GALATEA RESURRECTS, #3 (A Poetry Engagement)

FROM THE EDITOR

ENGAGING CONVERSATIONS

A reviewer had to bail at the last minute on sending over a couple of reviews. Why? Because, he said, in looking over the review copies I'd sent him, he ended up questioning much of his assumptions about poetry, and had to deal with such first. I'll belabor the obvious: such a result is as significant as writing a review -- I was happy to hear how reading poems so affected him. Poetry should (if it must do anything) affect...

Looking over this issue's Table of Contents makes me wanna croon some statistics atcha! This is the third issue of Galatea Resurrects and here are numbers (on top of other features and e-reprints):

Issue 1: new reviews of 27 publications & other poetry projects

Issue 2: new reviews of 38 publications & other poetry projects (one of which was reviewed twice by different reviewers)

Issue 3: new reviews of 48 publications & other poetry projects (of which two are reviewed more than once by different reviewers)

As someone who had launched this project with prayers to get a minimum of five reviews an issue, I'm amazed. But, of course, pleased. Thanks to ye volunteer-writers for spreading the word about the Word to the world.

The deadline for sending reviews for the fourth issue will be November 5, 2006. Review information, including available review copies, are here. Note that the list of available review copies can change daily, depending on what the mail brings.

Here are more stats: Of new reviews, this number of reviewed publications were derived from review copies sent to Galatea Resurrects:

Issue 1: 9 out of 27 new reviewees
Issue 2: 25 out of 38 new reviewees
Issue 3: 27 out of 48 new reviewees

Obviously, people are checking Galatea Resurrects' review copy list. Authors and publishers should note those stats. And in response to some expressed concerns out there that review copies just arrive here to form unread stacks, please note that every review copy you send will be read by me (not to say it will be reviewed by me, but your lovely poetry publication won't just arrive at Galatea's mountain to be eaten by its little insect critters as it lies ignored in some corner).

I am pleased to present multiple (re)views of the same project--as is the case, this issue, for two publications--if that project affects more than one writer who feels compelled to write about it. Note that most of the books reviewed are chosen by the reviewers themselves--not proscribed by me.

A housekeeping detail: this being a blog, posts can be edited for errors so please feel free to let me know. Feel free to use the Comments sections to add ordering or other relevant information, too. This being a one-person operation, I might get sketchy on some details.

Another housekeeping detail -- I would have thought this point obvious but based on something that occurred behind-the-scenes regarding one of the reviews in Issue 2 (and perhaps as something that may be relevant for this and future issues, too), I hereby note: ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE THEIR AUTHOR'S, NOT NECESSARILY THE EDITOR'S. I may agree or disagree with various assessments but please don't assume that my publishing of a review means I agree with the opinions therein. This project, after all, ain't just about my opinions -- I just want to do my bit in encouraging engagements with poetry, such as through this forum.

(Hmmm. That second "housekeeping detail" (I am a lousy housekeeper and so it's fitting Moi digresses) reminds me of a criticism lobbed at this project when Issue 1 came out -- that I, as editor, apparently don't have some editorial standard because I don't seem to discriminate among poetic styles. (Style? Yawn...) Anyway, ye critic, ye presume too much. Maybe I don't want to keep preaching to the converted...so that, maybe, I find it advantageous to present a forum where, say, the reader of Brian Turner might discover the poems of, say, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge AND vice versa. Consider the implications of that possibility, why dontcha? Anyway, end of boring digression. Moving on...)

Last but not least, this issue was put together during the Dog Days of Summer here in St. Helena. Yes, that is a gratuitous note to post this photo of my babies: Achilles (left) and Gabriela (right):



With much love, fur and poetry,

Eileen Tabios
St. Helena, CA
August 24, 2006

posted by na @ 11:52 PM