Welcome to Issue III, Volume VI: January 2015 of Connotation Press: An Online Artifact. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2014 was a wonderful year at Connotation Press. As with years previous, we published a strong collection of creative work from hundreds of outstanding writers, and a few folks on our editorial staff moved on as new ones came to take their place. However, this year differed quite a bit as we made a radical change to our publishing schedule and took the magazine from a bi-weekly to a split bi-monthly. The change came at exactly the right time and all the staff are starting to feel the tension subside just a bit.
As nice as the slower publishing schedule is, the rest won’t be long for all of us as we’ll be making some substantial upgrades in technology on our website in order to add even more varying content from the creative arts. In fact, starting this month we’ll begin adding new columns to our format.
Our first new offering will come later this month from the genius of Meg Tuite. We unleashed Meg on her own open format column we’re calling, Tuite’s Crazy Rabbit Review and it is entirely wicked. Meg will launch the new column with three powerful, knockout women authors in three genres: creative nonfiction from Faye Rapaport DesPres, fiction from Mary Miller, and some drive-by poetry and fiction from the hauntingly muscular mind of Kate Braverman. Meg spends time interviewing each author, which is where she shines, and she even conducts an audio interview with Ms Braverman. Tune in to our Facebook Page for info on when we’ll launch Tuite’s Crazy Rabbit Review later this month.
Until then, we have a great new issue so it’s about damn time we kick this pig and see what it’ll do!
A Poetry Congeries with John Hoppenthaler brings you an over-the-top talented group of writers to usher in the New Year. He starts with new poems by, and an interview with, the wonderful Jennifer Whitaker, and delivers stunning new work by Eamonn Wall, Nate Marshall, Corey Van Landingham, Peter Meinke, Catherine Pierce, Mark Neely, Hastings Hensel, and Caki Wilkinson. John also takes a moment in his note this month to say goodbye to some of those in the literary world that we lost this past year. When reading it I was reminded to be as grateful for having been blessed to read the art of these masters as I am sad to see them go.
On the Film-Poetry front this month, The Third Form Editor Erica Goss introduces us to the work of two relative newcomers to the form: Sina Seiler and Eduardo Yagüe. We have videos from both filmmakers, as well as commentary from Erica as she continues guiding us through this exciting genre. A pleasure, Erica!
Apparently one book review an issue isn’t enough for Editor Julia Bouwsma, as she stacked two for you this month. YES! From BOA Editions, we have Revising the Storm, by Geffrey Davis, and The Keys to the Jail, by Keetje Kuipers. We’re not shy around her about how much we respect the work produced by these two artists, but I was personally enthralled by Julia’s review this month as she finds a commonality in the two books that gives this joint review a satisfying payoff. I love it when we start a new year off strong. Great job, Julia!
And to round out our first post this month, our in-house wine aficionado John Turi takes his award winning column, A Drinker with a Writing Problem, to Napa California for a taste of Opus Wine Winery’s Overture. John gives high marks to this Red Blend, a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet France, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Cheers!
Well, that’s about it for now. We have A LOT more coming later this month so hang with us and stop by when you’ve got a few moments for yourself. We know you’ll be glad you did.
On a personal note, I’m one of those goofy bastards who, despite their own horribly obvious intentions to screw it all up, somehow stumbled blindly into an amazing life. I am smart enough to know that this dumb luck is, in fact, due entirely to those that mean the world to me. Happy New Year to Kaite, Hannah, and Lily. I love you, guys.
From all of us at Connotation Press to you and all of yours, a healthy, safe, and joy filled New Year!
Ken Robidoux
Publisher/Founding Editor-in-Chief
This issue of Connotation Press is dedicated to the memory of Claudia Emerson, who was taken far too soon.