A Newly Discovered Galaxy of Words: Unsolicited Press Showcases Authors at AWP 2025
Los Angeles, CA – March 28, 2025 – Unsolicited Press, an independent literary publisher dedicated to publishing thought-provoking poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, proudly presents A Newly Discovered Galaxy of Words: Unsolicited Press Authors & Recent Books at the AWP 2025 Conference & Bookfair. The event takes place on Friday, March 28, 2025, from 1:45 PM to 3:00 PM PDT at the Bookfair Stage, West Hall A, Level One, Los Angeles Convention Center.
Moderated by esteemed writer Terry Tierney, this literary event features three acclaimed Unsolicited Press authors—Amy Shimshon-Santo, Terry Tierney, Jackson Bliss, and Douglas Cole—each reading from their recent works. As a woman-owned press, Unsolicited Press remains committed to publishing high-quality literature based on merit, with 2025 marking a year dedicated entirely to publishing women authors.
“This is a chance to celebrate bold, fresh literary voices and the power of independent publishing,” said Unsolicited Press. “Our authors push boundaries, challenge conventions, and create work that resonates deeply with readers.”
About the Authors:
Dr. Amy Shimshon-Santo is an interdisciplinary artist and educator who champions creativity as a force for social change. Born in Los Angeles, she has family ties across the Southwest, the Middle East, and South America. She is the author of Random Experiments in Bioluminescence (2024), Catastrophic Molting (2022), and Even the Milky Way is Undocumented (2020), with essays in Geo Humanities, Urban Education, and more. Amy has edited multiple anthologies, co-led equity policy efforts for California’s Blueprint for Creative Schools, and directed arts programs at UCLA and Claremont Graduate University. A former performer with Ballet Folclórico do Brasil, she has collaborated globally as an artist and speaker. Her accolades include Emmy and Pushcart Prize nominations, and she has been recognized for her contributions to arts and education.
Jackson (Kanahashi) Bliss is the best-selling, award-winning, mixed-race/Nisei author of COUNTERFACTUAL LOVE STORIES & OTHER EXPERIMENTS (Noemi Press, 2021), AMNESIA OF JUNE BUGS (7.13 Books, 2022), DREAM POP ORIGAMI (Unsolicited Press, 2022), & the newsletter MIXTAPE. Born & raised in Traverse City, Michigan, until the age of fourteen, he spent his adult life in SoCal, the Pacific Northwest, & Chicago with stints in Argentina and Burkina Faso writing both music and non/fiction about his global life. Jackson has a BA in comp lit from Oberlin College, a MFA from the University of Notre Dame where he was the Fiction Fellow & the Sparks Prize winner, a MA in English, & a PhD in Literature & Creative Writing from USC where he worked with Aimee Bender, Viet Thanh Nguyen, & TC Boyle. His stories & essays have appeared in the New York Times, Tin House, Ploughshares, Columbia Journal, Guernica, Longreads, Necessary Fiction, Antioch Review, Poets & Writers, TriQuarterly, Fiction, The Offing, Witness, Hypertext, Boston Review, Kenyon Review, Vol.1 Brooklyn, ZYZZYVA, Joyland, Santa Monica Review, Juked, Quarterly West, Adroit Journal, The Daily Dot, Pleiades, the 2012-2013 Anthology of APIA Literature, Arts & Letters, Fiction International, Hyphen, Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States, LitReactor, Monkey Bicycle, & 3 am Magazine, among others. Jackson lives in LA. You can find him on YouTube & Instagram.
Douglas Cole has published six poetry collections and the novel The White Field, winner of the American Fiction Award. His work has appeared in journals such as Beloit Poetry, Fiction International, Valpariaso, The Gallway Review and Two Hawks Quarterly; as well anthologies such as Bully Anthology (Hopewell), Bindweed Anthology, and Work (Unleash Press). He contributes a regular column, “Trading Fours,” to the magazine, Jerry Jazz Musician; edits the selections of American writers for Blue Citadel, part of Read Carpet journal of international writing produced in Columbia.
Terry Tierney’s poetry collection, The Poet’s Garage, was published in May 2020 by Unsolicited Press. His novel, Lucky Ride, was released by Unsolicited Press in 2021, and his novel The Bridge on Beer River was published in 2023, also by Unsolicited Press. He has stories appearing in Fiction Pool, Jersey Devil Press, Blue Lake Review, Eunoia Review, Fictive Dreams, Literally Stories, SPANK the CARP, Big Bridge and other publications. He has poems appearing in Rust + Moth, Typishly, The Mantle, Valparaiso Poetry Review, Third Wednesday, Front Porch Review, Riggwelter, The Lake, Rat’s Ass Review, Kalliope, Kansas Quarterly, South Dakota Review, Puerto del Sol, California Quarterly, Poetry Northwest, Cottonwood Review, Lullwater Review and other publications.
Unsolicited Press invites readers, writers, and literary enthusiasts to join this special event, engage with remarkable authors, and discover the magic of independent publishing.
Event Details:
📅 Date: Friday, March 28, 2025
⏰ Time: 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM PDT
📍 Location: Bookfair Stage, West Hall A, Level One, Los Angeles Convention Center
For more information about Unsolicited Press and its authors, visit www.unsolicitedpress.com.
Press Contact:
Unsolicited Press
Email: contact@unsolicitedpress.com
Website: www.unsolicitedpress.com
