Big ups to the Temz Review and Aaron Schneider for their in-depth interview with poet Amanda Merpaw about her debut poetry collection Most of All the Wanting.
“…In terms of the practical reality of the book publishing process, it was actually a rejection that started moving things forward. I had submitted poems to Arc Poetry Magazine and, while they were rejected, Arc offered me a spot in their Poet-In-Residence (PIR) program. Jim was the PIR at the time, and the program involved sending a few poems to Jim for feedback and brief conversation. I really enjoyed the process of working with him in that context, and the feedback he offered was really helpful. I went on to submit the chapbook manuscript I’d been working on for consideration at Anstruther Press. I was thrilled that he accepted it for publication. Working on the chapbook was a fantastic editorial experience—Jim is a generous and perceptive editor. I was gradually working towards growing the chapbook into the full-length, and I knew after working with Jim on a smaller scale that I’d ideally like to work with him on the book via his role at Palimpsest Press if both he and the press were interested in acquiring my manuscript…”
