On looking up and looking ahead
And just like that, here comes summer. Somehow, it is almost time for my book—my debut poetry collection—to be released. I've been reviewing a second round of proofs, as well as the full cover, and it's all looking amazing! Catechesis: a postpastoral is due out next month; and the closer we get to June, the less real all of this feels. I think it will only be truly real to me when I have the finished book in my hands.
I've been working hard to line up as many readings as I can for a summer/fall book tour. I've got eight readings scheduled so far, with another in January. And I'd be thrilled to do more! You can always reach out to me by email, if you're interested in booking me.
Although my Chestertown book launch party in August is easily the event I'm most excited for this summer and fall, I'm also really looking forward to a mini reading series that I'm doing with friends and poets Julia Kolchinsky Dasbach and Nancy Reddy: "(M)other(ship): A Mother of Poetry Reading." Julia and Nancy will be reading their incredible poems about motherhood (some of which are featured in Issue 5 of Cherry Tree—get a copy!), and I will read my Alien poems about the ship computer MU/TH/UR, as well as my fairy tale poems about the "Girl who Gave Birth to an Apple." I might even be able to read some of my new Poltergeist poems about ghost-fighting mom-badass Diane Freeling. Here's the official event series description:
You think you know poems about motherhood? Poets Julia Kolchinsky Dasbach, Lindsay Lusby, and Nancy Reddy bring you poems that are almost animal, slightly alien in their grit and intensity. From the vulnerability of the maternity ward to the horror of the space vessel Nostromo, the word "Mother" takes on many meanings, all of them simultaneously strange and familiar. This poetry reading and book-signing will even include a writing exercise for the audience. Join us!
In setting up all of my events, I also created all of my own event posters and tour graphics. I'm mostly self-taught from on-the-job experience, but it's work that I enjoy doing; and it's definitely come in handy now that I need to market myself at a professional level without having any budget to pay for it. After seeing my work, a poet-friend asked me to make a tour graphic for her as well—which is when I realized others (who also don't have agency representation or a marketing team) may have need for a service like this. So I've begun offering my services as a freelance graphic designer, specifically for poets (and writers) looking for event marketing and book tour graphics. I'm currently offering two flat-rate packages at reasonable prices; but since accessibility is one of my main goals in doing this work, I am also open to negotiating custom rates or mutually-beneficial barter agreements for those with tighter budgets. If you're a poet or writer in need of my graphic design services, just let me know! You can fill out one of my online forms, or send me an email.
I've also recently begun making and selling VisPo Originals: originals of one-of-a-kind visual poems. I've sold one so far, and there are three others completed and available on my website. I'll continue to make more, as time and inclination allows.
Although I'm primarily taking on these side ventures because I enjoy the process of making them, I must admit that my other goal is to earn enough money to offset some of the new expenses I'll be taking on in the promotion of my book: traveling to non-paying reading gigs (for which I am still very grateful), printing promotional materials like business cards, catering for my hometown book launch, a few new outfits for giving readings in (my wardrobe has gotten pretty shabby lately), even the up-front costs for buying additional author copies of my book before I'm able to sell them at readings & signing events.
Now that the spring semester is over, I've been having a much-needed week off work to recuperate. I'll be heading into the print shop at the Lit House tomorrow to print the letterpress broadsides for my book launch. I'm still looking to book additional reading events for Fall 2019 and Spring 2020. And in the meantime, I'm also trying to get more new poems written, when I'm not at my full-time job or doing promotional work for Catechesis. I've gotten the first three Poltergeist poems written, and I'm working on a fourth now. Here's to a productive and (if possible) restorative summer!
I've been working hard to line up as many readings as I can for a summer/fall book tour. I've got eight readings scheduled so far, with another in January. And I'd be thrilled to do more! You can always reach out to me by email, if you're interested in booking me.
Although my Chestertown book launch party in August is easily the event I'm most excited for this summer and fall, I'm also really looking forward to a mini reading series that I'm doing with friends and poets Julia Kolchinsky Dasbach and Nancy Reddy: "(M)other(ship): A Mother of Poetry Reading." Julia and Nancy will be reading their incredible poems about motherhood (some of which are featured in Issue 5 of Cherry Tree—get a copy!), and I will read my Alien poems about the ship computer MU/TH/UR, as well as my fairy tale poems about the "Girl who Gave Birth to an Apple." I might even be able to read some of my new Poltergeist poems about ghost-fighting mom-badass Diane Freeling. Here's the official event series description:
You think you know poems about motherhood? Poets Julia Kolchinsky Dasbach, Lindsay Lusby, and Nancy Reddy bring you poems that are almost animal, slightly alien in their grit and intensity. From the vulnerability of the maternity ward to the horror of the space vessel Nostromo, the word "Mother" takes on many meanings, all of them simultaneously strange and familiar. This poetry reading and book-signing will even include a writing exercise for the audience. Join us!
In setting up all of my events, I also created all of my own event posters and tour graphics. I'm mostly self-taught from on-the-job experience, but it's work that I enjoy doing; and it's definitely come in handy now that I need to market myself at a professional level without having any budget to pay for it. After seeing my work, a poet-friend asked me to make a tour graphic for her as well—which is when I realized others (who also don't have agency representation or a marketing team) may have need for a service like this. So I've begun offering my services as a freelance graphic designer, specifically for poets (and writers) looking for event marketing and book tour graphics. I'm currently offering two flat-rate packages at reasonable prices; but since accessibility is one of my main goals in doing this work, I am also open to negotiating custom rates or mutually-beneficial barter agreements for those with tighter budgets. If you're a poet or writer in need of my graphic design services, just let me know! You can fill out one of my online forms, or send me an email.
I've also recently begun making and selling VisPo Originals: originals of one-of-a-kind visual poems. I've sold one so far, and there are three others completed and available on my website. I'll continue to make more, as time and inclination allows.
Although I'm primarily taking on these side ventures because I enjoy the process of making them, I must admit that my other goal is to earn enough money to offset some of the new expenses I'll be taking on in the promotion of my book: traveling to non-paying reading gigs (for which I am still very grateful), printing promotional materials like business cards, catering for my hometown book launch, a few new outfits for giving readings in (my wardrobe has gotten pretty shabby lately), even the up-front costs for buying additional author copies of my book before I'm able to sell them at readings & signing events.
Now that the spring semester is over, I've been having a much-needed week off work to recuperate. I'll be heading into the print shop at the Lit House tomorrow to print the letterpress broadsides for my book launch. I'm still looking to book additional reading events for Fall 2019 and Spring 2020. And in the meantime, I'm also trying to get more new poems written, when I'm not at my full-time job or doing promotional work for Catechesis. I've gotten the first three Poltergeist poems written, and I'm working on a fourth now. Here's to a productive and (if possible) restorative summer!
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