A Field Guide to North American Trees: Exploring Roots Through Poetry and Memoir

In this episode of Loblolly Press In Conversation, Andrew Mack is joined by Garrett Ashley, author of A Field Guide to North American Trees (Good Printed Things x Loblolly Press, October 7, 2025), and Lib Ramos, founder of Good Printed Things.We talk about how Field Guide began as the center section of Ashley’s full-length manuscript Habitats (forthcoming from Loblolly Press in April 2026) before taking on a life of its own as this debut chapbook. Each poem adopts the form of a field guide entry — from leaves and bark to cones and range — but shifts unexpectedly into memoir, weaving trees together with moments from Ashley’s childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood.What we cover in this conversation:* Why poetry can feel more vulnerable than prose — and why Ashley leans into that discomfort* How Habitats grew out of years of writing between fiction projects, and the creative arc that gave it shape* The origins of Field Guide as a “palate cleanser” that became its own fully realized book* The craft challenge of structuring poems around “habitat” and “range” as hinge points* How teaching, community, and even AI are shaping the writing and publishing landscapeAshley also reads “Loblolly Pine,” a poem from the chapbook, and talks about the joy and difficulty of writing poems that hold both ecological detail and personal memory.–––📚 Fall at Loblolly Press:* The Computer Room by Emma Ensley (stories) debuted September 4, and has already been reviewed in Hood of Bone Review. Read it here.* Proud Roads by Kelly Riedesel (poems on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene) available for pre-order now. Release on September 27, 2025).* A Field Guide to North American Trees by Garrett Ashley (poetry chapbook in partnership with Good Printed Things) out October 7, 2025 —pre-order now from Good Printed Things.Plus: we’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of If Lost by Clint Bowman with a fall tour —Clint is out on the road now. Follow along: @clintbowman on Instagram.💌 Support the podcast and Loblolly Press at loblollypress.substack.com. Paid subscribers hear episodes like this first and get early access to books, discounts, and behind-the-scenes updates.Episode Credits🎤 Hosted by: Andrew Mack & Lib Ramos👥 Guests: Garrett Ashley🎧 Produced by: Loblolly Press🎶 Music: Summersteen by Tony Sopiano Get full access to Loblolly Press on Substack at loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe