Ken Robidoux, Editor-in-Chief: December 2011
Welcome to Issue IV, Volume III: December 2011 of Connotation Press: An Online Artifact.It is quite often difficult for me to process how fortunate we are here at Connotation Press. We are honored to have been entrusted with the art of so many artists whose work we respect and embrace as mooring for in the very least our sanity. In my opinion, many of the Who's Who of real contemporary poetry. Famous, if a writer can claim that moniker. I was reminded of this as recently we were asked to send a bio for the magazine to a conference that wanted me to attend and participate in a panel. I include this bio now with a complete and overwhelming sense of gratitude:
Since August 1, 2009 Connotation Press: An Online Artifact, an online bi-weekly art & literary magazine published out of Morgantown, West Virginia, in keeping with its mission statement, has published over 1000 artists in the genres of Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Drama, Book & Movie Review, Travel, and Screenplay. Artists published by Connotation Press include: Claudia Emerson, Tomaž Šalamun, Andrei Codrescu, Pablo Medina, David Lehman, Maxine Kumin, Campbell McGrath, Dorianne Laux, Natasha Trethewey, Stanley Plumly, Jim Daniels, Keetje Kuipers, Carl Dennis, Quincy Troupe, Nathalie Handal, David St. John, Andrew Tonkovich, Christopher Buckley, Mark Brazaitis, Frank X Walker, Oliver de la Paz, Ilya Kaminsky, Ralph Angel, Pat Pujolas, Jessica Keener, P.T. Paul, Joan Connor, Scott Campbell, Ed Weathers, Cary Holladay, Taylor Negron, Marka-Lewis Ryan, Sam Catlin, Ken Roht, Charles Evered, James Harms, Susan Straight, Frank Gaspar, Claudia Serea, 17 current Poet Laureates from states around the country, and the late Allen Hoey. Recently, Connotation Press added its first internet TV program, a cooking show titled "Spatula", and also new to the magazine is "Ink on the Tracks", a thematically-based music column with an essay on the theme, a playlist, an embedded music player, and guest editors from the fields of literature & music, to add to the multi-media experience....
It was late at night, and I was alone with Netflix on to a Ken Burns documentary about the West. And as I was writing this bio for a conference brochure all at once I became completely overwhelmed by the volume, the crazy-ass scale this project has taken on. Over a thousand talented artists published. I thought about how young we are, two years and four months to date, and how much more we have left to do. How years from now we will still be going strong, and what will our list of Who's Who look like then. Mercy!
I can only say that I felt grateful. Completely bathed in the magic hour light of gratitude.
And so in that rich-strike vein, we give you the newest issue of our bi-weekly magazine. And as is our custom, let's kick this pig and see what it'll do!
It is our absolute pleasure to welcome Irish poet Leanne O'Sullivan as our Feature Guest Editor this month. Leanne brings us an all Irish Poetry column that is certain to excite any discerning poetry lover. This is outstanding writing of the highest order, many in both the Irish and English language, and we are just thrilled to bring it to you. Leanne opens the column with a brilliant interview and powerful set of poems by with and with Caitríona Ní Chléirchín. From there she brings us Michael Coady, Bríd Ní Mhóráin, Colm Breathnach, Gréagóir Ó Dúill, Miriam Gamble, Ailbhe Darcy, Mary O'Malley, Dermot Healy, Ceaití Ní Bheildiúin, and Billy Ramsell. Wonderful writing both established and emerging. Thank you Leanne and thank you John Hoppenthaler who curates the Featured Guest Editor column with me and is repsonsible for bringing Leanne to Connotation Press.
And speaking of John, his column, A Poetry Congeries with John Hoppenthaler, coming off an outstanding month in November, delivers once again like Santa Claus. Hoppenthaler's Congeries starts out with his blog, this month on the topic of our newest Poet Laureate, and moves into a wonderful post featuring Canadian poet Dennis Cooley. We have a grip of new poems by Dennis and a terrific interview conducted by Lea Graham, herself a talented writer. John then brings us another gathering of talented poets: Michael Collier, Laynie Browne, Jake Adam York, Emilia Phillips, Rob Griffith, Jenny Mueller, and Anne Caston. Welcome poets, and once again, GREAT job, John!
Amanda McGuire & Sarah Lenz's new hit internet TV cooking show, Spatula, this month focuses on Kale. Kale? Isn't that the stuff that gets caught in my line when I'm pretending I know what I'm doing while surf fishing? Kale? Is that like steak? No, turns out Kale is some green thing that can be made into delicious stuff like chips! Come have some fun with our resident food DIVA's Amanda & Sarah. Last month about a thousand of you watched Spatula, let's double that number in December. You'll be glad you did. Thanks Amanda & Sarah!
Our resident travel writer Nicholas Baker packs up his Discovered column and takes us to TUSCANY! Yes, yes, yes! Wait until you see this one, folks. Nicholas' Discovered column has been an underground favorite here at Con Press, but it's rapidly grown thanks to months like this. We love being transported around the globe with Nicholas, Freddy, and all of their wonderful friends, and their friends in Tuscany, Nick and Heather, are no exception. This looks like such a gorgeous, delicious, blast! Enjoy! Great job, Mr. Baker. Our eternal thanks!
Book Review Editor Stephanie Brown delivers a review of Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo's exciting and fascinating book, The Statues that Walked: Unraveling the Mystery of Easter Island. Stephanie introduces the piece and then reviewer Laura Blasingham goes to town on this gripping book. Welcome to Laura, who we hope will be writing more reviews for us in the future. Great stuff! Thanks Laura & Stephanie!
Ink on the Tracks, with Anna March, our biweekly music column, is focusing on Home this issue, and features song choices by Anna and her guests Tom Hansen and Jonathan Evison. They've got a lovely group of songs by Led Zeppelin, Steve Earle, Iron & Wine, Carole King, Frank Sinatra, Foo Fighters, Cornershop, Marshall Crenshaw, John Mellencamp, Bright Eyes, The Alternate Routes, Talking Heads, & Supertramp. Thank you to Tom, Jonathan, and Anna for the new soundtrack that'll be playing in the office for the next two weeks. Woohoo!Finally, our Creative Nonfiction and Fiction teasers from Editors Robert Clark Young and Meg Tuite are two strong pieces that are not to be missed. From the CNF column we've got "The Spirit of Mandeville" by Meghan K. Barnes, and from the Fiction column, three short pieces by Janet Freeman, and Ms. Freeman's comes with an interview conducted by Meg. These are teasers as we post them now to encourage you to remember to come back on the 15th of the month and see the our entire Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Book & Movie Review, and Music columns.
That's our December 1st offering, our present to you. Enjoy it in good health. We hope the holiday season finds you safe and warm and in the company of friends and family. And we hope to see you on the 15th.
Finally, the bio I wrote for the conference reminded me of one more thing that I must mention before closing tonight. It ended as follows:
...Connotation Press: An Online Artifact is helmed by Publisher & Founding Editor-in-Chief Ken Robidoux. Its editorial staff gratefully include John Hoppenthaler, Amanda McGuire, Kaite Hillenbrand, Meg Tuite, Robert Clark Young, Kathleen Dennehy, Robin Russin, Nicelle Davis, Mari L' Esperance, J.P. Reese, Stephanie Brown, Dave Beighley, and Nicholas Baker.
It is this group of hard working, devoted, lovers of and believers in the written word, food, music, and travel, who bring you this bi-weekly magazine that has succeed beyond all expectation. Thank you to our Editors. The greatest bunch of folks to work with. Rock on, guys!
Connotation Press: Praise The Bridge That Carried You Over
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This issue of Connotation Press goes out from me to our dynamic, engrossing, devoted, crazy, supportive, and loving Editorial staff. You are the greatest gift a guy like me could ask for, and I wouldn't want to do it without you. Happy Holidays Team!
The Delmore Schwartz T-Shirt worn by Editor-in-Chief Ken Robidoux in the photo was a gift from Fiction Editor Meg Tuite and her Company Magnanimous Portraits. Ken liked his shirt so much he even open his eyes for the first time in a decade. We LOVE the shirts Meg's team produces and encourage you to get yours today!
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The Delmore Schwartz T-Shirt worn by Editor-in-Chief Ken Robidoux in the photo was a gift from Fiction Editor Meg Tuite and her Company Magnanimous Portraits. Ken liked his shirt so much he even open his eyes for the first time in a decade. We LOVE the shirts Meg's team produces and encourage you to get yours today!