Spec House of Poetry

Out Now - The 3rd Annual SFPA Poetry Contest - 2008: Energy

2009-06-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

The 3rd Annual SFPA Poetry Contest - 2008: Energy is now available from Spec House of Poetry and The Science Fiction Poetry Association. The top 25 poems from the 2008 Contest, edited by W. Gregory Stewart, Marcie Lynn Tentchoff, and Scott Virtes, including poems from Colleen Anderson, Megan Arkenberg, Elizabeth Barrette, Elizabeth Bennefeld, Robert Borski, Marion E. Boyer, Scot Brannon, Nadia Chaney, William Copeland, Peg Duthie, M. Frost, Kacey Grannis, J.W. Heazlitt, Dev Jarrett, Lois P. Jones, Miranda Morley, Elizabeth Penrose, Frances Shi, & Rhian Waller.

New Bits And Pieces Review

2009-05-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Just passing along a new review of Greg Schwartz's Bits and Pieces that recently appeared on The Harrow. Schwartz's broadside Bird Ku is still available so buy it!

Bits and Pieces

Review © 2009 Dru Pagliassotti
Creative Commons License
This review is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Bits and Pieces
Greg Schwartz
©2007, Spec House of Poetry

Night Falls

night falls
like a curtain
on a quiet inn
deep in the woods.
the perfect setting
for a horror story
if only
the damn birds
would stop chirping.

(—Greg Schwartz, Bits and Pieces
reprinted with permission of the author)

Not too many poets turn their hand to horror, and fewer do it well enough to get published consistently, but Greg Schwartz's collection Bits and Pieces proves it can be done. The collection contains 15 snippets of the horrific that Schwartz sold to various venues over a five-year span, 2003-2007, including poems that run from the not-so-unusual love poetry to the undead to a quirkier, more original world of predatory trees and, above, cheerfully irreverent birds.

"Night Falls," a 2008 Rhysling Award nominee, is my favorite in the collection, as it confounds the reader's usual horror-collection expectations. Indeed, that's one of Schwartz's strengths as a horror poet; he's much like the birds he describes in "Night Falls," his dry sense of humor offering a humorous counterpoint to horror's oftimes drearily chilling atmosphere. We see Schwartz's humor emerge most notably in "Night Falls," "Danny, Danny," "Lying in Wait," and "The Monster in My Closet," as well as in other poems in this collection. These short, smile-coaxing works scattered amid the darker poetry add greatly to the chapbook's charm and undoubtedly contributes to Schwartz's success in getting his work published.

Bits and Pieces is a limited-edition chapbook with a cardstock cover illustrated by Cathy Buburuz. Schwartz blogs at Haiku & Horror . His poem "Under the Bed," not included in this collection, was published in The Harrow's anthology Midnight Lullabies.

Rhysling Award Nominations 2009

2009-03-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

2 poems published this year by Spec House have received Rhysling Award nominations. Charles Gramlich's "[faint]", from Wanting the Mouth of a Lover, and Terrie Leigh Relf's "[eruptions]", from The Shantytown Anomaly #7.
Congratulations Charles and Terrie!

Schwartz on Gramlich

2009-01-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

Spec House author Greg Schwartz (who has a new broadside out by the way, scroll down) has written a review of Charles Gramlich's Wanting the Mouth of a Lover. I thought I'd pass it along here...

Review: Wanting the Mouth of a Lover by Charles Gramlich
Wanting the Mouth of a Lover is a chapbook of 23 dark haiku by Charles Gramlich, a name well-known by the many fans of his Talera novels. The poems in this collection tend toward the vampirific (if that's a word), but there are some other just plain creepy ones, like this little gem:

faint
laughters
clowns
in
the
dark

Gramlich seems quite at ease writing haiku. Each poem is given its own page, which might anger tree-huggers, but I happen to think it's the best way to present haiku. They are also written in the vertical Japanese style, which you don't see very much of these days. I can only think of one other poet who uses that style consistently.

The chapbook was originally available in a regular and deluxe edition, but the deluxe edition (which came signed, hand-numbered, and hand-stitched) sold out within a week. The regular edition is still available, and it contains an introduction by the author that touches on both the poems in the book and the haiku form itself.

black
soul
aches
in
the
night
she
comes

Gramlich is a skilled speculative poet. His poems have appeared in Dreams & Nightmares and The Shantytown Anomaly, among other magazines, but Wanting the Mouth of a Lover is his first collection of poetry. Hopefully there will be more.

Copies are available from Spec House of Poetry for $5 plus shipping.

Reviewed by Greg Schwartz on his Haiku & Horror blog.

OUT NOW-- Greg Schwartz - bird ku

2009-01-20T21:04:00.000-08:00

Greg Schwartz's broadside bird ku is now available. This is a super limited run of 16 copies, hand numbered, with individually hand painted envelope covers. $3.00.

The Shantytown Anomaly #7 OUT NOW!!!!!

2008-10-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

Too long have we waited for the new issue of TSA, but now it is finished and ready to ship. Great poetry from Deborah P. Kolodji, David C. Kopaska-Merkel, Kendall Evans, Greg Schwartz, Matthew Lee Bain, John J. Dunphy, Corrine DeWinter, Melodie Bolt, Tom Conoboy, Gu Xie, Charles Gramlich, Terrie Leigh Relf, G.O. Clark, and many others. Buy a copy from the releases on the sidebar.

Hurricane a'Comin' Part 2

2008-09-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

It seems like we just did this a week ago, but it looks like a second hurricane will be running us out of town again. All orders have been sent, any new orders will be sent promptly when I get back in town.

Hurricane a'Comin'

2008-08-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

Due to the emergence of Hurricane Gustav, my family and I are splitting town for a few days. We will hopefully be back the first of next week. Orders during this time will be delayed slightly, but don't let that stop you from buying something. I will ship out everything as soon as I get back, provided there's a house still attached to my mailbox .

Bits And Pieces Review, TSA Blurb

2008-08-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

There is a new review of Greg Schwartz's Bits and Pieces over at Cleveland Poetics. Big thanks to Joshua Gage for the review.

Also at Cleveland Poetics, there is a blurb about The Shantytown Anomaly, and the big sale we are having over at the TSA blog. There are also some very nice words said about Issue #3, which is one of my favorites. Be sure to check it out.

In The Works

2008-08-07T16:01:00.000-07:00

Time to announce some new projects that we'll be releasing in the very near future....

Greg Schwartz - bird ku
bird ku is the new release from Greg Schwartz, author of Bits and Pieces. bird ku will be a very limited edition broadside featuring new haiku. These broadsides will be hand-numbered, and come in matching envelopes with hand-painted covers. Each copy will be unique. We'll have a cover image up in the next week or so.

The Shantytown Anomaly - Issue #7
After a short hiatus the new issue of The Shantytown Anomaly will be here soon. In the meantime go and check out the new TSA website for a special deal on back issues, 5 for $5. We're not here to make money people, just poetry.

There is also a plan in the works to release five new broadsides together as part of a series. These five will probably be grouped together for some sort of package as well. I can't really confirm any of the authors yet, but the short list is exciting. There are a few spots still left open for a couple of these broadsides, and we are accepting submissions. Send a few poems to spechouseofpoetry@yahoo.com.

And lastly one small hint... Kendall Evans & David C. Kopaska-Merkel.
Stay Tuned.

Wanting the Mouth of a Lover: Deluxe Edition SOLD OUT

2008-07-27T14:03:00.001-07:00

We are sold out of the deluxe edition of Charles Gramlich's Wanting the Mouth of a Lover. This was a one time only special pressing, but copies of the regular edition are still available, same poems, same price. The regular edition also includes an introduction by the author detailing the book's origins and information on the form of the haiku.

Gramlich is in: Evans is sold out...

2008-07-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

Both the Deluxe and regular edition pressings of Charles Gramlich's Wanting the Mouth of a Lover are now available for purchase on the sidebar. We unveiled the books yesterday at BabelCon in Baton Rouge where Charles and I were panelists. Charles did a reading of a few poems and signed books for the audience. We also had a good time reading a few poems from other Spec House releases including Greg Schwartz's Bits and Pieces...a definite crowd pleaser.

Also the last copies of Kendall Evans' E.A. Poe's The Electro-Mechanical Raven were snatched up, and it is now SOLD OUT. If you missed this exquisite and very short-run folded broadside, shame, shame. Look for more of these short-run specialties from other Spec House authors in the future.

New Releases by Charles Gramlich

2008-07-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

Charles Gramlich's Wanting the Mouth of a Lover is now available in regular and deluxe edition pressings. Wanting the Mouth of a Lover is a collection of horror haiku poems presented in the Japanese vertical style.

The Deluxe Edition is a special pressing of 9 copies, hand-numbered, hand-stitched, and signed by the author, unveiled in time for Charles' appearance at BabelCon in Baton Rouge, LA, July 19-20.

Here are a couple of poems from this collection:

soft
vapor
trails
their
last
breaths

wanting
the
mouth
of
a
lover
dark

tongues
licking
grooves
scoured
by
teeth

Kendall Evans' "E. A. Poe's Electro-Mechanical Raven" Out Now!!!

2008-04-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

A new broadside by Kendall Evans is now available. E.A. Poe's Electro-Mechanical Raven is a clever imagining of Poe's (theoretical) late years. This broadside is printed on metallic stock with cotton parchment fold-outs, hand-made, hand-numbered and limited to 18 copies. Ultra-collectible.
SOLD OUT

2008 Spec House Rhysling Nominees

2008-04-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

Spec House of Poetry releases received four Rhysling Award nominations this year. Congrats to all the nominees and good luck!

Rhysling Award Nominees
Short Poem Category:
Greg Schwartz, "Night Falls", from Bits and Pieces (SPEC-09)
Constance Cooper, "The Cyburbs", from The 2nd Annual SFPA Poetry Contest, 2007: Sonnets (SPEC-15)
Rita Janice Traub, "Tribute to an Astronaut", from The 2nd Annual SFPA Poetry Contest, 2007: Sonnets (SPEC-15)

Long Poem Category:
Kendall Evans, "The Riddle of the Sphinx", from Poetry Red-Shifted in the Eyes of a Dragon (SPEC-06/SPEC-07)

New Releases

2008-03-30T11:18:00.000-07:00

Two new books are out now...

The 2nd Annual SFPA Poetry Contest - 2007: Sonnets

Edited by W. Gregory Stewart, Marcie Lynn Tentchoff,& Scott Virtes

The top 26 entries of the 2007 sonnet contest, as determined by the judges. This collection has recieved two Rhysling Award Nominations, Constance Cooper's "The Cyburbs" and Rita Janice Traub's "Tribute to an Astronaut".

The Shantytown Anomaly #6

Edited by J. Bruce Fuller

The new issue featuring poems by Kendall Evans, Berrien C. Henderson, David C. Kopaska-Merkel, J.D. Nelson, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Stephen M. Wilson, John J. Dunphy, s.c. virtes, Greg Schwartz, and many more.

Kendall Evans Postcard Sale

2008-03-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Kendall Evans' Star Birth Postcards have been a big success, and we are now offering a bulk package at a ridiculous price. 10 copies for $2. These are great to give out to your friends, and now you can afford to.$2.00 (+$1 S&H)

In other Kendall Evans news, The Deluxe Edition of Poetry Red-Shifted in the Eyes of a Dragon is officially sold out!

New Releases

2007-12-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

We have two new releases out now from Spec House:

Greg Beatty - Phrases of the Moon
Phrases of the Moon is an intricate poetic journey of a Lunar Colonist's visit to Earth. Through his eyes, we see the Earth and the Moon in a new light, told in exquisite and powerful language. New poems, along with poems previously published in the genre's top publications. Includes the 2005 Rhysling Award winning poem, "No Ruined Lunar City."

Get It Now - $6

Kendall Evans - Star Birth
Postcard/Broadside featuring Kendall Evans' "Star Birth", which appears in his chapbook Poetry Red-Shifted In The Eyes Of A Dragon. Beautifully laminated and fully mailable, limited to 185 copies.

Get It Now - $1

Kendall Evans Review

2007-09-11T08:39:00.001-07:00

A stellar review of Kendall Evans' Poetry Red-Shifted In The Eyes Of A Dragon has appeared in the new issue of Star*Line (Issue 30.4 July/August 2007). Kendall also has a poem in this issue as well so be sure to pick up a copy. SFPA/Star*Line Website

2007-08-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

Bits And Pieces Review

2007-08-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

Whispers of Wickedness has just posted a review of Greg Schwartz's chapbook Bits And Pieces. Check it out HERE.

Black Petals #41 will also be spotlighting Schwartz's book, so pick up a copy of this great zine if you can.

A Welcoming

2007-08-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

I want to officially announce the addition of two new authors to the Spec House family, Greg Beatty and Charles Gramlich. Both Beatty and Gramlich have been on the spec poetry scene a while, and both are prolific and decorated writers.

The first release by Greg Beatty will be Phrases of the Moon, a chapbook exploring how a poet from the moon would look at life on earth. This collection includes the Rhysling Award winning poem, "No Ruined Lunar City".

Charles Gramlich will make his Spec House debut with Wanting the Mouth of a Lover, an outstanding chapbook of experimental haiku. Any scifaiku fan will want to get a copy of this one.

Both books will be out in the next few months if the release schedule holds.

Spec House Broadsides #1 & #2

2007-08-06T08:51:00.000-07:00

Out Now from Spec House of Poetry

2007-08-06T07:48:00.000-07:00

BabelCon 2007

2007-08-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

I attended BabelCon in Baton Rouge this weekend and was a part of a Genre poetry workshop with fellow poets Charles Gramlich and Robin Mayhall. The three of us are a part of a promotional brochure called Aurore Australe (Southern Lights), which has poetry from each of us. This brochure is available in the Spec House Store and is only $0.01 (in other words free, the penny is just to get the store front to recognize the product). Pick up a copy or two, they look incredible.

Chapbook Trades

2007-08-06T07:32:00.000-07:00

Any authors or publishers that wish to trade their releases for Spec House titles please e-mail us at spechouseofpoetry@yahoo.com

Readercon 2007

2007-06-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

For anyone who will be in the Boston, MA area the first weekend of July, I will be attending Readercon 18. I will be reading poetry at the Rhysling Slan on Saturday and attending the Rhysling Awards ceremony that night. I will be working the Science Fiction Poetry Association table in the Dealer's Room sometime on Saturday. Come on by and say hi. I will have with me all the current Spec House releases, including the new issue of The Shantytown Anomaly (#5) and the new chapbook from Greg Schwartz, Bits And Pieces.

http://www.readercon.org

The Shantytown Anomaly #5 OUT NOW!!!!!

2007-05-18T10:53:00.000-07:00

The new issue of The Shantytown Anomaly is out now and available in the SPEC HOUSE STORE and at the Genre Mall. This is our 1st ever COLLABORATION ISSUE. Here's the table of contents...

2007 COLLABORATION ISSUE
"Recursion" - Kendall Evans & David C. Kopaska-Merkel
"Lost Worlds" - Jane McKie, Andrew C. Ferguson & Andrew J. Wilson
"Heirloom" - Karen A. Romanko, Marge Simon, Jennifer Crow, Wendy Rathbone, Scott H. Urban, Chris Ambrose, Deborah P. Kolodji, Jacie Ragan, & David C. Kopaska-Merkel
"Radioactive By-Product Buried Near An Earthquake Zone" - Pugnacious Jones & Kevin L. Donihe
"Princess P, In A Spin" - Kendall Evans & David C. Kopaska-Merkel
"SF Contessa" - Kendall Evans & Scott E. Green
"The Quest" - Amy Nawrocki & Eric D. Lehman
"The View From Here" - Andrea Gradidge, oino sakai, Mary MArgaret Serpento, Teri Santitoro, Deborah P. Kolodji, Charles Lucien, & Lucinda Borkenthagen

Scifaiku:
"The Barrens In Virgo" - Deborah P. Kolodji & Ann K. Schwader
"Out Spacewalking Today" - ushi & oino sakai

Features:
"Editor's Note" - J. Bruce Fuller
"Introduction To Renku" - Deborah P. Kolodji

Illustrations by
Cathy Buburuz

Evans Update

2007-04-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

Kendall Evans' "Poetry Red-Shifted in the Eyes of a Dragon" is now available for sale at the Genre Mall and The SFPA Authors Bookstore.
SFPA Authors Bookstore
The Genre Mall

The book has gotten a lot of praise so far, and the first batch of review copies have been sent out, so you'll hear about the critic's reactions here, when they start coming in.

Kendall Evans "Poetry Red-Shifted In The Eyes Of A Dragon" OUT 3-30-07

2007-03-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

Kendall Evans' debut chapbook "Poetry Red Shifted In The Eyes Of A Dragon" will be officially released on Friday, March 30th, 2007. There is also an ultra-limited Deluxe Edition that will be released at the same time as the regular edition. This deluxe version is limited to 25 signed and hand-numbered copies on sage green cardstock with matching envelopes. The Deluxe Edition will also have additional and exclusive cover art by Cathy Buburuz.

Both editions will retail for $5.00 and will be up for sale in the Spec House store on the release date. http://www.spechouseofpoetry.com/store

Here are some things people have been saying about this incredible work:

"Kendall Evans is one of speculative poetry's most audacious experimenters."
--Mike Allen, Editor of Mythic Delirium, and former SFPA President

"Evans speaks the language of the fantastic, from astral imagery to myth, and beyond.
From the subtle “Binary” _(‘entangle your spirits flesh with mine/ in spider-veined nebulae/ of deepest space and time’_), to the resounding “Beatrice, Cockatrice”, (_‘Beatrice, your cold eyes stone me’_), Evans makes his poems sing. Long or short, he crafts each poem skillfully, often with a touch of magic. Superbly recommended."

--Marge Simon, author of Like Birds in the Rain, and editor of Star*Line

New In Spec House Distro - 3-5-07

2007-03-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

SPEC-05
Spec House Broadsides #1

OUT NOW - $0.01 ppd

Features highlights from the first four issues of The Shantytown Anomaly, including poems by Kendall Evans, Greg Beatty, Deborah P. Kolodji, Charles Gramlich, J.D. Nelson, Wil Hale, David Salisbury, Guy Belleranti, & Berrien C. Henderson.

D-13

Succubus Lover Muse - by Thomas Zimmerman
OUT NOW - $4.00 ppd

D-12

Reconstructed Demon Dreams - by Thomas Zimmerman
OUT NOW - $4.00 ppd

D-11

Music The Damned Can Dance To - by Thomas Zimmerman
OUT NOW - $4.00 ppd

D-08

Dreams And Nightmares #76 - Edited by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
OUT NOW - $5.00 ppd

We have also added subscriptions for Dreams And Nightmares as well.

Kendall Evans Chapbooks out in March

2007-03-01T07:41:00.000-08:00

Kendall Evan's debut chapbook, "Poetry Red-Shifted In The Eyes Of A Dragon" will be released in March by Spec House of Poetry. There will be a Deluxe Edition (SPEC-06) of this book, signed and hand-numbered limited to 25 copies, on sage green cardstock with matching envelopes, plus extra artwork by artist Cathy Buburuz. Extremely Limited! These will sell out quick, so keep an eye out for a sale date.

The regular edition (SPEC-07) will be released at the same time. Both releases have an introduction by Deborah P. Kolodji, and amazing artwork by artist Cathy Buburuz.

More releases are on the way from Greg Schwartz, David C. Kopaska-Merkel, and more...

Mailing List

2007-02-10T08:10:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to get a mailing list started for those interested in Spec House news and release announcements. If you want to be added to the list just shoot an e-mail to us at spechouseofpoetry@yahoo.com . Put "Mailing List" in the subject line...

I'll be announcing our next release very soon. I can tell you that the next chapbook is by an incredible writer, who is long overdue, and it will be a great book. I can also promise an extremely limited deluxe edition of this one, hand numbered and signed. They will go fast so get on the mailing list and find out first!

New In Spec House Distro

2007-02-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

D-07

The Ruined City - by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
OUT NOW - $6.00 ppd

New in Spec House Distro

2007-02-05T11:38:00.000-08:00

D-05
Dragon Lust - Edited by Deborah P. Kolodji

OUT NOW - $0.39 ppd

D-04

What Is Scifaiku? - Edited by Deborah P. Kolodji
OUT NOW - $0.39 ppd

Both of these are informational broadsides put out by The Science Fiction Poetry Association. They are free, you just pay the cost of a stamp to send them out.

We have also added subscriptions for The Shantytown Anomaly as well.

Welcome...

2007-02-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new Spec House of Poetry site. This is a temporary site-- we will be moving to our .com address as soon as the site is finished.

Spec House Distro is online and open for business! http://www.spechouseofpoetry.com/store