Slamming Poetry and Facilitating a Surrealism Workshop at the Pikes Peak Poetry Summit

Brook Bhagat

The 3rd annual PPLD Pikes Peak Poetry Summit created by our fabulous Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius was awesome! I was honored to be invited to facilitate a Surrealism workshop, where we discussed the movement in literature and art and had a blast playing classic Surrealist games like the Exquisite Corpse. I had so many participants that people had to sit on the floor! Later, I participated in my first poetry slam and connected with so many beautiful people, including the amazing poet Nico Wilkinson. We had over 100 attendees– What an incredible day!

with Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius
slamming!
with poet Nico Wilkinson

“Cracking Collarbone Jones” forthcoming in creative nonfiction anthology from Unsolicited Press

Brook Bhagat

I’m proud to share that my true love story, “Cracking Collarbone Jones,” has been accepted by Unsolicited Press for publication in an anthology set for release in July 2024. The small press also produced my full-length collection of poetry and short stories, Only Flying, in 2021. I am grateful to the Nearby Universe for the feedback that helped make this story, like so many others, the best it could be.

“Magic Chai” ties for second in PPLD fiction writing contest

Brook Bhagat

I’m pleased to announce that my short story, “Magic Chai,” tied for second place this August in the Pikes Peak Library District’s annual fiction writing contest, All Pikes Peak Writes. This year, the contest required that each story in the adult writing category be under 3500 words and begin with the sentence, “The train screeched to a halt.” “Magic Chai” was helped by invaluable feedback from her writer’s group, the Nearby Universe, and Brook extends her gratitude to the group. The story is dedicated to my father and was published in a PPLD anthology on Bibioboard. Read “Magic Chai” here.

Poetry from Only Flying forthcoming in Ripples on the Pond: Meditation, a special themed issue of The Closed Eye Open

Brook Bhagat

I’m happy to share that my poem, “You Were Born in Butterfly,” from Only Flying, has been selected for Ripples on the Pond: Meditation, a special themed issue of The Closed Eye Open to be released in late summer. This literary journal likes to “explore the creative output of anyone who has spent time with the big questions–whether those questions are on the grand cosmic scale, are more focused on the human condition, or are more grounded in personal and practical concerns.”