Free Books for Big Poetry Giveaway 2014

It's time for the annual Big Poetry Giveaway that Kelli Russell Agodon started five years ago, in order to introduce and share poetry and call attention to some of the poet blogs that are still active in the face of twitter and facebook soundbytes.

All you have to do is leave a comment and email on this post to be entered
(or make sure I can get in touch if you win or check back after the drawing).

It's a good way for people to hear about some shareworthy poetry books (and maybe even win a few) and also to learn about some of the interesting writer blogs that might be worth following.

The Existentialist Cookbook will be my first book-length collection and it is due out this Summer from NYQBooks. This will be the first giveaway copy I promise to send out, as soon as it gets released.

Miscellaneous things about me:

Most of my influences stem from the music and films of my teenage years. In my head, the ghosts of Kurosawa, Antonioni, and Bergman are always dancing to the music of the Flaming Lips, Chris Cornell and Soundgarden, Dinosaur Jr, Mark Lanegan, etc.

Some of my favorite poets are Charles Simic, Denise Duhamel, Beth Ann Fennelly, Jeffrey McDaniel...

I host a monthly reading series at Glendale Community College.
I also co-host the Caffeine Corridor Poetry Series (with Jack Evans and Bill Campana) every 2nd Friday at {9} The Gallery in downtown Phoenix.

I have read at a wild assortment of places and events, including street parades, university theaters, hair salons, laundromats,  museums, and between punk bands in bars.

In fact, I recently did a reading in the middle of a MUTANT PINATA exhibit (http://batteredhive.blogspot.com/2014/03/literary-oddities).

There are already more than 30 blogs participating this year and each of them has chosen different books to raffle off. You can enter as many different drawings as you'd like.

You can see what books are being given away on other blogs, by checking the list at Kelli's page http://ofkells.blogspot.com/2014/04/so-many-poets-participating-in-big.html

You may discover some helpful/useful blogs to follow throughout the rest of the year.
Some of the blogs I bookmark and check frequently:

Diane Lockward- http://www.dianelockward.blogspot.com/
Kelli Russell Agodon - http://ofkells.blogspot.com/
Sandy Longhorn - http://sandylonghorn.blogspot.com/
Drew Myron - http://www.drewmyron.com/off-the-page
Scott Woods - http://scottwoodsmakeslists.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/list-1-test/
The Storialist - http://thestorialist.blogspot.com/

Let me know if there are any poetry blogs you recommend.

So feel free to leave a comment and enter this drawing (which will be held in the first week of May).

Since my own book won't be out until later this year, I will also give away one copy of the debut issue of Four Chambers Magazine. I think they are off to a great start and they are the press that is putting together cool happenings like the aforementioned Mutant Pinata Show.

May the poetry be ever in your favor.