Ruth Maus Reading at Barnes & Noble

Ruth Maus enjoyed a warm reception at Barnes & Noble in Topeka on Saturday, December 14. Ruth read from Valentine, a finalist in the 2019 Birdy Poetry Prize competition. Valentine is available to order wherever you buy books. 

Barnes & Noble
IndieBound.org
Meadowlark Books
or purchase direct from the author

There’s a feistiness to Ruth Maus’s Valentine that I love—not irreverence or contrarianism for its own sake, but a dissatisfaction with dominant perspectives. Look at the world again from this angle, the poems insist: How does it feel to be a fossil? Don’t people play possum, too? What makes you think Humpty Dumpty wasn’t a girl? Maus poses these sneakily metaphysical questions and then proceeds to answer them, with brio and poise, in the most extravagantly musical language.

-Eric McHenry, author of Odd Evening, Poet Laureate of Kansas, 2015-2017

Deadline Extended for The Birdy Poetry Prize & General Poetry Manuscript Reading Period is Now Open

Announcement: Though we are quite thrilled with the quality of entries we have received so far, we have determined that an extension of our manuscript submission deadline is necessary to continue growing the recognition side of The Birdy Poetry Prize competition. From this point forward, submissions will be accepted via Submittable. 

The new, extended deadline for submissions for The Birdy Poetry Prize is January 19, 2020. Review our updated guidelines before submitting.

As well, the reading period for general poetry manuscripts is open now through February 16, 2020.  

Books Make Great Gifts!

Shop for gifts right here on the Meadowlark bookshelf! We've put some of our most popular titles on sale just for this holiday season.

Ruth Maus featured on WIBW

Ruth Maus has been getting some wonderful coverage of her book of poetry, Valentine. Her interview with Ralph Hipp on The Red Couch Show, WIBW, aired on Friday, November 15.

The WIBW news piece on her launch party can be found here. Her book was also featured in the Topeka Capital-Journal.

Ruth will be at The Great Writers Right Here book fair at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library on Saturday, December 7, from 10am - 1pm.

On Saturday, December 14, 2pm, she will be signing books at Barnes & Noble in Topeka.

Because I Love Bookstores: Curiosa, Purveyors of Extraordinary Things

This delightful store in Toronto did have a wide collection of absolutely fun books, as well as the promised extraordinary things, so I will include it in my log of bookstore finds though it is high on novelty offerings. If you are, like me, a fan of stationary, cards and games, or occasionally tempted to entirely redecorate your house... You will like this store too.

Our haul included everything from books and stationery to candlestick holders and a wick trimmer!

"Curiosa aims to uphold the statutes of The Curiosa Society by stocking a diverse selection of eclectic curios, vintage reproductions, quirky novelties, and licensed magical goods. Curiosos Heather and Stephen Sauer founded Curiosa to be a place of marvels – a space in-between; a magical retreat; a fantastical world on the other side of the door." 

They succeeded, by the way. I came away wondering what possibilities existed for opening a branch in my own hometown!

This was a fun novelty at the Curiosa Shop
(my sister and I reflected in the mirror above).
I personalized a "lucky token" for the hubby.

Because everybody needs a black cat stamp
for the black cat journal (the journal
is from my local indie, Ellen Plumb's City Bookstore).

Website: Curiosa

Location: 1273 Queen Street West - Toronto, ON, Canada

Would I return? That's a big Y-E-S! Heck, I'd live there!

Bonus: Bathroom pictures! Because who doesn't love a public bathroom filled with so much heart and inspiration?

 

Because I Love Bookstores: Last Exit Books & Coffee House

I am often surprised that not every bookstore has a coffee house. Books and coffee go well together. It's true that I rarely skip a bookstore; if books and coffee are involved, you had better be prepared for me to sit a while.

 

My middle kid spent the summer working at the Porthouse Theatre in Kent, Ohio, and we arrived the morning of her last day of work, so we had plenty of time to enjoy the lovely independent bookstore.

The bookstore features lose-yourself shelves of new and used books.
It's my favorite kind of bookstore layout.

Books? Coffee? Books?   Why yes, please. And thank you!

Location: 124 E. Main Street - Kent, Ohio
Would I return? Again, and again, and again. Kent is a sweet little town with a lot of charm. The same can be said for its bookstore.

Because I Love Bookstores: Another Story Bookshop

Another Story Bookshop - Toronto, Canada

You might think that browsing too many bookstores in one day would lead to "been there, seen that" fatigue. Not usually a problem for me when it comes to books, but when I walked into Another Story Bookshop, I quickly noticed just how standard my typical book browsing has become. There were so many titles in this bookshop that I had never seen before. I could have spent a ton of money and/or simply stayed there all day reading book descriptions, falling in and out of text, and making lists of books to read.

 

"Another Story Bookshop sells a broad range of literature for children, young adults and adults with a focus on themes of social justice, equity, & diversity."

This was probably my favorite bookstore of the day for both purposes of browsing and buying. I made quite a list, but ended up purchasing only one title, Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World,  by Anu Taranath. I should have made a list of the books purchased by my daughters. I know they came away with some titles new to us, as well.

 

Website: Another Story Bookshop
Location: 315 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto, ON, Canada

Would I return? This is the bookstore I would likely start with if I made a return trip to Toronto. I could station myself here for a while and easily center a reading vacation around its contents. Another Story Bookshop is a trove of heart-opening, eye-widening, passion-building books.