January wrap-up

I have to say, 2010 is shaping up to be a pretty busy year. January has come and gone so quickly, it almost feels like I fell asleep and missed the entire month. Of course, I didn’t (though I wish I had more sleep!). I was very present, in more than one state, but it’s hard to grasp how fast time moves along when the to-do list is at an all-time high.

While I have positively no complaints, I do have to issue an apology. For everyone who has sent me an email that has not yet had a response, I am so grateful for your patience. The past few weeks have generated a lot of discussion about low-res MFAs, literary citizenship, magazine interviews, etc… and I really am trying to get through every single email with care and attention. Thank you for understanding. Just know if you sent me a note, I’ll be responding asap.

On the note of being busy, I am pleased to share a few bits of news with you. This Sunday, January 31st, I’m a featured reader at The Scarab Club’s “Downtown Poetry Series.” The event starts at 2pm and also features Joy Gaines-Friedler, author of Like Vapor; Ken Meisel, author of Beautiful Rust; and John Sinclair & musical guests. Come on out for this great event in downtown Detroit. The venue is lovely, the poets are friendly, and it’s simply a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Some of you have asked for more discussion on the topic of Literary Citizenship. I have a few things to share: 1) I have a special article coming up in the May 2010 issue of The Writer magazine on this very important subject; 2) a selection of my talk with the MFA students at NILA will soon be shared, and 3) there’s a few special things in the works, so stay tuned. Thank you so much for your interest in this topic; it’s one we can all benefit from in many ways.

I’m also pleased to say my website has had several new updates, so if you haven’t stopped by in a while, go on over to www.loriamay.com and see what’s new.

Before I sign off for today, I want to remind everyone that there is still time to show your support for Tupelo Press. I shared this in a blog posting many days ago, but it’s worth posting again:

VOTE FOR TUPELO PRESS!!!
The Berkshire Bank Foundation is inviting members of the larger community to help them give $20,000 to worthy nonprofit organizations. Until January 31 you can vote for Tupelo Press. It's easy to do. Visit http://tinyurl.com/ygjq82m and when the form opens, the address is: P.O. Box 1767, 243 Union Street #305 North Adams, MA 01247. Deadline to Vote is January 31, 2010.For more information about Tupelo Press, visit www.tupelopress.com.

Thanks for visiting the blog today. I hope to see some of you at Sunday’s reading…