I first met Bernard Alain September 2008, when he wrote me asking to publish one of his poems in TSCR. I was so punch pleased – this really doesn’t happen too often. Many people may tell me my work affects them and that definitely fuels my drive to write, but very few publishers write me telling me they want to publish me.
It is very difficult for nutsy and different me to get published. You know how they always say you should look at a mag before you submit. So I always look and I see crazy shit on some sites so I figure maybe they’ll like my crazy shit too so I send it off and usually what happens 7 out of 10 times I get a polite reject. “We love the intensity but no, not for us.” Or “Powerful writing and word choice but no.” It’s very hard out here for a poet.
Bernard provided refreshing respite from all this – (Please take me away from all this, Bernie!)
After Bernards initial online request to publish me he asked me for more work. After several months I offered a review. After about a year, I asked Bernard if I could help on the magazine and had several ideas how to do this; start a facebook group, look for art and feature artists alongside poets and writers, and I wanted him to put the issue up at Issuu where readers could click through the pages. He accepted and we implemented these changes. July 2009 was the last issue Bernard and I published together although he insisted that I make all choices for that issue. He did the layout. January 2010, Bernard said he could no longer be editor and I became principal editor of TSCR.
Please editors, feel free to follow Bernard’s example, if you like anyone’s work or mine – go straight to the source and ask them (or me – pretty please) for it.
Bernard Alain has been published and/or featured in a few online journals recently such as the Orange Room Review, Madswirl, Pirene's Fountain, Mississippi Crow Magazine/RiverMuse Press, International Poet, The World Poets Society Electronic Catalog, Bywords, Bywords Quarterly Journal, Smoking Book and others with an upcoming publication in Wood Coin. He is former editor and founder of the poetry journal, The Cartier Street Review, now edited by Joy Leftow and staff.
Bernard believes expression should not be inhibited by form and reflect honestly, though enjoying a wide scope of appreciation for the many shapes the art provides, it is a personal mandate of his to increase readership for contemporary poetry by encouraging more organically formed and conversational text that reacts to and captures everyday events. He is the founder of two online sites, 'The Ink Blot' and The Cartier Street Review. Poets and artist may submit contemporary art and poetry to the inkblot for feedback. TCSR has a rolling open submissions for publication.
About the book
The book is collection of poems sharing the moods of a budding poet dealing with an overly pregnant online community, from the initial inspiration to burial and fossilization, a humorous edge that journalizes the sad reality for most poets.
Buy the book Mammoth Bones & Contemporary Beef by Bernard Alain here and the review I wrote in archives is here.
