On May 17, Poet Charmaine Donovan won the Northeastern Book Award for her debut collection, Tumbled Dry.
Statement and comment from the Northeastern Book Award committee of judges:
“In her first collection, Tumbled Dry (Lost Hills Books), Charmaine Donovan takes everyday experiences and transforms them into words that capture the moment perfectly. Clean, clear and lively poems portray the sense of being young yet are filled with profound wisdom. Each poem paints a picture of an age and time that dissolves the borders between then and now with heartfelt precision. Her poems fulfill the words of Robert Penn Warren who said, “How do poems grow? They grow out of your life.” Readers will note her inventive use of many forms, as well as an unpretentious style which combines naturally with subjects rooted in small-town northern Minnesota life.”
One Response
Thank you, Krista, for posting these NEMBA comments. I am thrilled to receive such fine recognition for “Tumbled Dry” which is my first collection. I am starting to work on my second collection now and want to uphold the standard of my first book. I am grateful for the opportunity that Bruce Henricksen, publisher of Lost Hills Books, gave me by offering to publish my first poetry book. I don’t believe that anyone can write succesfully without having a good support system of fellow writers and encouragers along the way. Writing groups and workshops are a big help.