Andrew Hudgins is one of the greatest poets ever. And I'm not the only one who feels this way...
He actually taught one of my classes when I was in college. Now he teaches at The Ohio State University. (His wife, Erin McGraw, is an excellent fiction writer. Though to be honest, I haven't actually read any of her work, but I've heard her read - it was a story about a woman losing her father - and I was amazed.)
I kept in touch with Hudgins and he gave me some sound advice after graduation, and also helped me shape up my portfolio enough that I got a partial scholarship to the 1996 Indiana University Writer's Conference (without that scholarship, I wouldn't have been able to go...I was so broke back then). And when I wanted to go back to college to take some night courses, he was really great about advising me on who would be the best instructor for what I wanted to accomplish at that time. (He was spot on about that instructor, by the way...)
I was cleaning out my "favorites" in my saved Web sites and came across a Hudgins interview I'd saved. So, I googled him + "new book" and lo and behold...
Even if you don't think you like poetry, or even if you don't know a damn thing about poetry, or even if you got scared off by some horrid poetry unit in high school or a required course in college that was poorly taught...you might still like Hudgins' work. He is that good. You don't have to like or understand poetry to really enjoy his fine writing and imagery.
So, I'm about to pre-order my copy. I can't wait! This book sounds like something different than anything he's done and since everything else he's tried has been incredible, I'm pretty excited. I'll be counting the days...
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