Beware the Podcasts, Pod-cats!

So I just finished my second podcast. The first is about Salvation (perhaps you've heard of it?) and the second about Malls (also known as shopping centers). They were pretty fun to do, and both turned out really well (though they were a lot of work, especially sandwiched between school, a book launch and an upcoming vacation before book launch! yipes.)

So why do a podcast? Well, the simple answer is because my book publicist asked me to. You know, to whet your appetite for more poetry and get you drooling over the delicious release of my new book, Zeus and the Giant Iced Tea this March. (I plan on writing more about the publishing process here later as well.) But I hope to continue doing them even after the book, because they are a great forum for reading poetry within a philosophical and entertaining context. Also, I bought this BAD-ASS microphone on Boxing Day and I was eager to use it! If you're a poet interested in doing recordings, podcasts or readings, I HIGHLY recommend you get it. It's easy and does amazing recordings, records straight to mp3 and so much more.

Anyway, I've put up a sample of podcast #2 for your entertainment. It's me reading a poem called On the Trail of Ibn Battuta about a mall in Dubai. That poem also appears in Zeus and the Giant Iced Tea.

I hope the first podcast (Salvation) will be up in the next couple of weeks, with Malls to be out in mid to late February.

Enjoy!

Next up, a new video involving my fridge!

Zeus copy

Things are ramping up for the March release of Zeus and the Giant Iced Tea (3rd and final proofs to be done today!) AU Press has even got a placeholder up for the book, where you can get a sneak preview of the cover and read some of the promo copy for the book.

http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120186

Even buy.com is excited about it!

I've seen the full cover of the book (just released the other day) and it looks FANTASTIC! But you're going to have to wait until the launch to see that.

Zeus and the Giant Iced Tea Poster DESIGNED!!

Ok, I got it together and MAN does it look slick! It's bad that I'm more excited about the book cover at this point than the book in time, but slightly understandable, I suppose, after the innumerable man hours I put in over the holiday season proofing it (just print it already!) Anyway...look for some poster contests soon!

Now I've just got to find a printer...and someone to post them up on street posts ACROSS THE GLOBE!

Zeus Revealed! (and some publishing fun facts)

ZOT!

That's the sound of Zeus sending down a wonderbolt and making this the most amazing cover for a collection of poetry EVER!

Although, I suppose you could blame book designer Natalie over at kisscutdesign.com for the amazing cover design and idea, but Zeus probably wouldn't be very happy with that. Either way, I thank them both for their amazing work! If the hip cover makes even one person who wouldn't normally look at poetry pick it up and give it one quick chance, I'll be happy.

Why a giant Mexican, Zeus Word Voltron? The cover was inspired by a quote of mine from the introduction of my book, as listed on the kisscut blog here.

I'm excited to get into the process of ramping up promotion for the book... Promotion is something I've never been particularly good at - I rank it down there with clipping my toenails. It has to be done...but you could probably get away with not doing it for a long time...but you're really only hurting your pride. Wait...was that the metaphor I was looking for? Anyway, I'm not very good at it, and could use all the help I can get (especially yours, if you're excited about the book - tell your friends! Enemies! Local grocer!) Thankfully it's not just up to me this time: I had the chance to meet with the publicist for my book last week and she had loads of good ideas, so expect more on this blog (finally!), especially as I document this little book going from just a cool cover to a real live book out there on its own.

But for now, just imagine that giant robo-zeus shooting poetic laser beams into your eyeballs. Yeah. That's what I'm talking about. Now THAT'S poetry!