Alyssandra Nighswonger

Seventeen Poems Not About a Lover

Available Now, Poetry Chapbooks, Sarah Thursday

Seventeen Poems Not About a Lover, by founder of Sadie Girl Press, Sarah Thursday, published by Arroyo Seco Press is a 38 page, perfect-bound chapbook. It includes paper-cut illustrations for each poem by Alyssandra Nighswonger. Available through Sadie Girl Press Bookstore and MADE by Millworks in Long Beach.

Seventeen Poems Not About a Lover is a collaboration between poet, Sarah Thursday, and artist, Alyssandra Nighswonger. After six years of friendship and artistic crushing, this dream project came to life. Though the poems intentionally avoid the topic of romantic love, they deal with love and loss from family and inner personal struggle. Each of the seventeen poems has a custom papercut illustration, hand-cut and photographed for a 3-D effect.

Alyssandra Nighswonger is a multi-media artist and adventure-lover from Long Beach, CA. This project was a swan dive into the heart and a journey in itself. The thing that Alyssandra admires the most about her friend Sarah is the way she takes her own personal challenges and creates an alchemy of the heart with her raw and fearlessly beautiful poetry. For Alyssandra, who can be a lot more timid with exposing the darker side of her emotions in her music and art and tends to hide meaning behind whimsy on the regular, this collaboration was a thematic challenge. It led to creating deeper layers in the illustrations, opening them up to being cut apart, and exposing that even the cutest wolf has a shadow, which developed this work into a papercut escapade. You can explore several of her musical projects and adventures at talesofalyssandra.com or follow her instagram @alyssssandra.

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Then & Now: Conversations with Old Friends

Art and Poetry Anthologies, Daniel McGinn, Esmeralda Villalobos, Kelsey Bryan-Zwick, Sarah Thursday, Terry Ann Wright

Then & Now: Conversations with Old Friends is a unique collection of poetry and art pairs inspired by the theme of “Then and Now”. 120 pages, perfect bound collection, 50 pairs of work from 45 poets and artists, with cover art by Alyssandra Nighswonger.  Edited by Sarah Thursday, assisted by Terry Ann Wright. Available through Sadie Girl Press Bookstore and MADE by Millworks in Long Beach.

“Then & Now: Conversations with Old Friends is a collection of poetry and art in conversation with the past. Within these pages appear pairs of works, which provide an insight into the growth of the artists and poets as both creators and as people. With contributors both well-known and up-and-coming, this book is a journey through time, through reflections, and through pain. The breadth and depth of the work within will enlighten, delight, and reveal life in all its beautiful glory and harrowing darkness. Come, join the conversation, and discover something new.” ~K. Andrew Turner, Editor of East Jasmine Review

Includes work by Alexis Rhone Fancher, Amélie Frank, Avra Kouffman, Betsy Mars, Beverly M. Collins, Boris Salvador Ingles, Brandon Dumais , Brandon Williams, Brian Christopher Jaime, Brittni Suzanne Plavala, Carla Carlson, Clifton Snider, Daniel McGinn, Erica Brenes, Esmeralda Villalobos, Fernando Gallegos, Frank Kearns, Frank Mundo, G. Murray Thomas, Gerald Locklin, John Guzlowski, Joy Shannon, Judy Barrat, Julie Standig, K. Andrew Turner, Kelsey Bryan-Zwick, Ken Oddist Jones, Kevin Patrick Sullivan, Laryssa Wirstiuk, Lynne Thompson, Marco A. Vasquez, Marcus Clayton, Martin Willitts Jr., Natalie Morales, Robin Dawn Hudechek, Robin Steere Axworthy, Sally Deskins, Sarah Lim, Sarah Thursday, Sharon Elliott, Steven Marr, Suzanne Allen, Teresa Mei Chuc, Terry Ann Wright, and Tobi Alfier.