Sunday, May 25, 2008

15 days of hell

Not to mention crap. Have dragged my sorry ass back to 30:30. It's one of those rounds where every poem is a just placeholder since three-fourths of my brain is either raiding the playfirst site (again) or youtubing senselessly.

Have been very good today though: (a) went through the Press 1 subs and sent my "votes" to the PA gang, (b) after more than a month, remembered to call my sister, (c) submitted some poems around, and (d) hey, am actually blogging now.

The Bundles manuscript is still undergoing corrections and edits. The compound nouns are driving Valerie and me rather crazy. It's a learning experience though. Like coalmine (not coal mine) and bunk bed (not bunkbed).

First ever interview (in English):

Susan Smith Nash's interview with A is up at E-learning Queen. Yikes. Only goes to show that in this world, not only vampires get interviewed.

Recent print publications:

• Received my copy of Orbis #143 — which includes two sonnenizios, Airborne (on a line from Ros Barber) and Breakage (on a line from Jean Cassou).

This issue also has poetry by familiar names such as Neil Campbell, Alison Chisholm, Sarah Law, David Lawrence and Todd Swift — along with book and magazine reviews.

• My copy of Seam #28 also arrived. Have two poems also in this issue, The Plagiarist and Outdoors.

It is 73 pages, flat-spined, with a two-color card cover. Was really excited to read the poems of fellow bloggers, James Midgley and Rob Mackenzie.

Recent acceptances:

CEllA's Round Trip, a spankin' new 'zine accepted two poems, Addiction and The Official Miss de Bourgh Letter to Stalkers for their first issue (Spring 2008).

Much thanks go to Sean Lovelace (author of the ultimate drinking poem, So, This Is Drink) for introducing me to this terrific-looking journal. On a hunch, I also sent Valerie's stuff to the editor and was doubly thrilled when they also accepted her Eros in the Cafe, Annotating His Non-Illustrated Dream Book, one of my favorites in the Bundles manuscript. So excited about this!

OH. YES. Now I remember. The lovely editor called me Angela twice in her acceptance letter. Later, she admitted she didn't know what made her type that when she actually knew my name was Arlene. ***Twilight Zone theme song playing in the background here***

     Submission sent: 30 April 2008
     Reply date: 12 May 2008

• After years of trying, was overjoyed to receive my second acceptance note from DIAGRAM. Wheeeeee!

They accepted my longish poem, Shipwreck — the one based on this dream I had about entering a submarine and looking at all the dead people. It was eerie, to say the least.

     Submission sent: 12 April 2008
     Reply date: 14 May 2008

Thieves Jargon, another cool 'zine, accepted an oldish poem, Another RC Flyer Off Course for a future issue.

     Submission sent: 5 May 2008
     Reply date: 25 May 2008

[oops, editing to add this bit 26.05.08]

Dirty Napkin sent me a third acceptance e-mail for my poem, Relic. On receiving their first two e-mails and seeing that they've removed my submission from their database, I thought this went into the rejection box — but it seems that they reply to each work individually. It might be a good idea to keep that in mind when submitting to them.

They made me do a recording for this, too. They gave me a third excuse for drinking myself hoarse in front of the microphone. To give more depth to my reading, I wore a party hat. In private.

     Submission sent: 14 March 2008
     Reply date: 16 May 2008

[Existential question for the day: If you're not drunk, what's going to happen to you?]

A's Official 30:30 Song:



Was going through an REM phase when I came across this video at YouTube. Tickled me silly. That furry yellow monster at the back is a creepy incarnation of my brain — which goes (same intonation, same whine percentage), I AM SO SAD! as soon as it sees me settle down to write my daily poem. Come to think of it, these monsters look every bit like my little gray cells... at Carnival time. They make the same happy/sobbing noises in Dolby Surround in my head.

Hope this video brings a smile to someone's day. C'mon, monsters! You don't have to cry, we can be happy! YEAH! Teehee.

6 comments:

Tommaso Gervasutti said...

Thank you Arlene for the comment on my blog and your information on Envoi and Rubicon Press.
Congratulations for your appearance in Orbis.
This time Carole's editorial has been more poignant than ever.
All my best, Davide

Collin Kelley said...

Arlene, you are unbelievable! Congrats on all the acceptances.

How bizarre that they created a Kate Pierson muppet to sing along with Stipe. lol

Liz said...

Hi Arlene, just when I think I am as gobsmacked as can be with your successes, more mount up to make me be even more open-mouthed - you are an inspiration. Congrats, congrats, congrats.

I adore your philosophy of creativity - it's exactly what happens in your writing - love it and the fact you carry it with you from your dad.

AND that video - yikes I am hooked - thank goodness you bring it upon yourself to seek out this stuff : ))

xx

Bebe Cook said...

Arlene,

Congrats on all of your recent acceptances, loved the article and your creativity philopsophy, a beautiful gift from father to daughter and from daughter to father. The Muppets, so apt for the 30:30, somewhere around here I have Ms. Piggy's Guide to Life, a gift from someone in 1983, who said I looked liked her. I shall look around for it, and see if I can find a gem or two to share. I have been trying to clean up about 1000 loose ends so I could jump in with you and Annie, but it looks like it will be mid-June for me, as every day I run as fast and hard as I can, and seem to be even further behind. Wishing you a beautiful spring day.

hugs

:) brenda

Maggie May said...

so fun to find you...love your listings of submissions and responses. after a lifetime (i'm 33) of writing poetry, shorts etc i started submitting about two months ago and have a few poems published in online zines. congrats on Diagram! i have a submission in with them right now.

look forward to watching your page...

maggie

Anonymous said...

You’re brilliant.

I saw your poems in Prick of the Spindle, where I’m also published in this edition (fiction, A winter Academy).

Your poems are tremendous – but dude, cool it with the emoticons, they’re stressful.