Cigarette Butts and Lilacs : tokens of a heritage by Andrew Riutta Published by Modern English Tanka Press
With a rusty shovel in hand, Andrew Riutta digs deep in his first full-length poetry collection and exposes the bones of the Upper Midwest—which turn out to be his very own. From diabetes and broken teeth to silent prayers and the scent of wood smoke, Cigarette Butts and Lilacs is an account of a domesticity touched by this world’s sharpest corners, as well as its softest petals and snowflakes.
Baltimore, Maryland – March 2, 2008 – Modern English Tanka Press has published the first full-length collection of the poetry of Andrew Riutta, an important rising star amongst poets of the American mid-west.
"The ‘metro-male’ of Montreal, New York City or Los Angeles has nothing over the refinements of this unhorsed, chain smoking samurai of rural, blue-collar America." —Michael McClintock
"Here is post-Americana at its best. Using the newly developing east/west aesthetic of the 21st century, Riutta has found the exact language match to his midwestern, blue-jeaned environment. In Cigarette Butts and Lilacs, the feel of a culture runs like soil through your fingers." —Larry Kimmel, editor of Winfred Press
"Riutta ranks high among the very best of contemporary tanka poets. His poetic sense of place, his self-assurance and acute knowledge of the character of rural midwestern America make this book invaluable." —Kirsty Karkow
About Author:
Andrew Riutta was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He currently resides in the Cedar Valley region of Grand Traverse County, where he and his daughter, Issabella, spend their days laughing as loudly as they can along the fertile banks of a quiet river.
For media inquiries or to arrange an interview with the author, contact: Andrew Riutta by e-mail at andrewriutta (at) yahoo (dot) com. Publisher information at: www.modernenglishtankapress.com.
This book is available from www.Lulu.com/modernenglishtanka and from major booksellers; or by order from the publisher. Complete information and mail order form are available online at www.modernenglishtankapress.com. Price: $16.95 USD. ISBN 978-0-6151-9445-5. Trade paperback. 100 pages, 6.00" x 9.00", perfect binding, 60# cream interior paper, black and white interior ink, 100# exterior paper, full-color exterior ink.
About Modern English Tanka Press:
Modern English Tanka Press is an independent equity publishing house in Baltimore, Maryland, dedicated to producing books and periodicals of lasting literary value. A family business, we treat our customers and partners in publishing like family. Our publications are produced using modern print-on-demand production and distribution methods. We publish tanka, haiku, and other fine poetry. Our special mission is to promote the tanka form of poetry, to educate newcomers to tanka about this most ancient poetic form, and to work for wider publication of tanka in both specialty and mainstream poetry venues. To those ends, we publish the journals "Modern English Tanka," "Atlas Poetica," "Modern Haiga," and special edition books of tanka, haiku, and other fine verse. We operate www.TankaCentral.com, the internet megasite for tanka, with its popular "Tanka News" blog, and the poetry web hub, www.ShortVerse.com.
Contact:
Denis M. Garrison, owner
Modern English Tanka Press
443-802-1249
Email to dmg (at) themetpress (dot) com.
www.modernenglishtankapress.com www.modernenglishtanka.com www.atlaspoetica.com
www.shortverse.com www.tankacentral.com www.tankanews.com www.modernhaiga.com
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