Small Press Points: 42 Miles
Founded in 2010 at Indiana University in South Bend, 42 Miles Press publishes “stirring, daring” poetry and encourages authors to submit work they “might be afraid to send elsewhere.”
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Genre: Poetry
The Wildness and the Mystery: A Profile of Julia Alvarez
For over forty years Julia Alvarez has told stories that have established hers among the biggest names in contemporary literature. A new book, Visitations, offers a personal, poignant look back while proving she’s nowhere near finished.
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Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined
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In this trailer for PBS’s American Masters documentary Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined, the life and work of the acclaimed Dominican American poet and novelist is explored through interviews, photographs, and archives. A profile of Alvarez about her new poetry collection, Visitations (Knopf, 2026), appears in the May/June 2026 issue of Poets & Writers Magazine.
Just the Right Distance
In an essay recently published in the Evergreen Review, Eric Dean Wilson writes about discovering the playful use of metaphors in Robert Glück’s 1985 debut novel, Jack the Modernist. While considering what makes one work, Wilson recalls another writer teaching him about metaphor with a metaphor. “A metaphor, the writer said, is like a spark plug,” he says. “At just the right distance, the electrodes cause a spark to arc across the open air, igniting an explosion. The distance between the electrodes matters.” This week compose a poem that cycles through the process of creating an effective metaphor. You might start with the words, “A metaphor is like….” Allow yourself the freedom to play with language that might feel too convoluted as you gradually move toward the right combination to ignite a spark.
Ten Questions for Soham Patel
“In truth, I am still writing The Daughter Industry and likely won’t stop.” —Soham Patel, author of The Daughter Industry
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Annie Wenstrup and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha
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In this event at the University of Arizona Poetry Center, Annie Wenstrup reads from her debut collection, The Museum of Unnatural Histories (Wesleyan University Press, 2025), and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha reads from her latest collection, Something About Living (University of Akron Press, 2024).
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A Celebration of Arab American Heritage and National Poetry Month
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In this New York Public Library event celebrating Arab American Heritage Month and National Poetry Month hosted in partnership with the Radius of Arab American Writers, poets Maha Hashwi, Ghinwa Jawhari, Lawrence Joseph, and Kamelya Omayma Youssef read from their work and discuss their writing in a conversation with senior librarian Reuben Gelley Newman.
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New Writers Awards
Great Lakes Colleges Association
Entry Fee:
$0
Deadline:
May 25, 2026
Three prizes are given annually for first books by a poet, a fiction writer, and a creative nonfiction writer. The winners each receive an all-expenses-paid trip to several of the 13 GLCA colleges, each of which pays an honorarium of $500 to give readings, meet with students, and lead discussions and classes. Books published in 2025 and 2026 are eligible. Faculty members of the colleges will judge. Publishers may submit four copies of one book in each category by May 25. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Anhinga Prize for Poetry
Anhinga Press
Entry Fee:
$28
Deadline:
May 31, 2026
A prize of $1,000, publication by Anhinga Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner also receives $500 to cover travel costs for the promotion of their book. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of 48 to 100 pages with a $28 entry fee by May 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Canadian First Book Prize
Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry
Entry Fee:
$0
Deadline:
June 19, 2026
A prize of $10,000 Canadian (approximately $7,299) is awarded annually for a debut poetry collection by a living citizen or permanent resident of Canada published during the previous year. The winner is also offered a six-week fellowship with the Civitella Ranieri Foundation in Perugia, Italy. For the 2027 prize, publishers may submit four copies of a book of at least 48 pages in length published between January 1 and June 30 by June 19. The deadline for submitting books published during the second half of the year is December 18. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.
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