June is busting out all over ( part 4)

Hi folks: I hope you enjoyed Father’s Day as best you could. It seems there are a Ton of books due out this year! Here's what's come across my desk this week. 

1. Uber poet G. Murray Thomas is coming home to Rochester, NY (He’s a Spencerport native for those who don't know.) to help promote his new book " My Kidney Just Arrived." He'll be doing a set as the featured artist for the Rochester Poets monthly reading in the Welcome Center of St. John Fisher College: 3690 East Ave. Rochester, NY 14618 email: sns1@msn.com for directions. The event starts at 1:30P.M. On July 24, 2011. The place seats 125 with standing room for another 50 and I've made it my personal mission to do everything I can to insure we fill every space! If you’re going to be in Rochester, BE THERE!


2.My third book is being published this Fall and I've devised a blog project on the publisher's website where an editorial board (of 40+ people) critiques each of the book's 51 poems, one each day, and then everyone else can comment on the poem and/or the critique. I will then edit from the suggestions or keep the poems the same. I would love to have your comments on these poems (one or as many as you feel calls you to respond) and also post the project on your next blog so that other poets may have an opportunity to share their thoughts as well. I think we are on Day 6. So far it's been a wonderful experience. Have a great day,

Check it out at: http://booksblog.unboundcontent.com/ Thanks Alice Shapiro


3. Finishing Line Press will be releasing my new chapbook, Wild as in Familiar, in September. It was a finalist in their 2011 chapbook contest. It was also a finalist in the last Split Oak Press contest. Because Finishing Line determines the size of the print run by the number of pre-orders, I'll be especially appreciative of anyone who orders before July 14. Below is the online ordering information. And here is information to order via ground mail: $12 plus $1.49 shipping per copy to Finishing Line Press, P. O. Box 1626, Georgetown, KY 40324. I'm recording the poems in this collection, and after the book is released I'd be happy to send a recorded version to anyone who pre-orders. I'm not sure what form the recording will take yet, but if you want one, please e-mail me your street address. (Finishing Line sends me the names of pre-orders but doesn't release addresses.) Thanks for taking the time to read this and for the support I've received from so many of you.--All the best, Ellaraine. NOTE: Ellaraine was also the winner of the 2008 Skysaje Enterprise poetry contest and came back as a judge in 2009 check her work out!




4. Being a literary based public relations firm (Skysaje Enterprises as listed above) I'm wondering if there would be a real need for such a service. Like a lot of poets I get asked "where do you think I should submit this to? And “where should I go with this poem?" etc. after nearly 18 years in the business of answering these questions for both myself and my clients I'm wondering if the market would be there for a "pre -screen review" type of service that would work like this: you send $5-$10 to my PayPal account and then email me up to five poems to review. In exchange I send you back a list of publishers, magazines, venues where your work is most likely to get published/produced saving you time and money in postage and electricity costs.

Is there a place for such a service? Let me know your thoughts. Oh, book length manuscript would go at about $35-$40 for an 80 + page collection. If really interested send the payment to laughingl@yahoo.com at PayPal and we’ll get it started.


5. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/instant-poetry-just-add-words?r=1 It's now available in paperback and the Nook eBook format. Check it out!



6. We are now accepting prerelease orders for The Green Lantern: A Guide for Achieving the American Dream. Volume 2 How to Survive in a Modern Economy (Even on a Poets Income!) Final price will be $14.95 plus $3.00 shipping and handling costs. Advanced books may be ordered for $10.00 each plus $3.00 shipping & handling for books due out in January of 2012. Send payments to laughingl@yahoo.com via pay pal to place order. .


7.The woman show Featuring Allison Nichols : July 1, 2011- August1, 2011 contact:  creativeframing@yahoo.com  for details


Whew! That's quite a list of books this week huh? Here's a short poem to close out:

Reading is fundamental

By "Laughing" Larry Berger

We take it for granted sometimes


But it has become a necessary life skill


Some learn in childhood and find it easy


Others much later in life but they too become skilled.






Much has changed in this modern world!


Books have almost become obsolete


And these days "writer's" are a dime a dozen.


And we should thank God for it!




see you next week!