POETRY FROM PARADISE VALLEY

POETRY FROM PARADISE VALLEY
Click Image to Visit the Pecan Grove Press Web Page for Poetry from Paradise Valley

POETRY FROM PARADISE VALLEY web page

Poetry From Paradise Valley

Pecan Grove Press has released an anthology of poems, a sampling of works published in Valparaiso Poetry Review during its first decade, from the original 1999-2000 volume to the 2009-2010 volume.


Poetry from Paradise Valley includes a stellar roster of 50 poets. Among the contributors are a former Poet Laureate of the United States, a winner of the Griffin International Prize, two Pulitzer Prize winners, two National Book Award winners, two National Book Critics Circle winners, six finalists for the National Book Award, four finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award, two finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, and a few dozen recipients of other honors, such as fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, etc.

Readers are encouraged to visit the Poetry from Paradise Valley page at the publisher's web site, where ordering information about the book can be found.

Best Books of Indiana 2011: Finalist. Judges' Citation: "Poetry from Paradise Valley is an excellent anthology that features world-class poetry, including the work of many artists from the Midwest, such as Jared Carter, Annie Finch, David Baker, and Allison Joseph. It’s an eclectic and always interesting collection where poems on similar themes flow into each other. It showcases the highest caliber of U. S. poetry."
—Indiana Center for the Book, Indiana State Library

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

VPR Nominations for BEST OF THE NET 2008



The time of year has arrived once more when Sundress Publications considers nominations of poems published in online journals during the last twelve months for its annual “Best of the Net” anthology. As I have observed in the past, the editors of Sundress deserve praise for continuing to draw greater recognition to the presence of quality poetry online. Sundress already has released two earlier editions of the “Best of the Net” anthology, each including a number of remarkable works displaying both the wide range and fine quality of poetry now appearing in a multitude of Internet magazines. Readers can examine past selections at the Sundress Publications web page.

As I have suggested in previous posts to “One Poet’s Notes,” I maintain a high regard for every poem selected to be among those listed in the construction of a table of contents for each issue of Valparaiso Poetry Review. In fact, as the editor who accepted all the poetry, I feel placed into a difficult position when asked to choose some pieces over others to be nominated for any honor. Indeed, as an individual who has repeatedly expressed appreciation for every contribution to Valparaiso Poetry Review during nearly a decade of reading submissions, I value all the poems and depend on all the poets in VPR, many of whom I have come to know well and have admired over the years. Nevertheless, I must acknowledge and accept occasions that allow VPR’s deserving poets an opportunity to reach a larger audience through special recognition or possible inclusion in an anthology.

Therefore, I again have decided to adhere to the process I followed when making nominations last year, which includes noting the numerous comments (concerning poems appearing in VPR’s pair of recent issues) that I have received in correspondence from readers or submitting poets throughout the past twelve months. In this manner, I obtained a sense of readers’ response to the poetry in the two issues of Volume IX (Fall/Winter 2007-2008 and Spring/Summer 2008), which are eligible for the upcoming 2008 edition of the Sundress “Best of the Net” anthology.

Aided by those observations from VPR’s readers, I offer the editors of Sundress six poems for consideration selected from the two issues in Volume IX of Valparaiso Poetry Review, and I am pleased to announce the following nominations:

John Balaban: “Finishing Up the Novel After Some Delay”

Lynnell Edwards: “Suite for Red River Gorge”

W.D. Ehrhart: “Coaching Winter Track in Time of War”

Brent Goodman: “Monona Bay”

H. Palmer Hall: “Vietnam Roulette”

Kay Mullen: “An Dinh Palace”

I would like to extend my congratulations to the nominated poets. At the same time I wish to express my appreciation to all the contributors whose works have appeared in VPR this last year, as well as in past years. I also hope this post encourages readers to continue communicating their feedback on writings in the journal, commentary I always enjoy receiving.

In addition, I am grateful for all the ongoing support Valparaiso Poetry Review has received from contributors and readers during nearly a decade of publication. I look forward to much more fine poetry in the future from other contributors I hope readers will find equally as entertaining, engaging, and enlightening as those they have chosen to compliment in their past correspondence.

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