A Thin Line–My New Poetry Chapbook

Author K.P. Davis with her mother and father who inspired her chapbook, A Thin Line. Three people sit smiling for a picture.

You read that right! I have a new chapbook entitled A Thin Line coming out. I’m as surprised as you may be because I really don’t consider myself a poet, but I gathered some poems that seemed to go together and submitted them to a contest at Bass Clef Books. I submitted because the contest was judged by and honors a longtime poet friend of mine, George Drew. Here’s an interview with George. Like me, George loves the sound of language, the musicality.

What is A Thin Line about?

My slim collection deals with my parents and the ends of their lives. I wrote all sorts of things while I was sitting in waiting rooms with them. There are so many feelings to process as a care giver. I lost both parents in 2019: Dad in January, Mom in December. They’d been divorced for something like fifty years by then.

I didn’t WIN the George Drew Chapbook contest, but I made the list of finalists. I suspect that as Madville does, Bass Clef likely offers contracts to the top two or three collections, because, why not? I as a publisher always think that I’ve had all these really good submissions, and a) it’s a shame to only publish one of them, and b) I have had the advantage of some really smart readers selecting from those submissions.

With that in mind, I’ll take my wins where I can get them! My new publisher at Bass Clef tells me that A Thin Line will be out late this year, or early next! I will let everyone know when it is available.

Accolades and Invitations

Cornerstone Press 2025-2026 award winners. Trust Issues is there with two awards!

I have accolades and invitations to report! They say these things come in threes, but today, I have four pats on the back to report. They are all surprising to me, since I suffer with imposter syndrome. I think a lot of us who do creative things suffer similarly. That and I stay pretty busy just conducting business between Madville Publishing and Sublime Design Studio. I’ve been working on a new novel as well. So, sometimes news gets past me! I may have missed a notification along the way, particularly with the Eric Hoffer prize.

The Eric Hoffer Award seal - 2026 Finalist
  • I went looking for a fresh link to my book, Trust Issues, on the Cornerstone Press website, and discovered that a) there isn’t a direct link to the book, and b) I picked up a prize medallion I didn’t even know about! Trust Issues was a finalist for a 2026 Eric Hoffer prize in the short stories category!
  • I was accepted to Bread Loaf! This is a big deal, because Bread Loaf is a very old and competitive. Here’s what they say on their website:
    “With a distinguished literary and intellectual tradition dating back to its founding in 1926, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference [brings] emerging writers together to work with a diverse and talented faculty. … For ten days in August, Participants and Fellows will experience the opportunity of working under the guidance of notable writers, including MacArthur Fellows, U.S. Poets Laureate, and recipients of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.”
  • I was invited to present at Untitled Town, in Greenbay , Wisconsin, September 25-27.
  • I learned that my poetry chapbook, A Thin Line made the finalists’ list for the George Drew Chapbook Contest at Bass Clef Books.

It’s funny how we say good things come in threes… This week and last week have been insane for me. Of course my calendar is crazy busy, so I’ve hardly had a chance to take it all in. But I got good things in four this time!

Mojo mayhem?

candles and book on ritual table

I read this amusingly sad piece by Christine Rhein this morning. Now, I will admit to some “woo-woo” tendencies myself, but I tend to maintain a healthy degree of skepticism as well. And this account has the right degree of tongue-in-cheekiness.

A new book review for TRUST ISSUES

Screen capture of the page on North of Oxford with the title for this review of Trust Issues. The book cover and title show, but you have to click the screen cap to read the entire article. Follow the link to read the whole thing.

Book reviews are always important when one wants to propel a book out into the world. New authors often overlook this important step by trying to rush publication. It is this need for book reviews that drives early promotion of books. Those of us who know, start sharing our book well before it is available, physically.

Sure, it has become relatively easy to self-publish, but there are some more traditional pearls of wisdom that still bear repeating. Old school publishers know that book reviews take time. Relationships with others in the industry are key to getting books reviewed, because we all receive a lot of book review requests. If you know someone, it can make a difference to getting your book reviewed.

To get book reviews, we give ourselves some lead time prior to publication. This allows for a few different things to happen:

  1. We (as authors) have time to build or revamp our online presence, our platform. That includes our websites and our social media spaces.
  2. In that process, we extend our reach, get to meet new people. You never know when one of those new friends might “get it,” and be exactly the reader you want to read your work and possibly write a book review.
  3. We attend events and we give some books away in exchange for book reviews. (Authors, expect to give away some review copies.)

You all know I’ve been involved in publishing for some years, and I know folks. And as writers, editors, publishers, we help each other out when we can. It’s a tough business. I don’t say this to disparage my work. There is still some peer review going on in this process! If a book is NOT worth reading or reviewing, we simply don’t review it. So, I’m glad my stories were worth the read for these folks. I don’t know the reviewers, but I do know who gave them my book to read. (Thank you, Jianqing Zheng! A sidenote about Zheng is that I have had the distinct pleasure of publishing three of his books now. One while I was at Texas Review Press, and two with Madville.)

So, with some help, my new Mississippi friends are reading my book! I’m really grateful to North of Oxford for this thorough review of my work. Knowing the publishing business as I do, it still blows my mind to know that my own work is out in the world and somebody, anybody has read it! My heart is in these stories.

Nell Shines in Trust Issues

Screen capture from Vox Populi website.

This review of Trust Issues by Bob Kunzinger talks about strong women, and one of the main ones is a character called Nell. Nell appears in three different stories in the book. The review came out today on the Vox Populi website. I love it when authors I respect “get it”! I feel humbled to have them even read my work, but then to say nice things? Imagine me blushing… Many thanks to Bob for writing the review, and for Michael for publishing it.

And there’s this thing I really enjoy about Vox Populi… Editor Michael Simms is such a good curator. To accompany this review, he shared a short story from the book, with my permission of course.

So… meet Nell:

My story in 27 Stories, a new anthology by Running Wild Press

27 Stories: An LA Wildfire Anthology cover shows a white dove and white lettering superimposed over a fireman fighting a blaze on a hillside.

I have a story in this new collection, 27 Stories: An LA Wildfire Anthology, by Running Wild Press.
(My story is “The Art of the Bargain.”)

27 Stories: An LA Wildfire Anthology

Lauren Robinson (Author), Benjamin White PhD (Author), Christi R Suzanne (Author)

$21.99stock status icon

Description

I still remember the morning of January 7, 2025. I awoke to an odd scent of burning … both natural and chemical. I went downstairs and opened my kitchen door, like I do most mornings. Typically, I’m greeted with the joyful sounds of children heading to school, but this time I found the air thick, the density burning to my eyes and seemingly layered onto my skin, my clothes. The streets were oddly vacant.

I hadn’t heard about the fires yet. Something inside me said to close my doors and windows, and do whatever I could to stay inside. Later, I saw the reports. Friends desperately texted one another for days to ensure each other were okay. Each moment, we reiterated to one another that no matter what, if anyone was impacted, they always had a place to stay … a second home.

Later, dear friends had a need for that second home and continue to do so. The loss caused by such devastation so much more than a physical home, but a place of emotional strength, stability, comfort, joy. All gone in what felt like mere moments.

This anthology is for those who have experienced such loss. To continue to provide a place of solace, words of comfort, and knowledge that somewhere, somehow, others continue to have them in their minds, hearts, and prayers.

— Lisa Diane Kastner

Read all the contributor bios HERE.

logo for Running Wild Press. Shows a horse in sihlouette rearing with a sunset behind him. The words Running Wild and Running Wild Press are in gold all cap letters on a white background.
PublisherRunning Wild Press
Publish DateJanuary 07, 2026
Pages328
LanguageEnglish
TypeBook iconPaperback
EAN/UPC9798993535852
Dimensions9.0 X 6.0 X 0.7 inches | 1.0 pound

Trust Issues Wins an Award

Certificate confirming that Trust Issues is the winner of the 2025 International Impact Book Awards. in the Contemporary Fiction category.

The International Impact Book Awards have just informed me that Trust Issues is a winner in their Contemporary Fiction category for 2025.

I am delighted to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you for being selected as a winner at the International Impact Book Awards! Your exceptional talent, dedication, and creativity have set you apart in a competitive field, and it is an honor to recognize your remarkable achievement.
This award is a testament to the impact your work has made in the literary world. Your story, your voice, and your commitment to excellence have resonated with readers and judges alike, and we are proud to celebrate your success. Winning this award is not just a moment of recognition but a significant milestone in your journey as an author. A reflection of the countless hours, passion, and perseverance you’ve invested in your craft.

Music Evokes Story

photo of man fishing

OR, The Power of Music to derail the day (!)

I’m not sure what post directed me to a song by Willie Nelson today. It has led to hours of me listening to a YouTube playlist based on Willie Nelson and a really touching song called “Last Leaf on the Tree.” My folks were country music fans, so I was NOT a country music fan. Willie Nelson, once his hair grew out, crossed that boundary for me. He started making music that was not strictly country. He hosted a wild party for his birthday in Austin every year. (Man, oh man! That was a wild time for sure… I got to attend a Willie Nelson picnic one time…)

While you play the song, I’ll give you a little personal backstory.

One of my earliest short stories of the fictional variety to be published is titled “Chumming for Sharks.” You’ll find it in my new collection, Trust Issues, (still available at a pre-order discount!). Click the link to the story to read a scanned version from the original publication. Consider it a teaser for the book!

Music evokes memories

Willie Nelson singing “Georgia,” from his 1978 Stardust album, composed of old standard tunes, takes me to a sport fishing boat in Florida. I crewed aboard that boat for a season, and the skipper had one tape that he played over and over, Stardust. He popped that baby into the 8-track every time we went out and he never changed it.

That sport fishing boat and that skipper provide the scaffolding on which I built my story. They make up the set and offer a preliminary sketch for characters in the story. Here’s a picture of me, shark, kid, and boat.

As in the story, we really did catch a big shark one day. This kid fought that shark for about three hours while two other men watched. They cheered him on and pointed me which way to steer based on which way the shark was going. I stood at the wheel for three hours too, and it was quite a fight. Me, the kid, and the shark. I can’t recall the real guy’s name, or even the name of the boat. I embellished a lot with many nefarious details that never happened!

The Casual Workshop that Keeps on Giving

Story Circle Network logo. It's a purple circle with the word Story incide it. The words Circle Network are outside the circle then ..by, for, and about women

During the COVID 19 pandemic–2020 and 2021 to be precise, I did a lot of writing. Madville was young, and relatively easy to manage. I had time on my hands, and a lot of friends who are writers as well as creative writing teachers. I was fortunate to be invited into some really dynamic workshop groups with amazing coaches leading them.

Writers need opportunities to workshop

We had time in those years, and everything went quiet for a while. It was perfect for those of us who don’t get enough time to let our imaginations run wild. Workshops also give us opportunities to meet others and read their work. One such group was called Tell Us a Story and it was led by Siobhan Wright. I didn’t know her except as a friend of a friend. I knew another friend of mine knew her well, and had recommended me to Siobhan. It was an invitational sort of group, as was the next group I had the good fortune to be invited into. That one was led by Jodi Angel.

I got so much out of those groups and those years writing. I gained confidence. And this morning, I received one of those gold star rewards that keep us writing… an acceptance. One of those little pieces I wrote with Siobhan’s group was picked up by Story Circle for their September Journal. It’s the third piece from the Tell Us a Story years to be picked up. There was magic going on there, I believe!

Trust Issues has a pre-order link!

Final full cover for TRUST ISSUES: STORIES by K.P. Davis. the colors are bright yellow, pale blue, and pink. The background image shows a pencil drawing of a wonam in sunglasses that reflect a yellow hibiscus flower with a pink hummingbird trying to drink from the reflection.

We have a pre-order link for my short story collection which makes its debut November 15 of THIS year! (Note, beloved friends and followers, that this will get the book into everyone’s hands in time for Christmas.)

Here’s the link:

Isn’t it funny how we behave when the tables are turned?

As a publisher, I’m often the one in charge of making these things happen… like updates to website with news about books… And now I am getting a big dose of what it feels like to be the author impatiently waiting to be able to holler about her new book!

I’m so excited with the way this book has turned out. Under the direction of Ross Tangedal at Cornerstone Press with managing editor Karlie Harpold, it feels like a cohesive whole now.

So how does pre-ordering of books work?

We hope it entices librarians, bookstores, and regular readers alike to order early. Number one, it helps the press with cash flow. It helps everyone to know how many books to print in the first run. Cornerstone tells us that these books that sell via the pre-order link will be shipping on November 11.

In addition, if we can sell a lot of books before the launch date, this can have a strong impact on the book’s sales rank and visibility. Strong early sales can make it more visible to potential buyers and potentially boost it onto bestseller lists. Conversely, poor first-week sales can result in a low ranking and limited exposure. 

(I’ll keep everyone posted as we have additional points of sale to offer.)