WOOOOOOOOOOO

So stoked for the return of Vouched Presents! So stoked to see Heather Christle and Benjamin Hersey read! So stoked to be on the lineup! So stoked to see you there!

LOTS OF THINGS GET ME STOKED

Like my first Vouched Satellite post at Smalldoggies Magazine. I get to talk to and about one of my favorite indie writers, Mike Young. Also, he let me post a piece of his work that I'm all about lovin'.

Like the Matt Hart/Michael Meyerhofer reading next Tuesday. I love Matt Hart's Who's Who Vivid and am shaking to get his new book. I've heard nothing but good stuff about his reading style. Meyerhofer is a sweet poet and reader, so will be nice to see him again. Also, a soon-soon-soon-to-be-determined Writers Community member will be opening this event.

Like the State Champion/Learner Dancer show on November 14th in Indy. I've been itching to see State Champion again and sing along and pick up their record. I've also been wanting to see my old pals Mitch and Landon in their new band, Learner Dancer. THIS IS PERFECT FOR THAT. TWO BIRDS ONE CAR RIDE.

Like the Jackalope Wars Release Party/Reading on November 17th. This is to get pumped more and more about Jeremy Bauer's chapbook. Jeremy asked my new friend Lindsey and I to read. SWEET.

Like Stoked Press. In addition to Jeremy's chapbook, the reading, and the great response thus far, we have a blog now, a gmail account, and some super secret future plans, which may or may not include recipes or my voice or LOTSA LOVE.

What I'm Reading Right Now

The Collected Poems of William Carlos Williams Volume I 1909-1939: Williams was the first poet I ever liked (The Red Wheelbarrow, duh), and this is the first time I've ever dug deep into his work. The first section I read Spring and All (and home to The Red Wheelbarrow) beat my brain to mush, so I had to sit this collection down for a bit. Now, I am back in it, reading the earliest two sections today. Reading in a collected works, it is interesting to see the shift in style, focus, aesthetic, etc. Also reminds me how I hope no one ever reads my earlier poems (please burn your copy of the 2009 Broken Plate now).

The Anchor Book of New American Short Stories, edited by Ben Marcus: Suggested by Matt Bell, this book has been on my "currently reading" page in Goodreads for over a month now. Every once in a while, I'll pick it up and read a story, just to flex my solid fiction brain. "Two Brothers" by Brian Evenson is my favorite so far. I already have this marked for at least one of my fiction friends for her next birthday.

Poetic Meter and Poetic Form by Paul Fussell: This is another book that is taking me a while to get through/to. I think I'm okay with that, as this is reference-material, dense stuff. I was never really taught formal things about poetry, so this is a beating of meter, form, tough words, Shakespeare, words ending -ic.

Poetry and The Age by Randall Jarrell: I'm super stoked to have started this book. I read the first essay "The Obscurity of the Poet" reenforced that desire to listen to Jarrell. This essay expresses some killer insight on poetry and the poet's relation to the rest of the world, ideas I don't even think I've wrapped my head around completely yet. I still slept pretty well last night.

In July, my good friend Elysia is having a piece published by Elimae, and I've read it, and man, it is coooool.

The NBA Draft Preview issue of ESPN the Magazine was sucky. The World Cup Preview issue of ESPN the Magazine was killer, and I wasn't even that stoked for the World Cup, though my thoughts are shifting a bit.

What are you reading that you're really stoked about?