PROVIDENCE, RI - October 11, 2012 - Emily Petit always thought self-publishing was "a weird way of doing things," but after perusing the guidelines for a variety of poetry-oriented publications, it seemed like the practical route to take.
    "Besides," Ms. Petit, 20, explains, "Having total control over the project meant I could direct the proceeds to whatever organization I wanted, and get the word out there without any obstacles. There's definitely something to be said for being in charge of your own project."
    Ms. Petit, a resident of North Kingstown, published her first collection of poetry, "The Monster in the Corner", at Minuteman Press on Orange Street back in July of this year. The book entered Rhode Island stores two days after she dropped off the mansucript. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Petit made an important decision: all proceeds from "The Monster in the Corner" would go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the global leader in type 1 diabetes research.
    "I want exposure," Ms. Petit admits, "But it's equally important to me to get a sense of being able to contribute - on an ongoing basis - to a cause that matters to me."
    Ms. Petit has been a type 1 diabetes patient for seven years.
    "I want these poems to be heard; I want to express a part of me I will never otherwise allow anyone to encounter. And I want my artwork to play a role in curing type 1 diabetes. Not so much for my sake (it's different when it's your own chronic condition: you can imagine you have some control over that), but for other kids'. As long as my creativity is a catalyst in diabetes research, I feel empowered."
    Ms. Petit will be reading from "The Monster in the Corner" and future publications at the Brown University Bookstore on Wednesday, October 17, at 5:30 p.m. The Brown Bookstore is located at 244 Thayer Street in Providence.
    "I'm nervous," Ms. Petit confesses. "I've never given a reading before. But this rocks. This is what I want for myself and for my cause. And," she adds, "If you want to come just for the coffee, the bookstore has the best cafe in Providence."

Emily Petit lives in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. She works at the Davisville Free Library as a librarian assistant and preparing to study religions and Mandarin Chinese in college. When Emily is not writing, she reads Fyodor Dostoyevsky and listens to way too much Bach, Chopin, and Tchaikovsky.

Contact:
Emily Petit
EmilyPetit@yahoo.com
http://themonsterinthecorner.weebly.com