Poets Are People Too

Maybe you were spared from my enthusiastic announcements on Facebook, or maybe you don't follow me there (which you really should, because I think I'm a riot), but Indiana Humanities has selected its "Field of 33" poets for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500...

AND I'M ONE OF THEM! 

No, I'm not the big winner (or even 2nd place), but I was selected as an honorable mention. As such, my poem may wind up in a collection with the other winners sometime down the line. In the immortal words of Kermit the Frog, "YAAAAAY!"

Not only do I get the bragging rights and the potential for publishing, I also got to perform my poem at the Indiana Humanities office! I fully expected to poop myself in front of everyone or something equally horrifying, but you'll be relieved to know that my bowels obeyed me and I got through my poem without incident. Thanks to everyone who came to support me! I got misty-eyed.

I meant to post this before the event so I could pressure people into coming... but my wonderful peeps took up almost a quarter of the large living room the event took place in, so y'all must have heard me yowl about it enough on Facebook. I just feel so behind these days! There's a lot going on. Who knows? Maybe I'll have time to write about some of it someday (*sarcastic sigh*).

Oh, I nearly forgot! Here's my poem on it's own (I'd remove the spaces if I could) (#SquarespaceProblems) :

Your Start

start

your

engines

it’s hypnotic, the infrasonic

bellow of your fellow

racers

you’re thunder in spring

you bring

a rain of applause

the awe in their

faces

and you were here

for years

when the wind would bite

and you thought it might

storm

or when it was warm

and you could taste the win

the car was your skin

no gender, no face

no labels of love or faith

the only race, this race

your only home, the bricks

the timer ticks

in this town

where you got the fire in your heart

and among the

engines

your

start

Being Gay Is Really Expensive

That Jim Carrey movie was right.

First of all, thanks to everyone who showed up to support me this weekend! I sold 11 copies of Necessaries (and not just to family members, either) and met some marvelous local writers whom I hope to see again. 

But there's no time for rest! Now, my eyes are set on the Circle City IN Pride Festival on June 11th! I hope to get an artist booth so I can promote and sell my book to the folks there. More than superheroes, more than aliens, more than comic book antics, this book is about people. Regular people. Regular gay or asexual or transgender people in particular. I can think of no greater venue than Pride for this book to be.

So, as guilty as it makes me feel in a weird way, I set up a Go Fund Me for the $200 I need to get that booth. Rewards for donations start at $5 and include sketches, signed books, and more.

Listen, the page itself sums up how incredibly important this event is to me. Even if you can't donate (which, trust me, I completely understand), take a look at my page. It'll at least be entertaining, yeah?

Not to worry. My next entry will be something unrelated to my book. I'm sure you're feeling a little warn out by now. Stay tuned for something new!