Another Gift Idea

 

Buying my book on Amazon will support publisher Mignon Ariel King, who just published the latest issue of WOC This Way for Poetry. I'll be ordering copies for my upcoming readings, but you can purchase a copy today.

Accomplishments I'm Proud of in 2020: The Collapsed Bookshelf

 

Some people have false starts, I have false finishes. 

The manuscript for my second book full-length collection of poems wasvaccepted at the end of 2016. Because of the nature of how I wrote these poems (leaving them in need of serious editing) and the way my schedule has been a fluctuating mess for years, the final draft with my changes and Mignon's was finished by March 2020. 

In July 2020, The Collapsed Bookshelf came out. It received good reviews and exposure thanks in no small part to it being on Amazon. Turns out this was both a blessing and a curse, as I didn't expect Jeff Bezos to turn even more evil than he already was. Still, I wanted my book to be taken as seriously as possible. It worked thanks in large part to Editor and Publisher Mignon Ariel King of Tell-Tale Chapbooks. 

The Collapsed Bookshelf has since been nominated for a Massachusetts Book Award. For a collection of poems I mostly wrote in less than twenty four hours, this was the second hardest collection I ever worked on. It was worth all the effort I made and all the stolen time I had to seize to finish the job.

My gratitude goes to Mignon. To advance copy blurb writers CA Conrad,Joanie DiMartino and Timothy Gager, To everyone who purchased a copy. To everyone who let me know they enjoyed the book. And last but not least to Ed Gault who provided me with the book's cover photo.

If you haven't purchased the book yet, please consider doing so on Amazon. Hold your nose if you must. I promise to put out more work for more indy operations in the future. These poems mean a lot to me, and I'm glad they mean something to others.

December 23: What Am I Doing Featuring at my Own Venue?

At the behest of poet/editor/publisher extraordinaire Mignon Ariel King, I am featuring at Stone Soup in the hopes of drawing more attention to her various projects, including my new collection The Collapsed Bookshelf. Does this mean I'll be pulling double duty as open mic host and feature, or will I select a random lunatic to manage the asylum? We'll have to find out.

Join me on Wednesday, December 23 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM ET by clicking this link.

​The meeting ID is 853 6387 3644

Password: stonesoup​

My Favorite Blurb Ever! Thanks Judson Evans!

While many people have shared compliments and blurbs about my newest poetry collection The Collapsed Bookshelf, poetic colleague Judson Evans not only generously complimented my book, he also put it in the context of the work I've done this year on this blog and elsewhere. 

New Review Up

Check out the Amazon page for my new book The Collapsed Bookshelf. At the top in the description section is a new review by poet, teacher and editor Judson Evans! Thanks to Judson, and thanks to Editor Mignon Ariel King for posting it. Please consider buying a copy and letting me know what you thought of it.

The Unused Inroduction to my Book

I have a nasty habit  of taking any essay i write and trying to make it a manifest encompassing all my opinions. This was no different. 

Back in 2017, when Mignon Ariel King and I were starting to work on The Collapsed Bookshelf, I was still calling it Tales of a Stone Soup Chef (which  makes me all the more grateful to Joanie DiMartino for her title suggestion). It's not a good idea to write the introduction to your own poetry book, but I figured I'd give it a shot. Mignon included it in the earliest draft, and I immediately wanted it out before we went any further.  

Enjoy a piece of what was left on the cutting room floor. And please consider visiting Amazon and buying my book if you haven't already.

Reviews Wanted

Here comes become my weekly routine of asking those of you who purchased my new book to please consider posting a review on Amazon. As always, thanks to those of you who have purchased the book.

New Review

My newest poetry book can now be said to have multiple positive reviews on Amazon.

Two still counts as multiple. Shut up.

Please order a copy of The Collapsed Bookshelf and contribute yours own review, won't you?

First Review In

Thanks so much to Susan Tepper for her wonderful review of my book on Amazon.

"If I were to sum up this review in one word it would be 'Concern.' The poet's sensitivity to the world's troubles and how they filter down to us all is the driving force here. THE COLLAPSED BOOKSHELF is a poetic work of art." 

Please Review My Book

I appreciate everyone who has purchased a copy of my book. I doubly appreciate everyone who has gotten back to me saying they enjoy it.

I would be eternally grateful if you signed into Amazon and let them know how much you enjoyed the book.

I worked with a house inspector recently who reminded me that their livelihoods depend on online reviews these days.

My livelihood will likely not rely on good reviews, but my future books just might. I appreciate any time you might have communicating your thoughts to Amazon.

Reviewers Wanted

Anyone interested in reviewing my new book The Collapsed Bookshelf?

First One

A writing friend told me my new book came in the mail yesterday and that she was enjoying it.

Thanks to everyone who has purchased my book so far. 

If you have time. Please take the time to post a review on my book's Amazon page.

Thank You

My gratitude to everyone who has purchased a copy of my new book so far. I should probably put a direct link on my blog's sidebar, but for now, here's a link to buy it for anyone interested.

My Latest Book is Now on Amazon

In 2005 I started my tenure at the historic weekly reading series Stone Soup Poetry, co-hosting and promoting at first before becoming the full time host.

Ten years later, I began a series called Stone Soup Croutons, poems I would write based on what was read on the open mic and who was featured each week.

The Collapsed Bookshelf is a selection of Stone Soup Croutons pieces written from June 2015 to August 2016. This book collects reworked poems, many of which are no longer available online.

I am grateful to Mignon Ariel King and Tell-Tale Chapbooks for giving this work a brand new presentation. I am also grateful to Edward S. Gault for providing photography for the cover.

Order my book now off of Amazon. Thank you for your support. 

Tell-Tale Chapbooks Announces My Forthcoming Poetry Collection

From Mignon Ariel King, with all my gratitude:

Coming This Summer (sooner than you think)!
FROM TELL-TALE CHAPBOOKS

The Collapsed Bookshelf
By Chad Parenteau

Chad Parenteau hosts the Stone Soup Poetry series. The poems in The Collapsed Bookshelf reveal the cross sections of Parenteau’s personal life and his reflections on the longest-running weekly poetry series in Massachusetts. The poems are derived from his online “Stone Soup Croutons” weekly poetry column. The collection has an avant-garde tone, but somehow the poet blends his stream of consciousness, social observations, and uniquely non-lecturing political commentary into a narrative of connected maybes.

Cover image: Edward S. Gault © 2017

I will post the final cover as well as the link to purchase the book the moment it's available.

Additional gratitude goes to Ed Gault for his commissioned photo and to everyone with their input, including Joanie DiMartino, who recommended the book's title.