A couple months ago I was asked by Monsters Next Door editor, LB Goddard if I would care to contribute something to an upcoming poetry anthology. Would I? I was so flattered to be invited to submit that I practically turned myself inside out in my haste to say ‘Yes, yes I would!’. Then, of course, I had to think of something to write. Easier said than done.

I put a ridiculous amount of pressure on myself to come up with something -good-. Something scary but with depth, haunting and evocative. You know what I found out? You can’t force that and it wasn’t going to happen LOL So I went with cheesy. I love cheesy horror, and apparently LB doesn’t mind it either because everything I submitted got in

The first piece of mine is called “Zonnet” and is, as the name sort of implies, a zombie-themed sonnet. I don’t actually like sonnets because I dislike iambic pentameter (the extra foot makes it awkward, I prefer iambic tetrameter, but we’ll get to that later). Still, I do enjoy taking a traditional/pretentious format like the sonnet and writing it about something as irreverent as zombies. This specific poem was directly influenced by S.G. Browne’s zom-rom-com Breathers.

My second poem is “Lycanthroku” which is a series of three shapeshifter-themed haiku, followed by “Lycanthrick” which is a werewolf limrick Jo and I composed while I was using him to bounce poem ideas off. I’m a fan of “Lycanthrick” all by itself, but it’s got an extra special spot in my heart because it’s the first time Jo and I have shared a byline. Awww /gush

I rounded out my submission with “The Sepultress” which is a reprinted poem I wrote in iambic tetrameter, because I like it far more than pentameter. Just sayin’

The book, Scattered Verses, Moonlit Curses, also features the work of Alexis Child, Charlotte Gledson, Natalie Sin, Julie “Cannibal Rose” Thielen, LB Goddard, Shells Walter, Richard Fay, Benjamin Bussey and Brian Beemer. I’ve not read it all yet, but I have looked through enough to suspect that cheesy horror wasn’t the style of choice for most people, happily, I don’t mind being different. I hope to read it sooner rather than later and share my impressions, but I haven’t had a chance yet. In my defense, the book just came out yesterday LOL

I was invited to a poetry reading at World Fantasy next weekend and I posted an ‘Oh my god this is so cool but I am way too chicken!’ post to my livejournal. Friends kept telling me not to be a wuss and to participate, especially since I fully intend to attend and listen. I’m afraid I’m going to continue to be a wuss, partly because I’m a wuss and partly because I don’t think I actually have anything appropriate to read. Okay, mostly because I’m a wuss, but the other part is true too!

Anyway, I was inspired by my friends telling me to read so when the Science Fiction Poetry Association asked members to contribute audio recordings of themselves doing readings for their Online Halloween Poetry Reading, I decided to send something in.

If you click here you can listen to some really awesome poets reading their stuff…and I’m reading The Sepultress.

Please listen and be kind. In order to record my poem I had to borrow Danica’s ipod and use it. Unfortunately, I stumbled in my reading a couple times because I was focusing on the ipod instead of the poem. Oops. I figured you’d all forgive me though, especially since it’s my first time at this.

I am incredibly proud to have my poem, The Sepultress, in the inaugural issue of New Myths. I think the editor, Scott Barnes, described it incredibly well when he called it “cute and grotesque”.

I started writing it when I was at the coast this summer. I was actually trying to write a sci-fi sonnet for the SFPA sonnet contest but I re-discovered that I really have a profound dislike for iambic pentameter so I reverted to my favorite — iambic tetrameter. Oh, so comfortable

Anyway, I hope you like it