Steve Kowit’s 2006 collection of poetry entitled The Gods of Rapture: Poems in the Erotic Mood was praised by U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins as “poetry that marvelously inhabits the adjoining rooms of the past and the present.” Montana’s Poet Laureate Sandra Alcosser said, “The Gods of Rapture could provide an erotic daybook of the year. Pace yourself and prepare to be seduced.”

Kowit’s work appears regularly in magazines and journals and has been read by Garrison Keillor on National Public Radio. Kowit is the recipient of a National Endowment Fellowship in Poetry. He is the winner of two Pushcart Prizes. His latest collection of poetry, The First Noble Truth, won the Tampa Review Prize for Best Collection of Poetry for 2007. Of this collection, Charles Webb, author of The Graduate and numerous other works, said: “The First Noble Truth is a green oasis where the water tastes sweet and makes me laugh, makes me feel warm and comforted, glad to be alive.”

Webb’s quote is apt. If you read Kowit, you too will feel warm and comforted. You will feel glad to be alive. And we might add: you will feel intellectually engaged and enlightened and you’ll want to go on-line and buy all of his books, and you won’t be sorry if you do. Kowit is one of the great poets of his generation, and we are very fortunate to have such a huge talent as a member of our editorial staff [at Serving House Journal].

—From “Poet Steve Kowit Joins SHJ as Poetry Editor,” previously published in Serving House News (3 November 2010), and reprinted by author’s permission

Duff Brenna

Author of six novels, and recipient of an AWP Award for Best Novel (The Book of Mamie), a National Endowment for the Arts Award, a South Florida Sun-Sentinel Award for Favorite Book of the year (The Altar of the Body), a Milwaukee Magazine Best Short Story of the Year Award, a Pushcart Honorable Mention—and, most recently, a 2013 Indie Book Award (Minnesota Memoirs was chosen as Winner in the Short Story category).

Brenna’s latest books include a memoir, Murdering the Mom (Wordcraft of Oregon, 2012), and a collection of short stories, Minnesota Memoirs (Serving House Books, 2012).

His novel, The Holy Book of the Beard, which he says is one of his favorites, was re-released in 2010 (New American Press). A New York Times review of this book says, “It is loaded with all the ingredients of an underground classic...it is nearly impossible to put down.”

Brenna’s stories, poems, and essays have appeared in Cream City Review, SQ, Agni, The Nebraska Review, The Literary Review, The Madison Review, New Letters, and numerous other literary venues. His work has been translated into six languages.

He is Founding Editor of Serving House Journal, now in its fifth year of publication online.

www.duffbrenna.com