Katie's Blog

Yesterday was both eerie and fascinating. You see, I've been wildly busy lately, hence, my dearth of blog posts. I'm working on finalizing The Garden of Dresses which is set for release on March 2nd. Going through proofs and galleys, edits, and I kind of restructured the entire thing from my original plan. So it's been a challenge. And not only that, but I've been planning my "talk" and reading for the panel I'm moderating. I've spent the past few days watching YouTube videos of AWP panels, learning what to do and what not to do. And then there's my collection, The Garden Uprooted , that's demanding bits and pieces of my attention and time. And the characters in my novel refuse to shut up and learn that there's a time and place for them, and that time and place is not now. So I have to keep writing their story X-D And this is all of my writing stuff, my "Extra curricular" because on top of all this I'm working two...

Because I know you're just dying for more information, right? The chapbook, The Garden of Dresses , is set for release on March 2, 2012 which happens to be the day I arrive at AWP. My publisher's set up a book signing for me at the book fair, which I am beyond excited about. I'll be at the Bordersenses/Papagayo table S3 at 3pm. Come say hi! I promise not to swindle you into buying books. I cannot promise, however, that I won't hug you. I'm a hugger. You've been warned! And then of course, I've got my panel to moderate the following afternoon. Nerves! Nerves! Nerves! Oh my goodness gracious.  Feeling very overwhelmed at the moment... I can't complain, it's all good -- but it's a lot to process.

So I know I promised this year I would grow that writerly thick skin I need... you'd think that after all the rejection letter's this girl's received in her lifetime, I would be over it. I'd be tough. ::Flexes:: and... you see, I thought I was but... but... but... I guess I'm not. Today I got a certain rejection letter and it's stinging a bit more than I thought it would. So what to do, what to do, to rid myself of these rejection blues? Normally I: 1. Toss a few submissions out into the universe This normally works in making me feel better because, well, it helps me to have many balls in the air at once. That way, I'm never really counting on just one journal/publisher/job. So, maybe that's what I need to do to shake this ugly feeling. 2. Create Ah yes, there's nothing better than creating to rid one's mind of this. In fact, lately, I've been turning to my novel whenever life isn't working out how I'd like it to. I do...

Now wait just one fantastical moment... I never blogged about getting my second blurb. So now, how can I blog about my third one? Gwah. This blurb getting business is driving me nuttsos. Katie is proud to announce that she is relieved to now have 3 blurbs, which is enough to not look pathetic. Yay! And ::drum roll please:: here they are! "With her deft, sensuous, jaunty, and vital poems Katie Hoerth makes a smart debut in The Garden Uprooted. From “How To Marry a Prince” to "Breakfast with Fur" to “Not the Sonnet You Dream Of,” the poet mixes fairy tale images with visceral descriptions in this sexy—and crafted—first book that keeps turning preconceptions inside out." Molly Peacock, author of The Paper Garden and The Second Blush “Ripeness is all” in these poems where mangoes, melons, and pomegranates redden and fall into the dry soil of south Texas to be eaten, to rot, or to bury their seeds. Against this lush and fertile backdrop, a clear-ey...

Pretty ok I guess. I think right now might be a good time to check on my progress X-D Especially on that resolution for accumulating 100 rejection letters. We're about 10% of the way through the year, so in theory, I should have 10 rejection letters? And maybe a few acceptances? Let's check it out! "Katie's On A Rejection Mission!" 6/100 Rejection letters Ok so maybe I'm not doing so hot in this department. I need to kick it up a notch ;) BAM! LOL. Sure why not. But how about acceptances? I mean, I don't really have a goal for acceptances, but so far in 2012 I've received acceptance letters from 3 different markets! X-D For 5 different poems. So that's exciting! My ratio is starting off pretty good, I suppose. I say it's easier to look at markets rather than indivitual poems. So that makes me 3 acceptances/ 9 responses. 33%!!! Hey I'm feeling better about 2012 already. Here's to hoping there's more exciting things to ...

So maybe I've mentioned before that I write book reviews for BOXCAR Poetry? Maybe I hadn't -- but my first review is live! Check out the latest issue here  along with my review of Stacy Gnall's debut book of poetry, Heart First Into the Forest . I learned that writing a book review is pretty darn time consuming. It takes multiple readings of an entire book to really get a good feel for it. And then there's piecing everything together, figuring out what your "strategic location" (harharhar sue me I'm reading Said ATM) is in relation to the text, and then there's actually writing. All of it takes a lot out of a little poet... but it is, indeed, a supremely worthy endeavor. Why? For one (and probably most important) it makes YOU a better poet. Getting that intimate with another person's text teaches you a lot about what works, and what doesn't. From writing this review, I learned a lot about the importance of macro structure, of "anc...