A Foal Poem - Rose Hunter (update)

A Foal Poem is a full-length poetry book from Rose Hunter. Written in Mexico during the course of 2010, the poems form an outer journey that starts in Puerto Vallarta, moves to Acapulco and San Miguel de Allende, Sayulita, and back to Puerto Vallarta. Overall, the book takes the reader on an inner journey through the themes of addiction and recovery, relationships, and changing/emerging identities.

Update, 2012: Decomp Magazine reviewed Foal, with several quotes: "This is where Rose Hunter takes us, "...this place / slouching towards, no, stumbling, / towards, along, overexposed cobblestones; one gringo dive bar / after another and never stop" ... And Hunter achieves, again and again, an absolutely surprising effect, like something hatching in your throat and then you falling love with that thing when it flies out, so beautiful, so new."

For another taste of A Foal Poem, try Aposematic / Grey at BluePrintReview, and The Lion / rebar at Connotation Press.

"A Foal Poem drew me in and didn't let go.... I wanted to stay within this world - the cube lady explaining with her hands; the Mexican palms and the cranes; bubbles in the rock and black sand beaches. Life during the wave’s lifetime... Revealing and concealing, A Foal Poem curls inward, outward, and within." -Sherry O'Keefe

Rose Hunter is the author of to the river (Artistically Declined Press), and the editor of the poetry journal, YB. Poems from this book have appeared in A cappella Zoo, decomP, elimae, Escape Into Life, kill author, The Nervous Breakdown, PANK, Referential, The Toronto Quarterly, Willow Wept Review, the BluePrintReview, and others. There also is an author talk with Rose Hunter in this blog.

Rose Hunter: A Foal Poem
poetry collection, 108 pages, $6.50

(originally posted in fall 2011)

the weight of dew - Daniela Elza (Mother Tongue)

In the weight of dew, Daniela Elza’s remarkably elegant debut book of poetry, we are taken on a literal, metaphorical and philosophical journey from the city, inland through (mostly) British Columbia. In the miles and meditations Elza’s poems travel light, with the ‘shape of me nameless’. the weight of dew settles around us, after the long journey of contemplation.

These poems are delicate, condensed, crystallized, yet paradoxically spacious, not only visually but philosophically. They gently ask questions about our existence. Use language to investigate belief. Use metaphor to awaken consciousness. Beautifully transforming us and herself through the alphabet of her knowing.

"These poems are like the sculpted mindscapes of the Zen garden: evocative, resonant, and serene. They are also delightfully complex, as if the poet with the rake has a sense of humour, is part Zen master, part Trickster, demonstrating with a wink how the wondrously simple and the eminently elaborate reside inside each other." –Aislinn Hunter

"There is a sweet music and the sensuality of careful attention in Daniela Elza's work, the sort of things by which the world recovers its proper gravity." –Tim Lilburn

An interesting interview with excerpts is online at Rob Taylor's blog:  part1 (with "crumbling into harmony") + part 2 (with "past Hope"). A quote: "There was a kind of control and at the same time a letting go. A kind of freeing myself and the reader to experience the fluidity of the words as they meta-morph through the different rooms of our beings." - Daniela Elza

Daniela Elza has lived on three continents and crossed numerous geographic, cultural and semantic borders. Her work has been published in more than fifty literary and peer-reviewed publications and to date she has released more than 200 poems into the wor(l)d. In 2011 Daniela received her doctorate in Philosophy of Education from Simon Fraser University and launched her first e-Book, The Book of It (now also available in print).
About Mother Tongue Publishing
Mother Tongue Publishing is dedicated to publishing unique, bold and stimulating books of British Columbia art history, fine art and literature. The Unheralded Artists of BC, their new series, is dedicated to recognizing 20th century B.C. artists and igniting an overdue discourse on their artistic and historic significance.

Daniela Elza: the weight of dew (Mother Tongue Publications, 2012)
Poetry collection, 112 pages, introduction by Aislinn Hunter

ISBN 978-1-896949-21-5

**

Books, Blogs, Review Forward

This post belongs to the BluePrintReview book + lit blog, which explores and celebrates the diverse and growing landscape of indie presses, authors, books, e-books, online literary projects and related projects. It belongs to the literary online magazine BluePrintReview.

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Walking the Tiger's Path - Paul Kendel (Tendril)

Paul Kendel's book Walking the Tiger's Path - A Soldier’s Spiritual Journey in Iraq addresses the horrors of war from an extraordinary human perspective.

In 2005, Paul Kendel deployed with his National Guard unit out of Georgia to Iraq, hoping to use his knowledge of that land to bridge the gap between American soldiers and Iraqi civilians. However, the realities of war crushed his idealism when his buddies began dying at the hands of the enemy. Eventually, his ongoing concern for the Iraqi people alienated some of his comrades, and he felt the sting of growing conflict within himself.

Turning to the books on Buddhist teachings he had brought with him, he found solace in the written words. On a whim, he emailed Shambhala International and requested assistance. An unexpected response and ongoing support from Buddhist teacher and meditation instructor Margot Neuman helped him to retain a sane and humble humanity in a situation that often plummeted into lethal insanity.

An excerpt of the book is online at Issuu: Walking the Tiger's Path.

Paul M. Kendel’s (SSG Ret.) first experience with the current “War on Terror” began with a deployment to Saudi Arabia with the California National Guard following 9/11. In 2005, the military deployed him to Iraq. Kendel holds an M.A. in both History and Anthropology, and is currently teaching world history and special education in Jacksonville, Florida.

About Tendril Press
Tendril Press is a selective independent Press publishing thought provoking, educational, inspirational and humanitarian books for adults and children.

Paul Kendel: Walking the Tiger's Path
A Soldier’s Spiritual Journey in Iraq
320 pages

related links: the human condition, east/west, nonfiction

Fat Girl - Jessie Carty (Sibling Rivalry)

In Fat Girl, Jessie Carty asks us to strip and stand naked in front of a mirror. These poems are our own reflection. Bittersweet in nature, they are self-perception. They size us up and tell the truth: that man or woman, we all struggle to feel at home in our own skins.

Hunger, desire, overindulgence, shame, fitting in, transformation, and acceptance — these are the realities of human existence.  In these unblinkingly honest poems, Jessie Carty covers them all, examining, revealing, and redefining individual and iconic images of self, femininity, and humanity. - Scott Owen, author of Fracture World

For a vibe of Fat Girl, try this poetry video:  Class Reunion. There also is an author talk with Jessie Carty in this blog.

Jessie Carty’s poetry, fiction, and non-fiction have appeared in publications such as Iodine Poetry Journal, Main Street Rag and The Dead Mule. Previous to Fat Girl, she authored two chapbooks, At the A & P Meridiem and The Wait of Atom. Her first full length of poetry collection, Paper House, was published by Folded Word in 2010. When she’s not busy writing, Jessie teaches at RCCC in Concord, North Carolina, and edits the online journal Referential Magazine.

About Sibling Rivalry Press
Sibling Rivalry Press is a small publishing house based just outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. Their mission and vision: "to develop, promote, and market underground artistic talent – those who don’t quite fit into the mainstream. Our vision? To create literary and poetic rock stars."
Recent and forthcoming titles include: "Burnings" - a poetry collection by Ocean Vuong, "Voices Through Skin" by Theresa Senato Edwards and "Collective Brightness - Poets on faith, religion & spirituality".

Jessie Carty: Fat Girl
poetry
$12.00; 48 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-9832931-6-3
release: September 15th.
Now Available for Pre-Order at 20% Off!

Freight - Mel Bosworth (Folded Word)

Freight by Mel Bosworth is an unflinching, quirky novel that follows a flawed yet lovable everyman as he searches for Home. We never learn his name. Nor do we learn her name—the woman whose freight is still too much for him to carry. But we know he likes soft things. We know he works through pain. We know his childhood still clings to him, despite his graying hair. And through knowing him and all his freight, ours is easier to bear.

You can read an excerpt at Darksky: I Lost. And in Brooklyn: I Found. For an unwritten tune of Freight, try this Freight video.

Update: Freight will be released on the 9. September + received review praise by the Publishers Weekly: "...subtle and delightful... fantastically innovative..." (whole review)

Mel Bosworth lives and breathes in Western Massachusettes. He's never met a cup of tea he didn’t drink, a donut he didn’t eat, or a cat he didn’t try to pet. When Mel isn’t consuming things or making new feline friends, he’s usually busy writing. He is the author of the short fiction chapbook When the Cats Razzed the Chickens and Other Stories (Folded Word, 2009) and the novella Grease Stains, Kismet, and Maternal Wisdom (Brown Paper Publishing, 2010). There's an author talk with him and Jessie Carty online at Daily s-Press: author talk: Mel Bosworth & Jessie Carty on breathing, writing, scares, yielding, greed and more

About Folded Word (+PicFic + unFold + Heron)
Folded Word is an independent press that continually seeks new ways of connecting readers to new literary voices. Though we do sell our books and chapbooks, we offer free poetry and fiction to the public in our Twitter-zines PicFic and unFold, as well as our print broadside, Heron. We also value craftsmanship, both of literary works and the medium in which they are rendered--as demonstrated by our handcrafted Signature Series chapbooks. Folded Word is managed by J.S. Graustein with the support of Rose Auslander, Casey Murphy, and the entire Folded family of contributors.

Mel Bosworth: Freight
release date: 9. September
209 pages
paperback: $14 + 1$ shippping worldwide
e-book: $3.50