Sent off the final galleys of “Spell of the Ordinary” to Finishing Line Press on January 11th.  It looks good and I’m glad to have it under wraps.  Well, almost.  Word is that it’s being sent directly to the printer but will be delayed a few weeks.  My guess is that it will be out sometime in February.  I’m told that any questions or concerns about orders can be addressed to missingbookorders@finishinglinepress.com (please include the title, author name, purchase date, and your name and shipping address).  My apologies to those of you who were kind enough to order.   I’ll keep you posted on progress as I hear more.

My thanks to David Dragone, Editor of Crosswinds, for selecting “White Poppies” for their spring issue, to Richard Smyth, Editor of Albatross, for selecting “Looking out at the Stream” for an upcoming issue, and to Lynn Parr, Editor of Curlew (Wales, U.K.) for selecting “Pulling Weeds” for their June issue.

Appreciated Editor Jonathan Heinenen’s introductory note to the Fall 2017 issue of Crazyhorse (out of the College of Charleston in South Carolina).  Commenting on the “fevered tempo” of bad news recently, he asks, “…how much making art matters when so much seems so grim.”  His conclusion bears repeating:  “Art isn’t some frivolous reflection or aimless escape.  It’s a way for us to understand each other, to imagine experiences we would never have first hand, and empathize with someone other than ourselves.  It’s something we need.  It’s the light that shines so brilliantly and helps us make sense of the world we inhabit.  It’s truth.”  This is a remarkable issue with standout work by Gary Soto, Wendy Chen, Wesley Rothman, Emily Skaja, and others.  I look forward to reading more.