I've never been sure what the point of a chapbook is. It's not vanity publishing but isn't it a close cousin? Who buys them and where? What's the point? Call me Ms Cynical today.
Fool for Poetry Chapbook Competition 2008
Prize of US$1000 or €600 and publication of chapbook. by Southword Editions. aka Cork Literary Centre. Winner will receive ten author copies. The winner will be invited to Cork, Ireland for the book launch in February 2009. A maximum of US$1000 or €600 will be paid by the Munster Literature Centre towards the winner's travel expenses in addition to prize money.
(Cork, Ireland? Are they targeting US writers here?)
3 Copies of 15 page manuscript consisting of either a selection of poems or one long poem on any subject or theme from a poet of any nationality writing in English.
Entry fee is US$20 or 15 euros. (Yes they are. Euros second. No pounds.)
First 500 entrants will receive by return a free copy of Never Trust Where A Cat Sits by Irene A. Mosvold of Louisville, Kentucky, winner of the inaugural Fool for Poetry Chapbook Competition.
Deadline: October 31st 2008
Fool for Poetry Chapbook Competition,
The Munster Literature Centre,
Frank O’Connor House,
84 Douglas Street,
Cork, Ireland
Or online.
Judges: Competition will be judged by a panel of published, prizewinning Irish poets. Who?
All Ireland Poetry Day
Don't forget All Ireland Poetry Day this Thursday 2nd October. See the Poetry Ireland website for your nearest.
Dublin
6.30pm, Unitarian Church, 112 St Stephen's Green West, D2
A reading by John F. Deane, Rutger Kopland and Fiona Sampson.
Kildare
7.30pm, The Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge
A Conversation Cafe with readings and open discussion from poets Desmond Egan, Mae Leonard and Bill Tinley.
7.30pm, Maynooth Library
Readings from an ecelctic mix of poets including Alison Maxwell, Colm Keegan, James Lawless and Kate Dempsey
Louth
1.10pm, The Space, Town Hall, Dundalk
A lunchtime reading with Barbara Smith, Patrick Chapman and Paddy Dillon.
11.15am Dundalk FM will host a special show dedicated to poetry featuring Barbara Smith, Patrick Chapman and Paddy Dillon discussing their favourite poems and reading from some of their own work.
Meath
8.30pm, Bellinter House, Navan
A reading with poets Peter Fallon, Yvonne Cullen and Tom French.
Westmeath
8.30pm, Mullingar Arts Centre, Mullingar
An evening of poetry and prose with poets and authors Dermot Healy, Michael Harding, Michael Mc Donald, Suzanne Doyle and MC for the evening Marty Mulligan.
During the day poet John W Sexton will read for children in Killucan and Mullingar Libraries.
Wicklow
7.00pm, Blessington Library, Blessington
A reading with poets Nessa O'Mahony, Ann Leahy and Dave Lordan.
6 comments:
I've never bought a chapbook, unless it was written by a friend.
Your entry hit on the most obvious use for them: as prizes for others writing chapbooks.
That question's worth thinking about.
That's one deep question, Susan. Thanks
I dunno - I kinda like chapbooks. I've had a first taste of some fine writers from them. They're cheap (although not necessarily value for money on a per-poem basis). I like to think of them more as democratic publishing rather than vanity. Allows for tasty small volumes limited additions too. like here:
http://www.aup.fr/cwt/cahiers.htm
And Happenstance is a classic producer of excellent chapbooks:http://www.happenstancepress.com/
A chapbook is your calling card: the precursor to your first collection. Having one, say by this lot, might make it easier to get that first collection with a publisher? Might, though...
well, this blog got me to go off and find out exactly what a chapbook is. I thought they were only for poetry - and, since I'm not a poet, I've never paid much attention to calls for them. However, they did feel kinda suspicious. I have to say that the entry you posted sounded the most bona fide I've ever read.
Anyway --- off I went to wiki, where I found this nugget:
"Robert Burns commented that one of the first two books he read in private was the history of Sir William Wallace that poured a Scottish prejudice in my veins which will boil along there till the flood-gates of life shut in eternal rest."
My main problem with chapbooks is who buys them? Where do they sell them? What's the point if it's only family and friends? I'm not sure a poetry publisher would pay much attention to a chapbook (correct me if I'm wrong) but would pay attention more to poems in reputable magazines, competions and anthologies. Again anthologies does not mean an anthology of your local writing group sponsored by the library or council and accepting all comers. But then I'm in cynical mood today.
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