Daniel Nester

Poet, Creative Nonfiction Writer

Delmar, NY
New York US
Twitter/X: 

Author's Bio

Daniel Nester is the author of Harsh Realm: My 1990s, a poetry and prose poem collection published by Indolent Books in 2022. His previous books include Shader, a memoir; How to Be Inappropriate, a collection of humorous nonfiction; and The Incredible Sestina Anthology, which he edited. He currently edits Pine Hills Review, the literary journal of The College of Saint Rose, where is also a professor of English.

His first two books, God Save My Queen: A Tribute and God Save My Queen II: The Show Must Go On, are hybrid collections on his obsession with the rock band Queen. His third, The History of My World Tonight, is a book of poems. His poems have appeared in such journals as Bennington ReviewThe Hopkins ReviewWord For/WordCourt GreenLove’s Executive Order, Barrelhouse, and other places.

As a journalist and essayist, his work has appeared in a variety of places, such as Salon, New York TimesBuzzfeed, The Atlantic, The American Poetry Review, and the Poetry Foundation website, and anthologized in such collections as Lost and FoundThe Best American Poetry, The Best Creative NonfictionThird Rail: The Poetry of Rock and Roll, and Now Write! Nonfiction.

Before editing Pine Hills Review, he was the editor of the online journals Unpleasant Event Schedule and La Petite Zine and served as senior editor at Painted Bride Quarterly and the associate web editor for sestinas at McSweeney’s Internet Tendency

Publications & Prizes

Creative Nonfiction

Anthology:
The Best Creative Nonfiction, Vol. 1 (Norton, 2008)
Books:
Shader: 99 Notes on Car Washes, Making Out in Church, Grief, and Other Unlearnable Subjects (99: The Press, 2015)
,
How to Be Inappropriate (Soft Skull Press, 2009)
,
The History of My World Tonight (BlazeVOX books, 2006)
,
God Save My Queen II: The Show Must Go On (Soft Skull Press, 2004)
,
God Save My Queen: A Tribute (Soft Skull Press, 2003)
Journals:
Atlantic Monthly
,
Barrelhouse
, ,
n+1
,
New York Times
,
Puerto del Sol

Poetry

Anthologies:
Best American Poetry 2003 (Scribner, 2003)
,
Isn't It Romantic? 100 Love Poems by Younger American Poets (Verse Press, 2003)
Book:
Harsh Realm: My 1990s (Indolent Books, 2022)
Journals: ,
Barrow Street
,
Columbia Poetry Review
, ,
Good Foot
, ,
Open City
,

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
American
Prefers to work with: 
Adults, Any, At Risk Youth, Homelessness, Illness/Wellness, Incarcerated individuals, Mental Health, Seniors, Teachers, Teenagers
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Portsmouth, VA
Virginia
Raised in: 
Maple Shade, NJ
New Jersey
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Jan 12, 2024