Best of the Web: VPR Nominations

I am pleased to announce Valparaiso Poetry Review’s nominations for the upcoming Best of the Web anthology from Dzanc Books, an annual collection described as “representing in book form the best literary writing online magazines have to offer.” I have been privileged to report in the past that works from Valparaiso Poetry Review have been chosen to be among those published in previous editions of Best of the Web.

The editors invite up to three nominated works for submission by each online literary journal. As I have mentioned in the past, I maintain a high regard for every poem selected for publication in VPR, and I am reluctant to pick some pieces for honor over others. Indeed, I value all the poems and depend on all the poets in Valparaiso Poetry Review.

Yet, I welcome the admirable efforts of the editors at Dzanc Books as they bring attention to the growing number of fine works appearing in online magazines. Moreover, I have recently written about my belief that we are witnessing a coming of age for electronic literary journals, and I am confident publications like the Best of the Web anthology help raise awareness of the excellent quality existing in writings regularly witnessed in such online venues. Additionally, I am pleased whenever an opportunity arises for greater recognition of the contents in issues of Valparaiso Poetry Review.

Reviews of the 2009 edition of Best of the Web included the following:

“The book is heartily significant, featuring work that is sometimes surprising . . . and sometimes exhilarating—not unlike the Web itself. —Los Angeles Times

“The book both recognizes a wide range of quality online writing, and gives its readers a comprehensive look at the field from which its contents come—two characteristics of a good anthology . . . . Such a development could not have come at a better time for online literary publishing.” —New Pages

Therefore, I have offered the editors three poems for consideration from the most recent issue of Valparaiso Poetry Review, works that are eligible for Dzanc Books’ 2010 Best of the Web anthology, and I am pleased to report the following nominations:

Cornelius Eady: “Aretha Franklin’s Inauguration Hat”

Claudia Emerson: “Ground Truth”

Charles Wright: “I’ve Been Sitting Here Thinking Back over My Life . . .”

These poems appear in the tenth anniversary issue (Fall/Winter 2009-2010: Volume XI, Number 1) of Valparaiso Poetry Review, released earlier this month, and I again invite readers to examine the entire roster of writers in this wonderful issue.

I congratulate the nominated poets. At the same time, as I have in the past, I wish to express my appreciation to all the contributors whose works appear in the current issue of Valparaiso Poetry Review, as well as to those hundreds of poets published in VPR during its tenure of ten years. I am grateful for all the ongoing support Valparaiso Poetry Review has received from contributors and readers during its decade of publication, and I look forward to much more splendid poetry available to readers among the pages of VPR in the future.