Photo by Daniel Miller
Bio
Chera Hammons currently serves as the Writer-in-Residence at West Texas A&M University. She is a graduate of the MFA in Creative Writing program at Goddard College in Plainfield, VT. Her work has appeared in publications such as Beloit Poetry Journal, Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review, Connotation Press, Foundry, The Maine Review, Rattle, Ruminate, Sugar House Review, Tar River Poetry, Tupelo Quarterly, and Valparaiso Poetry Review. Her chapbook Amaranthine Hour received the 2012 Jacar Press Chapbook Award. Books include Recycled Explosions (Ink Brush Press, 2016), The Traveler's Guide to Bomb City (Purple Flag Press, 2017, winner of the 2017 PEN Southwest Book Award), and Maps of Injury (Sundress Publications, 2020). Her first novel, Monarchs of the Northeast Kingdom, is forthcoming through Torrey House Press. She is a member of the editorial board of poetry journal One. She resides in Amarillo, TX, with her husband, six horses, a dog, three cats, a donkey, and three chickens.
Awards
Texas Association of Creative Writing Teachers:
2001, Poetry, Second Place
Texas Institute of Letters:
2016, Bob Bush Memorial Award for Poetry, Finalist
New England Poetry Club:
2011, Barbara Bradley Poetry Award
2012, Der-Hovanessian Translation Award, Honorable Mention
2012 Jacar Press Chapbook Competition
Spark Creative Anthologies:
2014, Contest Six: "You Are Here", Honorable Mention
Blue Bonnet Poetry Review:
2015, Poetry Contest Finalist
Common Good Books Poetry Contest (Garrison Keillor): "Gratitude"
2016, Second Place
Emily Stauffer Poetry Prize, Franklin College:
2017, First Place
PEN Texas:
2017, PEN Southwest Book Award (Poetry)
The Lascaux Review:
2017, Lascaux Prize in Collected Poetry, Finalist
Best of the Net nominations:
2018, "The Capacity for Malignancy is Ancient"
2019, "Trace Elements"
2019 Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize, Third Place and Honorable Mention
2019 Pushcart nominee for "Locoweed" (San Pedro River Review, nominated by a previous Pushcart recipient)
Contact
Email Chera directly to request books, a poetry reading or writing workshop, or interviews. Interested parties may also connect with her "socially" on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and the Poets & Writers directory.
Chera Hammons currently serves as the Writer-in-Residence at West Texas A&M University. She is a graduate of the MFA in Creative Writing program at Goddard College in Plainfield, VT. Her work has appeared in publications such as Beloit Poetry Journal, Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review, Connotation Press, Foundry, The Maine Review, Rattle, Ruminate, Sugar House Review, Tar River Poetry, Tupelo Quarterly, and Valparaiso Poetry Review. Her chapbook Amaranthine Hour received the 2012 Jacar Press Chapbook Award. Books include Recycled Explosions (Ink Brush Press, 2016), The Traveler's Guide to Bomb City (Purple Flag Press, 2017, winner of the 2017 PEN Southwest Book Award), and Maps of Injury (Sundress Publications, 2020). Her first novel, Monarchs of the Northeast Kingdom, is forthcoming through Torrey House Press. She is a member of the editorial board of poetry journal One. She resides in Amarillo, TX, with her husband, six horses, a dog, three cats, a donkey, and three chickens.
Awards
Texas Association of Creative Writing Teachers:
2001, Poetry, Second Place
Texas Institute of Letters:
2016, Bob Bush Memorial Award for Poetry, Finalist
New England Poetry Club:
2011, Barbara Bradley Poetry Award
2012, Der-Hovanessian Translation Award, Honorable Mention
2012 Jacar Press Chapbook Competition
Spark Creative Anthologies:
2014, Contest Six: "You Are Here", Honorable Mention
Blue Bonnet Poetry Review:
2015, Poetry Contest Finalist
Common Good Books Poetry Contest (Garrison Keillor): "Gratitude"
2016, Second Place
Emily Stauffer Poetry Prize, Franklin College:
2017, First Place
PEN Texas:
2017, PEN Southwest Book Award (Poetry)
The Lascaux Review:
2017, Lascaux Prize in Collected Poetry, Finalist
Best of the Net nominations:
2018, "The Capacity for Malignancy is Ancient"
2019, "Trace Elements"
2019 Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize, Third Place and Honorable Mention
2019 Pushcart nominee for "Locoweed" (San Pedro River Review, nominated by a previous Pushcart recipient)
Contact
Email Chera directly to request books, a poetry reading or writing workshop, or interviews. Interested parties may also connect with her "socially" on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and the Poets & Writers directory.