A while back, we reviewed an anthology of work by American poets laureate–that is, those appointed by the President to serve the entire United States. But there are 45 currently-serving state poets laureate, and thousands of city, county, and other poets laureate as well. What exactly do they do?
Your friendly neighborhood poet laureate
Romance Pioneer Vivian Stephens Gets Her Due
Vivian Stephens was an editor at Dell, an imprint of Doubleday, and was instrumental in founding the Romance Writers of America before she was pushed out.
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Next Top Novelist
Imagine a reality television show that pits up-and-coming writers against each other in a series of challenges designed to test their skills and endurance. When the smoke clears, and the bourbon’s gone, one talented writer will be reborn into gritty glory; only one writer will become America’s Next Top Writer!
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Seduction Through Literature
At The Paris Review Daily, Sarah Fay ruminates on her questionable practice of using literature to seduce men: “Wasn’t I just trying to bribe men hungry for something to read? … How could I deliver book recommendations for an entire marriage?”
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Oddest Titles of the Year
Nominees for The Bookseller Diagram Prize for the Oddest Title of the Year have been announced. My favorite, which to me is not odd at all actually, is Bacon: A Love Story. Scatology abounds in this list, including: Peek-a-poo:What’s in Your Diaper, and The Origin of Faeces.
David Foster Wallace’s Last Interview
Coming soon from Melville House’s “The Last Interview” series: the last interviews with David Foster Wallace and Jorge Luis Borges.
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Experience + Openness + Neurology
“It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes a great artist creative” but The Atlantic makes a strong attempt and cites the story behind Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein as an example of what can happen “when experience, openness, and the right neurology come together.”
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