We look forward to reading your work!
Open Reading Coming Up!
Results from 2023 Local Accents Contest
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
2023 Local Accent Poetry Contest
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Email one unpublished poem of any length or style along with a bio of fifty words to accents.publishing@gmail.com.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.
Results from the Inaugural Local Accent Poetry Contest
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
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:
Writing in Animal Time with Greg Pape
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.
Open Accents at Third Street Stuff aka Big Bad Community Open Mic
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
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.
Updates and Announcements from Accents Publishing
Dear Friends and Fans of Accents Publishing,
Happy Spring! In Kentucky we’re starting to see new leaves on trees. We spent a busy and productive winter and can’t wait to tell you about our latest accomplishments, opportunities and announcements. Please, read on.
New Book
Novella Contest Results
Literary Accents Update
Poetry Class and Manuscript Analysis Workshop
New Book
We’re very excited to present Christopher McCurry’s first full-length poetry collection, Open Burning. It’s a gorgeous hardcover volume, and the poems detail the fallout of a young couple’s divorce. Click on the title to read a sample poem and to learn more about the book and the author. To browse our catalog, please click here.
Novella Contest Results
Accents Publishing is proud to announce the results of its Inaugural Novella Competition!
The winning novella is Homegoing, by Toni Ann Johnson!
Toni Ann Johnson will receive the $500.00 award and publication of her manuscript in a separate book volume. Those who have purchased in advance a copy of the winning novella will receive it as soon as the book is out.
We read many wonderful submissions and selected the following manuscripts as finalists:
Under the Seal, by Carol Mauriello
A Hollow, Muscular Organ, by Meg Files
Cheeseburgers, by Dean Crawford
City of Foam, by Ryan Slater
Moonlit Landing, by Ari McKenna
Things Are Not So Ill as They Might Have Been, by Scott Winokur
Accents Publishing is offering publication to the first three of these finalists.
Tremendous gratitude to everyone who sent manuscripts for consideration. We appreciate your trust and support. Please keep in touch. We hope to read your work again in the future.
Literary Accents Call for submissions
We’re still finishing up Issue #3 of Literary Accents. We hope to be able to send it to the printer within weeks.
We’re still reading submissions for Issue #4. The theme of Issue #4 is “breakup and heartbreak”. Send 3 – 5 poems to accents.publishing@gmail.com by April 30th. We look forward to reading your work.
Poetry Class
Katerina Stoykova (Owner and Senior Editor of Accents Publishing) is seeking eight to ten committed poets for a fast-paced six-week writing class in person or online. In each session, the poets will workshop a poem, then listen to a craft lecture and/or participate in a writing exercise. March 26th to April 23rd. Thursdays, 6 – 8 pm at The Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center. Price for the six-week class: $120. To reserve your space in the class, write to accents.publishing@gmail.com. Deadline to apply: March 16th
Manuscript Analysis Workshop and a Poetry Class
Looking for 4 – 5 poets with nearly-ready book-length manuscripts for a weekend-long manuscript analysis workshop lead by Katerina Stoykova (Owner and Senior Editor of Accents). You can participate in person or remotely via Skype. Price: $250. For more information or to reserve your spot, please write to accents.publishing@gmail.com. Exact dates TBD based on participant availability. Deadline to apply: March 31st
Thank you, everyone, for reading to the very end of this email. We appreciate you! Best wishes from the team at Accents Publishing.
Exciting Opportunities for Learning
Accents Publishing School of Unlimited Learning
Poetry Class
Katerina Stoykova is seeking eight to ten committed poets for a fast-paced six-week writing class. In each session, the poets will workshop a poem, then listen to a craft lecture and/or participate in a writing exercise.
March 26th to April 23rd. Thursdays, 6-8pm at The Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center.
Price for the six-week class: $120
To reserve your space in the class, write to accents.publishing@gmail.com.
Deadline to apply: March 16th
Manuscript Analysis Workshop
Katerina Stoykova is seeking four poets with nearly-ready book-length manuscripts for a weekend-long manuscript analysis workshop. Each participant will read and comment on everyone else’s manuscript and receive feedback from all participants and the workshop leader.
April 18th and 19th. 2-6pm at The Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center.
Price $250.
For more information or to reserve your spot, write to accents.publishing@gmail.com.
Deadline to apply: March 31st