I've yet again made it to the end of the week and only accomplished about half of the to do list that I made Sunday night, but perhaps I am just being way too dreadfully ambitious when I make the list. I did finally finish up the last two chaps of the latest batch and have been printing and assembling over the past few days, but then there is also the next ones to lay out and a good chunk of new manuscripts left to wade through and make final cuts. Out of the initial batch, I was able to cut them by a third down to a manageable number to read more closely in the second round, but that's still a sizeable number of manuscripts for only so many slots. I am determined yet again to make sure that for every book that I we publish by someone whose work I'm familiar with (via aquaintance, having followed their work or published them before, having solicited a mss, etc..) I want to publish an equal number of folks I've never heard hide nor hair of.
Once again, I am astounded by the things people send us..so much of it, even the things I've had to reject, is at the very least publishable, even if not to my personal taste. I have to admit, I initially worried a little. After the P&W article a couple of years ago, I feared that with a bit higher a profile we might attract the slushiest of the slush pile, but submissions have remained strong, and so many poets have found us by word of mouth. We get more than I ever dreamed we would, and who would have known it from the rather inauspicious first round of subs--I think there were around 20 maybe..
At the same time I'm torn... part of me says keep forging onward and keep publishing as many books as I want, taking whatever mss I just have to have, and the other impulse which wants to kick me in the head and ask me what the hell I was thinking taking on so many books and falling always behind.. There has to be a balance in there, between this year's insane schedule and cutting back too much.
I am also busily packing and filling chapbook orders from the Fall sale, which will continue through the end of this month...we got slammed with orders in the most delightful way, and I'm running about two or so weeks behind, but am progessing slowly, so they should be on their way soon. The stock has dwindled to the point where I have to make everything on demand, so it's taking me a little longer to get thm out than usual..I also have a new subscriber batch of new books set to go out next week as soon as I print the shipping labels.
This weekend it's more manuscripts and the Rock the Vote event tomorrow night. Then Sunday, perhaps some True Blood viewing courtsy of Netflix (I am undecided about the show just yet but am only a couple episodes in) and maybe some jewelry making. I also have alot of listing to do for an etsy shop I am helping one of my co-workers with in terms of the administrative/design side of things. He makes some rather beautiful and interesting earrings of the more earthy, sculptural variety. You can check out his shop here: minerology.etsy.com
