Wordgathering

A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature
 

Volume 13     Issue 1     March 2019

Welcome

Welcome to the March 2019 issue of Wordgathering and the beginning of our thirteenth year of publication. In this issue we present the work of five poets new to our journal –Kylie Bean, Bradley Buchanan, Nathan Erwin, Ruth Li and Doug May – as well as the poems of a number of returning writers. The latter include Jim Ferris, Tricia Knoll, Brian Koukol, Cade Leebron, Shane Neilson, Nancy Scott and Saloua Ben Zahra.

Complementing the work of the poets themselves are three interviews discussing opportunities for disabled writers. Those with the editors of Nine Mile magazine and Hamilton Arts and Letters give details about the call for poetry by disabled writers for special issues of their journals. The interview with Sheila Black continues to provide information about Zoeglossia, an organization dedicated to providing workshop and conference opportunities to disabled writers.

This March issue also offers a varied selection of essays. They come from Karen Christie, Robert J. Farley, Jane Joritz-Nakagama, Shelley L. Tremain and Roy Walberg. Paul Hostovsky and Ana Vidosavljevic are the short fiction contributors to this issue. More about their specific pieces can be found by clicking on the journal's essays index. Readers attending AWP this year will want to check out the essay about the Disability Literature Consortium reading, which offers sample poems from the poets reading at that event.

Of the four books reviewed in this issue, the two by Tricia Knoll and Leroy Moore are works of poetry. A third, edited by Belo Miguel Cipriani, collects themed essays from people living with disabilities. The final book, Alice Wexler's Autism in a Decentered World provides important insights and updates into the ongoing discussions of autistic experience.

For Wordgathering's special features, Emily K. Michael contributes the Gatherer's Blog this time around with a description of her nervousness prior to her initial public poetry reading. Rachel Kallem Whitman guest edits our Reading Loop, drawing together writings about eating disorders as disability in "We Deserve to Be Free." Though there are no specific art features in this issue, readers will want to check out the painting by Nancy Rourke that is part of Karen Christie's essay on Deaf poet Laura Redden.

As it has for the past four years, Wordgathering along with other journals that make up the Disability Literature Consortium will participate at AWP by taking part in the book fair where we have a booth that works exclusively to sell the literary work of writers with disabilities. This year's AWP will conference take place in Portland, Oregon from March 27-30. Writers interested in having their work for sale at the Disability Literature Consortium booth can check the consortium website at https://dislitconsortium.wordpress.com or email dislit666@gmail.com for details.

Wordgathering continues to seek work that develops the field of disability literature. We invite the submission of poetry, short fiction, drama, art and essays that discuss poetry from a disability perspective or that contribute to the theoretical development of disability literature. The journal editors appreciate hearing from authors whose books quaify as disability literature and would like them reviewed. Our guidelines provide further information about the kind of work we seek. We value our readers' opinions and hope you will send your comments, concerns or ideas to us at comments@wordgathering.com. Wordgathering invites readers to follow us Facebook and on Twitter @wordgathering.

The Editors

Return to Top

This site is maintained by Michael Northen.