by Elizabeth Elin, junior Theology and English major, from Terrace Park, OH and Erin Brody, freshman English Major, from Homestead | December 13, 2021

LATROBE, PA – Eulalia Books, a small press publisher housed at Saint Vincent College, will publish the poetry chapbook “Cold” by Meg Matich, C’11, whose manuscript was selected as winner of the first Joe O’Connor Chapbook Prize.

During her time at Saint Vincent, Matich majored in English with a concentration in translation and minors in German and literature. After graduating, she attended Columbia University for poetry and literary translation and studied at the University of Iceland where she learned the Icelandic language. Her best-known translational works are “Cold Moons” and “Magma,” the latter of which has been an Oprah’s Book Club selection. She has an extensive résumé, which boasts a wide array of skills ranging from editing to translating to writing prose and poetry. Matich has won several awards for her work, including a PEN-Heim Translation Prize and a Fulbright Fellowship to Iceland.

Matich’s newest publication, “Cold,” is an eco-lyric immersion into the language and landscape of Iceland and a chronicle of fragility and perseverance. It is a work of translational poetics that dialogues with her translation of “Cold Moons” by Magnús Sigurðsson.

Every fall, the editors of Eulalia accept submissions of poetry chapbook manuscripts from any former student of Saint Vincent College or Westmoreland County resident whose poetry has not yet appeared in book form. Named in honor of SVC alumnus and poet Joe O’Connor, C’65, the series spotlights the writing of members of the community whose poetry reflects serious commitment and merits broader recognition. The handmade books are produced by current Saint Vincent College students as part of the Small Press Publishing course taught by Michelle Gil-Montero, Eulalia Books publisher and English department professor.

A dedicated patron of Eulalia Books at the time of its founding, Joe believed in the power of creating community—near and far—through poetry. His vision for Eulalia Books as a “teaching press” was to empower young poets to “learn by doing.” Joe predicted that, through involvement with the press, young poets could conceive of poetry in a context beyond the classroom, and in the process, imagine new futures for themselves as readers and writers of poetry.

“Cold” will be published on January 24, 2022. The Verostko Center for the Arts at Saint Vincent College will host a launch event that will run from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and be open to the public. In addition to Matich reading from the book, the students of Small Press Publishing will display their book arts work from the semester. Initial prints of 100 copies are available for preorder on the Eulalia website and will be shipped out the day of the release party while an e-version of the book will be published later in 2022.

To learn more about upcoming Eulalia Books publications, events and more, visit its website at www.eulaliabooks.com, follow on Instagram and Twitter (both @Eulalia_Books) and “like” on Facebook at Eulalia Books.

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PHOTO: “Cold” Cover

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