Tarpaulin Sky Press
Encyclopedia
Tarpaulin Sky Press is a small press publisher of hybrid texts as well as poetry
and prose
. Founded by Christian Peet in 2006 and based in Grafton, Vermont
, the company produces full-length books, chapbook
s, trade paperbacks, hand-bound books, and a literary journal that appears in online and paper editions. Their trade paperbacks are distributed by Small Press Distribution
, where three titles have appeared on the distributor's "bestsellers" list, including Danielle Dutton
's Attempts at a Life, which stayed on the list for seven months. In addition to Dutton's book, the press's titles include the first full-length work of fiction by poet Joyelle McSweeney
, Nylund, the Sarcographer; a collaborative book of poetry by Noah Eli Gordon
and Joshua Marie Wilkinson
, with images by Noah Saterstrom, Figures for a Darkroom Voice; hand-bound and perfect-bound editions of the second book by Jenny Boully
, [one love affair]*; and hand-bound and perfect-bound editions of the first full-length collection of poems by Max Winter, The Pictures. The press's chapbook
s include prose poetry and verse by Sandy Florian, Andrew Michael Roberts, and Chad Sweeney
.
According to a Poets & Writers feature on small presses, Tarpaulin Sky editors are "intrigued by work that doesn’t announce its genre," and they "enjoy found items, lists, odd constraints and mathematical constructs." They are "happy to read texts that are distinctly un-poetic . . . indices, email, job descriptions, instruction manuals, etc."; but, as a caveat, they also offer this: "We’re looking for work in which experimentation with language and form is a means to an end, rather than an end unto itself; innovation alone doesn’t do much for us." The press's books have been described as "fresh, daring, creepy, and significant.... The opposite of boring....an ominous conflagration devouring the bland terrain of conventional realism, the kind of work that tickles your inner ear, gives you the shivers, and tricks your left brain into thinking that your right brain has staged a coup d'état."
In November 2007, after thirteen online issues, Tarpaulin Sky Press published the first paper edition of its literary journal, Tarpaulin Sky (established as an online journal in 2002). Since its creation, the journal has published over three hundred writers including Chris Abani
, Brian Evenson
, Matthea Harvey
, Douglas A. Martin
, Ethan Paquin
, Eleni Sikelianos
, Juliana Spahr
, and John Yau
, among others. Since 2006, the content of the online journal has been curated by guest editors including Rebecca Brown
, Bhanu Kapil, and Selah Saterstrom.
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
. Founded by Christian Peet in 2006 and based in Grafton, Vermont
Grafton, Vermont
Grafton is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 649 at the 2000 census.-History:The town was founded as Thomlinson, but renaming rights were auctioned in 1791. The high bidder, who reportedly offered "five dollars and a jug of rum," changed the name to Grafton after...
, the company produces full-length books, chapbook
Chapbook
A chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
s, trade paperbacks, hand-bound books, and a literary journal that appears in online and paper editions. Their trade paperbacks are distributed by Small Press Distribution
Small Press Distribution
Small Press Distribution, or SPD, is a non-profit literary arts organization located in Berkeley, California. As their name indicates, the core of their mission is to act as an umbrella distributor and marketer for hundreds of smaller literary publishers...
, where three titles have appeared on the distributor's "bestsellers" list, including Danielle Dutton
Danielle Dutton
Danielle Dutton is an American writer.- Life :Dutton grew up in central California. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BA in History and then lived for a year in England before moving to Los Angeles where she worked in music management. She later studied writing at...
's Attempts at a Life, which stayed on the list for seven months. In addition to Dutton's book, the press's titles include the first full-length work of fiction by poet Joyelle McSweeney
Joyelle McSweeney
Joyelle McSweeney is a poet, critic, and professor at the University of Notre Dame. Her books include Nylund, the Sarcographer , as well as Flet, The Red Bird, and The Commandrine and Other Poems, the latter three published by Fence Books...
, Nylund, the Sarcographer; a collaborative book of poetry by Noah Eli Gordon
Noah Eli Gordon
Noah Eli Gordon is an American poet. Gordon was educated at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He currently teaches at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Gordon currently writes the chapbook review column for the book review publication Rain Taxi...
and Joshua Marie Wilkinson
Joshua Marie Wilkinson
Joshua Marie Wilkinson is an American poet and filmmaker. He was born and raised in Haller Lake neighborhood, Seattle, Washington. His given name is Joshua Wilson; his grandmother's name was Marie Wilkinson, after whom he writes and publishes. He earned degrees in Poetry , Film , and English...
, with images by Noah Saterstrom, Figures for a Darkroom Voice; hand-bound and perfect-bound editions of the second book by Jenny Boully
Jenny Boully
Jenny Boully is the author of The Book of Beginnings and Endings , The Body:An Essay , and [one love affair]*...
, [one love affair]*; and hand-bound and perfect-bound editions of the first full-length collection of poems by Max Winter, The Pictures. The press's chapbook
Chapbook
A chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
s include prose poetry and verse by Sandy Florian, Andrew Michael Roberts, and Chad Sweeney
Chad Sweeney
-Life:Chad Sweeney is the author of three books of poetry, Parable of Hide and Seek , Arranging the Blaze , and An Architecture ; and four chapbooks, most recently A Mirror to Shatter the Hammer...
.
According to a Poets & Writers feature on small presses, Tarpaulin Sky editors are "intrigued by work that doesn’t announce its genre," and they "enjoy found items, lists, odd constraints and mathematical constructs." They are "happy to read texts that are distinctly un-poetic . . . indices, email, job descriptions, instruction manuals, etc."; but, as a caveat, they also offer this: "We’re looking for work in which experimentation with language and form is a means to an end, rather than an end unto itself; innovation alone doesn’t do much for us." The press's books have been described as "fresh, daring, creepy, and significant.... The opposite of boring....an ominous conflagration devouring the bland terrain of conventional realism, the kind of work that tickles your inner ear, gives you the shivers, and tricks your left brain into thinking that your right brain has staged a coup d'état."
In November 2007, after thirteen online issues, Tarpaulin Sky Press published the first paper edition of its literary journal, Tarpaulin Sky (established as an online journal in 2002). Since its creation, the journal has published over three hundred writers including Chris Abani
Chris Abani
Christopher Abani is a Nigerian author. Abani's first novel, Masters of the Board, was about a Neo-Nazi takeover of Nigeria...
, Brian Evenson
Brian Evenson
Brian Evenson is an American academic and writer of both literary fiction and popular fiction. He has received degrees from Brigham Young University and the University of Washington . After leaving a teaching position at BYU, he held positions at Oklahoma State University, Syracuse University...
, Matthea Harvey
Matthea Harvey
Matthea Harvey is a contemporary American poet, writer and professor. She has published three collections, most recently, Modern Life , which earned her the 2009 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award and was a finalist for the 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award, and a New York Times Notable Book...
, Douglas A. Martin
Douglas A. Martin
Douglas A. Martin is a poet, a novelist and a short story writer.-Biography:He was raised in Warner Robins, Georgia and moved to New York City in 1998...
, Ethan Paquin
Ethan Paquin
Ethan Paquin is an American poet and a native of New Hampshire. He grew up in Londonderry, New Hampshire. He earned a BA in English/Writing from Plymouth State College in Plymouth, New Hampshire, and his MFA in Creative Writing from the MFA Program for Poets & Writers, University of Massachusetts,...
, Eleni Sikelianos
Eleni Sikelianos
-Life:She was raised in California. She graduated from the Naropa Institute with an M.F.A.She taught at Teachers & Writers Collaborative in New York City and teaches Literature and Bard College's Clemente Program. She co-ran the Wednesday Night Readings at the St. Mark's Poetry Project in St....
, Juliana Spahr
Juliana Spahr
Juliana Spahr is an American poet, critic, and editor. She is the recipient of the 2009 Hardison Poetry Prize awarded by the Folger Shakespeare Library to honor a U.S...
, and John Yau
John Yau
John Yau is an American poet and critic who lives in New York City. He received his B.A. from Bard College in 1972 and his M.F.A. from Brooklyn College in 1978...
, among others. Since 2006, the content of the online journal has been curated by guest editors including Rebecca Brown
Rebecca Brown (author)
Rebecca Brown is an American lesbian author whose work has contributed significantly to contemporary gay and lesbian literature.-Biography:Brown is from Seattle, was the first writer in residence at Richard Hugo House, co-founder of the Jack Straw Writers Program and now serves as the creative...
, Bhanu Kapil, and Selah Saterstrom.