Welcome to Issue V, Volume IV: January 2013 of Connotation Press: An Online Artifact.
As I write this note moments before publishing the new issue of ConPress I am thinking of something my cousin Amy Borges wrote on facebook today, "I am walking out of 2012 backwards with two fingers in the air." I can relate. It was a tough year, and it claimed more of the lives of our family than it had a right to. We lost my Uncle Louie, Cousin Ernie, Aunt Susie, and my dad. All were loved completely and all will be missed.
But I don't want this note to be about loss, sadness or longing. There is a time to morn and a time to take back the light. Instead, and in the spirit of the year born anew, I will take this moment to celebrate the outstanding work our all-volunteer editorial staff continues to do here for the sake of the arts. I have never been more proud to be part of a group of artists & editors in my life.
Our team inspires me to continue doing the work I do and I am grateful for them every day. All my thanks and love to John, Kaite, Amanda, Meg, Robert, John T., Nicholas, Erica, Stephanie, Robin, Dave, Kathleen, Joani, Mia, Nicelle, Doug, and Melanie. You guys ROCK!
And on that note, let's kick this pig and see what it'll do!
A Poetry Congeries with John Hoppenthaler launches into the new year with John's loving tribute to Jake Adam York-- another tragic casualty of 2012. From there John welcomes to the Congeries Tyehimba Jess. We have a series of sonnets from Tyehimba and John conducts a terrific interview. Margaret Randall, CM Burroughs, Troy Jollimore, Michael Miller, Kathleen Flenniken, Maggie Glover, Lucy Anderton, Stephen Haven, and June Sylvester Saraceno round out another outstanding offering from John & the Congeries.
When I started Connotation Press, the first person I called and asked to join the staff was Amanda McGuire. Amanda has served as our resident foodie Diva for the entire run of the magazine and it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Amanda and her stellar From Plate to Palate column. For her final post, Amanda takes a look back at the past three and a half years and also looks a bit into the future, too. Amanda will remain an editor at large here at ConPress and we will be running pieces she'll put together from time to time, so she'll still be around and for that I am most certainly grateful. All my love to Amanda, and all hopes and wishes for her continued success in life and in the arts. Rock on, Diva!
This month Travel editor Nicholas Baker takes a little time off, yes travel writers take vacations, too!, and before grabbing his hat and heading out the door he talked me into writing about the trip to Jamaica editor Kaite Hillenbrand and I took two weeks ago for this month's issue. Although I defer to Nicholas' talent for travel writing, he is far better at this than I, here then are a few moments from our trip to Ochos Rios, Jamaica! I've put together some notes on the trip, a LOT of pictures, and a couple videos, too. Oh, and this post carries with it a NSFW rating as there are adult themes and an image that might not go over too well at work. Anyway, I hope you like it!
Drama editor Kathleen Dennehy brings us a play that came in unsolicited through our submission pages by Farzana Moon titled, Osama The Demented. This is a textually rich and interesting piece that includes poetry, holistic medicine, and an interpretive look into the mind of a horribly disturbed individual. This piece has a lot of heart and we're proud to welcome Ms Moon to our pages.
Our review columns are popping buttons this month, too.
The Third Genre editor Erica Goss takes a look at three video poems this month: The City, Profile, and I-poem 6, by Marie Silkenberg and Ghayath Almadhoun, R.W. Perkins, and Pablo Lopez Jordan respectively. Drop in an check out all videos reviewed and see how Erica places them in the scheme of things. She also includes her email address for those interested in sending us their own video poems for review consideration.
In A Drinker with a Writing Problem this month our resident wine critic John Turi explores a bottle of Kosta Browne, Pinot Noir from Kanzler Vineyard, 2009. And yes, in case you were wondering, John has a tough job. Real tough. HA!
And in our Book Review column, Paul Scott August takes a look at Al Maginnes' brilliant new poetry collection, Inventing Constellations. Paul gives the book a stellar recommendation as do I personally. Enjoy Paul's review and then follow the link in the review to grab your copy today.
Finally, our talented and exciting Fiction & Creative Nonfiction features for this issue are the brilliant Kathy Fish, from Fiction, and an emerging writer with a lot of promise, Jeremy Maddux from Creative Nonfiction. And as is our way, we remind you to come back on the 15th for an all new line up of Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction. Our mid-month post is where the core of our magazine shines and we look forward to bringing it to you.
Well, that's about it. Whew! We've got a full house this month, for sure. From all of us at Connotation Press to all of you and yours, a safe, happy, healthy, and thriving new year!
All best,
Ken Robidoux
Publisher/Founding Editor-in-Chief