Write to Read Event & Open Mic at Chapman Crafted
Let’s do this again!
After the success of our first event, we’re back for another one! Join us for an evening of reading, community, and conversation with Patrick O’Neil.
Patrick O’Neil is the author of the memoir Gun, Needle, Spoon. He is a contributing editor for Sensitive Skin Magazine, a Pushcart nominee, and two-time nominee for Best of the Net. He is co-creator of the Why There Are Words reading series in Los Angeles.
The Open Mic starts at 7 pm, so if you are interested in reading send us a sample of your work and you will have 5 minutes to share it.
NOTE: See website link for further contact info and details.
Where: Chapman Crafted
Date: Monday the 22nd
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Address: 123 N. Cypress St., Orange, CA 92866
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/1022881228102122
Lary Bloom & Sol Lewitt: A Life of Ideas at Book Soup
Join us for an evening with author Lary Bloom, in conversation with Scott Timberg, who will discuss and read from his book, Sol Lewitt: A Life of Ideas.
Sol Lewitt (1928-2007), was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, upended traditional practices of how art is made and marketed. This book reveals a man who had remained an enigma, as he refused to participate in the culture of celebrity. This is an invaluable chronicle of his iconic work.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Monday the 22nd
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069
Website: http://www.booksoup.com/event/lary-bloom-scott-timberg-discusses-and-signs-sol-lewitt-life-ideas
Spiritual Classics Book Club & The Prophet at The Last Bookstore
Join us for the Spiritual Classics Book Club with host Nick Shindo Street, to discuss The Prophet, author Kahil Gabran’s collection of poetic meditations on quintessential human experiences. His influences ranged from eastern Christianity, Islamic Sufism, and the Baha’i faith. This is one of the most popular books ever published, translated into over 100 languages and never out of print.
NOTE: All store book clubs and events are ticketed, so check website for costs and details.
Where: The Last Bookstore
Date: Monday the 22nd
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://www.thelastbookstore/events
Simone Snaith & Sara Kipin & Between the Water and the Woods at The Last Bookstore
Join us to hear authors Simone Snaith & Sara Kipin discuss Between the Water and the Woods, an illustrated fantasy filled with beauty and power. It sweeps you into a world where forests are hungry; knights fight with whips; the king is dying; and a peasant girl’s magic will decide the future of the realm.
NOTE: All store book clubs and events are ticketed, so check website for costs and details.
Where: The Last Bookstore
Date: Monday the 22nd
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://www.thelastbookstore/events
Your Author Series: Henry Lien at Memorial Branch Library, LAPL – Kids Event
Join us to welcome speculative fiction author Henry Lien, who will present his book, Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword. He is a Nebula Award nominee, and prior to his career as a writer, he worked as an attorney, fine art dealer and college instructor.
Where: Memorial Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Tuesday the 23rd
Time: 1 pm – 2 pm
Address: 4625 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whatson/events/your-author-series-starring-henry-lien
Author Event: Julia Bricklin at Studio City Branch Library, LAPL
Join us to welcome author and historian Julia Bricklin, who will present and discuss her new nonfiction, Blonde Rattlesnake: Burmah Adams, Tom White, and the 1933 Crime Spree that Terrorized Los Angeles, which is about a crime spree that swept through Los Angeles during the Great Depression.
Where: Studio City Gateway Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Tuesday the 23rd
Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Address: 12511 Moorpark St., Studio City, CA 910604
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whatson/events/author-event-julia-bricklin-discusses-blonde-rattlesnake
Chuck Klosterman & Raised in Captivity at Diesel Bookstore, Brentwood
Please join us to meet and hear author Chuck Klosterman, in conversation with Sean Fennessey, discuss and sign his book, Raised in Captivity.
Microdoses of the straight dope, stories so true they had to be wrapped in fiction for our own protection, from the bestselling author of But What if We’re Wrong? This is one of the most original and exciting story collections in recent memory, a fever graph of our deepest unvoiced hopes, fears, and preoccupations.
Where: Diesel Bookstore, lower outdoor courtyard
Date: Tuesday the 23rd
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 225 26th St., Santa Monica, CA 90402
Peter Orner & Maggie Brown & Others at Chevalier’s Bookstore
Join us to hear author Peter Orner, in conversation with author Maile Meloy, discuss and sign, Maggie Brown & Others, a virtuosic collection of interlocking stories, and a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist,
In his orchestral and moving new book, Peter Orner, a writer who “doesn’t simply bring his characters to life, he gives them souls” (New York Times Book Reviews), chronicles people whose lives are at inflection points. In 44 compressed gems, he grips us with a series of defining moments, and reveals how our fleeting decisions between kindness and abandonment chase us across time. These stories are anchored by a poignant novella that bristle’s with the crackling energy of life itself.
Where: Chevalier’s Bookstore
Date: Tuesday the 23rd
Time: 7 pm
Address: 126 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004
Website: http://www.chevaliersbooks.com/peter-orner
Michael Stracznski & Becoming Superman at Book Soup
Join us to hear and meet J. Michael Stracznski, who will read and discuss his memoir, Becoming Superman: My Journey from Poverty.
This is the story of the acclaimed writer behind Clint Eastwood’s Changeling and Marvel’s Thor, among others, overcame the horrors of his youth in a dysfunctional family haunted by madness, murder, and a terrible secret. The facts of his life comprise a story of creation and darkness, hope and success, a larger-than-life villain and a little boy who became the hero in his own life. It is also a compelling behind-the-scenes look at some of the most successful TV series and movies recognized around the world.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Tuesday the 23rd
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
PEN Emerging Voices 2019 at the Hammer Museum
PEN America’s Emerging Voices Fellowship pairs underrepresented writers with professional authors who offer mentorship, advice on craft, and feedback on works in progress building toward publication. This event presents 2019 fellows Judy Choi, Anthony Hoang, Fajer Alexander Khansa, T.K. Le, and Dare Williams reading together for the last time, with introductions by mentors Steph Cha, James Sie, Venita Blackburn, Vickie Vertiz, and Sesschu Foster.
Where: Hammer Museum
Date: Tuesday the 23rd
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
Website: http://hammer.ucla.edu/programs-events/2019/07/pen-emerging-voices/
Redondo Poets with Alyssa Matuchniak & Open Mic at Coffee Cartel
Please join the Redondo Poets to welcome feature Alyssa Matuchniak, and participate in the weekly Open Mic. Redondo Poets is recommended by Mike “The Poet” Sonksen, and has been a mainstay of the Los Angeles Poetry scene for 20 years.
Where: Coffee Cartel
Date: Tuesday the 23rd
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 1820 S. Catalina Ave., Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Website: http://www.facebook.com/RedondoPoets
Soapbox Sessions Open Mic at Maui Sugar Saloon
Soapbox Nation’s adventure began in 2006 when founder, Jason Brain, started an open mic at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Encino, CA. This event for musicians, poets, and comedians began slowly building a word-of-mouth following and really hit its stride in 2008. Now Soapbox is at a different location, but still in the Valley.
Where: Maui Sugar Saloon
Date: Tuesday the 23rd
Time: 8 pm – 12 pm
Address: 18389 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, CA 91356
Website: http://www.facebook.com/SoapboxOpenMic/
Da Poetry Lounge Open Mic at Greenway Court Theatre
About: All you have to do is put your name on the sign-up list. The first half sign-ups occur before the doors open, and sign-ups for the second half do not guarantee entry, so stay in line! Keep in line that each half has its own sign-up list so check details at website or at event. Sorry, you can only perform at one half per night, and 12-15 people are typically called up for each half’s open mic, depending on whether there is a feature that night. There is a time limit of three minutes at the mic to do your poem, as we try to accommodate as many people as possible. So please, arrive early!
Where: The Greenway Court Theater
Date: Tuesday the 23rd
Time: 9 pm – 12 pm
Address: 544 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Website: http://dapoetrylounge.com/visiting-dpl/slam/
Kids Week: Superhero Day at Vroman’s Bookstore – Kids Event
Bam! Boom! Pow! Become the superhero you’ve always wanted to be! Create your very own cape, mask, and super power, and show it all off in the photo booth for the world to see. We’ll provide the materials, but feel free to bring extra items to complete your look.
All kids’ activities are FREE, but RSVPs are appreciated.
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 11am
Address: 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Website: http://www.vromansbookstore.com/event/kids-week-superhero-day
Poetry SLAM at Benjamin Franklin Branch Library, LAPL – Teens Event
Let’s journey to the world of poems and find out what makes poetry such a great form of expression. By reading various poems, seeing slam performances, and listening to music lyrics, we will create our own poetry!
Where: Benjamin Franklin Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm
Address: 2200 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90033
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/poetry-slam
Your Author Series: Carter Higgins at Sherman Oaks-Martin Pollard Branch Library, LAPL – Kids Event
Please join us to meet and hear children’s author Carter Higgins shares her newest book, Bikes for Sale.
Where: Sherman Oaks Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm
Address: 14245 Moorpark St., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/clone-your-author-series-starring-carter-higgins
Your Author Series: Henry Lien at Sun Valley Branch Library, LAPL – Kids Event
Please join us to meet and hear speculative fiction author Henry Lien, as he discusses his novel, Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword. He is a Nebula Award nominee, and studied under such luminaries as George R. R. Martin, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kelly Link.
Where: Sun Valley Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm
Address: 7935 Vineland Ave., Sun Valley, CA 91352
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/clone-your-author-series-starring-henry-lien
Lisa Locasio & Open Me at Chevalier’s Bookstore
Please join us to welcome author Lisa Locasio as she discusses her novel, Open Me, the “…story of a young American abroad which is unflinching in its portrayal of sex, desire, racism, and the excitement and confusion of youth. Infused with erotics and politics, this is a novel that will haunt you,” writes Pulitzer Prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen.
This is a coming-of-age like no other, from a magnetic new voice, and showing a character who is discovering her power, her sex, and her voice. Roxana’s life opens in thrilling new ways after her meetings and subsequent relationships with two very different men–after she is diverted from traveling to a study abroad program.
Where: Chevalier’s Bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 126 N. Larchmont Blvd.., Los Angeles, CA 90008
Website: http://www.chevaliersbooks.com/lisa-locasio
Wendy Adamson & Mother Load at Book Soup
Join us to hear and meet author Wendy Adamson, in conversation with Michelle Butler, who will read and discuss her book, Mother Load: A Memoir of Addiction, Gun Violence & Finding a Life of Purpose.
It never should have happened. That’s what the author thought as she sat handcuffed in the back seat of a squad car. In fact, she could vaguely remember a time when she had dreams of making a difference in the world. So how had her life gotten so far off track? Follow the journey of a devoted wife and Little League mom from falling into meth addiction and gun violence through the selfless act that would lead to saving her own life through sobriety.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Anthology: 10 x 10 at The Last Bookstore
Join us to hear authors from the anthology 10 x 10: Ten Talented Taletellers Tell Ten True Tales About Hollywood. Described as “Reader’s Theater” this production of 10 x 10 will present a mix of actors, writers, producers, and directors, who will tell their personal stories of the journeys they have made and the knowledge they have learned along the way.
Patrick Stack is the founder of “Out of Pocket Films” and began his career as an actor, as part of the Comedy Team Stack & Lane, and a member of the Groundlings. He formed OOPF and produced and co-wrote the award-winning Hiding in Walls, Welcome to Paradise, Cat City, and the documentary It’s a Rockabilly World. This will be Stack’s fifth Reader’s Theater production of 10 x 10.
NOTE: All store book clubs and events are ticketed, so check website for costs and details.
Where: The Last Bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://www.thelastbookstore/events
Deb Spera & Call Your Daughter Home at Skylight Bookstore
Please join us to hear author Deb Spera, in conversation with Channing Dungey, read and discuss her debut novel, Call Your Daughter Home.
In South Carolina in 1924, hardship is commonplace as the region is still recovering from the infamous boll weevil infestation that devastated the land and the economy. Gertrude must make an unconscionable decision to save her daughters from starvation or die at the hands of an abusive husband. Retta is navigating a harsh world as a first-generation freed slave, still employed by the Coles, who own the plantation. Three women who seem to have nothing in common, must unite to stand up to injustices that plague them and their town, and find strength in their new bond.
Where: Skylight Bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Anansi Writers Workshop at the World Stage
The Anansi Writers Workshop was founded in 1990 by Kamau Daáood, Akilah Oliver, Nafis Nabawi and Anthony Lyons. In 1993, Michael Datcher initiated the development of a three-part format for the workshop. Their tradition of a community workshop began in the late 1960s at the Watts Writers’ Workshop, where World Stage co-founder Kamau Daáood started his writing career. The Anansi Writers Workshop is coordinated by V. Kali and Conney Williams.
Where: The World Stage
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 7:30 pm– 10 pm
Address: 4321 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008
Website: http://www.theworldstage.org
Unheard LA Presents “Letters to Our City” with Mike Sonksen
KPPC’s Unheard LA series is inviting some past Unheard LA storytellers to our home base in Pasadena. First up is educator, historian, and LA tour guide Mike “the Poet” Sonksen and his brand new show “Letters to Our City.”
This event will feature Angeleno wordsmiths from a variety of creative fields sharing their perspectives on their corner of the city, including our features:
Lee Boek is a staple of the Silverlake arts community, and is a well-known performer and radio personality, and integral part of Public Works Improvisational Theatre Company.
Sara Borjas is a poet and educator, and author of the collection, Heart Like a Window, Mouth Like a Cliff.
Rocio Carlos is a poet and teacher, and author of (the other house).
Natashia Deon is an attorney, writer, reading events curator, and author of the novel Grace.
Daniel Hernandez is an educator, poet, and novelist, and the author of three books of poetry and two YA novels.
Armond Kinard is an actor, writer, and poet and creator of the sensual poetry series “The Book of Sultry” on Vimeo.
traci kato-kiriyama is the founder of the longest running Open Mic series, Tuesday Night Project in Little Tokyo, and is a performance artist and poet active in all aspects of the literary LA scene.
Dante Mitchell is a poet and performance artist whose message is universal peace and brotherhood.
Monique Mitchell is a writer, community organizer, and youth mentor, and serves as Education Coordinator for Get Lit, which works with young poets and storytellers all over L.A. and beyond.
Adrian Ramon is a musician and owner of Beehive Recording.
Luivette Resto is a college professor, and is the author of Unfinished Portrait (2008) and Ascension: Poems (2013).
Terry Robinson is a multi-disciplinary writer, and member of the alt-rap collective, Darkleaf. He represents the vanguard of experimentation and consciousness in poetics.
Esther Tseng writes about LA food and drink and is a freelance journalist and travel writer.
NOTE: This is a ticketed event, so check website for details.
Where: The Crawford Family Forum
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/622510721568849/
Shawnte Orion Poetry Reading at the Ugly Mug Café
Join us as Two Idiots Peddling Poetry present the feature poet for the evening:
Shawnte Orion is the author of two recent collections of poetry: The Existentialist Cookbook (NYQ Books) and Faithful as the Ground (Five Oaks Press). He is an editor for Rinky Dink Press and has appeared in many diverse venues with his work.
NOTE: $3 cover fee, cash only.
Where: The Ugly Mug Café
Date: Wednesday the 24th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 261 N. Glassell St., Orange, CA 92866
Website: https://www.poetryidiots.com
Your Author Series: LeUyen Pham at Eagle Rock Branch Library, LAPL – Kids Event
Please join us to welcome author and illustrator LeUyen Pham who will present and share her picture book, The Itchy Book, a part of her Elephant & Piggy Like Reading! series. She has illustrated more than 50 picture books in various formats, and her work has received many honors. Prior to her time as an illustrator she worked at Dreamworks Pictures as a layout artist.
Where: Eagle Rock Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 12:30 pm
Address: 5027 Caspar Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90041
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/clone-your-author-series-starring-leuyen-pham
Author & Illustrator C. Ian White at Exposition Park – Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional Library, LAPL – Adults & Kids Event
Please join us to welcome C. Ian White, author of Grandpa and the Library/El Abuuelao y la Biblioteca, for a reading and conversation about his book and about his father’s (celebrated painter Charles White) work, including his mural of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, which hangs at out branch.
Where: Exposition Park-Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional Library, LAPL
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 1 pm
Address: 3900 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90062
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/author-and-illustrator-c-ian-white
Your Author Series: Marie Miranda Cruz at Mark Twain Branch Library, LAPL – Teens Event
Please join us to welcome author Marie Miranda Cruz who will discuss her debut novel, Everlasting Nora. A military brat, Marie moved between the U.S. and Cavite City in the Philippines during her childhood, eventually completing her formal education in the Philippines. She and her family, including a tank of fish, reside in Los Angeles.
Where: Mark Twain Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm
Address: 9621 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90003
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/your-author-series-starring-marie-miranda-cruz
Your Author Series: Andrea Loney at Edendale Branch Library, LAPL – Kids Event
Please join us to welcome author Andrea Loney who will present her book, Bunnybear. After joining the Big Apple Circus, Andrea went to Hollywood where she worked for studios such as Disney. She lives in Southern California with her husband, her kitten Sophie Grace, and her betta fish Max Parfish and Betta Shark DireFish of the North.
Where: Edendale Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm
Address: 2011 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/your-author-series-starring-andrea-loney
Brian Frazer & Cartoons with My Dad at Book Soup
Join us to hear and meet Brian Frazer, who will read and discuss his memoir, Cartoons with My Dad: How Art Drew Us Together.
When his mother was diagnosed with MS, the author lost both his parents ot the demands of the disease. His father, Sam, was his mother’s sole caregiver for 40 years, unavailable to his children or his art. After his mother died, Brian had the opportunity to reconnect with Sam. But how could he reestablish the relationship? The answer was in a doodle. One day—on a whim—he asked his father to draw a cartoon that Brian had written, and the old spark returned.—along with their connection.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Open Mic Poetry & Music at Artlife Gallery, El Segundo
Join us to hear our featured poet Usolosopher, a poet from Long Beach CA. He is a CSU Fullerton Graduate, and has written and published two books of poetry: The Diary of a Mad Uso and Usolosophy: Poetic Soulpieces.
Featured musicians: Anne and Bob
NOTE: Limited capacity – 25 spots left. RSVP at website link and confirm details to attend.
Where: Artlife Gallery
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 7 pm – 10 pm
Address: 720 S. Allied Way, El Segundo, CA 90245
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/350588652275416/
Poets Jazz House Open Mic at Irie Vibes Art Space
About: A Spoken Word and Music Lounge where spilling your heart is art and searching your soul is mandatory to get in the door. They are a beatnik Tea House where there’s snapping instead of clapping. The atmosphere is lax but it Sssizzles. They invite you to come touch, be touched, hear the answer and heed the call. They’re just a cozy little house where everyone feels at home.
Where: Irie Vibes Art Space
When: Thursday the 25th
Time: 7pm – 10pm
Address: 6563 Normandie Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90044
Website: Poets Jazz House
Kristen Arnett & Mostly Dead Things at Skylight Bookstore
Join us to hear author Kristen Arnett, in conversation with Tommy Pico, discuss her debut novel, Mostly Dead Things, a darkly funny, heart-wrenching, and eccentric look at loss and art and love.
One morning, Jesse-Lynn Morton walks into the family taxidermy shop to find that her father has committed suicide, right here on one of the metal tables. Shocked and grieving, she steps up to manage the business, while the rest of the family crumbles in strange ways. For the first time, Jesse must learn who these people really are, and how she fits alongside them.
Where: Skylight Bookstore
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Open Door Poetry Reading at Battery Books, Pasadena
Please join us for the Open Door Poetry Reading held every fourth Thursday of the month. This month our features include:
Conney Williams is a poet, actor, community activist, and performance artist. He has two collections of poetry, Leaves of Spilled Spirit from an Untamed Poet (2002) and Blues Red Soul Falsetto (2012). In 2015 he released two CDs of his poetry accompanied by music, titled River & Moon and Unsettled Water. He is Artistic Director at the World Stage and Coordinator for the Anansi Writers Workshop.
Luivette Resto teaches English at Citrus College and Mt. San Antonio College. She is the author of two collections of poetry, Unfinished Portrait (2008) and Ascension: Poems (2013).
Dennis Cruz has been writing and performing his poetry for over twenty years, and inhabits the voice of the perpetual outsider and the purely American dissident. He is author of No One: Poems 2009 and Moth Wing Tea. He has been published in numerous anthologies and has lectured at many educational institutions.
Nikki Black is the author of four volumes of poetry and fiction. Her third full-length collection is forthcoming, and she conducts writing workshops and performs poetry nationally, competing four times in the National Poetry Slam.
Where: Battery Books
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 26 S. Los Robles, Pasadena, CA 91104
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/871287509890300/
Allison & Tiffany Anders at Beyond Baroque
Please join us to hear music journalist Pat Thomas in conversation with filmmaker Allison Anders and her daughter, musician/music supervisor Tiffany Anders, discuss their work.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
Anna Broome Room: A White Room and a Party at Art Share LA
Please join us for the Anna Broome Room reading event series held every fourth Thursday of the month. Tonight, we will celebrate the poetry of Poet Laureate Mark Strand, and hear the words of poets: Summercatz, Alan Ishi, Lee Boek, Hunter Lee Hughes, Thomas K. Nagano, Richard MacDowell, Lida Parent Harris, Mike Yarsky, John Martinez and Rage Gracias. Live painting by: Shaun Thyne.
Where: Art Share LA
Date: Thursday the 25th
Time: 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Address: 801 E. 4th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Website: http://losangeles.eventful.com/events/anna-broome-room-4th-E0-001-09221441-8@2019072519 or https://www.facebook.com/events/633482337135772/
Coretta Scott King Award Book Tasting at Hollywood Regional Library, LAPL – Kids & Family & Adults Event
Please join us to sample a variety of books that have won the Coretta Scott King Book awards, given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.
Where: Hollywood Regional Library, LAPL
Date: Friday the 26th
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm
Address: 1623 Ivar Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/coretta-scott-king-award-book-tasting-party
Kids Open Mic Night at Vroman’s Bookstore – Kids Event
Find your voice at our Open Mic Night! Read some poetry, share a short story, or sing an original song and let the world hear what you have to say. Please call or email us to sign up and claim a spot in the line-up: (626) 449-5320. For ages 8-17.
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore
Date: Friday the 26th
Time: 5 pm
Address: 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Website: http://www.vromansbookstore.com/event/kids-open-mic-night
The Definitive Soapbox Open Mic Night (TDSB) at Fox Coffee House
Join us for The Definitive Soapbox Open Mic Night, with host Jonathan Humanoid.
The weather is starting to feel like actual summer, so TDSB is back, and we have the honor to feature Kito Fortune, from the DPL/LA Slam team. His work is powerful and uplifting, which we could all use right now.
Kito Fortune is a local spoken word poet who started his career in Trinidad as a member of the 2 cents movement. His writing is dedicated to the education and uplifting of young black men through sharing his own experiences. He works for the New Earth Organization teaching poetry, hip hop and music to young people in jail. He is two-time Grand Slam Champion of the Hollywood Slam Team, and finished 2nd in the 2018 National Poetry Slam. He is founder and host of the “Selah Soul” open mic in Riverside CA.
Where: Fox Coffee House
Date: Friday the 26th
Time: 7 pm (sign-ups start at 6:30 pm)
Address: 437 W. Willow St., Long Beach, CA 90806
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/2332991290300293?acontext=%7B”action
Felicity McLean & The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone at Book Soup
Join us to hear and meet Felicity McLean who will discuss and sign her book, The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone. In the summer of 1992, when the Van Apfel sisters—Ruth, Hannah and the beautiful Cordelia—mysteriously disappeared, dis they just run away from their evangelical parents, or were they taken? While the search for them united their small community, they were never found, and now two grown friends from that time try to unlock that mystery years later.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Friday the 26th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: http://www.booksoup.com/event/felicity-mclean-discusses-and-signs-van-apfel-girls-are-gone
Clark Allen & My Movie Ideas at Skylight Bookstore
A handful of years ago Clark Allen had an idea for a movie. Shortly after the first idea he had a second idea. The second was followed by a third, and then a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, and so on. Having little interest in the silver screen, he did little with these ideas. But he now brings us this book, My Movie Ideas, a collection of 691 top-notch, copyright free, suggestions prime for development at any time.
Where: Skylight Bookstore
Date: Friday the 26th
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Website: http://www.skylightbooks.com/event/clark-allen-reads-his-new-book-my-movie-ideas
Amy Uyematsu & Kevin Hearle at Beyond Baroque
Please join us to hear author and writers Kevin Hearly & Amy Uyematsu present and discuss their work.
Kevin Hearle is an author, an editor, a poet, and a lecturer. He is author of Each Thing We Know Is Changed Because We Know It and Other Poems.
Amy Uyematsu is the author of poems that consider the intersection of politics, mathematics, spirituality, and the natural world. She is the author of The Yellow Door and other books.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Friday the 26th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
Noche Bohemia Event at Tonalli Studio
Please join us for Noche Bohemia, honoring Father Sky! Share your art of music, storytelling, word, poetry, dance, and bring a friend to Old Town Maravilla.
Where: Tonalli Studio
Date: Friday the 26th
Time: 8 pm – 11 pm
Address: 4539A E. Cesar E, Chavez Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90022
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/1997991036951935/?event_time_id=1997991056951933
Cleo and Cornelius at Central Library, LAPL – Kids Event
Please join us to meet the authors of Cleo and Cornelius: A Tale of Two Cities and Two Kitties, as they present their book in a fun puppet show and story time!
This event is for children ages 3 and up.
Where: Central Library, LAPL, Children’s Literature
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 11 am – 12 pm
Address: 630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/cleo-and-cornelius-tale-two-cities-and-two-kitties
Brian Dunlap Workshop: Learn to Write “Your Place” at 1888 Center for the Arts
Join us for a workshop on Learning to Write Your Place, with poet and writer Brian Dunlap.
William Faulkner once said “I discovered that my little postage stamp of native soil was worth writing about and that I would never live long enough to exhaust it.”
What is your little postage stamp of native soil? The place you live in now? Where you grew up? Join author and L.A. native Brian Dunlap for an exploration of the literature of place and the basic elements that make up the genre. Plus, you’ll come away with the beginnings of your own story or poem about your place!
Brian Dunlap is a L.A. native and writer who explores and captures the stories that are hidden in plain sight. He is the author of the chapbook Concrete Paradise (2018) from Finishing Line Press, and is the winner of the 2018 Jeff Marks Memorial Poetry Prize from “december magazine” judged by former Los Angeles Poet Laureate Luis J. Rodriguez.
NOTE: This is a ticketed event so check website for costs and further details.
Where: 1888 Center for the Arts
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 1 pm – 3 pm
Address: 115 N. Orange St., Orange, CA 92866
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/461750231291893?ref=bookmarks
Author Talk & Graphic Novel 442 at JANM – Family Event
Please join us to enjoy a talk between the authors of 442, a graphic novel by Koji Steven Sakai and Phinneas Kiyomura, who along with artist Rob Sato, will discuss their collaboration process. Following the presentation, we invite you to participate in a drawing workshop for all skills levels; materials will be provided.
442 follows Hiro, a young man incarcerated at Manzanar concentration camp during World War II who volunteers for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) and joins the battle to rescue the “Lost Battalion.” The 442 was a segregated unit of Japanese Americans who became the most highly decorated military unit for their size and duration of service.
NOTE: Free with admission, but RSVP is required at website link. See website for further details.
Where: Japanese American National Museum (JANM)
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 2 pm – 4 pm
Address: 369 E. 1st St., Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Website: http://www.janm.org/events/artculture/
Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983 at Hyde Park Branch Library, LAPL
Please join us for the return of our exhibit/event with the Broad Museum on the Art of Black Power. You’ll be invited to compose poetry and create your own art inspired by the exhibit and the concepts of Black Power. It will be an active and creative afternoon. This program is different from the one in April, so COME AGAIN!
This program is for adults and teens. A separate children’s program will be offered on July 24, 2019.
NOTE: Everyone participating will receive a FREE pass to the exhibit!
Where: Hyde Park Miriam Matthews Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 2 pm
Address: 2206 W. Florence Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/soul-nation-art-age-black-power-1963-1983-returns
Antoinette R. Banks Book Launch at Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles
Please join us for the Book Launch of author Antoinette R. Banks’ book/guide, Better Than a Diagnosis: A Single Parent’s Guide to Autism. As most parents face barriers with getting support for their children on the spectrum, the author’s unique perspective as a single parent pulls the reader into a cocoon of relatable inspiration.
NOTE: Check website re ticket availability.
Where: Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 2 pm – 4 pm
Address: 6101 West Century Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045
Last Saturday of the Month Open Mic at Encino-Tarzana Branch Library, LAPL
Please join us for the Last Saturday of the Month Open Mic, hosted by Wyatt Underwood.
Every month people bring new poems and old, happy poems and bleak, poems, poems, poems! It’s always better when you show up for a monthly jolt of poetry. This month we will enjoy a guest: Ron Dvorkin will be giving out a few CDs of Jack Shafer reading his iconic stories!
Where: Encino-Tarzana Branch Library, LAPL, Community Room
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 2 pm – 4:30 pm
Address: 18231 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, CA 91356
L.A. Made Presents Living History with Mark Twain at Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library, LAPL
Please join us for the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum presentation of Living History with Mark Twain, to hear writer, satirist, and American treasure Mark Twain share his unique thoughts, ideas and writings during this interactive “Author Visit.”
Where: Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 3 pm
Address: 2920 Overland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90064
Website: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/theatricum-botanicum-living-history-mark-twain
Three Authors & Intersectionallies at Skylight Bookstore – Kids Event
Please join us to hear authors Carolyn Choi, Latoya Council, and Chelsea Johnson read from their picture book, Intersectionallies.
In poetic stanzas, this book introduces the stories of nine kids from diverse backgrounds. The authors use each character’s story to explain how children’s safety concerns are shaped by their intersecting identities, such as class, sexuality, dis/ability, race, religion, and citizenship—what is known in academic and activist circles as “intersectionality.”
This work includes introductions, illustrations, and suggests ways in which friends can support one another, or be an “ally” despite different positions in life. and shows that children’s literature can be the gateway to educating entire households.
Where: Skylight Bookstore
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 3 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Saturday Afternoon Poetry & Open Mic at Santa Catalina Library, Pasadena
Please join us for Saturday Afternoon Poetry for a Print & Internet Publishing Workshop led by Mehnaz Sahibzada.
Events curated by Don Kingfisher Campbell.
Where: Santa Catalina Library, Pasadena
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm
Address: 999 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91104
Website: http://saturdayafternoonpoetry.blogspot.com/
Loose Lips by Briana Munoz at LibroMobile
Please join us as LibroMobile presents a reading of the collectiion Loose Lips by Briana Munoz.
Briana Munoz is a writer from San Diego, now living in Los Angeles, whose poetry and short stories have been published in four editions of the Bravura Literary Journal. She was chosen among the best from La Bloga in 2015, and has presented her work internationally.
Where: LibroMobile
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm
Address: 220 E. Fourth St., Ste. 107, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Website: http://facebook.com/events/2360640574215895
Ann Buxie & Jean Colonomos at Beyond Baroque
Please join us to hear two writers who fell into each other’s verse over five years ago. Join them as they share their latest two poetic collaborations: UNMOORED and HINGED.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 3 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
Deborah Spera & Call Your Daughter Home at Flintridge Bookstore
Join us to hear author Deborah Spera, in conversation with Peter Bachman, Flintridge Preparatory School Headmaster, discuss her debut novel, Call Your Daughter Home.
This novel is a stunning tour de force following three fierce, unforgettable Southern women in the years leading up to the Great Depression. It’s 1924 South Carolina and the region is still recovering from the boll weevil infestation that devastated the land and the economy. Gertrude must make an unconscionable decision to save her daughters from starvation or die at the hands of an abusive husband. Retta is navigating a harsh world as a first-generation feed slave, still employed by the Coles, who once owned her family. Annie is the matriarch of the Coles family and must come to terms with the truth that has ripped her family apart.
These three women seemingly have nothing in common, yet they unite to stand up to terrible injustices that have long plagued their small town, and find strength in the bond that ties them together.
Where: Flintridge Bookstore
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 5 pm – 6:30 pm
Address: 1010 Foothill Blvd., La Canada-Flintridge, CA 91011
Website: http://www.flintridgebooks.com/instore-events/2019/2/13/deborah-spera-call-your-daughter-home
Fatelink Open Mic Night on Video Games at Sabor y Cultura Coffee Shop
Please join Fatelink and Guys Reading Poems for the Fatelink Open Mic at Sabor y Cultura.
Our goal this month is epic. We’d like this to be the best open mic in the history of the universe on the topic of: Video Games. You can like them. You can hate them. You can be addicted to them. However you feel, explore the idea of “Video Games” this month through poetry, a short story, an acoustic song, or comedic/dramatic monologue. (Four minutes per reader).
NOTE: See website link for detailed guidelines and further deatials.
Where: Sabor y Cultura Coffee Shop
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm (sign-ups at 6:30 pm)
Address: 5625 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/2309299089154967/
Influx Collectiv Presents Queer Poetry Night at Beyond Baroque
Please join Influx Collectiv for their monthly Queer Poetry Night, featuring four L.A. based queer poets: May Dale, Molly Thornton, Marinna Benzon, and Anthony Glambra.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Saturday the 27th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
Poem to Poet, Poet to Audience: A Poetry Performance Workshop by Marcus Omari at Cal State Fullerton
Please join us for a Poetry Performance Workshop led by Marcus Omari: Poem to Poet, Poet to Audience.
This engaging performance-based poetry workshop will focus on the importance of the poet and writer’s role as “Messenger.” Participants will engage in a variety of poetry exercises, learn techniques of interpretation and cues woven into poetic works. Omari will share his oratory tips, and attendees will contribute to the collection of “performance best practices” gathered along the way.
NOTE: Further details about Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble, this workshop and its cost are available at website.
Where: CSUF Grand Central Art Center
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 11:30 am
Address: 125 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Website: http://www.facbook.com/evenst/344224719804352/
Nebraska Girls Open Reading at Beyond Baroque
Please join us for the monthly Nebraska Girls Open Reading, hosted by Wyatt Underwood.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 2 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
La Palabra Reading Series & Open Mic at Avenue 50 Studios
Celebrate summer with host and curator Angelina Saenz, as we welcome our features, three Venezuelan-born women writers:
Carolina Gonzalez is a recovering journalist and academic who co-wrote the guidebook Nueva New York: The Complete Guide to Latino life in the Five Boroughs.
Elizabeth Baralt is a poet and musician, and her El Tema Tabu is available on Amazon Music.
Lisbeth Colman is a bilingual writer, educator, and author. Her memoir, I Asked the Blue Heron, celebrates friendship among women and draws attention to child abuse and mental illness. Her life is vividly portrayed against the backdrop of Venezuela’s violent corruption, Canada’s snowy winters, and Oklahoma’s bleak plains.
Where: Avenue 50 Studios
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 2 pm – 4 pm
Address: 131 N. Avenue 50, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/338271253741623/?active_tab=about
Fourth Sundays Poetry Reading with Sweeney & Nadelson at Claremont Library
Please join us for our Fourth Sundays Poetry Reading series, featuring:
Chad Sweeney is a poet and translator, and the author of six books of poetry and two books of translation. He holds an MFA degree from San Francisco State and a PhD from Western Michigan University. He is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at CSU San Bernardino.
Matthew Nadelson has worked as a college English instructor, poetry editor, and creative workshop leader for the past 13 years throughout Southern California. His publications include a poetry chapbook, American Spirit (2011, Finishing Line Press) and the collection, Counting Wayward Sheep, (2016, Kelsey Books).
Where: Claremont Library
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 2 pm – 3:30 pm
Address: 208 Harvard Ave., Claremont, CA 91711
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/1525391064263374/
Pheromone Sartori at Beyond Baroque
Please join us for a rollicking, multi-disciplinary joy ride, featuring electrifying post-chemical madrigals by founding COADS members Rich Ferguson, Milo Martin, Chris Tannahill and Jerry the Priest.
NOTE: Advance tickets available at website link.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 3 pm
Address: 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/calendar.html
My Lit Box Book Club at Hilltop Coffee & Kitchen
Please join us for our next meeting of My Lit Box Book Club, which will discuss Speak No Evil, by Uzodinma Iweala. This book explores what it means to be different in a fundamentally conformist society and how that difference plays out in our inner and outer struggles. It’s about the power of words and who gets to speak for others.
NOTE: Please RSVP for this free event at website link.
Where: Hilltop Coffee & Kitchen
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm
Address: 4427 W. Slauson Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/580464769026405/
Well Read Black Girl Book Club Meeting at Book Soup
Join us for a meeting of our Well Read Black Girl Book Club. Our selection for August is The Travelers by Regina Porter.
Next month we will discuss Tomi Adeyemi’s epic adventure Children of Blood and Bone! This fantasy YA novel has captured our attention—and much praise—since it was published in 2018, opening up the world of fantasy to include Nigerian folklore and the magic of the god Orisha.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 4 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: http://www.booksoup.com/event/well-read-black-girl-book-club-meeting
Poetry in Tujunga & Open Mic with Village Poets at Bolton Hall Museum
Join us as Village Poets honors Marlene Hitt & Lloyd Hitt upon their retirement as co-founders of the group and organizers of the monthly readings at Bolton Hall. There will be time for Open Mic readers, and refreshments will be served.
Marlene Hitt is a Los Angeles poet, writer, and retired educator with local history as an avocation. She has served many years in many roles at Bolton Hall Museum, and has worked with local writers for nearly 30 years. She served as Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga in 1999-2001, and published several books on local history, some based on her local newspaper columns and journalism. Her work has appeared widely, including many anthologies. She published three chapbooks, as well as Riddles in the Rain with Dorothy Skiles, a stack of poetry booklets for friends and family, and most recently a critically acclaimed poetry volume, Clocks and Water Drops (Moonrise Press, 2015).
Dr. William Lloyd Hitt has been a pharmacist and activist, President Emeritus of the Tuna Camp Coalition, formed to investigate, memorialize, and make public the story of the Japanese relocation and incarceration camp in Tujunga. He also belonged to the Chupa Rosa Writers and was a key member of the Village Poets Readings, and was President of the Little Landers Historical Society that manages the Bolton Hall Museum. The Earth Time, published in 2018 by Moonrise Press, is a unique collection documenting his lifetime of service, commitments, and love for his wife and community.
Where: Bolton Hall Museum
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 4:30 pm
Address: 1010 Commerce Ave., Tujunga, CA 91042
Website: http://villagepoets.blogspot.com/2019/06/village-poets-honor-marlene-hitt-and.html
Sarah Rose Etter & The Book of X at Skylight Bookstore
Join us to hear author Sarah Rose Etter, in conversation with Tommy Pico, discuss her new novel The Book of X.
This book tells the tale of Cassie, a girl born with her stomach twisted in the shape of a knot. She grapples with her body, men, and society, all the while imagining a softer world than the one she is in. Her realities alternate to create a blurred, fantastic world of haunting beauty.
Where: Skylight Bookstore
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 5 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Website: http://www.sklightbooks,com/event/sarah-rose-etter-reads-her-new-novel-book-x-tommy-pico
Beatnik Café Poetry Night Features Kim Dower & Nicelle Davis & Open Mic at Hey Hey
Join us to hear Beatnik Café present another night of hearing truth from lesser heard perspectives.
Open Mic sign-ups begin at 6:50 pm, followed by readings from our features:
Kim Dower is the Poet Laureate of West Hollywood, and the author most recently of Sunbathing on Tyrone Power’s Grave. She teaches at Antioch University in Los Angeles.
Nicelle Davis is the founder and curator of the Poetry Circus and is the author most recently of the collection, The Walled Wife. She explores desert culture and its importance to global, political and ecological issues.
NOTE: See the Open Mic guidelines at website link, as 3 minutes is given each open mic reader.
Where: Hey Hey
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 1555 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events/892979441063862/
Crossover Horror & Graphic Novel Book Clubs at the Last Bookstore
Join us for a crossover event of our Horror and Graphic Novel Book Clubs, with Katherine McGee and Jake Mumm,
We will read and discuss Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale together, as we contemplate an all-too-possible future, in words and illustrations.
NOTE: All bookstore events are ticketed, so see website for details.
Where: The Last Bookstore
Date: Sunday the 28th
Time: 9:30 pm
Address: 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: http://lastbookstorela.com/#events
Los Angeles Literature 