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· Taalam Acey
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· Ruan Wright
· Tim Yu
· Yvonne Zipter
· Claire Zulkey

Get a free copy of JOMP 15 on June 5

****** Click to learn about BROOKSDAY !!! ******

POETRY CRAM INFO

CLICK HERE FOR A POETRY CRAM TICKET

Judging Has Now Commenced For the Following:

*The Contemporary American Poetry Prize (CAPP) Grand Prize of $468.

*The CAPP Silver Prize of $234 and the CAPP Bronze Prize of $117.

Four Contemporary American Poetry Prize Honorable Mentions.

The Second Journal of Modern Poetry Book Award Selection.

Book Award Runners-Up manuscripts (will receive automatic re-entry into the JOMP 16 Book Contest).

The Poet Laureate of Rhyme Award and Poet Laureate of Rhyme Runners-Up.

All Awards will be announced at the Poetry Cram on June 5 at the Chopin Theater and then online.
Click Here for more info about the Poetry Cram from Chopin Theater.

DIRECTIONS TO CHOPIN THEATER / PARKING INFO

Good luck JOMP 15 Contestants!

Click Here for detailed information about the JOMP 15 Poets.


		The Huge 2013 Poetry Cram Schedule of Events Posted by : cj on Monday, May 20, 2013 - 02:04 PM
		194 Reads . On Wednesday, June 5, at 7 PM, the Chopin Theater at 1543 W. Division Street will host Poetry Cram, a marathon reading by 56 poets in celebration of the release of Journal of Modern Poetry Volume 15 (JOMP 15). The event will be MC'ed by Chicago poet CJ Laity. You can get a complimentary ticket to the event by clicking here for a pdf file. For directions to the theater and information about parking click here. For detailed information about the featured poets as well as other poets featured in JOMP 15, please click here. The following is the program schedule for the big Poetry Cram. Note: Click Here for the complete schedule for the MASSIVE Chopin Theater event. 347 More words


		Announcing the 78 JOMP 15 Contestants Posted by : cj on Wednesday, May 08, 2013 - 12:07 PM
		1112 Reads . The following 78 poets have been accepted for publication in Journal of Modern Poetry 15 (JOMP 15) and as a result their poetry has now been entered into the contest portion of the project. Three of them will receive Contemporary American Poetry Prize (CAPP) cash awards ($462, $231, and $115.40 based on percentages of the entry donations collected); four of them will receive CAPP Honorable Mentions; one of them will be crowned the "Poet Laureate of Rhyme"; and one of them will receive the second JOMP Book Award and will receive a two year publishing contract through Chicago Poetry Press. Many of the following poets will also appear to read their selected work at the Poetry Cram at Chopin Theater on Wednesday, June 5, 7 PM. Ladies and Gentlement: Meet the JOMP 15 Poets! Note: Click Here for the entire, detailed list of JOMP 15 Poets. 4706 More words


		Now Available: Clever Gretel, by Jennifer Dotson Posted by : cj on Saturday, March 23, 2013 - 01:30 PM
		1665 Reads . Clever Gretel by Jennifer Dotson 8.5" x 8.5", 96 pages Chicago Poetry Press $12.00, ISBN-13: 978-0615769646 Chicago Poetry Press is pleased to announce the release of Jennifer Dotson's wonderful new book, Clever Gretel, the first Journal of Modern Poetry Book Award Selection. For a limited time Chicago Poetry Press is offering copies of Clever Gretel for its cover price of $12 with only 99¢ shipping (within the United States), when ordered directly through the publisher via PayPal (allow a week for delivery). Click Here to take advantage of this special offer! Click Here to order more than one copy with free shipping. Click Here to have your copy shipped outside of the United States. You can also pick up your copy of Clever Gretel at one of these upcoming events: On Saturday, April 27, Chicago Poetry Press held the Official Book Release Event for Clever Gretel at Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State Street, during the annual Poetry Fest that included a Clever Gretel book signing in the main lobby. Other Poetry Fest highlights included a panel discussion moderated by Chicago Poetry Press publisher CJ Laity and a reading by Campbell McGrath. Thursday, May 23, 7 PM. Clever Gretel Reading and Book Signing. Highland Park Public Library, 494 Laurel Avenue, Highland Park, presents Jennifer Dotson reading from Clever Gretel. Wednesday, June 5, 7 – 9 PM. Poetry Cram. Jennifer Dotson will be one of dozens of poets celebrating the release of Journal of Modern Poetry Volume 15 at Chopin Theater, 1543 W. Division. Check ChicagoPoetry.com for free ticket giveaways. Friday, June 14, 8 PM. Clever Gretel Reading and Book Signing. Highland Park Poetry at The Art Center, 1957 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, presents Jennifer Dotson reading from Clever Gretel. Sunday, June 30, 12:20 PM. Clever Gretel Reading and Book Signing. Illinois State Poetry Society at Brewed Awakening, 19 W. Quincy Street, Westmont presents featured poet Jennifer Dotson. $7 cover includes coffee and pastry. PRAISE FOR CLEVER GRETEL "In Clever Gretel, Jennifer Dotson’s poems transform the straw of everyday womanhood to that which glows with the luminosity of simple truth. Utilizing a playful sense of the magically real, she sleuths for meaning-- in misplaced glasses, in the chipped veneer of Art Deco dressers, in the empty jar of celery salt, in her nightmare “plummet into space.” As a reader I peered through the window of Jennifer's words into the grace of family life and her 'fortune shone on me.'" Maureen Tolman Flannery, author of Ancestors in the Landscape "Clever Gretel explores life's loves, losses, anxieties and joys in a voice sagacious yet candid enough to discuss acne over a latte. Even Dotson's forays into the worlds of mythology and superheroes stay grounded in the contemporary problems of junk mail and low-carb diets. In one poem the speaker says of the Muse, 'I don't remember what she looks like'-- but you will certainly find her here in this refreshing debut." Tania Runyan, author of Delicious Air (Finishing Line Press). ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jennifer Dotson received her B.A. in English Literature & Theatre Arts from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and her M.F.A. in Drama from the University of Virginia. She is the founder and program coordinator for HighlandParkPoetry.org. She leads creative writing and memoir classes for the District 113 Continuing Education Program at Highland Park High School. Chicago Poetry Press supports the continued production of books that are made out of paper and that are read from a page; this is why Clever Gretel is not currently available as an e-book. Chicago Poetry Press promises to publish quality poetry, beautifully published and reasonably priced. Click Here to support our independent publishing by purchasing our most current title. 647 More words


		Urban Sandbox Joins Forces With Hairpin Arts Center In Logan Square Posted by : cj on Friday, December 14, 2012 - 01:47 AM
		1239 Reads . On Thursday, December 13, 2012, the popular open mic. performance poetry series Urban Sandbox closed its ninth season with a showcase of talented Chicago poets as well as a preview of its new venue at Hairpin Arts Center on the second floor of 2800 N. Milwaukee in Logan Square. Hairpin is a big, bright, beautiful space with wonderful acoustics. It looks like the Urban Sandbox collective has made a fantastic partnership with Hairpin's Voice of the City Program, guaranteeing an exciting tenth season for the long running series. Urban Sandbox is an all-ages (emphasis on all-ages) showcase of poetry, hip-hop free verse, music and all combinations thereof. For the last decade it has bounced around from home to home, never losing its steam even while losing some of its venues. On the first night in their new venue, there was an impressive open mic. featuring nearly a dozen top notch poets and musicians. After the open mic., the collective featured Lamar Jorden, who appears in the documentary film Louder Than a Bomb. Lamar carried with him a positive message in his poetry as well as in his songs, and that was inspiring and refreshing. Following Lamar came the self-described Emo group Everything's Alright, a four person band with harmonious vocals and songs so addictive I couldn't help humming them to myself long after the show was over. The 2013 Urban Sandbox season begins with a ten year anniversary celebration to take place at 7:30 PM on Valentines Day, and then the show will continue on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 9 to 11 PM (sign up begins at 8:30). At five bucks, it's a real bargain, and did I mention it's all-ages? . Note: If you're on the homepage, click here for some photos of the open mic. poets. 310 More words


		Photos From JOMP Poetry Cram at Viaduct Theater Posted by : cj on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 - 01:18 PM
		1436 Reads Note: Click Here to check out some images from the recent big poetry bash at Viaduct Theater. 168 More words


		2013 Pushcart Prize Nominations Announced Posted by : cj on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 - 11:15 PM
		3272 Reads . ChicagoPoetry.com is proud to present the winning poem in its 2012 Best Modern Poem Contest as well as the six poems selected for 2013 ChicagoPoetry.com Pushcart Prize Nominations. The following seven honored poems (along with the poetry of 56 runners-up) appear in Journal of Modern Poetry (JOMP), a 100-page, perfect bound volume, which is the fourteenth installment in the Poetry Cram series, published by ChicagoPoetry.com Press. In addition, the recipient of the Best Modern Poem Award received a $200 cash prize. The honored poets and poems are . . . Note: Click Here to find out who received these honors and to read the selected poems. 1758 More words


		Wide Range Of Poetic Voices Appeared For Poetry Scene Bash Posted by : cj on Thursday, October 04, 2012 - 11:47 AM
		2241 Reads . On Wednesday, October 24, at 7 PM, the Chicago Poetry Scene converged for a one night only performance at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave, to celebrate the release of Journal of Modern Poetry, the fourteenth edition in the Poetry Cram series. Some of the most talented as well as lettered poets in Illinois read samples of their work in this prestigious event. The event was free and open to the public. Note: Click Here to learn more about the poets who were showcased at this, the biggest poetry event of the year. 2305 More words


		ChicagoPoetry.com Announces Largest Edition of Poetry Cram Ever Posted by : cj on Monday, September 17, 2012 - 01:58 PM
		2591 Reads . THE CRAM 14 POETS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN CLICK HERE to order a copy of JOMP. ChicagoPoetry.com is pleased to announce that 71 poems, written by 63 poets, from Chicago and 20 other Illinois cities, and from 13 states across the country, as well as from the UK, Romania and Ecuador, have been chosen as runners-up in the Poetry Cram 14: Journal of Modern Poetry (aka, JOMP) competition. JOMP is a 100 page 6' x 9' perfect bound volume of poetry with a full color glossy cover that was released on October 24 at the huge Chicago Poetry party at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave, from 7 to 10 PM. Over thirty poets featured in JOMP read for the event. The event was FREE and open to the public. For more information about the theater please click here. All 300 copies of the first run of JOMP were given away free to the contributing poets as well as to audience members at the event, and now JOMP is available through an extended run for $12: CLICK HERE. The winning poems have been selected as well: CLICK HERE. Congratulations go out to the Poetry Cram 14 poets! Note: Click Here to find out who made the cut!! 834 More words


		Chicago Poet Jacob Saenz Wins Ruth Lilly Fellowship Posted by : cj on Friday, August 31, 2012 - 12:50 PM
		1460 Reads . Local poet Jacob Saenz has received a $15,000 scholarship through the 2012 Ruth Lilly Fellowship sponsored by The Poetry Foundation and Poetry Magazine. Among the largest awards offered to aspiring poets in the United States, the $15,000 scholarship prize is intended to encourage the further study and writing of poetry and is open to U.S. poets between 21 and 31 years of age. Saenz's winning manuscript was one of five selected by Poetry Magazine editors from more than 1,000 submissions. Jacob Saenz was born in Chicago and raised in Cicero, Illinois. He earned his BA from Columbia College Chicago. Saenz received the Letras Latinas Residency Fellowship in 2011, currently serves as an associate editor for RHINO, and works at a library. He has published poems in Apparatus Magazine, Columbia Poetry Review, Great River Review, Poetry, RHINO, and other journals. Saenz's work will be featured in Poetry Magazine’s November issue and on www.poetryfoundation.org. 156 More words


		The Ultimate Chicago Poetry Anthology Is Here Posted by : cj on Monday, June 04, 2012 - 09:24 AM
		4872 Reads . Poetry Cram: The Ultimate Chicago Poetry Anthology ChicagoPoetry.com Press' Beststeller 440 pages, $22 ChicagoAnthology.com Click Here to purchase (free shipping). Click Here to read the FOREWORD written by CJ Laity. Click Here to read comments by the authors. Featuring poetry by: Alfa Rodriguez * Allison Lizcano * Almira Astudillo Gilles * Amber Groomes * Amy Srodon * Andrea Uptmor * Andrew Rafalski * Angelika Teuber * Angelique Williams * Angie Tomcik * Ann Perbohner * Anna Husain * Anne Wesley * Antonia Clark * Beth Staas * Bianca Teresa Cappetta * Bonnie Kepplinger * Bonnie Pignatiello Leer * Brendan Thomas * C. John Graham * Camille Rose Castillo * Carol Brockfield * Carol L. Gloor * Casey Derengowski * Catharine J. Jones * Chance Corbeil * Charlotte Digregorio * Charlotte Hart * Cheyenne Demus * Chris Mack * Chris Reid * Christine Cassello * Chuck Joy * CJ Laity * Clare McCloskey * Clarke Canedy * Colleen D. Storiz * Colleen Mcmanus Hein * Cynthia Gallaher * Cynthia Pfeiffer Stell * Dan Cleary * Daniel Weinberg * David Breeden * Davy Corbett * Debka Colson * Deborah Nodler Rosen * DeJuan Dunn * Dianalee Velie * Diane Anjoue * Divya Rajan * Dizzy Costales * Don Ward * Donna Eder * Donna Kiser * Donna Pecore * Doree McNulty * Dred Sista Ren * Duane R. Christianson * Edith Willis * Ellen Savage * Frances Buckley * Gail Goepfert * George Korolog * George McKim * Gerard Sarnat MD * Ginger Rubinstein * Giuliano A. Fontanez * Glenn Ferdman * Homer Smith * Infamous * Itala Langmar * Jailene Hernandez * Jamie Lynn Perry * Jasminum McMullen * Jason Sturner * Jayson Nessi * Jeanette A. Jordan * Jeffrey Allen * Jenna Augustine * Jennifer Dotson * Jennifer Santana * Jenny Santellano * Jessica Lane * Jill Eisnaugle * Jim Graham * Jim Lambert * Jo Stewart * John Brooks * Jose Bono Rovirosa * Joseph S. Spence, Sr. * JoyAnne O'Donnell * Judith Mk Tepfer * Judith Wiker * Julian T. Brolaski * Julie M. Tate * Kaleb Hoffer * Kami Andridge * Kate Schlachter * Kathy Lundy Derengowski * Kayleah Jewel Porter * Khadijah Kysia * Kim Berez * Kohar Jones * Kristin LaTour * Larry O. Dean * Laura L. Koenig * Laurie Blum * Laurie Lee Didesch * Laurie Slicer * Lillian Jordan * Lina Chern * Linda Kaban * Linda Leedy Schneider * Linda M. Bendorf * Liz Paveza * Lorraine Brown * Lorraine Harrell * Louise Mathewson * Lynn Veach Sadler * Marcia J. Pradzinski * Margaret Dubay Mikus * Margie Skelly * Marian Kaplun Shapiro * Marianne Schaefer * Marilyn Kraus * Marilyn Peretti * Marissa Brawn * Marita DeMarinis * Martin Willow * Mary Chapman * Mary Krane Derr * Mary Langer Thompson * Matthew Polk * Michael Ethan Landau * Michael H. Brownstein * Michelle Brinckerhoff * N. Barry Carver * Nancy J. Heggem * Nathaniel Terrell Jones * Neal Whitman * Norman Nanstiel * P.S. Cottier * Pamela Borovich * Pamela Larson * Patrick Kijek * Patty Dickson Pieczka * Paul Buchheit * Paul Stewart * Peg Nichols * Peter Rodenby * PJ Destin * Rabi' Akbik * rachel levy * Rae Timothy * Reggie Legend * René Ostberg * Renée Szostek * Richard Ilnicki * Rob Baker * Robert Coté * Robert Klein Engler * Robert Nixon * Robin Goldberg * Rod Reinhart * Salud Martinez * Sandra Posadas * Sandra Santiago-Posadas * Sandy Goldsmith * Sara Gove * Scott McFarland * Sean Spellman * Shannon Byers * Sharon Ankrum * Sharon Bentley * Sheila A. Donovan * Shermin Izadpanah-Kruse * Shirlee Sky Hoffman * Shontay Luna * Stella Vinitchi Radulescu * Steve Mayfield * Susan Beall Summers * Susan T. Moss * Susanne Donoghue * Suzanne Seed * Tania Ahlin * Tara Keogh * Ted Recio * Terri M. O’Hara * Thomas Foote * Tim Kucharski * Timothy A Schuler * Timothy Schnoor * Tinamarie Penn * Tom Roby * Valisa Benson * veronica precious bohanan * Vito De Meo * Wendy Brown-Baez * Wilda Morris * Yoo Chang * Zachary Kluckman * Zann Carter Note: . 1949 More words


		Chicago Post Office Dedicates New Poetry Stamps Posted by : cj on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 02:44 PM
		1274 Reads . Postal employees to read work of Gwendolyn Brooks, Sylvia Plath, e.e.cummings and other major poets during Chicago Public Library’s Poetry Fest. There has always been poetry in the mail – love letters, greeting cards, and verses submitted to magazines for publication. Now, there’s poetry on the mail, as the U.S. Postal Service recognizes the enduring work and influence of ten major American poets. The Chicago Post Office will hold a local dedication of the “Twentieth-Century Poets” stamp sheet Sat., April 28 during the Chicago Public Library’s Poetry Fest, at the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St., in the Video Theater beginning at 12 noon. The sheet of 45-cent First-Class Forever stamps, which went on sale April 21, honors Elizabeth Bishop, Joseph Brodsky, Gwendolyn Brooks, E. E. Cummings, Robert Hayden, Denise Levertov, Sylvia Plath, Theodore Roethke, Wallace Stevens, and William Carlos Williams. Chicago postal employees – including several with extensive local performing and writing credits – will read selections from the featured poets. Each stamp features a photograph of one of the 10 poets. Text on the back of the stamp sheet includes an excerpt from one poem by each poet 195 More words


		Poetry Cram Volume 13: The Contemporary American Poetry Prize Winners Posted by : cj on Monday, April 02, 2012 - 10:38 AM
		2978 Reads . THE CAPP AWARDS Congratulations go out to the Winners of the 2012 Contemporary American Poetry Prize competition. The cash awards are based on percentages of the entry fees collected during the submission process, making this, the inaugural CAPP contest, one of the largest cash prizes for poetry in the Chicago area. The Grand Prize Winner receives $524, Silver Prize Winner $131, and Bronze Prize Winner $65.50. In addition, three poets have been selected to receive Honorable Mentions for their outstanding work, and twenty poets have been selected as Runners Up, whose work ChicagoPoetry.com is proud to showcase in a print edition of Poetry Cram 13 that will be given away free at this year's Chicago Public Library Poetry Fest as well as here, in this, the very first online edition of Poetry Cram. Please click on the poets' names below in order to read the winning poems, and you can also download your own printable copy of Poetry Cram 13 in pdf format (see instructions below). All work published at ChicagoPoetry.com is copyrighted. Feel free to link to it but please don't republish without permission. G r a n d P r I z e W I n n e r Linda Leedy Schneider S I l v e r P r I z e W I n n e r Duane R. Christianson B r o n z e P r I z e W I n n e r Chris Reid H o n o r a b l e M e n t I o n s Sheila A. Donovan * Deborah Nodler Rosen * Laurie Blum R U N N E R S U P Khadijah Kysia Cynthia Pfeiffer Stell DeJuan Dunn Donna Pecore Marian Kaplun Shapiro John Brooks Gail Goepfert Liz Paveza Peg Nichols Margaret Dubay Mikus George Korolog Jasminum McMullen Pamela Larson Patty Dickson Pieczka Yoo Chang Lynn Veach Sadler Susanne Donoghue Jennifer Santana Tinamarie Penn Neal Whitman Download Instructions: In order to download your own print copy of Poetry Cram Volume 13, CLICK HERE to open the pdf file in your browser. Use the disk icon on top of the file to save a copy to your computer so that you can forward it to all your friends. Use the printer icon to print it up (preferably double sided) and then staple it. Wallah!! Won't work with your old browser? Email me at Publisher@ChicagoPoetry.com and I'll send back a copy. Judge.** This year's CAPP judge was Charlie Rossiter, host of the audio website PoetryPoetry.com, who is an NEA Fellowship recipient and three-time Pushcart Prize nominee. He is the author of four books of poetry and numerous chapbooks, including The Night We Danced With the Raelettes and All Over America: Road Poems (FootHills Publications, 2009), which is based on 60,000+ miles or road trip experiences throughout U.S. and Canada. He is also the co-author of the book Back Beat, of which Lawrence Ferlinghetti said: "Back Beat beats everything for being beater than the Beats." Rossiter's poetry has also been featured on National Public Radio, the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey as well as at the Chicago Blues Festival. He has led poetry workshops all over the country. PoetryAward.org is proud to have Mr. Rossiter serve as the judge for the inaugural Contemporary American Poetry Prize. Sponsor. PoetryAward.org and the Contemporary American Poetry Prize is sponsored by CJ Laity, twelve year veteran publisher of ChicagoPoetry.com, curator of the Poetry Cram Magazine contest and twenty year host of poetry events and festivals for such distinguished venues as the Chicago Public Library, the Poetry Foundation's Printers Ball and the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair. Check back autumn 2012 for details about the 2013 CAPP Contest. 712 More words


		Review of City Of The Big Shoulders, Ryan G. Van Cleave (University of Iowa Press) Posted by : cj on Sunday, March 04, 2012 - 05:34 PM
		3454 Reads . . City Of The Big Shoulders An Anthology of Chicago Poetry Edited by Ryan G. Van Cleave University of Iowa Press Reviewed by CJ Laity I've been anticipating the release of City Of The Big Shoulders (An Anthology of Chicago Poetry) for some time, so I was thrilled to come home after raiding the last two hours of the AWP Conference's bookfair to find that the University of Iowa Press was kind enough to send me a complimentary copy. The next day I sat down and eagerly read the 151 pages of poetry written by 99 different poets and I must say, I'm not in the least bit disappointed. In fact, I really love this anthology. Note: Click Here to read the entire review. 2104 More words


		Piano Rats by Franki Elliot (Cubside Splendor) Review Posted by : cj on Wednesday, February 08, 2012 - 07:41 PM
		2971 Reads . piano rats by Franki Elliot Curbside Splendor Publishing Reviewed by CJ Laity This review contains some adult language. Curbside Splendor certainly has been making some splashes around town. The buzz: it is the up and coming Chicago lit publisher. The fact that Curbside has now taken over the 33-year-old Another Chicago Magazine from Left Field Press certainly isn't going to hurt their momentum any, and despite the cover of ACM's Issue #50.2 (the second in the Chicago series) drawing attention to the poets themselves rather than the art of literature, if what is contained within is even half as impressive as Issue #50 this should seal Curbside's fate as a Chicago publisher that we can depend on for years to come. So, it's about time I take a look at one of Curbside's titles. I'll take a look at piano rats by Franki Elliot, having received a copy for being the 1000th person to "like" Curbside's Facebook page (no kidding). I'll review this title in my usual way, the way I've been reviewing poetry for the last twenty years. I won't look at piano rats from the perspective of some graduate student trying to impress you with a bunch of fancy incomprehensible mumbo jumbo. Instead, I'll discuss the poetry in piano rats in layman's terms. In other words, I'm going to give it two readings and then I'm going to simply let you know what I think about it. Fair enough? Note: Click Here to read the full review of Piano Rats. 1627 More words


		The Poetry Slam Celebrates 25 Years With Battle Of The Sexes Posted by : cj on Sunday, July 31, 2011 - 08:22 PM
		4713 Reads Note: Oh no, you didn't miss the Poetry Slam Anniversary Party at Metro, did you? Really? Why? Well, luckily I was there and took some photos. Check them out! 1578 More words


		The Big Poetry Cram 11 Giveaway Posted by : cj on Sunday, May 01, 2011 - 01:12 PM
		4109 Reads Note: Once again it was standing room only at Cafe Ballou for ChicagoPoetry.com's poetry show. Here are photos of some of the top poets of Chicagoland reading for the Poetry Cram. 607 More words


		Point Nemo by CJ Laity Now Available Posted by : cj on Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 10:29 AM
		7441 Reads . What people are saying about Point Nemo. Read the review by simonovitch. I REALLY ENJOYED POINT NEMO. I love all the dry humor--plentiful throughout. For instance, a line involving wild roses and children throwing stones made me laugh out loud. The novel is very dream-like and cool and CJ Laity sets himself up with a difficult task-- a story within a story within a story but he handles it all so well and with such clarity there is never any confusion. --Sue Cargill, Chicago Point Nemo launches CJ Laity into the company of futuristic writers like HG Wells, Jules Verne, Aldous Huxley and Ernest Callenbach; he also channels Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels in his exploration of a rogue island nation. Laity poetically provides readers with a procession of characters and events at once Utopian and dystopian, all prophetically written as parallel narrative to today's tumultuous headlines. --Carlos Cumpián, author of Armadillo Charm (Tia Chucha Press) CJ Laity has created a work of speculative fiction that is entertaining, engaging and a perceptive piece of social commentary with a twist of an ending I guarantee you will never guess. --Charlie Rossiter, co-author of Back Beat 'Point Nemo' by CJ Laity is a sharp and funny satire of the insanity that passes for contemporary American political and media sensibility in all of its collapsing imperial goodness. --Larry Winfield, author of Banjo Strings Thoroughly enjoyed Point Nemo, especially the end!! --Julia Hattory, Houston, Texas Point Nemo delivers an early twenty-first century dystopian novel, and an apt allegory for our times, with a twist. The artfulness of the narrator-protagonist ensures a cracking pace to the story . . . --Tara Keogh, Chicago Joseph Engel is convicted of treason and strapped to a gurney in the Terre Haute federal death chamber. When the warden asks him if he has any last words, Joe begins talking non-stop, telling the strange tale of how he ended up there, challenging the warden to quote him a law that puts a time limit on a prisoner's final statement. What happens when a populated island called the Sovereign Nation of Aurora is discovered at Point Nemo, the point in the ocean farthest away from any land? What happens when the king of the island, a dreadlocked man named Harmon, hacks into the entire American communications infrastructure with a video stream offering a trade proposal? What happens when an America controlled by an insane government plots to invade the island and turn it into a military base? What happens when a senator's cook named Joe unwittingly finds himself the American Ambassador to the island? Joe is going to tell you what happens, as he stalls his execution as long as possible. Can Joe talk his way out of the death chamber? Order Point Nemo: $12 even PayPay 497 More words


		ACM's Chicago Issue Is Finally Here! Posted by : cj on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - 06:17 PM
		4154 Reads . Another Chicago Magazine #50 v.1 The Chicago Issue Left Field Press Reviewed by CJ Laity I first heard the call for submissions for ACM’s Chicago Issue over a year ago. It promised to deliver a “playful jab” at Granta, a journal that was first published in 1889 at Cambridge and that was reinvented in 1979 as a magazine of new writing. Months before the ACM open call, Granta had come out with its own “Chicago issue” that was released locally with a lot of hoopla, hoopla that was quickly drowned out by critics who complained of its “lack of Chicago writers.” Throughout 2010, ACM 50 became less of a playful jab and more of a labor of love for Editor-In-Chief Jacob Knabb and for the other ACM staff, as they set out to create something that showcased the local lit scene as it really exists, not as some publication located in London imagined it exists, so I think it is rather fitting that I picked up my copy of ACM at the recent Indie Lit Road Show, which was sort of a mini-bookfair held at Green Lantern Gallery, where several reps from our lit scene showcased their publications as a blizzard raged outdoors. Note: Click Here to read the full review. 1283 More words


		Six Poets Nominated For Pushcart Prizes Posted by : cj on Saturday, December 11, 2010 - 11:27 AM
		4193 Reads Note: ChicagoPoetry.com is proud to announce that six poets from the new publication Cram Volume 10 have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes. Click Here to read the nominated poems. 1160 More words


		Night Of The Living Poets at Cafe Ballou Posted by : cj on Sunday, October 24, 2010 - 11:49 AM
		3496 Reads Note: . On Saturday, October 23, 2010, some of the most talented poets in Chicago came out to Cafe Ballou, 939 N. Western Ave, to join in the ChicagoPoetry.com sponsored Night Of The Living Poets. It turned out to be one of the strangest, weirdest, most entertaining poetry events of the year. I had the pleasure of hosting 16 poets who each read five minutes of their creepiest work. Here are some photos from the event. Click Here for the photos! 472 More words


		CHICAGO POETRY CONTEST Posted by : cj on Friday, August 14, 2009 - 11:59 AM
		13496 Reads Note: 7826 More words


		OPEN CALL: HOW TO GET YOUR POETRY PUBLISHED NOW Posted by : cj on Sunday, April 20, 2008 - 09:50 AM
		62973 Reads Note: This is your chance to get published in one of Chicago's most popular poetry periodicals, POETRY CRAM. Here are the details. 7849 More words



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