Holiday Gift Guide 2016: BOOKS!

Fiddle Is Flood by Lauren Gordon (a Blood Pudding Press contest winning poetry chapbook) is included in this Holiday Gift Guide 2016! - http://www.smartymommies.com/single-post/2016/12/01/Holiday-Gift-Guide-2016-BOOKS
Thank you very much to Shannon Brugh.

 You can acquire your very own copy of "Fiddle Is Flood" (and/or other chapbooks and artsy offerings too) within the Blood Pudding Press shop HERE -  https://www.etsy.com/listing/227601065/new-fiddle-is-flood-by-lauren-gordon?ref=shop_home_active_1

Review of Bone of My Bone by Nicole Rollender (Blood Pudding Press 2015)

In the title poem, Rollender uses imagery in a mystical, ritualistic way, paying homage to the women who made her. She calls back to "the old world" in which "piss prophets mixed / a woman's lemon urine with wine to discern what / was in the womb," and, later,

I put
the lines that grew on her skin into a bowl, muddy
my fingers in her waxiness and into her dead eye,
unraveling her, seaming her skin, blanching her
bones back to such a shine, like a giant star's last open
into brilliance.

In this devotion to memory, the body isn't sacred; it just provides ingredients for a potion that makes what's greater, that "last open into brilliance."

See more at: http://www.literarymama.com/reviews/archives/2015/10/mothering-the-unknown-a-poetry-roundup-review.html

***

I didn't encounter this review until several months after it was published, but it focuses on several poetry chapbooks by women, including Bone of My Bone by Nicole Rollender, which was published by Blood Pudding Press.

Thank you to Literary Mama and Farah Marklevits for this review.

You can acquire your very own hand-bound copy of Bone of My Bone from the Blood Pudding Press shop here - https://www.etsy.com/listing/244912275/new-bone-of-my-bone-by-nicole-rollender?ref=shop_home_active_3

Dive Back Down Has Arrived!

Delighted to have received copies of Dive Back Down by j/j hastain & Juliet Cook in the mail! This is a new collaborative poetry chapbook, published by Dancing Girl Press last month and available HERE - http://dulcetshop.myshopify.com/products/dive-back-down-j-j-hastain-juliet-cook

Blood Pudding Press's Pushcart Prize Nominated Poems

Blood Pudding Press is delighted to announce its 2015 Pushcart Prize nominees!

The press has chosen to nominate one poem from each of the three poetry chapbooks published by Blood Pudding Press this year.

The nominees are listed below followed by their nominated poems.

Congratulations to  Lauren Gordon, Matthew J. Hall, and Nicole Rollender for these Pushcart Prize nominations.

-"O Tennyson!  Tennyson!" by Lauren Gordon, from her Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook, Fiddle Is Flood (see the chapbook here - https://www.etsy.com/listing/227601065/new-fiddle-is-flood-by-lauren-gordon?ref=shop_home_feat_4)

-"The Pigeons and the Peace Dove" by Matthew J. Hall, from his Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook, Pigeons and Peace Doves (see the chapbook here - https://www.etsy.com/listing/236081194/new-pigeons-and-peace-doves-by-matthew-j?ref=related-0)

-"Disassembling" by Nicole Rollender, from her Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook, Bone of My Bone (see the chapbook here - https://www.etsy.com/listing/246781871/new-bone-of-my-bone-by-nicole-rollender?ref=shop_home_feat_2)

***

O Tennyson! Tennyson!

what is good and wild in my country

nine miserable Nellies from New York whose fathers sell

goods on God’s grass her brother is alive and warm with two

hands and no one knows why but God, God hates

weather, weeds, heart, finally, round as a Christmas orange

crisp as an oyster cracker fished from a woolen winter pocket

you never saw two boys picked up dead and raped naked by a tornado

never knew another word for Indian or an outhouse hole of biting

flies, tiny graves in cellars or oh, that kind black doctor

with medicinal powders and the hair of your parents still grows

long after they’re under find a prayer to fix to water a calling card

with trailing flowers a bonnet that keeps slipping blue smoke cat tails

in your hoops, good and wild, one dead child, one loam son for everyone

(from the chapbook Fiddle Is Flood by Lauren Gordon)

***

The Pigeons and the Peace Dove

my apologies are short lived and dim

like headlights of a passing car

reflecting off gutter puddles

from yesterday’s rain

I wanted to be sincere

but anxiety hurls my goodwill at the wall

and laughs and cuts us with the shards

I should have collected all the tears

I have pulled from your eyes

taken them back and choked on the poison

the olive branch has withered

and fallen to the ground between us

the peace dove is twitching down there

her feathers are dirty like those of the pigeon

and the pain I have handed you freely

and the embarrassment of sharing my tarnished reputation

and the band of abuse

all run too deeply

and though it may not be worth a damn

I do love you and I am sorry

(from the chapbook Pigeons and Peace Doves by Matthew J. Hall)

***

Disassembling

The disassembling: remember when

we pulled apart moths,

first clapping them between our hands, to stun

their flight? Pulling off one dusty wing,

wrenching the other.  Dropping the torsos

in the stream, the water performed the final kill.

Was there an opening the illumined moth

slipped through? Or, did it sink

to be eaten? Or both, the way your remains

lowered in, collapses into earth,

and some other part of you enters and exits

by the ear. The drum shivers as you hum.

Your hair grows longer. The hip is something

no longer examined in the light.

We speak the language of departure. 

One word to you is love.

To me it’s ruin. Or a declaration of war, 

the moth wing your delicate,

plucked scalp.

(from the chapbook Bone of My Bone by Nicole Rollender)

NEW! Dive Back Down, a collaborative poetry chapbook by j/j hastain & Juliet Cook newly available from Dancing Girl Press!

"Drizzling splayed fluff
or is it blood combined with moon silver?"

Maybe it's both of them and a multi-colored multi-shaped blood bath diverging from different shapes of human and semi-human entities, which reside inside this NEW COLLABORATIVE POETRY CHAPBOOK by j/j hastain and Juliet Cook!

DIVE BACK DOWN is now newly available from Dancing Girl Press HERE -http://dulcetshop.myshopify.com/products/dive-back-down-j-j-hastain-juliet-cook

NEW Review of Pigeons and Peace Doves by Matthew J. Hall (Blood Pudding Press 2015)

"A handful of Hall’s poems pull you into the darkness of his room, where he is at his most introspective."

from a new review of the poetry chapbook "Pigeons and Peace Doves" by Matthew J. Hall (Blood Pudding Press 2015), appearing at The Luxembourg Review.

Thank you to reviewer Nathan Hassall.

Read more of the review HERE - http://theluxembourgreview.org/2015/10/22/pigeons-and-peace-doves-a-review/

Procure a copy of Pigeons and Peace Doves for yourself at the Blood Pudding Press shop HERE -https://www.etsy.com/listing/236081194/new-pigeons-and-peace-doves-by-matthew-j?ref=shop_home_active_6

NEW Review of Pigeons and Peace Doves by Matthew J. Hall (Blood Pudding Press 2015)

"It is not often I come across a chapbook that incorporates the tangible materials of its binding and pages into the reading experience. The silvery sparkle of the grey pages and the messy, yet endearing thread binding of Matthew J. Hall’s Pigeons and Peace Doves gently pull the reader into a pool of melancholy reflection his poetry creates.

Through the narrator’s stream of consciousness, the reader is able to peer into the thoughts of an often stigmatized and ignored voice—the voice of those who live with mental illness. Hall writes candidly about depression and the contemplation of suicide, and he does justice to the realities of those living with mental health issues. The reader witnesses the narrator struggle. They are in bed with him as he is torn between the grace of the peace dove and the effrontery of the pigeon—the chaos of depression and the peace of mental health."

From a new Review of the Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook, "Pigeons and Peace Doves" by Matthew J. Hall at Blot Lit Reviews.

Thank you to Blotterature Literary Magazine and reviewer Kayla Greenwell.

Partake of more HERE - http://blotterature.com/2015/09/30/blot-lit-reviews-pigeons-and-peace-doves-by-matthew-j-hall/

Procure a copy of the chapbook HERE - https://www.etsy.com/listing/236081194/new-pigeons-and-peace-doves-by-matthew-j?ref=shop_home_active_4

New Interview with Blood Pudding Press poet Lauren Gordon at Blot Lit

"A piece is done when I have gotten some distance from it and can come back to it without seeing anything I want to change. That’s a process that takes anywhere from three months to five years (so far)."

A small snippet from a new interview with Blood Pudding Press poet Lauren Gordon at Blot Lit Reviews.

Read more here - http://blotterature.com/2015/09/26/blot-lit-reviews-an-interview-with-lauren-gordon/

Procure Lauren Gordon's Blood Pudding Press chapbook, "Fiddle Is Flood" here - 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/227601065/new-fiddle-is-flood-by-lauren-gordon?ref=shop_home_feat_3

NEW Review of Fiddle Is Flood by Lauren Gordon (Blood Pudding Press 2015)

 "She uses images of buried babies and oversexed grasshoppers"

A strangely amusing snippet from a new Blot Lit Review of the Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook "Fiddle Is Flood" by Lauren Gordon.

Thank you to BLOTTERATURE.

Partake of more HERE - http://blotterature.com/2015/09/24/blot-lit-reviews-fiddle-is-flood-by-lauren-gordon/

Procure a copy of the chapbook HERE - https://www.etsy.com/listing/227601065/new-fiddle-is-flood-by-lauren-gordon?ref=shop_home_feat_3

NEW Review of Fiddle Is Flood by Lauren Gordon (Blood Pudding Press, 2015)

 "Gordon moves from the pure white milk to the mud and grime. Dirt lines the cracks and spine of this collection in such a delectable way. "

and

"Gordon repeats the word “sweet” a word often used to describe little girls, but it is disturbing in a sense here. Other words like “hot” and “spittle” really deliver the tone home to an all-new way of thinking about this particular time period as well as punching us in our modern-age guts, conjuring up countless stories we’ve all heard about the street harassment of women (and even young girls)."

Just a few lines from a wonderfully detailed new review of the Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook, "Fiddle Is Flood" by Lauren Gordon.

Thank you very much to Jennifer MacBain-Stephens​ for writing this wonderful review.

Read the entire review on the Infoxicated Corner today! - http://www.thethepoetry.com/2015/08/infoxicated-corner-jennifer-macbain-stephens-reviews-lauren-gordons-fiddle-is-flood/

***

After partaking of this new review, you might want to partake of the entire chapbook, by purchasing a copy for yourself, from the Blood Pudding Press shop here -  https://www.etsy.com/listing/227601065/new-fiddle-is-flood-by-lauren-gordon?ref=shop_home_active_2

Juliet Cook is DRUNK IN A MIDNIGHT CHOIR (with three poems)

"A temporary flavor with a price cut.
(In my head, I'm worth nothing but
a cracked open amulet full of filth.)")

three lines from Juliet Cook's poem "What do you think you deserve?"

Three of her Poems are up at DRUNK IN A MIDNIGHT CHOIR.

read more by clicking here and happy last day of June - http://drunkinamidnightchoir.com/2015/06/30/4860/

Get TWO 2015 Blood Pudding Press Poetry Chapbooks for a lowered price - Fiddle Is Flood by Lauren Gordon and Pigeons and Peace Doves by Matthew J. Hall

End of June 2015, A NEW listing has just been added to the Blood Pudding Press shop, through which you can procure a SET OF TWO, meaning both 2015 contest winning Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbooks, for a substantially lower price if you purchase them as a set.

Fiddle Is Flood by Lauren Gordon AND Pigeons and Peace Doves by Matthew J. Hall for only 10 bucks (plus shipping).

Here's the listing - https://www.etsy.com/listing/238583883/get-two-2015-chapbooks-for-a-lowered?ref=shop_home_active_1

A NEW Thirteen Myna Birds flock is alive as of June 2015 - snarling and breathing and vibrant and heavy!

Thirteen Myna Birds is now an all new entourage of unusual and uniquely powerful poetry offerings - starting with three emotionally moving poems from the new Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook, "Pigeons and Peace Doves" by Matthew J. Hall - and followed by a malformed force field of creepy, sexy, strange, and odd treats by Jennifer Hanks, Lynsey G, and Ellie White.

"love, even as pure as hers would never be enough - nights I drip in bed - honey coming from the scrapes - my spine the fuel of stars - four heads snarling against their stomachs - I see ferns now and tear off my shoes, sometimes everything - your dogs step out of their split skins - leaving plaster dust hanging like a pulled-apart cotton ball - bread molding blue - the Venus de Milo was flesh once, female and breathing - the heads were vibrant and heavy - bones harbor the prettiest ghosts"

Here it is - http://13myna.blogspot.com/

AWP2015 - Lauren Gordon's Fiddle Is Flood

It was exciting for Blood Pudding Press editor Juliet Cook to meet the latest Blood Pudding Press poet  at this year's AWP. Here are Lauren Gordon and Juliet Cook AND Lauren Gordon is holding her new Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook, Fiddle Is Flood, which sold out at AWP, but copies are still available within the Blood Pudding Press shop here - https://www.etsy.com/listing/227601065/new-fiddle-is-flood-by-lauren-gordon?ref=shop_home_active_1

What Held Your Hand Was a Ghost: A Reading of Hauntings, Place, Cinema, the Fabulous & More

This poetry reading (and AWP) is now just a little more than a week away (AAAH)!

What Held Your Hand Was a Ghost happens Thursday, April 9

at 8:00pm - 10:00pm in CDT

 at Crooked Pint Ale House. 

It features a variety of fabulous poets from a variety of unique presses, including three Blood Pudding Press poets - Kelly Boyker, Daniel Shapiro, and Lauren Gordon.

Lauren Gordon will have her NEW Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook available too, "Fiddle Is Flood".

https://www.facebook.com/events/1561428764109738/

***

While at AWP, don't forget to visit Table 525, being shared between Blood Pudding Press and Menacing Hedge. 

New Thirteen Myna Birds - First of Spring 2015!

The NEW Thirteen Myna Birds has arrived! It offers four teaser pieces from the NEW Blood Pudding Press Press poetry chapbook, "Fiddle Is Flood" by Lauren Gordon, followed by new poetry from Davide Nixon, John Claude Smith, Joe Milford, Bekah Steimel, (and a few older poems by Jessica Lindsley and Martin Willitts Jr. have moved from the top of the flock to the bottom of the flock, but still live on)!

http://13myna.blogspot.com/

"silver fishes and all that swim in the darkness - inside my belly - up and over my other bones - cutting my body in half - bared fangs tearing into hope - gyrate & spill give voice to swill - in the black soil of night - a glimmer of hopelessness - in heaven blood up to your ankles"

New Thirteen Myna Birds, before February ends!

The Thirteen Myna Birds flock has been freshly updated and offers new poetry by Jessica Lindsley, Martin Willitts Jr., Michael Lee Johnson, JT Williams, Luke Jeffrey Wilkinson, and Mitchell Krockmalnick Grabois here! - http://13myna.blogspot.com/

"a disaster of blood petals - watch the hands waving distress flags - like a reverse mapmaker - moonlight cracks open - the moon burns - lacerated throat of the skyline - the ghosts got replaced - sunset hemorrhaging - impeded by grey"

***

Next month's Thirteen Myna Birds flock will feature some poems from the FIDDLE IS FLOOD collection by Lauren Gordon, the first wining Blood Pudding Press chapbook of the year, coming soon...

Some New February Poetry Treats! (better than silly Valentine candy)

A collaborative poem by j/j hastain and Blood Pudding Press editor/poet Juliet Cook is now  appearing within the new Ghost Proposal Issue 5, here - http://ghostproposal.com/

Also, one of Juliet Cook's FLAPPERHOUSE Winter 2015 poems is newly featured on their website, here - http://flapperhouse.com/2015/02/11/multicolored-blood-poetry-by-juliet-cook/

Yippee for February poetry news and hopefully more to come soon.

Poetry is better than silly little Valentine candy, after all. 

MUTANT NEURON CODEX SWARM! A new collaborative poetry chapbook by Juliet Cook and Robert Cole, published by Hyacinth Girl Press, January 2015

Very excited and creepily delighted to announce a new collaborative poetry chapbook by Blood Pudding Press editor Juliet Cook and Robert Cole, MUTANT NEURON CODEX SWARM, freshly published and now available from Hyacinth Girl Press!

The twisted mutant innards of this creature are a peculiar fit for an utterly unique and creative and somewhat disturbing New Year!

The hideously awesome cover art was created by Christen Baer and offers different art on the front AND the back!

Below are a few poem lines from the MUTANT and below that is a book blurb by Laura Madeline Wiseman.

***

"Necroplasm flows in a cemetery conduit
leading to a cave dead with purple

where the light at the end of the tunnel
is another tunnel smoldering beyond control.

He/she/it can no longer speak for itself,
but the semi-rigamortised mouth spews out
unexpected pitcher plants, partially digested."

some lines from the poem "Churning Codex Portal"

***

"Mutant Neuron Codex Swarm swarms with unexpected delights for the sybil nymph, the cryogenic witch, the blue goddess and more. Here the body with its twisted wings, heart strings, and sticky salivary gland salutations, is a body that knows Nobody can touch us anymore and nobody can save us. Whose body you wonder? Are they Human? Truth is, as Cook and Cole explain, You decide. How do you decide? You enter with the collaborating pair into an incomplete metamorphosis where you’re commanded DON’T stop DON’T stop DON’T stop DON’T you dare! and told homeless men walk around with sporks. So sit back and allow Cole and Cook to place the napkin just so, for Mutant Neuron Codex Swarm purrs with language play, with surprising imagery, and with an attention to sound that will razzle dazzle the neurons in this thrilling new collaborative chapbook."

- Laura Madeline Wiseman

***

Get yourself a copy from Hyacinth Girl Press here! - http://hyacinthgirlpress.com/yearfour/mutantneuroncodexswarm.html