advance blurbs for The Write Life

Some delightful back cover blurbs have come in for my next nonfiction book, The Write Crowd:Literary Citizenship & The Writing Life, forthcoming in Dec ’14 from Bloomsbury:

"Lori A. May's The Write Crowd reminds us that writing need not be such a lonely life, solitary as it is. The literary universe provides limitless opportunities to help other writers, meet other writers, and support one another. Type an e-mail, review a book, start a reading series, form your own small press: help keep literature alive and strengthen your own connections and understanding. An indispensable book for those new to writing careers and a valuable reminder for those who've faced the blank page for years and years."
-- Dinty W. Moore, Professor and Director of Creative Writing, Ohio University, and author of The Mindful Writer

"A thoughtful, much-needed exploration of the relationship between the individual writing life and the larger community of writers and readers. Lori A. May draws from her own experience and that of many other writers and editors to offer a comprehensive view of the necessary phenomenon we only recently have come to call literary citizenship. The Write Crowd offers specific and authentic ways--some quick and simple, others a greater investment--through which writers can be strong literary citizens."
-- Anna Leahy, Associate Professor of English, Chapman University, and author of Constituents of Matter, editor of Power and Identity in the Creative Writing Classroom, and editor of TAB: The Journal of Poetry & Poetics

Available December 2014 from Bloomsbury
Pre-order on Amazon

For more info, visit www.loriamay.com/writecrowd.html

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The Write Crowd: Literary Citizenship & The Writing Life

I’m delighted to share this news: my next nonfiction book, The Write Crowd: Literary Citizenship & The Writing Life, is forthcoming in December from Bloomsbury!

Writing may be a solitary profession, but it is also one that relies on a strong sense of community. The Write Crowd offers practical tips and examples of how writers of all genres and experience levels contribute to the sustainability of the literary community, the success of others, and to their own well-rounded writing life. Through interviews and examples of established writers and community members, readers are encouraged to immerse themselves fully in the literary world and the community-at-large by engaging with literary journals, reading series and public workshops, advocacy and education programs, and more.

In contemporary publishing, the writer is expected to contribute outside of her own writing projects. Editors and publishers hope to see their writers active in the community, and the public benefits from a more personal interaction with authors. Yet the writer must balance time and resources between deadlines, day jobs, and other commitments. The Write Crowd demonstrates how writers may engage with peers and readers, and have a positive effect on the greater community, without sacrificing writing time.

See the Table of Contents and advance blurbs here: www.loriamay.com/writecrowd.html

Available December 2014 from Bloomsbury
Pre-order on Amazon

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on the road again

My breakfast for the next two weeks: lobster rolls!

I’m afraid the road is calling me and I’m again out and about—and not as on top of things when it comes to updating my blog. While I feel terrible about my slacking, I can say I feel great about having new things to write about when I get home!

As I’ll be partaking in the summer residency of the University of King’s College MFA program, there’s one way to share some of that vibe with you until I can offer some current updates: here’s a recap of the January residency.

I’ll no doubt come home with stories and photos to share from Halifax, so stay tuned….

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another state (of mind)

photo credit: jsis.washington.edu

I’m behind with my blog (again), but for good reason. I’ve changed time zones with a recent move to the Pacific Northwest. Moving a household across 2500 miles is, to say the least, consuming: mentally, physically, financially, and socially.

We’re still settling in and unpacking. My office has boxes labeled documents, paper, journals and the like that made perfect sense when sorting—a month or so ago—and have proven little effectiveness in determining what documents, which journals. Every day holds a new discovery in revealing pieces of my former life. Things that seemed of importance in an open immediately state no longer seem a priority. Instead, I am focused on finding a butter dish and some stamps, neither of which seem to exist anywhere. Rather, I keep finding items that are most certainly get-to-laters.

Although I’ve been consumed with this life adjustment, I am trying to keep in touch with everyone via social media. I can at least do that and feel a sense of familiarity even as I make yet another wrong turn and end up driving down a ramp to some unknown freeway, adding miles to my day’s errand run. This, too, can pack some surprises. Finding the unexpected cupcake shop or coming upon a scenic view of Mount Rainier isn’t so bad.

I’ve somehow kept up the writing life even in the mess of organizing our lives. During this month of transition, I’ve had a few bits of good news. Some more major bits will come in time, but for now I’m happy to share a new book review in Colorado Review; you’ll find my review of Renée Ashley’s Because I Am the Shore I Want to Be the Sea here. I also had a micro twitter essay published in Creative Nonfiction, Issue 52. And, coming later this year, you’ll find my essay, “The Comfort of Ignorance,” in the fall 2014 issue of Border Crossing, housed at Lake Superior State University.

Mostly, I’m just unpacking: boxes, life, thoughts, and ideas. I’m getting there. One box at a time. 

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sub to Tahoma Literary Review now!

Today is the last day to submit to the forthcoming issue of Tahoma Literary Review.

While editors Joe and Kelly have been making their selections over the past few months, you might want to take a chance on squeaking in during these last few hours of open submission.

While you’re there, check out their great blog posts and discussions like:

On pulling the rejection trigger

You don’t have to apologize for not having an MFA

About those cover letters

You can also follow TLR updates on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TahomaLiteraryReview

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