National Book Foundation

[National Book Foundation]

YEEHAW! National Book Awards on Campus is in Huntsville, Texas at Sam Houston State University. 

TONIGHT’S EVENT: National Book Awards on Campus Reading at Gaertner Performing Arts Center at 6:30pm is free and open to the public. Click here for details!

After the reading, Graywolf Press editor Jeff Shotts will interview National Book Award Fiction Winner Phil Klay, National Book Award YPL Finalist John Corey Whaley, and National Book Award Poetry Finalist Fred Moten. 

But first! Some authentic Texas BBQ! (Pictured from left: Jeff Shotts, Phil Klay, John Corey Whaley, Fred Moten, and SHSU professor of creative writing Amanda Nowlin-O’Banion join the clean plate club.)

[National Book Foundation]

[dieselbookstore]

In preparation for the announcement of the National Book Award in a few short weeks (Nov. 19), we thought we’d link to a few excerpts and/or reviews to each book shortlisted. Awards aren’t such an important thing to us here at DIESEL, but we do love the attention they often bring to books that otherwise might escape the radar of even some of the best readers. This week, we’re profiling the Poetry Short List. 

(1) See & hear Louise Glück reading from her lush and lovely new collection,Faithful and Virtuous Night. (N.B.: I read from this book at a recent Literary Karaoke, and oh my does it feel nice on the lips.)

(2) Read an excerpt from Fanny Howe’s utterly powerful new work, Second Childhood. 

(3) Maureen McLane hits it out of the park in this excerpt (she is the first reader in the video) from This Blue.

(4) If Patrick James Dunagan’s review in The Rumpus does not send you to a bookstore shelf in search of Fred Moten’s Feel Trio, you either are not a reader of poetry or you should check your pulse. (N.B.: More of this are coming to the store very soon. Order one from your local DIESEL!) 

& lastly (5) Claudia Rankine … what can I say about her Citizen? Hers is a new American epic. It is something you simply must experience. 

[nationalbook]

TERRIFIC multimedia roundup of our #NBAwards Poetry Finalists. Thanks dieselbookstore!

Also Katie Peterson– featured in the Louise Glück video– wrote many of the entries for our National Book Awards Poetry Winners blog. 

[National Book Foundation]

HOW TO WRITE A REJECTION LETTER… some thoughts from Jeff Shotts, executive editor of Graywolf Press, publisher of the 2013 National Book Awards Winner for Poetry Incarnadine.

“… take no pleasure in practicing the art of rejection. Take no satisfaction in disappointing someone. Do not mock, do not assume an authority, do not enjoy writing such a letter. You embarrass the art of rejection, let alone the role of the editor by doing so.

"It is so much easier to say yes. Yes is what the editor wants to say. No is what the editor must say.

” Even as you practice the art of rejection, always side with the author. You are the writer’s advocate, even when they might not see that, even as you fail each other.“

Excerpted from On Craft: Jeff Shotts on the Art of Rejection