FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact:  Exquisite Disarray Publishing, editors@exquisitedisarray.org

 

TACOMA, WA--Arriving just in time to celebrate National Poetry Month, an eagerly awaited anthology of Tacoma poetry, In Tahoma’s Shadow: Poems from the City of Destiny, is being released Thursday, April 30 by Exquisite Disarray Publishing.

 

The anthology’s debut coincides with a special reading given by Poet Laureate William Kupinse and local poet Hans Ostrom on Thursday, April 30 at 8 p.m. at the University of Puget Sound in McIntyre Hall’s Rausch Auditorium. This event will conclude with Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma announcing Tacoma’s next Urban Grace Poet Laureate, who will succeed Kupinse as the city’s second poet laureate in the role. The event is free and open to the public. For directions and a map of the UPS campus: http://www.ups.edu/directions.xml

 

Compiled, edited and published by Exquisite Disarray Publishing, a newly formed non-profit organization intended to highlight the Northwest’s literary arts community, the anthology features the work of both established poets and poets who have not yet had their work published—all sourced from Tacoma and surrounding areas.

 

Striving to represent the diverse voices and experiences that characterize Tacoma, In Tahoma’s Shadow showcases the work of 77 local poets in a volume of roughly 150 pages.  The title In Tahoma’s Shadow refers to the traditional name of Mt. Rainier, and thus invokes the region’s history—particularly the history of the pre-settler tribes, who created complex civilizations while maintaining stewardship of the natural environment in ways that modern society may perhaps one day learn to emulate if it is to survive.

 

In Tahoma’s Shadow will be available for purchase at $9.95 at the April 30 reading and at two special May poetry events featuring readings from local poets who contributed their work to the publication.  The book will also be carried by King’s Books in Tacoma and available for purchase online at www.kingsbookstore.com.  All proceeds from sales of the book will support the future publication of emerging Northwest poets by Exquisite Disarray Publishing. 

 

Two In Tahoma’s Shadow poetry readings are scheduled for the month of May.  The first reading at which poets collected in the anthology are invited to read takes place Thursday, May 21 at 7 p.m. at King’s Books, 218 St. Helen’s Avenue in Tacoma.  A second reading from contributing poets is scheduled for the following Thursday, May 28 at 7 p.m. at the Tacoma Public Library in the main branch, 1102 Tacoma Avenue South.

 

Additional readings are planned throughout 2009, with the next event slated for scheduling in fall 2009. 

 

 In Tahoma’s Shadow was made possible by generous funding from the Tacoma Arts Commission, and additional support from the University of Puget Sound, the board of Exquisite Disarray Publishing, and Urban Grace: The Downtown Church.

 

Press requests for a review copy of In Tahoma’s Shadow may be directed to editors@exquisitedisarray.org.

 

 

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Information for Anthology Poets

May Readings for Poets Included in the Anthology In Tahoma’s Shadow

 

Please note that the April 30 reading described above will offer the first change for authors to pick up copies of the anthology, but it is not a reading by anthology authors.  That reading series will begin in May and is described below.

 

We have scheduled two readings for the month of May to which the poets included in the anthology will be invited. 

 

The first reading at which the poets collected in the anthology In Tahoma’s Shadow will be invited to read will take place starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 21 at King’s Books, 218 St. Helen’s Avenue in Tacoma.

 

The second reading at which the poets collected in the anthology In Tahoma’s Shadow will be invited to read will take place starting at 7 p.m. the following Thursday, May 28 at the main branch of the Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Avenue South.

 

Please note that you must R.S.V.P. by email to editors@exquisitedisarray.org to be scheduled for one of the May readings.  As note in the email sent to all contributors, we ask that you please indicate your preference of date when you R.S.V.P.

 

We also plan to schedule additional readings throughout 2009, with the next reading likely to be scheduled in fall 2009.  We will do everything we can to make sure that each writer gets a chance to read in public at least once.  We will be sure to keep you posted when details about future readings are decided.

 

 

How to Receive Your Three Author Copies of the Anthology

 

Poets included in the anthology In Tahoma’s Shadow will each receive three complementary copies of the anthology.  Copies may be picked up at the April 30 reading, or at several readings to follow throughout 2009.  Additional copies of the anthology can be purchased for $9.95 at any of the readings listed, or in person or online at King’s Books in Tacoma.  King’s should have the anthology in stock by early May.   (Please note that King’s Books will only sell copies of the anthology; it is not a venue for distribution of authors’ free copies except at the May 21 reading, at which copies will be available at a table in the back of the store beginning at 6:30 p.m. up until the time the reading begins at 7 p.m.) 

 

Thank you again to everyone who submitted poems to the anthology.  We look forward to meeting you at the upcoming events.

 

The Editors