Sherry Chandler

I am proud to announce that my daughter-in-law, Isabel Pelech, has been nominated for the 2007 Rhysling Award from the Science Fiction Poetry Association. The SFPA has awarded Rhyslings, named for the blind poet Rhysling in Robert Heinlein’s “The Green Hills of Earth,” since 1978. Previous winners have included Ursula K. Le Guin and Thomas M. Disch. You can find a complete list of winners at the link.

Isabel was nominated for her prose poem “Clock Function,” which originally appeared in Dreams and Nightmares. “Clock Function” will be reprinted in the 2007 Rhysling Anthology:

The nominees for each year’s Rhysling Awards are selected by the membership of the Science Fiction Poetry Association. Each member is allowed to nominate one work in each of the two categories: “Best Long Poem” (50+ lines) and “Best Short Poem” (0-49 lines). All nominated works must have been published during the calendar year for which the present awards are being given. The Rhysling Awards are put to a final vote by the membership of the SFPA using reprints of all the nominated works presented in this voting tool called The Rhysling Anthology. The anthology allows the membership to easily review and consider all nominated works without the necessity of obtaining the diverse number of publications in which the nominated works first appeared. The Rhysling Anthology is also made available to anyone with an interest in this unique compilation of verse from some of the finest poets working in the field of SF/F/Horror poetry.

The winning works are regularly reprinted in the Nebula Awards Anthology from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., and are considered in the SF/F/H/Spec. field to be the equivalent in poetry of the awards given for “prose” work–achievement awards given to poets by the writing peers of their own field of literature.

For Immediate Release from the KAC:

FRANKFORT, KY — The Kentucky Arts Council will be hosting the state finals for the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. On March 13 at 10:00 a.m. EST, 15 high school students from 15 high schools will compete at the Hill Student Center on the campus of Kentucky State University, Frankfort. The winner of this competition will advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC on April 30 and May 1, 2006, where $50,000 in scholarships and school prizes will be awarded.

The competition presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Art and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.

The winning student from each of the 15 schools in Kentucky that will compete are: Robbie McMath, Beechwood High School; Joe Gunning, Bethlehem High School; Robin M. Owens, Carroll County High School; Jake Holder, Collegiate High School; Brent Morrison, Glasgow High School; Megan Gandy, Hart County High School; Hannah Jacobs, Harvest Christian Academy; Tasia York, Monticello Independent School; Sarah Whisman, Montgomery County High School; Erica Martin, Ohio County High School; Danielle DiMuro, Simon Kenton High School; Traci Stewart, Powell County High School; Dean Muir, Trimble County High School; Emmanuel Nfor, Western Hills High School and Lauren Oberg, Westport TAPP.

Kentucky Poet Laureate Emeritus Richard Taylor, poet Crystal Wilkinson and poet Sarah Gorham will serve as judges. Special guest John H. Hewett Director of Development for the National Endowment for the Arts will also attend the Kentucky Finals and award the state’s finalists.

“Poetry Out Loud has been a wonderful opportunity to engage Kentucky high school students with great poetry and the literary arts,” said Kentucky Arts Council Executive Director Lori Meadows. “The Arts Council is pleased to be a part of this national program.”

For more information, visit www.poetryoutloud.org.

Lincoln Memorial University’s Mountain Heritage Festival, under the directorship of Kentucky’s own Silas House, is seeking entries for their 2007 contests in Young Adult Fiction, Short Story, Poetry and Essay. Guidelines here.

The Young Adult Fiction category will be judged by George Ella Lyon and the Poetry by Maurice Manning. $10 entry fee. Postmark deadline May 25, 2007.

The festival runs June 22-24, 2007.

Jar, the literary publication of the University of Kentucky Honors Program, is expanding. From their web page:

We have spent thirty years publishing the best work from upcoming young writers in Lexington, Kentucky.

This year, we’re thinking bigger.

The 2007 issue of Jar is our first-ever statewide issue. We know there is a large breadth of talent across our state, and we want to publish it. Kentucky has a long history of great writers; Jar wants to foster the next generation.

As part of that expansion, the Jar has announced the first annual Jane Gentry Vance Award in fiction and in poetry to be judged by Silas House and Maurice Manning.

For more information and an application form, visit the website.

Deadline is February 1. No entry fee that I can find.

Regular submission guidelines here.

Got a talkin’ blues or a dream poem?

Hibbing, Minnesota’s Dylan Days has a writing contest. No entry fee.

They have a Literary Night and also a poetry workshop that, in 2007, will feature the Poet Laureate of Duluth, Barton Sutter.

All this in celebration of Bob’s birthday. This year he’ll be 66.

Mick Kennedy sends e-mail:

The Heartland Review has extended the deadline for the 2007 Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize to Feb. 5. Plz go to http://www.elizabethtown.kctcs.edu/pubs/heartland/index.html for details.

We are also seeking artwork/photography and fiction for the summer 2007 issue.

Mick Kennedy, editor

Voting ends tomorrow at midnight in the Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll so click through to voice your choice for the best of the internet publications in categories ranging from horror to poetry. (I think they overlap sometimes.) Official rules are here.

Looks like fun. I found the listing in Hope Clark’s Funds For Writers newsletter. Beyond that I can’t speak to the integrity of this site.

You might also want to participate in the Third Annual The Pedestal Magazine readers’ awards:

During the months of December and January, we will be conducting our third annual “Pedestal Readers’ Awards” contest. This contest will recognize three works of poetry and one work of fiction that have been published in the past six “regular” issues (issues 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36) of The Pedestal Magazine. The contest is easy: you simply vote for your favorite work in each category (poetry and fiction) by sending an email to: pedestalreadersaward@yahoo.com. If you are a current donor (or make a donation before January 31) you may vote twice. All others may vote once. Any reader (i.e. visitor to the website) is eligible to vote. The voting will take place from now through January 31, 2007. We hope you will participate in this contest and show support for our published writers!

Prize moneys awarded for this one.

Mick Kennedy writes to remind us that the postmark deadline for Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize entries is January 10, 2007. Guidelines here.

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The National Federation of State Poetry Societies has posted guidelines for their 2007 College/University Level Poetry Awards. Entries must be mailed after January 1 and received before February 1. Guidelines here.

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Deadline for the Kudzu Poetry Prize is February 1. Guidelines posted here

KSPS Top Ten Reasons for Kids to Write Poetry

10. It’s like rap
9. You can impress your friends
8. Its a challenge to play with new words
7. Poetry is a rhythm thing
6. Hey, it doesn’t have to rhyme
5. Some of the most famous people in the world write poetry
4. It’s a great way to express your feelings
3. It’s the language of love
2. Poetry is cool
1. And the number one reason to write poetry? .. You can win CASH.

Each of the poetry categories listed below carries a cash prize for first, second and third place winners. Honorable mentions, presented at the discretion of the judge, will be recognized with a certificate. First, second and third place winning poems will be published in the student edition of Pegasus, the official publication of the Kentucky State Poetry Society and winning poets will be invited to read their winning poem at the KSPS convention held in October 2007.

As a special treat, winning poets will receive a t-shirt
Transfer saying, “I’m a Winner, Kentucky State Student Contest 2007.”

1. THROUGH A CHILD’S EYES — Grades 1-2 only
Prizes: $15/10/5 — Any subject, any form.

2. ON BOOK TRAILS — Grades 3-4 only
Prizes: $25/15/10 — Any subject, any form

3. ON GOLDEN GALLEONS — Grades 5-6 only
Prizes: $35/20/15 — Any subject, any form

4. JUNIOR HIGH POETS — Grades 7-8 only
Prizes: $45/25/20 — Any subject, any form

5. HIGH SCHOOL POETS — Grades 9-12 only
Prize: $55/30/25 — Any subject, any form

KSPS 2007 STUDENT CONTEST RULES

1. All poems submitted must be

• The original unpublished work of the student
• Not currently submitted elsewhere or received a cash prize in any other contest
• Titled except for haiku. Do not use the category name as the title of the entry
• Typed, photocopied, or computer generated on 81/2 X 11 plain white paper We will accept submissions that are clearly hand-written or printed.
• Single spaced one side of the page

2. LINE WIDTH: 56 characters (including punctuation and spaces)
3. LINE LIMIT: 32 lines or less
4. Students may enter only ONE poem

HOW TO SUBMIT POEMS

1. Send two (2) clear copies of each poem.

• On BOTH copies, place category name & number in upper left corner.
• On 2nd copy ONLY, in the upper right corner, place poet’s NAME & ADDRESS, AGE, GRADE, SCHOOL NAME and ADDRESS and TEACHER NAME. List email if available. (This is to permit us to contact/notify teachers and students of contest results.)

2. Mail all entries to

Carol Schwope
Student Contest Chair
PO Box 24
South Shore KY 41175
Phone #: 740-778-3214
Email: cjschwope@earthlink.net

3. Entries will not be returned.

4. Be sure KSPS guidelines have been followed in order to ensure eligibility.

The 2007 Kentucky State Poetry Society Student Poetry Contest is open to all Students.

Contest Deadline: March 1, 2007

Winners will be announced in April.

First, Second and Third Place winners will be published in the Student issue of PEGASUS, the official journal of KSPS.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Finishing Line Press is given annually for a chapbook-length poetry collection written by a woman who has never before published a full-length collection. Leah Maines will judge. All entries will be considered for publication. Submit cover letter, bio, SASE, and up to 26 pages of poetry with a $15 entry fee by February 15. 2007 (POSTMARK). In addition to the winner, up to 10 entries will be selected for the NWV series. The winner will be No. 50 in the series.

Finishing Line Press,
New Women’s Voices Chapbook Competition,
P.O. Box 1626,
Georgetown, KY 40324.

tel. (859) 514-8966.
email: FinishingBooks@aol.com
www.finishinglinepress.com

Note: My chapbook, Dance the Black-Eyed Girl, was #13 in this series. Also, for what it’s worth, February 15 is my birthday. So submit.