Copper Nickel Launches New Prize

Beginning with issue 20, Copper Nickel is now offering two $500 Editors’ Prizes – one in poetry, one in prose – for the “most exciting work in each issue, as determined by a vote of [their] editorial staff.” You have to love the guidelines, which I find refreshing in this day and age of data, rubrics, and assessment. It’s nice to know that the abstract, subjective, and aesthetic have not been completely snuffed out when it comes to artistic appreciation of intelligent literary craft. Issue 21 announces the first winners (from #20) were Michelle Okaes for her poems “Bionics” and “How to Live” and Donovan Ortega for his essay “In a Large Coastal City.” Speaking of aesthetic appreciation, can we talk about that cover? (By Mark Mothersbaugh – “Untitled,” ink on paper, 2013)