Friday, May 03, 2013

"Lipsmack! A Sampler" edited by Diane Borsenik (2012)

Lipsmack!
A Sampler Platter of Poets From Nightballet Press
Year One 2012
edited by Diane Borsenik
Nightballet Press
Elyria, Ohio
(c)2012

The world sometimes flows into my hands, like this little chapbook, and all I can do is write. I don't have a lot of information about the small Press out of Elyria, Ohio. I have this chapbook. I am taking the time to write about it because it's an tiny anthology worth finding. It's some talent in it that I am familiar with. Ralph LaCharity of Cincinnati. Alex Gildzen who apparently grew up in Elyria. Lyn Lifshin who hasn't met a single small press she didn't want to be published in. She is the Queen of the Small Press for a reason!

Nightballet Press has been around since 2011. So, they are newbies. But this is quite a collection so they are also talented and one needs to acknowledge Diane Borsenik who is the driving force behind the Press. She seems to be the "do-all, be-all" of the Press. But Elyria, Ohio as a publishing capital of Ohio?

Yes! I remember now! Crisis Chronicle Press! John Burroughs! They came from there. They are all over Northern Ohio and into Western Pennsylvania. Burroughs is also a force to be reckoned with/acknowledged. So this town has given birth to two small presses. How literate they are in Elyria!

If this anthology is any indication, I would wager a bright future for Nightballet!

3 comments:

Alex Gildzen said...

Sherwood Anderson once lived in Elyria. Bob Lee of the playwrighting team of Lawrence & Lee ("Inherit the Wind") was another native. & novelist/playwright Jim Kirkwood grew up there.

Dianne Borsenik said...

Wow, thank you so much for the great write up! NightBallet is pleased you liked the Lipsmack! Year One anthology. The second Lipsmack! anthology, with more poems by fantastic and exciting poets, will be published in September of 2013. Folks can order Lipsmack! or keep abreast of NightBallet publications at www.nightballetpress.blogspot.com. Thanks again- you made my day!

John B. Burroughs said...

Thank you, Steven! I am in awe of the work NightBallet Press does.