About
Background
Valentina Gnup has been writing poetry since she was in high school. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from CSUF in 1980. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles in 2002. After living in Santa Barbara, California for 20 years, she moved to Greensboro, North Carolina for 6 years, followed by 6 years in Portland, Oregon. She has two grown daughters and currently lives in Oakland, California where she coaches high school writers.
Published work
The Bangalore Review—"Of Love and Laundry" in 2024
Palette Poetry—"If I Imagine Love at All" in 2024
Verse Daily—"The Animal Dark" in 2024
Awards
Grayson Books Poetry Prize, Runner-up, judge Brad Davis, 2023
Yeats Poetry Prize, second place, judge, Alan Feldman, 2023
Crosswinds Poetry Journal—"Two For Joy" in 2024
Stories That Need to Be Told anthology—"A Story My Mother Will Never Hear" in 2023
WB Yeats Society website—"Doll, It All Goes by So Fast" 2023
LAdige—“How to Survive Online Dating,” “The Language of Waitresses, 1979,” “When We Were Horses,” and “More Than Sparrows" Californian Poet Series, in 2023​
HOLE IN THE HEAD re:VIEW—"Song for Ukraine" in 2022
Two Hawks Quarterly—"Architecture of Memory" and "The Work of Flying" in 2022
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December—"Pink Peonies" in 2020
Five South (The Weekly)—"Pieces of Days" in 2021
The New Guard Literary Review—"On the Corner of Powell and Cesar Chavez" in 2020
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The Lyre, Greensboro College Literary Journal—"The Cries of One Crow" "Autumn Aubade" "Lament of a Bare Branch" "Her Face, Crimson Petals" and "France Etude" in 2020
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Headline Poetry and Press—"My Sorrow is My Sorrow" in 2020
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Las​caux Review—"When You Are Invisible, You Can Say Anything" in 2019
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Rattle—“We Speak of August” in 2010 “Morning at the Welfare Office” in 2016 and “A Thousand
Possible Clouds” in 2017 "It's a Sad Story" in 2020
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Lunch Ticket Special: Celebrating 20 Years of Antioch’s MFA in Creative Writing—“We Speak of August” and “Morning at the Welfare Office” in 2017
As It Ought to Be, Blog—“We Speak of August” in 2016
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Mudfish—“Hotel Aubade” in 2014
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Corners of the Mouth: A Celebration of Thirty Years at the Annual San Luis Obispo Poetry
Festival, Kevin Patrick Sullivan, editor— “The Cries of One Crow” in 2014​
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Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Website—“The Cries of One Crow” in 2011
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Work Zine—“At the Cherimoya Packaging Plant” in 2010
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Cutthroat Journal of the Arts, chosen by Dorianne Laux—“France Etude” in 2009
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Best American Poetry, Blog, chosen by Mark Strand—“American Meditation” in 2008
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Kakalak, an anthology of North and South Carolina writers—“Her Face, Crimson Petals” in 2008
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NothingButRed, an anthology about violence against women, Lulu.com Press— “Her Face, Crimson Petals” in 2008
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Solo Café 2— “Dark Red Leaves” in 2008
Chelsea—“Autumn Nocturne” “Wintering” “At Edward Hopper’s Self-Portrait” and “Dark Red Leaves” in 2007
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Poets Against War published online by Sam Hamill—“Baghdad Ghazal” in 2005
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The Lyre, Greensboro College Literary Journal—“Drummer Elegy” and “The Last Cumulus Cloud in Texas” in 2005
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Ekphrasis Journal—“Sheep Study” and “Nude with Mirror” in 2004
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MARY Journal—“Lament of a Bare Branch” and “Shadows in Gold” in 2004
Brooklyn Review—“Old Underwear” in 2004
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Crab Orchard Review—“City of Fire” in 2001
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Slipstream—“The Shape of Jellyfish Flying” in 2001
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Crimson Crane, literary journal of Antioch University Los Angeles—“All These Winters” in 2001
Wilshire Review—“At the Cherimoya Packaging Plant” in 2000
Voce Piena—“City of Fire” in 2000
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Curious Rooms, Smashing Icons—“I’m Sick of Lyn Lifshin” in 1999
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Art/Life—“A Thousand Daughters” in 1997 and “Constellations” in 1999
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Beyond the Valley of the Contemporary Poets, Valley Contemporary Press—“House of No Husband” and “Definitions of Grace” in 1999
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Blue Collar Review, Journal of Progressive Working Class Literature—“Definitions of Grace” “The Boning Knife” and “Helping Pearl” in 1999
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Nimrod, chosen by W.S. Merwyn—“The Boning Knife” “A Thousand Daughters” “Valentina” “Constellations” “The First Time I Understand Hunger” and “Simple Gifts” in 1997
Santa Barbara Independent— “Halloween 1965” in 1993 and “Learning to Pray” in 1997
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Blue Satellite—“After Breakfast” in 1995 and “Dance of Years” in 1996
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Red Tiles, Blue Skies, More Tales of Santa Barbara, John Daniel and Company Publisher— “Some Evening” in 1996
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Rivertalk '95—"At the Kitchen Sink" and "Crossing the Freeway"
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Wind Magazine—“Definitions of Grace” in 1995
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Paper Radio—“Cancer and Weather” in 1995
Verve— “Sunday Morning” in 1993 and “Crossing the Freeway” in 1995
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Retooling for Renaissance in the 3rd Millennium, Poetry Anthology—“Camellias” and “Carpinteria Beach in October” in 1995
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The Hiram Poetry Review—“Reds, Purples, Blues” in 1993
Two Twenty-four Poetry Quarterly—“Natural Predator” and “Halloween 1965” in 1992
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Sparrow Octaves, chapbook,
Birch Brook Press, 2005
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A Certain Piece of Sky, chapbook,
Mille Grazie Press, 1996​
Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards, First Prize, poetry, judge, Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, 2023
Barry Spacks Poetry Prize, Gunpowder Press, Finalist, 2023
Pushcart Prize nomination from Two Hawks Quarterly for "Architecture of Memory", 2022
The Writing Salon Jane Underwood Prize,
Semi-finalist, 2022
42 Miles Press Poetry Award, Finalist, 2021
December's Jeff Marks Memorial Poetry Prize, Finalist, 2020
Codhill Press Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award, Finalist, 2019
The New Guard Literary Review Knightville Contest, Finalist, 2019
The Lascaux Prize in Poetry, 2019
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The Writing Salon Jane Underwood Prize, Finalist, 2018
Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge, Editor's Choice, 2017
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Rattle Poetry Prize, Readers’ Choice Award, 2015
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Mudfish Poetry Prize, Finalist, judge, Charles Simic, 2013
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Dana Awards, Finalist, 2013
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Anam Cara Poetry Competition Ireland, Honorable Mention, 2012
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Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Award, First Prize, 2011
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Bellingham Review Literature Awards, Finalist, 2011
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Paumanok Poetry Award, Finalist, 2011
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Rattle Poetry Prize, Honorable Mention, 2010
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Codhill Chapbook Award, Finalist, 2010
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Joy Harjo Poetry Award, First Prize, Cutthroat Journal of the Arts, judge, Dorianne Laux, 2009
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Best American Poetry Inaugural Ode Contest, tied for 3rd place, judge, Mark Strand, 2008
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New Letters National Poetry Competition, Honorable Mention, 2006
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North Carolina Writers’ Network, Mary Belle Campbell Book Publication Prize, 2005
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North Carolina Writers’ Network, Blumenthal Writers and Readers Series, 2003
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Iowa Review, Iowa Award Finalist, 2003
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North Carolina State Poetry Contest, Honorable Mention, judge, Eleanor Wilner, 2003
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National Poetry Series, Finalist, 2002
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Santa Barbara County Arts Fund Individual Artist Award, 2000
Ahninga Book Prize, Finalist, 2000
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Nimrod/ Hardman Award, Pablo Neruda Prize, Honorable Mention, judge, W.S. Merwin, 1997
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Rainer Maria Rilke International Poetry Competition, First Prize, 1996
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National Writers Union Santa Cruz Chapter Contest, Finalist, judge, Mary Oliver, 1996
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Wind Magazine's Allen Tate Memorial Award, First Prize, 1995
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Ventura Poetry Festival Contest, First Prize, 1995
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USC's Ann Stanford Poetry Prize, Honorable Mention, 1995
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Southern Birmingham College's Hackney Literary Awards, Third Prize, 1993
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New Letters National Poetry Competition, Finalist, 1993