's publishing that readers find surprising is that I have never met the illustrator. While I did have input on early drafts of drawings, the illustrator was fairly autonomous. And I now see why that is absolutely necessary. Illustrators need their own license to express their art; working too closely with an author would alter and slow the outcome.

4. What are you reading?

Whenever there is a poetry competition list of finalists announced, I always get the listed books for poetry. Whether it's the Pulitzer, the National Book Critics Circle Award, or the National Book Award, I binge read all the finalists. I am currently reading the finalists in poetry for the National Book Award for poetry. The one I am on now is Spencer Reece's The Clerk's Tale. I have to say, it is the real deal. I also have Brian Blanchfield's A Several World in the queue.

The fiction I am currently reading is Peter Matthiessen's Shadow Country. That one is a long haul and will take me a while to finish. I am also reading Censoring Translation by Michelle Woods. I have an unpublished translation that nobody wants to publish, and am trying to figure out how I should proceed.

5. What's next? What are you working on now?

I submitted a sequel to the publisher for Alex the Ant. In this second installment, Alex the Ant Builds a Bridge, Alex pursues engineering and the book explores issues of climate change. I have a third installment in mind where Alex will explore social identity and atmospheric science and astronomy. It is very exciting being a new children's author. It's a completely new identity for me, and it’s been a lot of fun. I just hope that this first book, Alex the Ant Goes to the Beach, sells well enough to justify a second book. With good sales, the publisher may also consider a Spanish translation, too. So, I hope your readers will consider supporting the effort and buy the book. It's a really fun story with lots of fun words to say.

As for children's stories, I am researching other books as I am developing a couple new storylines. One on diaspora for tween girls, and another on homelessness for young children. P.D. Eastman's The Best Nest is a fascinating account of homelessness that captures the sense of hopelessness and urgency displaced family feels.

As for poetry, I am also working on a series of poems called The Book of James about the sudden passing of my only sibling. It's a book-length elegy that takes famous people and places named James and addresses them as if they were my brother, James River for example, or Jesse James. I really want to finish this collection. It is coalescing for me, and I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, if the light goes off, then I'm just in a hole in the ground. I have this idea that the collection should be forty-two poems, and I think I am getting close to thirty.

I am also starting to work on my next poetry project and have already written a few poems, which, in my mind, I call, The Crazy Poems. One of them, "Train 19," is forthcoming from a new zine being produced by Lars Palm called Swirl.

I have outlines to some fiction pieces I would really like to dive into. I imagine them as a series of stories about surviving in a post-apocalyptic world. I can guarantee they will not have any zombies.

It's difficult for writers to keep writing, with all the other obligations we have: work, family, house, health, etc. I find that having a variety of reading and writing projects helps keep the momentum moving forward. I write for my day job, too; I'm a grant writer. I help develop and write grants for researchers, and I am working on a couple of really exciting projects that also use a little of my creativity. For me, it's the journey and not the destination. I have to keep reminding myself of that because otherwise, I get too caught up on acceptance and products and success. Editing and seeking publication are fun, but I'd rather be writing.

Thanks, Eric!

Meet Josh Lieberman, Blogger

Josh Lieberman is 22, an iOS app developer, and in college. He loves to write and follow passions and procrastinate. Check out his blog at http://www.tonotmissthebliss.com.

1. What inspired you to launch your site, and how did you choose the name, "tonotmissthebliss"?

It all began a few years ago when I was about 50 pounds overweight and had this big idea for a project. The project was this huge, way over my head, ambitious goal to 1) get in shape, 2) lose weight, and 3) write about it all to become a book about the process. After a lot of writing, I began to share it with friends. But it becomes cumbersome to discuss the same bit of writing in three or four different full conversations. This is where the blog idea was born--as a place to write these musings and thoughts.

I've always had a fascination with the word "bliss." Somehow, I'm quite happy that "tonotmissthebliss" still resonates with me to this day. It took me a couple years to really build the momentum and energy to consistently post. But now that I've slowly reached this point, it feels amazing.

2. How did you first get interested in writing poetry?

Hah. I would say that listening to Eminem at a young age definitely influenced my mind to enjoy hearing rhymes. In high school, my friends and I would insult each other with rhymed blocks of text. Then in my early years of college, I would write long poems for gals I never dated. Only recently have I started directing my love of poems towards myself, the universe, and overarching ideas such as love and inspiration.

3. What do you find are your favorite times to write--and what are some topics or experiences that seem to motivate you to put your thoughts/feelings into words?

The favorite time to write is when the mind has something to write about. Thank goodness for Evernote--as long as I have my phone nearby, I can record the thought for later. I would say 40% of my rhymes are from the train, 35% are written at the park, 10% at work, and the other 15% anytime, anyplace.

The biggest motivation is my love of anime. There's a certain type of show I watch where a team comes together to overcome insurmountable odds. The feelings of inspiration, teamwork, and THEY DID IT!!!! create such positive visceral reactions that resonate with me. Upon figuring out that I can craft those same emotion with my rhymes, I became addicted to it.

But my content is inspired from nearly everything I come across. Whether it's hearing about wars in the Middle East, learning about the universe during an episode of Cosmos, or listening to the late thinker Alan Watts, anything and everything is inspiration. I'm merely retelling the pre-existing story from my perspective.

4. How would you compare the creative work of developing apps with the creative process of writing?

You know, I've never yet tried to make that comparison. I'll start by how they differ. For one, I could write a poem on the train into work and shape it into a blog post to share that evening. For apps, it takes months to get somewhere tangible. They operate on completely different time-scales.

However, at the core of both you find the same elements--human emotions. It's all about the emotion you aim to invoke in the reader or the user. How can you make them feel something positive and worth feeling again?

5. When you think about your life over the next few years, what do you imagine yourself doing?

Hmmm, I don't really know a specific destination. I just know I want to grow my talents and see where they take me.

If I were to imagine the current trajectory, I would continue writing poems to the point where they eventually start linking up with music. I would love to be a songwriter one day. Or a spoken word rapper.

I see myself having at least two more personal apps on the app store. I have a super mega dream app I want to make, but there's two (or even three) that have to come before it, and each one is at least a six-month project.

So if I'm at a point where I have those under my belt and in the next few years I can start that dream project, I'll be so happy.

Thanks, Josh!

Meet Kathy M Walters, Poet

Kathy M. Walters is a gem to the literary profession. Though she holds a Master's degree in HR Management and a BA in Sociology, her title of passion is that of an author/poet. She has written her first book and creates/performs poetry as a window to her soul. To hear Kathy perform her work, visit her Lines & Lyrics site. Her book, From Pain to Praise, is available on Amazon.

1. Were you always interested in poetry growing up, and when did you start dedicating yourself to writing as an adult?

Yes, I have always been interested in poetry. As a small child, I can remember composing "rhymes" and songs. I loved words. I loved performing for family and friends. So, once I realized I could play with words and create my "masterpieces" when the ending of words sounded alike, I was ecstatic! I enjoyed being creative and loved what I was doing.

As an adult, my dedication evolved through my personal experiences and the experiences of others. I began writing for meaning and poignancy. I wanted to write what I "feel" from the depth of my soul.

Sometimes, it’s difficult to verbalize our thoughts. But I believe my gift is to articulate feelings into words. I want to bridge a connection. My dream is to powerfully arrange my words and writings so that the pages connect with the soul of another's feelings. And when one reads my work, they will say, "That's exactly how I feel!" or "How did she know that?" or "I experienced the same thing!"

2. How would you describe the relationship between your spirituality and your writing?

My writing and my spirituality go hand in hand. I write what I feel. I write what I want others to know and I write to share words of encouragement. I love to help others and let others know that they are not alone. We all experience hurt. We all experience pain. My pain may not be the same or as severe as yours, but it is still pain. The joy lies in knowing that we are in this together. And together we can strengthen each other.

3. What inspired you to release your work in audio format, and what was the process like in creating your debut CD?

I truly believe that God places people in our lives to make things happen or help steer us in the right direction. I was inspired by an author/publisher, Fay Alice Walker, to release my work in audio format.

I was attending a Georgia Peach Writer's book club meeting one Saturday. Each author was discussing their book and sharing excerpts. At the time, I didn't want to share information regarding my upcoming novel because I needed to tweak it a bit more. But, I always memorized my poetry and I loved to share. I recited a poem with the other writers and Fay immediately told me how much she enjoyed it. I was pleasantly surprised because I had no idea I would get the reaction she gave. She told me she could hear my poetry with music. She asked, "Do you know how many people would love to listen to smooth sounds and poetry as they travel, dine, walk in the park, or just want to relax?" I thought about it and immediately contacted a producer. My CD project started from there, and I thank God for sending Fay to help me to realize the possibilities!

4. Could you give us sort of a snapshot of the ideas, topics, and themes that readers will find in your book, From Pain to Praise?

First of all, let me define "snapshot." For me, a snapshot can tell an entire story or only part of a whole. One of my favorite snapshots is, "Everyone possesses a license for healing, harvesting, and redemption. That license never expires." The meaning behind that snapshot is that it is never too late to overcome, start a new or escape the things which held you bound.

From Pain to Praise is a collection of poetry, words of inspiration, and short stories. It is truly an inspiration. It's cathartic. It's real.

Have you ever felt like throwing in the towel? Has it ever seemed that past hurt has moved in, packed your bags, and is forcing you out of your own home? Where do you go and what do you do when you feel all hope is gone?

As Christians, we are faced with numerous circumstances, causing "internal injuries," leading to a life of pain and resulting in permanent scars. We live in a world that no longer seems to care. As soon as you've endured one storm, another tumultuous cloud is in the making. But we serve an awesome God, don't we? He has pills for your pain, promise for your prayers, and power for your praise!

From Pain to Praise is about life, love, and everything in between. It will make you smile. It will soothe your soul. And then... you will be filled with praise!

5. Do you find that your career in HR is completely separate from your writing, or do ideas for poems sometimes come to you during your workday?

While one may think my career in HR and my writing are separate, I must say they are intrinsically intertwined. No matter what I do in my career as a HR professional, I often receive ideas for my writing. People, places, things and situations inspire me. And I can't imagine how the two (career and writing) can be independent of one another. Many thoughts and ideas come to me during the workday, sometimes taking my mind off of work! And that can be a positive and productive distraction. LOL (But don't tell my boss!) :)

There is a lot more in store for my career as an author. The bigger picture is for me to enjoy life, learn, support other authors, grow, give back, share, and be the best individual that I can be!

Thanks, Kathy!

Meet Deborah Woodard, Poet and Translator

Deborah Woodard was born in New York City and grew up in Vermont. She currently lives in Seattle, where she earned a doctorate in English at the University of Washington, writing her dissertation on American women Early Modernist poets and the romance plot. A widely published poet and translator, Deborah's most recent book is Borrowed Tales, released by Stockport Flats in 2012. Currently, she's researching the Triangle Factory Fire of 1911 for a projected new collection of poems.

1. Do you remember hearing/reading/writing poetry as a child, and can you identify a point in your life when you started to think of yourself as a poet?

I have a vague memory of my mother reading a poem by John Keats to me. It was probably "Ode to a Nightingale," or perhaps "The Eve of St. Agnes." I didn't write poetry as a child. I wrote strange little stories once a year or so. In the back of my mind, I worried that that rate of production felt like enough to me, psychically. Now, I have finally written a whole book of strange little stories, Borrowed Tales.

2. As someone who has studied with great poets such as Charles Simic and someone who has taught poetry for many years, what do you find to be some of the most effective methods of teaching the art/craft of poetry writing?

It all comes down to encouragement and stimulation. For the last several years, I've taught "writing alongside" hybrid reading and writing classes at The Richard Hugo House, a literary and performance center in Seattle. I teach authors who I want to read, or reread, myself: Emily Dickinson, William Blake, Allen Ginsberg, and so on. This winter, I offered "Reading alongside Local Poets," and that really seemed to galvanize the group. The local poets visited the class, and we used their books as texts. Although, here in Seattle, we're inundated with poetry events and "opportunities," somehow sitting down with the poets for a candid exchange in a small group made a difference. In the last class session, I had students do individual timelines--in pictures--of how they saw the next stretch of their writerly lives proceeding. The results were amazing!

3. What first inspired you to study Italian, when did you become interested in doing translations, and how did your interest evolve into publishing the work of Amelia Rosselli?

Since I never learned to speak any of the languages I studied in school, it took me a long time to end up in an Italian class, I confess. I went to Italy after college, and, as I was a poor traveler, did not get out of Italy, except for a couple of brief forays. After completing my doctorate in English at the University of Washington, I studied Italian "properly," with Giuseppe Leporace, with whom I began translating Rosselli. (As for translating poetry, I'd done a bit, here and there.) Rosselli's first book, Martial Variations, was in a bundle of books a friend of mine in Rome discarded from her library and sent to me for reading practice. I stowed the books in a sideboard, and eventually, pulled out Rosselli, translated a few poems, and got Giuseppe on board. We always intended to publish her, I think, but we worked without publishing rights for many years. Eventually, Chelsea Editions invited us to submit a manuscript, and The Dragonfly: A Selection of Poems, 1953-1981 was the result.

4. Who are some of the individuals that readers will recognize in your book, Borrowed Tales, and do the poems speak in the characters' first-person voices or...?

Hamlet, who opens the collection, and then perhaps McGuffey, who compiled the primers of the same name. I adapted his stories in poems like "Anna's Nettle" and "The Little Violet Merchant." Those poems are fun to perform, almost like little plays. Also, there is a "Deborah" section. Some characters speak in first person, and some do not.

5. In seeking publication for your work, how do you find the best publisher for each unique project?

Small steps can lead to compatible publishers. I republished my little riddle chapbook with Bear Star Press after I was a finalist in their contest. This led to a longer chapbook publication with them, and, eventually, to my first full-length collection, Plato's Bad Horse. The Rosselli translation was picked up by Alfredo de Palchi of Chelsea Editions after Giuseppe and I brought out ten poems in de Palchi's journal, Chelsea. Most recently, Borrowed Tales was picked up by Stockport Flats for their new Confluence Series after I published several poems in an anthology of theirs, American Ghost: Poets on Life after Industry. I liked the look of Stockport Flats' books, and I could visualize my long-lined borrowed tales in their format. Artist Heide Hinrichs designed the cover, basing it on an image from her "Borrowed Tails" show at the Seattle Art Museum. I was then given the better part of a year to revise my manuscript, for which I was most grateful. By the way, Heide and I had previously collaborated on a self-published chapbook, Hunter Mnemonics. One thing leads to another! (Not necessarily quickly, of course; as writers we have to be patient.)

Thanks, Deborah!

And thanks to Kayt Hoch for the photo of Deborah's books!

A Tiny Zine about Writing Found Poetry

When I'm not busy blogging or (more likely) working at my day job (teaching English), I like to write poems, and I also like to make zines. I have a special interest in writing poems that use found text. What are found poems, you ask? Well, I just made a little zine to explain what found poems are, and it includes a couple of fun writing exercises so that you can start writing them, too. They are a fun activity to do with kids as well, and the zine focuses on involving visual elements as you compose--in a way, you could say that found poems are the literary equivalent of collage.

Anyway! If you'd like to check out my zine, I've just listed it in my etsy shop. It only costs $1.00, plus the cost of postage!

Meet Laura-Marie Taylor, Poet and Independent Publisher

I've been reading Laura-Marie Taylor's writing for many years now, and she's one of my favorite poets writing today. One of the great things about Laura-Marie is that she self-publishes her work through a series of thoughtfully designed, handmade zines. In addition to publishing poetry, she publishes her nonfiction writing about a variety of topics, from her own experiences in mental health care, to recipes she has enjoyed, to details of her participation in anti-nuclear protests. She also blogs regularly about her writing and her daily life, and I hope you'll check out her blog. You can also buy handmade publications and other arts/craft work of hers in Laura-Marie's etsy shop.

Here's a bio provided by Laura-Marie herself: Laura-Marie Taylor is a zinester, poet, permaculturist, and blogger who lives in Sacramento with her partner Ming. [The photo to the left shows a garden plot of theirs.] She enjoys reading, cooking, eating, and walking in the wind.

1. How would you define "zines" in your own words (and based on your own experiences)?

I usually tell people, "Zines are just homemade magazines," as a quick answer. In reality, there's so much more to it. Zines are independent, zines are DIY, zines are subversive, zines are punk rock. My own zines are made of paper and ink and bound with thread. Mine are text-heavy with few images, though I love zines that can do a lot of work with both image and text.

2. When did you first learn about zines, and when and why did you start making them yourself?

I first learned about zines in 1990 and started making my own right away. So I have been making zines for 23 years. A friend at another high school made a zine called Reality Press Weekly--the zine I started in response was called The Ugly Aardvark.

Throughout the years, I have made about 75 zines total--Erik and Laura-Marie Magazine went for 52 issues, and my current main zine, my mental health zine functionally ill, is on issue 14. In grad school I made a zine of my classmates' poetry called Pocket Trick.

Making zines has become a way of life for me. By that I mean that when something important happens in my life, my instinct is to start writing about it, and that writing often makes its way into a zine. Also, I go to zine fests, connect with other zinesters through the mail, and participate in online zine communities.

Mandy, you and I met years ago through zines, and I couldn't be happier about all the goodness you bring to my life.

3. What inspires you to write poetry, and what have you been working on lately in your writing?

Writing poems is something I have been doing for longer than I've been making zines. It's a way of life for me too. I rarely sit down to write a poem in a self-disciplining way--I usually write poems when I'm inspired, when an interesting phrase or idea strikes me, often as part of a conversation. A few mornings ago I wrote a poem about a grandparent.

the way she fell asleep in cars

the way she fell asleep in cars
and at the dinner table
might be
narcolepsy
or just having seven kids
her secrets are buried
in a cemetery in Lompoc
where Mom goes birthdays
Thanksgivings
to put a flower
oh I miss you
unconditional love
can't remember

Lately in my writing I'm talking about the past. This poem is a good example of that. Or feelings in the present about the past. I am inspired by the sounds of our language and by little things. I've enjoyed writing six word poems lately. Here's an example.

misdiagnosis awesome
coniferous flume
awesome awesome

I would say that my poems are very personal and always written to satisfy myself but also always to communicate. I'm happy to share my poems, and a zine / chapbook I made called suicide notes is available on my etsy. It consists of suicide notes I wrote to friends and family in poem form.

4. How have you found community through sharing your writing about highly personal topics like mental health?

My mental health zine functionally ill has helped me find so much community. I've received a lot of touching feedback through email and letters. And there's a good handful of people making mental health zines--we trade with one another. The Icarus Project (radical mental health by and for the mad community) is a big part of my life too. Being a mental health zinester connects me to so many vibrant people. It is highly personal, and that's a risk, putting myself out there and vulnerable. It's also a great way to foster intimacy.

5. Would you talk a little about your current/emerging interests in jewelry making and gardening and how these creative pursuits connect to (or inform) your work as a writer?

Making jewelry is something I enjoy doing for friends and family as well as for myself. Gardening is something I have done for many years, but only recently has it become central to my life. My boyfriend Ming is a permaculturist, and now I am too. I enjoy growing onions, kale, herbs, yarrow, borage, asparagus, tomatoes, peppers, beans...

Poems are fun in a different way. My loves of writing, jewelry making, and gardening are all related in that I want to produce beautiful things for myself and for the world. Cooking is like that too. Some of the things I make are more lasting than others, and I like the way poems can take on a life of their own.

Thanks, Laura-Marie!

Meet Jeremiah Walton, Poet and Publisher

Jeremiah Walton is a youth poet living in New England where he attends high school. He manages Nostrovia! Poetry, a small, independent press, and is author of a handful of poetry collections, including LSD Giggles and To Your Health: Humanity's Diagnosis.

1. What inspired you to start Nostrovia! Poetry, and in what formats does Nostrovia! publish?

I created Nostrovia! Poetry to feature Nostrovia!, a collection of poems I attempted to publish through a vanity press in 2011. The project went haywire, and finally fell through summer of 2012. I've taken it into my own hands to self-publish the collection. During this process though, in late 2011, I realized I didn't want to solely feature my poetry and writing. The Guest Blog was then opened to promote other writers. The Guest Blog was the stepping stone that lead to Nostrovia! Poetry as it is now. It was an evolutionary process, of sorts.

Nostrovia! Poetry offers publication through three blogs--the Official N!P blog, Guest Blog, and Nano Nostrovia! Poetry--as well as anthologies, contests, and, recently, a project called "Too Obscene", a one issue zine.

2. As a writer and publisher, how do you maintain a balance between seeking publication of your own work and helping other work you admire find its way to publication?

I work the most with Nostrovia! Poetry, subjecting more of my time to the website than writing or seeking publication for my own work. I have a friend interested in working as an editor for N!P though, and I may take her up on that offer, in regards that it will open up time for me to actually write, though I truly enjoy working on the website, from maintenance to design, reading submissions, and organizing publishing endeavours. I've read many wonderful poems and met many wonderful people.

3. As someone who is young enough to have always has the internet be part of our culture, do you think you perceive publishing in a different way from someone who didn't grow up with the internet?

I might. I may add more merit to publishing online than people who have not always had the internet integrated into their life, but then again, I enjoy the feel of a print collection of my work in my hands the most.

4. What motivates you to write poetry?

I've asked myself this, and I still do not have a concrete answer. I am conveying myself and experiences to a reader through a creative medium. This can be done in countless ways, though. Poetry was what clicked with me.

5. What do you look for in the poetry you want to read (and to publish), and who are some of your favorite contemporary poets?

I look for originality and creativity, experimentation, and breaking the barriers many poets close themselves within, whether it's a closed-minded action of blocking yourself into a particular style and not allowing growth, or trapping yourself in age-old cliches.

My favorite contemporary poets include Allen Ginsberg, Walt Whitman, Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Charles Bukowski, and a handful of others. Beat poets clicked extremely well with me, especially when I was younger.

Thanks, Jeremiah!

Meet Thomas L. Vaultonburg, Poet

Thomas L. Vaultonburg founded Zombie Logic Press in 1997. He has published four volumes of poetry, Concave Buddha (1991), Detached Retinas (1997), Flesh Wounds (2011), and Submerged Structure (2012). His poems have appeared in over 200 publications and anthologies, including Exquisite Corpse, Caliban, and The Paris Review. His latest project is a children's book titled The Toughskin Rhinoceros Wrangler Company, co-created with artist Jenny Mathews.

1. What motivated you to start Zombie Logic Press?

When I first started publishing poetry in 1989, there was a vibrant small press scene with hundreds of different zines, and it was a snap to get your poetry published, but the internet virtually ended the small press movement. Also, the best one could really hope for at that time was to publish a string of chapbooks. There was no digital publishing, and full-length books were not the norm. By 1997 it was difficult to find interesting places to publish, and since publishing a chapbook was almost never a money-making proposition, I decided forever after to just go ahead and publish my own work. That way I had total control over the content, design, and distribution of my work. And that's why I formed Zombie Logic Press in 1997. Of course now it's a million times easier to publish a book, but back then it was still somewhat of an effort.

2. What topics most intrigue you as a poet?

I almost never take on the eternal questions like truth, justice, or beauty. I'm a big fan of poets like Richard Brautigan and Charles Bukowski, and I learned from their writing that sometimes the best you can do as a poet is capture one simple moment in life, and then not try to take it all that seriously. Generally I have no conscious editorial process as to what I will or will not write about because almost every poem I have ever written has come to me fully written in a flash, and I have no idea where it came from or why.

3. How has being a lifelong resident of Rockford, Illinois influenced your work?

I posted this question on Facebook to see how my friends who are artists and also lifelong residents of Rockford would approach this question because in general Rockford is made a laughingstock in the national press as evidenced by being rated Money Magazine's Worst City in America and being labeled the 9th most dangerous and 4th fattest city in America. But I live three blocks from the hospital I was born in and having that type of long view on a place allows me as a writer to really see how things either change or don't change over time. I like Rockford. Not just because I want to be contrarian about it, but I legitimately like downtown where I live on the busiest street in town, surrounded by other artists, writers, and filmmakers who do their best to create in a place that doesn't seem suited to that task at all. I'd like to think Rockford, of all places, needs what we do, whereas if I moved to Chicago I'd just be one of hundreds like me. I really had to sleep on this question because there is also a simultaneous impulse to be bitter or negative because Rockford is a place where you can find all the negative you want, but I don't find that adding shade to shade is particularly productive in a place like this.

4. What were the main differences between writing your latest book--a children's book--and writing your previous books of poetry?

The main difference is compression of language. As a poet I always feel pressured to really condense a moment or an emotion into as few characters as possible, which is why I don't find the current social media model of 140 characters distressing. But when I write for children, I don't feel if I go overboard a little bit they'll lose interest because children don't read editorially: all they want is to be entertained. Poetry is said to be the hardest form because even a small mistake can mar a poem, and serious readers and editors of poetry will immediately spot that mistake or misstep and tune out. That's enormously stressful when one is trying to write a poem. Children won't tune you out if you don't adhere to to the rules, so you can go ahead and break the rules. The only rule is just be fun. I like that.

5. How long have you been creating Tiny Drawing Poems, and how do you personally experience the connection between poetry and visual art?

Almost not at all. I'm not a visual person, I have no spatial intelligence, and I can't even draw a stick figure, which is why getting the chance to work with an artist like Jenny Mathews of Tiny Drawings is such a blessing. She draws and I write. I'm not sure where and when I got the idea or why I didn't get it before, but one day I said why not combine the two, and we realized independently in our work we had themes that went well together. And since then it's been a blast because she can literally draw anything, and I have fun challenging her to draw something ridiculous like a grown man in a bird's nest and fifteen minutes later there's the drawing. I'm amazed by that.

Thanks, Thomas!

Meet Jamie Doughty, Poet and Artist

Jamie Doughty is a poet, cartoonist and game designer based in Bristol, England. Over the last two years he has self-published four books and has performed to audiences in a number of towns and cities in England and Wales. His latest release, Memory Card, is the first of Jamie's projects to present new poems and artwork as a printed book and a web-based game.

1. How has self-publishing been a good avenue for you to share your work as a poet?

Choosing to self-publish in order to get my work to a wider audience really has been one of the best decisions I have made. With so many books being self-published every day and having only used free services and social media to advertise, it's not as easy to make an impact as some would have you believe, but I try to balance the big ideas with a sense of what is realistically possible and build on that. Having the freedom to publish what you want when you want is brilliant for me as I have a lot of ideas that I want to explore, and the more titles I get finished and out there the better. Otherwise they are just ideas and scribblings lying in a notebook or on a hard drive.

2. What are the differences you find in connecting with readers online and connecting with readers through the public readings you give?

I love reading to a live audience. The honest and mixed reactions on people's faces as you read something that you believe is worth hearing can be satisfying or disappointing (sometimes both at the same time). At open mic nights you also get that option to listen and talk to other performers and members of the audience straight away which is nice. Online interaction and feedback is just as valuable to me, and it's great reading responses from new readers or friends and relatives that due to the logistics of everyday life you don't often get the chance to meet in person.

3. What makes your latest book (and game!), Memory Card, a unique project for you?

For starters, it's the first poetry and picture book I have produced that has an accompanying short video game and vice versa. It's also the first collection of poems that I have presented that all have one common theme (playing video games). I looked at my first two books Leaving Present and What an Absolute Load of Not My Cup of Splosh and realized that there were a number of references to video games in both of them. Some were obvious and others more cryptic. Then I decided to write a collection of poems all about playing video games. I wrote a list of all the computers and consoles I had used over the years and wrote something for each of them. At that point I was also making a short flash game that would be accompanied by a picture book about two characters wandering around and just going about their business. I then fused the poems and the book/game together which is not something I have done before but it seemed to make sense to me. I just hope it does to some people who play the game, read the book, or hear the poems.

4. Did you have experience with making online games before Memory Card, or did you need to learn the process specifically to achieve your vision for the project?

I have played around with Flash since 2000, but most of the early stuff I did was promotional material for friends in bands or short cartoons that were not interactive. Immediately before making Memory Card I made a collection of 7 mini games based on poems from my first two books called Mundane Mini Games. The point of that project was to document how things developed as I was making these little games and learn a thing or two so that I could go on to make what became Memory Card. In 2012, it's a lot easier to make flash games thanks to programs like Stencyl which is fantastic because it has meant that I could focus on the visual/audio content in the project and not have to worry about the programming side becoming too daunting.

5. How does your work as a visual artist inform your work as a poet, and vice versa?

Many of the poems I write are scruffy, short, and often focused on the mundane. The visual art or should I say cartoons and games I produce are also simple and scruffy. There is also a nonsensical element to both aspects of my artistic practice. Writing poems really can be like painting a picture with words, and when I occasionally paint a picture, I often can't help painting a word somewhere.

Thanks, Jamie!