As of Late

Right now my sophomores are testing and I have created their guide for the next unit, so I am going to get up on this blog and do a little bit of writing.

What have I been up to as of late?  Well, I have been looking myself up on Google, and I have been looking up Hobble Creek Review, too.  I have finished my proof reading of my chapbook, Friday in the Republic of Me, and I have been writing and working on poems for my "Springville History" manuscript.  I have 24 poems for the book, and I seem to be moving along nicely.  I have the same problem I always do, narrative poems, but I am still writing and I still have the determination to crack the narrative nut, and that's that.  Here are a few things I have learned:

There are a lot of people who talk or mention Hobble Creek Review in their list of credits.  That's a good thing.  I'd prefer a little more recognition, but then, what literary journal editor wouldn't? 

It's been a while (99 Poems for the 99 Percent excepted) since any of my poems have appeared anywhere.  That bothers me, but I do have some forthcoming in Burnt Bridge, so I am okay with that for now.  What really gets me is the huge smack-down I have received from Submishmash over the past year or so I have used it.  It is a little disheartening to know all my rejections are just a click away when I log on, and I have to admit I am drawn to my past failures like a moth to the flame.  That's why I never keep rejection letters or rejection e-mails.  I can forget them and move on.  I understand why records are kept, but I really do prefer my lack of organizational skills in this realm. 

My blog is really losing a lot of traffic.  Now, I don't know whether that is a result of the blogging world decreasing, more people using a reader of some kind, or simply because I am not the awesome draw I used to be.  However, I do know my old blog had an average of 30-35 unique visits per day, and this blog I am lucky to get 5-10, and the truth is, at least 5 are my own visits from my school computer as I have occasion to check, read other blogs, and write new posts.

I don't do nearly enough to promote myself as a poet.  My web presence in general is not nearly what it should be.  I have been reading books and I have been doing a lot of looking around, but I have not left very many footprints.

Friday in the Republic of Me is going to be a really great little chapbook.  Michael Czarnecki, over at Foothills Publishing is doing a lovely job with the layout and design.  I think it will end up being a fun little book to own.  Once again I am asking for people to buy directly from them because they need the support, as all small presses do.  You must get tired of me telling you all to buy more books, but I don't care.  It needs to be said.

Addendum (and I am not being falsely modest):

I am still amazed and flattered when poets I admire refer to me as a poet.  Some people don't realize how wonderful a thing that truly is.  Thank you.