Photo Caption: Jeff Hardin, professor of English at Columbia State, is an accomplished poet and writer. His first poetry collection, Fall Sanctuary, was the recipient of the Nicholas Roerich Prize. His work appears in The North American Review, Hudson Review, Southern Review, Southern Poetry Review, Poetry Northwest, Southwest Review, Louisville Review, Cold Mountain Review, Measure and has been featured on Poetry Daily, Verse Daily, and Garrison Keillor's The Writers Almanac.

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Oct. 22, 2012) - - - Jeff Hardin, professor of English at Columbia State Community College, has announced that his new book is set for publication, and pre-orders are now available. The collection of poems, Notes for a Praise Book, was selected by esteemed poet Toi Derricotte as the winner of the Jacar Press Book Award and is set for publication in time for the holidays.

The selections in Notes for a Praise Book were written by Hardin over a period of years, mostly from his early to mid-thirties.

"I tell my classes that 'a writer writes for now and writes for later,'" Hardin said. "Nowhere is this idea more apparent than in the publication of this book."

"That I wrote this collection of poems years ago means that I read them now as if they were written by another person, a self I used to be," Hardin continued. "I find that the words still speak, though, of the emotions we all struggle with - those of bewilderment, grief, joy, loss and praise."

Hardin said Notes for a Praise Book seeks to recognize, and to honor, the inestimable world in which we all live.

Advance copies of the book are available for a 20 percent discount and are expected to be available in time for the holidays. They may be pre-ordered by emailing jacarpress@gmail.com. The reserved advance copies are $11. Upon publication, books will be mailed, along with an invoice for payment.

Photo Caption: Proceeds from Hardin's book sales will go to support a variety of causes, including workshops or offered support to people in homeless shelters, centers for adults with disabilities, women's centers, rural ambulance services, hospices and elsewhere.