Lefty Blondie Press is an independent publisher that promotes the poetry of woman-identifying and non-binary poets.
What a privilege this past year has been! Marguerite and I still have to remind ourselves: Yes, this is really happening. All the hours we have carved out, stolen, swiped, demanded, and have been occasionally graced with, in between full-time careers, busy families, our own creative work, have been more than worth it!
Thank YOU for your trust, support, and belief in our abilities! It is truly spectacular to give our vision for Lefty Blondie a real chance.
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In March 2023, we officially (re)launched Lefty Blondie Press with the publication of Skydog by Jan Beatty! Our celebration was hosted by White Whale Bookstore and featured readings by Jan and Christine Stroud, editor at Autumn House Press (and fellow classmate in the Independent Literary Publishing class where LBP was hatched). We dedicated LBP's launch to our professor and friend, the much-missed poet, publisher, printer, and painter, Peter Oresick. We had so much fun and DANG! our literary community showed up!
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In May 2023, we set up our first booth ever at the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books! This is where we officially launched the Paper Poets Series; a super-cool and unique collaboration between LBP and Created Twice. Also on offer were LBP logo earrings by The Rose Diary and handmade soap from Regent Park Naturals. Marguerite and I had the privilege of running the poetry tent which put us in the perfect position to listen to the spectacular lineup of poets throughout the entire festival!
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In June 2023, we announced the recipient of our inaugural Lefty Blondie Press First Chapbook Award: Undress by Kelley Beeson, selected by our 2023 judge, Michelle Stoner. It was an honor to read all of the gorgeous and powerful manuscript submissions from all over the country. We know how hard it is to be a poet in this world, and we are so thankful many of you are doing it anyway! Our book designer, Todd Sanders of Air and Nothingness Press, got started right away creating yet another swoon-worthy chapbook for Lefty Blondie.
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In July 2023, Marguerite and I were guest faculty at the 10th annual Summer Community of Writers at Chatham University's Eden Hall campus. This opportunity to talk about Lefty Blondie Press was especially exciting as it felt like a homecoming for both of us. To be back among the talented and generous faculty and students of Chatham's MFA in Creative Writing program was both balm and bolster. Huge thanks to Sheila Squillante, the tremendously talented writer, teacher, editor, visual artist, and director of this amazing program (where do you find the time!?!) for her invitation, and ongoing mentorship and support!
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In August 2023, Marguerite and I were working closely with Kelley Beeson and Todd Sanders to put the finishing touches on the cover and text files of Undress. With the launch only weeks away, aptly named My Book Printer delivered one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen. Marguerite and I trimmed the fore edge, inserted a colored vellum endpaper, punched 5 holes in the spine edge, and handbound and numbered 250 copies of Undress. Pure. Joy.
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In September 2023, we once again gathered at White Whale Bookstore to launch Undress by Kelley Beeson, winner of the inaugural Lefty Blondie Press First Chapbook Award selected by our 2023 judge, Michelle Stoner. We added our second Paper Poet, Kelley, to our series collaboration with Created Twice. The Rose Diary created stunning earrings from the absolutely lush cover art, "Lacuna" by Maria Tomasula. LOOK at this cover! READ the poems!
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At the end of September 2023, Todd Sanders and I drove to Frostburg, Maryland for the 17th annual Indie Lit Fest! Organized by Frostburg State University Center for Literary Arts, the Allegany County Library System, the Lewis J. Ort Library, Savage Mountain Punk Arts, Frostburg Parks & Rec, and Mountain City Traditional Arts, it was a day full of readings and craft talks, book makers, artists, librarians: an indie lit lover's dream!
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In October 2023, we announced another new partnership between printmaker and writer, Ryan Kaune and LBP: the Lefty Blondie Press Editor's Choice BROADSIDE Series. We opened submissions October 1st and will be accepting submissions through January 15th, 2024 (we extended the deadline from December 15th because, well, a lot of things).
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In November 2023, Kayla Welch from Pittsburgh City Paper wrote an insightful article, "Good Mourning: Undress, the debut chapbook from Kelley Beeson, tackles every edge of grief." During the interview, Kayla asked Kelley, Marguerite and me thoughtful questions about Kelley's writing process, and what Lefty Blondie is all about. It came out in a real-life print newspaper! And you can read it online.
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So, here we are in December 2023. We've tried to start this blog many times, and it's taken me three days to get this first post done. The best part is: Lefty Blondie Press has more to share! You can expect a post at least once a week. Some will be brief, others maybe not so much. But we hope they will be entertaining, informative, and most of all, inspiring!
Yours in ink,
Amy Lee & Marguerite
Amy Lee Heinlen & Marguerite Miller
Editors, Lefty Blondie Press
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