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
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. 🎉 🎊🍾🎈
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!
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.
Women Speak (Vol. 10)
The newest Women Speak anthology is out. I’m proud to have three poems in it. The anthology focuses on women writers in Appalachia. In this issue, Volume 10, you will find work by Sheila Carter-Jones, Natalie Sypolt, Linda Parsons, Chrissie Anderson Peters, Lisa Kwong, and so many others! It’s edited by Ohio poet laureate, Kari Gunter-Seymour. Buy it here:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VFPMU4FHXUN9L
Troublesome Rising Anthology
I have a short story in Troublesome Rising: a Thousand-Year Flood in Eastern Kentucky. This anthology focuses on the historic flood in summer 2022. So many people lost their lives in that flood, and University Press of Kentucky decided to publish this anthology in remembrance of them.
I’m proud to be included in this beautiful book with so many good writers! Here’s a link to purchase it:
https://www.kentuckypress.com/9781950564422/troublesome-rising/
Read Appalachia Interview
Proud to have my book, Daughters of Muscadine, featured on the latest episode of Read Appalachia. Thanks, Kendra Winchester!
Monic Ductan 