Gail Thomas

Poet

Northampton, MA
Massachusetts US

Author's Bio

Gail Thomas has published six books of poetry: Trail of Roots (Seven Kitchens Press), Leaving Paradise (Human Error Publishing),  Odd Mercy (Headmistress Press), Waving Back (Turning Point), No Simple Wilderness: An Elegy for Swift River Valley (Haley’s) and Finding the Bear (Perugia). Her poems have appeared in many literary journals and anthologies and have won national prizes. Odd Mercy was chosen by Ellen Bass for the Charlotte Mew Prize from Headmistress Press, and Waving Back was named a Must Read for 2016 by the Massachusetts Center for the Book.  She won the Narrative Poetry Prize from the Naugatuck River Review judged by Kaveh Akbar, and the Pat Schneider Prize. She is the recipient of writing and teaching grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation, and was awarded residencies at the MacDowell Colony and Ucross. She was a founding artist and trainer for the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Elder Arts Initiative and has collaborated with artists across the state for workshops and performances. She teaches poetry craft workshops for Pioneer Valley Writers' Workshops and is available for private mentoring. Gail is a frequent presenter at poetry festivals and conferences, and reads her work widely in community and academic settings. She lives in Northampton, MA.

Publications & Prizes

Anthologies:
Paradise Found (Levellers Press, 2014)
,
Myth, Mothwing, Smoke (Tupelo Press, 2012)
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Feminist Parenting (Crossing Press, 1994)
Books:
Leaving Paradise (Human Error Publishing, 2022)
,
Waving Back (Turning Point, 2015)
,
No Simple Wilderness: An Elegy for Swift River Valley (Haley's Antiques and Publishing, 2001)
,
Finding the Bear (Perugia Press, 1997)
Chapbooks:
Trail of Roots (Seven Kitchens Press, 2022)
,
Odd Mercy (Headmistress Press, 2016)
Journals:
Amethyst Review
,
Bay Windows
, ,
Buckle
, , ,
Cedar Rock
, ,
Cider Press Review
,
Connections
,
Cumberland River Review
,
Disquieting Muses
, ,
Evergreen Chronicles
,
Halfway Down the Stairs
, ,
Hiram Poetry Review
,
Italian Americana
,
Larcom Review
, , ,
Mezzo Cammin
,
Ms. Magazine
,
Muddy River Poetry Review
, ,
New England Watershed Magazine
, ,
Night Heron Barks
,
Nixes Mate Review
, ,
One Art
, , ,
Quartet
,
Silkworm
, ,
Sojourner
, ,
String Poet
, , , ,
Yarrow
, ,
Yet Another Small Magazine
Prizes won: 

A.V. Christie Series award from Seven Kitchens Press for Trail of Roots; Editor's Choice from Quartet Journal for "Pulse of My Heart"; Massachusetts Center for the Book "Must Read for 2016" for Waving Back; New England Book Festival Honorable Mention for Waving Back; Charlotte Mew Prize from Headmistress Press chosen by Ellen Bass for Odd Mercy; Naugatuck Review Narrative Poetry Prize selected by Kaveh Akbar; Honorable Mention Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Contest for Traditional Verse (Winning Writers); Robert Hearst Poetry Prize; Pat Schneider Poetry Prize; Robert Collen Poetry Prize; Springfield Library Quadrangle Poetry Prize; Finalist, Cider Press; Finalist, Robin Becker Prize; Finalist, Hedgerow Books; Honorable Mention, Bright Hill Press Honorable Mention, Slate Roof Press

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
LGBTQ
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Nov 06, 2022