OVERVIEW
Emily Rose Kahn-Sheahan's Mouthy gives voice to an unapologetic female experience, the truth between strength and vulnerability, as insecure at times as it is wanton. The outdated concept of spinsterhood is challenged and redefined by embracing the complexity of loneliness and self-sufficiency. At once sex-positive and clumsy, Mouthy aims to speak what is so often silenced, exalting dichotomy and praising the “good trouble."
These stanzas smolder, incite and stagger the reader like a backhand. Emily Rose is a relentless archivist of delusion and crave, adept at both blinding truths and the lyric so lustful it trembles the belly. This book is both shield and weapon. This writer is the one you didn’t know you needed. –Patricia Smith
Kahn-Sheahan’s much anticipated collection also serves as the biggest release to date from Thoughtcrime Press, a burgeoning publisher devoted to gathering the most important voices in writing, and sculpting exceptional books around them. We are artists and craftsmen who believe in paying our authors first and more while offering our readers affordable, beautiful literary art objects. Along with bringing an incredible collection of poetry into the world, your funding also provides stability and momentum for future projects.
About
Emily Rose Kahn-Sheahan lives in Chicago where she has hosted and curated live lit shows and poetry slams for ten years. Her work has recently appeared in Columbia Poetry Review, TriQuarterly, Muzzle Magazine, decomP, After Hours, and TimeOut Chicago. Her first chapbook, Cigarette Love Songs and Nicotine Kisses, was published by Cross+Roads Press in 2004.
From the book
Mouthy
My mouth don’t let me be
quiet. Got a boom throat,
trench deep marathon breath
carries my noise all the way
back to the beginning. Drum
tongue. Make the rattlesnakes
shimmy. So sharp I shave
that look off your face. Say Big.
I say fit all the fathoms in my cheeks.
You don’t like these sass red lips,
want the pretty to lay quiet, stop
causing all this fuss, but I got
firecracker teeth popping.
They get me into the good trouble
worth all this voice.
For a further preview, see Emily Rose’s work in Triquarterly Review and Compose Journal.
The Book
Book Dimensions:
42 poems, 68 pages, 5 1/2" x 8.25", on creme paper
REWARDS
Postcards
Original Artwork by Patricia Sazani. Each postcard features one of her mouth’s (modeled after the author) on the front side, accompanying poem on the back. Poems include: Mouthy, The Time We All Gave Up Sex, Salt Moon, and What Lonely Won’t Say.
Broadside
Original limited edition letterpress broadside from Meekling Press featuring the much loved poem Cake. Hand-printed on an antique 19th century letterpress, 100% cotton paper.
Scarves
When it is cold and the author is alone, which is much of the time, she knits. The result is a small hoard of handmade scarves to keep you warm for the winter. We are only offering 5, since that’s all she will part with. Colors range from rainbow to earth tones. You get what you get, but it’ll make a great story.
FUNDING
So what exactly are you funding? First of all, you're enabling us to print this beautiful book, which we'll be sending to you and sharing with the world. You're also giving us the means to highlight Oakland artist Patricia Sazani's incredible illustrations which grace the cover of the book. But don't let our fundraising goal stop you! The more we raise, the more incredible things we'll be able to offer. Any additional funds we raise will go to the artists, designers, and thankless minions who made this project possible. We will be posting stretch goals to ensure that our friends get a little something back for the work they donated.
Cost Breakdown
Book proofing and set-up: $200
Printing and shipping costs (includes shipping Kickstarter incentives): $1300
TOTAL COSTS: $1500
Thoughtcrime believes our authors, as well as our readers, are the press. Please join us in bringing this project to life.
Risks and challenges
When dealing with any print work, it's possible that there may be issues with proofs that need correction before being sent to print. It's also possible that we may receive a proof of the book, the postcards, or the shirts and demand higher quality than what we receive, necessitating a change in printers. To address this in advance, we've built in some extra time for production in order to ensure that we get everything right before promptly sending items to backers. Moreover, we'll be updating the campaign page should any changes, difficulties, or marvelous successes occur, always keeping our backers in the loop. We value transparency, and welcome questions and concerns.
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Support
Funding period
- (30 days)