BOA Blog

[caption id="attachment_1038" align="alignnone" width="241" caption="Barbara Jane Reyes. BOA Poet. Photo by Peter Dressel."][/caption] Commonwealth Club recently announced the finalists to their California Book Awards. Included among the finalists is Barbara Jane Reyes’s Diwata. The award goes to work of exceptional literary merit by California writers and publishers. The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum, bringing together its more than 18,000 members for over 400 annual events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy. Founded in 1903, The Commonwealth Club has played host to a diverse and distinctive array of speakers,...

As the 10th annual A. Poulin, Jr. contest comes to a close, we are preparing for the next. BOA Editions is excited to announce that the judge for the 11th annual A. Poulin, Jr. contest will be Cornelius Eady! Cornelius Eady was born in Rochester, NY.  He along with Toi Derricote co-founded Cave Canem, a cultural institution whose importance can hardly be understated. Cave Canem is a non-profit organization that serves black poets of diverse backgrounds and has been an essential part of the literary landscape. Cornelius Eady is the recipient of the Prairie Schooner Strousse Award, a Lila Wallace-Reader's...

[caption id="attachment_1017" align="aligncenter" width="196" caption="This New & Poisonous Air. Stories by Adam McOmber."][/caption] A Cappella Zoo recently published one of the first reviews of BOA author Adam McOmber's new collection of short stories, This New and Poisonous Air. Among other high praise, reviewer Colin Meldrum likens McOmber's writing to Edgar Allen Poe, Angela Carter, and Phillip Pullman. Using magic realism, historical setting, and narrative, Meldrum confirms that McOmber's "realism is in the believable, familiar settings and characters; their magic is in the subtle presence of other realms, piquing an eerie sixth sense in the reader." He recommends it to lovers of...

Poetry Daily, an online contemporary poetry anthology, chose Ece Temelkuran as their featured poet for Wednesday, March 9.  They also named "Squirrel," a poem from her most recent collection Book of the Edge, their poem of the day.  The daily poems are selected for their "literary quality" and offer a way for people to see the wide range of poetry published annually, perhaps leading a reader to his or her new favorite poet. Ece Temelkuran, a poet and journalist, has published 8 books of poetry, prose, and nonfiction and is considered one of Turkey's most accomplished young writers.  Book of the Edge explores the connection between all living beings,...

Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre has named Cecilia Woloch's poem "Anniversary" its Weekly Poem for March 7th.  "Anniversary" comes from Woloch's most recent book Carpathia, a striking collection of poems that examines the human condition. The Poetry Centre is run by the English Department at Oxford Brookes University, and it sponsors various events each year to promote poetry in the community.  One of their many goals is to help develop connections between poets and their readers.  The Weekly Poems come from a wide range of styles and are written by both new and established writers.     Read "Anniversary" and past weekly poems here