 PORTLAND, OR; June 21, 2022-- Summer solstice is here and at last we can crack the spine on Joy to celebrate. Joy is the new full-length collection of poetry by Francis Daulerio, author of If & When We Wake, Please Plant This Book, and With a Difference. Beginning with one pregnancy and ending with another, Joy examines the ways in which we keep ourselves alive and hold each other up. It covers the highs and lows of looking for happiness while living with depression and anxiety, frequently settling in the mundanity of normal life, hunting for beauty in the plain and celebrating each bit of it. While the title may suggest a lighthearted read, the book is more about the seeking than the finding, centering around the birth of Daulerio’s first child while coping with the loss of friend and collaborator, Scott Hutchison. Though painful at times, it is a life-affirming book that encourages readers to push through hardships to find their own sense of meaning. Somewhat of a departure from his earlier work, Joy sees Daulerio expanding the short bursts of imagery found in his first books into longer narratives laced with humor and optimism. As Bon Iver’s Sean Carey explains, “Daulerio’s relentless hope and love…is a much needed message in today’s world.” Joy is packed tight with fifty-four poems, some of which have previously appeared in magazines, but most of which are brand new. It also has a foreword by acclaimed author Maggie Smith (Good Bones, Keep Moving), and cover art by UK artist Helen Ahpornsiri. To celebrate the beauty that is embodied in Francis Daulerio's JOY, a book tour across the East Coast is taking place. Francis will be visiting Philadelphia, Boston, and Brooklyn. More can be learned here. PRAISE FOR FRANCIS DAULERIO “If there is a book you need to read because you’ve misplaced your joy over the last few years, this is it. In Joy, despite grief and struggles, Francis Daulerio celebrates what went right—the friend who climbs out through the downstairs window / of my house so not to disturb those gypsy wrens / who built their nest in the Valentine’s wreath on our front door, little white flowers / my wife calls starlight / bloom sideways, birds after rain—Yes! And many! Daulerio is my favorite kind of poet—an engaging storyteller who sees the world with a wink and a sideways smile, who keeps track of the moments we’ve forgotten. How lucky we are he wrote these extraordinary poems to remind us of what we’ve neglected to notice—the bees / sucking life into every clover flower / low enough for the mower blade to spare, tinny music of an ice cream truck, those fat gray clouds. Joy is full of heart and beauty, and is a book I didn’t want to end. And how could I? Daulerio’s poems compassionately bring us to a place where we ask ourselves—How do we become the people we’d love? How do we do better? This book is a gift to all and especially those of us who want to be delighted—this is truly a recommended addition to any bookcase.” ~ Kelli Russell Agodon, author of Dialogues with Rising Tides (Copper Canyon Press 2021) "I often forget that poems can heal, poems can teach, and poems can breathe life into the way you see your world. In these pages, Francis Daulerio’s gratitude and celebration of life is palpable. The only thing to do after sitting with these poems is to go outside and sink your hands into the dirt and feel the earth’s quiet hum. Even while facing grief, fear, uncertainty, Daulerio’s relentless hope and love for his surroundings - his yard, his family, the power of nature - is a much needed message in today’s world." ~ Sean Carey (S. Carey / Bon Iver) "A beautiful collection, bursting with life and detail, which takes you to places old and new and, like the best poetry, teaches you something you didn't know you needed to know.” ~ Frank Turner  About Francis Daulerio Francis Daulerio is a poet and teacher from Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Arcadia University in 2014 before releasing If & When We Wake (Unsolicited Press 2015) and Please Plant This Book (The Head & The Hand Press 2018), both with illustrations by Scottish artist, Scott Hutchison. Francis has also released All Is Not Lost, a collaborative vinyl EP of poetry-infused music to benefit the Tiny Changes charity organization, and With a Difference (Trident Boulder 2020), a split book of ‘covers’ with Philadelphia author Nick Gregorio. Francis is a mental health awareness advocate, and has performed across the United States and abroad to raise money for suicide prevention. He lives in the woods with his wife and children. He finds a good bit of joy there. About Unsolicited Press
Unsolicited Press, based out of Portland, Oregon, strives to produce exceptional works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from award-winning and emerging authors such as Shann Ray, Amy Shimshon-Santo, Brook Bhagat, Kris Amos, and John W. Bateman. We believe in championing the books of the unsung and underrepresented. As a womxn-owned, all-volunteer small publisher, we focus on exceptional writing, not profits. We have the privilege of partnering with authors skirting the fringes of the lit world. Learn more at unsolicitedpress.com. Find us on Twitter and Instagram: @unsolicitedp. JOY is available as a paperback (132 p.; 978-1-956692-21-1) and e-book (all major retailers). The title is distributed to the trade by Ingram. The author is open to speaking with the media, holding readings, and engaging in other author opportunities. ### Press only, Unsolicited Press 619.354.8005 [email protected] For artist interviews, readings, and podcasts: Francis Daulerio Comments are closed.
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