Let the Chapbook Series Begin!

As some of you may already know, Blue Cactus Press is participating in next week’s 2018 Summer SOULstice event at the Tacoma Art Museum (curated and hosted by Tacoma poet laureate Kellie Richardson). SOULstice supports emerging and established artists from marginalized communities, and we’re beyond excited to present our work alongside other creatives who promote diversity and inclusion in Tacoma. Throughout the event, which takes place on June 21 from 5:30 – 8 p.m., we’ll sell our books and chat with fellow artists about literary arts.

We’re also pleased to announce the debut of the Blue Cactus Press Chapbook Series! Through the creation of these limited-edition, bi-annual chapbooks, BCP strives to provide emerging writers with opportunities to present creative writing on public platforms.

For our very first chapbook, we collaborated with emerging writer and BCP guest poet Lux Barker to create a dazzling, hand-bound chapbook titled There Must Be More Than This. 

There Must Be More Than This features nine unpublished, introspective poems by Lux Barker. It will be available for purchase at SOULstice, although we should probably warn you: only 15 copies will be available for purchase – ever! So, if you’re hoping to get your hands on a copy (and we know you are), make sure you arrive early!

Along with Lux, BCP author Christina Butcher will also present a spankin’ new chapbook, How to Overstay Your Welcome. This collection features eight new poems, several of which have never been presented on stage or in print. Christina and Lux collaborated extensively to create their chapbooks – workshopping, editing and compiling their work side by side. Each collection has a distinct style and flare representative of its author.

ABOUT BCP GUEST POET LUX BARKER

Lux Barker is a queer, nonbinary woman and poet living in Puyallup, Washington. They grew up in the Pacific Northwest, but their writing is also influenced by experiences in Southern California. Their work deals with relationships, religion, and identity.

*Read one of Lux’s signature poems, “Rocket,” featured in There Must Be More Than This.

MORE ABOUT THE BCP CHAPBOOK SERIES

The Blue Cactus Press Chapbook Series strives to provide emerging authors opportunities to present creative writing on public platforms. BCP authors work one-on-one with emerging authors to expose and mentor them through the publication process, including compiling and editing manuscripts, establishing formatting and style guidelines, and assisting with sales and performance opportunities when possible. All proceeds from chapbook sales go directly to the author.

Blue Cactus Press will continue to publish chapbooks bi-annually and is always looking for willing collaborators. Interested writers and/or creatives should contact BlueCactusPress@gmail.com for more information.