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Welcome! Richard Leis writes poetry, short fiction, and the occasional blog post. Announcements here on the homepage; bio, contact info, upcoming writing workshops, and more published works at the links above.

“Forever Young: Searching for the Fountain of Youth” on CBS Primetime November 28

I was interviewed for a segment in this CBS Sunday Morning primetime special airing this Sunday. Not sure how much or how little I’ll be in it. It was my first opportunity to be more critical about technology and the future.

“‘Sunday Morning’ anchor Jane Pauley hosts ‘Forever Young: Searching for the Fountain of Youth,’ a one-hour primetime special exploring the wonders, rewards, and challenges of growing older, to air on CBS Sunday, November 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and to stream on Paramount+.”

Pre-order Adult Children, Including Three New Poems

Three new poems by me—”Pangaea Proxima,” “Panthalassa,” and “Juniper Tree, Boy and Bird”—will soon be available in the Adult Children anthology from Universal Table/Wising Up Press. The book can be pre-ordered now.

Book cover for Adult Children: Being One, Having One & What Goes In-Between, a Wising Up Anthology, with a blue background and an image of art on a wall with a nude woman and the text "No sooner had you created me than I cased to be yours"

Pangaea Proxima
Panthalassa
Juniper Tree, Boy and Bird
Adult Children
(Universal Table/Wising Up Press, 1 Jan 2022)
Pre-Order: Universal Table/Wising Up Press

“Bird Chooses to Make a Habitat of Heart” Nominated for a Pushcart Prize

My poem from issue 9 of Impossible Archetype is one of editor Mark Ward’s 2021 Pushcart Prize nominations.

“From Them Prostrate I Flee” in Stories We Tell After Midnight, Volume 3

My latest short story is out now in Stories We Tell After Midnight, Volume 3 from Crone Girls Press and edited by Rachel A. Brune. Kindle and Kindle Unlimited now, paperback soon.

Book cover of Stories We Tell After Midnight Volume Three with list of authors, title, edited by Rachel A. Brune and an image of a skull and skeleton fading into the black background

From Them Prostrate I Flee
Stories We Tell After Midnight, Volume 3
(Crone Girls Press, 30 Oct 2021)
Purchase: Crone Girls Press
[blog post]

I don’t have any trouble remembering my dad, though. I have no trouble remembering his rage, my fear, and the way the ground opened up and it was the only way out that April night in 1987.

from “From Them Prostrate I Flee”

Winter 2022 Writing Workshop Registration Open

Sonora Desert hills with cactuses Tucson Arizona

The Writers Studio has begun listing winter classes, including my Tucson Workshop and Tucson Advanced Workshop. My workshops will begin in mid-January 2022.