Review of Nicole Cooley's Milk Dress

A review I wrote, Between Wonder and Fear, has just been published on Literary Mama.

Nicole Cooley's Milk Dress is a gorgeous book of poetry about the complicated feelings that arise upon becoming a mother. Add to that living through 9/11 as a New York City resident and watching her hometown, New Orleans, drown in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and you have a fascinating look at a person struggling with issues of identity, vulnerability, resiliance.

Please check it out!

Louisiana Poetry Project

Laurie Williams, a colleague from the University of New Orleans, contacted me recently about this amazing website she's put together to promote poetry and poets in Louisiana, the Louisiana Poetry Project. It's a great resource for teachers and students to learn more about poets based in Louisiana, complete with a poem-a-day, lesson plans connected to specific poems, contests for students, and hand-outs for teachers.

I love the map on the home page filled with writers' names--some I'm familiar with, some not--and as the page says, "we know our food, our musicians, our natural resources...let's add poets to that list." Amen!

I'm honored to be a part of the project. Thank you, Laurie, for putting this project together, and for inviting me to participate!

Vintage Moment

I am having such a vintage moment lately. Craving clothes, hair, makeup that looks...somehow traditional and funky at the same time. Basically craving a new look after so many months of focusing heavily on raising two boys, wanting something feminine and pulled-together even if it is just for an afternoon at the playground.

Anyway, I ordered my first dress from Trashy Diva, which I'll wear to my cousin's wedding this summer. Not only do I look 10lbs smaller in it, but it gives a certain Marilyn Monroe sexiness without being overly revealing. And it was on sale!

I've been LOVING Casey's Elegant Musings, a style/sewing/fashion blog from a lovely girl in Florida. She is an avid thrifter and amazing seamstress, so she got my attention right away. Plus, since she lives in hot & steamy Florida, I love her outfit choices that are retro while still looking weather appropriate. Not an easy task down this far south.

Inspired by her, I picked up a couple of Simplicity patterns to try sewing my own tops and dresses. I'm a halfway-decent seamstress, but it's not easy to find the time to sew. Then again, I feel as though my figure is somewhat difficult to fit after having two kids, so maybe making my own will be the way to go. The appeal of Simplicity is the collection of retro patterns that have modern markings and sizings (rather than trying to struggle with actual vintage patterns). So we'll see how it goes!

Second place!

I just found out that a batch of my poems came in second place in the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival's poetry contest! Congrats to my fellow finalists and to the winner!

I am excited to attend the festival and to see and hear the winning poet, as well as all the other cool literary goings-on the festival always delivers. And nice to know the Louisiana poet laureate has seen--and liked--my work!