Courtney EG to Release Second Poetry Collection “An Ember in the Ashtray”

ALBANY, NY – Upstate New York-based visual artist and author Courtney EG is slated to release her second poetry collection, “an ember in the ashtray”, in December 2025.

“ember” is a follow-up to the 2023 release, “ENNUI”, which EG lovingly calls “a collection of ramblings”. “ENNUI” was originally published under the moniker GLOOM, but was recently re-listed under her real name. Both projects are published under her boutique art publisher, VIRAL HOAX PRESS.

On dropping the GLOOM moniker, EG said: “I have used pen names for so long to try to separate who I am from what I make as an act of self-preservation. Growing out of that discomfort of putting myself out there as who I truly am is a challenge I am ready to take on.”

With artistic insert collages and cover made by the multifaceted musician, producer and artist SOO DO KOO, “an ember in the ashtray” is a collection of 30+ poems written from August 1st to August 30th of 2025. EG called working with SOO DO KOO “an absolute pleasure”.

“I turned 30 on August 30th and decided I wanted to do something to honor that,” EG says. “There is a lot of emphasis on our youth being our most important offering. ‘ember’ is like a funeral for my youth, an analysis of present day circumstances, and a celebration of my future.”

EG, former owner of NULLVOID APPAREL and co-founder and editor of Hypersaturation Magazine, has been dipping her toes into a bit of everything in the Upstate New York art scene since 2017. Her most recent artistic endeavor was her solo show, NOVIS SOMNIA, at the Albany Barn in June of 2024, where she turned submitted dreams into projections and prints. She has additionally been involved in the local music scene under the name cørdyceps, acting as an electronic musician and DJ with a penchant for high BPM music and dark aesthetics.

“an ember in the ashtray” is now available for exclusive pre-order at badideaemporium.bigcartel.com (limited to 50 copies). It will be released to the public on December 27th, 2025.

For more of Courtney EG’s work, please visit courtneyguttenberg.com. For more of SOO DO KOO’s work, visit soodokoo.bandcamp.com.