NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - s4story -- Shadow Dog Press is thrilled to announce the preorder launch of Tempered Edges: A Reclamation, the searing debut chapbook from poet C.B. Mottor. Published as part of the Shadow Dog Press Pocket Chapbook series, this pocket-sized powerhouse (4x6 inches, ISBN 9798993568201) lays bare the raw edges of human experience with unflinching honesty and punk-rock defiance.

Mottor rejects traditional notions of femininity and obedience, channeling lived experience—shaped by chronic illness, mental health struggles, love, loss, and life-altering traumas—into vivid imagery and a voice that swings between tender vulnerability and fierce rebellion. From the biting critique of gendered norms in "MIS(S)FIT" to the aching introspection of "Worth," and the summons to rise from ashes in "Phoenix," poems like "Ballad" and "Façade" trace the quiet courage of breaking free from toxic cycles. Each piece is a fragment of survival and rebirth, blending sharp conversational rhythms with haunting metaphors that challenge, heal, and empower.

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https://youtu.be/dYmhpBu_Yjk


Originally from Warwick, Rhode Island, Mottor now calls northern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, home, where she tends her cottage garden with a cup of coffee and Leia the elder cat, or hikes the local trails with her dogs, Shadow and Padmé. Beyond poetry, she writes dystopian horror novels, screenplays, and shares artistic photography celebrating beauty in chaos and the perfectly imperfect human experience at https://www.cbmottor.com.

Pre-order Tempered Edges: A Reclamation from the Shadow Dog Press Bookshop or your favorite bookseller and receive an exclusive Advanced Screening Pass to Love—C: The Studio Sessions. This never-before-shared intimate collection of raw audio and video features C.B. Mottor performing chapbook selections and sharing the lived experiences behind them. Advanced access begins January 10, 2026, and will open to the public in February. Advanced screening is available only with pre-orders.

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Tempered Edges: A Reclamation releases on New Year's Day. Secure your pocket-sized copy and join the reclamation.
Book details and preorder page: https://shadowdogpress.com/tempered-edges-preor...

Media Contact:
Shadow Dog Press
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
editors@shadowdogpress.com
shadowdogpress.com
C.B. Mottor: contact@cbmottor.com