Only in the U.S. you say? Why I oughta…

These cool summer days I’m busy working to create some buzz for my new book of poetry due next month from Demeter Press.

Today I was targeting newspapers, both here and to the south, in hopes of stirring interest in reviewing it. I opened the website for the New York Times and what did I discover but this:

The New York Times only reviews books published in the U.S. !!!

Chagrined, ticked off, and generally bothered, I immediately fired off this letter to them, via email:

Dear Editor, NYT Book Review:

I know, I know, you said only U.S. books…

But that’s exactly what the New Yorker said about Canadians submitting cartoon captions to their contest until I helped change that policy (I won’t say singlehandedly although I am tempted and it may in fact be true) with dare I say a scathingly witty letter to their editors extolling the legendary and oft-documented contributions to humor in all its forms made by Canadians, now and past.

Don’t get me started on a list. Because you don’t have the time. And it would be too long. And ridiculously impressive.

To introduce myself, your first Canadian poet ever reviewed and always the optimist, I am a two-time goodreads.com poetry contest winner, with my second book of poetry The Music of Leaving coming from Toronto’s Demeter Press in October. May I have the publisher send you a pdf this week in advance of its printing?

Might you reconsider your position a la the New Yorker? Pretty impressive precedent there, wouldn’t you say?

It’s always nice to be in good company.

Let’s see if I hear back..