My Sibyl Lipsmacked

My poem "Sibyl" appears in the just published Lipsmack! A Sampler Platter of Poets from NightBallet Press, Year Five 2016, alongside work by George Wallace, Andy Roberts, Joey Nicoletti, Chansonette Buck, Lenny DellaRocca, D.R. Wagner, Steve Abbott, Robert Walicki, Wolfgang Carstens, Janne Karlsson and M.J. Arcangelini.  I wrote "Sibyl" last year for an Ekphrastacy program hosted by Heights Arts in Cleveland Heights. The poem was inspired by a Herbert Ascherman Jr. photograph, and exhibited next to that photograph during the retrospective Herbert Ascherman Jr.: 40 Years.

Not Beat Yet - But Soon

Because of family needs I didn't get to read in Mount Vernon last night after all.  I'm sorry to have missed seeing co-features Lennart Lundh and Andy Roberts but happy that Dianne Borsenik was able at the last minute to fill in for me and promote her new Crisis Chronicles Press chapbook Thunderclap Amen.  Hopefully I'll have another opportunity to read down there soon, maybe after NightBallet Press publishes my new chapbook, Beat Attitude, in the fall to correspond with BeatStreet Cleveland 2015.

Sip This!

I have the privilege and pleasure of reading this Tuesday, April 28th, 6:30 p.m. at Sips Coffee House, 101 S. Main Street in Mount Vernon, Ohio.  The other featured poets will be Ohio's Andy Roberts and Illinois' Lennart Lundh.  David Kender will be the evening's featured musical performer.  Ohio Poetry Association Vice President Mark Hersman will host.  For more information, please click here.

Eight books I read in March 2015

Okay, so it's fewer than I read in January (12) or February (19).  But I read seven of these eight during the first 14 days of the month. Then I decided to read a couple longer books that took more time.  They're not on this list because I haven't finished them yet (probably will in April).  Also, you'll note that three of the eight books I finished reading in March are books I published.  I've read those more than once since they were submitted, as you might imagine.  But I don't count books I publish as officially read until they're officially a book (i.e. published), when I do my final read through.

Without further ado, here are March's eight:

Cutting the Möbius by Jonathan Thorn [2015, Crisis Chronicles Press]
The Green World by Andy Roberts [2014, NightBallet Press]
Lipsmack! A Sampler Platter of Poets from NBP Year Two 2013 [2013, NightBallet Press]
Literary Sexts: A Collection of Short & Sexy Love Poems, Volume 1 [2014, Words Dance Publishing]
On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt [2005, Princeton University Press]
Thunderclap Amen by Dianne Borsenik [2015, Crisis Chronicles Press]
I Left My Wings on a Chair by Karen Schubert [2014, Kent State University Press]
Bookmobile: From the Library of Jesus Crisis by David S. Pointer [2015, Crisis Chronicles Press]

https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/2067883

Monday at Mahall's hosts Lipsmack release 10/6 with NightBallet Press

This month Monday at Mahall's Poetry & Prose Series is partnering with NightBallet Press to celebrate the book release of Lipsmack!: A Sampler Platter of Poets from NightBallet Press Year 3.  Four fine featured poets (and Lipsmack! contributors) - Jennifer Hambrick (from Columbus), Andy Roberts (Colmbus), Jason Baldinger (Pittsburgh) and Dan Smith (Cleveland) - will read, followed by our ever-interesting open mic.  Beer bowling and balderdash optional.  I'll be emceeing, joined by NightBallet editor/publisher Dianne Borsenik.  And we'd love to see you there!

It all happens Monday October 6th 2014, 7:30 p.m., at Mahall's 20 Lanes, 13200 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio.

Event page on Facebook
NightBallet Press: www.nightballet.com 

 
Jennifer Hambrick has been published in Pudding Magazine, WestWard Quarterly, Common Threads, the anthology Everything Stops and Listens, the Columbus Creative Cooperative’s Ides of March anthology, and the Ohio Poetry Day Best of 2011 prizewinners’ collection. Her first chapbook of poetry, Unscathed, was published in 2013 by NBP. Hambrick enjoys a lively schedule of featured poetry readings around central Ohio, and is a classical musician, public radio broadcaster, producer, and blogger.

Andy Roberts lives in Columbus, Ohio where he handles finances for disabled veterans. His poems and stories have appeared in hundreds of small press journals over the last 25 years, including Atlanta Review, Coal City Review, Fulcrum, Hiram Poetry Review, Ilya’s Honey, Lake Effect, Mudfish, Plainsongs, San Jose Studies, Slipstream, The Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, and many others. Roberts has three Pushcart Prize nominations for his work. The Green World is his fourth chapbook, and his first from NightBallet Press. Another book from NBP is planned for 2015.

Jason Baldinger has been writing poetry for over twenty years and just recently got around to performing it publicly. His latest books are The Lower 48 (Six Gallery Press) and The Studs Terkel Blues (NightBallet Press, 2014). His work has appeared in The New Yinzer, Shatter Wig Press, and Blast Furnace, and others. Check out The Lady Pittsburgh (Speed and Briscoe Press), his first solo collection, in audio at http://jasonbaldinger.bandcamp.com/.

Dan Smith, author of the epic poem "i am down with you crooked river," is widely published. His speculative poetry has been nominated for the SFPA Rhysling Award, and his NBP November, 2013 speculative poetry book The Liquid of Her Skin, the Suns of Her Eyes, was nominated for the SFPA’s Elgin Award. His spoken word cd, Matinee Motel (2012) is described as "surreal urban poetry...paired with the music of the Deep Cleveland Trio, from jazz to rock to noise." Smith's previous chapbook, Crooked River, was published by Deep Cleveland Press in 2005.