A Special
Bulletin
from Christopher Herold, Editor of The
Heron's Nest
The Heron's Nest has a new
Web Master, Paul David Mena, and a new Associate Editor, Peggy Willis Lyles!
It is with both excitement and sadness that I make these announcements. Sadness
because Alex Benedict, Co-Founder, Web Master, and dear friend,
is leaving The Heron's Nest in order to follow other important paths in
his life. Alex and I met at a Yuki Teikei Haiku Society meeting in 1991 and have
been good friends ever since. In 1995 we began to dream of working together to
produce a journal of haiku that would be an appealing balance of both
traditional and modern approaches to the art. In 1999 that dream became a
reality. We weren't prepared, however, for how quickly The Heron's Nest became
popular, how far-reaching the readership is becoming, and the resulting work it
requires in order to maintain high standards while keeping the journal small and
focused. By September of 2001 we were in serious need of assistance. Therefore I
asked Ferris Gilli and Paul MacNeil to join us as Associate Editors.
Happily they both agreed and The
Heron's Nest deepened in character as it continued to enjoy an increasing
readership. Now, after three years of service as Web Master of The Heron's
Nest, Alex Benedict must take his leave. He will be greatly missed and yet
the friendships established among us will continue. Alex's spirit will always be
a part of The Nest. We wish him continuing success in all of his artistic
pursuits, professional endeavors, and the joys and responsibilities of his
family life.
Along with the sadness of Alexis departure there is an equal amount of
excitement. The Heron's Nest is entering a new phase, one that promises
to be highly rewarding.
Paul David Mena has accepted our invitation to join us in The Heron's Nest
as our Web Master. Paul is an excellent poet and a highly skilled computer whiz.
In less than a months time he and Alex have managed to overcome most, if not all
of the transitional difficulties. The passing of the baton is going smoothly.
Our web journal will continue as it has been, consistent in format, easy to
access, and a pleasure to browse.
Peggy Willis Lyles is joining us in the editorial department. Many of you are
already well acquainted with Peggy's outstanding haiku. A long time member of
the haiku community, Peggy is also a master of prose, commentary, and
correspondence, as well as being a marvelous mentor to budding poets. That she
has accepted a role as Associate Editor in The Heron's Nest is most
wonderful indeed. Peggy will be taking over most of the submissions from poets
who used to submit their work to me. I, myself, will step into the position of
Managing Editor. Ill still be very much involved with the final selection
process, poem arrangement, printing and mailing the paper edition, and
coordinating all the various processes involved in bringing you The Heron's
Nest. And, of course, I am ever grateful to Carol O'Dell for all her
assistance with these things.
We have reason to celebrate! The Heron's Nest is thriving both inwardly
and outwardly. Please join me in bidding Alex a fond farewell and welcoming Paul
and Peggy, all talented, dedicated, and exceptionally friendly people.
Christopher Herold
Here's a little background information to introduce you to Paul and Peggy (if
introduction is even necessary).
Peggy Willis Lyles lives with her husband in Tucker, Georgia. Since the late
seventies, Peggy's haiku have been published in leading journals in the United
States and abroad. She has taught composition and literature at Sophie Newcomb
College, High Point College (N.C.), and the University of Georgia. For five
years she was poetry editor for Georgia Journal, a regional magazine.
Peggy's many awards include recognition from the Museum of Haiku Literature,
Modern Haiku, the Haiku Society of America, the Mainichi Daily News, Woodnotes,
The People's Poetry Newsletter, the Suruga Baika Literary Festival, The
World Haiku Festival 2000, Mayfly, and The Heron's Nest. Her most
recent chapbook, Thirty-Six Tones (Saki Press, 2000) was a Virgil Hutton
Haiku Memorial Award Chapbook Contest winner for 1999-2000. Peggy is currently
preparing a book of selected haiku, soon to be published by Brooks Books,
Decatur, Illinois.
Paul David Mena was born in New York and now lives in Boston, where he works as
a computer professional in the financial industry. He has been writing haiku
since 1992. He has published three chapbooks, tenement landscapes, trainsongs,
and brewpub chronicles, and has contributed to numerous haiku journals.
One of his current projects involves combining urban haiku with his wife Mary's
black-and-white photography, and making these available on the World Wide Web.
