re: "Erik Satie Watusies His Way Into Sound" by Jeff Alessandrelli

A new and entertaining, to say nothing of enlightening, interview with Jeff Alessandrelli by Weston Cutter at Corduroy Books regarding his "Erik Satie Watusies His Way Into Sound" (buy the book here.)

A New Ravenna Project for 2012

We will be announcing in the first quarter 2012 a new and interesting publishing project.  But in the meantime, the nice people at Vouched Books have given a nod in their December 1 blog posting to a poem by Harold Bowes posted originally at elimae.  See the post below, see the poem at elimae, see the poem again in the upcoming 2012 project (watch this space!)

Lately it’s been impossible for me to not think about travelling, even though I’m not going anywhere for a few weeks. Getting a letter seems like the nextbest thing to leaving town, but Harold Bowes’ poem/letter Letter With A Poem Attached/Email with a Poem Attached is the best thing.

Maybe it’s an air pocket, I don’t know
When you pull the sheet up over your body
The moment before it alights
On each toe
During the earthquake a few tiles fell

Read the rest at Elimae.

re: "A Heron in Buenos Aires" by Luis Benitez

Big thanks to the folks at Galatea Resurrects for posting a fine and thorough review by Scottish poet and critic Neil Leadbetter of Luis Benitez's "A Heron in Buenos Aires." Find the book at ravennapress.com/books.

Seconds ticking by...

...until the last day (December 31) to submit your entry to the Cathlamet Prize for Poetry.  Andrew Rantala, striding the stage like a behemoth, is awaiting your work!

re: "Magnificent Mistakes" by Eric Bosse

A very fine nod to Eric Bosse's "Magnificent Mistakes" from Jim Ruland in the San Diego City Beat: Bosse’s debut collection alternates between traditional short stories and shorter works of flash fiction, setting up a hard-hitting series of one-two combinations. Writing in the realist mode, he puts his characters in situations where they’re forced to confront their flaws; the degree to which they’re willing to accept that these shortcoming make them who they are determines their capacity to find what they’re searching for. Make no mistake, these are high-stakes fictions, but what I find most admirable is the way Bosse finishes: He really knows how to stick the ending. I felt each story’s finality all the way down to my bones.

re: "Into the Rumored Spring," by Joannie Stangeland

See the interview of our poet author Joannie Stangeland at Women's Quarterly Conversation.  And then go to ravennapress.com/books and pick up a copy of this fine collection.

re: "Magnificent Mistakes," by Eric Bosse

It's been a very public couple of months at Ravenna!  Eric Bosse's book, Magnificent Mistakes, is a Featured Book at the University of Montana Creative Writing Program web blog.

The Cathlamet Prize for Poetry

Just days remaining--send in your poetry chap by the end of the month.

re: "when the dust finally settles," by Kat Meads

Follow the link to a very fine review of Kat's book at the Greensboro News and Record.  "when the dust finally settles" has also been picked up by at least one book club, which is great!  Pick up a copy for yourself at ravennapress.com/books.

re: "Erik Satie Watusies His Way Into Sound" by Jeff Alessandrelli

We're happy to see that a poem from this interesting and sympathetic collection appeared on Verse Daily. Click on the link for a look, then watusi over to ravennapress.com/books to pick up a copy.

re: "A Heron in Buenos Aires" by Luis Benitez

The British web magazine Pulsar Poetry Magazine has reviewed Luis' collection of poems in its December issue.  It is a fine review, ending with "The poems require thought and time.  But this is what poetry should do - open a window to the cosmos.  After all this is where we all live.  Review by: John Plevin."  (Click on "Pulsar" for the link, go to ravennapress.com/books to purchase.)

"The River Within," by Ann Taylor

Announcing the release of "The River Within," Ravenna's latest poetry title, by Ann Taylor of Massachusetts, recording "her surprise at the natural world and her own surprising responses to nature's enduring harmonies." (quote by Parkman Howe, Poetry Editor of Appalachia)


"Enriched with felt experience, classical knowledge and fidelity to a shared literary heritage, the poems in The River Within are page after page of pure pleasure" (Joan Houlihan)
 

Cleopatra’s Conquest

"Where’s the bronze donkey bearing
baskets of fresh olives, and the sturgeon
delivered by slaves fingering flutes?

Where are the flamingo tongues,
ostrich heads, milk-fattened snails,
hares winged like Pegasus?"

Mark Antony mocked, nibbling
the plain pancake, chicken leg,
dessert fig placed before him.

"And where the other twenty-one courses,
the jesters, jugglers, revolving ceiling,
the sprinkler’s subtle perfume?"

"Call me the Queen of Plenty," she replied,
announcing her aim to devour
the most lavish meal ever all by herself.

She removed her huge pearl earring,
the largest in history, a king's treasure,
richer than all Roman banquets combined,

dropped it into her cup of wine vinegar,
and as it sizzled
drank it.

Cathlamet Prize for 2012

Don't forget to enter for the Second Annual Cathlamet Prize for Poetry.  Contest ends December 31, 2011.