Updates on My First Poetry Collection

Wow! I can't believe how quickly people are reserving copies of my limited edition chapbook (click here to read the original post). 25 of the 101 copies have already been claimed. I'm still planning on releasing the collection on April 1, 2011, but I suppose if I sell out before then, I'll roll up my sleeves and try releasing the collection earlier.

If you're interested in reserving a copy, all you need to do is send me an e-mail at robertleebrewer@gmail.com, and I'll provide more details. As a parent, I know that finances can get pretty tight around the holidays, so I won't be sending around information on payment until after January 1, 2011.

Since I keep referring to the collection as "the collection," I guess you've probably deduced that I haven't given the collection a title yet. But don't worry, I'm sure the name will assert itself as soon as I lock down which poems will appear in the collection.

Speaking of which, here is my first stab at a line up of poems:

1. Solving the world's problems
2. At the arboretum
3. We woke up and fell asleep
4. A small tear in the pillow
5. my sinister is sparking
6. like apple cider spiked with spirits
7. They're coming to get us
8. 8
9. Watching the ice melt
10. Cold water
11. The world will worry for you
12. Eavesdropping
13. Father's shoes
14. Of summer
15. Dream
16. Waking
17. My Little Prince
18. One day we looked for the snow
19. I think the world is a pin cushion
20. The last bomb on earth
21. My Father

Many of these poems have found individual publication over the years in places such as Otoliths, MEAT, Barn Owl Review, DMQ Review, Words Dance, OCHO, MiPOesias, Escape Into Life, La Fovea, and of course the Poetic Asides blog. However, I believe one or two of the poems have only ever been shared at public readings.

As part of the process of selecting these poems, I left out many poems that had been published over the years, because I either felt they didn't fit with the others, or I felt I'd moved on as a poet. Plus, there is a series of poems I consider "off limits" precisely because they are written to be part of a series of poems.

Similar to how I feel when I judge poetry contests, there were some poems I wanted to include, but I just couldn't for space considerations. One of my goals was to be especially hard on myself in making selections.

So, I still need to decide upon a title for the collection, and I need to figure out my cover. But really, I've already got ideas, and those are fun parts of the process.

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By the way, the poem that is currently slotted to be the first of the collection was recorded and broadcast by its original publisher, Didi Menendez, yesterday--totally by coincidence! Great time, eh?

Anyway, if you'd like to hear Didi read "Solving the world's problems," just click here.

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Oh yeah, and if you'd like to reserve a spot on the pre-order list, just send me an e-mail at robertleebrewer@gmail.com and let me know. The first printing is capped at 101 copies, so it really is a limited edition release.

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Follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer

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Want to know what I'm currently reading?
It's Aaron Belz's collection of wonderful poetry, Lovely, Raspberry, which was released earlier this year by Persea Books. I've been a fan of Aaron's poetry for a while now (he wrote maybe my favorite Godzilla poem ever). He writes poems that are funny, surprising and amazingly human--all while playing with pop culture. If you can, you should definitely check it out.