Hobble Creek Almanac Accepted for Publication

It is with great pleasure I announce my manuscript, Hobble Creek Almanac, has been accepted for publication by Aldrich Press, and imprint of Kelsay Books.  I don't have any specific information as to when the book will be available for sale, but I can tell you I have received, reviewed, and signed the contract for publication.  HCA will be my second full length book, and the third full length manuscript I have written. 

To be sure, I was thrilled to hear the news because of all my books, this one felt the most difficult to defend as a manuscript.  Not on a poem to poem basis, as I know all of the poems from the book are what I want them to be, but on the level of manuscript, the subject matter is a hard sell.  To refresh your memory, the book begins in 1850, with the settlement of Springville, Utah.  The book's first third concerns itself with the establishment of a Mormon Community.  The second section takes as its subject the life of a real resident of Springville, who lived from 1886-1969.  In this section I create a series of persona poems.  The third section is a first person narrative of the important ideas and places within the same town.  Where my book Town for the Trees was pure elegy, this section attempts to give explanation, some sense of why Springville is important to me.  Having a press take it so early on removes a giant weight from my shoulders.

That the book was taken is also evidence of doing my leg work.  I knew this book would not, could not win any contest.  Well, unless there happened to be a poetry contest for a collection of poetry written about the settlement of the west and/or Mormon pioneer history/19th Century Utah inspired pastoral poetry.I had four places to submit this manuscript (a fifth one would not respond to any of my queries) before this book would have to be shelved.  I am not exaggerating.  I knew going into this project the chances were slim at best this manuscript would ever become a book.  In other words, I got lucky.

Some things I do know ahead of time:

1.  The book will be available on Amazon

2.  The book will be $14.

3.  If you want a copy, I would prefer you buy it from me or through Aldrich Press (though if you buy it through me you are sure to have the book signed and get some extra goodies).

4.  This is only the beginning.