So I come home and look what’s here! The proof for our Poetry Magazine featuring the winners and honorable mentions of last year’s contest. It’s so beautiful! I am happy with the way it came out. It’s thick, sturdy, and colorful! The picture doesn’t do it justice. It looks more like the digital version in how it pops (images are not pixelated! Phew). It’s truly a work of art.
Now, I gotta look through this baby and see if there are any changes that are needed so I’m pushing the release date back to Monday, June 3rd. Both hard copies and digital downloads will be available online and I’ll give you the details for that. Wanna be published in next year’s issue? Be sure to enter this year’s contest and win for the 2020 Edition! We also promote our sponsors in the mag, their business, books or services.
About LitMag
This Literary Korner Publishing Magazine (LitMag) is an extension of Yecheilyah’s Annual Poetry Contests featuring poems written by the talented authors who have entered and won. We would like to welcome you to the first issue of the Literary Korner Publishing Magazine for poets, releasing Monday, June 3, 2019. Inside you’ll meet our Grand Prize Winner, Runner-Ups, and Honorable Mentions. You’ll also read an inspiring article from one of our sponsors and get a look at some phenomenal books to check out! Each year, we will publish a new issue featuring the winning poets of the previous year. This year (2019), we introduce you to the winners of our 2018 contest and next year, you’ll meet the winners of this year’s contest in our 2020 edition.
This year’s contest is officially open to entries!
Be sure you are following this blog for updates.
Click on the link below for full details on entering, prizes, and all that jazzz! (*new fav word haha*)
I’m Laura DiNovis Berry and I grew up in Lititz, PA, a town that once had its own chocolate factory and now draws famous musicians in.
Yess to chocolate. What genre do you write in, why?
I primarily write poetry. I dabble in short stories, but poetry is like painting with words and there’s something about verse that constantly drives me to keep pushing myself to improve in that arena.
Got another poet in the house ya’ll. When did you publish your first book? What was that like?
I self-published my first poetry chapbook, Bright Pink Ink, right before my wedding last year. It was extremely liberating. I was planning a wedding and a move from Pennsylvania to Texas so having the ability to channel some of my frustrations and nerves into that book provided me with a fantastic stress reliever.
Congrats on the book AND wedding! Laura, are you employed outside of writing?
I am! I have had the pleasure of working and learning from a wide variety of jobs. Currently I work as a Drama Teacher and work with children all the way from kindergarten up to high school. On the whole, it has been a wonderful experience.
I love teaching children. What’s the best thing about working with children?
There is nothing like working with human beings who have only been alive for a few years!
Awwue. Right?
Their take on everything is fascinating. They can be exceptionally mean and fabulously kind – the reminder that they are still learning how to function in this world is sobering, but makes me feel extremely privileged to be a part of that growth. It can also result in some hilarious situations like having the kids be convinced that your hair is a wig since you’ve cut it short. I had to let my class of six year old tug on it to verify.
I understand also you write free poetry book reviews? Tell us about that.
I do! Book reviews are desperately needed in the poetry community so I created Berry’s Poetry Book Reviews last year. This is a platform for poets so they may reach out to a broader audience! The reviews I provide are free but I donate 10% of of my earnings and donations from patrons to a non-profit organization every year. Last year the beneficent of of these program was the Kennett Square Garage & Youth Center, an after school program which aims to empower middle and high school youth. This year, our combined efforts will be helping Lambda Literary!
Outside of writing, what are some of your passions?
Rugby has had a grip on me since college. Right now I play with the Corpus Christi Clams Women’s Rugby Club. I will be moving soon, sadly, but I have actually begun working on a full poetry collection inspired by the female rugby player’s experience so I don’t think I’ll be able to stop playing any time soon!
Alright now so we got another book in the works. If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like?
My husband would sniff at this, but there’s a very good chance it would end up looking like an earth witch’s hobbit hole.
Whaat.
It would be warm, cozy and lead out into a garden filled with vegetable, guarded by maple trees.
Okay that sounds better. Scared us there a moment. What skill do you think you’ve mastered?
Oh, that’s easy. The skill of being ridiculous.
Lol. Care to explain? What’s ridiculous about you?
Well, I am generally known to be silly – it is not an uncommon occurrence for me to start dancing…wherever really. I like to have a good time and make people laugh.
Yea, laughing is lit. Does blogging help you to write?
It does and it doesn’t. It helps in the sense that I practice different forms of writing (more journal-esque writing), but it hurts because I distract myself from working on my poetry.
Understood. Laura, life is not always pretty. We all experience hardship every now and again. What is your best advice for reducing stress?
Exercise – it doesn’t even have to be anything intense. Just the other night my husband and I were in, not quite a fight, let’s say more of a spat, but walking – taking a nice walk outside together – really helped both of us calm down and better engage with each other.
Nice. What do you love about yourself?
My parents once said I don’t know the concept of failure, and I think that is definitely something that I love about myself.
Thank you Laura for spending this time with us. We enjoyed you!
Bio.
Laura DiNovis Berry recognizes that poetry is a near magical craft that she will never fully understand but will forever be held in fascination by it. When she is not working on her own poetry, she provides free book reviews for her fellow contemporary poets.
The purpose of this year’s theme is to use words that empower and inspire us to be the best version of ourselves. We talked about Self-Love last year and now it’s time we spoke it into existence and live it through our actions.
Choose any one of these words to dedicate your poem to.
Strength, Courage, Wisdom, Faith
Guidelines:
The poems submitted must be original work. This means that the poems must be written by you. If we find a poem that resembles any previously published poem in any way that poet will be disqualified from the competition. Poems must be your own work.
The poem must not be published (previously or afterward) in a book or anywhere online (including your blog).
The poems will be judged based on originality, writing, style and how closely the poem adheres to the theme.
We are judges of the competition only. All poets are welcomed to enter regardless of race, religion, political views or location.
*Poems using discriminatory language will be disqualified from the competition.
All poems must be written in English. In the event a poet wins this competition and their residence is outside of the U.S., any prize requiring shipping (if any) will be awarded in digital form. ex. ebooks /e-cards.
All poets must be at least 18 years of age to submit.
There is no entry fee for this competition, but you must subscribe to Yecheilyah’s email list HEREto enter. Anyone who subscribes only to unsubscribe beforethe competition is complete (any time before the winners are announced) will be disqualified for the win. Any subscription that has not been made before 11:59pm EST on August 1st will be disqualified.
Authors of the winning poems grant Yecheilyah of Literary Korner Publishing the right to publish the poems on her blog (either in part, excerpt, or in its entirety) located at www.thepbsblog.com as the winning poem. Permission is granted upon entry of the contest for publishing to The PBS Blog in full or in part. The poets retain all rights and copyrights of their own work. (I don’t own your stuff.)
Upon submission, poets grant Yecheilyah of Literary Korner Publishing the right to publish the poem in the Literary Korner Publishing 2020 Magazine Edition. The poets retain all rights and copyrights of their own work. (I don’t own your stuff.)
Multiple entries to this contest are allowed. If submitting multiple poems there is a 2-poem max per poet.
Entry is taken as acceptance of ALL of these guidelines.
Submission Instructions:
Click on THIS link and subscribe to Yecheilyah’s email list. This will automatically give us your name and email address. *If you are already subscribed to my list you are halfway there! Just email your poem*
Once you’ve subscribed to the list, please send your poem(s) to yecheilyah@yecheilyahysrayl.com.
Both of the above steps are needed for a poem to be considered submitted.
Winners are announced November 1, 2019 on The PBS Blog and across social media.
Prizes:
$50 Barnes and Noble Gift card
Coming June, 2019 Featuring Last Year’s Poetry Contest Winners!
Publishing in the 2020 2nd Edition Literary Korner Publishing Magazine for Poets
Publishing and Author Spotlight Interview on Yecheilyah’s Blog (over 2800 subscribers, 70k views a week)
3 Runner-Ups (Wins everything minus the gift card)
4 Honorable Mentions (Wins publishing in the LKP 2020 Edition Magazine)
All Entrants
All entrants will have the chance of being featured in the magazine. Put your best foot forward, only a few will be chosen!
Yecheilyah (The PBS Blog and Literary Korner Publishing) are not responsible for poets who entered the contest and did not read these terms and conditions in full. If there is anything, you disagree with we encourage you NOT to join. Emailing your poem and subscribing to the email list is taken as ACCEPTANCE of all these terms.
do they not wrap themselves around the wrongness there
the diseased spirit of a person defeated
does not your stomach turn into knots
does not the human in you cry out
now imagine
if you were outside your own body
and observing yourself
poisoning your mouth with self-hate language
and disrespecting your soul with insecurities
do your intestines cringe?
do they wrap themselves around the wrongness there?
do you recognize the diseased spirit of a person defeated?
does your stomach turn into knots?
when you are self-hating yourself
does the human in you
Cry Out
It’s National Poetry Month!!
Grab your copy of I am Soul for just 99cents in ebook for the entire month of April. Want a paperback? The Nubian bookstore signing is next week! (4/12) Be sure to stop by for a signed paperback copy and save on shipping. Meet me in person and let’s take pictures and stuff!
We interrupt your regularly scheduled Author Interview programming for this special announcement.
National Poetry Month, a celebration of poetry which takes place each April, was introduced in 1996 and is organized by the Academy of American Poets as a way to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the U.S. For our April Author Interviews, I’d like to feature as many author poets as possible. If you have not been interviewed on the blog, head on over to the Introduce Yourself Author Interview page (linked below) and find out how you can get involved! Stay tuned for next weeks final author introduction for March.
*All authors are still welcomed to participate in the interviews. These interviews occur every week on Monday’s. You don’t have to be a poet. I would just like to feature poets for the month of April in honor of National Poetry Month.
Title: The Unveiling
Author: Camille A Frazer
Pages: 132
Publisher: Frazer Mill Publishing (December 12, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0999523007
ISBN-13: 978-0999523001
The Unveiling is a powerful poetry collection from debut author and poet Camille Frazer. She divides her poetry into sections. The first encourages the perception of a bigger picture and lessens the emphasis on the individual. The division between the individual and society is examined in the second. She asserts that violence has crept in during these crisis times.
The poems cover a wide range of issues on the human condition. We gain knowledge of things like faith, hope, love, and beauty. The poems are beautiful and powerful, making you want to reread them for a deeper meaning and time for introspection.
This is definitely not a book that you can skim through. Camille A. Frazer has seen suffering and tragedy during her work as a children’s advocate. Though as she shows in this refreshingly optimistic new poetry collection, tragedy does not have to define us. Through her poems, Frazer examines humanity’s current direction and illustrates each individual life’s importance.
Her poetry shows a steadfast belief in the possibility of a better world in the future. Every person has a purpose, according to Ms. Frazer, and is capable of kindness, contentment, and forming enduring relationships. She desires that you would be motivated by her work to discover your own gifts and then spread them to others.
The only thing stopping this from being a five-star is that the cover doesn’t do it justice.
How dramatic the transformation is when I turn lioness
how dangerous courage is
how beautiful too
how tingly the feeling when you throw caution to the wind
when an introvert speaks
you know that little mustard seed’s got a fire
how revolutionary to be humble in spirit,
but courageous in character.
The weight of this bravery
both heavy and powerful
how sensitive and warrior I am at the same time.
How powerful strength is
when you don’t know that it is there.
The PBS Blog 