Geoffrey Gatza

Geoffrey Gatza is author of four books of poetry including, Dreadful Quietude, A confused saturation of Pre 9/11 America & Supermen (2005); and I Wear a Figleaf Over My Penis (2006); Black Diamond Golden Boy Takes Bull By Horns (2007), Thanksgiving Poems: a feast to honor Charles Bernstein, Forrest Gander, Kent Johnson, Robert Creeley & John Ashbery (2007) Gatza is the editor and Publisher of BlazeVOX [books] and associate director of Starcherone Book. BlazeVOX Books has published over 55 volumes, mostly poetry, and will publish approximately 20-25 more each year during 2007 and 2008. Gatza is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY (1993) and Daemen College, Amherst, NY (2002). Served as a U.S. Marine in the first gulf war and as sous chef at the Mansion on Delaware. He lives in Kenmore, New York with his girlfriend and two cats. Please stop by his web site for more information.

Publication Questions:

1) What projects are you currently on? (Include issue #s, books, chapbooks, broadsides, special projects, print and web).

I am a poetry fiend and have always taken on many projects. But to keep sane, I have found a way to organize and develop a dandy of a publishing schedule, so I can bring out a great deal of work from wonderful poets. As of today the Fall issue of BlazeVOX2k7 is out so I am now moving into the Spring issue for 2k8. I am finishing up on 4 ebooks by Jennifer K. Dick, Jeffrey Side, Adam Fieled and Thierry Brunet. We are putting the finishing touches on books by, Kyle Schlesinger, Davis Schneiderman, Michael Kelleher, Doug Manson, Joel Chace, Marjorie Norris, Lance Phillips, Wanda Phipps, Catherine Daly, Pat Lawrence, Chad Sweeney, Patrick Chapman, Justin Sirois, Chris Pusateri, Louis E. Bourgeois, Meghan Punschke, and Marie Hopkins

2) What has been your biggest challenge as a poetry publisher/editor?

Finding a form of advertising/marketing that really works for the poetry community.

3) Do you regret any paths you have followed as a publisher/editor?

I regret nothing. Well sometimes maybe donating that winning lottery ticket to the orphanage …. I am able to write a great deal and still have a private life with a woman who understands my art and need to do this.

To answer your question though, I would say that I would like to publish more of my poetry in other journals and presses. I am the one thing that I never have time for. I am a bit secluded even though I am well insulated. I am lucky enough to live in a city with a vibrant poetry community so mostly the hip poets and writers come here and do their thing. We also have a wide-ranging, migrating poetic scene from the wonderful colleges in the area too. I am happy to be a part of this thing we do as poets.

4) Name one poet who has not appeared in your publication which you would love to have included and why.

Didi Menendez because she is cool! John Ashbery for the same reason.

5) Who is the designer of your web site and how much input do you have in the design of the web site and the other design elements including covers for books, etc.?

I design the webpage and most of the books. This is really good for us so I can quickly update things and have a smaller sphere labor. This allows us to have the low overhead and other related business expenses to be at their bare minimum. Some times the author is an experienced graphic designer and has the ability to create a book the way they want it to look. This is coming more and more common a skill among poets, as mostly we create, design and interact on the computer to such a degree that it is almost becoming the same activity. This makes it a wonderful process to engage a writer.

6) What recognitions have you received as a publisher/editor?

I received a wonderful Meerschaum tobacco pipe from Dan Borzutzky when he lived in Turkey and a mean-spirited postage from Geoffrey Cruickshank-Hagenbuckle. We have won no awards as of yet, but Amy King has come the closest. I have also not really applied to the organizing bodies for any awards – which is another thing on our to-do list. So please do not judge the judges on this. We have a great thing here and people know about it, that makes everything worthwhile!

7) Where do you see your publication/editing in 5 years?

I have been thinking about this very question for a long time now, and to be short, I am not sure. We are entering our 8th year as a small press and it is almost time that we became responsible for our actions. I mean to say that we are growing and in that growth I have seen presses succeed and falter, others come into vogue and go out as quickly, and others simple remain consistent in deed and action. I do not want this to become hampered by real business concerns. Poetry is not something for the free-market system and cannot survive under such a model. Most of our books do not sell well but are important for the poetic voices in this decade in American poetry. I do not want to be a contest press as this can breed mistrust and promote things other than art. BlazeVOX [books] had a contest go poorly. We returned the little bit of money raised and published the top 15 books received. This became the moblis in mobli series. After that we let all of that go. I believe in continuing publishing ebooks and the POD method. This allows poets to be active in furthering their art. I am looking to Lawrence Ferlinghetti and City Lights Booksellers as a model for the future and with luck, perspicacity and a dash of audacity we’ll still be here in five years!

8) What are some of your other interests?

Comic books and Anime, bicycling, cooking.

9) What is your favorite poem as of today and why?

This is a very difficult question now that I have to answer it. I read it a while ago and thought, hey that’ll be a cakewalk. But now, I see how weird this can be. I am lucky to see a great deal of poetry in my publishing day, and I read so much that it is quite hard to come to a poem. Then maybe a favorite poet but that’s flaky too. But I am the real flake and not wanting to say that this over that – and a list would be just uncool. So I’ll go with Fra Lippo Lippi by Robert Browning because the narrative is dreamy. Way by Leslie Scalapino for the same reason.

10) Recommend a poetry book, blog or web site to our audience (not from one of your press) and why.

http://www.randomhouse.com/doubleday/palahniuk/rant/

BlazeVOX has published over 400 authors in the past 8 years so to keep with your request I’ll offer a cool fiction website. This is the site for Chuck Palahniuk’s new book Rant. This is what a cool book site can be all about with a wealth of resources!

11) What is the most exciting aspect of being a poetry publisher/editor?

Being able to work with a poet in a creative space that is close to, but far removed from the writing process. This may be the closest one could get to a writer while they are in that poetic place in their mind. This compared to a meeting with a poet for a beer after their reading. No matter how wonderful that gathering can be, it pales in the illuminating relations one gains from publishing. I am generally a hands-off editor and mainly go with that author’s decisions. I do have a good feel for the playing field and many resources to draw on to make ideas take root. I cannot imagine anything more exciting in poetry. Well maybe teaching at Brown or working in the UB rare books room!

12) Leave us with a recipe for poetry.

Poetry lover’s brownie bars

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Cream butter with sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter, creaming after each addition until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Add flour mixture gradually. Beat until smooth. Drop mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time and about 2" apart on to an undressed baking sheet. Flatten with a fork 2 times to form a letter of the alphabet on the cookie surface. Bake in a 350 F oven for 8-10 min. Remove from oven and cool.