Read my poem, “Teaching Streetcar to College Literature Students” today with the Women of Appalachia Project. Morehead, Kentucky is such a cute town, and I was proud to meet so many friends there!
2026 Appalachian Literary Arts Festival
My Review in Appalachian Journal
I’m proud to have my review of Ashley M. Jones’s Lullaby for the Grieving in the newest issue of Appalachian Journal. Her book is a poetry collection published last year. She served as poet laureate of Alabama from 2022 until 2026.
Finalist for a Poetry Book Competition
I’ve completed a poetry manuscript. Its original title was Man Sold Separately, but I’m now calling it Pull and Stitch the Flesh. After receiving quite a few rejections, I just found out that the book was named a finalist in the Poetic Justice Institute’s Editor’s Prize for a BIPOC writer. I didn’t win, but this news does give me hope for the manuscript. I’ve gone in and done some additional revisions on the poems this summer, and I’m confident that I’m getting closer to publication. Yay!
Congrats to the winner and the other finalists listed below. 🎉 🎊🍾🎈
Hand to Mouth: Southern Writers on Poverty
Y’all, I’m proud to announce that my next book project is an edited anthology on Southern poverty. I’m editing and curating poems and essays for the publisher, Loblolly Press. The book is forthcoming in fall 2027. Click here for more info on the anthology.
McKay’s Bookstore
Went to Nashville today to visit with a friend, and she took me to McKay’s bookstore. I thought I’d buy 1-2 books, but I wound up with all these, plus a blank journal not pictured here. Money well-spent! ❤️❤️❤️
My New Poem in Women Speak Anthology
This year’s installment of Women Speak is almost out, and here’s the cover. So proud to be included alongside so many wonderful women writers. Yay!
West TN PBS | Tennessee Writes
West TN PBS | Tennessee Writes
— Read on www.westtnpbs.org/tv-schedule/tennessee-writes/
Proud to have been interviewed about my book Daughters of Muscadine on the local PBS station in Jackson, TN. Shout out to Peter Noll and Baily Luther for inviting me! ❤️
Story Works Podcast
Recently, I was on a panel for a podcast called Story Works. Our topic was “What Makes Writing Objectively Good?” Big thanks to Alida Winternheimer for inviting me, and a shout out to all my other co-panelists: Mark, Daniel, Miriam, Liz, and Kathryn. Here’s the link to the episode:
I Won a Poetry Contest!
Y’all, I’m the proud winner of the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival Contest in the poetry category. The prize is $1,000 and it’s the most I’ve ever received for a single poem. I’m also invited to read at the festival on March 30th. Congrats to all finalists, and thanks to the judges and the festival committee. Yay! 🍾🎉🎈🎊
Here’s a link to the poem in French Quarter Journal.
Monic Ductan 