Though A Likely Story is my first full collection of poetry, it is not my very first published book of poems.
In 2012, I published a chapbook, Balance (White Violet Press).
This book follows a sequence of yoga poses developed by guru and yoga pioneer, B.K.S. Iyengar, to promote emotional stability.
A daily practitioner of Iyengar yoga, I wrote the book to honor Mr. Iyengar on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
The book contains 15 poems, one for each pose in the sequence, with drawings done by Nina Canal.
I was thinking that poetry fans should be able to visualize the poses, since the poems are so imagistic that they generally closely follow the shape of the asana (Sanskrit for pose).
For yoga afficionados, the book could well serve as a sort of instruction book, though of course one that was more impressionistic than technical.
It is available at Amazon.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Thursday, July 3, 2014
While I was waiting to hear about the publication of A Likely Story, I edited an anthology of poems inspired by public media--The Liberal Media Made Me Do It!, published by Ninetoes Press, a division of Lummox Press, and published in April 2014.
To read more about this book, go to Lummox Press.
I learned a lot in the process of editing this book about the business of putting books together and working closely with other writers and publishers too.
I was privileged to publish the work of many fine writers who had written poems about public radio and television, as I had.
In such an isolated business as writing, it is a pleasure to feel oneself part of a community, and to work together towards a common goal.
Visit the book's Facebook page, which is periodically updated: The Liberal Media Made Me Do It!
Particularly check out the interviews of contributors I do on a weekly basis.
To read more about this book, go to Lummox Press.
I learned a lot in the process of editing this book about the business of putting books together and working closely with other writers and publishers too.
I was privileged to publish the work of many fine writers who had written poems about public radio and television, as I had.
In such an isolated business as writing, it is a pleasure to feel oneself part of a community, and to work together towards a common goal.
Visit the book's Facebook page, which is periodically updated: The Liberal Media Made Me Do It!
Particularly check out the interviews of contributors I do on a weekly basis.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
A Likely Story, published by Moon Tide Press
It’s important to
note that A Likely Story, my first
full collection of poetry, is a first book.
Yes, it’s true that I’ve published a chapbook—Balance (White Violet, 2012). But a full
collection is different, especially since I waited my whole life to publish one.
I’ve been writing poetry as a serious pursuit (as serious as
any play can be) since I was a teenager, so why not before now?
I just simply knew the work was not ready. I was not ready.
I just simply knew the work was not ready. I was not ready.
I got two degrees in writing—the first at Hollins University
(then, Hollins College), where Richard
H.W. Dillard taught me the craft and he and Dara Weir set me off on the right path, and then, after a few
of the brief turns life threw my way, an MFA at UC Irvine, where I studied with
Charles Wright, Heather McHugh, and James McMichael.
But following that second degree, I didn’t write poetry again for 20 years. Instead, I
got a PhD in Comparative Literature at UC Irvine, writing a dissertation on
Vladimir Nabokov’s literary games, and thereafter settled in to teach writing
and literature as an adjunct in a few different places, as well as being a mom
and a caretaker daughter to two elderly parents.
In 2011, I found myself free—my son pretty much grown, my
job gone, and plenty of time to write.
So write I did. I turned out the three books you see above
in as many years, and also have a manuscript of ekphrastic poems, Together, in my back pocket. I hope it
will be published by next year or so.
A Likely Story is
composed of poems written during many different geological layers of my life,
but I found in all of them a common thread of narrative. So this is the theme
that I have used to construct the book, which is composed of nine different
sections related to the elements or themes relating to narrative, from “Tall
Ones,” to “A Cast of Thousands,” “Location, Location,” etc.
Some poems seemed to belong in a couple of different
sections at once, and so I made these the ones to open or close a particular
section.
The book went through eight different versions. Then a publisher who almost took version
seven told me that many of the poems’ endings were weak. And though it stung, I realized she was right,
especially after another reader told me the same thing.
They may have believed I was not up to the task of doing
anything about this, but I did. In a matter of a month or two, I rewrote many
poems, threw some out, put in new, stronger poems, and created the collection
that now exists.
A funny thing happened during that twenty years I was not
writing poems. I guess all that pent up poem energy made me a better writer,
more confident, more willing to try new things because I have never looked
back.
And I am thankful that people like my friend Marly Youmans,
a writer whom I very much admire, who has been a guide and model for my doings
as a writer, encouraged me to keep on going since I would never be happy unless
I was writing and also very pleased that the poetry community has embraced me
so generously and wholeheartedly.
Sometimes, even when it seems unlikely, a story can have a happy ending
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Robbi Nester
This is a sort of writer's page, rudimentary though it might be. You will find information about my books on these pages and also updates about events such as readings. I'll try also to put in links to my publications.
In fact, I can add a few of those right now.
Reviews and Interviews (my interviews with other writers)
New York Journal of Books, Reviews
http://www.swback.com/reviews/Alone-together-review.html
http://www.swback.com/reviews/play-those-funky-banjos-embreakdown-banjo-poemsem-.html
http://www.swback.com/interviews/poetry-performance-and-communication-interview-jud.html
Poetry
Danse Macabre
Qarrtsiluni, poems
Poems and Interviews: Feature on Prompt and Circumstance's Website
Another poem and interview--First Prize, Spring Poetry Contest, Prompt and Circumstance
Poetry Storehouse, "Fistulated Cow," read by Nic Sebastian
3Elements Review, "Fistulated Cow"
Poemeleon, "Note to Self"
Poemeleon, "Lemon"
Poetic Diversity,"Victim," "March, 2013"
Verse Junkies, "Home: Response to a Sculpture by Ira Joel Haber"
Broadsided,"Watching Sandy on the Weather Channel," with a painting by Ira Joel Haber
Northern Liberties Review, "Frankford Elevated Train"
Inlandia, "Southern California Apocalypse"
Inlandia, "Harvest"
Philadelphia Stories, "For Jennie Ketler"
Interviews with Me
http://promptandcircumstance.com/interview-robbi-nester/
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