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What is Cloudbank Books?
Cloudbank Books is a small literary press and journal of contemporary writing, publishing poetry collections and an annual journal. Its site presents it as both a publisher of full-length books and a contest host, with a focus on poetry and short fiction.
H3 What it publishes
- Poetry books, including titles such as Early & Late by Christopher Buckley and Dear Dusk by Stephen Knauth.
- An annual journal, Cloudbank, with poems and flash fiction.
- Editor's Choice selections and contest winners, such as As Creatures by Suzanne Matson and The Silent Conversation by Bruce Bond.
H3 The Vern Rutsala Book Prize Cloudbank Books runs the Vern Rutsala Book Prize. According to the site, the winner receives publication, $1,000, and 50 books; the Editor's Choice receives publication, $500, and 50 books.
H3 Who it is for
- Readers of contemporary poetry and short fiction who want to discover small-press voices.
- Poets looking for a press that runs an annual book contest and publishes a journal.
- Writers interested in submitting to a contest with a clear prize structure.
H3 A practical next step If you are a poet deciding whether to submit, read a recent issue of Cloudbank or a published title first to see whether your work fits the press's aesthetic. If you are a reader, start with a recent journal issue or a contest-winning collection to get a sense of the range. You can browse titles and contest details at Cloudbank Books.
How can I submit my manuscript to the Vern Rutsala Book Prize contest?
Submit through the contest page indicated on CLOUDBANK BOOKS; the site points to a "Submit to the Vern Rutsala Book Prize Contest" link with full details. Prepare your manuscript as a complete poetry book collection, since the prize is for a book rather than individual poems.
What the page states
- The winner receives publication, $1,000, and 50 books.
- The Editor's Choice receives publication, $500, and 50 books.
- The site says to click through for details, so the submission window, entry fee, length limits, and file format come from that page, not the homepage.
Practical steps
- Open the contest page and note the deadline, fee, and manuscript rules before writing anything else.
- Assemble a clean, paginated poetry manuscript with a title page and table of contents.
- Follow the stated file type and anonymization rules exactly; many book prizes require no identifying names in the file.
- Keep a copy of your submission confirmation.
Reader scenario If you have a finished 50–80 page poetry collection and no prior book, this is the kind of contest worth entering because publication is part of the award, not just a cash prize. If your manuscript is still in draft, wait for the next cycle rather than submitting early.
Next step: check the contest page for the current reading period, then compare it with other small-press book prizes such as Copper Canyon Press or Ahsahta Press to decide where your work fits best.
What are the prizes for winning the Vern Rutsala Book Prize?
The Vern Rutsala Book Prize awards two levels of recognition, according to Cloudbank Books:
- Winner: publication, $1,000, and 50 copies of the book.
- Editor's Choice: publication, $500, and 50 copies of the book.
Both awards include getting the manuscript published by CLOUDBANK BOOKS, so the main difference is the cash amount and the label. The page also points to a details link for submission specifics.
If you're deciding whether to submit, treat the prize as a publication opportunity with a modest cash component rather than a large cash award. Check the current guidelines for the reading period, manuscript length and entry fee before preparing your submission, since those details change and matter more to your decision than the prize amounts alone.
Where can I buy books published by Cloudbank Books?
Buy Cloudbank Books titles directly from the publisher at CLOUDBANK BOOKS. The site's own listings show individual book pages with purchase options: for example, Early & Late by Christopher Buckley is described as "now available" with a "More Info" link, and As Creatures by Suzanne Matson is listed as available in early November with a "Preorder now" option.
For a practical next step, open the book's page on the publisher's site and look for the order or preorder link there. If a title is not yet released, the preorder route is the one the site itself flags. If you prefer a local shop or a retailer you already use, search by the exact title and author; the publisher's page remains the reliable place to confirm what is currently available versus forthcoming.
A quick way to decide:
- Want the publisher's own edition and current availability: order from CLOUDBANK BOOKS.
- Want to browse a physical shelf or use a bookseller account: ask a local independent bookstore to order by title and author.
- Looking for a specific title: check the site's book listings first, since the homepage mixes new releases, backlist titles such as Cloudbank 19 and Cloudbank 20, and contest-related announcements.
What is included in the latest issue of Cloudbank journal?
The site's own page does not list a full table of contents for its newest issue, so the clearest answer is: the latest issue shown is Cloudbank 20, described as containing poems and flash fiction by contributors including Rolly Kent, Gary Soto, and Melanie. That is the extent of the contents detail given on the page; it does not itemize every piece or contributor.
If you want to confirm the complete lineup before ordering, use the issue page itself as your next step and look for a contents list or contributor index. If none is posted, a quick email to the press asking for the Cloudbank 20 table of contents is reasonable, since small literary journals often keep that information offline.
For context, the same page shows the journal sits alongside Cloudbank Books' poetry titles and its Vern Rutsala Book Prize, which offers publication plus prize money and copies to winners and an Editor's Choice selection. That tells you the journal is a curated contemporary writing outlet rather than a general magazine: expect a mix of poetry and short prose, selected with editorial judgment, and likely a relatively compact set of contributors per issue.
A practical way to decide whether Cloudbank 20 suits you:
- If you read for individual voices, the named contributors (Kent, Soto, Melanie) are the starting point; check whether you already know and like their work.
- If you read for range, note that the issue combines poetry and flash fiction, so it will move between forms rather than stay in one register.
- If you are submitting, the journal is a real market for both forms, and the associated book prize is a separate route to publication worth reviewing on its own terms.
For broader context on the small-press poetry and flash fiction landscape, Academy of American Poets and Publishers Weekly are useful, though neither will list this specific issue's contents.
How can I preorder upcoming Cloudbank Books titles?
Cloudbank Books lists upcoming titles directly on its homepage, with preorder instructions in the same entry as the book itself. The current example is As Creatures by Suzanne Matson, described as "Available in early November" with a "Preorder now" link attached to that listing. So the practical route is: go to the site, find the book's entry, and follow its preorder link rather than looking for a separate store-wide preorder page.
CLOUDBANK BOOKS
A useful next step is to check the individual book page for the format and expected timing before ordering, since the homepage gives the month but not the exact shipping date. If you want a reminder, note the title and check back near the stated release window; small presses often update availability as the print run arrives.
For context on how this press operates: Cloudbank Books also runs the Vern Rutsala Book Prize, where the winner receives publication, $1,000, and 50 books, and the Editor's Choice receives publication, $500, and 50 books. As Creatures is identified as an Editor's Choice selection, which tells you it is part of that prize pipeline rather than a general trade release. That matters mainly for expectations about print run size and distribution — direct preorders from the publisher are often the most reliable way to get a copy.
If preordering is not yet open for a title you want, two reasonable options are to submit to the prize contest if you are a writer, or to watch the site for the listing to switch from "preorder" to "available." For readers outside the publisher's home market, confirm shipping details on the book page before committing.
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