We spoke with Peter Conners, publisher and executive director of Boa Editions, in our latest member spotlight.
What is the history behind Boa Editions? When was it founded and what is its mission?
Since our founding in 1976 by poet, professor, and translator A. Poulin, Jr. (1938-1996), Boa Editions has published more than 300 books of American poetry, poetry-in-translation, and short fiction. Over the past fifty years, our mission has remained the same: to identify, cultivate, and publish poets and authors of unique literary talent. We keep our list small, publishing ten to twelve books per year with a staff of three full-time employees supported by amazing interns and board volunteers, and focusing all our care on making each book its own unique work of art, inside and out. I believe the key to our longevity and success has been to stick closely to our mission and not overextend ourselves in ways that dilute our ability to strive for excellence with each collection.
Can you tell us about some recent or upcoming Boa Editions titles?
My goal was to create a list for our fiftieth anniversary year that spotlights Boa’s greatest strengths. In 2026, we’re publishing books by some classic Boa authors, including a collection of previously unpublished poems by Lucille Clifton (At the Gate: Uncollected Poems 1987-2010, edited by Kazim Ali, in April), a collection of new poems by Naomi Shihab Nye (Sidekick, in September), and a collection by Michael Waters (Pagan Sky: New & Selected Poems 2000-2025, in October). We’re also publishing books by second-wave Boa classic poets Craig Morgan Teicher (August, September, October, in April) and Derrick Austin (This Elegance, in May). Finally, our anniversary list is blessed with books by new Boa poets Leigh Lucas (Splashed Things, in April), James Ciano (The Committee of Men, in May), Jenny Brown (I Am Trying to Love the Whole World, in September), Michelle Phuong Ho (Bone Symphony, in October), and Hope Wabuke (Blood on the Leaves). I love this publishing lineup—not just for its amazing books, but for the range of voices, styles, and perspectives it represents.
Boa Editions celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. What are some of your hopes and goals for the future?
It may not be a sexy answer, but the truth is that I wish for more of the same stuff that’s kept Boa a vital force in independent publishing for the past fifty years. Given the recent dissolution of the NEA and the financial stressors hitting so many organizations, it’s not a given that your favorite nonprofits will stay afloat. The funding crisis we—and our sister presses—face is very real and puts us all in danger. So my great hope—and goal—is that we find the funds necessary to continue fifty more years of doing what we do best.
Evie Shockley joined Boa Editions in 2025 as the new editor-at-large of Blessing the Boats Selections. Can you tell us about Blessing the Boats Selections?
Blessing the Boats Selections was founded in 2020 as a way to spotlight poetry collections by women of color. The series is named after Lucille Clifton’s National Book Award–winning collection, Blessing the Boats: New and Selected Poems (Boa Editions, 2000), in honor and celebration of her enduring legacy. Our first Blessing the Boats Selections editor-at-large was the magical Aracelis Girmay (who, by the way, has a stellar new Boa collection published in September called GREEN OF ALL HEADS). In 2025 Evie Shockley took over as editor-at-large and I couldn’t be happier to have her accept that blazing torch. Each year, we post an open submission period for Blessing the Boats Selections with no associated entry fee. In addition to the officially selected Blessing the Boats titles, we always end up publishing at least one or two from those open submissions outside Blessing the Boats channels as well. Evie is currently reading manuscripts from our last open submission period, and I can’t wait to see what she selects!
How else can interested writers submit their work to Boa Editions?
We have four distinct submission opportunities each year.
- The A. Poulin Jr., Poetry Prize for first books.
- The Boa Short Fiction Prize for short story collections.
- Blessing the Boats Selections for poetry collections by women of color.
- An open reading period for the Continuum Series, for poets with at least one previously published full-length collection.
We share information about these submission periods on our website and social media, so follow along and send us your best.
What distributor is Boa Editions working with? How can bookstores and libraries find and order your titles?
Boa Editions titles are distributed by Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, alongside many of the most innovative and beloved independent publishers from around the country. Bookstores and libraries can order Boa books directly from Consortium.
Are there any indie bookstores (or libraries) that you think do a particularly good job featuring titles from indie publishers? If so, what do they do?
As a lifelong bookstore lover, there’s nothing I like more than stepping into an indie and losing hours in their stacks. Rather than single out a particular physical store, though, I’ll say that the emergence and success of Bookshop.org has been invigorating. For those who don’t know, Bookshop.org is an online bookstore that donates over 80% of its profit margin to independent bookstores. They take proceeds from direct purchases and split them between more than 2,000 stores. When I can’t get to a brick-and-mortar indie to purchase a new book, I always feel good about buying from Bookshop.org and knowing that my money is going to help support independent bookstores around the country.
