Sunday, December 18, 2011

Poetry in Australia

In biology, isolation results in advantageous adaptations. Plants, animals, and--as I was recently reminded--even texts, evolve in unique ways as a result of geographic separation. While sensational works of Literature criss-cross the globe as fast as text messages between eager teens the underground, innovative phenomenon (the bacon and eggs of critics and professors) are often known only within their national or regional location, their "scene." These texts often develop differently depending on the nature of their particular scene.


This is a topic (among other interesting subjects) addressed in an interview with recent Bellingham Review contributor Kent MacCarter, an American expatriate living in Australia. I'll admit that before reading this interview, I had never considered that there was such a thing as an Australian poetic enclave, but poets in Australia are thriving, writing interesting, innovative work in their hemisphere.


MacCarter recently compiled a list of notable Australian poets and presses for SPUNC: The Small Press Network, an organization, founded in 2006, that represents "small and independent Australian publishers." The winter, spring, and summer features highlight Australian poems of interest recently published in SPUNC member presses.


These lists provide a small sample of Australian poetry. My favorites include "A Shanty" by Judith Beveridge, "Dying to Meet You" by Michelle Cahill, and "5:15" by Paul Hardacre, but every poem on the list is fascinating. I recommend you visit the features to find some of your own favorites from down under.

Marilyn

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Bellingham Review Annual Contests

Bellingham Review is now accepting entries in our annual contests, The 49th Parallel Award in Poetry, The Annie Dillard Award in Creative Nonfiction, and The Tobias Wolff Award in Fiction.

  • Each contest carries a $1,000 prize!

  • Entry costs $20. Each additional entry in the same genre costs $10.
The contest judges are as follows:

The 49th Parallel Award: Linda Bierds
The Annie Dillard Award: Sheila Bender
The Tobias Wolff Award: Robin Hemley


Contestants can enter via Submittable, a link to which is available on our website. Please make sure your address and contact information on Submittable are up to date. Your name should not appear anywhere on the manuscript.


We also accept mailed entries. Please include a SASE and a 3x5 index card with the following information: your name, the title of the piece, your email address or phone number.

For more information, please visit our website.

We look forward to reading your work!
Marilyn