Editor’s Notes

Greetings Dear Readers,

February's issue remembers autumn, goes over Niagara Falls, and then to the Mekong River, and has laboured breathing, while Ronnie R. Brown reviews Colin Morton's latest book, The Undead. I hope you enjoy the issue.

We're still in the heart of winter, a good time to be picking up poetry books and chapbook for your reading pleasure. Visit Perfect Books and Octopus Books or go online to Apt. 9 Press and above/ground press to find chapbooks. And of course, read the latest issue of Bywords.ca.

We are eagerly awaiting your poems and review pitches. Guidelines are on the site. To publish poetry and reviews every month means to have an insatiable appetite. Keep sending your work.

I often get questions from poets who are new to sharing their work. Here are a few recent questions and answers:

Why do we need to provide our current mailing addresses?

If your poem is published, we want to be able to mail you your cheque. Often cheques are returned because the address is not current or correct. If you live in an apartment building or townhouse, don't forget to include your unit number. Don't forget your postal code.

Why must the poem be previously unpublished?

We are paying for what is referred to as first North American Serial Rights. After that you can publish the poem wherever you like, but please credit Bywords.ca as the original publisher.

Can the poem be published on my blog?

No. If it is on a blog, on social media such as Instagram or FaceBook, we consider it published.

I'll share more of these as they come in. You're welcome to send me your own.

Thanks to our selection committee this month:

Jesse Aubin
Wes Babcock
Robert Martin Evans
Margo Lapierre
Tanya Mead
Kemisha Newman
Catina Noble
Jade Riordan
Carol A. Stephen
JC Sulzenko
Rob Thomas
Ben Toner

If you have comments, suggestions, or cheap post Valentine's Day chocolates to offer, please contact me at amanda@bywords.ca.

Amanda Earl
Managing Editor

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