On the 11/2/22 edition of Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:
Dr. Andy talks to his first guest, poet Dr. Joshua McKinney, about pandemic poetry, carving out time for hobbies, and how he hunts for new and exciting words. McKinney shares two poems, the first promising us a “lexical beatdown,” the second taking us back to the creation of one of the oldest known artworks. Joining Dr. Andy in the second half is poet and teacher Matthew Chronister, who shares his inspirations, his influences, and his projects, which include a poetry book about assisted living and a grandparent’s aging (from which he shares a rousing poem). Finally, we hear an excerpt from Dr. Andy’s weekly blog, a reflection on ghosts impermanent and permanent.
Joshua McKinney’s most recent book of poetry is Small Sillion (Parlor Press, 2019). His work has appeared in such journals as Boulevard, Denver Quarterly, Kenyon Review, New American Writing, and many others. He is the recipient of The Dorothy Brunsman Poetry Prize, The Dickinson Prize, The Pavement Saw Chapbook Prize, and a Gertrude Stein Award for Innovative Writing. He teaches literature and creative writing at California State University, Sacramento. His hobbies include guinea pig wrangling and playing the banjo. An amateur lichenologist, he is a member of the California Lichen Society. With Tim Kahl, he edits the online ecopoetry journal Clade Song.
Matthew Chronister is from Sacramento, California, where he lives with his wife, Brie, and their dog, Bella. He teaches AP English at Union Mine High School, where he is also advisor for the anime and book clubs. He received his BA and MA from Sacramento State University, where he studied and wrote poetry. His work has appeared in Poetry Now, Suisun Valley Review and 8-West Press. His first collection of poems, Memory Care, is available from Finishing Line Press.
Joshua McKinney and Matthew Chronister will read at the Poetry Night Reading Series on November 3rd at the John Natsoulas Gallery.
Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, visit his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com and follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andyojones.