Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz
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Cristin’s fourth book of Poetry “Oh, Terrible Youth” Re-Issued
In 2010, Write Bloody Publishing announced that they would be publishing Cristin’s entire back catalogue of poetry, and Cristin is proud to announce that the first expanded re-issue, Oh, Terrible Youth was officially released on March 15. In her fourth collection of poetry, Cristin used her youth as muse, writing about her childhood & teenage years in working class Philadelphia, and her early years in NYC. Some of the Cristin’s best known work appear in this book, including Third and Last, “This Mask Is What’s Holding My Face Up”, “Estephania”, “Our Year of Smut”, “Lilith”, “Heavenly Creature”, and “Sestina For Shappy Who Doesn’t Get Enough Love Poems”, among others. A plump collection that “commiserates and celebrates all the wonder, terror, banality and comedy that is the long journey through to adulthood,” Oh, Terrible Youth is available to all indie & chain bookstores, on Amazon and on the Write Bloody Publishing website (where you can buy the book with other COA titles for discount!)
Cristin to host a monthlong series celebrating Women Poets on the IndieFeed Performance Poetry Podcast
Cristin is thrilled to be hosting the IndieFeed Performance Poetry Podcast for March 2011, with a special series celebrating women poets in honor of Women’s History Month. The series kicks off in earnest on Friday March 2nd, and will spotlight new poems by lady poets every Mon, Weds and Friday throughout March. Click HERE for more information, and check out two pre-shows: Shappy Seasholtz, as hosted by Cristin and Cristin, as hosted by Shappy Seasholtz. Click the names of the lady poets to here the individual shows: Jane Cassady (March 4th); Simone Beaubien (March 7th); Amy David (March 9); Megan Thoma (March 11); Sarah Kay (March 14); Jeanann Verlee (March 16); Joanna Hoffman (March 18); Mahogany Browne (March 21); Lauren Zungia (March 23); Rachel McKibbens (March 25); April Jones (March 28); and Mindy Nettifee (March 30).
Cristin to Attend AWP & Perform at Two Offsite Readings
Cristin will be attending the 2011 AWP conference, happening in Washington DC from Feb 2nd – Feb 6th. She will additional be performing at two offsite readings on Thursday February 3rd: the 3pm AWP Literary Gong Show @ Madam’s Organ Restaurant & Bar (2461 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009-2003) where she will be representing Barrelhouse Magazine; and 7:30pm Divination in DC (aka the PANK / Annalemma / Mud Luscious reading) @ Ireland’s Four Provinces, 3412 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC). For more information, click on the respective links. NEW: You can watch a video of Cristin performing at the PANK / Annalemma / Mud Luscious reading by clicking here (Cristin starts at the 11:40 mark).
Cristin’s TEDxPhilly talk spotlighted in Andrew Sullivan’s blog in The Atlantic
Cristin was surprised to be see an excerpt of the TEDxPhilly talk she gave November 2010 spotlighted in popular political blogger, Andew Sullivan’s blog this morning. The excerpt chosen included an extended quote from Thomas Dent Mutter (the subject of Cristin’s forthcoming non-fiction book) which remains powerful and relevant some 154 years after he spoke it. To the blog including the quote, click here.
Cristin Written Up in Worcester News Telegram
In his article about Cristin in the Worcester News Telegram, writer Richard Duckett wrote, “[Cristin]’s certainly famous in slam poetry circles, having co-founded the NYC-Urbana Reading Series, whose teams have captured the National Championship title three times. To some people, the more traditional National Endowment of the Arts might seem like a different sort of world. Not necessarily to Aptowicz. She was recently awarded a 2011 NEA Fellowship in Poetry. The award did come as something as a surprise to the 32-year-old Philadelphia native. ‘It was a real shock. It was a huge shock,’ she said. Still, Aptowicz said she has felt that ‘people from, shall we say, nontraditional poetry, we’re guilty of holding ourselves back from these opportunities.’” To read more of this article, please click here.
Cristin’s TEDxPhilly Talk Spotlighted in Poetry Foundation blog
Cristin is honored and thrilled that Harriet the Poetry Foundation blog is showcasing her TEDxPhilly talk given November 2010. The entry begins, “Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz talks at TEDxPhilly about “how you can turn nerdy obsessions into things that can transform your life,” but not without working for it. Aptowicz spent eight years working in a cubicle (the same cubicle) and writing, publishing, and touring on the side before making the decision that she was going to live the life of the writer she thought of herself as.” To read more, click here.
Cristin To Do Mini-Tour Through Providence and Worcester (Jan 15 – 17)
Cristin will be touring with her partner Shappy from Jan 15 thru Jan 17.
On Sat Jan 15th, Cristin and Shappy will be performing at the Providence Kitchen Sessions, which is usually an intimate environment, where poets perform longer sets of poetry. For more information and perhaps an invite, please as Megan Thoma.
On Sunday Jan 16th, Cristin will be featuring at the Providence Poetry Slam and hosting their Women of the Worlds Poetry Slam Finals. The Providence Poetry Slam happens at AS 220 (115 Empire St 02903, Providence, RI). The show starts 8pm and the door is just $5.
And then finally on Monday Jan 17th, Cristin and Shappy will be featuring at the Dirty Gerund Poetry Show in Worcester, where they will be performing in front of live band. The show takes place at Ralph’s Diner (148 Grove St, Worcester, MA 01609) and starts at 9pm. The door is just $2 suggested donation.
Cristin’s Poem Published in “American Life in Poetry” Series
Cristin is honored to have one of her poems included in the American Life in Poetry series, “a free weekly column for newspapers & online publications featuring a poem by a contemporary American poet and a brief introduction to the poem by former U.S. poet laureate Ted Kooser.” To read both the poem and Mr. Kooser’s commentary, click here.
Cristin Awarded a 2011 NEA Fellowship for Poetry
It was announced today that Cristin was among the poets awarded the National Endowment of the Arts 2011 Creative Writing Fellowships in poetry. FROM the NEA Press Release: “Selected through an anonymous review process, the fellowships encourage the production of new works of literature by allowing writers the time and means to write. The Creative Writing Fellowships alternate annually between poetry and prose. This year, the NEA received 1,063 eligible applications; the 42 poets recommended will each receive a fellowship of $25,000.” For more information, please visit the NEA website here.
New Poetry by Cristin appears in Union Station
Cristin is proud to be the third issue of Union Station magazine, alongside new poetry by Thomas Fucaloro, Kevin Coval, Victoria McCoy and Corrina Bain, among others. Check out the full issue, the first one produced with new poetry editor Jeanann Verlee, by clicking here. Check Cristin’s poem, “Starter Marriage,” by clicking here.
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