About the Book
.looking In looking out- is an international anthology of seventy-seven poems and four short stories from writers across the globe. Their unique voices seek to explore and explain our multi-cultured, multi-viewed, and multi-lived lives through a myriad of perspectives and philosophies, in many varied forms, evoking emotion, providing entertainment, and hopefully, opening the readers' eyes and minds. The book is curated into eight chapters with the universal themes of nature, love, community, and personal experience to the fore. There is also space for the slightly off-the-wall, the spiritual, and the reflective. All this wrapped up in unique human voices, distinctive imagery, and a quality of writing skill worthy of sharing with as wide an audience as possible. Willowdown Books has published over 370 writers in the last fourteen years, and always seeks bring forth new writers, as well as support those who have honed their skills over the years, creating anthologies which evolve organically and holistically, and speak to the nature of the human condition. "Writing is often introspective, often political, and powerful writing is often challenging, exciting, and educational.
In this anthology we seek to explore how one life can reflect society, and how society impacts one life. Personal and social perspectives combine; the to and fro of lived experience is our subject, the micro and macro, our form, verse and short stories our canvas. Although it could be argued that the subject of the human condition is what poetry and prose explore anyway, it can also be observed that a deeply introspective, personal poem may be an expression of universality, of the emotions we all feel, while a raw political short story may expand on the living of one's own life as a political act. "
Trevor Maynard October 2023 From the Foreword
"Trevor Maynard, it seems to me, has never been afraid to set himself challenges: and editing Willowdown's latest anthology of poetry and prose works from an international galaxy of writers, was clearly no less ambitious an undertaking.
Words have the power to enhance, to inspire, to terrify, to offend, and these emotions are present in full measure throughout this book. The vitality of the submissions is revealed in all its beauty, horror, disgust and hope, to produce an organic unity and a meaningful shape. It is an honour to have been involved." Joseph Sinclair, 23 September 2023 The Writers of Looking In, Looking Out are: Abby DeSantis, Alan Bern, Anna Marshall, Audrey Coleman, Beth Bolton, Brandyce Ingram, Brian King, Carrie Magness Radna, Charles Gillispie, Chris Sako, Christine Runyon, Cigeng Zhang,
Clif Mason, Deborah Dodge, Deidre Dees, Donna Harland, Gabby Gilliam, Gerald Dampier, James Lockett, Jim Burns, John DeSantis, Joseph Sinclair, Karen Henneberry, Kathleen Johnston, Kristi Lee, Lee Geddes, Lynne Zotalis, Mark Hammerschick, Mary Paulson, Michelle Murray, R.B. Bunn, Rachel McAvoy, Rebecca Evans, Richard Paul Davis, Rosalie Hendon, Stephen Kirin, Stuti Sinha, William DiBenedetto, Zara Luna. The prize winners are Foreword (Christine Runyon), and Second Look (Rachel McAvoy). Commendations also go to Short Hall (K.L.Johnston), Unlike Hamlet (James Lockett), Constance, Reflecting, and Kneeling Whispers and Desperate Wants (Rebecca Evans). Selected Reviews
Poems from the Lockdown
"Art like this will certainly be looked back on by future generations to gain a deeper understanding of the human condition during this crisis." (Cook123, USA)
The Poetic Bond
"The poetry that fills this book is moving, deep, and affirming"
Nicholas Chiarkas (WI, USA) .looking in looking out-
