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My darling darklings,

I had originally planned to release Comfort Chaos in October 2026. Unfortunately, a spectacularly unpoetic combination of computer problems and G-Drive issues ate up a significant amount of the time I had set aside to work on the book. I could rush to meet the original deadline, but I'm not going to.

I've lived with these poems for too long, and this book means too much to me, to release a version that's simply "finished enough" because I picked a date on a calendar....

The best poetry doesn't always live inside books. Sometimes it's tucked into a favorite song, sometimes it slips through a film's dialogue, and sometimes it takes the stage in velvet, fangs, and the swagger of an immortal rock star. Or, in this case, the brilliant actor Sam Reid, who has finally given me the Lestat I read on the page, all those decades ago.

While watching Interview with the Vampire, there was a moment that made the poet in me grin from ear to ear. Lestat sits at the piano and...

It is never easy for me to choose a cover. I almost always have a very specific idea. Then I have to use my words and stick figures to relay it to an artist and hope they see my vision as clearly as I do. There are other considerations as well. Will it look good in print? I wanted a red background for CAW: Poetry by a Murder of Writers but the proofs looked terrible. I did right by Echo, the CAW cover bird, by going with the much better looking blue background. That cover had at least 40...

Cleveland, OH — Poet and writer Stasha Powell, known for her vivid imagery, witch-touched lyricism, and emotionally resonant storytelling, has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize for her poem “Feathered Dislocations.” The nomination was submitted by Keeping the Flame Alive Press, recognizing the strength, originality, and emotional impact of Powell’s work.

The Pushcart Prize honors the finest poetry, short fiction, and essays published by small presses each year. Powell’s nomination marks a...

You can now purchase CAW: Poetry by a Murder of writers at Mac's Backs, Loganberry, and Spirit Apotheosis .

Caw: Poetry by a murder of writers is out now and can be purchased on Amazon. Today we also released a kindle version and in the next two weeks the hardcover version will also be out. https://a.co/d/8mcOXnF

All proceeds to benefit the Ohio Bird Sanctuary!

I'm happy to say that after working on this anthology for over a year that we have a release date! CAW will be available on October 3, 2024. We can't wait to share it with the world. The poetry is as beautiful and ecclectic as the murder that wrote them.

Thursday, August 22nd as we will be welcoming in poet and storyteller Stasha Strange to this edition of "8 Questions with......."

We will be chatting with Stasha about her poetry and writing as well as her other love which is photography.

She has had quite an interesting life and I'm sure she has drawn a lot of her experiences into her poems which makes them even more powerful and moving. Stasha will be sharing a few selected poems to read during our chat. We hope you'll join for this show and...

I had the amazing good fortune to get into the last poetry class Ron Whitehead was teaching. It was invaluable. He knows all the rules then breaks them which is part of his appeal, at least for me. He was friends with Hunter S. Thompson who said he was his favorite poet and he wrote a poem with the Dalai Lama that has been read by millions. This was a once in lifetime chance and I'm glad I was able to take it.

I not only had the great honor of hearing George David Clark, Ryan Wilson, and Matthew Buckley Smith read from their books tonight but I also read a rather intense poem I've been sitting on for quite some time. Afterward we all went to dinner together and talked about poetry. It was the kind of night you dream of. They were all generous with their time and their knowledge. I came home with three personalized books.

I drove out of town to meet the wonderous Rachel Wiley and to hear her read. She was on fire, as always. I was coerced into reading in front of her which I managed to do. Came home with yet another one of her books but this one was signed. I may have fangirled over here, just a smidge.