Poet Adele Kenny of Fanwood Receives International Award
Monday, June 18, 2012 • 12:00am
Fanwood poet Adele Kenny has been awarded the International Book Award in poetry for her book, “What Matters,” published by Welcome Rain Publishers (New York, NY) last autumn. JPX Media Group, the parent company of USA Book News, announced the winners and finalists of the 2012 International Book Awards on May 23, 2012.
“The 2012 results represent a phenomenal mix of books from a wide array of publishers throughout the world,” said Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of JPX.
“What Matters” is a collection of poems that deals with memory, mortality and survival. Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky wrote of the book, “These poems are eloquent, candid, straightforward and genuine.” Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Dunn wrote that the poems are “finely wrought meditations on grief and loss.”
Ms. Kenny is the author of 23 books (poetry and nonfiction). Her poems have appeared in journals worldwide, as well as in books and anthologies from such publishers as Crown, Mc-Graw Hill, Tuttle, and Shambhala. Her awards and honors include two poetry fellowships from the New Jersey State Arts Council, a Merton Poetry of the Sacred Award, first place Merit Book and Henderson awards, a Writer’s Digest Poetry Award, and a Women of Excellence Award from the Union County Commission on the Status of Women for her work in the arts and humanities. One of her poems appeared on the Rialto West Theater marquee in New York City as part of the 42nd Street Art Project, and one of her antiques reference books was cited by Home and Garden Television.
A former creative writing professor and secondary-level English and gifted education teacher, Ms. Kenny also taught report writing at the John H. Stamler Police Academy in Scotch Plains and she has worked as a poet-in-residence, grant writer, grants review panelist, and workshop leader for various agencies and organizations.
Adele Kenny is poetry editor of Tiferet Journal and founding director of the Carriage House Poetry Series at the Kuran Arts Center in Fanwood. In March, 2012, Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr and the Fanwood Borough Council announced Ms. Kenny’s appointment as Fanwood’s Poet Laureate. “What Matters” is available via Amazon.com.
