Back in January I decided that Placentia, my home town since 1981, needed a Poet Laureate and I was the best person for the job. I strongly believe that all the arts enrich our lives and I knew that I was capable of starting and running just about any kind of program. I just get these ideas and run with them. I pitched the idea to the Library, City Hall and Cultural Arts Committee. It's not easy trying to convince people that they need something which they didn't even know existed until I walked through the door. Process went on for 5 months. Mucho research, speaking to committees and individuals etc etc. Library said Yes and others said No.
There were a whole lot of nay-sayers along the way: people who said "it's a great idea but you'll never get anyone to go for it." This is the first Poet Laureate program anywhere in Orange County (population: about 3.5 million) and probably (although not absolutely) the first time any library in the United States has independently appointed its own Poet Laureate.