Prompt-a-Day to Celebrate April (National Poetry Month)

Daily Poetry Prompts to Celebrate April (National Poetry Month)

During the month of April, I'll be offering NH residents a prompt-a-day at NH Magazine. These prompts are intended to help writers process the past year of their pandemic life and possibly submit to the sequel anthology.

Details inside this article by Anna-Kate Munsey:https://www.nhmagazine.com/celebrate-national-poetry-month-with-daily-writing-prompts/

Applications Now Accepted for Jack and Hannah McCarthy Scholarship: Deadline April 30, 2021

Jack and Hannah McCarthy Scholarship

This scholarship is named after brother and sister, Jack McCarthy, a much loved spoken word poet from New Hampshire who died in 2013, and Hannah McCarthy, retired college president, lifelong advocate for students and resident of Amherst, New Hampshire. The scholarship provides $1,000 to a New Hampshire resident enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student in fields of study related to creative writing, professional-technical writing, or journalism. Students minoring in these areas may also apply. Applicants must possess a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have completed two semesters in the program of study. Applications are evaluated on the basis of merit and financial need and are renewable. This scholarship was established by the New Hampshire State Poet Laureate, Alexandria Peary.

The recipient of this year's Jack and Hannah McCarthy Scholarship will be announced on May 15 at the Brigid Kemmerer reading at the North Country Young Writers' Festival: North Country Young Writers' Festival

Qualifications:

• a college or graduate school GPA of 3.0 or higher
• completed two or more semesters in the program of study
• residency in New Hampshire

Personal acquaintances, family members, and current students of Alexandria Peary are not eligible to apply.

To Apply:

1. In 750-1,000 words, what was the journey that brought you to this field of study? How have you already been involved in this profession? Where do you see yourself headed in your field of writing? Describe any personal or financial obstacles to your education. 

2. In 150-200 words, describe the coursework you've completed in preparation for your degree.

3. Official transcripts from undergraduate and (if applicable) graduate course work, including GPA.

4. Mailing address of residency in New Hampshire.

5. Indicate whether you currently qualify for a Pell Grant.

For full consideration, send all materials to apeary@salemstate.edu by April 30, 2021. In the subject line of your email, put Application for Jack and Hannah McCarthy Scholarship.

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Mindful Writing Workshops for Families Affected by Opioid Crisis

 

I'll be offering three online mindful writing workshops for the Kinship Program through the New Hampshire Children's Trust for grandparents and caretakers of children whose parents are impacted by addiction. 

This work is part of my initiative as state poet laureate to offer mindful writing to New Hampshire residents affected by the opioid crisis and has the support of the Academy of American Poets.

Participants are encouraged to attend all three sessions to receive the full benefits of the workshop series. Workshop session dates and times are as follows online:

February 24, 6:30-7:30 pm March 3, 6:30-7:30 pm March 10, 6:30-7:30 pm This event is open to everyone with a focus on families experiencing the effects of substance use disorder.

YouTube Video about Program

Workshop Description:

What is mindful writing? Why try it? Mindfulness can help us deal with difficult thoughts and experiences with self-compassion, and these benefits are amplified when mindfulness is combined with writing. Mindful writing helps us see the constant change happening around us so that we realize we're not as stuck as we might think we are. Mindful writing shows us how to balance observation with detachment so that we don't become attached to difficult thoughts and emotions, including the sorrow, stress, fear, and anger that surfaces for people whose family members struggle with addiction. In each session, participants learn a guided meditation and an easy-to-practice writing activity including "Already Perfect Meditation," "Loving-Kindness Meditation", and keeping a "Mind List." Participants decide whether they want to share any of the writing they create; their writing can stay private (unshared). These workshops offer a supportive environment where writing and mindfulness are used to take care of the self.

For information or to register: https://www.nhchildrenstrust.org/mindful-writing

COVID Spring Appearance on NH Chronicle

 NH Chronicle aired its show yesterday on COVID Spring: Granite State Pandemic Poems with guest appearances and readings from writers in the book, plus publisher Kirsty Walker and myself:

https://www.wmur.com/article/thursday-january-21st-pandemic-poetry/35217721

Sequel to COVID Poetry Anthology (new submissions deadline)

 

New deadline for anthology submissions! (We're including a youth poets' section in the anthology & wanted to give NH's young writers time to submit.) Exciting news: the North Country Young Writers' Festival will be offering a special workshop on Friday, May 14, 4:30-5:30 PM, on writing pandemic poetry! More details soon at the festival webpage: North Country Young Writers' Festival

National Poetry Month in the Granite State
April 2021

Hobblebush Books and New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary are proud to partner once again to offer unique ways for Granite Staters to safely celebrate National Poetry Month (April 2021) during COVID-19.

30 Days of Poetry Writing Prompts

To encourage writers to create, Alex is curating a set of 30 poetry writing prompts—one for each day in April. These COVID-related prompts can be found each day for the entire month of April at NH Magazine (Facebook and Instagram).

·     Workshop Your Writing

A   We are hosting free virtual workshopping sessions where poets can discuss their pandemic poetry and offer actionable feedback. Registration required—more info to come: Register at Hobblebush Books

        Two workshops:

          #1 Sunday, April 25 at 3 PM (Moderated by North Country Young Writers' Festival             Intern Lily Greenberg)

            #2 Tuesday, April 27 at 7 PM (Moderated by North Country Young Writers' Festival         Intern Brooke Delp)

Get Published

The world has changed immensely since the poems included in COVID Spring were written last April. At the conclusion of this year’s National Poetry Month, we invite you to submit your work for consideration in a follow-up anthology. The submission period will run from April 1, 2021 to May 23, 2021. Submissions must be from New Hampshire residents and must in some way address the COVID-19 pandemic. Participation in the workshopping sessions and use of the daily prompts are not required—nor are they a guarantee—for publication.

Stay Tuned for More Info

 Please visit hobblebush.com/national-poetry-month to stay up-to-date with our National Poetry Month festivities.

Submit-a-thon 2021

Submit-a-thon 2021!

Back by popular demand: New Hampshire’s Submit-a-thon! Our September Submit-a-thon and December Teen Submit-a-thon were such a hit, we thought we’d do a sequel. What better time than January to meet those New Year’s resolutions to try to publish!

Find the encouragement you need to take your next steps toward poetry publication through this lively community event. Whether you’re a seasoned published author or this is your first-time sending poems out, this online event will maximize your submission experience.

Dive into the 2021 publishing scene by sending your work to two, four, eight, twelve places within an hour! Join your hosts, New Hampshire State Poet Laureate, Alexandria Peary and former Poet Laureate of Portsmouth, Mike Nelson, as we usher more of the state’s poetry—your poetry—into the publishing world:

·      Find literary journals for your work

·      Exchange tips on cover letters

·      Set up your Submittable account

·      Gain advice on dealing with literary rejection

·      Cheer on your fellow writers as they send out work

·      Enjoy guest appearances by well-known writers who’ll drop by to give encouragement

·      Participate in publishing games for prizes!

Our guests are Tom C. Hunley and John-Michael Albert! Tom Hunley is the founder of Steel Toe Books and author of seven chapbooks, three books on the teaching of writing, and seven full-length poetry collections, including Adjusting to the Lights (Rattle Chapbook Prize Winner) and What Feels Like Love: New and Selected Poems, forthcoming in March 2021. John-Michael Albert is the author or editor of ten books of poetry. His most recent volume is Questions You Were Too Polite to Ask (Moon Pie Press, 2018). From 2011-2013, he served as the 8th Portsmouth Poet Laureate (New Hampshire).

Who: Open to New Hampshire residents

When: Sunday, January 31, 2021, from 6-7:15 PM

Where: Online through Zoom

Cost: $10 registration fee in support of the Jack & Hannah McCarthy Scholarship. Details about this scholarship can be found at https://newhampshirepoetlaureate.blogspot.com/2020/12/announcing-new-scholarship-for-nh.html

Eventbrite link to buy a ticket: https://www.eventbrite.com/x/submit-a-thon-2021-tickets-136288615919

To Register, send an email by January 30 to Alex at Balconyofwords@gmail.com. In the subject line, put RSVP FOR SUBMIT-A-THON. Alex will provide follow-up information (including the Zoom link).

 

Opportunity to Learn More about Mindful Writing (Event in January and February 2021)

New Hampshire Residents: If you're looking for a way to mindfully manage pandemic stress or learn more about mindful writing to benefit your writing practice, you're invited to an upcoming mindful writing webinar!

This January & February, the National Council of Teachers of English is hosting a sequel of my Mindful Writing Series. The sessions are designed for anyone (no need to be a teacher) dealing with pandemic stress or curiosity about mindful writing/mindfulness. See site for non-member registration fee and for videos of the September webinar:NCTE Mindful Writing Series

In each session, participants will be invited to do a guided meditation and then a restorative activity that combines writing with mindfulness, including already-perfect meditation, working with preconceptions and story lines, caricature of our internalized critics, and mantra for self-compassion. We will revisit and practice a few of the mindfulness activities from the September series. Some sessions will include guest speakers and experts on mindfulness with an opportunity for Q&A; guest speakers will be announced as they are confirmed.

By writing in the moment, we can relax into the present and take care of ourselves.