Readings in July

I'm giving two readings this month:

July 15 at the Lloyd Center Barnes & Noble
7-8 PM, with two other readers

July 21 at the Rockwood branch of the Multnomah County Library, 17917 SE Stark
7-8 PM, with Dale of mole

Collection available! Knocking from Inside

IFCC Do North

Some pieces of my poetry will be in the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center's Do North show, from May 1 through May 24. Gallery hours are noon to 6PM Tuesdays through Fridays and noon to 4PM on Saturdays.

And there will be a performance May 4 from 6 to 9PM.

I don't know yet which or how many pieces will be on display, or what form they'll take, or what I'm going to read at the performance... but those are the dates. More about Do North

Update: Looks like I won't be reading after all, but two of my poems will be on display.

Collection available! Knocking from Inside

The Lyric

has accepted "Rio Colorado, R.I.P." for publication in a forthcoming issue.

I'm also going to be reading the piece(s) that appeared in Portland Women Writers' VoiceCatcher anthology at Looking Glass Books in Sellwood, March 6. Details in sidebar.

And I'm appearing again in "Facets of Africa" at the Firehouse Theater this month.

On stage in February

at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center: yours truly, among others.

The show is called Facets of Africa and will feature drumming, storytelling and poetry from several different African cultures. Part of the idea is to remind people that Africa isn't all one place, like, say, Lichtenstein.

Tuesday matinees from 10 to about 12; Saturdays from 2 to about 4. The end time isn't definite, because there will be a talk-back session afterwards when the audience gets to chat with the performers.

Still not giving up the day job...

...but there's been an odd development on the professional front. (Professional as in, I got paid money for it.)

My drumming teacher, Caton Lyles, tapped me to participate in a Kwanzaa performance at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center. No, not drumming: storytelling and reading poetry. I happened to be the only person they could think of who could represent East Africa. (I used to live in Tanzania.)

Now it looks like I'll be appearing in what's essentially a longer version of the same show, called "Facets of Africa", running through February. I'll post the showtimes and more info when I have it, for the interest of anyone local.

Oh yeah... I got paid for the Kwanzaa gig, and I'll get paid for the February performances. But I'm still not giving up the day job.

Bean reading postponed

My reading at the Bean has been postponed until further notice: the proprietor was hoping for more people to respond.

Looking at the title for this post, I'm reminded of a story by Avram Davidson: it was called "The Woman Who Could Read". She was a fortuneteller who read beans. Like most fortunetelling stories, it had a sad ending...

Changes

Grendel's will be closing early for the winter months; seems they don't make enough money after dark to make it worth staying open. So I won't be reading there for now.

But I've lined up another reading at The Bean, a coffeeshop in my neighborhood: we're tentatively on for November 17th (a Friday), at 7 PM. I'll post further updates as necessary. Also I'm still reading at Missa's on third Saturdays (in November that's the 18th).

News and Events

The Progressive Faith Blog Con is coming up this month. Check out the details here. If you can't go this year (I can't) mark your calendar for next year (I have).

I've picked up a new poetry reading gig, at Missa's Herbal Products, NE 60th and Glisan. Third Saturdays from 7 to 10 PM. The first one should be July 15. Melissa is a friend and a terrific person, very knowledgeable about herbs, and the shop is a cool place. Come by and check it out.

Due to the holiday, my reading at Grendel's this month shifted up to July 17. That's 729 E. Burnside, from 7:30 to 8:30 PM (ish).

This Friday I'm leaving for the east coast by train... Internet access will be sporadic for the next two weeks, but I hope to come home with lots of paper heavily scribbled on!

Goings-on at Grendel's

And what is Grendel's? It's a mostly-coffeeshop; they also make deli sandwiches and sell pastries and juice. It's at 729 E. Burnside.

Grendel's hosts readings the first three Mondays of every month and they're looking for someone to fill the fourth slot. Coming up in June:
June 5: David Loftus reads from Beowulf. David is a professional actor and an excellent reader, I've been to a few of his. I think he's using the Seamus Heaney translation.
June 12: yours truly reads... ummm... stuff.
June 19: I have to say I've never met the person who reads third Mondays, nor do I have any idea what he reads... but if you come to either of the above, you can ask the host. His name's Eric.

Readings start between 7:30 and 8. Get there early and get something to drink. WARNING: if the drink recipe says "white coffee" or "white espresso", be aware that you're getting roughly 3 times the caffeine of regular espresso. But you won't realize it, because white coffee tastes smooooth... and hits the inside of your head like a 10-lb sledge.

March 13 is...

the date I'm giving my first reading, at a coffeshop here in Portland. (It's called Grendel's. No Danish jokes, please.)

A year ago I had no idea I would ever write poetry, let alone get up and read it. Out loud. In front of other people. But hey, the rubber has to meet the road at some point...