Erika Dreifus

Three Quick Things

1. I received a lovely rejection note this week for the poems I’d entered into Gaze‘s “Loving Gaze Poetry Contest.” Not only did the editor include some kind words about my (losing) poems and invite me to send additional work in the future, but she also thanked me for having publicized the contest to other writers. It was simply a gracious note that left a warm impression. (I don’t see an announcement about the winning contest work on the site yet, but I’ll look forward to reading it.)

2. In my freelance PR work I’m working on a fascinating forthcoming title: The Question Is “Why?”: Stanford M. Adelstein, A Jewish Life in South Dakota. Written by historian Eric Steven Zimmer, the book encompasses American political history, Jewish history and themes, regional history and politics, military history, and much more.

And this week, the book received its first pre-publication review. That assessment, from Foreword Reviews, is not yet online. But it’s good! And we’re happy!

Review copies are available in print and electronic format (please be in touch if you’re interested). I’ll be telling you more as the publication date nears (it’s August 19—the subject’s 88th birthday!). But for now, please also consider following the book’s Facebook page.

3. You may have caught my mention late last week about the forthcoming Best of Brevity anthology from Rose Metal Press, which I’m proud to say includes “Before Sunrise,” an essay of mine that appeared in Brevity in 2013. What I haven’t yet mentioned is that I have another piece slated for publication in 2020. Details for that were finalized this past week as well. This is an (as-yet) unpublished poem to be included in a forthcoming CCAR Press volume currently titled Unrealistic Expectations. To be edited by Rabbi Rebecca Einstein Schorr, the book will focus on Eishet Chayil (my poem offers a personal, contemporary take on the original text; yes, it is also included in Birthright, my own forthcoming debut poetry collection).