Magdalena Ball

My poem “Cartouche”, an ekphrasis based on the print ‘Frosty Night Cartouche’ by Jock Clutterbuck has been awarded ‘Open Highly Commended’ and published in the Literary Nillumbik Anthology of Writing 2018.  Of the poem, judge Helen Lucas said “The commended poem, Cartouche, makes the most of the limited lines – it is well edited and feels complete.  The poet has clearly taken joy working with this abstract image to construct a narrative.”  I did enjoyed the writing of this poem and as ‘Frosty Night Cartouche’ is one of eight prints in the ‘Baldessin & Friends commemorative folio which was conceived as a way to honour George Baldessin’s memory, I explored the notions of the friendship, loss, and the celebration of Baldessin’s life that Clutterbuck would have been working with in his painting.

Plumwood Mountain hasn’t been operating for a long time, but it is fast becoming known as one of the most inspiring websites for eco-poetics in Australia.  This is primarily due to the quality of its publications, which includes the marvellous (and free)  Hope for Whole e-book, as well as interviews, book reviews, essays, photography and bi-annual issues, guest-edited by some of the most exciting names in Australian poetry.  I’m very pleased to have a poem in the latest issue, guest edited by Bonny Cassidy, whose editorial alone is worth clicking for.  Check it out here: https://plumwoodmountain.com/2018/08/01/plumwood-mountain-volume-5-number-2-is-now-live/

I’m very pleased to have 4 poems in the new issue of the fantastic, hand-crafted zine Have Your Chill published by Pete Spence’s Donnithorne Street Press, and includes some gorgeous work by the likes of Anne Elvey, Jo Langdon, Pam Bronw, Linda Stevenson, Michele Seminara, Kate Lilley and many others.  Copies are available from Collected Works bookshop in Melbourne.

I’m delighted that one of my poems, “Riparian Zone” has been selected for inclusion in Ginninderra Press’ Wild anthology.  The anthology has been edited by Joan Fenny, and contains 159 poets from across Australia, exploring the many facets of ‘wild’ – human, animal, environmental and metaphorical and will be launched on the 8th of July as part of Ginninderra Press’s 10 year celebrations in Port Adelaide.

 Carol Smallwood asked me a bunch of questions over at The Bookends Review including such things as where my interest in books first materialised (in the womb?), on Compulsive Reader, and Unmaking Atoms including a sample poem, “Redhead Beach” which was highly commended in the Morisset show (a show poem!).  Check it out here: http://thebookendsreview.com/2018/05/16/interview-w-magadalena-ball/

In this chat with the wonderful Anna Forsyth of Girl on Key, I read several poems from Unmaking Atoms and talk about the book (and lots of other things, like the value of poetry and my mathematical inadequacies for example):

The new anthology Brew: 30 Years of Poetry at the Pub was launched last weekend at the Newcastle Writers Festival and I was very pleased to have had a poem included.  Poetry at the Pub meets on the 3rd and 5th Mondays of the Month at the Wickham Park Hotel and provides an egalitarian and convivial environment for poets to read their work aloud, try new things, and share a drink.  As one of Australia’s longest running PATPs, the 30 year milestone is a big deal.  The book itself is a thing of beauty, expertly edited by the wonderful Dael Allison: full of great poetry and an historic record too.

I’m very honoured to have a few new poems published in Pete Spence’s Donnithorne Street Press one-off magazine “Read On”.  These quirky, hand-produced print magazines are such fun–there’s something nostalgic and lovely about a hand-made ‘zine–and full of good writing.  I get to share the magazine with poets like Gerard Malanga, Gig Ryan, Charles Bernstein, and many others.

Hawkeye Publishing’s resident author and founder Carolyn Martinez asked me to answer a few questions for her, mostly around Compulsive Reader, my own podcast, and a little about my books.  As I’ve interviewed Carolyn before, it was fun to turn the tables and let her interview me.

Check it out here: http://hawkeyepublishing.com.au/in-conversation-with-compulsive-readers-founder-maggie-ball/

Ivan Obolensky asks me some intruiguing questions about such things as life in Australia vs life in the US, my day job, CCNY vs Oxford, Compulsive Reader, on collaborations, on how I cope with my own reviews, and lots more. Check it out here:  https://ivanobolensky.com/interview-with-magdalena-ball/