Interview with Glenn J. Bergeron II by Angie Ledbetter
Recently, I had the chance to chat with the founder of Chicory Bloom Press, and he shared some interesting insights into the world of chapbook publishing.
R&T: What inspired you to start Chicory Bloom Press?
Bergeron: As an undergraduate student of English at Nicholls State University, I had the privilege of studying poetry and poetics independently under the mentorship of poet-in-residence David Middleton. During the course of this study, he offered me the gift of my first chapbook: A Prayer to the Father: Poetry and Prose by John Finlay, edited by Middleton himself and published by Blue Heron Press. It was a small, attractive book—20 pages or so—of selected poems and diary entries by the late poet/essayist John Finlay. Just a few weeks later, I acquired another chapbook titled T. Sturge Moore: Twenty-Three Poems (also edited by Middleton) published by R. L. Barth and then another at a poetry reading I attended titled Poems on the Life of Hildegard of Bingen by Stella Ann Nesanovich also published by Blue Heron Press. By this time, my interest in chapbooks was firmly rooted, and I would continue to collect them over the years. To me, chapbooks are small treasures to be cherished—cozy, personable, handmade, and quite often signed by the author. They are modest objects of beauty—lovingly crafted by poet and independent publisher.
The first chapbook I printed was actually a gift for a poet friend of mine who was moving from the United States to Wales. I gathered several of her poems and printed a few copies from an office here in my home in late 2008. This would turn out to be God is Southern: Louisiana Poems by Camala Ryan. Everything was done quite simply using Microsoft Word, my laptop, and a $75.00 printer. I mailed a copy to David Middleton, who, to my delight and surprise, responded to it with a great deal of enthusiasm and encouragement. I am certain to always remember fondly his telephone call to me: “I received your chapbook, Glenn, and must say that it is stunningly beautiful.” This led to our meeting over lunch shortly thereafter to discuss the future of CBP and engaging David as Advisory Editor of the Chicory Bloom Press Poetry Chapbook Series. My wife, Samantha, signed onto our endeavor as well by assisting me in the work of typesetting, printing, and binding of the books.
R&T: Would you share the best and worst thing about running a small press?
Bergeron: The most rewarding thing for me is working with the poets throughout the creative process. It is an intimate process in which we strive to produce a finished chapbook that complements a collection of poems in a respectable manner while allowing the poetry itself to remain primary. I cannot express adequately how humbled I am that the poets with whom I collaborate trust me with their craft and are willing participants in our modest endeavors as I am quite the novice at printing poetry chapbooks. I owe a great deal to experienced poets such as Catharine Savage Brosman, whose chapbook Trees in a Park we recently released, for the patience and knowledge extended to me.
I suppose the most difficult thing personally about running CBP is that we are indeed such a small press with very limited resources, and I do not speak primarily of finances here. I have already mentioned that everything is produced from my laptop and personal printer here in my home with my wife’s assistance. Although I do have an editorial advisor with whom I consult, I do not have a staff or the equipment to produce large quantities of chapbooks (a fact that probably plays in favor of the collector). Time can also prove difficult. I am a licensed embalmer and funeral director by profession. My wife is an elementary school teacher. We are also parents. We have to remain realistic with regard to the amount of time we are able to devote to our chapbook endeavors.
R&T: Do you publish only poetry?
Bergeron: Although we have entertained the possibility of venturing into short stories and essays in the future, we continue to publish only poetry at present. Anything beyond poetry would definitely be in the distant future.
R&T: What current projects are in the works?
Bergeron: I’ve already mentioned Catharine Savage Brosman’s Trees in a Park, which appeared as our Spring 2010 chapbook. We will be releasing a Summer 2010 chapbook by poet Daryl Holmes titled The Gift of Laughter very shortly. In addition, we are hoping to release chapbooks by poet/playwright John Doucet and Louisiana poet laureate Darrell Bourque respectively in Fall 2010 and Spring 2011.
R&T: Is there something poetry lovers can do to support poets and small presses besides the obvious answer of purchasing books?
Bergeron: I would have to say to them to simply continue to do what so many have already done for us personally—that is, continue to remain aware of us and pass the word to others. I know of many people who have done this whether or not they themselves have purchased books from us. They are supportive of our endeavors for whatever personal reasons they may have and get the word out to others. In my own recent experience, this has led to my being contacted by the State Library here in Louisiana as well as Special Collections at Louisiana State University, both in Baton Rouge. I understand that Tulane University in New Orleans intends to add Catharine Savage Brosman’s Trees in a Park to their library stacks. I’m grateful that people and institutions such as these have taken something of an interest in us.
R&T: Has the advent of e-books and e-readers changed your business?
Bergeron: We haven’t been established long enough for me to offer an informed opinion of this. However, I venture to guess that the majority of people interested in poetry chapbooks to begin with would want to have the actual chapbook itself in their possession as opposed to having access to it electronically. Again, I view chapbooks as something personal and intimate. I’m just not convinced that such intimacy—if that is indeed what is desired—would translate well through electronic mediums.
R&T: Do you do any of the hand stitching/binding yourself?
Bergeron: Yes . . . emphatically, yes. My wife and I have personally folded, punched, cut, binded, numbered, etc. every single chapbook that we have released.
R&T: What haven’t I asked that you’d like others to know about CBP specifically?
Bergeron: How did I come to name our imprint Chicory Bloom Press? Simply stated, I drink a brand of coffee called CDM (Cafe du Monde), which has chicory in it and can be dark, dark, dark depending upon the strength of how one brews it. My very liberal measurements make for a rather strong, rich, black cup of coffee—so black, in fact, that when one peers down into the cup, one can discern something of an oily blue-black sheen on the surface of the coffee emitting a sharp, almost smoked aroma—beautifully pungent . . . rich.
Shortly after the inception of the press, I sat in my kitchen gazing into my cup of coffee and chicory and decided to incorporate this all into the name of the press. Well, I had initially considered using the name Blue Chicory Press, but after a brief Google search, I learned that this name is already being used by another press out of . . . the details slip my mind now. Needless to say, desirous of staying clear of any association with or infringement upon this particular press, I shortly thereafter modified the name to Chicory Bloom Press.
And that’s pretty much how it happened.
R&T: Kudos on publishing both emerging and established poets. How did you come to this decision?
Bergeron: I owe this to my friend, fellow poet and editorial advisor David Middleton. David initially recommended that we publish at least two chapbooks per year: “One by a well-known poet and one by a poet who’d love and who deserves a first book.” I concurred.
Glenn, thank you so much for the interview, and we wish you the best of luck with Chicory Bloom Press.
Angie Ledbetter is Co-Editor/Publisher of Rose & Thorn Journal. You can follow her musings at GumboWriter.
Enjoyed the article especially the naming of the press. Well written and always rewarding to hear stories of ingenuity and hard work that pays off.
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What a great interview/article! I'm still and will always be honored by being the first poet published by CBP. I can only hope that CBP gets the recognition and notoriety it so richly deserves. Well done! Camala Ryan
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Wonderful interview! Thank you, Glenn, for taking the time from your busy schedule to interview ith us - and great questions, Angie!
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Chapbook publishing world is not famous yet it is unique in its own way. The founder of Chicory Bloom Press has very touching experiences that lead to his love for chapbooks and become a independent publisher himself. He got many chapbooks as gifts at University and he was a student of poetry. So, these lead him to start Chicory Bloom Press. It is a very creative and intimate procedure. He had a very small press and faced many issues due to lack of finances.
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thank you for showing us a behind the scenes look at the indie press world, angie. people like chicory bloom press (the bergerons)deserve recognition and financial support for their work preserving art. rare and intimate, hand-held gem-art. as an 'emerging' poet myself, i appreciate CBP's honoring both the poet laureate and the newcomer. kudos and thank-yous.
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this interview. I have always known my brother was interested in poetry, as I have read numerous poems he himself has written and attended several poetry readings with him when he was in college, but I had no idea he had started his own press to publish chapbooks. I am very proud of his accomplishments.
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Nice hearing Bergeron's response about e-books. I've wondered myself how it's affected sales. Personally, I'd rather have the real thing.
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Inspiring interview -- to realize that a small publisher of poetry here in Louisiana lovingly crafts handmade books. David Middleton was my first poetry writing teacher. I am not surprised at all that he is involved in this beautiful endeavor.
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