The Bluff

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Pardon my press release

The Picolata Review (www.picolatareview.org), a new home for top quality fiction, poetry, reviews, and essays on topics related to literature and culture, has published its first issue. You're invited to come discover great writing by the most talented new voices in the literary world.

Picolata was originally a Spanish fort located on the St. Johns River seven leagues west of St. Augustine. The fort is now underwater, but Picolata survives as a small village. St. Augustine is known around the world as America's oldest city, but only the locals know about Picolata. You might say it's located just a little west of famous.

The Picolata Review is dedicated to great writing by talented authors and poets who are also just a little west of famous. We hope you'll agree that our inaugural issue establishes The Picolata Review as the new home for top quality short fiction, poetry, book reviews, and essays on subjects related to literature and culture.

Join us as we celebrate our birthday, and enjoy the excellent stories, articles, and poetry from the world's best and brightest emerging writers, including:

Lisa Coutant's interview with Pulitzer finalist Lee Martin

Fresh new poetry from Riki Garcia Rebel, Gol McAdams, Geoffrey Philp, and Santiago B. Villafania

Fiction from Jamie Ford, Hannah Pfeifle, and Jeff Neale

An excerpt from Janet Thorning's debut novel, The Resurrection of My Heart

Debra Hamel's review of Peter Pouncey's Rules for Old Men Waiting

An interview with Dan Wickett, founder of the Emerging Writers Network

and

A memoir of Rachmaninoff's favorite pianist, Princess Caterina
by her grandson Prince Louis Richard de la Pau.

We're excited by our inaugural issue, and we're sure you will be too. Join us as we introduce the new home of great writing, The Picolata Review.
www.picolatareview.org

Mark Pettus,
Tuesday, June 20, 2006

21 comments so far. Thank you, Anonymous, Mark Pettus, Mark Pettus, Jade L Blackwater, Kelly (Lynn) Parra, Kitty, s.w. vaughn, Moni, Mindy Tarquini, Michele, Anonymous, Jeff, Moni, Mark Pettus, Moni, Kitty, WannabeMe, Bernita, Shesawriter, Joanne, Joanne,

Let me know what you think

21 Comments

at 4:23 PM Anonymous said...: I enjoying the issue very much! The poem by "Flags," Riki Garcia Rebel hit me hard. I love that kind of raw, unashamed depiction of a human moment.
at 10:17 PM Mark Pettus said...: I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I love writers who are willing to stand naked before the world - embarrassed and ashamed, but willing to be exposed for what they are: human.
at 10:20 PM Mark Pettus said...: I hope you'll go back and leave a comment for Riki on the forums.
at 9:05 AM Jade L Blackwater said...: Congratulations on a wonderful debut! I’ve really enjoyed the first issue of the Picolata Review, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next round.

I really enjoyed "I am Chinese," by Jamie Ford. Having grown up in Seattle myself, his work included elements that were both familiar to me, and yet also beyond my own experiences. I had goosebumps. :)
at 10:30 AM Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...: Mark, congratulations on an awesome debut!! I'm really impressed with the hard work by you, the editors and the contributors. Great job!
at 9:03 AM Kitty said...: WOW -- I love it! I saw it linked on Grumpy Old Bookman. Read Jeff Neale's A QUESTION OF LAURA, and now I'm on to read the others.

I'm very impressed!
at 12:40 PM s.w. vaughn said...: Ah, so THAT's where you've been. How fabulous, Mark! Many, many congratulations and best wishes on success.

I'll spread the word about the Picolata far and wide -- well, at least as wide as I can. :-) You GO!!!
at 7:27 PM Moni said...: A delight for literary senses I'm sure. Congrats, I'll check it out. :)
at 3:11 PM Mindy Tarquini said...: Wowee Zowee, Mark! Just back from the seashore and I find THIS.

Loved it! Absolutely loved it!

[/overuse of exclamation points]
at 8:34 PM Michele said...: Impressive and congrats!
at 1:47 PM Anonymous said...: Thanks for all the time and effort you put into it. And a BIG thanks for letting me be a part of it.
at 11:14 PM Jeff said...: Great job on the first issue, Mark! Like Jamie, I too want to thank you for letting me be a part.
at 4:45 PM Moni said...: Maybe I was misconstrued, I thought Picolato Reviews was meant to be a launching pad for up and coming writers. I mean where is the submissions category? I'm nowhere near the caliber of these "just west of famous authors," but I do know people who are.

The site has a very nice layout and design, but it feels a little clickish and exclusive. I've referred two budding writers to you and frankly I don't know where they would actually post any of their work.

I thought you were interested in helping people become better writers...what happen? It appears that there was a lot of time and effort put into developing Picaloto Reviews, and I'm sure there are some oustanding writers within your literary circle. But, it leaves one to contemplate if some poor obscure writer you don't know can be outstanding also, or are they just oustanding in the rain?

Sorry, just my humble opinion.
at 7:37 PM Mark Pettus said...: Anyone who wants to submit work to The Picolata Review is welcome to copy their story or poem into an email sent to submissions@picolatareview.org.

All submissions are judged by a committee - in a blind review. No one on the committee knows who the author of any given piece is, unless and until that piece is selected for publication. Each work must stand on its own - without benefit of the publishing credits, fame, or personal connections of the author.

When I sent out rejection letters (which I hate doing), I found myself turning down friends, writers I admire, and poets with the word "laureate" on their resumes. Some of the writers whose work we chose had no publishing credits, but their work justified its own publication.

I am interested in helping writers who want to improve their craft. Recently I agreed to become a "coach" for two writers who sought help and mentoring. "On the Craft" will be a regular section at the Picolata Review, with articles and interviews designed to help writers improve their art, and sell their works. Publishing work that isn't truly outstanding doesn't help anyone, but outstanding work - even work written by someone as obscure as Jeff Neale (no offense, Jeff) - is what we do.
at 8:18 PM Moni said...: Thank you for the clarification. I stand corrected.
at 9:00 AM Kitty said...: Jeff Neale is/was "obscure"? Who'da thunk? Certainly not from his story!
at 12:39 PM WannabeMe said...: Ooo, congrats! Off to read now!
at 1:00 PM Bernita said...: Just excellent, Mark.
Rather wonderful, in fact.
The "outstanding" part leaves me out, but I cheer you on.
at 8:53 PM Shesawriter said...: Okay, Mark...where the *&^% are you? Come back!
at 10:39 PM Joanne said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
at 10:41 PM Joanne said...: Great issue, Mark. Very interesting and a lot of great writing. Just saw your note on my blog, get in touch with me, we'll talk. ;)