Ever wonder about the machinations behind the world of publishing?  In his work, The Book Business, Jason Epstein likens the relationship between publishers and booksellers as a “dance of death” where “neither partner can escape the other’s embrace.”  But don’t think that booksellers and publishers are having all of the fun. This piece  from The … Continue reading »

I recently reread “A Good Man Is Hard To Find And Other Stories” and found the work to be as unnerving and brilliant as I remembered, but somehow different.  Flannery O’Connor is the rare writer whose work changes with each read. I was reminded of the line from a Victoria Williams song, “that which you … Continue reading »

If you are the bookish sort and feeling inundated by the basketball frenzy elicited by the NCAA tournament, there is still a way for you to get your game on, thanks to The Morning News. Check out the 6th Annual  Tournament of Books. No doubt there will be some memorable moments, and given the unusual … Continue reading »

We are thrilled to announce that Spout Press poet Kirsten Dierking (Northern Oracle,  2007), is the winner of a 2010 McKnight Artist Fellowship. Kirsten was one of four poets selected by judge Marilyn Nelson among 125 applicants. An award of $25,000 is presented to each of the winners.  This provides writers with an opportunity to … Continue reading »

The optimism of March is palpable. The snow starts to melt, and the mind wanders toward summer. March is also Small Press Month, a time to celebrate the diversity and richness of the flourishing literary culture of small presses.  We encourage you to think about the importance of independents – independent publishers like Spout, independent … Continue reading »

Minnesota has been in a rainy moment, melting all the snow away and leaving everything looking really really dirty. There was a red football in our yard that we discovered had been hidden under all those feet of snow. There was also a dead bird. Spring is almost here (hopefully) and so I am offering a … Continue reading »

Fiction Contest Flier Spout “Press It’s that time again. Spout Press is seeking submissions for our national fiction writing contest.  The contest runs June 1st, 2010 through January 1st, 2011.  The winner receives $250  and publication in the Fiction Contest issue of Spout Magazine.  First and Second runners-up will also be published in the special … Continue reading »

No one is going to accuse Governor Pawlenty of being overly supportive of the arts. This is, after all, the man who made disparaging comments that appointing a state poet laureate at no cost would lead to requests for a state mime, a state potter, and a state interpretive dancer – as if that is … Continue reading »

Every issue of Spout Magazine used to include a favorite quote by the Spanish poet Juan Ramon Jimenez, “If they give you ruled paper, write the other way.” It turns out that maybe, rules aren’t always a bad thing. A lot of this blog has been devoted to poetry, but Spout publishes fiction as well. … Continue reading »

Sometimes a line from a poem floats into my consciousness and prompts me to go back to the original work. This happened recently with a line from Frost’s famous poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” The line in question is “miles to go before I sleep.” After going online, I found that I am not … Continue reading »