Welcome to Issue III, Volume VII: January 2016 of Connotation Press: An Online Artifact. I’m writing you tonight from the Clarion Conference Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia where, by the time this is posted, Ms. Robidoux and I will have joined good friends for a New Year celebration. Since we posted our last issue our former poetry editor Kaite Hillenbrand became Kaite Robidoux in a lovely ceremony in the mountains of rural Appalachia. We had a blast and were joined by our family and family of friends. Even our daughters were able to be there from California, which is all we really wanted and made the celebration complete. And ain’t life grand! I will have some new announcements regarding Connotation Press later this month, all good things, and I can’t wait to tell you, but for now let’s kick this pig and see what it’ll do!
A Poetry Congeries with John Hoppenthaler seriously slays and kills this month with a host of stunning work. John leads in his preface with a note about post-war soldiers/writers that I enjoyed quite a bit, and then he delivers truly stunning work from Hélène Cardona, Matthew Nienow, Jaki Shelton Green, Jeff Hardin, Kate Daniels, Nancy Reddy, Van Hartman, and John’s featured poet complete with interview, Bruce Wiegl. THIS is the way to start a new year. Welcome to all authors new to Connotation Press, and great job John!
Editor Kathleen Dennehy has begun expanding our Drama column to include Screenplay, and this month she brings us one scary-ass film in the waiting by the genius of Tim Huddleston. You might know Tim’s work. He wrote most of the ABC Family fantasy/adventure mini-series, Fallen. Anyway, his new screenplay, Evermore, is a fright night wild ride and not to be missed. The interview Kathleen conducts with Mr. Huddleston is also not to be missed. And on a person note, all love to Kathleen and her family on the passing of her mother, Ms. Judith Lee Scheff Dennehy Carman. Judith was a teacher at PS 112 in Harlem for almost 20 years, and she will certainly be missed.
Julia Bouwsma turns over the reins of our Book Review column this month to Allison Donohue for a look at The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison, the most recent poetry collection by the brilliant Maggie Smith from the good folks at Tupelo Press. Focusing on the Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and Tales Our Abuelitas Told, Smith’s new collection of cautionary poems garnishes high marks.
And finally, our award winning column A Drinker with A Wine Problem, by John Turi dives headlong into a 2009 Insignia, a red-blend varietal from the Joseph Phelps Vineyard. Winemaker Ashley Hepworth has done some strong work on this one, and John is here to announce that the wine has improved with maturity since WS gave it a 91 three years ago. Click on over to see John’s updated rating.
That’s it for now. Our Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction columns go live on the 15th and we encourage you to come back then. I’ll have some special announcements then, too. Woohoo!
From all of us at Connotation Press to you and all of yours, a happy, safe, and love filled New Year!
Connotation Press: ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!
Welcome to Issue III, Volume VII: January 2016 of Connotation Press: An Online Artifact. 