Promopalooza - Cathryn Shea – Gyroscope Review

Cathryn Shea

Your Chapbook or Book Title, Press, Where available for sale.

Full-length poetry book title: Genealogy Lesson for the Laity

Available from:

What inspired you to write this Chapbook/Book? What else should we know about it? Or just add the Blurb.

A recurring theme of many of my poems seems to be ancestry and family and how we are all connected. The poems in this first full-length collection of mine were written over several years. Once I realized that I could develop a manuscript, I spent time revising further and sorting my poems into loose chapters or sections. The arc became apparent to me after several months of working with the organization of these poems until finally I felt confident enough to submit to a few publishers.

Here is the short blurb that appears on most books ordering sites:

In this radiant debut collection, Cathryn Shea constructs a world as delicate, colorful, and sharp as an autumn leaf yet as stable as the ancient tree it’s fallen from. Harnessing evocative imagery that illuminates the inherent spirituality within even the frailest human gestures, these poems reach across generations, genders, and cultures to give voice to the kind of unabashed gratitude that lights up our darkest edges.

What was your journey to publication like?

One of the first presses that I submitted to was Unsolicited Press, an independent publisher based in Portland Oregon. I’d found them through a poet I admired, Ace Boggess, who had a book published with them. I decided to take advantage of one of the submission options, which is to pay extra for an evaluation and feedback. I was fortunate and thrilled that Unsolicited Press wanted to publish my poetry book. The managing editor reached out and suggested some helpful edits that I feel improved the manuscript. I’ve had a great experience with Unsolicited Press. They are very professional and the books they publish are high-quality. It’s been a wonderful experience.

Any upcoming Chapbook/Book releases? Upcoming poems in magazines?

Some of my forthcoming poems for 2021:

The UCity Review, #22 June 2021, two poems – “Dorothea Lynde Dix Has a Puzzling Nightmare About Greenhouse Gases” and “Marie Catherine Laveau Buys a Used Ouija Board”

Gargoyle, Summer 2021 issue, two poems – “Every Bit Mine” and “Biscotti with the Taj Mahal”

I also have a chapbook and a second full-length poetry collection that are just about ready to submit. I am submitting individual poems from these manuscripts.

Your Website and Social Media Links.

My website is at https://www.cathrynshea.com

Twitter: @cathy_shea

You can also find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cathy.shea.771/

Any poets or books that inspired your writing?

I’ve been working with several poetry groups for many years. Tom Centolella has been a wonderful mentor for many years. I also belong to peer poetry groups with talented and astute poets. Some of the poets in my groups who have books out are Kate Peper, Barbara Brauer, Ann Robinson, Rebecca Foust, and Francesca Bell. I have a long list of poets that I feel have been very supportive and inspirational.

Who are you currently reading?

I’ve been on a Lynn Emanuel kick this past year. I have all her books. I’ve also been reading B.H. Fairchild again, and a new book by Tiana Clark. Basically, I have stacks of poetry books in my living room, dining area, office, and bedside. Little piles everywhere. I also love downloading books from the library to my Kindle. I’m currently reading “Girl, Woman, Other” by Bernardine Evaristo. I recently read “Hamnet” by Maggie O’Farrell and I loved it so much that I’m going to read it again.

Pay it Forward – Promote your favorite Charity, tell us why you love it, add a link.

One of my favorite pastimes is hiking around the San Francisco Bay Area. I feel fortunate to be able to enjoy the Mt. Tamalpais watershed trails and the bay marshlands especially. Here is one of my favorite local non-profits dedicated to conserving local birds and their habitats:

San Francisco Bird Observatory at https://www.sfbbo.org/