Monday, July 26, 2010

The Big News

Friends, I've been okay-ed to let out my recent good news. Sorry for the unnecessary mystery lately, but here we go:

I'm thrilled to announce that NYQ Books, the book imprint of New York Quarterly magazine, will publish my first book, a collection of poems entitled After the Ark.

It's looking like a Spring 2011 release, which is perfect for me as I'm not in any huge hurry to get it out there, I just want a book I can be proud of, one that folks can get their hands on if they're interested in reading it. One in which the poems look like poems should look. It's still surreal. I'm still dumb with excitement, disbelief, and gratitude. Not to get all Roberto Beinigni on you guys (where he coins the phrase "a hailstorm of kindness"), but it's been a joy to have this space in which to share my boons and disappointments, whether or not they're literary or personal, it's always been a source of encouragement for me to know that there are so many others (you guys!) out there struggling and succeeding in these same pursuits (literature, life). I started this blog in Fall of '07 as an unpublished entering-MFA-student as a way of proving to my friends that I was, in fact, writing something (anything). Now we're here, a first book on the way and new poems being written. As my folks in North Carolina say: "Well, I'll be."

Thanks-a-million everyone. Much more to come on this front. Stay tuned.

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-via New York Times

Interesting and crazy stuff, that there.


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Saw these guys at block party. Love this video (dig that Seattle public transport).

8 comments:

C. Dale said...

Congratulations!

Oliver de la Paz said...

Awesome, Luke . . . which means you'll be giving a reading at Village Books in Bellingham soon, right?

Congratulations!

Marie said...

A lurker peeking around the corner to say, How exciting! Many congratulations to you!

Maggie May said...

no more Sunshine of the Eternal Mind...

Justin Evans said...

Wonderful News!

Unknown said...

Wonderful news!!!

Unknown said...

Wonderful news!!!

Luke Johnson said...

Thanks, all! (Oliver, I'll see what I can do!)