november '24

making up for the lack of stuffing at my thanksgiving table by giving y'all this supersize newsletter

news

it turns out i have a lot to report this month, so i’ll go ahead and take it away!

• it’s here! my full-length poetry collection this book will not save you is now available from dogleech books in print and digitally

• published poem: “hot sugar” in DOG TEETH

• published pieces: “journal (takes #18, 22, 29)” in BRUISER

• published piece: “journal (take #6)” in Discount Guillotine

• published artwork: “greenway” in Libre

• published poems: “c-ptsd as witcher senses” and “eulogy as manifesto for thriving” in Allium’s Fall 2024 issue

• published poems: “a chainsaw whirrs through february air” and “pushing pixels” in Identity Theory

• published pieces: “journal (takes #14, 15, 33, 36)” in Corporeal Lit

• featured poem: Philly Poetry Chapbook Review chose my poem “copper” (from salt box) as November’s featured poem

• published pieces: “journal (takes #3, 8, 9)” in Anodyne Magazine Issue 4

• published poems: “mo(u)rning” and “red clay” in underscore_magazine Issue 4

• published poem: “election day” in new words {press}’ citizen trans* {project}

• reading: you may remember this, but my book tour is coming up! here are a few dates you can catch me reading from this book will not save you.

  • first, i read at Night Light for the second time on thursday night and it was recorded!

  • 11/24, 7pm: reading at The Club Car (Baltimore) with Rahne Alexander and Natalie Sibiski

  • 12/3, 7pm: FRUITCAKE presents fête des fruits: a book launch event and queer holiday soiree at 2640 Space (Baltimore)

  • 12/8, 2pm: reading at The Potter’s House (D.C.) with Alex Carrigan and Katherine Schmidt

  • 12/14, 2pm: reading at Wooden Shoe Books (Philly) with Veronica Bennett and Kat Giordano

notes

transgender day of remembrance was this past wednesday. (coincidentally, also fifth wheel press’ fifth birthday.) recently, i’ve been thinking about what it means to be trans right now. that aspect of my identity will always be something i’m proud of, as i feel like i’ve fought hard to be here. but in this exact moment? i also desperately want cisgender people to understand the role they play in the safety of trans people. i’ve written about this before, but it feels like it keeps coming out in this moment. so i wanted to share a few trans pieces i can’t stop thinking about.

• “I Turn Off My Phone For Self Care But History Keeps Happening” by Evelyn Berry, published in manywor(l)ds

• “a portrait of my love on her knees” by Bazil Bradford

• “trans poetica” by

  SG Huerta
  , published in Split Lip Magazine

• “POEM IN WHICH I READ TRANS” by

  cav/ar
  , published by JAKE

• “four score” by Hank Cunnington, published in new words {press}

• “Us versus Them, Them versus Us” by Amber Isaac, published in Infrarrealistas Review

• “Waiting for you to die so I can be myself” by Danez Smith, published by Poetry International

• “THE MOST HOLY DAY OF THE TRANSSEXUAL CALENDAR” by Nora Hikari, published in beestung

• "An incomplete list on TDOR” by Alex Cregan, published in en*gendered lit

• my poem, “things are constantly happening,” published in All My Relations

sneak peek

on break this month—not much beyond some collages to show, and i’m saving those! check back next month.

friends

• call: manywor(l)ds reopens on December 1 for general subs (always open to reviews, translations, (multi)media work, and subs from SWANA communities)

• release: doing something a little different this time and spotlighting a few small press catalogs. as we head into holiday shopping season, consider spending your book money with small presses and not our corporate overlords.

  • first up, kith books just released their downloadable catalogue. when you’re done reading that, head to their webstore and add your favorites, or just contact them—they have a no-questions-asked ebook distribution policy for those in need.

  • the venn diagram of fifth wheel press, kith, and Querencia Press authors and contributors is rapidly approaching a circle. indeed, these are two of my favorite places to find new books. Querencia’s equally sizable, equally excellent catalog delivers in every genre, hybrid work included and welcome.

  • recommended by editor wK of kith and heartily cosigned by yours truly, Ethel Press: “From the craftsmanship to the content to the attention to detail, if you love books as objects and treasures, Ethel is goals.”

  • other recommendations i have/received from others, but did not have the space for a full blurb: tRaum Books, Emma Press, A Moonlit Café, fifth wheel press (heh), themselves press, Ghost City Press, Barrelhouse

current events

here’s what i’ve been reading, watching, listening to, and playing.

• books: the churn of the holiday season at my day job + the churn of the end of the semester¹ means i haven’t been reading much outside of individual pieces in literary magazines. but i am DYING to dig into my copy of Bluff by Danez Smith when i get a second… does that count?

• tv: Daria (rewatch)

• games: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

• current playlist

finally

i’m slowly trying to find my people on bluesky. give me and the press a follow, if you would?

1. oh yeah, did i mention i’m adjuncting now?