Terrain.org Blog » christopher cokinos

Terrain.org Puschcart Prize Nominations

Simmons Buntin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:50:53 +0000

The editors of Terrain.org are pleased to nominate the following contributions for the prestigious Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses:

“Positioning,” essay by J. David Bell
“Night at the World’s Largest Atomic Cannon,” essay by Christopher Cokinos
“A Short History of Falling,” poem by Pamela Uschuk
“Outside Tapatio’s Bar,” poem by Sue Swartz
“Fog,” poem by Joe Wilkins
“Night (Geopolitical?) / Noche (¿geopolítica?),” poem by Tedi López Mills, translated by Wendy Burk

Issue No. 24 Launch and Reading Redux

Simmons Buntin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:59:32 +0000

On Thursday, September 24th, Terrain.org held its first-ever public issue launch and reading, celebrating Issue No. 24, “Borders and Bridges” with readings by David Rothenberg, Pamela Uschuk, Christopher Cokinos, and Deborah Fries at the University of Arizona Poetry Center.

We’ve just added an image gallery and mp3 of the full reading at the new Terrain.org Events section of the website.

We had a great turnout, and thank the Poetry Center and Center for Biological Diversity for sponsoring the event, the readers for such wonderful performances, and the audience. View the image gallery and listen to the full performance now.

Terrain.org Issue Launch & Reading Tonight!

Simmons Buntin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Terrain.org: A Journal of the Built & Natural Environments, a Tucson-based online journal that examines the interface between the built and natural environments, is holding its first-ever issue launch and reading tonight!

8 p.m. : University of Arizona Poetry Center : Tucson

This celebration of the “Borders & Bridges” issue (No. 24) features readings by contributors Christopher Cokinos (Hope is the Thing with Feathers and The Fallen Sky), Pamela Uschuk (Crazy Love), Deborah Fries (Various Modes of Departure), and headlining artist David Rothenberg. It will take place on September 24, at 8 p.m., at the University of Arizona Poetry Center in Tucson.

David Rothenberg is a philosopher, musician, and the author of Why Birds Sing, Sudden Music, Blue Cliff Record, Hand’s End, and Always the Mountains. His articles have appeared in Parabola, Orion, The Nation, Wired, Dwell, Kyoto Journal, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, and Sierra. Rothenberg is also a composer and jazz clarinetist, and he has seven CDs out under his own name, including On the Cliffs of the Heart, named one of the top ten CDs by Jazziz Magazine in 1995. His latest book is Thousand Mile Song, about making music with whales. Rothenberg is professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Agenda

Welcome, Issue Overview, Contributor and Editor/Board Callouts (in audience), and First Reader Introductions – Simmons Buntin
Pamela Uschuk (poetry) – 8 minutes
Christopher Cokinos (nonfiction) – 8 minutes
Deborah Fries (poetry) – 8 minutes
Introduction of David Rothenberg – Kieran Suckling, Center for Biological Diversity
David Rothenberg (music and prose) – 20-25 minutes
Refreshments and book signings (UA Bookstore will sell books)

Mark your calendars and please join us for this free and fun event! For more information, view www.terrain.org

The Uncertain Future of Isotope, and Ways to Help Out

Simmons Buntin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:52:00 +0000

As many of you know, we at Terrain.org are trying to help preserve Utah State University’s important literary journal Isotope: A Journal of Literary Nature and Science Writing, which faces elimination by the university.

With his permission, I’m posting editor Christopher Cokinos’s recent letter to Isotope contributors and subscribers:

Letter From the Editor:

Dear Isotope Reader,

We try to spare you from the day-to-day operations at Isotope and just have the magazine show up in your mailbox full of the unique writing and artwork that you love. But we’ve stayed quiet as long as we can. The state of the economy has caught up with Isotope, and the magazine’s future is uncertain–frankly, in peril.

Isotope receives funding from a variety of sources–subscriptions, donations, state and federal grants, Utah State University (USU)–but the bulk comes from the university. Deep budget cuts at USU have resulted in the loss of salary funds for our managing editor as well as the loss of some operating expenses, about an issue’s worth. These are critical funds for Isotope’s continued publication.

Please know that we are exploring every idea (cockamamie or otherwise) we can think of to keep Isotope alive, but we need your help. Our readers–You–are the reason Isotope exists and has been so successful. With every new or renewed subscription, with every letter or email or submission of your writing or artwork, you tell us that you like what we are doing and you want us to continue. We are deeply grateful for your interest and your support. Now we hope you are willing to do even more.

Here are some ways you can help:

Donations. Any amount helps. Cash donations will contribute to the publication of the next issue and will buy us time to put in place longer-term solutions. They also show the university the extent of reader support. Mail to Isotope, Dept of English, 3200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-3200.

Words. University administration knows and values Isotope’s achievements–but it would be good for USU’s decision-makers to hear from our loyal and smart readers. From you. And right away! Please consider dropping a polite note of support to USU Provost Ray Coward and USU President Stan Albrecht, Old Main, USU, Logan, Utah 84322.

Thank you for considering taking some action on behalf of Isotope. Whatever you do, whatever you decide, we hope you will stay engaged in the decisions made in your communities–local to state to national to global–for we’re living in a time when citizen engagement can make an even bigger difference than in the recent past. We’ll keep you informed about Isotope’s future.

Sincerely,

Christopher Cokinos, Editor

Isotope: A Journal of Literary Nature and Science Writing