My poems can make a difference!

Poet Bio: Charles Payne is a programmer, writer and sculptor. He lives lives in Southern California where he was born. He's lived there his entire life, if you don't count the escapes and trespasses into the stories that captured his attention since he could read. The first story he ever wrote was a fictionalized account of how toothpicks were invented. He received an MFA in creative writing and an MA in American Literature from Chapman University when it was still just Chapman College. He has two grown children, a lovely wife who is an artist, a tailless dog, a bobtailed cat, but swears he doesn't have anything against tails. He has no formal training in reading or writing poetry apart from a number of classes countable on one hand (maybe two--the past is hazy). His work appears on his web site and in Pomona Valley Review volumes 8 and 9.

Author Statement: I write because I have to. If I didn't, all of these words and feelings would come out of my mouth all day long, and trust me, no one wants that. So, please consider sponsoring me during this month. I'm offering the following PREMIUM benefits to those of you who willing to keep in front a keyboard and out of trouble. Please, think of the children.

• Pick the Title—For $15, you provide me with a title and I will write a poem about it. Yes, the poem will in some way relate to the title, unlike many of my usual poems. Yes, your title can be whatever you pick.
  
• Pick the Words—Also for $15, three words of your choosing will somehow be magically incorporated into a poem.
  
• Collab—Another measly $15 will give you the option of writing the first half of a poem, up to five lines, and I will complete you endeavor in my stylish... style.
  
• Listen to My Words—For only $25, pick one of the first three options and I will throw in, for a nominal surcharge, a recording of my voice reading that same poem. Two out of three listeners can't tell the difference between my voice and a burlap sack full of rabid badgers.
  
• Put it in Writing—Also for $25, you can pick any one of the first three options and I will send you a physically typed on actual paper copy (including smudges and typos) of the poem you have selected.
  
• Kitchen Sink—For $30 you can pick any of the first three options and receive Listen to My Words and Put it in Writing benefits AND save $5. I feel like a KickStarter.
• Strings Free Donation—Just feel like sponsoring me, donating a random amount, but don't feel the need to get anything back but some warm fuzzy feelings? I appreciate that too. It's like when I had to sell candy or run laps as a kid. No one expected the chocolate to be any good, but the sponsorship made it taste better.

Your support gives me vital inspiration as I write for thirty days this month.

Tupelo Press provides the canvas, I bring my words, accompanied by other fine poets, writing thirty poems in thirty days, all ours to edit and submit as we wish. 30/30 poems have been taken by over 90 journals and featured in over 40 published chapbooks, all so Tupelo Press can keep publishing exquisite and diverse voices that might never be heard otherwise.

Every dollar gives me confidence to write more, and helps the press place more poems in gorgeous books. Help me to help this distinguished press. Give today!