Abigail Zimmer's child in a winter house brightening, which we published July of this year, has been awarded the 2016 Chicago Review of Books Award in Poetry. The awards ceremony was held last night at Volumes Bookcafe in Chicago, where Abigail participated in a panel discussion alongside fellow finalists Nate Marshall, Phillip B. Williams, and Tony Fitzpatrick, moderated by Ruben Quesada. Abigail detailed the chapbook's Chicago influences and spoke to the collaborative design process of putting together this chapbook.
Abigail says she writes often during her daily commute, one that's been the same for four years, and that the train influences and inspires her consideration of movement and form.
On the design process, Abigail spoke warmly of our collaboration with artist Jess McIntosh and printmakers Jennifer Burak and Dan Speilman of Zerobird Studio in Chicago, describing the partnership as "a project of really good friends coming together to create something really beautiful."
When Abigail accepted the Chicago Review of Books Award in Poetry, she turned the spotlight on the "beautiful" Chicago literary community, which she thanked for its crucial supportive of independent literature and local writers.
Tree Light Books is humbled and honored to receive this award through Abigail's lovely, lyrical chapbook child in a winter house brightening. We see so much beauty, ambition, and skill in the books we publish, and it's rewarding and fulfilling to see others share our perception of beauty in art and to have our authors recognized and honored for their work.
We extend our thanks to the judges of the competition, especially the wonderful and supportive staff at Chicago Review of Books--who were also generous enough to print an interview with Abigail Zimmer this summer--and to Volumes Bookcafe for hosting this incredible event. Special thanks to Paul Callan who captured the moments featured above; more stunning photographs of the event by Paul can be found here. Thanks, too, to everyone who's purchased the chapbook, recommended it friends, rated it on Goodreads, and has done any little anything to support our press and promote this chapbook we so love.
Finally, only 13 more copies in this world exist of child in a winter house brightening. If you've been procrastinating, now's the time to order your copy.