Blog — Sunday Mornings at the River

Sunday Mornings at the River

Indie Poetry Press

Opinion: Yes, publishing via Amazon is shit, but not publishing at all is even shittier.

A friend of mine who just started out her own lndie press showed me some cool designed slides that read ‘why we don’t publish our books on Amazon.’ It wasn't the first time I came across one of these. And with good reason. I will never ever deny Amazon is evil. It is. It's a destroyer of bookshops, of rainforests, of our ozone layer. I have written many a poem about its CEO Jeff Bezos, whom, together with Elon Musk, I regard as one of the horsemen of the Apocalypse.

But, and don't take out your pitchforks yet, (I would love to have a constructive discussion about this in the comments), isn't avoiding Amazon with your small press nothing more than an absolute fucking privilege not all of us have?

OpinionRebecca RijsdijkMay 4, 2022Becks Comments

Poet Interview: Jude Raed on her debut collection 'Cough Syrup'

Jude Raed is a Palestinian-Jordanian poet, writer and language enthusiast. She likes labaneh with mint on toast, collecting books and sci-fi movies. Her socks never match, and she finds it very weird talking about herself in the third person.

InterviewsRebecca RijsdijkApril 28, 2022Comment

Book Review: “Salt & Metal” by Sallyanne Rock

Sallyanne Rock’s debut pamphlet published on April 7th reminds me of what walking across hot coal on a summer day would feel like. It’s unapologetically raw, a strong punch in the gut, a visual diary of domestic abuse, going through trauma and navigating the crisis of identity. It reminds me of what Emily Dickinson claims about poetry—after reading Rock’s work, you feel like your head has been chopped off because of being thrown in emotional turmoil and unnerving questions that peel your skin and bones off bit by bit.

ReviewsRebecca RijsdijkApril 26, 2022sophiaComment

Small Presses, Are They Worth Considering?

The dream of many writers is to be published by one of the Big 5 publishers, such as Penguin Random House and Harper Collins. But the world of publishing is much richer and vaster than the big, billion-dollar publishing houses. Many small presses operate outside the elite bubble, pulling far less than ten figures a year. However, through curating a unique brand identity, they foster a loyal audience among authors and readers alike. Indie darlings, with their sophisticated and imaginative books, are suited for the coveted coffee table displays, unlike the top 20 books you can find in airport bookstands.

ResourcesRebecca RijsdijkApril 21, 2022KateComment

Poet Interview: Afi Koasi

Afi Koasi is a Ghanaian writer who through poetry has found a passionate outlet of self-expression. Her poems reflect the very essence of word power, exposing the reality of stories written beautifully. She’s a writer determined to be heard, writing away her deepest thoughts as experienced and observed. Afi is a lover of art, music and chocolates.

InterviewsRebecca RijsdijkApril 18, 2022Comment

How to Use Vulnerability to Claim Your Voice As a Writer

As you release a poem into the fruitful world of poetry, you never know who might read it, how it might resonate with others, and what critiques might be made. It is an incredibly vulnerable position to be in as a poet. But there is a secret to using this vulnerability to claim your voice, which will lead to deeper fulfilment from writing and from life itself.

EssaysRebecca RijsdijkApril 14, 2022KateComment

Poet Interview: Arthur Nolan

Arthur Nolan is a fairly fresh poet, only considering poetry as a full-time creative outlet recently. He tries to write in a range of tones and genres, from surrealism to comedy, and despite an emerging style, considers his room for growth far from done. Arthur’s work can be read in our latest Quarterly Anthology ‘Depression is What Really Killed the Dinosaurs.’ You can read more of his work on his Instagram.

InterviewsRebecca RijsdijkApril 8, 2022Comment

How To Produce a Polished Front, Body and Back of a Book

To publish a polished piece of literature, one must consider the front matter and the back matter. That is: the first and last sections of a book, that which cohesively connects the sections together into a polished final product, rather than a random assortment of pages.

ResourcesRebecca RijsdijkApril 5, 2022KateComment

Poet Interview: Sarah Schriber

Sarah Schriber is an educator and writer in Washington, DC. She studied English Literature at Johns Hopkins University. Sarah’s work can be read in our latest Quarterly Anthology ‘Depression is What Really Killed the Dinosaurs.’ This is the poet’s first publication.

InterviewsRebecca RijsdijkApril 4, 2022Comment

Indie Presses: Fly on the Wall Press

Fly on the Wall Press is a publisher with a conscience, which means everything we do is with accessibility, ethics and sustainability in mind, from the books we publish to the way in which we correspond revolvers. We publish politically engaged fiction, poetry and cross on round apologies which often fundraise for charity.

Indie Press, InterviewsRebecca RijsdijkApril 1, 2022Comment

Book Review: Lord of the butterflies by Andrea Gibson

When you write, it either comes from the deepest depths of your soul or you write because you imagine. Both are amazing ways to write. Andrea Gibson writes what they have lived. Their words come from a burning heart but also, it is a burst of soft love. There is a terrible honesty in these pages and to read this collection, one must put down their rose colored glasses.

Rebecca RijsdijkMarch 31, 2022Comment

What does literary success look like?

When you release a book into the great, vast sea of literature, you have high hopes. You dream of lush reviews full of praise, glossy interviews that show how profound an author you are, release parties where you pop the champagne… It all sounds grand. However, these lofty expectations might leave you gravely disappointed.

ColumnRebecca RijsdijkMarch 30, 2022KateComment

Poet Interview: August Hawley

August Hawley is a high school senior from Michigan who’s been writing poetry since around age 13. Most of his writing focuses on grief, recovery, and his experiences as a transgender person in the 21st century. He hopes to continue his writing through college and develop a career in the publishing industry. August is also a staff writer for Sunday Mornings at the River.

InterviewsRebecca RijsdijkMarch 27, 2022Comment

Poet Interview: Chloe Hanks on 'I Call Upon the Witches'

Chloe Hanks is an emerging poet from Worcestershire. With the desire to absolve female villains from the patriarchal lens, her writing destabilizes stereotypes and reinvents what is familiar. Her work has appeared in a number of anthologies, including the recent debut from Fawn Press, and she was the winner of the V Press Prize for Poetry in 2020. She is currently studying an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Birmingham.

InterviewsRebecca RijsdijkMarch 21, 2022Comment

Indie Presses: Boa Editions

BOA Editions, Ltd., a not-for-profit publisher of poetry and other literary works, fosters readership and appreciation of contemporary literature. By identifying, cultivating, and publishing both new and established poets and selecting authors of unique literary talent, BOA brings high quality literature to the public. Support for this effort comes from the sale of its publications, grant funding, and private donations. We spoke with Peter Connors, Publisher & Executive Director of BOA Editions.

Indie PressRebecca RijsdijkMarch 18, 2022Comment

Book Review: 'Pneuma' by Faye Alexandra Rose

I am beyond excited to write today about a very favourite poet of mine (and this I don’t easily say,) a good friend and a kindred spirit, whose outspokenness and support has come to mean a lot to me as a young writer and poet. I met Faye through my prompt poetry work for Small Leaf Press, and I came to know her more through our honest conversations about the struggles of writing and sticking to a routine to get your work out there. Today, I’ll be critiquing her first chapbook, published by Sunday Mornings at the River—Pneuma—which, truth be told, is an exemplar of contemporary poetry, a gem of originality and poetic sensitivity that deeply resonated with me.

ReviewsRebecca RijsdijkMarch 14, 2022SophiaComment

Poet Interview: Kate Gough on 'Cottage in a Mirror.'

Kate Gough is a Canadian based poet and a member of the online poetry community. Her work modernizes romantic literary sensibilities and explores recovery to trauma and living with chronic illness. She has participated in a community poetry event “Escapril” three times, releasing poetry every day for a month. She has been published in several online journals, including the Latte Edit and Nightingale and Sparrow, as well as in her local community in Disability Pride Alberta, and in the YYC Portraits of People project. She lives a quiet life with her partner and cat, as she has always dreamed of.

InterviewsRebecca RijsdijkMarch 4, 2022Comment

Book Review: ‘No Walk in the Park’ by Jemma Chawla

On a rainy January morning, I came across Jemma’s writing prompts on Instagram, and we instantly connected by a shared love for poetry that is honest, emotional and tackles heavily controversial social issues like depression, grief, and motherhood in crisis. Because of her, I have written one of my most favourite poems which Rebecca has chosen for the 2022 Autumn anthology too (you can ask me later, and I’ll tell you about it, but that’s not the point of this introduction, the point is to show you just how much respect and appreciation I have for Jemma’s bright mind and spirit.)

ReviewsRebecca RijsdijkMarch 2, 2022SophiaComment