Well, I’m not sure if you will have noticed, but it has already been a more than productive year, here in Hogland, UK.
My main ambition was that I would finally, have caught up with things by the end of the year – running titles I’d hoped to publish this year anyway, alongside some that have waited far too long.
And amazingly this has happened, and I’m seeing a finish line now and hopefully by the end of the year, it will be a lot cleaner going forward.
There are still some brilliant books to come, and I can only thank all of the poets for being supportive and keeping it all going.
On top of that, the Little Black Books have been fun, and the Crimson Spines have been absolutely gorgeous, which is cool – as is adding some art to the poetry generally, with things like the Wonderland and Klimt Anthologies being something beautiful and quite special.
And in truth it is a really hard time to do this small press thing, I’ve truly lost track of how many presses and magazines have run out of track this year, and it doesn’t get any easier for any of us, but I try not to whinge about these things, and instead want to make poetry life exciting and fresh enough that people come because they want to.
Well, I try.
I am starting to think about next year though, and have plans in hand to change things a wee bit again, but most importantly, we will be publishing more full collections again, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a while.
In truth circumstances (money & time, I mean) dictated that it has all pretty much had to be pamphlets for the last few years, but next year we’ll be doing a handful of gorgeously produced full collections again, and I really can’t wait.
To get that started we’re launching the first Full Collection Competition in about three years, I think HERE which will see the book released early next year. So that is kind of a line in the sand for me all over again. If I promise on here, I have to get it done and that is good.
As for the rest of the year, there are all manner of collections, Sticklebacks, Anthologies and super cool collections to come, you really won’t believe some of the work, it is truly special.
But on I witter, so enough to say that there is more to come and thank you to everybody that hasn’t decided to ceremonially flambé me for going MIA.
Life, innit?