Goose Hill

Gorgeous cover illustration for issue #17. My two poems "Women and Children First" and "Red market" are in the Fall 2012 issue of The Doctor T.J. Eckleburg Review ! These two were accepted just about a year ago, when this literary magazine was still known as Moon Milk Review . This is my second magazine publication. Keep writing and submitting and writing and submitting. Happy Halloween!!! Happy Eckleburg Issue #17!!!

One of the fabulous perks of my new job: meeting contemporary writers on a regular basis as we host them for readings or lectures at the Literary House. A couple weeks ago, I had the honor of meeting Dylan Landis , author of the novel-in-stories Normal People Don't Live Like This . As tends to happen when a successful writer comes to visit an undergrad Creative Writing program, during the Q&A following the reading, a student asked the dreaded what-advice-would-you-give-to-aspiring-writers question.   Is it mean that I always cringe a little on the inside when this question is asked? I mean how many different ways can a writer be expected to iterate the same basic principles? Write early and often.   But Dylan offered up something refreshing on that same theme. Her advice was very specific and addressed that most nagging problem: time management.  1. Set your alarm an hour earlier in the morning, and use that hour to write before the obligations of the day a...

Because I no longer have to work weekends (thanks to my new job), I was able to make an excursion to  Oak Knoll Fest XVII  in New Castle, Delaware. Here are a few of my favorite things from the  exhibition on Saturday, October 6, 2012. 1. Sherwin Beach Press (Chicago, Illinois) : The first table to stop me in my tracks. In particular their limited edition fine press book Poisonous Plants at Table : an artistic compilation of two pre-existing texts and an exclusive third text. It includes selections from a 1901 text called Poisonous Plants in Field and Garden  by the Reverend Professor G. Henslow, along with creatively inserted party menus from a previous  Poisonous Plants at Table  by Dr. E. Coffin (pun intended?), that use the aforementioned poisonous plants in the serving of meals to guests.  Even stopping here, this book absolutely reflects my own dark, Edward Gorey-esque sense of humor. But then  there was the exclusive third t...

My next mini-project in preparing for my Type-In & Letter-Writing Social co-hosted with Scribbling Glue , was to letterpress some type-able special-event stationery. I had some great paper scraps from a previous broadside printing that were begging to be used. I mean, these are decently-sized Rives BFK scraps I'm talking about here. Plus, whatever other paper bits I could find. Annie (of Scribbling Glue) came by this weekend to try her hand at some printing, so we got going on this project. I set a line of text to commemorate the event alongside a kitschy little typist block (in the picture above).  I think she had fun, don't you? I am very pleased with how the stationery turned out. I even gave it a little typing test, the morning after.    We are getting really, really, really excited for "Type-In Type-Out." Are you?

A little over a year ago, I wrote a post titled "Nesting" when I was preparing the space in my living room for the printing press that would soon be arriving. Since then, my press has moved-in and moved across the room (which required the assistance of two able-bodied men). Now, I find myself nesting once again, but this time the space is for me--in my new lavender office on the second floor of The Rose O'Neill Literary House. My first day I brought Hermione (my baby blue Royal Futura) and a small potted succulent (a kalanchoe --that should be relatively difficult to kill) in with me. Both Hermione and the invincible, unnamed office plant live on a small window-side end table. But there are still lavender walls to be decorated. So I did a little shopping... 1. "Creative & Curious" screenprinted felt pennant I discovered Uppercase magazine a couple months ago and fell in love with it almost  immediately. I adore their motto: "a magazine for the...

My new favorite discovery in the independent publishing world, hands down, is UPPERCASE magazine . Their tagline--"the magazine for the creative & curious"--grabbed me by the gut right away (that may not sound like a pleasant sensation, but it was ). It is one of those objects that is so much more an idea (but still so tangible) that I don't know how else to describe it properly except to point you right back to their tagline. Today, I am excited and flattered and humbled and proud to be given the spotlight on the UPPERCASE magazine blog for their typewriter-themed Friday series, "Girl Friday." Read it!

That's me in green at top right  (c. 2008) I have often wondered about what the appropriate title would be for someone like me, in regards to letterpress printing. To ever become a Master Printer (like my wonderful teacher, Mike Kaylor), you have to complete a full-on apprenticeship of about seven years under another Master Printer, and that's just the beginning.  I completed the free workshops offered at my alma mater, Washington College, and continued working in the Print Shop just for fun my last year of undergrad. I even occasionally came back to work on projects of my own or to help with what ever Lit House Press printing projects I happened to walk in on (that sounds a bit more scandalous than it ever actually was). Then, I got my own  press at home and have been operating that for a year now as Thread Lock Press (for which I've had two commissions thus far, and another in the works). So, during my first real day at the new job, settling into my well-windo...