Jeff Walt

Author's Bio

Jeff Walt was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania among a community of railroad workers, brick layers, and stripminers. He's been employed as a "cowboy" at Walt Disney World; a gallery attendant; a customer service trainer; a cook; masseur; barista; and as an adjunct English composition instructor at Honolulu Community College. He graduated from Goddard College in Vermont with his MFA in Writing and Literature in 1993. Jeff is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee and was selected as one of fifty semi-finalists in the 2006 "Discovery"/The Nation contest. A passionate Aquarian and cinephile, he pops for decoupage, collage, salvaging, macrobiotic food, mixology, home exchange, and Mid-Century modern architecture. He thrives in San Diego, CA.

Publications and Prizes

Chapbooks:

Soot (Seven Kitchens Press, 2010)

Anthologies:

Off the Rocks (New Town Writers, 2013), TURNING THE PAGE: Poems of Trauma, Healing, and Transcendence (Fearless Books, 2013), Touching: Poems of Love, Longing, and Desire (Fearless Books, 2011), Gay City: Vol. 3 - RePulped (Gay City Anthologies, 2010), One for the Road (Split Oak Press, 2010), Poetic Voices Without Borders 2 (Gival Press, 2009), The Light in Ordinary Things (Fearless Books, 2009), The Mysterious Life of the Heart: Stories from The Sun about Passion, Longing, and Love (The Sun Magazine, 2009), For Better or Worse (PoetWorks Press, 2005), Poetic Voices Without Borders (Gival Press, 2005), Hello, Goodbye (July Literary Press, 2004), Proposing on the Brooklyn Bridge: Poems About Marriage (Grayson Books, 2003), The Poets' Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm Fairy Tales (Story Line Press, 2003), Touched by Eros (Live Poets Society, 2002), Intimate Kisses: The Poetry of Sexual Pleasure (New World Library, 2001), Mourning Our Mothers: Poems About Loss (Andrew Mountain Press, 1998), Passionate Lives (Queen of Swords Press, 1998), Hard Love: Writings on Violence & Intimacy (Queen of Swords Press, 1997), Gents, Bad Boys, & Barbarians: New Gay Male Poetry (Alyson Publications, 1995), Writing Our Way Out of the Dark: An Anthology by Child Abuse Survivors (Queen of Swords Press, 1995)

Journals:

Alehouse Review, Alligator Juniper, Americas Review, Arlington Literary Journal, Assaracus, Bamboo Ridge, Bay Windows, Chaminade Literary Review, Clackamas Literary Review, Coastal Forest Review, Comstock Review, Connecticut Review, Dogwood, Gay and Lesbian Review, Harpur Palate, Hawai'i Pacific Review, Hawai'i Review, Inkwell, Lummox Journal, Mangrove Review, New Millennium Writings, New York Native, Oberon, Poetry International, Prose Ax, Pulse, Quill & Ink, Radiant Turnstile, Runes: A Review of Poetry, Sahara, Samsara Quarterly, Silk Road, Slipstream, T(OUR) Magazine, The Cream City Review, The Ledge, The Sun, Whiskey Island, Wild Plum

Prizes:

Received Artisit-in-Residence fellowship for the month of April 2013 by Kalani on The Big Island of Hawaii; Awarded a full scholarship to attend The Sun Magazine's 2012 retreat at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA; 2009 Keystone Chapbook Prize ("Soot" is currently in its 2nd printing [published 2010]); Finalist in Alligator Juniper’s 2009 National Writing Contest and published in the 2010 issue; one of three Honorable Mentions in the 2009 Littoral Press Broadside Contest (selected by Gary Young); Finalist in the 2004 & 2009 Paumanok Poetry Contest sponsored by The Visiting Writers Program at Farmingdale State University; Davoren Hanna International Poetry Competition (selected by Billy Collins & Carol Anne Duffy [3rd Place, 2002]); Dogwood: A Journal of Poetry & Prose 2004 Poetry Competition (Finalist; chosen by A.E. Stallings); Hill-Stead Museum’s Sunken Garden Chapbook Poetry Competition (2nd Place, 2004); Whiskey Island’s 2004 Poetry Competition (1st Place); Oscar Wilde Award (2002 & 2004, Gival Press); New Millennium Poetry Prize XIII (1st Place, 2002); one of fifty semi-finalists in the 2006 “Discovery”/The Nation contest; 'Editor's Choice Award' in the anthology, "Re-pulped" (Gay City, 2010).

Jeff Walt Resume

Personal Favorites

Favorite Books:

"Structure & Surprise" by Michael Theune; "Radical Acceptance" by Tara Brach; "Spiritual Economics" by Eric Butterworth; "In the Palm of Your Hand" by Steven Kowit.

Favorite Authors:

Amiri Baraka, Terrence Hayes, Christopher Bursk, Kevin Goodman, Stan Rice, Paul Eluard, Henri Cole, Nicole Hardy, Judith Skillman, Jennifer Perrine, Tristan Tzara, Erika Meitner, Linda McCarriston, Beth Ann Fennelly, Steven Cordova, Patrick Donnely, Dean Young, Peter Pereira, Martha Silano, Steve Orlen, Kim Addonizion, Karen J. Weyant, Jeannine Hall-Gailey, Neil De La Flor, Dorianne Laux, Walt McDonald, Lana Hechtman Ayers, Ruth L. Schwartz, Jendi Reiter, Spencer Reece, Dana Goia, Ron Mohring, Joseph Millar, Jane Hirschfield, Reb Livingston, Michael Boccardo, Jan Clausen, Erin Belieu, Susan Browne, Steve Orlen, Ethridge Knight, Julie Kane, Maureen Seaton, Major Jackson, Hayden Carruth, Sue Standng, Jeremy Halinen ...

Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Listing last updated: June 12, 2013

More Information

Listed as:

Poet

Gives readings?

Yes

Travels for readings?

Yes

Identifies as:

Mixed Race

Prefers to work with:

Any

Fluent in:

English

Born in:

Clearfield, PA

Raised in:

Clearfield, PA

Reviews, Recordings, and Interviews