CALLING ALL WASHINGTON STATE POETS >>>

For a poet, that first book deal with a publisher is a career milestone, a ticket into academia, a potential pathway to immortality. It's also next to impossible.

Exquisite Disarray Publishing could help make that poetry book deal a reality. The Tacoma-based literary arts organization hosts its first annual First Book Poetry Contest featuring a $200 cash prize and publish the winning manuscript as the poet's first book. The winner will also be expected to give a free, public poetry reading and poetry workshop during Tacoma's Art at Work month in November 2010. 

In addition to the winning poet's work being published; a separate contest prize of $100 cash will be awarded to the poetry manuscript submission that contains the best "Tacoma poem."

This contest is open to all Washington state residents 18 years of age and older who have not yet published a full-length book of poetry. The deadline for poetry manuscripts is May 15, 2010. Full contest guidelines and editorial contact information can be found on Exquisite's Web site.