Announcement: Fifth Anniversary Celebration

Today represents the fifth anniversary of One Poet’s Notes, this editor’s blog for Valparaiso Poetry Review begun on January 11, 2007. Intended as a personal notebook of an editor or a poet’s journal that also presents commentary on contemporary poetry, this blog was created to complement content published in VPR and to help bring the fine works in the journal to the attention of a larger audience by announcing publication of new issues, as well as by consistently highlighting poems, essays, reviews, or interviews from the pages of VPR. In addition, the blog has often provided readers with news items and additional information relating to poetry, poetics, or various aspects of other related arts.

During the past five years, which have been eventful for VPR, this blog chronicled celebration of a tenth anniversary for Valparaiso Poetry Review with its special issue in the fall/winter 2009-2010 issue. Throughout last year, One Poet’s Notes also reported about publication of Poetry from Paradise Valley, an anthology of poems selected from the first decade of VPR, which was released at the very end of 2010 and remains available for purchase from Pecan Grove Press at its web page.

In addition, 2011 saw publication of my latest collection of poems, Tinted Distances, as well as an audio and print chapbook of my poetry, Dark Refuge. Moreover, I was pleased to note that Poetry from Paradise Valley and Seeded Light, my book of poems released in 2010, were both selected as finalists for the 2011 Best Books of Indiana award, offered annually by the Indiana Center for the Book at the Indiana State Library, which marked the first time two volumes written or edited by an individual were selected in the same year.

When I first wrote entries at One Poet’s Notes five years ago, I had no idea how many notes I might eventually add to the blog or how many individuals might be attracted to the web site. In fact, I honestly held a fair amount of uncertainty about how long I would maintain the habit of posting pieces to the blog or whether others might find the content in my offerings at all appealing.

As a result, I am amazed today to point out that there have been more than 800 posts to One Poet’s Notes over the past four years, and statistics indicate an incredible total of about 800,000 visits to the blog. Consequently, this has enhanced the number of people examining pages of Valparaiso Poetry Review, thus supplying a greater readership for the many superb poets published in the journal.

I have mentioned at various times that the popularity of One Poet’s Notes has been assisted by the beneficial recognition and respect demonstrated by others, especially the excellent authors whose works are represented in the pages of Valparaiso Poetry Review or those members of the online literary community, fellow editors or bloggers, who have frequently and generously exhibited their support for VPR, as well as by kind readers continually recommending to others that they ought to visit this site.

The blog has evolved over the five years of its existence, including more audio or videos of readings and interviews with poets. A weekly photo entry was introduced in 2011, which has led to the development of a new photography blog initiated this week for archiving the images, and I invite readers to visit it. Moreover, despite the title of this blog, content has expanded recently to include coverage of fiction alongside the poetry with appearance of the premiere issue of Valparaiso Fiction Review released in December of 2011. I urge everyone to examine the wonderful works of short fiction in this new literary journal.

I am delighted by this chance to again communicate a statement of thanks to all who repeatedly have been readers of One Poet’s Notes. I hope you will continue to return regularly to discover entertaining and enlightening entries. I express my appreciation for the time you have taken to view this blog and for the numerous comments of encouragement I have received from visitors during the past five years. Indeed, I offer a wholehearted note of gratitude to each of you.