Checking in With Blue Five Notebook

Q (Nicolle Elizabeth): SAM hihihihihi You are Admin at the Blue Five Notebook Group here on Fictionaut. Please tell us all about the group and Blue Fifth Review. History, five year plan, I have a policy about not asking questions I wouldn’t answer myself and so if there was a divorce involved you can leave that part out.

A (Sam Rasnake): I decided to start the group in anticipation of the new series – Blue Five Notebook – from Blue Fifth Review, an online journal of poetry and art. The original series of issues from Blue Fifth, beginning in January of 2001, appeared twice yearly, with supplement themed issues included every other year. This month the final regular issue – Fall 2010 – will appear. There’s also a broadside series – four poems published quarterly. Broadside #20 – also appearing this month – a poem by Kathleen Kirk, will be the final produced work from that series. Because the archives will remain active, readers will be able to access in the future all issues and broadsides.

As of January 2011, Blue Five Notebook will expand the focus of BFR’s publication of poetry and art to include flash as well. I’m excited about this addition. Each month five works of poetry and flash will appear. Since each issue will contain only five works, the series should be a strong reading experience. The new home will be http://bluefifthreview.wordpress.com/ – on WordPress.

I want Blue Fifth Review to have a presence at Fictionaut, and this group will be a means to inform FN readers of matters relative to the Blue Five Notebook series as well as be a means for writers to post their works that have been published in BFN and other venues as well.

What are three literary journals (among the many) that Blue Fifth admires, adores, is proud to be a contemporary of, is a faithful subscriber of, etc?

Poets / Artists, edited by Didi Menéndez
BOXCAR Poetry Review, edited by Neil Aitken
Wigleaf, edited by Scott Garson

How’s the Group going so far? Positive vibes? No arguing. I will so turn this car around if people are arguing. (Unless it’s good spirited arguing then you’re on your own.)

Too early to tell – but I’m pleased so far. I’ve received a number of submissions from FN writers for next year’s issues. I’m looking forward to works posted here that have appeared in the series.

One poet, one flash writer, one painter, go.

I’m terrible with lists – the limitations – though I do them all the time.
Poet: Elizabeth Bishop or Matsuo Bashō
Flash Writer: Joseph Young or Kathy Fish or Meg Pokrass
Painter/ artist: Edward Hopper or Francesca Woodman (photographer)

Please tell us more about yourself and anything else you would like to talk about here. According to Chinese Astrology, this was the year of the Tiger, I am truly looking forward to it turning to a new one, actually.

My work has appeared in numerous journals, print and online. In December 2010, Finishing Line Press will publish my fourth poetry collection, a chapbook, Inside a Broken Clock. This work is part two of Tales of Brave Ulysses, a poetry series of six collections – each one chapbook length – with a focus on the arts. In addition to my roles of editor for Blue Fifth Review and associate editor for Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, I teach creative writing and literature at Virginia Intermont College.

Nicolle Elizabeth checks in with Fictionaut Groups every Friday.