Crisis Chronicles Press

Body Voices - by Kevin Reid (CC#39)

Jesus Crisis — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:20:22 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is very happy to announce the publication of Body Voices by Scottish poet Kevin Reid. One of our proudest moments! Released 9 February 2013.

Cover image by Steven B Smith - agentofchaos.com

"In his collection, Body Voices, Kevin Reid dissects the body using a variety of voices to expose and explore how it is at once connected to its own past and to the external world, how each separate voice depicts both functionality and experience. Reid’s poems appear personal yet each body part has its own distinctive story ranging from childhood memories to social commentary, from the organic to the cerebral. They are full of thoughtfulness, presence and wit. They are full of the senses, the transitions our bodies and lives experience, our ever dissolving yet expanding path from birth to death. They are brave and clever and they will prompt you to re-examine your own relationship with your body, your past and your place in the world. This is a living collection of poetry and I recommend you read it."

--Gillian Prew, poet, author of In the Broken Things and The Idea of Wings

"Kevin Reid’s Body Voices is an inventive, whimsical look at the body poetic. This series of candid and wry reflections offers a delightfully fresh perspective on learning to feel comfortable in the skin we are in. These pages reveal a weary, scarred, weathered and absolutely real body examined part by part and systematically stripped of any artifice or pretense: the poet stands before us naked and unashamed, imparting courage and wisdom in the process. Body Voices is unflinching, artful, guileless, and eminently worth reading."

--Rich Follett, poet, author of Responsorials and Silence, Inhabited: Poetic Reflections on Surviving Childhood Sexual Abuse

Body Voices is 34 pages, saddle-stitch bound, with a white and textured navy card stock cover and available for $6 (plus $2 for postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press c/o John Burroughs, 3344 W. 105th Street #4, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. If you're ordering from an address outside the USA, please add $3 to cover additional postage.

Kevin Reid lives and works as a librarian in Angus, Scotland. He studied English Literature at the University of Dundee. Back in the 90s he spent some time living in a tipi community in the southern Spanish mountains, which led to visionary encounters in peyote ceremonies. After a brief spell of teacher training he chose to study librarianship. He has a key role in organising Scotland’s longest running teenage book award. His poetry has appeared in various publications, such as, Pushing Out the Boat, Scottish Poetry Review, heavy bear, The Recusant, and Counterexample Poetics. Body Voices is his first published chapbook.

Kevin Reid

Howl for My Family in April - by Mary C. O'Malley (CC#40)

Jesus Crisis — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 03:39:23 GMT

Cover photo by Chandra Alderman

Crisis Chronicles is honored to publish Mary O'Malley's striking chapbook-length poem Howl for My Family in April on 2 February 2013. Howl is handmade with care, saddle stitch bound with white and beach card stock. It bleeds. It cries. It pulls buried truth into the light. You won't walk away from it unaffected.

Get your copy of Howl for My Family in April by sending $5 in any form to Crisis Chronicles Press, c/o John Burroughs, 3344 W. 105th Street #4, Cleveland, Ohio 44111. Or buy online via PayPal:

Mary C. O’Malley has worked as a post graduate degreed social worker and as a writer since 2002. Her work has been selected for local, state, national, and international readings. Publications that have published Mary’s work include Heartlands, Whiskey Island, Box Car Review, Tripton Poetry Journal, Cleveland in Prose and Poetry, Midwest Poetry Review, Mary, and many other literary zines and anthologies both online and in print. She is the mother of two sets of twins and tries to garden in her spare time. In 2009, Tripton Poetry Journal nominated her for a Pushcart Prize.

Mary O'Malley at Snoetry 2011 in Elyria, Ohio
[photo by Jesus Crisis]

the melody, i swear, its just around that way, vol. 2 - by Bree (CC#38)

Jesus Crisis — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 22:12:19 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press bursts into song with the publication of Bree's long-awaited the melody, i swear, its just around that way, volume 2. Published on 21 January 2013, this chapbook features 22 pages of poem-songs, lovingly hand bound and saddle stitched with white and goldenrod card stock and cover art by the author herself. To get a copy, send $7 in any form (postage included) to Crisis Chronicles Press, c/o John Burroughs, 3344 W. 105th Street #4, Cleveland, Ohio 44111.

Bree is a Cleveland poet best known for her Green Panda Press, which produces art and poetry books for the small press. She is also a songwriter, and performed her poems with the bands Johnnycake and Very Sharp & Midnight from the nineties to the early aughts. While volume 1 of the melody (published by Crisis Chronicles in 2011) was mainly poems which later became songs, the work in volume 2 is mostly songs that also read as poems. Bree is the author of many other chapbooks including Let Cupid Know (Ronin, 2011) and Laying Pans (Ecstatic Peace, 2009), along with memoirs The Rainbow Sweater & My Mother (Green Panda, 2011) and was chicken trax amid sparrows tread (The Temple, 2009). Her work appears in little presses like The City, ArtCrimes, Big Bridge, Arthur, Bottle of Smoke and many like ‘em.

Save by buying both volumes of the melody, i swear, its just around that way together for only $11 (postage included).

Bree, 11/22/2008 at The Lit in Cleveland, Ohio — photo by Jesus Crisis

Find Bree online at http://breepoems.blogspot.com.

Red Hibiscus - by Heather Ann Schmidt (CC#36)

Jesus Crisis — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 02:43:39 GMT

Spring comes early at Crisis Chronicles Press as Heather Ann Schmidt's long awaited Red Hibiscus blossoms into print on New Year's Day 2013! Red Hibiscus is 26 pages, handbound with care, featuring a saddle stitched pale coral and deep grape cardstock cover. Contents include "Song for Lilith," "Ode to a Pablo Neruda Nude," "Ghazal of the Night," "Neorealism on the Streets of Birmingham," "Duende in a Black Dress," "Ganymede ," "French Quarter Tryst" and much more. To order, send $7 to Crisis Chronicles Press c/o John Burroughs, 3344 W. 105th Street #4, Cleveland, Ohio 44111.

Heather Ann Schmidt received her MFA from National University and has taught writing for a number of higher learning institutions. A fine singer and visual artist, she also edits the tinfoildresses poetry journal and is the founding editor of Recycled Karma Press. Her previous books include Batik (NightBallet Press, 2012), Transient Angels (Crisis Chronicles 2011), On Recalling Life Through the Eye of the Needle (Village Green, 2011), Channeling Isadora Duncan (Gold Wake, 2009) and The Bat's Love Song: American Haiku (Crisis Chronicles, 2009).

Photograph - by Jackie Koch (CC#35)

Jesus Crisis — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 22:32:13 GMT

cover image ©2012 by Mark Hutchinson
http://markhutchphoto.com

Hear ye! See ye! Crisis Chronicles Press releases Jackie Koch's new poetry chapbook in mid-November 2012! Her Photograph is 24 pages, handbound with care, with a high quality saddle stiched white and mauve cardstock cover. Contents include "Red Hot July," "Phantasmagoria," "Home Spun," "Dragonfly," "Frostbite Occurs in 15 Minutes or Less" and much, much more. It's now available for $7.50 (includes postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press, 3344 W. 105th Street #4, Cleveland, Ohio 44111.

Jackie Koch grew up in southern Michigan, climbing trees and exploring the outdoors. The family camping trips in her home state, in Canada, and across the United States solidified her love for the Earth, which is reflected in her writing. She has lived in North Carolina and central Ohio, and has come back to Michigan and her roots. A columnist and freelance writer since 1999, she began writing poetry in earnest in the summer of 2010, when she volunteered to help a friend run a slam poetry workshop at an art festival. She now hosts monthly open mic events in her hometown and encourages other poets. Jackie has won awards for her short stories, which have appeared online, and her poem, "Shhhh..." was part of the anthology Vending Machine: Poetry for Change, Volume Two. She lives in Adrian, Michigan, with one of her two sons and both of her two dogs.

Closed Submissions and Forthcoming Authors (so far)

Jesus Crisis — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:34:12 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is officially closed to unsolicited chapbook submissions from now until further notice -- at least until we've finished reading and responding to the submissions we've already received (or that have been promised to us). If all goes according to plan, we'll reopen for submissions by the summer of 2013. If you've already submitted, we are grateful for the opportunity to read your work, and you can expect to hear from us very soon.

Here's an incomplete list of authors Crisis Chronicles Press looks forward to publishing in the near future: Kevin Reid, Jackie Koch, Alan S. Kleiman, Justin Hamm, Heather Ann Sukha-Prajna, Lynne Hayes, Susan A. Sheppard, Wendy Webb, Helen Shepard, John G. Hall, Martin Willits Jr., Michelle Williams, Steven B. Smith, Bree, David S. Pointer, Dan Provost, Mary O'Malley, Edward Eberle, Teleri Schakel, Dianne Borsenik, Christian O'Keeffe, Jami Tillis, Ryan Swofford, Shelley Chernin, j/j hastain, Kevin Ridgeway, Alinda Wasner, William Merricle, Christopher Franke and Catherine Criswell.

More soon....

Queen of Dorksville - by Leah Mueller (CC#34)

Jesus Crisis — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 16:10:07 GMT

cover image by Leah Mueller, text added by CC Press

Crisis Chronicles Press is tingling with excitement over the publication of Queen of Dorksville, a chapbook by Leah Mueller, available in October 2012. 32 pages of poetry and prose handbound with joy and care, Queen of Dorksville is saddle stitched using white cardstock and pale purple soda construction paper. Contents include the title poem, "Maternal Advice," "Thrill-seeker," "Not Quite the King of Comedy," "Astrology 101," "Election Night," "Talking to the Dead on Television," "Security Guard," "Photo Gallery 1983," "Word Salad," "Vultures," "Selling Flowers on the Honor System," and "The Clown Chronicles."

photo of Leah Mueller by Dinea de Photo, used with permission

Angel - by Sandy Sue Benitez (CC#33)

Jesus Crisis — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 23:58:20 GMT

Angel cover photo by Kim Newberg, courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net

Crisis Chronicles Press is very pleased to announce the publication of Angel, a chapbook by Sandy Sue Benitez, on 30 September 2012. Angel is handbound with care, saddle stitched using pale gray-coral cardstock and wine-blood construction paper, and features a poignant set of poems the author has dedicated "to all families who have experienced the pain and sorrow of miscarriage."

To order by snail mail, send $7.50 (includes postage) to Crisis Chronicles Press; c/o John Burroughs, editor; 3344 W. 105th Street #4; Cleveland, Ohio 44111.

Sandy Sue Benitez is the author of Ever Violet, a full-length collection of poetry (D-N Publishing, 2007). She has authored four previous chapbooks: Beneath a Black Pearl Sky (Flutter Press, 2009), The Lollipop Club (Victorian Violet Press, 2010), Petal Storm (Flutter Press, 2010), and Postcards from Iraq (Books on Blogs, 2011). Sandy's work also appears in two anthologies: Lilith: A Collection of Women's Writes and Postcards from Eve, (both Fortunate Childe Publications). She is also the Founder & Editor of Flutter Poetry Journal and Flutter Press. Sandy's poetry has appeared in over 130 print and online poetry journals since 2006. She resides in the Inland Empire, California, with her husband and their 2 children.

Sandy Sue Benitez, photo courtesy of the author

In Circles - by Ryn Cricket (CC#32)

Jesus Crisis — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 01:11:57 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is pleased to announce the publication of Ryn Cricket's debut chapbook, In Circles, on 21 September 2012. In Circles features 28 pages of stories and poems by Ryn Cricket (a.k.a. Katheryn Womack), in which the exceptionally normal, abnormal, paranormal, all-too-true and extraordinary mingle and thrive. This special handbound edition features a saddle stitched cream and olive green card stock cover emblazoned with a Mark Darus photograph.

To order by snail mail, send $7.50 (includes postage) to Crisis Chronicles Press; c/o John Burroughs, editor; 3344 W. 105th Street #4; Cleveland, Ohio 44111.

About the author:

"When I was in the seventh grade I thought I wanted to do three things when I grew up: I wanted to be an English teacher, a writer and a mother. All of that traveling, adventure, and Peace Corps was just research for what was to come. After more than twenty years of being told I would never be able to have children, I had two beautiful baby girls, a year and a half apart. I spend many of my daytime hours working in Asia as an ESL lecturer, teacher-trainer, and curriculum creator and editor — and all of the rest of my time inspiring and being inspired by my two little girls and creating that writing space necessary to evolve my craft."

For more, follow Ryn Cricket's blog at http://katherynpeace.wordpress.com.

Ryn Cricket [photo courtesy of the author]

Submissions

Jesus Crisis — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:19:26 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press has in our publication queue 24 chapbooks that we plan to release by September 2013. A complete list is forthcoming.

Meanwhile, we are still reading a bunch of submissions we've received over the past seven months. If you've sent us work for consideration during this time, you can expect an answer by the end of this month (September 2012). We are grateful for your patience.

While we are still accepting new submissions, please be advised that any submissions received after we post this blog entry may not receive a reading and response for several months -- and, if accepted for publication, may not find their way into print until late 2013 at the soonest.

For new submissions, we intend to focus on shorter works. So please feel free to send a Word document of from 5 to 30 pages to jc@crisischronicles.com -- and then please be patient. We'll try to respond within four months of receiving your work. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, as long as you notify Crisis Chronicles Press immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

If we accept your work, the initial print run will be 100 copies, of which you as the author will receive 20 as compensation. If you want more copies of your chapbook, you may procure as many as you wish at half price. You retain all republication and other rights to your work, while we reserve the right to reprint selections of your work in the Crisis Chronicles Cyber Litmag. If demand necessitates a second print run of your chapbook, we will compensate you with one copy per every five reprinted.

Any other questions? Please email editor John Burroughs at jc@crisischronicles.com.

Peace, love and poetry,
John

Crisis Chronicles Press
3344 W. 105th Street #4
Cleveland, Ohio 44111

[UPDATE (2 November 2012): Unsolicited chapbook submissions are now CLOSED until further notice. Stay tuned to this blog for updates.]

New address for Crisis Chronicles Press

Jesus Crisis — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:01:11 GMT

Many thanks to Elyria for putting up with us for so long. We'll miss our home city, but will be back to visit frequently. Effective immediately, our new mailing address is:

Crisis Chronicles Press
3344 W. 105th Street #4
Cleveland, Ohio 44111

Peace and poetry,
John Burroughs, editor
jc@crisischronicles.com

The Other Guy - by John Thomas Allen (CC#31)

Jesus Crisis — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 13:05:11 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is overjoyed to announce the release of The Other Guy, a new poetry chapbook by John Thomas Allen. Published 15 August 2012, The Other Guy is 16 pages, lovingly hand assembled and saddle stitch bound using a white and black card stock cover. It is now available for only $6.50 (includes postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press, 420 Cleveland Street, Elyria, Ohio 44035.

cover foto by Steven B. Smith

If you prefer ordering by snail mail, send $6.50 (includes postage) to John Burroughs (Crisis Chronicles Press), 420 Cleveland Street, Elyria, Ohio 44035 (after August 31st, use our new address: 3344 W. 105th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44111).

John Thomas Allen is a 29 year old poet who lives in Albany NY, for the moment. His work has appeared over 40 journals and his chief ambition is to write a real poem one of these days!

According to David Shapiro: "Freud said to the young surrealists to beware of unconscious imagery, and Meyer Schapiro said even dreams were social. John reminds me of Lamantia, Vigo, Bolano—raw and angry but with a clear day under his baseball cap. Like the Berrigan brothers, he seems to be writing a last protesting book, with the harp of Harpo and instead of handcuffs from a flic who appears to look like a hamburger…The soul is conscious in this new voice, and John wears a rosary around his neck. Real as Albany, his infra-surrealism is growing and growling. Good that he's so disappointed; he occupies a special place in Poetry Park."

According to Charles Bane, Jr.: "The work of John Allen is profoundly moored; it is exploratory, shaded and searching. Read his work, and follow his quest."

According to Rich Follett: "John Thomas Allen's surreal images strung together like pearls; seemingly random events and characters juxtaposed in ways that expose mind-expanding meanings; the pungent, unblinking eye of the camera obscura; the unexpected voice of transients, ne'er do wells and those forgotten by fortune; these flavors and many more await readers of John Thomas Allen's dreamlike Humanist poetry and prose. There is a certain light to these visions — a three-in-the-morning beam of truth that exposes both deep flaws and great beauty in every subject, every character. John Thomas Allen offers us a mirror; — who among us can resist looking? What we see in the process is the bones of our collective socio-intellectual hypocrisy. The result is a simultaneously humbling and edifying reading experience: our flaws are laid bare but we realize in the blush of our shame that we still have an ineluctable beauty if only we are willing to cultivate it. John Thomas Allen's world has existed always, around us, among us and within us; in coming to terms with his humbling and uplifting indictments, we can only shake our heads and wonder how it is that we have missed so much for so long. Read, and walk with him."

as she unbends - by Jolynne M. Hudnell (CC#30)

Jesus Crisis — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 02:05:31 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is overjoyed to announce the release of as she unbends, a new poetry chapbook by Jolynne M Hudnell. Published 1 August 2012, as she unbends is 27 pages, saddle stitch bound with a green-gold and black card stock cover, and is available for only $6.50 (includes postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press, 420 Cleveland Street, Elyria, Ohio 44035.

cover photo by Steven B. Smith, agentofchaos.com

Jolynne M Hudnell writes cryptic poetry and flow poetry, draws with oil pastels, crochets doilies and creates sculptures with recycled materials. Originally from Elyria, Ohio -- and now living in Randle, Washington -- Jolynne is a freelance writer whose previous books include Beyond the Sun: The Collection, Leaving the Continuation Station and Exhalation Point.

Joylnne Hudnell -- photo by the author

Street maps for lost souls - by John Dorsey (CC#29)

Jesus Crisis — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 22:09:17 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is happy to announce the release of Street maps for lost souls, a new chapbook by John Dorsey. Published 27 July 2012, Street maps for lost souls features saddle stitch binding, a salmon and charcoal blue card stock cover, and is available for only $6 (includes postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press, 420 Cleveland Street, Elyria, Ohio 44035.

cover foto courtesy of Steven B. Smith (www.agentofchaos.com)

Buy Street maps for lost souls now and we'll throw in a Crisis Chronicles Press broadside of d.a. levy's The Wandering White for free.

John Dorsey currently resides in Toledo, Ohio. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including Teaching the Dead to Sing: The Outlaw's Prayer (Rose of Sharon Press, 2006), Sodomy is a City in New Jersey (American Mettle Books, 2010), and Leaves of Ass (Unadorned Press, 2011). His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He may be reached at archerevans@yahoo.com.

I Can Live with Death - by David B. McCoy (CC#28)

Jesus Crisis — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 13:04:19 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is pleased to announce the publication of I Can Live with Death, a chapbook by David B. McCoy. Published 23 June 2012, I Can Live with Death features saddle stitch binding, a white and olive card stock cover, and it's now available for only $5 (includes postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press, 420 Cleveland Street, Elyria, Ohio 44035.

cover foto by Steven B. Smith - agentofchaos.com

David B. McCoy grew up in the “Cleveland Street Hood” of Elyria, Ohio, and recently retired from 32 years of teaching social studies. He earned his history teaching degree from Ashland University and his graduate degree from Kent State University. David’s work at Kent explored the influences of socialization on personality development.

Since 1979, David has run Spare Change Press, which in recent years has focused on publishing poetry chapbooks.  He is the author of six books available from Amazon.com* and barnesandnoble.com:

     The Geometry of Blue (poetry). Print only.*
     Voices from Behind the Mask (poetry). Print only.*
     The Tao of Libertarianism. Print and eBook.
     The Academy, a short book of fiction. EBook only.
     Minimalist guide to picking high yield dividend stocks. EBook only.
     A Short History of Hilton Head Island. Ebook only.

     Upcoming:

     George Washington (HarperCollins / History In An Hour)
     Andrew Jackson
     Gullah Culture: 1670-1950. Ebook only.

David divides his time between living in Ohio and on Hilton Head Island.

The Wandering White - by d.a. levy (CC#27)

Jesus Crisis — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 19:39:26 GMT

The Wandering White is a poem by Cleveland publishing legend d.a. levy (1942-1968), newly published as a limited edition 5.5 x 8.5" broadside (inkjet printing on goldenrod card stock) by Crisis Chronicles Press, 420 Cleveland Street, Elyria, Ohio 44035. Available for $1 beginnning 19 June 2012.

A note from the editor regarding submissions

Jesus Crisis — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 22:48:37 GMT

Dear friends,

You might have noticed that Crisis Chronicles Press is a bit behind on reading submissions -- and that we don't even have submission guidelines posted on our website. Technically, we have not been open for print submissions since September 2011. But I frankly cannot bear to pass up a potentially great read, and so I have continued to happily receive your work these past few months even when I haven't been able to find much time to peruse it. Now, in the interest of catching up, enjoying myself (hopefully) and leaving you hanging no longer, I will make time before the end of June to read and respond to all outstanding submissions, some as many as four months old. I am grateful for your patience and eager to dive in. I also plan to draw up new submission guidelines and post them in July. Meanwhile, please write on (and read on) -- and thank you for friendship and support.

Right on!
John Burroughs, editor
Crisis Chronicles Press

P.S. I should also mention that we have about a dozen chapbooks already slated for publication in the next several months. I plan to post a somewhat flexible release schedule for those in the next few days.

White Vases - by John Swain (CC#26)

Jesus Crisis — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 14:07:37 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is pleased to announce the publication of White Vases, a 21-page poetry chapbook featuring 18 works by John Swain. Saddle stitch bound using high quality white and blue cardstock. Released June 1st 2012, White Vases is now available for $5 (plus $1.50 postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press, 420 Cleveland Street, Elyria, Ohio 44035.

cover foto by Cleveland artist Steven B. Smith

John Swain lives in Louisville, Kentucky. His previous chapbooks include: Prominences and Sinking of the Cloth (Flutter Press); Set Apart Before the World Was Made (Calliope Nerve Media); The Feathered Masks and Burnt Palmistry (Full of Crow); Handing the Cask (erbacce press); and Fragments of Calendars (Thunderclap Press). His work has received nominations for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and Best of the Web.

John Swain -- photo courtesy of the author

The Anarchist's Blac Book of Poetry - by Frankie Metro (CC#25)

Jesus Crisis — Wed, 30 May 2012 22:38:07 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is pleased to announce the publication of Frankie Metro's The Anarchist's Blac Book of Poetry, a 40-page chapbook including several illustrations by the author. Published in early June 2012, The Anarchist's Blac Book of Poetry features saddle stitch binding, black and yellow police tape bookmark, and a black glossy card stock cover. It's now available for only $7 (includes postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press, 420 Cleveland Street, Elyria, Ohio 44035.

cover image: a Steven Smith foto of a Mother Dwarf Smith collage/sculpture

Frankie Metro is the Head Non-Fiction and Associate Fiction editor at Red Fez Publications, where his column "The Left Handed Smoker" runs monthy. He is also The Chemist at the online lit journal The Meth Lab and holds no affiliation with Black Bloc Anarchists.

To read Doc Sigerson's review of The Anarchist's Blac Book of Poetry, click here. To see video of Frankie Metro reading selections from his chapbook at Viracocha in San Francisco, click here.

Frankie Metro -- photo courtesy of FM

The Vigil - by Shelley Chernin (CC#24)

Jesus Crisis — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:52:53 GMT

Crisis Chronicles Press is ecstatic to announce the publication of Shelley Chernin's The Vigil, a chapbook featuring her seven part poem of the same name. Probing and powerful, Chernin's work digs deep, brings dark to light and is highly flammable. Published 24 May 2012, The Vigil is now available for $5 (includes postage) from Crisis Chronicles Press, 420 Cleveland Street, Elyria, Ohio 44035.

cover art from a graphite drawing by Jessie Herzfeld

Shelley Chernin is a 57-year-old freelance researcher, writer, and editor of legal reference books. She lives in Russell, Ohio (aka Novelty, proving that the US Postal Service once had a sense of irony). Her poems have appeared in Scrivener Creative Review, Rhapsoidia, What I Knew Before I Knew: Poems from the Pudding House Salon-Cleveland, the Heights Observer, the 2010 through 2012 Hessler Street Fair poetry anthologies and the Cuyahoga Burning edition of Big Bridge. She received the 2nd Place award in the 2011 Hessler Street Fair Poetry Contest and Honorable Mentions in the Akron Art Museum's New Words Poetry Contest in 2009 and 2010. Yes, of course, she plays the ukulele. Who doesn't?

Shelley Chernin, 2012
photo by John Burroughs