BIG 23 BLOG

ANDREW DEMCAK INTERVIEW AT LITERARY MAGPIE

2012-01-30T21:49:00.000-08:00

Jory Mickelson has posted an interview he did with me a few weeks ago at his blog: Literary Magpie.

Check it out here:

MICROREVIEW FROM STEVE FELLNER: NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK

2012-01-22T07:22:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Microreview: On Andrew Demcak's "Night Chant"

Consciously oppressive and morose, Andrew Demcak's new book of poetry Night Chant labors to create what could in lesser hands seem like a queer rewriting of Sylvia Plath. Demack knows better, although he, too, creates a dreary atonality through intriguing word choices. Often the work he does here feels strained, but in a good way; he doesn't want any of his triggers to produce a baldfaced narrative. The titles of his poems --"Rent Boy," "Crossing the Water," "Troll," "Child Killer"-- seem irrelevant; they feel like a random noun someone uttered to rev Demcak up to show his skill. And there's more than a solid amount of ability here.

For a significant portion of the book, Demcak strains to deconstruct a noun, and then asks us to help him reassemble it. In the better poems, we feel the labor of that strain--the diction and metaphor pushing the subject in a way that force it to become something one can perceive as new. Here's some of the fun play in the personae poem "Oedipus Rex": "His lips had lost their sphinx,/ that tired jinx, that nag./...Midnight's middle was not an empty room./My cock was the answer to the riddle." Or the curiously askew final couplet in "Orgasm vs. Rainbow": "Orgasms are bluster, quick mouthfuls, ogling eyes./But you have rainbows for days after denouncing the clouds."

Occasionally, he doesn't feel like he's straining quite enough; he doesn't deserve the release. For example, in the less striking poem "Eros": "Inferno, bright flame, the spasm of flesh./ Halos blazing sparks ignite: orgasm."

Demcak's book sometimes feels over-long (close to ninety pages); the exertion required for reading such a lengthy book feels slightly greedy, especially since some of the poems like "Mirror at Forty" and "In Solitude" could be easily edited to highlight some of the best like "Eavesdropper, 1990" and the daring "Mishima Fantasy.". But still, it's hard to find any place in the the book where there is anything that resembles "a merciless desert here, this page."

Andrew Demcak's Night Chant is available through Lethe Press.

ANDREW DEMCAK @ POETS & WRITERS

2012-01-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

My profile at POETS & WRITERS has finally been approved. I was surprised that the literary journal I used to edit, Inky Blue, was listed in their database. Oh, the cross-referencing of the web!

ANDREW DEMCAK P&W PROFILE

ANDREW DEMCAK LIVE ON KKUP 91.5FM - JP DANCING BEAR'S TALKSHOW

2012-01-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

For those who missed me last week on JP Dancing Bear's radio talkshow, here's the link to the podcast. I read from my new book Night Chant (Lethe Press, 2011) Enjoy!

ANDREW DEMCAK ON J.P. DANCING BEAR'S RADIO TALKSHOW

Out of Our Minds w/J.P. Dancing Bear - Guest: Andrew DemcaK

See the full gallery on Posterous Andrew_Demcak_-_01-04-12.mp3 Listen on Posterous Andrew Demcak is an award-winning poet and novelist whose work has been widely published and anthologized both in print and on-line

ANDREW DEMCAK READS HIS POEM "BLOOD-PLAGUE"

2012-01-09T12:32:00.000-08:00

Published in tandem with Didi Menendez and my broadside featuring her marvelous artwork and my poem, Blood-Plague, here's a link to the FREE download recording of me reading "Blood-Plague" at Soundcloud and to the FREE version of the broadside at Issuu.com.

ANDREW DEMCAK READS "BLOOD-PLAGUE"

DEMCAK/MENENDEZ BROADSIDE

ANDREW DEMCAK & DIDI MENENDEZ BROADSIDES

2012-01-08T20:58:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a collaboration with the super multi-talented Didi Menendez on a broadside featuring her wonderful artwork (above) and a poem of mine ('Blood-Plague' from my new unpublished book A Birthday Present.) Here's the end result. Enjoy!

ANDREW DEMCAK & DIDI MENENDEZ BROADSIDE

POEMS BY ANDREW DEMCAK IN #4 KNOCKOUT LITERARY MAGAZINE

2011-12-19T07:42:00.000-08:00

I have a few poems in the new issue (#4) of Knockout Literary Magazine, along with former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins, and other poets. You can pre-order it now!

#4 KNOCKOUT LITERARY MAGAZINE

NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK ESSAY UP AT CHARLES JENSEN'S BLOG

2011-12-06T06:43:00.001-08:00

An essay about my new book, Night Chant (Lethe Press, 2011) is up at Charles Jensen's blog. Thanks, Charlie!

NIGHT CHANT ESSAY

ANDREW DEMCAK'S "AMUSING MUSES" ESSAY UP AT CHARLES JENSEN'S BLOG

2011-11-23T13:25:00.001-08:00

Charles Jensen invited me to blog about bad movies that we love in spite of how bad they are. You can read my essay about that featuring Xanadu, The Lady In The Water, and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. Woe is I!

BAD MOVIES AT CHARLES JENSEN'S BLOG

REVIEW OF NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK FROM PHILIP THRIFT ON SMASHWORDS

2011-11-20T05:34:00.001-08:00

"These poems are fun to read. Lines of gay-sexual intrigue abound. Like in the poem 'Hustler': "The tattling ripples of rolled-in sheets. / My limbs are golden accoutrements. // Persuasive, served like sashimi." These are the poet's memories of men and sex and becoming. "My first sex, spread-eagle on a tern's nest" ('Abalone Cove'). I like self-referential 'Font': "It is a merciless desert here, this page. / The nouns wince, jot by jot." Pop-cultural references, like in 'Death Portrait of Gene Kelly'. Sexy poems, like 'Eros'. Bringing in technology, like "My iPhone spits out nubile syllables, / his voice chattering back to the bones' receiver" ('Pulse'). At the end of Part 2 is the poem 'Night Chant' itself. If you are a fan of poetry, this is a must-read. It has everything, I think." - Philip Thrift, from SMASHWORDS

ORDER MY NEW POETRY BOOK, NIGHT CHANT:

Deluxe Print Edition (Only $15.00)

Night Chant Download (Kindle Edition - Only $6.99)

Night Chant Download (iPad/eReader .PDF Edition - Only $6.99)

General Fan Website: http://www.andrewdemcak.com

Fiction Website: http://theandrewdemcak23.com
Author Blog: http://www.ad1968.blogspot.com

Picture Book Website: http://bigmaria23.tumblr.com

REVIEW OF NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK FROM JONATHAN TRACY

2011-11-18T07:15:00.001-08:00

An awesome review of NIGHT CHANT from Jonathan Tracy -"Andrew Demcak of California, could be referred to as an Oaklandian Borges of Poetry (as he is also a head librarian). These poems paint intimate depictions and abandon the didacticism often associated with beauty; liken to sublime creations of chronicled cultures set behind the vitrines at the Natural History Museum or the Metropolitan Museum of Art." Wow! http://www.amazon.com/Night-Chant-Andrew-Demcak/dp/1590213718/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320510107&sr=1-1

Amazon.com: Night Chant (9781590213711): Andrew Demcak: Books

ORDER MY NEW POETRY BOOK, NIGHT CHANT:

Deluxe Print Edition (Only $15.00)

Night Chant Download (Kindle Edition - Only $6.99)

Night Chant Download (iPad/eReader .PDF Edition - Only $6.99)

General Fan Website: http://www.andrewdemcak.com

Fiction Website: http://theandrewdemcak23.com
Author Blog: http://www.ad1968.blogspot.com

Picture Book Website: http://bigmaria23.tumblr.com

REVIEW OF ANDREW DEMCAK'S NIGHT CHANT AT POET HOUND

2011-11-01T05:57:00.000-07:00

A really nice review of NIGHT CHANT is posted at Poet Hound.

ORDER MY NEW POETRY BOOK, NIGHT CHANT:

Deluxe Print Edition (Only $15.00)

Night Chant Download (Kindle Edition - Only $6.99)

Night Chant Download (iPad/eReader .PDF Edition - Only $6.99)

General Fan Website: http://www.andrewdemcak.com

Fiction Website: http://theandrewdemcak23.com
Author Blog: http://www.ad1968.blogspot.com

Picture Book Website: http://bigmaria23.tumblr.com

AMOS LASSEN REVIEWS NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK

2011-10-22T16:10:00.000-07:00

The literary critic, Amos Lassen, wrote a great review of my new poetry book, NIGHT CHANT (Lethe Press, 2011) Read it at the link below:

NIGHT CHANT REVIEW

NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK, IN MY HAND AT LAST

2011-10-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

NIGHT CHANT (Lethe Press, 2011) is now available in all publishing formats!

NIGHT CHANT PRINT EDITION

NIGHT CHANT KINDLE EDITION

NIGHT CHANT .PDF EDITION

NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK PAPERBACK EDITION NOW AVAILABLE

2011-10-11T07:40:00.000-07:00

NIGHT CHANT is now available in Paperback from Amazon.com. Why not order your copy today and join the r/evolution?

NIGHT CHANT PAPERBACK EDITION

NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK KINDLE EDITION NOW AVAILABLE

2011-10-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that my new poetry book, Night Chant (Lethe Press, 2011), is now available in a Kindle Edition. Download it now from this link!

NIGHT CHANT KINDLE EDITION

'HUSTLER' A POEM FROM ANDREW DEMCAK'S NIGHT CHANT IS UP AT LETHE PRESS' BLOG

2011-10-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

My poem, "Hustler," from my new book, NIGHT CHANT, is up on Lethe Press' blog:

READ HUSTLER

BUY NIGHT CHANT NOW, SAVE $5

DOWNLOAD NIGHT CHANT .PDF

ANDREW DEMCAK @ CHARLES JENSEN'S BLOG/SALON: KINEMAPOETICS

2011-07-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

I have a feature about Eyeless in Gaza at Charles Jensen's marvelous blog/salon Kinemapoetics. Read the article here:

EYELESS IN GAZA ARTICLE

ANDREW DEMCAK: MY NEW PICTURE BOOK WEBSITE

2011-07-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on a children's picture book with graphic artist Martha Mueller. It's called Big Maria & Little Maria. My agent, Carolyn French, is talking to Holt about it. You can visit the site here:

BIG MARIA'S PLACE

ANDREW DEMCAK NEW & SELECTED POEMS: BLOOD'S TONGUE

2011-06-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

Didi Menendez of MiPOesias and Poets and Artists just painted this new portrait of me wearing Peter's cool sunglasses. Thanks, Didi! I am finishing up my next book, Blood's Tongue: New and Selected Poems. It will be the first chance to read work from my long out-of-print, very first book, The Psalms, Big 23 Press, 1991, along with highlights from my other three published poetry books, Catching Tigers in Red Weather, Zero Summer, A Single Hurt Color, along with poems from my forthcoming book, Night Chant (Lethe Press, 2012), and new uncollected work, too.

Now I can get back to writing my new novel: I Found You, But I Don't Know Where You Are

NICE REVIEW OF ANDREW DEMCAK'S A SINGLE HURT COLOR BY *A NICE PERSON

2011-03-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

A Single Hurt Color by Andrew Demcak

One of my regular librarians—the nicest one, the one most prone to cracking a small joke or letting me in on some small detail about library behind-the-scenes drama—turns out to be a poet. While skimming the New Release shelf I picked up a book of poetry, and there was his picture on the back. Of the two collections of his I checked out, this one is my favorite. I appreciated the local notes (there are owls in the tree in my yard too), the imagery, and the ways he played with sound in some poems. It feels good to genuinely like things by nice people. A few lines:

“Counting the restless hours,
coyote thickened.” from California Night #3

“Knives lining a drawer: the first jury in its wooden box.” from Juice

“His hull more float than groan.” from Subtidal Zone (say it out loud—it will make your tongue feel good)

SWAMPWALKER

*(Thanks, Swampwalker - whoever you are - Andrew)

ANDREW DEMCAK'S NEW POETRY BOOK, NIGHT CHANT, LETHE PRESS, 2012

2011-03-08T19:08:00.000-08:00

I just signed the contract with Steve Berman and Lethe Press who will be publishing my latest book of poetry, Night Chant, in mid-2012. Yay!

LETHE PRESS

ANDREW DEMCAK FEATURED POET AT THE LAMBDA LITERARY FOUNDATION 2/18/2011

2011-02-18T06:24:00.000-08:00

I'm the featured poet at The Lambda Literary Foundation today. http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/poetry-spotlight/02/18/andrew-demcak-tattoo/

Andrew Demcak, "Tattoo"

www.lambdaliterary.org

ANDREW DEMCAK is an award-winning poet and novelist whose work has appeared in print and on-line in national and international magazines, literary journals, web-zines, blogs, and anthologies. His most recent book of poetry is A Single Hurt Color (GOSS 183::Casa Menendez Press, 2010). He is busy finishing his new novel, Ghost Songs.

DON'T FORGET MY NEW FICTION WEBSITE: ANDREW DEMCAK: MY NEW NOVELS

2010-11-23T06:36:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for some free reading material over the holidays, why not sample a few choice cuts from my finished novels & novels in progress? Click the link below to begin your literary luncheon. (Feelie vase by Rose Cabat c. 1970's not included.)

MY NEW NOVELS WEBSITE

MY NEW FICTION WEBSITE THEANDREWDEMCAK23.COM

2010-10-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

Yay! My new fiction website is up and running. If you are curious about my novels, why not stop by and have a peek?

TheAndrewDemcak23.com

NEW WORK IN 10/10 POETS & ARTISTS MAGAZINE FROM ANDREW DEMCAK

2010-10-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

I have a new poem in the current Poets & Artists magazine. It's a collaboration with the painter Judith Peck. Check it out at the link below.

POETS & ARTISTS

COME SEE MY NOVEL LIMBOVILLE ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY DAVID SPIHER JULY 17, 24 9:30PM $5.00 AT THE DOOR

2010-06-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

Come see my novel Limboville

adapted for stage by David Spiher:

"Coming & Going: Greetings from Limboville"

Two late night performances:

Sat. July 17th & July 24th 9:30pm

Tickets $5.00 at the door.

The Compound Gallery

1167 65th St., Oakland, CA 94608

510.817.4042

Map

Contact: info@thecompoundgallery.com

WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME IN PRINT? REVIEW MY BOOK FOR GENTLY READ LITERATURE!

2010-06-01T06:53:00.001-07:00

A Single Hurt ColorImagine your name in print! Over 4,000 people a month will read your review! Please contact Daniel Casey, editor, at gentlyreadlit@gmail.com for a free reviewer's copy of my new book, A Single Hurt Color, (which was just featured at Verse Daily!) Click on the link below for full details:

GENTLY READ LITERATURE

REVIEW OF ANDREW DEMCAK'S A SINGLE HURT COLOR @ THE FURNACE REVIEW

2010-05-22T05:47:00.001-07:00

The ever wonderful Ciara LaVelle at The Furnace Review has written a pithy review of my new book of poetry, A Single Hurt Color (GOSS 183::Casa Menendez Press, 2010)

Please support The Furnace Review and read their terrific e-journal!

A SINGLE HURT COLOR REVIEWED BY CIARA LAVELLE

ANDREW DEMCAK @ VERSE DAILY 5/21/2010

2010-05-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

My poem, Threading, from my book A Single Hurt Color (GOSS 183::Casa Menendez Press, 2010) is featured at Verse Daily today 5/21/2010.

THREADING

ANDREW DEMCAK ARCHIVED BIO AT VERSE DAILY

A SINGLE HURT COLOR BY ANDREW DEMCAK

2010-04-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

It's waiting for you. A Single Hurt Color. Aren't you curious? Click the link below to start your adventure!

A SINGLE HURT COLOR

I GOT SIGNED TO THE FIFI OSCARD LITERARY AGENCY IN NEW YORK

2010-04-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to let you know that I now have a literary agent: Carolyn French at The Fifi Oscard Agency in New York just signed me to represent my novel, If There's a Heaven Above. She has a wealth of experience selling books to publishers. I am very excited to work with her.

THE FIFI OSCARD LITERARY AGENCY

2010-02-24T12:27:00.000-08:00

My new book of poetry, A Single Hurt Color, is now available for purchase from MiPOesias e-store.

CLICK HERE TO BUY

A SINGLE HURT COLOR BY ANDREW DEMCAK: READ FOR FREE AT ISSUU.COM

2010-02-11T06:40:00.000-08:00

My newest book of poetry, A Single Hurt Color (GOSS 183::Casa Menendez Press, 2010), has just been published on-line at issuu.com. The print version will be available shortly at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, etc. Thanks for your support! Click the link below to preview the work!

A SINGLE HURT COLOR

ANDREW DEMCAK @ SLANT, 3 NEW POEMS

2010-01-11T05:38:00.001-08:00

I have 3 poems from my upcoming poetry book, A Single Hurt Color (GOSS 183::Casa Menendez, 2010) in the new installment of SLANT. Please stop by and ponder the meanings of modern poetry. Really.

ANDREW DEMCAK @ SLANT

I REDESIGNED MY WEBSITE: ANDREW DEMCAK .COM

2009-12-28T06:59:00.000-08:00

Let me know what you think of the changes and new features.

WWW.ANDREWDEMCAK.COM

ANDREW DEMCAK IN THE NEW ISSUE OF SCYTHE

2009-12-12T07:58:00.000-08:00

I have 3 brand new poems in the premier issue of the literary journal, Scythe. Here's the link:

ANDREW @ SCYTHE

ANDREW DEMCAK FEATURED @ MIPOESIAS: THE FIRST 10 YEARS

2009-12-01T05:51:00.000-08:00

Didi Menendez has posted an interview with me about my contributions to her magazine, MiPOesias, during the last 10 years.

MIPOESIAS: THE FIRST 10 YEARS

ANDREW DEMCAK IN THE NEW OUROBOROS REVIEW

2009-11-12T06:04:00.001-08:00

I have a new poem in the current issue (no. 4) of Ouroboros Review. Read it for free at this link.

It's a great issue! Spread the word!

POETS & ARTISTS (O&S, Sept. 2009): SELF PORTAIT ISSUE

2009-11-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

Poets and Artists (O&S, Sept. 2009): Self Portrait Issue (Paperback.) I have three poems in this issue. Forgot to post this, I guess...

My 2ND PERSONALIZED REJECTION FROM THE NEW YORKER

2009-11-06T09:50:00.001-08:00

from	Poetry, TNY
to		Andrew Demcak <>
date		Fri, Nov 6, 2009 at 8:10 AM
subject		Re: Poetry Submission from Andrew Demcak
mailed-by		newyorker.com

hide details 8:10 AM (1 hour ago)

Dear Andrew Demcak,

We regret that we are unable to use the enclosed material, in spite of its evident merit. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to consider it.

Sincerely,

The Editors

ZERO SUMMER NOMINATED FOR 2009 LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD

2009-10-29T08:05:00.001-07:00

BlazeVox [Books] NY has nominated my most recent book of poetry Zero Summer for a Lambda Literary Award. Here is the current list of nominated titles (as of 10/29/09)

GAY POETRY

McPoems, Billeh Nickerson, Arsenal Pulp Press
Zero Summer, Andrew Demcak, Blazevox Books
Equal to the Earth, Jee Leong Koh, Bench Press
Desolation of the Chimera, Luis Cernuda, White Pine Press
What the Right Hand Knows, Tom Healy, Four Way Books

ANDREW DEMCAK + SSION = CREDIT IN THE STRAIGHT WORLD

2009-10-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

That's me when I was 20 in the background projection. I adore Cody and SSION. You should too.

DOUBLE REVIEW OF MY BOOKS @ WILDE OATS E-ZINE

2009-08-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

The marvelous Piet Bach at Wilde Oats e-zine has written a very insightful double review of both of my poetry books, Catching Tigers in Red Weather (2007) and Zero Summer (2009). Yay!

READ THE REVIEW @ WILDE OATS

ANDREW DEMCAK @ "WHY DO I WRITE" SERIES

2009-08-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

Google Web Alert for: "Andrew Demcak"

I Was Born Doing Reference Work In Sin Why Do I Write ~ Andrew Demcak

WHY DO I WRITE ~ Andrew Demcak As Joan Didion says: "In many ways writing is the act of saying I of imposing oneself upon other people of saying listen to me ..."

I am now part of Dustin Brookshire's series "Why Do I Write"

READ MORE

HARVARD UNIVERSITY BUYS ZERO SUMMER

2009-08-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

According to WorldCAT, Harvard University has collected a copy of my new book, Zero Summer. I think Harvard felt a little bit shown-up since Princeton bought a copy first.

HARVARD LIBRARY CATALOG

MP3 OF ANDREW DEMCAK READING @ MOE'S BOOKS BERKELEY, CA 06/09/09

2009-07-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

Moe's Books has added MP3 audio of my poetry reading with Garry Lambrev to their archives. If you missed the reading, it was a wonderful night of poetry, if I do say so myself (short, too.) This reading was part of my book tour promoting Zero Summer.

ANDREW DEMCAK READING AT MOE'S BOOKS 06/09/09

WHAT DO AMAZON CUSTOMERS BUY FROM ANDREW DEMCAK

2009-06-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	56% buy Zero Summer 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) $16.00
	44% buy the item featured on this page: Catching Tigers in Red Weather 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) $13.95

SUNY BUFFALO BUYS COPY OF ZERO SUMMER

2009-06-24T15:45:00.001-07:00

According to WorldCat.org, SUNY at Buffalo has just bought a copy of Zero Summer. It's so nice that all the universities are making the right choice and buying my books. Ya know?

ZERO SUMMER AT SUNY BUFFALO

ANDREW DEMCAK SAYS BUY KAYA OAKES NEW BOOK

2009-06-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

I met Kaya Oakes in grad school at St. Mary's College, Moraga, CA (as featured in The New Yorker as an outstanding MFA program, so there) in 1995. She is one of the smartest, drollest, most talented poet/writer that I am privileged to call my friend. Please buy her new book, Slanted and Enchanted, The Evolution of Indie Culture.

BUY SLANTED AND ENCHANTED

AMAZON CREATES AN AUTHOR PAGE FOR ANDREW DEMCAK

2009-06-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com in their inimitable wisdom have created an "Author Page" for me and my work, perhaps because my sales ranking has risen on my books there. Check it out by clicking the link below.

ANDREW DEMCAK AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

ZERO SUMMER'S AMAZON.COM SALES RANK SOARS

2009-06-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

ZERO SUMMER BY ANDREW DEMCAK: Amazon.com Sales Rank: #601,427 in Books (Sunday June 21, 2009)

This might seem like a huge number, but Amazon's ranking system goes all the way down to #9,000,000. Zero Summer's sale ranking is right along side Randall Mann, D. A. Powell, and Brenda Hillman's new one.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PURCHASES ZERO SUMMER BY ANDREW DEMCAK

2009-06-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

Princeton University has acquired a copy of Zero Summer (and it's already checked out.) Yay!

ZERO SUMMER AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

ANDREW DEMCAK READS @ MOE'S BOOKS BERKELEY, CA 06/09/09 7:30PM

2009-06-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

If you are in the SF BAY AREA on TUESDAY JUNE 9, 2009 7:30p, why not pop by Moe's Books, Berkeley and hear Garry Lambrev and me read our poetry? I will be reading from my new book, Zero Summer (BlazeVOX [books] NY 2009) as well as some newer work. I'd love to see you there!

-Andrew

Readings and Events at Moe's

Moe's literary events began as a weekly poetry reading called Monday@Moe's. Over the years Moe's Books has become one of the premier Bay Area venues to hear novelists, poets, activists, and scholars read from their works. We archive our events in audio and video files that can be accessed from our webpage.

Unless otherwise mentioned, all events begin at 7:30pm.

Upcoming events:

Tuesday, June 9th, 7:30p: Andrew Demcak and Garrett Lambrev

Andrew Demcak is an award-winning poet whose poetry has been widely published and anthologized, and whose books have been featured at The Best American Poetry and Oranges & Sardines. His latest book, Zero Summer, was published by BlazeVOX [Books], NY, 2009. His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Lambda Award, Thom Gunn Poetry Award, both theCalifornia and Northern California Book Awards, Best of the Web, and others. He has an M. F. A. in English/Creative Writing from St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA , where he studied with Robert Hass, Brenda Hillman, Michael Palmer, Carol Snow, Frank Bidart, Gary Snyder, Charles Wright, and Sharon Olds. Andrew is also a member of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers, where he studied with Galway Kinnell, Richard Howard, and Lucille Clifton. His poems, including Young Man With iPod (Poetry Midwest, #13), are taught at Ohio State University as part of both its English 110.02 class, "The Genius and the Madman," and in its "American Poetry Since 1945" class. At the age of 23, Andrew published his first chapbook, The Psalms (Big 23 Press), which was favorably reviewed by Dr. Clifton Snider in the Small Press Review (issue 226, vol. 23, no. 11.)

Garrett "Garry" Lambrev started writing poems as a rite of puberty and hasn't stopped yet. Following his graduation from Peoples Temple in 1976, he joined the Cloud House movement in SF, engendered by Kush, and began reading on the streets and in the parks of Berkeley with fellow poets Clif Ross and Bob Rivera as The Rosa Luxemburg-Dorothy Day Cultural Brigade, coming to rest each Friday afternoon in the mini plaza in front of Cody's. Though he's published only intermittently over the last few decades, mostly in small and ephemeral literary magazines, early last year Berkeley's Beatitude Press published his first book length work, Dogstar and Poems from Other Planets: 1964-1989. He is presently completing a second collection, Galaxies Inside the Heart: 1990-2009 from which he will also be reading.

--
http://www.andrewdemcak.com
http://www.ad1968.blogspot.com

ANDREW DEMCAK READS @ BOOKS INC SF

2009-06-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

Here's the link to my reading at Books Inc. SF from April 21st, 2009. It was a wonderful, well-attended reading. Listen to the MP3 audio here:

ANDREW DEMCAK READS AT BOOKS INC SF 04/21/09

ANDREW DEMCAK IN TWITTER POETS OCHO #24

2009-05-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More mipoesias

ANDREW DEMCAK SUPPORTS MARRIAGE EQUALITY

2009-05-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

Prop 8 supporters may have won the battle here in California.

But, mark my words; they will not win the war!

ANDREW DEMCAK NEW POEM @ LISTENLIGHT #19

2009-05-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

I have a new poem "The Living" in the newest issue of ListenLight #19. It's from my forthcoming book of poetry, A Single Hurt Color. It's a beautiful issue. Check it out at by clicking the link below.

LISTENLIGHT

3 MORE UNIVERSITIES BOUGHT ZERO SUMMER BY ANDREW DEMCAK

2009-05-21T07:09:00.001-07:00

According to OCLC's WorldCat, The University of Arizona, The University of Maryland, and Indiana University have all just recently purchased my book Zero Summer for their permanent collections. This is great because it took over a year before the Ivy League Universities began buying Catching Tigers in Red Weather. Zero Summer has only been out since Feb 2009.

ZERO SUMMER INFO ON WORLDCAT

BONUS ZERO SUMMER TRIVIA:

NEW BLURB ON AMAZON.COM FOR ZERO SUMMER:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ignite to a Color, May 16, 2009

By	J. Wahlgren "j paris" (boston) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Demcak's language swoops the reader into a new world where otherwise bland objects & people become colorful. Sex is a common topic for Demcak whose chapter of the book "Between melting & freezing..." (from T.S. Eliot) warms the room to body temperature & puts the reader in limbo with his warm images. These poems are "ignited to a color" & reiterate the poet's reason for writing: mainly, keeping us on our toes about reality. Demcak blooms here in Zero Summer & his subject matter, from drug addiction to sex to natural occurrence (death, etc.) communicates itself through simple structures & origins & possesses an internal play on words. Demcak has weaved himself into the quilt of modern poetry with this release.

5.0 out of 5 stars

ANDREW DEMCAK ONE OF 40 POETS ON TWITTER

2009-05-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

FROM COLLIN KELLEY'S BLOG:

Last week, Mashable.com listed 100 writers who are active on Twitter. Guess who they totally left out? Yep, poets. Laurel Snyder, a fantastic poet, got a mention, but because of her writing for young adults and children. I know many of you aren't on Twitter, don't want to be on Twitter, don't understand the purpose of Twitter, etc. Basically, Twitter is micro-blogging 140 characters at a time. It works on the same basis as Facebook updates, but is faster and more convenient. You can post "tweets" from your computer, your mobile phone, etc.

I've got more than 600 folks following my stream and more join every day. I didn't get it either when I joined last summer, but I do now. Twitter's strength, for me, is supplying quick and useful links and news I can use. If you'll remember, it was Twitter that broke the news that Amazon had de-ranked GLBT books and made it a hot news item.

As a poet and soon-to-be-novelist, I've found Twitter to be helpful. So, because Mashable couldn't or wouldn't, here's a list of 40 poets who are active on Twitter. A few caveats for this list: I only included the poet if they've updated in the last couple of months. Use it or delete it is my motto. I'm sure I've missed some folks. Please note them in the comments and I will update the list.

Karen Head: @poetphd

Jackie Sheeler: @jsheeler

Laurel Snyder: @laurelsnyder

Didi Menendez: @mipoesias

Charles Jensen: @chasjens

Amena Brown: @amenabee

Montgomery Maxton: @montmaxton

Kate Evans: @kateevanswriter

Karen Wurl: @kittenofpower

Dustin Brookshire: @dbrookshire

Andrew Demcak: @andrewdemcak

Ron Silliman: @ronsilliman

Christopher Hennessy: @outsider_lines

Nancy Devine: @nancydevine

Robert Lee Brewer: @robertleebrewer

Matthew Hittinger: @mhittinger

Christine Swint: @yoginipoet

Oliver de la Paz: @Oliver_delaPaz

Zinta Aistars: @zintaaistars

Tara Betts: @tarabetts

Pris Campbell: @pris2000

Nic Sebastian: @verylikeawhale

Mary Biddinger: @marybid

Deborah Ager: @clickwisdom

Rosemary Nissen-Wade: @snakypoet

Emily Lloyd: @elloyd74

Jon Goode: @jongoode

Emily Benton: @emilyabenton

Cheryl Snell: @cherylsnell

Shann Palmer: @shannpalmer

Daniel Nester: @danielnester

JS van Buskirk: @JSvanBuskirk

Jilly Dybka: @jilly

Vanessa Daou: @vanessadaou

Anne Haines: @annehaines

Amy King: @amyhappens

Stacie Boschma: @stacieboschma

Christian Bok: @christianbok

Ivy Alvarez: @ivyalvarez

Collin Kelley: @collinkelley

ANDREW DEMCAK PINK NARCISSUS & NARCISSUS RESISTS

2009-04-25T06:28:00.000-07:00

FROM MATTHEW HITTINGER'S BLOG:

Narcissus Resists and Pink Narcissus

Around the time Narcissus Resists was released poet Andrew Demcak wrote his five-part poem sequence Pink Narcissus in response to the 1971 James Bidgood film (which I also reference in Narcissus Resists). Andrew was kind enough to dedicate his poem to me in celebration of the release of Narcissus Resists (very sweet Andrew, thank you!).

You can read Andrew's mini e-chap HERE. (Yes, that's me on the cover, a painting courtesy of the very talented Didi Menendez who published both our projects).

Grady Harp was also kind enough to review Andrew's project:

Demcak has approached Hittinger's superb work much the way music composers pay homage to colleagues, e.g. Brahms' 'Variations on a Theme by Haydn', Rachmaninov's 'Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini', among others. In doing so he enriches our experience with Hittinger's work while continuing to prove his own important standing as a poet unafraid to explore shrouded psyches. An excellent accomplishment and an exciting poetic response to a current colleague! And it is stunningly set off by the art of Didi Menendez who also published this fine work.

Click HERE to read the whole review.

Friday, April 10, 2009

ANDREW DEMCAK @ BOOKS INC. 4/21/09

2009-04-22T05:50:00.001-07:00

Yay! Prime real estate in the front window of Books Inc. in the Castro! Both of my books, Catching Tigers in Red Weather and Zero Summer.
Check out those Tigers! It's sort of a Demcak altar.
Yes, I am really here. It's a Facebook thing.
Buy new my book Zero Summer!
I can read with my eyes shut!

I am showing off my new collagen lips.
Peter's iPhone photos. I like that soft-focus quality.

Thanks to everyone who came to see me read at Books Inc. in the Castro 04/21/09, and everyone who couldn't come but sent his/her best wishes.

ZERO SUMMER OUTRANKS BIBLE ON AMAZON.COM

2009-04-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

Things are looking up for LGBTQ authors on Amazon.com after the censorship scandal. Currently at Amazon.com my book of poetry, Zero Summer, has a higher sales ranking than this Russian Orthodox Bible. Zero Summer's ranking is #1,652,942 compared to the hefty #4,202,120 sales raking of the Bible.

ANDREW DEMCAK'S FIRST REJECTION FROM THE NEW YORKER!

2009-04-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

to		: Andrew Demcak
date:		Fri, Apr 3, 2009 at 11:06 AM
subject		: Re: Poetry Submission from Andrew Demcak
mailed-by		: newyorker.com

We regret that we are unable to use the enclosed material. Intriguing, but not quite TNY. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to consider it. Best of luck placing it elsewhere.

The Editors

MAJOR INFLUENCE ON ANDREW DEMCAK'S POETRY

2009-04-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

Piet Mondrian (1872 - 1944)

Excerpts from Mondrian's essay Plastic Art & Pure Plastic Art, which first appeared in 1937 in the British journal Circle.

"Although Art is fundamentally everywhere and always the same, nevertheless two main human inclinations, diametrically opposed to each other, appear in its many and varied expressions. One aims at the direct creation of universal beauty, the other at the esthetic expression on oneself, in other words, of that which one thins and experiences. The first aims at representing reality objectively, the second subjectively. Thus we see in every work of figurative art the desire, objectively to represent beauty, solely through form and color, in mutually balanced relations, and, at the same time, an attempt to express that which these forms, colors, and relations arouse in us. The latter attempt must of necessity result in an individual expression which veils the pure representation of beauty."

"The laws which in the culture of art have become more and more determinate are the great hidden laws of nature which art establishes in its own fashion. It is necessary to stress the facts that these laws are more or less hidden behind the superficial aspects of nature. Abstract art is therefore opposed to a natural representation of things. But it is not opposed to nature as is generally thought. It is opposed to the raw primitive animal nature of man, but is one with true human nature. It is opposed to the conventional laws created during the culture of the particular form but it is one with the laws of the culture of pure relationships.
First and foremost there is the fundamental law of dynamic equilibrium which is opposed to the static equilibrium necessitated by the particular form.
The important task then of all art is to destroy the static equilibrium by establishing a dynamic one. Non-figurative art demands an attempt of what is a consequence of this task, the destruction of particular form and the construction of a rhythm of mutual relations, of mutual forms or free lines. We must bear in mind, however, a distinction between these two forms of equilibrium in order to avoid confusion; for when we speak of equilibrium pure and simple we may be for, and at the same time against, a balance in the work of art."

"In order that art may be really abstract, in other words, that it should not represent relations with the natural aspect of things, the law of the denaturalization of matter is of fundamental importance. In painting, the primary color that is as pure as possible realizes this abstraction of natural color. But color is, in the present state of technique, also the best means for denaturalizing matter in the realm of abstract constructions in three dimensions; technical means are as a rule insufficient."

"According to our laws, it is a great mistake to believe that one is practicing non-figurative art by merely achieving neutral forms or free lines and determinate relations. For in composing these forms one runs the risk of a figurative creation, that is to say one or more particular forms.
Non-figurative art is created by establishing a dynamic rhythm of determinate mutual relations which excludes the formation of any particular form. We note thus, that to destroy particular form is only to do more consistently what all art has done."

"In general, people have not realized that one can express our very essence through neutral constructive elements; that is to say, we can express the essence of art. The essence of art of course in not often sought. As a rule, individualist human nature is so predominant, that the expression of the essence of art through a rhythm of lines, colors, and relationships appears insufficient. Recently, even a great artist has declared that 'complete indifference to the subject leads to an incomplete form of art.'
But everybody agrees that art is only a problem of plastics. What good then is a subject? It is to be understand that one would need a subject to expound something named 'Spiritual riches, human sentiments and thoughts.' Obviously, all this is individual and needs particular forms. But at the root of these sentiments and thoughts there is one thought and one sentiment: those do not easily define themselves and have no need of analogous forms in which to express themselves. It is here that neutral plastic means are demanded.
For pure art then, the subject can never be an additional value, it is the line, the color, and their relations which must 'bring into play the whole sensual and intellectual register of the inner life...,' not the subject. Both in abstract art and in naturalistic art color expresses itself 'in accordance with the form by which it is determined,' and in all art it is the artists task to make forms and colors living and capable of arousing emotion. If he makes art into an 'algebraic equation' that is no argument against the art, it only proves that he is not an artist."

"It is therefore a mistake to suppose that a non-figurative work comes out of the unconscious, which is a collection of individual and pre-natal memories. We repeat that it comes from pure intuition, which is at the basis of the subjective-objective dualism.
It is, however, wrong to think that the non-figurative artist finds impressions and emotions received from the outside useless, and regards it even as necessary to fight against them. On the contrary, all that the non-figurative artist receives from the outside is not only useful but indispensable, because it arouses in him the desire to creative that which he only vaguely feels and which he could never represent in a true manner without the contact with visible reality and with the life which surrounds him.
...
That which distinguishes him from the figurative artist is the fact that in his creations he frees himself from individual sentiments and from particular impressions which he receives from outside, and that he breaks loose from the domination of the individual inclination within him.
It is therefore equally wrong to think that the non-figurative artist creates through 'the pure intention of his mechanical process,' that he makes 'calculated abstractions,' and that he wishes to 'suppress sentiment not only in himself but also in the spectator.' It is a mistake to think that he retires completely into his system. That which is regarded as a system is nothing but constant obedience to the laws of pure plastics, to necessity, which art demands from him. It is thus clear that he has not become a mechanic, but that the progress of science, of technique, of machinery, of life as a whole, has only made him into a living machine, capable of realizing in a pure manner the essence of art. In this way, he is in his creation sufficiently neutral, that nothing of himself or outside of him can prevent him from establishing that which is universal. Certainly his art is art for art's sake ... for the sake of the art which is form and content at one and the same time."

Broadway Boogie Woogie, o/c, 1942-1943,
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Image courtesy of Mark Harden's Artchive

ANDREW DEMCAK NOW A SEARCH OPTION ON GOOGLE

2009-03-31T17:01:00.000-07:00

I did a Google search on my name today. I was surprised that by the forth letter of my last name Google had found me in its drop-down window. Andrew Demc... is all you need.

Google Me

2 NEW REVIEWS FOR ANDREW DEMCAK @ AMAZON.COM

2009-03-31T07:25:00.001-07:00

An "R. Fields" posted two new reviews of my books on Amazon.com:

About Catching Tigers in Red Weather:

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Form Follows Function, March 30, 2009

By	R. Fields - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This collection of poetry shows that Andrew Demcak is not afraid to tackle forms. Each poem in this collection is identical: 6 couplets, 10 syllable lines, and varying rhyme schemes. I see why this work has been compared so often to Berryman's "Dream Songs." The poems dance around with their language. I heard a radio interview with Demcak where he talked about his cut-up technique. It's very innovative. This is just about as powerful a collection as any poet's first book can be: full of heart and masterfully controlled technique.

About Zero Summer:

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, creative, poetry colllection, March 30, 2009

By	R. Fields - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bough this book at a friend's recommendation. It is superb! What a talent. I like Randall Mann's work, too, but sometimes his forms seem a little bit too clever and evasive. Andrew Demcak's poems have both formal control and heart. A great collection from an emerging American poet.

ANDREW DEMCAK READS AT BOOKS INC SF 04/21/09 7:00PM

2009-03-26T07:45:00.001-07:00

Here's the POSTER for my poetry reading on April 21st, 2009, 7:00pm at Books Inc in SF (Castro).

ANDREW DEMCAK INTERVIEW UP @ ELIMAE 03/09

2009-03-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

J. Michael Wahlgren of Gold Wake Press takes me to the mat about my books, style, editing- even the degree of my perception. The complete interview is up on Cooper Renner's e-journal, elimae. Read it here:

ANDREW DEMCAK INTERVIEW @ ELIMAE

ANDREW DEMCAK @ GOODREAD'S NEWSLETTER

2009-03-17T14:07:00.001-07:00

Here's the link to the Goodread's Newsletter where my poem, "Handhold (for a Zygote)" is the featured, winning poem.

GOODREADS NEWSLETTER

ANDREW DEMCAK 3 POEMS @ UNMOVEABLE FEAST

2009-03-03T06:32:00.000-08:00

I have three poems that you haven't read at Susan Kirby-Smith's e-Zine, "Unmoveable Feast."

UNMOVEABLE FEAST

ANDREW DEMCAK WINS GOODREAD'S NEWSLETTER POETRY CONTEST 03/03/09

2009-03-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

GOODREADS MARCH NEWSLETTER TOP FIVE FINALISTS' POEMS -- PLEASE SELECT ONE!

Click here to see the five poems!

A girl named Scuba by David Baratier

42 votes 17.5%

My Piano by Mark Bonica

53 votes 22.1%

Sorrow by Didi Menendez

49 votes 20.4%

Handhold (for a Zygote) by Andrew Demcak

67 votes 27.9%

body tree by Nanette Rayman-Rivera

29 votes 12.1%

240 total votes

Voting ended on: March 3rd

(You go, Zygote!)

PINK NARCISSUS BY ANDREW DEMCAK FROM GOSS 183

2009-02-21T16:16:00.001-08:00

MiPOesias & GOSS 183 just published my mini-chapbook, Pink Narcissus. The poem is about the 1971 film which is considered to be the first American "gay" art film. If you notice a similarity between the model on the cover of Pink Narcissus and the poet Matthew Hittinger, they are one in the same. Pink Narcissus is dedicated to Matthew and in honor of the publication of his new chapbook, Narcissus Resists.

PINK NARCISSUS

GRADY HARP'S REVIEW OF ANDREW DEMCAK'S 672 HOURS @ ORANGES & SARDINES

2009-02-16T16:16:00.000-08:00

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2009

Andrew Demcak's 672 HOURS reviewed by Grady Harp

This brief but pungent collection of five poems may be an isolated work reflecting the thoughts experienced in 672 hours (or 28 days) the standard course of drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Or it may be an excerpt from a yet to be released larger collection of poems by American poet Andrew Demcak. And again, it may be reportage from the author’s personal experience or simply another crown in the intuitive mind of one of our most interesting poets writing today. But here it is, 672 HOURS, as a chapbook and to attempt to ignore the power and depth of involvement in these poems is impossible.

Demcak’s alchemy with words is present in everything he writes and he seems at his best when writing about topics or situations or submerged feelings/prior pains few other poets dare touch. And Demcak has the courage to make these danger zones like personal revelations. Reading the five works here creates the sense of beginning with the psychotic delusions or mind alterations of the admitted patient still imaging strange visual input stimulated by toxins and ending with a suggestion of incipient recovery. In the first poem there are descriptions of ordinary things turned extraordinary and yet he ends that poem with the insight ‘I have no time, nor acquaintance with health.’

In the second poem our observer shares his perception of his cellmate, blurred with the realities of detoxification. By the third poem we are beginning to see his pre-morbid state that began his descent into rehab.

‘He threw me out like wine glasses flying.
Now, my sad jacket hangs there on a hook,
a fine silver corkscrew in its pocket.
We drank waist-deep, handed our fat livers,
the coronation of local drunkards
with daily liquors…..’

And in poem IV memory begins to focus:

‘A blazing kiss, my lover who put me here.
My tidy partner
Who revisits his checkbook,….’

Until in the last poem the harsh reality of our patient’s place suggests acceptance and insight:

‘Alcoholics collected, made public,
a display of bottled fetuses.’

Once again Andrew Demcak, with the briefest, almost haiku amount of space, manages to sweep us away to places strange yet familiar. Whether reporting or imagining, these poems are electrifying and offer further proof that Andrew Demcak is an artist of importance.

Review by Grady Harp

PRAISE FOR ANDREW DEMCAK @ THE FURNACE REVIEW

2009-02-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

February 16, 2009

Andrew Demcak, whose work appeared in our Fall 2007 issue, seems to be all over the place these days–and that’s a very good thing. He’s promoting his book, Zero Summer, which was just picked up in paperback by Amazon.com. He was featured on the Joe Milford Poetry Show; you can listen to him reading his recent work in their archives. And his chapbook 672 Hours was noted as a favorite by Emma Trelles atThe Best American Poetry. Congratulations on your many successes, Andrew! We can’t wait to see what’s next.

Posted by thefurnacereview
Filed in February 2009

Thank you, Ciara et al at The Furnace Review- you guys are wonderful!- Andrew

ANDREW DEMCAK READS ON THE JOE MILFORD SHOW - LISTEN HERE!

2009-02-14T16:39:00.000-08:00

Here's the link to the archive of my interview and poetry reading on The Joe Milford Internet Radio Show. As a special BONUS I world premiered my chapbook 672 Hours which has never been read aloud in public!

ANDREW DEMCAK ON THE JOE MILFORD SHOW

672 HOURS BY ANDREW DEMCAK AT THE BEST AMERICAN POETRY

2009-02-13T16:34:00.000-08:00

fROM tHE BEST AMERICAN POETRY BLOG:

FEBRUARY 13, 2009

Big Love, Little Books [by Emma Trelles]

I've been pretty smitten with chapbooks as of late. They are, for the most part, so lovely to look at, so meaty to hold. I especially admire all the effort put into the original artwork, the linen covers, the pages layed out at night on living room computers. Fonts with names like spells or the creatures who cast them: Garamond, Trebuchet, Zapf Humanist, and Medusa. I love how chapbooks are stapled/glued/stitched together, or how POD services have gifted the littlest of presses with the power to put more chaps out into the world. Good, I say. We need them.

In his blog at Pecan Grove Press, Palmer Hall describes the best of chapbooks as "excellent short stories or like a one-person art exhibit at which each painting informs the next and the one before." I also like to think of them as a rocking E.P., something yourfavorite band might put out between full length records just so you can hear what they're up to.

In his survey on chapbook history, Noah Eli Gordon says the term chapbook most likely came from the rogue peddlers that sold them (and sundry bits) while travelling through towns in the 16th through 19th centuries. Chapmen could frequently be found "bedding in barns, fleeing from dogs, and fending off thefts from other road scoundrels. Yet the visit of a chapman to a rural village, though tinged with suspicion, was a welcome occasion, as he provided many with their sole link to the rest of world, both in his wares and his gossip, a kind of Johnny Appleseed of early literary education."

Booksellers as outlaws. Sounds sort of...sexy.

Here's a list of chapbooks well worth the read. If anyone has their own picks they'd like to share, please post them.

I Give You this Ghost, by Jesse Millner. Pudding House Publications

Bud Break at Mango House, by Jen Karetnick.Portlandia Group

First Things to Hand, by Robert Pinsky.

Sarabande Books

A Merciful Bed, by Lisa Glatt & David Hernandez.Pearl Editions

Behind Our Memories, by Michael Hettich.

Adastra Press

Narcissus Resists, by Matthew Hittinger.

GOSS 183

Jane-in-the-Box, by Rita Maria Martinez.

March Street Press

Hesitant Commitments, by Pris Campbell. Lummox Press

The Night Tito Trinidad KO'ed Ricardo Mayorga, by Kevin A. Gonzalez.Momotombo Press

257 More Reasons to Have Sex, by Denise Duhamel & Sandy McIntosh.Otoliths

Passage to America, by Elisa Albo. March Street Press

This Is What Happened In Our Other Life, by Achy Obejas. A Midsummer Night's Press

672 Hours, (e-chap) by Andrew Demcak. Gold Wake Press

Mangrovia, by Campbell McGrath. Short Line Editions

Superman, by Dorianne Laux. Red Dragonfly Press

Visionware, by Caridad McCormick. Finishing Line Press

Posted by Emma Trelles on February 13, 2009 at 12:06 PM in Book Recommendations

ZERO SUMMER BY ANDREW DEMCAK AVAILABLE FROM BLAZEVOX [BOOKS], NY

2009-02-05T11:15:00.001-08:00

Even Morrissey wants a copy of Zero Summer:

http://www.blazevox.org/bk-ad.htm

ZERO SUMMER BY ANDREW DEMCAK IS UP ON AMAZON.COM

2009-01-17T07:49:00.000-08:00

My new book, Zero Summer, is now up on Amazon.

ZERO SUMMER @ AMAZON

WILLIAM KECKLER LOVES HELLO KITTY ART, ANDREW DEMCAK

2009-01-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

fROM WILLIAM KECKLER'S "JOE'S BRAINARD'S PYJAMAS" BLOG

MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2009

Michael Jackson Meets the Specter of Child Abuse(1994)

Oh, poor Michael- he'll never get it right. Media: Tempera, acrylic, housepaint and crayon on cardboard, 1994
Posted by Andrew Demcak, Poet at 11:55 AM 1 comments
Labels: Andrew Demcak

Andrew Demcak's Dyke with Blue Neck (1992)

I was just enjoying Andrew Demcak's art gallery online again (see my blogroll).

His notes for the paintings are as hilarious as his textual interpolations within the paintings.

I kept bugging him about these on Goodreads, asking him why he stopped and he gave me his reasons, which are personal, and I understand and respect that.

But I am still saddened.

Because this work is so fucking great.

He finally let out that John Kricfalusi bought two of his works when he was still exhibiting.

And I was like "I knew it!" One genius gobbling up another's fruits.

And the sensibility attraction for that animator would make sense, although I find these funnier than Ren & Stimpy.

And Andrew was on Hello Kitty so early and brutally lol.

But there are some other quite lovely works, like this Blue Dyke, which reminds me of some Russian art from the 1920s quite a bit. (I think I'm thinking one of the Burliuks, but possibly not David.)

And some great relationship-themed paintings which have iconic power.

Here's his hilarious note for this painting:

Unlike her cousin the blue-neck alligator lizard, this one doesn't lay her eggs in sandy banks. Media: Tempera, housepaint and crayon on cardboard, 1992.
Posted by Andrew Demcak, Poet at 11:52 AM 0 comments
Labels: Andrew Demcak

ANDREW DEMCAK: NEW POEMS AT ELIMAE

2008-12-29T16:17:00.001-08:00

I have 3 new poems in the December elimae. These are all from my new book, A Single Hurt Color. You can get a flavor of that new collection. Don't you love David Spiher's collages? He also did the cover of my book, Zero Summer. Click below:

ELIMAE

ANDREW DEMCAK BY DIDI MENENDEZ, 2008

2008-12-21T08:30:00.001-08:00

The American Poets Series,

"Andrew Demcak" by Didi Menendez, 2008,

oil on canvas panel (10 by 8 inches).

MATTHEW HITTINGER LIKES ANDREW DEMCAK, SO SHOULD YOU

2008-12-19T17:39:00.000-08:00

MiPO's cover boy and also fabulous poet Matthew Hittinger left me a nice comment after he finished reading my book, Catching Tigers in Red Weather:

"I enjoyed it very much! Love the 12 line form--creates a nice compression and tension to the imagery and pace. And there's some lovely music in there--I like how the rhyme is often embedded, the final word of a couplet rhyming not with the final word of its companion first line, but with the second- or third-to-last word of the previous line. Good stuff."

ANDREW DEMCAK AVAILABLE @ SPD - YAY!

2008-12-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

Catching Tigers in Red Weather is now being distributed also through Small Press Distribution (SPD). Here's the blurb about my book:

Poetry. CATCHING TIGERS IN RED WEATHER, winner of the Three Candles Press Open Book Award (selected by Joan Larkin), is a collection of poems by a new voice that combines montage cut-ups with an informing dialectic that gives us a wide array of contemporary American viewpoints. By turns playful and serious, he deftly embraces and criticizes a popular culture that is too complicated to dismiss with swift and simple comments. It is a book of rich rewards. "Andrew Demcak is a poet unafraid of the harrowing, sometimes revelatory nature of modern life. Above all, these poems evoke the moments when people come together, both in violent and romantic ways, and they also train a keen eye on the aftermaths of our partings. CATCHING TIGERS IN RED WEATHER will remind everyone who reads it that beauty and fear come into the world hand-in-hand. Like any significant poetry, it will alter its readers' perspectives forever"--Kaya Oakes.

SPD WEBSITE

ANDREW DEMCAK READS LIVE ON THE JOE MILFORD INTERNET RADIO POETRY SHOW 02/14/2009, 5PM EST

2008-12-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

The Joe Milford Internet Radio Poetry Show

02/14/2009

Saturday at 5pm Eastern Time

Andrew Demcak,

Author of Zero Summer & Catching Tigers in Red Weather

Andrew Demcak reads from his poetry live on The Joe Milford Internet Radio Poetry Show on Sat. February 14th, 2009 at 5pm EST. If can't listen in live, the show archives its readings and interviews from acclaimed and established poets from Americaand Canada. The Joe Milford Poetry Show prides itself on its candid and organic nature infused with lively discussions of poetics, genres, the writing processes, and a myriad of theories and movements in poetry.

Join me on 02/14/09, 5pm EST for the regularly scheduled show live, or after that, listen to me in the archives.

For more information, please click on the links at the bottom . Thanks!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Joe-Milford-Show

http://joemilfordpoetryshow.com/

2008-12-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

...is for "Quarrel." I am the guest poet right now on Quarrel. Watch my poem "Drinking Song" take shape over the next few days. Currently, the raw, rough draft is uploaded. Next a middle phase draft, where most of the chaff will be winnoned. Finally, the completed poem will emerge from the jumble. Really!

QUARREL

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS INFO FOR ZERO SUMMER

2008-12-03T09:49:00.000-08:00

As a working librarian, I live for my Library of Congress (LOC) information. Geoffrey Gatza, editor of BlazeVOX [Books], let me know that my ISBN/barcode/LOC info just came in for my new book, Zero Summer. If you are at all curious, here is the link to the LOC where you can do a basic search for me by name or book title:

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Yay!

THE PAST HAUNTS ANDREW DEMCAK @ GOODREADS

2008-12-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

Two very old anthologies, Velvet Avalanche and Scream When You Burn, have both surfaced on my author profile on Goodreads. It's not that I have anything against this, I really like both anthologies. It's just that they are examples of my really old poetry. Please blame the editors for the quality of my work. I have 3 poems in each of these. You can buy them for about $2 a piece on Amazon.com.

ANDREW DEMCAK MIPOESIAS FEATURED POET

2008-11-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

MiPOesias December 2008

Get your own at Scribd or explore others: Literature Poetry poetry mipoesias

ZERO SUMMER BY ANDREW DEMCAK ON SCRIBD

2008-11-08T13:40:00.000-08:00

Zero Summer by Andrew Demcak BlazeVOX [Books] 2008

Get your own at Scribd or explore others:

ANDREW DEMCAK ON CITIZEN POETS, PT 1

2008-11-02T07:59:00.000-08:00

ANDREW DEMCAK ON CITIZEN POETS, PT 2

2008-11-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

Here is part 2 of my interview/poetry reading on Citizen Poets.

ANDREW DEMCAK ON CITIZEN POETS, PT 3

2008-11-02T06:57:00.000-08:00

Here is part 3 from of my inteview/poetry reading on Citizen Poets.

ANDREW DEMCAK IN THE NEW AMERICAN POETRY JOURNAL

2008-10-30T07:27:00.001-07:00

The latest issue (#8) of the American Poetry Journal is now available. I have a few poems in there. To order your copy today, click on the link below:

AMERICAN POETRY JOURNAL

ZERO SUMMER NOW AVAILABLE FREE @ BLAZEVOX BOOKS

2008-10-25T11:53:00.001-07:00

My new book of poetry, Zero Summer, is now available as a FREE e-book at BlazeVOX Books. Please take a look. If you'd like to review this work, I'd be much obliged. Thanks for all your support. This will be available as a printed book some time next year.

ZERO SUMMER

ANDREW DEMCAK @ ORANGES & SARDINES

2008-10-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

Oranges & Sardines Issue 3, Winter 2008 - Upload a Document to Scribd

GRADY HARP REVIEWS ANDREW DEMCAK @ ORANGES & SARDINES

2008-10-12T06:23:00.000-07:00

You may want to see the PDF of the new Oranges and Sardines before you buy the print version. Grady Harp (Amazon's #6 ranked reviewer) did a very kind review of my book, Catching Tigers in Red Weather. Read it and be wonderful.

ORANGES & SARDINES

ANDREW DEMCAK LIVE ON TV @ CITIZEN POETS

2008-09-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

I will be the special guest on "Citizen Poets" San Francisco on Friday November 28th, 2008 at 6:30pm. "Citizen Poets" airs on Access SF Cable Channel 76 the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The program is part of the "SF Live" Series and is designed to showcase poets whose dialogue and artistic craft contributes to advancing issues and awareness in our community.

Episodes are streamed live on Access San Francisco's Internet streaming page at http://accessf.org/ Click on “Access SF 2”.

Please watch me on television/internet streaming and e-mail your questions, which I will be asked live on the show, to: info@zigzagcast.com!

ANDREW DEMCAK LIVE @ THE FAMOUS MOE'S BOOKS, BERKELEY, CA

2008-09-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

Hi, Fans and Friends! Now you can listen to me and Kaya Oakes reading at Moe's Books, Berkeley, CA. This was recorded live on Monday February 18, 2008.

ANDREW & KAYA READ @ MOE'S BOOKS

BlazeVOX BOOKS, NY, PUBLISHES ANDREW DEMCAK

2008-09-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

The legendary publishers, BlazeVOX Books, NY, have decided in their inimitible wisdom, to publish my new book of poetry, Zero Summer. The collection will be available in both down-loadable ebook and regular printed versions. I will let you know the details of when it will be ready for on-line reading or purchasing, as soon as I have it.

Lotsa Luv-On-Ya'll,

-A

BIG 23 BLOG

ANDREW DEMCAK INTERVIEW AT LITERARY MAGPIE

MICROREVIEW FROM STEVE FELLNER: NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Microreview: On Andrew Demcak's "Night Chant"

ANDREW DEMCAK @ POETS & WRITERS

ANDREW DEMCAK LIVE ON KKUP 91.5FM - JP DANCING BEAR'S TALKSHOW

ANDREW DEMCAK READS HIS POEM "BLOOD-PLAGUE"

ANDREW DEMCAK & DIDI MENENDEZ BROADSIDES

POEMS BY ANDREW DEMCAK IN #4 KNOCKOUT LITERARY MAGAZINE

NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK ESSAY UP AT CHARLES JENSEN'S BLOG

ANDREW DEMCAK'S "AMUSING MUSES" ESSAY UP AT CHARLES JENSEN'S BLOG

REVIEW OF NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK FROM PHILIP THRIFT ON SMASHWORDS

REVIEW OF NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK FROM JONATHAN TRACY

REVIEW OF ANDREW DEMCAK'S NIGHT CHANT AT POET HOUND

AMOS LASSEN REVIEWS NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK

NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK, IN MY HAND AT LAST

NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK PAPERBACK EDITION NOW AVAILABLE

NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK *KINDLE EDITION* NOW AVAILABLE

'HUSTLER' A POEM FROM ANDREW DEMCAK'S NIGHT CHANT IS UP AT LETHE PRESS' BLOG

ANDREW DEMCAK @ CHARLES JENSEN'S BLOG/SALON: KINEMAPOETICS

ANDREW DEMCAK: MY NEW PICTURE BOOK WEBSITE

ANDREW DEMCAK NEW & SELECTED POEMS: BLOOD'S TONGUE

NICE REVIEW OF ANDREW DEMCAK'S A SINGLE HURT COLOR BY *A NICE PERSON

ANDREW DEMCAK'S NEW POETRY BOOK, NIGHT CHANT, LETHE PRESS, 2012

ANDREW DEMCAK FEATURED POET AT THE LAMBDA LITERARY FOUNDATION 2/18/2011

I'm the featured poet at The Lambda Literary Foundation today. http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/poetry-spotlight/02/18/andrew-demcak-tattoo/

DON'T FORGET MY NEW FICTION WEBSITE: ANDREW DEMCAK: MY NEW NOVELS

MY NEW FICTION WEBSITE THEANDREWDEMCAK23.COM

NEW WORK IN 10/10 POETS & ARTISTS MAGAZINE FROM ANDREW DEMCAK

COME SEE MY NOVEL LIMBOVILLE ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY DAVID SPIHER JULY 17, 24 9:30PM $5.00 AT THE DOOR

WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME IN PRINT? REVIEW MY BOOK FOR GENTLY READ LITERATURE!

REVIEW OF ANDREW DEMCAK'S A SINGLE HURT COLOR @ THE FURNACE REVIEW

ANDREW DEMCAK @ VERSE DAILY 5/21/2010

A SINGLE HURT COLOR BY ANDREW DEMCAK

I GOT SIGNED TO THE FIFI OSCARD LITERARY AGENCY IN NEW YORK

A SINGLE HURT COLOR BY ANDREW DEMCAK: READ FOR FREE AT ISSUU.COM

ANDREW DEMCAK @ SLANT, 3 NEW POEMS

I REDESIGNED MY WEBSITE: ANDREW DEMCAK .COM

ANDREW DEMCAK IN THE NEW ISSUE OF SCYTHE

ANDREW DEMCAK FEATURED @ MIPOESIAS: THE FIRST 10 YEARS

ANDREW DEMCAK IN THE NEW OUROBOROS REVIEW

POETS & ARTISTS (O&S, Sept. 2009): SELF PORTAIT ISSUE

Poets and Artists (O&S, Sept. 2009): Self Portrait Issue (Paperback.) I have three poems in this issue. Forgot to post this, I guess...

My 2ND PERSONALIZED REJECTION FROM THE NEW YORKER

ZERO SUMMER NOMINATED FOR 2009 LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD

GAY POETRY

ANDREW DEMCAK + SSION = CREDIT IN THE STRAIGHT WORLD

DOUBLE REVIEW OF MY BOOKS @ WILDE OATS E-ZINE

ANDREW DEMCAK @ "WHY DO I WRITE" SERIES

HARVARD UNIVERSITY BUYS ZERO SUMMER

MP3 OF ANDREW DEMCAK READING @ MOE'S BOOKS BERKELEY, CA 06/09/09

WHAT DO AMAZON CUSTOMERS BUY FROM ANDREW DEMCAK

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

SUNY BUFFALO BUYS COPY OF ZERO SUMMER

ANDREW DEMCAK SAYS BUY KAYA OAKES NEW BOOK

AMAZON CREATES AN AUTHOR PAGE FOR ANDREW DEMCAK

ZERO SUMMER'S AMAZON.COM SALES RANK SOARS

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PURCHASES ZERO SUMMER BY ANDREW DEMCAK

ANDREW DEMCAK READS @ MOE'S BOOKS BERKELEY, CA 06/09/09 7:30PM

Readings and Events at Moe's

Upcoming events:

Tuesday, June 9th, 7:30p: Andrew Demcak and Garrett Lambrev

ANDREW DEMCAK READS @ BOOKS INC SF

ANDREW DEMCAK IN TWITTER POETS OCHO #24

ANDREW DEMCAK SUPPORTS MARRIAGE EQUALITY

ANDREW DEMCAK NEW POEM @ LISTENLIGHT #19

3 MORE UNIVERSITIES BOUGHT ZERO SUMMER BY ANDREW DEMCAK

ANDREW DEMCAK ONE OF 40 POETS ON TWITTER

ANDREW DEMCAK PINK NARCISSUS & NARCISSUS RESISTS

FROM MATTHEW HITTINGER'S BLOG:

Narcissus Resists and Pink Narcissus

Friday, April 10, 2009

ANDREW DEMCAK @ BOOKS INC. 4/21/09

ZERO SUMMER OUTRANKS BIBLE ON AMAZON.COM

ANDREW DEMCAK'S FIRST REJECTION FROM THE NEW YORKER!

MAJOR INFLUENCE ON ANDREW DEMCAK'S POETRY

Piet Mondrian (1872 - 1944)

Excerpts from Mondrian's essay Plastic Art & Pure Plastic Art, which first appeared in 1937 in the British journal Circle.

Broadway Boogie Woogie, o/c, 1942-1943, Museum of Modern Art, New YorkImage courtesy of Mark Harden's Artchive

NIGHT CHANT BY ANDREW DEMCAK KINDLE EDITION NOW AVAILABLE

Broadway Boogie Woogie, o/c, 1942-1943,
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Image courtesy of Mark Harden's Artchive