Hey Friends, superstar poet Jennifer Litt reads three poems from her Accents Publishing book, Strictly From Hunger! Give it a listen and enjoy!
Strictly From Hunger by Jennifer Litt is a powerful debut collection by a poet who has spent decades mastering a diverse set of literary skills, including writing fiction, poetry, teaching and consulting. The voice is playful, yet fearless, and walks us through events personal yet relatable. We love this book and are proud to share it with the readers.
Accents Publishing founder and senior Katerina Stoykova interviewed poet, writer and activist Silas House about his debut poetry collection, All These Ghosts. Listen to this episode of the Accents podcast on WUKY.
Photo by Kevin Nance
We look forward to reading your work!
Dear Poets,
First, thank you to everyone who submitted poems to the 2023 Local Accent Contest.
Second, please accept our deepest apologies for taking us three extra months to announce the results.
Third, to say that it was difficult to decide on a winner and finalists would be an understatement. Amazing poems landed in the Accents’ inbox and we delighted in the talent and craft of the work we considered.
We’re happy with our choices and thrilled to announce that Lexington-based poet Renee Rigdon‘s poem “Thoughts &” won the Local Accent Contest.
The finalists, in alphabetical order by last name:
“On Burning the Hijab” by Sylvia Ahrens
“Jones Women” by Libby Falk Jones
“clean (n.)” by Jay McCoy
“The Lie” by Leslie Moise
“Broken Ghazal for a Yet-Unbroken Porch Lamp, Purchased Fall 2019” by Jason McKinley Williams
“Will Heaven Heal My Broken Heart or Do They Just Administer Local Anesthesia?” by Mike Wilson
Watch our blog and YouTube for an interview with Renee and for a post with the winning poem!
Yours,
Katerina
Local Accent Poetry Contest
Prize
The winner will receive $150.00. The winning poem will be published on the Accents Publishing Blog and the author will be interviewed on the Accents YouTube channel. A list of the finalists may be posted and celebrated, as well.
Eligibility
Kentucky residents and those with strong ties to the state are welcome to submit.
Price for participation
None.
How to submit
Email one unpublished poem of any length or style along with a bio of fifty words to accents.publishing@gmail.com. Note that only the winner and the finalists will be contacted about the results.
Deadline
Poems must be received by the 30th of April, the end of National Poetry Month.
Judging and results
Judging will be performed by the Accents Publishing staff and the results will be announced in May.
Accents Publishing is happy to share that the winning poem is “American Politeness” by Lennie Hay
Finalists:
“Downloadable Caffeine” by Tom C. Hunley
“Honeymoon” by Marianne Peel
“crematorium” by Claudia Love Mair
“Two Days After Returning Home from Teaching Poetry and Literature for Five Weeks in Istanbul” by Libby Falk Jones
Lennie Hay will be interviewed for the Accents Publishing Youtube channel on June 7th and her poem will be posted at that time.
Additionally, a celebratory reading of all participants is forthcoming, as well. Stay tuned!
LOCK HER UP by Tina Parker (Accents Publishing, 2021) is a Medal Provocateur Finalist in the Eric Hoffer Book Award.
The Medal Provocateur is given to the best on the frontier of poetry—the experimental, the innovative, the daring and stunning, the impromptu in technique and voice.
The Eric Hoffer Book Award has truly become one of the top literary awards for independent books, involving over 2,500 books, 25 all-inclusive categories, and nearly 200 judges.
Complete list of finalists can be found here.
In Lock Her Up, Tina Parker gives voice to the women from the not too distant past who were not allowed to make decisions about their own bodies and mental health. In this thought-provoking collection, Parker brings to life three characters and highlights their stories through poems and research. We grow in care and concern about Mattie M. Roberts, Rachel Wells and Emma Darby and are able to relate to their struggles and circumstances. Lock Her Up is a deeply moving book and Accents Publishing is proud to bring it to you.
To learn more about the book or to order a copy, please visit:
ACCENTS ORIGINALS CRAFT SERIES
Writing in Animal Time with Greg Pape
Animals can offer the poet a means of connection to the natural world and our own deepest natures.
By imagining the lives of animals or trying to see from an animal’s point of view we can gain perspective and insight into our own lives. Contemplation of animals’ lives reinforces our sense of connection and empathy with all other creatures, including people. In this short course we will discuss four facets of writing in animal time: observation, recollection, meditation, and description. And we will read and consider several poems as examples or models for generating our own work. Electronic copy of Animal Time is included in the enrolment fee.
Thursday, 4/14 6:00 to 7:30pm
$30.00
Online
To register, go to:
https://on.zoom.us/e/view/N6iNkBwnQA-TkN0xBTVSLQ?id=N6iNkBwnQA-TkN0xBTVSLQ
Greg Pape is the author of Four Swans, Animal Time, American Flamingo (Crab Orchard Open Competition Award), Sunflower Facing the Sun (Edwin Ford Piper Prize, now called the Iowa Prize), Storm Pattern, Black Branches, Border Crossings (Pitt Poetry Series), and other books. His work has received the Discovery/The Nation Award, two National Endowment for the Arts Individual Fellowships, the Richard Hugo Memorial Poetry Award, the Pushcart Prize, and other awards. His poems have appeared in The Atlantic, Colorado Review, Field, The Florida Review, Iowa Review, The Louisville Review, Miramar, The New Yorker, Poetry, and others.
Dear Friends,
It’s time to emerge with poetry and books. Accents and Third Street Stuff invite you to an Open House and Open Mic on Saturday, the 23rd of April from 4pm to 7pm.
From 4pm to 5pm – browse books, drink coffee, hang out and catch up.
from 5pm to whenever – everyone is welcome to read a poem.
After the reading – hang out some more.
If the weather is nice, we’ll be outside. A few Accents authors will be in attendance to sign books.
We look forward to spending time together!
Announcing the Inaugural Local Accent Poetry Contest
Prize
The winner will receive $100.00. The winning poem will be published on the Accents Publishing Blog and the author will be interviewed on the Accents YouTube channel. A list of the finalists may be posted and celebrated, as well.
Eligibility
Kentucky residents and those with strong ties to the state are welcome to submit.
Price for participation
None.
How to submit
Email one unpublished poem of any length or style along with a bio of fifty words to accents.publishing@gmail.com. Note that only the winner and the finalists will be contacted about the results.
Deadline
Poems must be received by the 30th of April, the end of National Poetry Month.
Judging and results
Judging will be performed by the Accents Publishing staff and the results will be announced in May.