Tag Archives: Another Lost Shark Publications

June 5, 2013 · 7:16 pm

Australian Love Poems and Tearoom Books

This week I received news that my poem Yearn will appear in the forthcoming anthology, Australian Love Poems 2013, the first release by exciting new publisher, Inkerman & Blunt. The anthology has been edited by award winning Australian poet, Mark Tredinnick and will bring together the best writing on love this country has to offer – 200 poems by Australian poets including Les Murray and Paul Kelly. I am really excited about this, so if you want to secure a copy of this landmark anthology before it hits the stores (and support the local publishing industry) click on the image below.

ALP2013-Slider-banner

Another exciting piece of news I received recently, was that my poem Tiger, has been included in Tearoom Book’s second issue of Loop. Tearoom Books is an indie publisher based in Durban, South Africa doing some really great things in the digital publishing arena. Check out the issue by clicking the link below… It’s free and features some breathtaking new work.

Loop #2

Always good to be getting some new work out into the world… speaking of which, I am now in possession of the second release in the Another Lost Shark Publications ‘First Words‘ Series – Same Sky by Cindy Keong. Believe me when I say, this is a remarkable debut… more on this soon.

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April 6, 2013 · 1:21 pm

Review of Stolen Moments

With a number of exciting publishing projects on the go – Brisbane New Voices IV, First Words vol. 2 – Same Sky by Cindy Keong, my new chapbook, I, land and Nathan Shepherdson’s fifth collection, the day the artists stood still (vol. 1) – it is great to see some of the Another Lost Shark Publications back catalogue getting some positive attention.

Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke has written a wonderful review of Stolen Moments by Andy White for the Queensland Poetry Festival site, and with their permission, I reprint it here:

stolenmoments_SandraDyasPhoto

Listen, Don’t Merely Hear: A review of Stolen Moments by Andy White
by Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke

There is beat, beatific beat, and rhythm in this book.  Its refrains sing of Brisbane; of Bono; of life shared on a planet where popular culture is a common language.  Andy White speaks a language of Now; mindful, though, as a good bluesman does, to pay its dues to Then:

ginsberg with a mandolin and a
strangely-stringed eastern instrument
in ginsberg beard and
ginsberg glasses
talking about iron john
bob dylan &
new york city in the fifties

“owl”

The 1950s matter to White, we feel its jazz in the way his lines swing and syncopate.  To quote from the conclusion of the same poem:

now once more
I can encounter
the super
realistic

“owl”

The poet is squeezing the very juice of the real, shaking it, mixing it, and serving it alive, and cool.

Foundations of popular culture all are on display.  Music: notably in a series of poems featuring pop culture icons.  Literature: with its casual paeans to the Beats and Bukowski.  And cinema, with two delightful poems about French films:

cut to the next day and a different old man in a sweaty t-shirt hangs
his enormous beer belly over the balcony, listening as the young french
woman moans in ecstasy, she’s busy making love in the apartment below.

he looks over to the chinese man. they nod. they sigh, both expressionless.
the music swells, the moaning increases. the scene fades to black.

“french film #1”

(Noting that this poem’s structure is not typical of the book; but its quietly sharp humour surely is.)

Yes, there is smarts, wit, contemporary cool to be had, but there is a depth of emotion, expressed in a pellucid way through image, that broadens and enriches the book:

we lost
the love we had

not left out
in the rain

but scorched in
summer sun

baked too long
under
convict sky

“convict sky”

White’s sky, his experience, is ours—it runs deeper than the sheen of culture into the eternal verities of love.  I am left with a feeling that White has done much living, and has come out of it into the Now not unscarred, but less willing to be naive:

time takes its
revenge and
who cares
who is
wise

“mall thoughts 2/3”

I will answer for myself White’s open question: he is; and he is part of a tradition of lyric poets that offer to us, give to us, gently wrought bon mots, that are easily digestible yet linger on the palate.  Check this book out: I’m glad I have.

Stolen Moments is now available from
http://anotherlostshark.bigcartel.com/product/stolen-moments

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February 20, 2013 · 6:46 pm

The City We Build: A Poetry Adventure

Inspired by those childhood favourites, Choose Your Own Adventure Stories, QLD Poetry Festival (QPF) and if:book Australia joined forces in 2012 to commission three exciting poets – Julie Beveridge, Chris Lynch and Carmen Leigh Keates – to write a series of poems that traversed the glorious landscape of Fortitude Valley.

TCWBOriginally, handbills were designed with QR Codes and distributed at the QPF 2013 book store in the foyer of The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, where each journey began. These handbills invited readers to scan the code, read the poem and then make a decision where to head next. The project was so successful, that the good folk at QPF wanted to extend the project… so now we have, The City We Build: A Poetry Adventure.

This extraordinary, enhanced ibook was launched last night on the deck of Riverbend Books and is now available as a free download. As well as the original poems, the book features the photography of Cindy Keong and an opening essay by QPF Director, Sarah Gory.

It is wonderful to see projects like this embracing new technology and pushing the boundaries of poetry publishing.

CYOA - CK

Download your copy here!

While you are downloading your own copy, spread the word to your networks, so they can grab a copy. This is a book that needs to be read widely!

And in keeping with the community feel of Another Lost Shark, I am keen for readers out there to review the collection. The first three people to email me a 400 + word review will have their review published on my site, and receive a free copy of one of the Another Lost Shark Publications titles (or something else from my collection for those loyal buyers). Look forward to hearing from you… the email address is geenunn(at)yahoo.com.au (remember to replace the (at) with @).

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February 1, 2013 · 6:53 pm

Next Big Thing: Brisbane New Voices featuring Trudie Murrell

Earlier in January (can you believe that it’s no longer January…), I announced the two poets who would be published in this year’s Brisbane New Voices collection, and posted Vuong Pham’s Next Big Thing interview.

Now it’s time to post Trudie Murrell’s Next Big Thing interview, to give you a feel of the energy she will bring to her half of BNV IV. Over to you Trudie!

bnvweb

What is the title of your book?

Women and Cars

What genre does your book fall under?

Poetry

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A series of poems mapping a road trip from childhood to parenthood.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Life. This series of poems grew from a short story written after the birth of my first child in 2001.  The idea that these poems might ever be published was planted by 2010 Brisbane Poetry Festival poet in residence Emily XYZ.  The idea for publishing this selection of poems in this form came from Graham Nunn who asked me to choose fifteen poems from my larger manuscript of forty-seven poems, to be considered for Brisbane New Voices IV.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

Some of the poems included in this collection date back to 2007.  I have slowly been accruing poems on this theme since 1990.  The task of writing a first draft of the full manuscript has happened in two fortnight long bursts of frenzied activity, one in mid 2011 and one at the end of 2012.  Much of my ‘concerted effort’ writing tasks coincide with visits to my parents’ house or my husband taking holidays so that I have other people to take care of my three children.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

The women of my family and where I was born inspired me to write these poems.  Growing up in North Queensland, road trips and telling stories were large parts of childhood and moving on.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

The micro collection of Women and Cars will be independently published in Brisbane New Voices IV by Graham Nunn through Another Lost Shark Publications. It will be launched in April this year and will appear with the work of another Brisbane poet, Vuong Pham.

What other works would you compare this book to within your genre?

As I am an emerging poet and still finding my voice, I can’t compare my style to others.  I was raised on the classics.  More recently, I have been reading the work of Dorothy Porter, Bruce Dawe, Dorothy Hewett, Julie Beveridge, Nathan Curnow and Michelle Dicinoski  and I hope my work has been favorably influenced by that.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

We all know the author doesn’t really get a say in casting – but if I could choose, I would choose someone unknown, someone emerging, someone who would surprise everybody with a brilliant performance because someone took a chance and chose her.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I hope it would make people who read it realise that poetry is not dry, dusty or esoteric. It’s about everyday life.

trudie-poetry-burlesque

Trudie Murrell is a child of the tropics who now lives in Brisbane. Since 1988 she has been writing poetry, plays and short stories.  She is also teacher, performer and a parent of three children.

Her poems have been published in The Green Fuse, Macmillan English 9 for the Australian Curriculum, Cordite, SpeedPoets zine and on Another Lost Shark.  She’s featured at Black Star’s Words or Whatever, Confit Bistro’s Back Room, Jam Jar and Fresh at the Library and she is a regular reader at SpeedPoets open mic.

*****

Brisbane New Voices IV will be launched at Riverbend Books on Tuesday April April 23, so stay tuned for more details closer to the event.

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January 21, 2013 · 8:03 pm

Predicting the future of publishing…

Publishing is an ever-changing landscape. Now with the merger of publishing giants, Random House and Penguin, the ground has shifted again. It is believed that the combined might of Penguin and Random house will publish up to 30% of all books sold in markets such as the UK. That is a significant slice of the pie!

It’s not something that I overly worry about, as what I do with Another Lost Shark Publications is so very different to the work the majors do. It is however, important to keep in touch with what’s happening. That’s why I have been trawling the web for the year’s publishing predictions. Here’s two of interest:

Coliloquy’s 9 Publishing Predictions & Mark Coker’s 21 Book Publishing Predictions.

That’s 30 ideas worth letting rattle around inside your head!

And in Another Lost Shark Publishing news, I am currently in discussion with one of the most awarded and exciting voices in QLD, Nathan Shepherdson. Look forward to a more detailed announcement soon!

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January 20, 2013 · 7:32 pm

Next Big Thing: Brisbane New Voices IV featuring Vuong Pham

I feel like there has been a major flurry of activity here at Lost Shark HQ… a flurry that will culminate in some stunning releases this year. As you know, I have been working on my own collection, I, Land and Cindy Keong’s collection, Same Sky, well on top of that, I have now finalised the two micro-collections that will be published in Brisbane New Voices IV. This series has become a great passion of mine and has so far showcased some of this city’s finest emerging poets. And vol. IV will be no different, featuring work from two exciting new voices, Trudie Murrell and Vuong Pham.

bnvweb

Brisbane New Voices IV will be launched at Riverbend Books on Tuesday April April 23, so stay tuned for more details closer to the event.

I asked Vuong to have a swing at the Next Big Thing questions and here’s what he had to say:

What is the title of your book?

Refugee Prayer

What genre does your book fall under?

Poetry/ Haiku/ Shape Poem/ Free Verse/ Prose

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Poetry exploring my family’s experiences as refugees during the Vietnam War; as well as poetry glorifying the beauties of the natural world.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

My parents occasionally talk about their experiences as refugees during the Vietnam War. Exodus is a topic of conversation that is quite hush-hush in our family, as I understand that it was a very emotional time for them. But, the rare story pops-up, which I found interesting to try and explore through an artistic medium, hence the book. As for the ‘natural world’ part of the book, these poems seek to offer a sense of rejuvenation and hope to counter the turmoils of war. I really enjoy writing poetry (i.e. haiku) about nature. The first ever poem that inspired me to write poetry was “I wondered lonely as a cloud”, by William Wordsworth. I just loved the serenity and the beauty of nature that Wordsworth captured so expertly in that poem, and to this day, have been hooked on poetry at its most vibrant. I also was inspired by Basho’s ability to stir the reader’s imagination through haiku; I particularly drew inspiration from this one of his:

my house burnt down
now I can better see
the rising moon

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

Tricky question. I’ve been writing poetry for 3 years. In that 3-year period, I have managed to write several poems around my family history, and the beauty of nature.  They all seemed to fit into place at the end of the 3 years into my own book, ‘Refugee Prayer’, that I am so very proud of. So to answer the question, the manuscript has been 3 years in the making.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My family has been a huge inspiration for this book. For me, writing this book is a way of saying “thank you” to my parents for everything they’ve done, for placing the family in a safe country, for all the sacrifices they’ve made to make me the happy person I am today. Also, I take inspiration from everyday things in my poetry, things like nature, friends, church, teaching, etc that I often place into the form of a haiku or a poem.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Brisbane New Voices will publish my book in April, 2013.

What other works would you compare this book to within your genre?

‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’ by William Wordsworth, ‘my house burnt down…’ by Basho, ‘The Happiest Refugee’ by Anh Do, ‘Found’ by Souvankham Thammavongsa, ‘Forage’ by Rita Wong.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Anh Do.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

It contains haiku, a raindrop shape poem, a free verse poem, and prose; so plenty of variety. Also, the book is made from a lot of love and hard, hard work! Piqued yet?

Vuong Pham

Vuong Pham was born in Brisbane to a hard working family of Vietnamese refugees. He is now a passionate schoolteacher of English and SOSE. His poetry has received awards in the Ipswich Poetry Feast Competition (2011, 2012); the Inspired by Tagore International Writing Competition (2012); and the Free XpresSion Haiku Competition (2012). Vuong identifies as a Christian and enjoys going to a Baptist Church, including Bible Studies groups throughout the week. Some of Vuongs’ hobbies include reading and writing poetry, playing soccer and practicing piano. Vuong is currently working on his second book, which will consist of haiku. He blogs at:
http://versesoftheinnerself.blogspot.com.au

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January 9, 2013 · 8:51 pm

The Next Big Thing: Cindy Keong’s ‘Same Sky’

Another Lost Shark Publications has a big schedule planned for 2013, including the second release in the First Words series, Cindy Keong’s, Same Sky. The plan is to have the book ready to launch mid-year, so for now, here’s Cindy’s responses to The Next Big Thing interview to give you a taste of what’s to come.

Cindy-Keong-Pic

What is the title of your book?

Same Sky

What genre does your book fall under?

Poetry

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A series of poems spanning the breadth of physical, cultural, emotional and familial landscapes linked by universal experiences that connect us all under the the ‘Same Sky’.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The compilation of this series originated out of a small body of work written whilst working in Tanzania.  My work there was largely of a practical nature, the giving of my time and skill rather than any search for enlightenment. Working in the third world often impacts westerners in the sense they have some epiphany about gratitude, waste, wealth or freedom.  There is no denying you would be an emotional mutant not to be impacted by the profound differences, but what struck a cord with me more was something fairly unsophisticated; that human experience is indeed universal, regardless of personal circumstance or geographics. Put simply, it is all the same, life is what it is.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

The poems to be included in this collection have been written between 2009 to 2012.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

This notion of ‘same, same but different’ spurred me on to develop a broader body of work that linked my experiences across three distinct landscapes, that loosely track my lifespan and hopefully ones that spark a connection to the human experiences of the reader.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I am very excited and privileged to have this body of work supported by Graham Nunn aka Another Lost Shark who will publish Same Sky as part of his First Words series in 2013.

What other works would you compare this book to within your genre?

As an emerging poet I am reluctant to compare my work but would rather comment on work that has had influence and impact on my writing.  I am fascinated with work that encapsulates the everyday experience; poets who’s sparse language choices resonate and reveal a continuum of meaning ranging from the literal to the complex. Poems that when re-read, continue to offer another layer of meaning or provocation for thought.  Poets that have taken up residency in my thoughts lately include Max Ryan, Robert Adamson, Nathan Curnow, Paul Summers, Aidan Coleman, Michelle Dicinoski, Janice Bostock…

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

That is not easy, however, Tina Fey’s character of Liz Lemon parallels nicely if cast in poems that reveal insights into familial and relational dysfunction.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I look forward to launching these poems out into the world this year… here’s a poem from the book:

Some Things You Should Know

You’ll notice Dad hasn’t parted with the old
washing machine.  He proudly claims it’s the first
automatic.  There’s nothing automatic about it now.
So unless you’re packing enough clothes for the entire trip;
the gumboots and broom handle beside the tub must be used
to avoid electrocution. Make sure you visit the Bobby Dazzler,
there’s a 20ft statue of a fossicker crouching out front.
It’s worth the five dollars, just to wander the underground tunnels
and escape the blistering heat. I hope you like early mornings;
the bottlebrush is in bloom and the lorikeets flock in around 5 am,
for their all day bender.  If this doesn’t wake you, Dad will.

Do you remember when were kids?
From our beds we would listen
to the blueprint of morning;
heavy footsteps making
a cup of tea; the scuff of brush
and polish on boot leather, followed
by the heady waft of his first cigarette.
It’s still the same, still in order.

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December 27, 2012 · 7:05 pm

A Preview of ‘I, Land’

After answering the Next Big Thing questions, I have had the urge to post a preview of the work, I, Land. Here’s the first three parts for you to enjoy:

*****

Far from the howl
of children and sirens
we found music in
the wind’s toothless mouth

moored our boat
long ago, left it to the weather —
abandoned all plans of
sailing home.

***

A heron drifting up from the river
this morning means nothing; it disappears
back into the mangroves.

The sky is empty, my mouth is dry.

On the dune where I sit beneath she-oaks
a few feathers are scattered.
I let my skin fall to the ground:

become sand, salt, sky.

***

A lone osprey pays us
an early visit from the mainland
long before the first storms
of summer have formed, gliding
high over she-oak and fig

great nesting territory

is harried by a daredevil
troop of gulls, small-jawed
disembowellers trying to
drive their imposing cousin out
of this private airspace.

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· 12:55 pm

The Next Big Thing

Let me first extend a thank you to Ashley Capes, who tapped me on the shoulder to take part in this self-interview thread, started by Ivy Alvarez. I am not sure that my next project, ‘I, Land’ will be a ‘big thing’, but I am excited about it, so thought I would take a swing at the questions.

**********

What is the title of your book?

I, Land

What genre does your book fall under?

Poetry

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A long poem that explores the idea of escapism and ‘the island’s’ liminal zones.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I was going through a particularly uncertain period in my work life (people losing jobs, having to reapply for my own position), so to deal with this, I took myself to ‘the island’.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I wrote the original 10 parts of the poem in just two weeks at the end of 2010. Since that time I have revisited the poem on many occasions and it is now a poem in 15 parts… many of the original parts have either been completely deleted or so significantly rewritten that they bare little resemblance to the original work. There are however, some parts that remain untouched.

So in short, it has been simmering for about 2 years.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Discomfort was the spark for this poem… For me, this is where most ideas come from. The idea that discomfort leads to new learning is at the heart of much of what I do in life.

My wife (unbeknownst to her) was also my spiritual companion on ‘the island’.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I know it’s not what the question asks, but I have a serious quibble with the term, ‘self-published’ as no-one ever truly ‘self-publishes’, by which I mean, does absoluteluy everything themselves… there are always other people involved which is why I prefer the term, ‘independently published’. I, Land will be published by Another Lost Shark Publications (an independent publisher).

What other works would you compare this book to within your genre?

Somewhere in these words, there are echoes of Adamson, Oliver, Kerouac and Issa. These are the poets I was reading during the time of writing this poem.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

One thing I know, it wouldn’t be Tom Hanks!

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

A performance of the work will be developed in collaboration with some exciting Brisbane artists. I will be sure to announce more details when they are finalised.

**********

It’s now my job to tap five other poets on the shoulder, so keep your eyes on this site for their responses!

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December 9, 2012 · 7:15 pm

One week left to ‘Raise Your Hand for Indigenous Literacy’

wall-of-handsFirst of all let me thank those people who have recently raised their hand: Nigel Ellis, Andrew Phillips, Ashley Capes & Ann Liebert. We have now reached the half-way mark of $260, so there is still some work to be done to reach the target of $520 which will provide 6 months of intensive teaching in a remote community. So if you can, dig deep and purchase a book from the Another Lost Shark Online Store for the set price of $20 in Australia or $25 for those of you who are overseas, and if you can, let your people know what we are trying to achieve, and together we can make a difference.

With every order, I will include a second book or spoken word CD and donate $15 from your purchase to the ALNF Wall of Hands Project (the remaining dollars paying for postage and handling).

No-one in this country (in fact the world), should be raised with a one in five chance of becoming literate.

Your help is deeply appreciated…

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