Chinaberry Summer

Chinaberry Summer's page design is underway and the new year will start off with two titles for sure, Poems: Too Small To Read and Chinaberry Summer. I am not sure where to go from there. I have six manuscripts in my possession, but I haven't fully decided on any of them. Being a Christian in such a muddled world, I have thought to take my mind off of works more humanist and publish those things from Christian writers. John Paul Cosentino is writing The Breaker, a non-fiction account of one of Christ's Old Testament names, written only once in God's Word. Where it's written and what JP Cosentino writes about it will remain my little secret for now. I am wanting to get some Christian poetry out there. There is very little out there, except ecumenical, fringe, or cult-like works. The book of Psalms is poetry for crying out loud. Where is the Christian poetry. I have many poems in this genre and cannot find a place to publish.I find it cheesy to publish my own, but that may be what I have to do. Anyway, Chinaberry Summer is a very sweet tale about real family, and it is written for teens. I expect it should do well. Carroll Taylor, the author, is a very pleasant person who is so excited about its release. It will be good. It will be our first novel.

                                   Cover design by Mike Jones. Interior Design by Emily Wilkins

Poems: Too Small To Read

Dr. Jeremy Downes's poetry collection Poems: Too Small To Read is due out in January so make plans to support poetry from a small press. You may actually find that poetry is seriously cool to read and discover something about yourself in the process. Someone said (roughly), "Language used merely to communicate is dead language." We must seek the beauty of language and life, or we are destined to destroy. Be a seeker but not a destroyer.

So

So - I am behind schedule once more.

The Italians always taught me in my years of living or going there "If you cannot do it today, there's always tomorrow," and I believe that, and if there isn't a tomorrow, fleshly speaking, it proves even more how insignificant it was to start with that thing that never got finished.  

Okay, so I promised two more books in 2012. Well, those two from 2012 are going to 2013. That's all. Okay? Nobody hurt. No fiscal cliff like the cliff these Italians are peering over, though a fiscal cliff that hurts me hurts this press. Hurts us all. But it doesn't hurt us if we have our priorities straight. God, family, others, self, the dogs ... necessarily in that order. : ) 

Craftmasters

They couldn't give me a price anywhere near what I pay to get things printed. Nowhere in Alabama can I print so affordably and with such good quality. I have no doubt that Craftmasters is spectacular at what they do for folks, it's just that what I want is more complex, I guess. Any help would be appreciated. I am trying to cut out my shipping costs. I guess trade talk is weird to have on a blog for publishing, but I really see no one as competition because no one will ever publish exactly what I publish, unless my authors want to go try someone else, which they have complete freedom to do.

An agreement for the book of poetry titled Poems: Too Small To Read by Dr. Jeremy Downes is being drawn up, and hopefully this book will be out in January. This book has been designed by Emily Wilkins, and is a beautiful book, not to mention the excellent words inside. We will let you all know as soon as it prints.

New Printer

Checking on a local printer who can store books and ship for me so that as we grow there will be less pains in the growing. Spoke to Craftmasters today and Danielle seemed nice and ready to help. Waiting for quotes to come rolling. I am tired of paying shipping, so I may pay slightly more since I have no shipping, and shipping from their own warehouse is nice... $1.50 per unit, but she wasn't sure about whether packing was included... waiting for that answer... I know postage isn't. This will streamline things for me. I am speaking at the Harris County Library in Hamilton on November 8th, about publishing, so that ought to be some fun. I can share all of these changes that need to be made to keep existing in an age where less and less people actually read things on paper.

Gravity

We are working with Crystal Woods, a fabulous professor of writing at Columbus State University, and a very good poet. We are hammering down things to keep them from floating away. Actually, her poems defy gravity. I stink as an ad copy writer, a fact I am very proud of, but let me tell you that Woods has a way with these words, and Julia has made some fabulous comments, and I will just say that I feel so very lucky again for being associated with such great writers. I wish our society had a greater appreciation for poetry, as societies did so long ago.

for Mr. Harvey Cox by Johnny Summerfield

Marauding, last minute ravens

mark the mean

of class and courage,

as they trample the plain for flesh to flay,

a festering duty

they hasten to obey

outside the tall grass –

Grieving rainbow shadowed sky

lazy slugs in parallel voyage

through repudiated roles

slide up the stiles of Haman’s gallows

north star bound

a festering duty of still unfolding intensity

axed determination, removed will of those who

still follow the red-eyed vernacular

 And that is a good note to end on. Crystal, bless her, knows my diversion toward my truth (the truth : )) and still decided to publish. You really will love her poems. They ring true in the inner ear. (I know I suck as an ad person). 

Ars Minotaurica Readings Dates

Ars Minotaurica Reading Tour

or:  Ars Mino(tour)ica

The actual clock times and other dates and times are coming.

Nov. 9       Art Walk Poetry Stages   Mobile, AL

Nov. 16     University of Mississippi  Oxford, MS

Nov. 29     The Gnu's Room,  Auburn

Nov. 30     University of South Alabama Mobile, AL

Jan. 26     So & SO Festival Raleigh, NC

TBA          Carson McCullers Center/Columbus State University