The Elephant in the Room
 

I know for a fact that Sphereans (including myself) are wondering (on social media and elsewhere) why there have been no announcements of the results of last year's Able Muse Write Prize and Able Muse Book Award.



I believe the deadline for submissions was originally March 31, 2024, but later extended by one week (I may be mistaken), with the results typically being announced either in September, October, or at the very latest, November.


Questions: Have long- and/or short-lists been determined? Are announcements forthcoming? Will these contests continue this year?



Some candor and clarity on the above would be greatly appreciated.

Cathy,

When I finally received a reply from Alex, he wrote this:

* Contest results are delayed for a few months, but contributors will be emailed directly with updates.

* The next issue of Able Muse will follow the contest results since it will include the winning entries.

* Forthcoming books are delayed by at least four months, and the authors affected will also be informed directly.

* Regarding Amazon: all preexisting Able Muse titles have been removed from their site. However, new releases will still appear there through our distributor, despite Amazon's heavy-handed approach.

This is the essential information you can share with anyone who inquires.

I'm not involved with any of this, as I only assist with the day-to-day matters here on the Eratosphere boards, but I hope Alex can manage to resolve the outstanding issues soon.

Jayne

Hi Jayne,


Thank you for giving us this information.



Mostly OK news (except for preexisting Able Muse Press titles being removed from the Amazon website).


Unfortunately for the authors involved, it remains to be seen what "a few months" and "at least four months" now means.


I will pass on this basic information to those who have posed the question to me.


Thanks again, Jayne.


Cathy

I wouldn't put too much stock in any of what he said. He still has not answered, or even opened, a single email I've sent him for many months. Whatever is going on, it's hard to fathom why he is not at least affording that simple courtesy to his authors. I note that even in the single email he sent Jayne, there isn't a hint of an apology, regret, or concern for others.

Alex has done a lot for this community. It may be that having shouldered so much contributed to whatever prompts his current lack of communication. Anger and disappointment, particularly from people more directly impacted than me, are understandable; I'm not criticizing anyone. But I want to acknowledge our debt to Alex.

Yes. What Max said. We none of us know what has been troubling Alex over the past months. But we do know that he has put in a stack of work keeping the Eratosphere website working and gets little thanks for doing it.

I don't know about that. Obviously Alex is the creator and has been the main impetus for this site's existence for most of its life, and no one will ever deny that. But he's always received a ton of (deserved) credit, and people have regularly donated to help with site maintenance costs.

While it's not an either/or proposition, I know for a fact that Jayne has been doing the heavy-lifting around here for years, also receiving no money, and not a lot of credit. The fact that Alex's absence has largely gone unnoticed until recently is because Jayne has been doing all of the site administration. Just sayin'.

In which case, Thank you Jayne!

What Shaun said.

Well, I must say these recent posts are both a surprise and a delight! I've just got home at nearly midnight after a stint of babysitting. (The baby is now six years old!)

Thank you for the kind words, Shaun, Joe and Cathy. I know that many Sphereans do appreciate what Alex has given us all these years, and also the things he trusts me to deal with. As such, naturally I have a lot more interaction with members than Alex does, many of whom I regard as good friends, which is why I enjoy what I do.

Whilst Alex partially confided in me (eventually), I still have absolutely no idea of the actual reason for his long absence. Along with everyone else, my only hope is that he can resolve any problems in the near future, and that Eratosphere will continue to thrive.

It's been quite a while since voluntary contributions have been requested, so maybe it's time we all dipped into our pockets and showed Alex our solidarity. I'm aware that he's shy of asking for money... I'll have a word with a certain member who has made appeals in the past.

Meanwhile, I'll carry on doing my best to keep this ship on an even keel - but look forward to the Captain resuming his duties!

All the best,
Jayne

Re the penultimate paragraph in my previous post, before we send money to Alex I'm going to contact him again.
The consensus seems to be that some assurances might be made.

Jayne

Thank you, Jayne!

I've had a reply from Alex.
I still don't know what problems he's had/is having to deal with, but I'm hoping we'll all hear from Alex himself, in the near future.

Jayne

Dear Eratosphereans,

Thank you all for your comments, expressions of concern, and support. I appreciate the patience shown by many of you as we work through these ongoing challenges.

Jayne, thank you for summarizing the current situation regarding the Able Muse contests, submissions, and books. That remains the case, and I will provide further updates as they become available.

To clarify: Contest results are delayed but remain in progress, and contributors will be notified directly as soon as we have concrete updates. The forthcoming issue of Able Muse will follow the contest results, as it includes the winning entries. The book releases are also delayed, but affected authors will receive direct communication about timelines.

I understand that some have been frustrated by delayed responses. While I’ve made efforts to improve communication, some messages may have slipped through the cracks in the past months due to the workload. Roger, I did reply to your email about a week ago, but I haven’t seen a follow-up. If something got lost along the way, feel free to resend it.

On the technical side, I continue to handle the maintenance, monitoring, and financial upkeep of Eratosphere, as well as Able Muse’s publishing operations. Things are gradually returning to normal, albeit more slowly than I'd like.

I will provide more updates as soon as I have firm details. In the meantime, I truly appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued support.

Cheers,
…Alex

Follow-up on My Update
 

Dear Eratosphereans,

It’s been a couple of days since my update, and I’ve noticed there haven’t been any responses yet. I’m hoping that either means everyone is completely satisfied, unsure of what to say, or just busy with other things.

That said, I’d love to hear from you! If you have any thoughts—whether feedback, questions, or even just a quick ‘hi’—I’d appreciate the engagement. It would help me get a sense of where everyone stands and what you’d like to see moving forward.

If you’d prefer to reach out privately rather than posting in this thread, feel free to send me a private message or an email at alex [at] ablemuse [dot] com.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Cheers,
...Alex

I'm not such a longstanding Spherean as many here, Alex, but I greatly appreciate what you do. It's great that there is a here to enjoy.

Is it time for a bit of help with the financial upkeep again?

Cheers

David

My Thoughts on your Update
 

Hi, Alex,


It's really good to know you are now in a position to address our understandable concerns.


As your update, as well as the update to your update, perhaps continue to raise more questions than they answer, at least Sphereans can be reassured with respect to the technical aspects of Eratosphere and Able Muse Press.


That being said, I continue to hope and pray that your ongoing challenges are not related to serious health issues, and I respect your reticence.


Finally, I hope you know I am eternally thankful that Rhina Espaillat suggested Eratosphere to me over two decades ago, and that, as a result of the wonderful community here, I was able to bring Lines of Flight to fruition.



I am grateful to you for publishing Lines of Flight, even before the Able Muse Book Award became a yearly contest, and for publishing some of my poems and translations in the Able Muse Journal and Anthology over the years.



It was an honor to meet you at the West Chester Poetry Conference in 2011 (as well as Richard Wilbur that year!); a pleasure (and a challenge) to act as Moderator of The Deep End; fun to organize and judge the various sonnet bake-offs and to participate in Zoom readings during the pandemic.


Moving forward, it is my hope that Eratosphere continues to thrive!



Cathy

Hello Alex,

There's not much traffic on this thread now, because it's been a while since Cathy posted it - and most members will have already looked at it, probably not even realising that you've posted on it twice. "The Elephant in the Room" has become a different situation now.

If I may make a polite suggestion - A brand new thread, on all the boards and with your name heading it, and also with the kind of title that will make everyone sit up and take notice, is likely to elicit more responses. Your post above David's, here, probably won't have been seen by a lot of Sphereans.

Everyone's been wondering where you've been and why you haven't responded to their emails, causing all manner of speculation (and enquiries to me) such as:

What if you're seriously ill, physically or mentally?
Has anyone got your phone number?
Are you a Missing Person? (This is not being melodramatic - the San José Police were contacted with genuine concern for your well-being.)
Were you bankrupt?
Will you ever come back?
Will Eratosphere keep going?

All these concerns were expressed, but no one knew your whereabouts or could vouch for your safety, which was very worrying.

It's a great relief indeed to know that you're well, Alex, and that whatever problems prevailed, you're on your way to sorting things out. If you could give an idea of some time frames for things happening it would help to restore confidence and put minds at rest too.

If things get back to the way they were it will be really good, and I'm sure Sphereans will be happy to contribute to the running costs again, to ensure the continued smooth running of Eratosphere.

Jayne

(Cross-posted with Cathy.)

It’s wonderful to see these follow-up responses—thank you all for engaging!

David, I appreciate your kind words and ongoing support of the Sphere! Your offer of financial assistance, as well as that of anyone else who can manage it, is greatly appreciated. The donation method remains the same—just click the "Donate" link at the top of most Eratosphere pages and follow the instructions.

Cathy, thank you for initiating this thread and for your thoughtful engagement. Your words mean a great deal. You'll always have a special place in the Sphere and at Able Muse Press, especially as the very first author we published with Lines of Flight, a truly wonderful book of poems. It was something of a coup that I was able to personally reach out and engage with the late Richard Wilbur to secure such a positive blurb for it—one of the last blurbs he ever wrote for any book.

Jayne, I deeply appreciate your candid and steadfast support. You’ve long been a pillar of stability, both in the literary and operational sense, for the Sphere. The concerns you’ve raised are valid, and I can certainly understand why there was so much uncertainty—up to and including the involvement of the San Jose Police!

While I generally prefer to keep personal matters private, I can share that any health-related issues that contributed to delays are now behind me. Additionally, some of the challenges stemmed from unreliable and, frankly, unfair business practices from Amazon and others, making things extremely difficult. While the ripple effects and damage continue, what could be salvaged has been, and Able Muse and its press remain committed to navigating these shifting landscapes.

Regarding book delays, I have been in direct communication with the affected authors to provide clarity and ensure they now receive timely responses. As for the contest result delays, we anticipate a resolution within the next three to four months. Many of those affected have reached out to me directly, and I’ve been responding and updating them promptly with details on the situation and what to expect moving forward.

Through all of this, my commitment to maintaining and sustaining the Sphere—and everything related to Able Muse—has never wavered. These systems don’t maintain themselves, and it’s through my continued active support and financial investment behind the scenes that the Sphere remains up and running efficiently, with no downtime—aside from the occasional hacker intrusion, which I’ve always worked to resolve as quickly as possible.

Once again, thank you all for your continued support, engagement, and patience. Things are gradually, but surely, returning to normal.

Cheers,
...Alex

I've just done that, following your nudge, Alex. Frankly, I think you should nudge us more often. We need it. Or I do, it seems, at least.

Cheers

David

Hello, David,

That’s incredibly kind of you—thank you! Your support, both in spirit and in action. It's It’s easy to take things like Eratosphere’s continued presence for granted, especially when they’re running smoothly, but they do require ongoing effort and support to keep going strong.

Much appreciated, as always!

Cheers,
...Alex

Alex -- hi!

You beautiful soul, you. Thanks for all you do. I appreciate you to Mars and back.

Life could not seemingly get any better than it is at present. I've just had a publication in Nimrod. Be well.

Much love,
Jenn

Hello, Jennifer!

What a delight to hear from you—and with such fantastic news! A Nimrod publication is no small feat—congratulations! That’s a well-earned triumph, and I have no doubt it’s just one of many more to come.

And thank you for your ever-generous words—they mean the world.

Much love right back, and may life continue to be glorious for you as you make your way through it!

Cheers,
..Alex

Alex,

Thank you for your clear, helpful and informative posts.

And thank you for coming back!

With best wishes,
Brian

Hello, Brian,

I really appreciate that—thank you! It means a lot to be able to come back and to reconnect with Sphereans and everyone else. And I’m truly grateful for your support and encouragement.

Cheers,
...Alex

Thank you, Alex.

Your mention of Amazon's unfair business practices is a good reminder of how important it is for us to support small businesses--and avoid supporting big ones, who often use their size to quash the little ones. Paying a premium to buy from a small business is worthwhile. Every dollar spent is a vote.

Donation sent.

Hello, Max,

I really appreciate your perspective—and your support, both in principle and in action. You’re absolutely right: where we choose to spend our money has real consequences, and supporting small businesses (especially those dedicated to literature and the arts) helps ensure they continue to thrive despite the challenges posed by large, monopolistic entities like Amazon and others.

And thank you for your donation! That kind of direct support makes all the difference in keeping Able Muse and Eratosphere not just running, but thriving.

The very best,
...Alex

So glad you are OK!
 

Thank you, Alex -- as well as everyone else who has posted here. I was named the winner of the 2023 Able Muse Book award, and it was the most exciting honor I've ever received as a poet.

I am desperately eager to have my book published, but also very concerned that the log jam of projects may prove too taxing for you and your dedicated staff.

If another publisher were interested in actually producing *Terminarch,* would letting them do so alleviate some of the pressure on Able Muse? As this is my first real publication, I'm not sure what the policies are, and don't want to be unfair, especially to an honorable press that has bestowed such an honor on my book.

Again, foremost: You are safe and well, and that eases my mind, as it does, I'm sure, everyone else's.

Jennifer Keith

Hello, Jennifer,

First, congratulations once again on Terminarch! Winning the Able Muse Book Award is no small feat, and it’s wonderful to hear how much it means to you.

I completely understand your eagerness to see your book in print, and I want to reassure you that there is no issue with getting it published—it is on the priority queue, and as a contest winner, it will be one of the first books to be released as things move forward. While there have been delays, we remain fully committed to fulfilling all Able Muse Book Award publications.

As for your generous concern about alleviating pressure by seeking another publisher—while I appreciate the thought, it’s not necessary. We are fully prepared to see your book through to publication, and you can rest assured that it is moving ahead as a top priority.

Thank you for your patience, your understanding, and your kind words. I deeply appreciate your support, and I look forward to bringing Terminarch to life in print very soon!

Cheers,
...Alex

By the way, Alex, I continue to give public readings and the other night at a civic gathering at the courthouse, I sold a number of copies of both my titles with the press. These sales included both Able Muse books bought to go on the shelves of school and state libraries in Louisiana.

Something about how libraries are currently under intense scrutiny with other titles being pulled off the shelves -- and mine being "appropriate" replacements. Ahem. Interpret that as you will.

Warmly,
Jenn

Hello, Jennifer!

That’s wonderful news—congratulations on the readings and the book sales! Seeing your titles not only find readers but also land in school and state libraries is a real testament to their lasting impact.

And yes, given the current climate around libraries and book removals, your work being selected as an "appropriate" replacement is... well, certainly open to interpretation—and I'm taking the positive one! Either way, it’s wonderful that your poetry is finding its rightful place on shelves where it can continue to inspire and find even more readers.

Cheers,
...Alex

Just got this message from the president of my teachers' union. It made me think of the exchange at posts 26 and 27, so I'm adding it here:

People's Union USA, a consumer activist group, is calling for a 24 hour "economic blackout" tomorrow, Feb. 28, in which consumers will refuse to make any purchases except for the absolute essentials (food, medicine emergency supplies), and those from small, local businesses, NOT the corporate behemoths.

They are asking supporters not to shop either online or in-store, and not to spend money on fast food, gas or major retailers, particularly not at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy, for which they have future consumer protests planned. Do not use Credit or Debit Cards for non-essential spending.

You can read more about the blackout in Forbes, among other places. Please participate in this important display of consumer solidarity and show who really runs our economy.