|
 |
National Archive founded and managed by Pudding House Publications In the beginning there was the dream and the dream was a reality the very next day In 2000 Pudding House Publications initiated this program conceptualized by Jennifer Bosveld in the middle of the night. By 6am policies and criteria were developed and the first 25 poets were invited and within the week said yes to POETS GREATEST HITS™. Every one of them. Academic and community-based poets alike. Why would well-published highly-respected poets say yes to something that sounds so… popular? Jennifer had no clue how the program would be accepted among a population of over 25,000 poets writing and publishing currently. “Most of us are leery of publishing or award projects that could be the next scam targeting writers. We watch out for each other. This was an honorable intent but how would it be perceived by others? Within 10 hours we had our answer. "This is going to be big,” Jennifer affirmed. The Pudding House Publications reputation seems to be all anyone needed. Why do we need this archive, this series? How wonderful to have in one centralized location, available to all, a thoughtful sampler on the individual works of the successful poets of our time. A ready answer to questions like, “Who is this Stephen Corey? What did he tend to write? Where did he publish? Tell me a little about his life, over the long haul.” Format is locked in concrete--poets would have about 5 pages to tell a little more of their stories than the traditional back-page bio. It is demanded of them; a try at humility is not appreciated here. We’ll see how the poems fit in, perhaps, with the stories of their lives. Grad students of the future might research the collections to see what percentage of these poets do not mention a university in their narratives. How many of the poets mention editing a journal? Which journals were acknowledged most often? Because of the complete collections that are housed in several places around the United States, researchers have accessible options for their explorations. But clearly, we need more central and west states to offer this archive to their patrons. More importantly, this is good reading. Many of the collections are “required” or “recommended” texts for college classrooms. They are adopted texts because the poets teach as well from their own exemplary work as they do from what they say in the classroom. If they are hired for the classroom there is a reason and some of that is found in their work. Who is nominated? A poet must be nominated in order to have a POETS GREATEST HITS™ collection published. The Poets Greatest Hits™ national panel members may each choose 4 poets a year for this archive but the average inducted per year is approximately six in all. Panel members make hose selections with absolute authority and do not have to be approved by anyone else including each other or Pudding House Publications. Additionally, every poet inducted is allowed one nomination in his/her lifetime. The poets nominated create a pool of candidates who are considered for selection. The project editorial management chooses some poets from that pool of candidates. Like other prestigious awards, it is an honor just to be nominated. Most nominees are not chosen. No unsolicited manuscripts are acknowledged or appreciated. If a poet approaches the panel or Pudding House editors soliciting inclusion they could become ineligible in the future. Who serves on the panel? Poets Greatest Hits™ was created by Jennifer Bosveld at Pudding House Innovative Writers Programs in 2000. During the 2nd year Jennifer appointed panel members who serve for a minimum of two years. Jennifer wanted to pull from a broader deserving pool of candidates than any one person’s experience would allow. Please do not solicit them. Currently panel members are: David Chorlton Vivian Shipley Jennifer MacPherson Martha Elizabeth David Rigsbee Roger Weingarten Lowell Jaeger Jennifer Bosveld, director Who do we induct? Poets whose publication histories are impressive, poets who have had a positive impact on the literary landscape, poets whose work teaches by example. Poets quite different from each other. An exemplary mix of avant garde, traditional, experimental, and both academic and community poets. Nominated poets are selected at any time during the year and are asked to develop their manuscripts according to a specific format. V.T. Abercrombie Steve Abbott Wilma Acree SDiane Adamz-Bogus Karren Alenier Pamela Alexander David Alpaugh Maggie Anderson Marion Arenas Ivan Arguelles Rebecca Baggett Dick Bakken Ellen Bass Ron Bayes Richard Beban Jack B. Bedell Bruce Bennett John Bennett John M. Bennett Roy Bentley David Berman James Bertolino Terry Blackhawk Karen Blomain Edward Boccia William Boggs Jennifer Bosveld Gaylord Brewer Michael Dennis Browne Alfred J. Bruey Christopher Buckley Michael Bugeja Richard Alan Bunch Grace Butcher Salvatore M. Buttaci Charles Cantrell Neil Carpathios Marie Cartier Alan Catlin Grace Cavalieri Joel Chace Craig Challender Hale Chatfield David Chorlton David Citino Earl Coleman Wanda Coleman Robert Collins Edmund Conti Robert Cooperman Stephen Corey Jack Coulehan Barbara Crooker Sharon Cumberland Ruth Daigon Chip Dameron Jim Daniels Tony D’Arpino Lucille Lang Day Mark DeFoe Susan Donnelly Sharon Doubiago Roger Dunsmore WD Ehrhart Susan Eisenberg Rhina P. Espaillat Nancy Esposito Dave Etter Kathy Fagan Patricia Fargnoli Annie Finche Gary Fincke Kevin FitzPatrick Jack Foley CB Follett Steven Fortney Anne Carrol Fowler Hugh Fox Robert Fox Jan Frazier Stuart Friebert John Gabel Charles Ghigna Virginia Gilbert Maria Gillan Michael S. Glaser Malcolm Glass Andrew Glaze David Graham Taylor Graham Joseph Green Ray Greenblat Larry D. Griffin S.A. Griffin Kevin Griffith Bob Grumman Jeff Gundy Richard Hague Mark Halperin Therese Halscheid Carol Hamilton Yvonne Hardenbrook Pamela Harrison Mark Hartenbach Gayle Elen Harvey Michael Hettich William Heyen Donna Hilbert Will Hochman Robert Hoeft John Horvath Ron Houchin Albert Huffstickler Joseph Hutchison Colette Inez MJ Iuppa Richard Jackson Bonnie Jacobson Lowell Jaeger Larry Jaffe Philip K. Jason Paul Juszcyk Ilya Kaminsky LuAnn Keener Susan Kelly-DeWitt Diane Kendig Christopher Kennedy Joan Payne Kincaid David Kirby Greg Kosmicki Steve Kowit Carolyn Krieter-Foronda Daniel J. Langton Quraysh Ali Lansana Linda Lerner M.L. Liebler Jeanne Lohmann Gian Lombardo George Looney Susan Luther Thomas Lux Kathleen Lynch Edward Lynsky Katharyn Howd Machan R. Nikolas Macioci Jennifer MacPherson Richard Martin Frank Matagrano David McAleavey Janet McCann Robert E. McDonough Ron McFarland Robert McGovern Joan McIntosh Louis McKee John McKernan Llewellyn McKernan Joseph McLaughlin Robert McNamara Raymond McNiece Peter Meinke Philip Memmer Gary Metras Peggy Miller Robert Miltner Tony Moffeit Ronald Moran Carol Morris Rick Mulkey Sheila Murphy Joe Napora Judith Neeld Sheryl L. Nelms Jo Nelson Leslea Newman Richard Newman Barbra Nightingale Sheryl Noethe Harry Northup Carole Oles David Olsen Gary Pacernick Christina Pacosz William Page Robert Parham John Passerello James Penha Robert Peters Jim Peterson Kenneth Pobo Georgia Popoff Charles Potts Joseph Powell Holly Prado David Radavich Dan Raphael Steven Ratiner Michael Rattee David Ray Judy Ray James Reiss Suzanne Rhodenbaugh David Rigsbee Mary Rising-Higgins Bonnie Roberts Zack Rogow John J. Ronan Charles Rossiter Vern Rutsala Lynn Veach Sadler Omar Salinas Mark Sanders Lynne Savitt David Schloss Amy Jo Schoonover Lloyd Schwartz James R. Scrimgeour Richard Shelton Betsy Sholl Peggy Shumaker Michael Allen Sickler Barry Silesky Jim Simmerman Daniel Skach-Mills Knute Skinner Ray Skjelbred Floyd Skloot Warren Slesinger Ed Smith Jordan Smith R.T. Smith John Sokol Philip St. Clair David Starkey Hannah Stein Shelby Stephenson Carolyn Stoloff Virgil Suarez Tim Suermondt Marilyn L. Taylor Philip Terman Susan Terris Sharon Thomson Richard Tillinghast K.K. Todorovich Cheryl Townsend Leonard Trawick Ryan G. Van Cleave Faith Vicinanza Fred Waage Sue Walker George Wallace Thom Ward Jackie Warren-Moore Charles Harper Webb Roger Weingarten Don Welch Gail White Julie Herrick White Nathan Whiting Laurance Wieder A.D. Winans Mary Winters Warren Woessner Terry Wolverton Carolyne Wright Andrena Zawinski Marilyn Zuckerman Email us for VISA/MC order today! Coming soon: Mary Crow, Jim Cummins, Bruce Wiegl, and others. GREATEST HITS are released from 1 week to 2 years from receipt of invited authors’ manuscripts. We thank panel members David Chorlton, Jennifer MacPherson, Vivian Shipley, Taylor Graham, David Rigsbee, Roger Weingarten, Lowell Jaeger, and Jennifer Bosveld/Pudding House. What is the poet’s responsibility as an inductee? Inducted poets are asked to send their 12 greatest hit poems—their signature work—the poems they have received the most positive responses for throughout their careers thus far. They write a narrative about the 12 poems and their lives as poets. They provide credits/acknowledgments, and send this to Pudding House within an attachment emailed in. They might be asked to send a paper print out of the emailed version as well. What do the poets receive? Inclusion in a permanent national archive of sterling reputation. Publication of a gold chapbook that is cost effective for readers. 20 free copies of the collection and deep discounts on additionals. No commitment to purchase anything. 5 copies of Greatest Hits by other poets of their choices. ISBN number and listing in Bowker’s Books in Print. Pudding House keeps your title in print, your name in print. Listing on the Pudding House Publications website in the Publications List and on the Greatest Hits log. Inclusion in important permanent special library collections. Where can I find the complete collection of the Poets Greatest Hits™ published to date? At university libraries with special collections including: Kent State University, State University of New York/Buffalo, The Ohio State University, Poets House/Soho, and private collections. How can you buy copies of the GREATEST HITS? Order by name and Greatest Hits at $10 each from the list of those in print on the mainpage of the www.puddinghouse.com website. Libraries, bookstores, collectors, and others may order in bulk at special rates negotiable through the Pudding House office at 614-986-1881. Phone, email, and mail orders are welcome with check, cash, VISA/MC with expiration date. There are 270 poets’ Greatest Hits available currently. |
