Eileen R. Tabios is a poet working in multiple genres and in-between. She also loves books by writing, reading, publishing, critiquing, romancing and advocating for them. This blog will feature her bibliophilic activities with posts on current book engagements and links to her books and projects related to books.

Thursday, July 14, 2016

BLACK RADISH BOOKS RECEIVES GR PUBLISHER'S PRIZE! And a CALL FOR REVIEWS!


Every now and then, Galatea Resurrects (or "GR") sponsors a "GR Publisher's Prize" to recognize certain poetry presses we feel are doing a great job. For the next issue, Issue No. 27, GR is pleased to announce that Black Radish Books has received its Publisher's Prize. You can go HERE for more information but, basically, if you write a review(s) for Issue No. 27 (deadline: Nov. 27, 2016), you can receive a copy of a single-author poetry collection from Black Radish Books' catalogue.  Congratulations Black Radish Books!

I hope this encourages some many of you to check out our list of available review copies HERE and participate in the next issue of Galatea Resurrects!

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If only as a publisher, I have always loathed the idea of sending out poetry review copies, only to have them fall into some abyss (including the re-sale market). It's an expensive proposition for most poetry publishers. Being a list-lover, I've tried to track where Galatea Resurrects' review copies go. After 26 issues over ten years, I estimate that about 92.2% of Galatea Resurrects' review copies sent to potential  reviewers have been reviewed.

I suspect 92.2% is a high percentage. It undoubtedly reflects how Galatea Resurrects, or GR, operates, to wit, most reviewers choose which books they wish to review.

But that percentage is less than a hundred percent, and the 7.8% unreviewed books equates to nearly 150 titles that have been sent out (mostly at the request of reviewers) which have not been reviewed. I'm not criticizing anybody. Pre-Galatea Resurrects, I also have requested review copies and not been able to deliver.  

While I tell GR reviewers to return unreviewed copies to me so I can keep placing them, I don't push. Because there's always a chance they'll come through -- some reviewers came through five years after they received the books. And GR is okay with that since we don't focus on "recent" releases (as we believe Poetry is immortal).

This is a long preface to a request.  Perhaps some of the recipients of the "7.8%" unreviewed books may decide finally to write a review for the next issue, which will be the second and last 10th-Year-Anniversary Issue for Galatea Resurrects.

As I write this, I have about 9 reviews in the pipeline (excluding the "7.8%"). That would be a lame 10th-Year Anniversary Issue if that's all that will be printed. In the past, GR has seen two issues of more than a hundred projects reviewed. Let's make it thrice! Poetry, after all, is

B I G
!


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Some of the world's best critics have written for Galatea Resurrects. But so have many more less-experienced reviewers, including first-time poetry reviewers and students. GR is open to everybody -- we feel anybody can have an opinion or feeling about poems. We are open to you all. If you care about Poetry, please feel encouraged and welcomed.







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