Another wonderful review by Casey Kiser, of another Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook by Juliet Cook, "Soft Foam"!
"Currently, my absolute favorite Juliet Cook collection. Though, I have a lot to go.
I got half-way through and had to call my drug dealer.
I put her poetry in the genre of gateway drug ;)
This is some fine-tuned chaotic brilliance. An insomniac's delight.
She is quite a master of words. Every poem in this one left me drooling.
Absolute favorites: ALL OF THEM, 'Squiggles in Wonderland'.
Maybe, once I collect all Juliet's books, I will just giveaway my tv.
'This drunk compliments my legs.
I compliment my own legs in my head
in an other's voice. All it takes
to induce another fantasy.'
-From 'Sink or Float (drunk fantasy)"
***
You can acquire your own copy of "Soft Foam" from the Blood Pudding Press shop here - https://www.etsy.com/listing/59222402/soft-foam-by-juliet-cook?ref=shop_home_active_16
You can also read it for free online here -http://www.dusie.org/Dusie%204%20pdfs/Juliet%20Cook%20Dusie%204%20chap.pdf
Showing posts with label dusie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dusie. Show all posts
4/12/18
genuine feelings/conflicted feelings/conflicted forms of expression/death (some personal thoughts from Blood Pudding Press editor/poet/person Juliet Cook)...
I have mixed feelings about poetry open mics, because on one hand I do want to share parts of my creative self, but on the other hand, I often feel uncomfortable publicly sharing my poetry unless a literary magazine or press specifically chose to accept it for publication. Sometimes publicly sharing it in front of a crowd feels a bit too close for comfort to forcing myself upon other people. Granted that doesn't necessarily make sense, because most of the people who attend poetry readings are other poetry people who chose to attend for poetic reasons, but I sometimes (possibly incorrectly) sense them looking away from me or rolling their eyes. I can visualize a specific guy looking away last time I read one of my poems in public, but that doesn't mean I know WHY he chose to look away.
If I was chosen as a featured reader (rather than random open mic reader), I sometimes feel better about it - but overall, I still tend towards feeling edgy and/or somewhat awkward and/or rather uncomfortable.
However, I don't want to be invisible or unknown or unseen or unheard or un-involved in the poetry scene. But with that said, I'm no scenester. I don't want to attend reading after reading in order to be a big part of a particular scene, and not allow myself enough time to focus upon my personal creative process. I feel the need to focus quite a bit of my time and mental energy on creative processing and writing by myself.
But on the other hand, I do like to not only read other poets, but also listen to, meet, and sometimes interact with other poets. I don't want any poets to feel un-heard (unless they want their whole process to be private), but I tend to relate to poets who are into the actual creation of poetry more than poets who are into being a big part of the poetry scene. I'm not saying some people can't be significant parts of both to an extent. I think it's a balancing act that different people balance differently.
I personally alternate between focusing on my own poetry - and focusing on other people's poetry via my small indie print press (Blood Pudding Press) and my online blog style lit mag (Thirteen Myna Birds) - and sometimes reading my poetry/listening to other's poetry in person/in public.
But the primary mental/emotional part of it for me and my personal poetic/artistic expression is via the actual writing and the actual poetry.
Also, I often feel like with my own poetry and my press poetry and my slow reading, I don't have nearly enough time to focus on just reading for the sake of reading - whether online literary magazines or print chapbooks or books. I'm not kidding when I say that I literally have HUNDREDS of unread poetry chapbooks and books in my home, because I like to support small presses by acquiring books that seem appealing to me, but also my reading is WAY slower than it used to be (before my stroke) and my brain is different than it used to be, and I can't read/process anything quickly, so it's hard to combine my own writing with a print press with an online blog style mag with reading other stuff too. That change of my brain sometimes makes me feel sad.
But I'm happy to be a creative individual, primarily poetry focused, with occasional spurts of visual art.
***
On another level of sadness, I sometimes feel like I am terrible when it comes to talking non-poetically about certain emotionally devastating issues, including death.
I don't just want to tell someone that I'm thinking of them or praying for them (even if that is true); I want to express more/deeper/more individualistically, but sometimes I don't know what to say or how to say it, unless I say it poetically/artistically in a way that's open to interpretation.
I don't just want to tell someone that I'm thinking of them or praying for them (even if that is true); I want to express more/deeper/more individualistically, but sometimes I don't know what to say or how to say it, unless I say it poetically/artistically in a way that's open to interpretation.
It's not that I'm unemotional or don't have real life feelings.
I think I'm good at expressing my feelings on a small scale personal level; but I'm not good at expressing my feelings on a larger scale level, in which lots of people are expressing themselves in rapid succession. I guess I'm not good at rapid succession?
I don't like to open presents fast, because I want good gifts to last as long as they can.
I don't like to express strong sadness fast, because I don't want it to come close to ebbing too soon.
I think I'm good at expressing my feelings on a small scale personal level; but I'm not good at expressing my feelings on a larger scale level, in which lots of people are expressing themselves in rapid succession. I guess I'm not good at rapid succession?
I don't like to open presents fast, because I want good gifts to last as long as they can.
I don't like to express strong sadness fast, because I don't want it to come close to ebbing too soon.
I don't know if any of this makes logical sense.
I don't know what to do sometimes.
I don't know.
***
So sometimes when a poet I know suddenly dies, I don't know what to say right away. I don't want to be silent about it, but I also don't want to be someone who hardly ever says anything about someone when they're alive, but suddenly seems to have a lot to say shortly after they pass away.
But I certainly don't want it to seem as if I'm ignoring someone after they pass away.
But I also have mild aphasia based memory issues that seem to further add on to my not knowing what to say.
I do know that poet Marthe Reed suddenly passed away and I feel sad and upset about it, but I do not know what to say in a larger scale way. I did not know her very well on a personal level, but I have been aware of her poetically for years. I think I initially became aware of her through the Dusie Kollektiv, which I was involved with for several years, which was a truly wonderful, unique, creative, incredibly poetic, individualistic, expressive experience. I've read several of Marthe Reed's chapbooks and they still exist within my home space. I am aware of her Black Radish Books. I've seen and briefly met her in person at a writing conference I attended. I don't remember what we might have said to each other, which upsets me. Online, I've heard her read with my poetic collaborator j/j hastain - Marthe Reed and j/j hastain were poetic collaborators too. I truly appreciate Marthe Reed's long term genuine poetic passion and ongoing poetry flow. I feel sad that she's passed away too soon and I feel for those who knew her on a more in depth personal level. I am glad that her poetry will live on.
I don't know what to do sometimes.
I don't know.
***
So sometimes when a poet I know suddenly dies, I don't know what to say right away. I don't want to be silent about it, but I also don't want to be someone who hardly ever says anything about someone when they're alive, but suddenly seems to have a lot to say shortly after they pass away.
But I certainly don't want it to seem as if I'm ignoring someone after they pass away.
But I also have mild aphasia based memory issues that seem to further add on to my not knowing what to say.
I do know that poet Marthe Reed suddenly passed away and I feel sad and upset about it, but I do not know what to say in a larger scale way. I did not know her very well on a personal level, but I have been aware of her poetically for years. I think I initially became aware of her through the Dusie Kollektiv, which I was involved with for several years, which was a truly wonderful, unique, creative, incredibly poetic, individualistic, expressive experience. I've read several of Marthe Reed's chapbooks and they still exist within my home space. I am aware of her Black Radish Books. I've seen and briefly met her in person at a writing conference I attended. I don't remember what we might have said to each other, which upsets me. Online, I've heard her read with my poetic collaborator j/j hastain - Marthe Reed and j/j hastain were poetic collaborators too. I truly appreciate Marthe Reed's long term genuine poetic passion and ongoing poetry flow. I feel sad that she's passed away too soon and I feel for those who knew her on a more in depth personal level. I am glad that her poetry will live on.
Sometimes I feel like I don't communicate enough on a personal emotional level, in large part because I tend towards becoming overly emotional, to the extent that loss devastates me.
But then I worry that my reluctance to express feelings about death on a personal level aside from art/poetry might cause it to seem as if I am just ignoring death and I am not.
But then I worry that my reluctance to express feelings about death on a personal level aside from art/poetry might cause it to seem as if I am just ignoring death and I am not.
***
Sometimes when I try my best to express my true feelings in the moment, I end up ruining things.
But sometimes if I don't express myself, I feel too close to approaching stagnation.
But sometimes if I don't express myself, I feel too close to approaching stagnation.
3/16/10
Soft Foam-ing
Soft Foam is my newest poetry chapbook, created for the Dusie Kollektiv 4. All Dusie4 members have received a free copie in the mail, but I'm willing to create a few additional copies for any interested non-Dusie peeps.
It includes 16 poems about love, death, past lives, under water insects like Giant Squids and Haunted Sea Urchins, and more.
While the insides of all copies include the same poems, the outsides are different (see a few below).
If interested, a copy may be purchased at my Blood Pudding Press etsy shop: http://www.bloodpuddingpress.etsy.com/
It includes 16 poems about love, death, past lives, under water insects like Giant Squids and Haunted Sea Urchins, and more.
While the insides of all copies include the same poems, the outsides are different (see a few below).
If interested, a copy may be purchased at my Blood Pudding Press etsy shop: http://www.bloodpuddingpress.etsy.com/
5/1/09
indie presses
I updated my list of 'other indie presses' (right hand side bar), but if I forgot your press, feel free to let me know and I'll add you (and please also feel free to add Blood Pudding Press to your list). I know there are oodles of delightful small presses out there and it can be a challenge to stay on top of you all. I'm especially intrerested in independent, poetry-oriented presses that publish chapbooks and small books, but will probably add to the list any small press that drops me a line.
*
Also, just a little reminder for interested parties that I do have a newish personal/poetry blog at http://doppelgangrene.blogspot.com/ where I sometimes write about Blood Pudding Press stuff, sometimes write about my own personal poetry stuff, and sometimes write about other literary matters.
XO. Juliet Cook
*
P.S. In other indie press related news, I only have ONE copy remaining of MONDO CRAMPO, my recent pussylicious poeyry chapbook published through the dusie kollektiv 3. Here's a mini review by poet/editor Brooklyn Copeland:
‘The design is cool and the poems are so very Juliet Cook. Meaning, I can't read them before bed or before eating. I can safely read Juliet's poems between the hours of 12p and 4p. I love how inventive she is. I feel like she takes all the girly dressings and yummy fixings about which I am most nostalgic, puts them in a blender with her own blood and spit, and pours them into a cupcake pan for baking.’
Available (until it's not) via http://www.bloodpuddingpress.etsy.com/
*
Also, just a little reminder for interested parties that I do have a newish personal/poetry blog at http://doppelgangrene.blogspot.com/ where I sometimes write about Blood Pudding Press stuff, sometimes write about my own personal poetry stuff, and sometimes write about other literary matters.
XO. Juliet Cook
*
P.S. In other indie press related news, I only have ONE copy remaining of MONDO CRAMPO, my recent pussylicious poeyry chapbook published through the dusie kollektiv 3. Here's a mini review by poet/editor Brooklyn Copeland:
‘The design is cool and the poems are so very Juliet Cook. Meaning, I can't read them before bed or before eating. I can safely read Juliet's poems between the hours of 12p and 4p. I love how inventive she is. I feel like she takes all the girly dressings and yummy fixings about which I am most nostalgic, puts them in a blender with her own blood and spit, and pours them into a cupcake pan for baking.’
Available (until it's not) via http://www.bloodpuddingpress.etsy.com/
3/19/09
small press tidbits
Last evening, I received the fantastic news that my chapbook manuscript 'Tongue Like a Stinger' will be published online this spring by Wheelhouse chapbook series & press. Hurrah!
This got me to thinking about how it wasn't until after I started Blood Pudding Press that I also began to expeience more success with other small presses, which I think is mainly because Blood Pudding Press gave me an itty bitty bit more visibility on the literary scene and also offered me more opportunity for more interactions and connections with other poets (most especially as a result of the Blood Pudding Press multi-writer projects).
I started Blood Pudding Press towards the end of 2006 and for my first project, I self-published my own first poetry chapbook ('The Laura Poems'). I self-published another poetry chapbook in mid-2007 ('Girl Gang') and then another at the very beginning of 2008 ('Planchette').
By that time, Blood Pudding Press was already picking up some significant momentum (2008 ended up being a very busy and productive year for the press) and I was already starting to think that I would prefer to focus on the work of other writers with Blood Pudding Press--but I also still had quite a few of my own projects that I desired to have published, so I started sending those out to other small presses more consistently. Thus, 2008 saw not only the publication of quite a few Blood Pudding Press projects, but also the publication of my first print chapbook from another press ('Gingerbread Girl' published by Trainwreck Press), as well as my first online chapbook from another press ('PROJECTILE VOMIT', published by Scantily Clad Press).
Now, in the wake of this wonderful news from Wheelhouse, I have three chapbooks in the works for 2009--MONDO CRAMPO, a print chapbook via the dusie kollektiv 3, which should be available in mere days--PINK LEOTARD & SHOCK COLLAR, to be published this spring by the new Spooky Girlfriend Press--and now 'Tongue like a Stinger' through Wheelhouse.
I am very excited about all of these impending publications, not only because my creative work has found some good homes and will be released into the world, but all because it frees up limited Blood Pudding Press resources to focus on other writers and projects.
Speaking of which, just because Blood Pudding Press has not published a new chapbook in several months now, don't go thinking I've abandoned the barnacle-encrusted, slime-oozing ship. The next multi-writer project, SPIDER VEIN IMPASTO, is very much in the works--AND the winners of the first Blood Pudding Press chapbook contest will be announced very soon.
Also, Thirteen Myna Birds, the new online outcropping of Blood Pudding Press, is accepting submissions on a rolling basis.
Speaking of which, it is almost time for a new flight formation.
Viva la small press publishing!
This got me to thinking about how it wasn't until after I started Blood Pudding Press that I also began to expeience more success with other small presses, which I think is mainly because Blood Pudding Press gave me an itty bitty bit more visibility on the literary scene and also offered me more opportunity for more interactions and connections with other poets (most especially as a result of the Blood Pudding Press multi-writer projects).
I started Blood Pudding Press towards the end of 2006 and for my first project, I self-published my own first poetry chapbook ('The Laura Poems'). I self-published another poetry chapbook in mid-2007 ('Girl Gang') and then another at the very beginning of 2008 ('Planchette').
By that time, Blood Pudding Press was already picking up some significant momentum (2008 ended up being a very busy and productive year for the press) and I was already starting to think that I would prefer to focus on the work of other writers with Blood Pudding Press--but I also still had quite a few of my own projects that I desired to have published, so I started sending those out to other small presses more consistently. Thus, 2008 saw not only the publication of quite a few Blood Pudding Press projects, but also the publication of my first print chapbook from another press ('Gingerbread Girl' published by Trainwreck Press), as well as my first online chapbook from another press ('PROJECTILE VOMIT', published by Scantily Clad Press).
Now, in the wake of this wonderful news from Wheelhouse, I have three chapbooks in the works for 2009--MONDO CRAMPO, a print chapbook via the dusie kollektiv 3, which should be available in mere days--PINK LEOTARD & SHOCK COLLAR, to be published this spring by the new Spooky Girlfriend Press--and now 'Tongue like a Stinger' through Wheelhouse.
I am very excited about all of these impending publications, not only because my creative work has found some good homes and will be released into the world, but all because it frees up limited Blood Pudding Press resources to focus on other writers and projects.
Speaking of which, just because Blood Pudding Press has not published a new chapbook in several months now, don't go thinking I've abandoned the barnacle-encrusted, slime-oozing ship. The next multi-writer project, SPIDER VEIN IMPASTO, is very much in the works--AND the winners of the first Blood Pudding Press chapbook contest will be announced very soon.
Also, Thirteen Myna Birds, the new online outcropping of Blood Pudding Press, is accepting submissions on a rolling basis.
Speaking of which, it is almost time for a new flight formation.
Viva la small press publishing!
8/18/08
what’s next for Blood Pudding Press
I’ve been receiving a few queries lately and although Blood Pudding Press is not currently accepting submissions, I do very much appreciate the interest. Thus, I wanted to offer a small update regarding what’s next for Blood Pudding Press.
All of this information is tentative and subject to fluctuation, but here are some inklings of what to expect from Blood Pudding Press in the coming months.
I am in the midst of participating in the very exciting dusie kollektiv 3 collaboration chapbook swap project. As a part of this project, Blood Pudding Press in conjunction with dusie press will be publishing ‘Humoresque’, a poetry collection by E. Tracy Grinnell, this October.
Shortly thereafter, circa early winter 2008, I anticipate that I will begin accepting submissions for the next Blood Pudding Press multi-writer project. This will be another poetry-focused chapbook similar to [GROWLING SOFTLY] and ECTOPLASMIC NECROPOLIS, but this time around, instead of selecting 1-2 poems by approximately 30 different poets, I will most likely be selecting 2-3 poems by approximately 15 different poets—and maybe a few other goodies, too. Please do not submit until I post my official ‘Call for Submissions’, which will appear here and elsewhere—and if you are interested in being added to the Blood Pudding Press email list, feel free to let me know.
I occasionally receive the question, ‘Does Blood Pudding Press consider poetry by men?’ and the answer is YES. Blood Pudding Press does harbor pussycentric tendencies and predilections, for sure. That said, I am delighted to consider creative material by women AND men AND those who identify in a more gender-fluid way. I am even delighted to consider submissions by alien witches.
After the next multi-writer project is published, I will probably begin accepting submissions for the next Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook by an individual poet. I have not yet decided exactly how these submissions will be handled—it could be an open reading period, it could be more of a contest format (addendum: although now that I think about it, it most likely will NOT take the form of a contest model, because in the midst of the lastest rash of contest horror stories, I am very much starting to wonder why I even ENTER poetry contests, let alone consider hosting one through my own small press; for cripes sake, in some ways contests seem antithetical to who I am as a human being), it could be something different. Either way, stay tuned to this blog for more details sometime in spring 2009.
As always, Blood Pudding Press is an adoring fan of chapbook trades and other art swaps—so if you are a creative writer and/or small press editor who is interested in exchanging one of your chapbooks for one of the currently available Blood Pudding Press chapbooks, please do feel free to enquire. Review copies are also available upon request.
Thank you so very much for your interest in Blood Pudding Press. I am excitedly looking forward to reading and considering some ooze-ilicious new poetry in the coming months! Slurp!
Juliet Cook, editor, Blood Pudding Press
All of this information is tentative and subject to fluctuation, but here are some inklings of what to expect from Blood Pudding Press in the coming months.
I am in the midst of participating in the very exciting dusie kollektiv 3 collaboration chapbook swap project. As a part of this project, Blood Pudding Press in conjunction with dusie press will be publishing ‘Humoresque’, a poetry collection by E. Tracy Grinnell, this October.
Shortly thereafter, circa early winter 2008, I anticipate that I will begin accepting submissions for the next Blood Pudding Press multi-writer project. This will be another poetry-focused chapbook similar to [GROWLING SOFTLY] and ECTOPLASMIC NECROPOLIS, but this time around, instead of selecting 1-2 poems by approximately 30 different poets, I will most likely be selecting 2-3 poems by approximately 15 different poets—and maybe a few other goodies, too. Please do not submit until I post my official ‘Call for Submissions’, which will appear here and elsewhere—and if you are interested in being added to the Blood Pudding Press email list, feel free to let me know.
I occasionally receive the question, ‘Does Blood Pudding Press consider poetry by men?’ and the answer is YES. Blood Pudding Press does harbor pussycentric tendencies and predilections, for sure. That said, I am delighted to consider creative material by women AND men AND those who identify in a more gender-fluid way. I am even delighted to consider submissions by alien witches.
After the next multi-writer project is published, I will probably begin accepting submissions for the next Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook by an individual poet. I have not yet decided exactly how these submissions will be handled—it could be an open reading period, it could be more of a contest format (addendum: although now that I think about it, it most likely will NOT take the form of a contest model, because in the midst of the lastest rash of contest horror stories, I am very much starting to wonder why I even ENTER poetry contests, let alone consider hosting one through my own small press; for cripes sake, in some ways contests seem antithetical to who I am as a human being), it could be something different. Either way, stay tuned to this blog for more details sometime in spring 2009.
As always, Blood Pudding Press is an adoring fan of chapbook trades and other art swaps—so if you are a creative writer and/or small press editor who is interested in exchanging one of your chapbooks for one of the currently available Blood Pudding Press chapbooks, please do feel free to enquire. Review copies are also available upon request.
Thank you so very much for your interest in Blood Pudding Press. I am excitedly looking forward to reading and considering some ooze-ilicious new poetry in the coming months! Slurp!
Juliet Cook, editor, Blood Pudding Press
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