Everyone knows Painted Bride Quarterly’s home is snug in the great city of Philadelphia. But August has us itching to spread our love elsewhere. And what we’ve planned is something exciting, something never-before-done, something extraordinarily historical and hysterical: The Bride is goin’ to Brooklyn! That’s right, we are hosting our monthly Slam, Bam, Thank You Ma’am! at […]
News & Events
Kerri Sullivan on Karen Shepard’s “The Celestials,” by Tin House Books
The beginning of The Celestials is a whirlwind of explanation that sets up the time, place, and people of the story. Karen Shepard blends historical facts and research with the finely crafted lives of her characters. Despite all of the background information, it took me a long time to feel like I truly knew the […]
Andrew Keller on Cari Luna’s “The Revolution of Every Day,” by Tin House Books
What does the word “safety” mean and how is it relevant to Cari Luna’s book? The characters in The Revolution of Every Day live in a world divorced from present-day Manhattan. This is not a place of comfort or high living. The squat in which Amelia, Gerrit, Anne, Steve, and others live, is in […]
Kathleen Volk Miller on Pamela Erens “Virgins,” by Tin House Books
As an editor, I can say this is one of the most finely crafted books I’ve read. The fresh approach of a narrator who is imagining our scenes adds a compelling filter who still feels trustworthy. The mix of longer and shorter chapters truly worked for these characters and this story—we live our lives in […]
Congratulations Kelly McQuain!
Long time contributor of Painted Bride Quarterly, Kelly McQuain received the 2013 Presidential Diversity Award from Community College of Philadelphia! The award carries a stipend that he will use during summer 2013 to help cover travel to China, where he hopes to draft new poems. Recently McQuain was selected from candidates nationwide to attend a three-week field seminar in Chinese […]
You be the Judge at August’s Slam
Maybe it’s the summer heat (or lack thereof in Philly) that’s getting to our heads, but we’re doing something completely new and daring for our August 22 Slam, Bam, Thank You Ma’am at the Pen & Pencil Club. Instead of having just one insanely talented reader kick off the night, we’re sending our staff onstage […]
Kathleen Volk Miller on Matthew Specktor’s “American Dream Machine,” from Tin House Books
I just finished Matthew Spector’s “American Dream Machine,” from Tin House Books. I have to admit that even as I admired Specktor’s ability to flip POV’s between Beau Rosenwald and the narrator, Nate, I had a hard time getting engaged in the book. I felt flipped out of one narrative and into another before I […]
Jason Schneiderman on Poetry Daily!
One of our beloved editors, Jason Schneiderman, has a sublime poem titled “My Rich Friend“, on Poetry Daily! Of course we aren’t surprised, but beaming with pride! We are so excited to see his name is big blue hyperlinked letters and for him to have the chance to share this poem with all of you […]
PBQ needs a reality show!
Our promo language says you have to see a Slam to understand it, and here’s what’s more: We’re the ones holding them and we still don’t understand them. FUZE, the Philly Slam team, gave a powerful performance filled with dichotomies: justice and harsh fact; love and un-love; the smell of both urine and expensive cologne […]
Congratulations Marilyn McCabe!
Marilyn McCabe’s poem, In Vino Veritas, was featured in Painted Bride Quarterly 80th issue in May 2011. Since then, her successful book of poems, Perpetual Motion, won the Hilary Tham Capitol Collection contest and was published by prestigious The Word Works. She has been awarded the New York State Council on the Arts Individual Artist […]