THE WYO-COLO CONNECTION: Chris Ransick, whose book "Never Summer" was first published by Wyoming’s Pronghorn Press, has been named Denver's second poet laureate by Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs. He replaces Albelardo "Lalo" Delgado, who was named to the position posthumously in September 2004. The appointment will be made official at a 4:30 p.m. public reception Wednesday, March 22, at the Vida Ellison Gallery of the Denver Public Library. Ransick’s “Never Summer” won a Colorado Book Award in 2003, and has since been reprinted by Denver’s Ghost Road Press, which also published his book of stories, “A Return to Emptiness.” Give Annette Chaudet of Pronghorn Press plenty of credit for recognizing Ransick’s talent early on. She was working on the poet’s book at the same time she was producing our “Deep West” anthology. I first met Chris at the diner in downtown Buffalo where Annette staged a rendezvous for her new authors (and editors). All of us are grateful for small presses such as Pronghorn and Ghost Road (my publisher). The conglomerates have deserted poets and short story writers. Who would publish us if it weren’t for the small presses? One other note: John Hickenlooper is a stalwart arts supporter. Besides naming a new poet laureate, he plans other initiatives for poets and visual artists. Some of you may recall that Hizzoner hosted a fund-raiser in his LoDo digs for the Wyoming Arts Council’s “100 Days of Arts” campaign in January of 2004. That effort helped the WAC campaign raise $130,000, more than the $100,000 match required by the Wyoming State Legislature. That $30,000 “bonus” went into WAC Individual Artist Professional Development grants for writers, artists, musicians, and performers.
