Poetry West

Poetry West 2007 Chapbook Contest Winner and Finalists

Dear Poet:

With the many outstanding chapbook entries we received, our decision was not an easy one. There were many more fine manuscripts than we could possibly publish. Please know that your manuscript was read carefully.

We are delighted to announce that Lisa Lewis has won the 2007 chapbook competition. Her collection, Story Box, will be published in Fall 2008, at which point you will receive your complimentary copy if you provided a suitable SASE.

Congratulations also to the following finalists, who are listed alphabetically by last name:

Shaindel Beers, Love and Other Tragedies
Kellie Cannon, The Hum of the Radiator
Rob Carney, You Can’t Trade Africa for a Treadmill
Daniel Daly, Elevator Man
Brett DeFries, The Leaving Season
Susan Gubernat, Analog House
John Estes, Swerve
Margaret J. Hoehn, Brightly Falling
Keith Montesano, About Ravishment
Page Hill Starzinger, Black Tongue

We hope you will accept our apologies for the extraordinary amount of time it took to choose a winner. Our chapbook contest coordinator was unable for personal reasons to see the contest through to completion. Consequently, Poetry West regrouped and appointed a new editorial panel earlier this year. It was a stressful, yet ultimately reinvigorating, time for our volunteer organization.

In the end, spending time with such fine manuscripts was more than a sincere pleasure – it served as a reminder of why we love poetry and remain committed to the pursuit of this art in all of its manifestations.

We wish the best for you and your work, and we do hope you’ll consider sending to the contest in the future. Information will be published soon on our web site: www.poetrywest.org. We will look forward to seeing more of your work then.

All best,

Poetry West Lisa Lewis, recent winner of Poetry West's chapbook contest, won the American Poetry Journal book prize sponsored by Dream Horse Press for poems including Story Box, the chapbook to be published by Poetry West.