Philosophical Horror Book Club: Lone Woman at Cellar Door Bookstore – In-Person Event
This month’s selection is: Philosophical Horror Book Club participants will discuss Lone Woman: A Novel, by Victor LaValle.
Blue skies, empty land—and enough wide-open space to hide a horrifying secret. A woman with a past, a mysterious trunk, a town on the edge of nowhere.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Cellar Door Bookstore
Date: Monday the 15th
Time: 6 pm
Address: 473 E. Alessandro Blvd., Suite B, Riverside, CA 92508
Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/event/philosophical-horror-book-club-lone-women
Poetry & Prose Writing Workshop with James Coats via Inlandia Institute – Online Event
In this multi-genre workshop, participants receive twice-monthly inspiration in the form of both poetry and prose. Prompts inspire writing in the genre of your choice. Class discussions include the craft of writing and the challenges writers face in generating poetry, memoir, and short and long fiction.
James Coats is an author, poet, and educator born in Los Angeles and raised in the Inland Empire. He received his BFA from Cal Poly Pomona and his MBA from Cal State San Bernardino. As a creative change agent, he believes the arts can inspire youth and influence positive change in the world. His first poetry collection, If I had Lived, was published in 2018. In 2021, he founded Lift Our Voices Education, which hosts the monthly “Be The Change: Social Justice Writing Workshop.” His newest poetry collection, Midnight & Mad Dreams, is published by World Stage Press. Follow him on Instagram @MrLovingWords.
Five alternating Mondays beginning January 8, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, on Zoom ($50)
NOTE: See site for details.
Date: Monday the 8th (plus January 22nd, February 5th & 19th, March 4th)
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: Online Event
Website: https://inlandiainstitute.org/workshop/creative-writing-workshops-now-registering-all-cities/
Monday Night Fiction Workshop at Beyond Baroque – Online Zoom Event
This free Monday Night Community Writing Workshop led by Raquel Baker is a workshop in which participants are asked to bring copies of 2-3 pages of fiction to read, and to use for critique and discussion. Registration is required.
Raquel Baker earned a PhD in English Literary Studies from the University of Iowa and an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Postcolonial and Transnational Literatures at California State University Channel Islands, teaching courses on creative writing and contemporary African literatures. Raquel has published poetry in Africology and The Arrow; fiction in Enculturation, The Daily Palette, The Womanist, and Crux; and non-fiction in Little Village; and has done readings with the Ventura County Poetry project. Raquel lives for talking about all things about the craft and social meanings of literature!
Where: Beyond Baroque – Online event
Date: Monday the 15th
Time: 7:30 pm – 10 pm
Address: Zoom Online Event (see site)
Website: https://www.beyondbaroque.org/free_workshops (Check to verify)
Under Mic Influence: Featured Reading by Tyler Lenn Bradley & Open Mic at LB Unified – In-Person Event
If you need an open mic, beautiful people, tasty eats, dope inspiration, good libations, and good vibrations, we have you covered!
Join host Kuahmel Alyeeus KuahAllah and @djkevjam for poetry, Open Mic, rare grooves, cocktails, tasty bites.
In the tradition of Funkmosphere, Monday Night Delight, Melodic Mondays, Project Blowed, Griot Cafe, and Lady Basco’s Speakeasy, we come to light things right back up and take the poet & the MC to new heights. Every 1st and 3rd Monday, you will be Under Mic Influence. Come level up with carefree, high-caliber spitters, and leave ready to get the bars up & come back for more!
Featured guest: Tyler Lenn Bradley.
NOTE: See site for tickets and details.
Where: LB Unified
Date: Monday the 15th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm (Doors at 7:30 pm)
Address: 2222 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA 90804
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/under-mic-influence-tickets-595248994767
Nonfiction Book Club: at Donald Bruce Kauffman – Brentwood Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Nonfiction Book Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month to discuss a work of nonfiction. Books selected for discussion can be new or old and come from a wide array of genres, styles, and authors.
Participants will discuss the January selection, The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, by author Allison Hoover Bartlett.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Brentwood Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 1 pm
Address: 11820 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/nonfiction-book-club-0
Mysterious Book Club: Bluebird, Bluebird at Palisades Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Mysterious Book Club participants will discuss the January selection, Bluebird, Bluebird, by author Attica Locke.
“When it comes to law and order, East Texas plays by its own rules—a fact that Darren Mathews, a black Texas Ranger, knows all too well. Deeply ambivalent about growing up black in the Lone Star State, he was the first in his family to get as far away from Texas as he could. Then duty called him home. He travels up Highway 59 to the small town of Lark to solve two murders—a black lawyer from Chicago and a local white woman.”
New members are always welcome! Come even if you haven’t read the book – you’ll meet the group and know the book to read for next time.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Palisades Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 1:30 pm
Address: 861 Alma Real Dr., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/mysterious-book-club-17
Indie Author Night: Made in L.A. Writers Tisha Marie Reichle-Aguilera, Rachael Warecki, Sara Chisolm & Ryane Nicole Granados at Altadena Main Library – In-Person Event
Indie Author Night presents local authors reading from their best and newest works. Meet them, get copies of their book after the reading, and mingle with other book lovers.
In this installment of Indie Author Night, the Altadena Library is teaming up with the Made in L.A. Writers, a collaborative of Los Angeles-based authors dedicated to nurturing and promoting indie fiction. While their styles, themes, and story locales differ, their work is both influenced and illuminated by their hometown and underpinned by the extraordinary, multifaceted, and often surreal culture and life in the City of Angels.
Tisha Marie Reichle-Aguilera writes so the desert of her childhood can be heard as loudly as her urban adulthood. A former high school teacher, she earned an MFA at Antioch University and a PhD at USC. Her play “Blind Thrust Fault” was featured in CTG Writers’ Workshop Festival. Her fiction has been nominated for Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, Best Microfiction, and spotlighted in Best Small Fictions 2022. Her YA novel, Breaking Pattern, is available from Inlandia Books. She is a Macondista and works for literary equity through Women Who Submit.
Rachael Warecki is originally from Los Angeles, a city that figures prominently in her writing. Her novel-in-progress, The Split Decision, has received support from residencies at MacDowell, Storyknife, and Ragdale, and her fiction and nonfiction has received contest recognition from Glimmer Train, American Short Fiction, Boulevard, Tiferet, and other publications. When not writing, she enjoys traveling, photography, and yelling at Ohio sports teams for doing something wrong.
Sara Chisolm is a speculative fiction writer based in the Los Angeles area. Her urban fantasy short stories “Serenade of the Gangsta,” “The Fortune of the Three and the Kabuki Mask,” and “We Found Love as the Undead,” were featured in the second and third volumes of the Made in L.A. fiction anthology series. Sara has co-edited the third, fourth, and fifth books for the annual Made In L.A. anthology.
Ryane Nicole Granados is a Los Angeles native whose writing finds its roots in her love of community and her belief that Black motherhood is an act of social justice. She is inspired to write stories of survival that magnify the marginalized while also unearthing the splendor of second chances. Named the 2021 Established Writer and Arts Fellow by the California Arts Council, her storytelling has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and showcased in KPCC’s live series Unheard LA. Forthcoming in the fall of 2024, is her novel, The Aves, which won the 2023 Leapfrog Press Global Fiction Prize.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Altadena Main Library, Community Room
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 6 pm – 8 pm
Address: 600 E. Mariposa St., Altadena, CA 91001
Website: https://www.altadenalibrary.org/programs/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D171655473
Classic Detectives Book Club: The Leavenworth Case at Cellar Door Bookstore – In-Person Event
Classic Detectives Book Club participants will discuss The Leavenworth Case, by Anna Katherine Green.
This book is the classic genre-defining whodunit, by the mother of the detective novel.
Introducing the first American series detective, Ebenezer Gryce, The Leavenworth Case was published nine years before the debut of Sherlock Holmes and made author Anna Katharine Green an enormously popular and influential writer who changed the mystery genre forever. Showcasing Green’s verve and style, The Leavenworth Case opens with the shocking murder of Horatio Leavenworth, a wealthy New York merchant, philanthropist, and well-known member of the community. His favorite niece, Mary, is to inherit his fortune, and all of the evidence seems to implicate her or her sister. Yet surprises greet Gryce at every turn-even before the second murder.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Cellar Door Bookstore
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 6 pm
Address: 473 E. Alessandro Blvd., Suite B, Riverside, CA 92508
Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/event/classic-detectives-book-club-leavenworth-case
3rd Tuesday Book Club: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo at Playa Vista Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
3rd Tuesday Book Club participants will discuss the January selection, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by author Taylor Jenkins Reid.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Playa Vista Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 6400 Playa Vista Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90094
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/3rd-tuesday-book-club-5
Pam Jennings & 3-Part Series on Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom at pages: a bookstore – In-Person Event
Pam Jennings will lead a three-part series on William Faulkner and his masterpiece, Absalom, Absalom!
William Faulkner: recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature and the Pulitzer Prize. He is known for his short stories and novels set in fictional Yoknapatawpha County based on his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi. His works include, The Sound and the Fury, A Light in August and As I Lay Dying. Absalom, Absalom! is considered by many to be the greatest Southern novel of all time.
Pam Jenning has lead several similar book groups at {pages} including (Hemingway and the Nick Adam’s stories, Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn and F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby. These are always well-attended and thoroughly enjoyed experiences for all who participate. It’s been too long, and we are very pleased to have Pam back at {pages} sharing her love of one of the great American classics.
The group will meet three times:
Tuesday, January 16th @ 6:30 pm – Pam will make a presentation about William Faulkner, his life, influences, and literary achievements. No pre-reading needed.
Tuesday, February 6th @ 6:30 pm – Meet to discuss the first portion of Absalom, Absalom!
Tuesday, February 20th @ 6:30 pm – meet to discuss the second half of Absalom, Absalom!
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: pages: a bookstore
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 904 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Village Well Book Club & Honor at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Village Well Book Group participantswill discuss the book Honor, by author Thirty Umrigar.
This book tells the story of two couples and the sometimes dangerous and heartbreaking challenges of love across a cultural divide in India.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd., Culver City,
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/32760
David Edward Byrd & Poster Child: The Psychedelic Art & Technicolor Life of David Edward Byrd at Book Soup – In-Person Event
David Edward Byrd will discuss his book, Poster Child: The Psychedelic Art & Technicolor Life of David Edward Byrd.
Byrd is considered one of the foremost graphic artists of 20th-century pop culture, and yet, he has never achieved widespread name recognition. Poster Child shares the artwork of Byrd—including never-before-seen sketches of famous posters for celebrated musicians—with incredible accompanying anecdotes about his encounters with rock ‘n’ roll legends, which combine to create a book that is sure to thrill music lovers and cultural connoisseurs alike for its visual vibrancy and storytelling.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: https://www.booksoup.com/event/david-edward-byrd
At Skylight: Jacqueline Suskin & A Year In Practice at Skylight Books – In-Person Event
Jacqueline Suskin will presentand discuss her book, A Year In Practice.
In this book Suskin shares holistic practices to help creatives of all sorts access the limitless potential that flows with the rhythms of nature.
Set in sync with the progression of the seasons, A Year in Practice is a program of techniques and journaling prompts to guide the creative seeker all year long. Four seasonally themed chapters keep you connected to natural phases of creative contraction and expansion:
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Skylight Books
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Website: https://www.skylightbooks.com/event/skylight-jacqueline-suskin-presents-year-practice
The Virtual Cobalt Series & Open Mic: James Croal Jackson – Online Zoom Event
The Virtual Cobalt Poets Series, presented by Rick Lupert via Zoom, will feature an Open Reading and guest James Croal Jackson.
James Croal Jackson (he/him/his) is a Filipino American poet born in Akron, Ohio. After graduating from Baldwin Wallace University with degrees in Film Studies and Creative Writing, he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked in the film and television industry.
NOTE: Details and Zoom link at event link.
Where: Cobalt Poets – Online Zoom Event
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Address: Online event (see site)
Website: http://poetrysuperhighway.com/cobalt/calendar
The Sunless Sea Open Mic: Poetry and Spoken Word Show – In-Person Event
The Sunless Sea Open Mic: Poetry and Spoken Word Show is offered every week at the Unurban Coffee House. Hosted by DeForest Wright, all are invited to attend.
NOTE: Details at event link.
Where: Unurban Coffee House
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Address: 3301 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405
Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups or https://www.facebook.com/events/213407634459999/?active_tab=discussion
Da Poetry Lounge SLAM Open Mic at Greenway Court – In-Person Event
The nation’s largest weekly Open Mic event is 25 years strong. They hold open mic nights. At an open mic, all are welcome to share their poetry or sit in their audience.
Every Tuesday (except for 3rd Tuesdays and special events) they hold open mic nights.
NOTE: See sign-ups, details, and guidelines at website link.
$10 donation. Do NOT line up prior to 7:30 p.m. Free parking adjacent to theatre.
Masks are encouraged. All ages are welcome.
Where: Greenway Court Theatre
Date: Tuesday the 16th
Time: 9 pm – 11 pm
Address: 544 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChLUBSRPCFb/ or https://www.dapoetrylounge.com/events/open-mic-night
Coffee Time Book Club: North Woods at pages: a bookstore – In-Person Event
Coffee Time Book Club participants will discuss North Woods, by author Daniel Mason.
“North Woods is a novel about a house, its inhabitants, and the land, over four centuries set in the hills of western Massachusetts. A gorgeous, layered tapestry in which the house and the woods play into the lives of those who live there.”
— Fran Keilty, Hickory Stick Bookshop,
Daniel Mason is the author of The Piano Tuner, A Far Country, The Winter Soldier, and A Registry of My Passage Upon the Earth, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: pages: a bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 17th
Time: 9:30 pm
Address: 904 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Website: https://www.pagesabookstore.com/event/coffee-time-book-club-24
Book Club: The Wind Knows My Name at Granada Hills Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person & Online Hybrid Event
Book Club participants will discuss The Wind Knows My Name by author Isabel Allende.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Granada Hills Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Wednesday the 17th
Time: 1 pm – 3 pm
Address: 10640 Petit Ave., Granada Hills, CA 91344
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/book-club-wind-knows-my-name
Middle Grade Book Club: Stuntboy: In-Between Time at pages: a bookstore – In-Person MG Event
Middle Grade Book Club participants will discuss Stuntboy: In-Between Time, by author Jason Reynolds.
This book is the sequel to the hilarious, hopeful, and action-packed middle grade novel Stuntboy, in the Meantime about the greatest young superhero you’ve never heard of, jam-packed with illustrations by Raúl the Third.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: pages: a bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 17th
Time: 4:30 pm
Address: 904 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Website: https://www.pagesabookstore.com/event/middle-grade%C2%A0book-club-4
Book Talk & Signing: Benjamin Breen & Tripping on Utopia at Chevalier’s Bookstore – In-Person Event
Benjamin Breen will discuss and sign his new book on the birth of psychedelic science, Tripping on Utopia.
This book is a bold revisionist take on the history of psychedelics in the twentieth century, illuminating how a culture of experimental drugs shaped the Cold War and the birth of Silicon Valley At the center of this revolution were the pioneering anthropologists—and star-crossed lovers—Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson. Convinced the world was headed toward certain disaster, Mead and Bateson made it their life’s mission to reshape humanity through a new science of consciousness expansion, but soon found themselves at odds with the government bodies who funded their work, whose intentions were less than pure. Mead and Bateson’s partnership unlocks an untold chapter in the history of the twentieth century, linking drug researchers with CIA agents, outsider sexologists, and the founders of the Information Age.
Benjamin Breen is the author of The Age of Intoxication: Origins of the Global Drug Trade, winner of the 2021 William H. Welch Medal from the American Association for the History of Medicine. He is an associate professor of history at the University of California, Santa Cruz and was previously a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. He lives in Santa Cruz, California.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Chevalier’s Books
Date: Wednesday the 17th
Time: 6 pm
Address: 133 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004
Book Club for Adults: Demon Copperhead at Studio City Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Adult Book Club participants will discuss Demon Copperhead by author Barbara Kingsolver.
RSVP:
Please email studio@lapl.org for participation details
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Studio City Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Wednesday the 17th
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 12511 Moorpark St., Studio City, CA 91604
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/book-club-adults
Peter Jesperson, with Mark Blackwell, & Euphoric Recall: A Half Century as a Music Fan at Book Soup – In-Person Event
Peter Jesperson, in conversation with Mark Blackwell, will discuss his book, Euphoric Recall: A Half Century as a Music Fan, Producer, DJ, Record Executive, and Tastemaker.
A passionate music fan since his early childhood, Jesperson found his way into Minneapolis’s burgeoning music world of the 1970s and followed a path that put him at the center of the scene as it grew and blossomed. In Euphoric Recall, Jesperson speaks frankly about his struggle with drugs and alcohol, and how it nearly derailed his career and his life. After a half-century in the music business, Jesperson shares his insights, anecdotes, and lessons from his unique vantage point.
Mark Blackwell is a writer, photographer, former Senior Editor of Spin, Editorial Director of Raygun Publishing, and Co-Founder of Nylon magazine.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Book Sou8
Date: Wednesday the 17th
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: https://www.booksoup.com/event/peter-jesperson
At Skylight: Kate Brody, with Rachel Koller Craft, & Rabbit Hole at Skylight Books – In-Person Event
Kate Brody, in conversation with Rachel Koller Craft, will presentand discuss her book, Rabbit Hole.
This is a novel in which the toxic side of true crime fandom collides with Reddit conspiracy theories, in this twisty debut that blurs the lines of crime fiction. With one foot in the world of popular culture and the other rooted in academia since receiving her MFA from NYU, Kate Brody’s labors in writing have culminated into a biting debut that examines true crime, female friendships, and the voyeuristic entitlement of the internet. Ten years ago, Theodora “Teddy” Angstrom’s older sister, Angie, disappeared. Her case remains unsolved.
Kate Brody lives in Los Angeles, California. Her work has previously appeared in Lit Hub and The Literary Review, among other publications. She holds an MFA from NYU. Rabbit Hole is her debut novel.
Rachel Koller Croft is the author of STONE COLD FOX and WE LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE, coming August 2024. She’s also a WGA award-nominated screenwriter based in Los Angeles.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Skylight Books
Date: Wednesday the 17th
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Website: https://www.skylightbooks.com/event/skylight-kate-brody-presents-rabbit-hole-w-rachel-koller-croft
Anansi Virtual Writers Workshop at The World Stage – In-Person Event
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. Our 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. For general information and booking, contact V. Kali, the Anansi Writers Workshop Coordinator, at vkaliflowers@gmail.com.
- 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm — Formal workshop;
- 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm — TBA; (Check to verify)
- 9:05 pm – 10:00 pm — Open mic.
Suggested: $5.00 Donation via PayPal: The World Stage Gallery.
NOTE: See site for further details, and any change in the schedule. Contact kaliflowers@gmail.com or call (323) 293-2451
Where: The World Stage
Date: Wednesday the17th
Time: 7:30 pm – 10 pm
Address: 4321 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008
Website: https://www.instagram.com/anansiwritersworkshop/
Wednesday Night Poetry Workshop at Beyond Baroque – Online Zoom Event
Beyond Baroque’s longest-running free poetry workshop is offered on Zoom and welcomes new and seasoned poets to share their work and provide feedback. Please be prepared to share one poem. This workshop will be hosted via the Zoom video-conferencing platform. Please sign up for each workshop session at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, and you will be contacted with instructions on how to join the meeting.
The workshop facilitator this quarter is L.A. Johnson, the author of the chapbook Little Climates (Bull City Press, 2017). She holds an MFA from Columbia University and a PhD from the University of Southern California, where she is currently a Mellon Humanities and University of the Future postdoctoral fellow. The winner of the 2022 Mississippi Review Poetry Prize, the 2022 Greensboro Review Poetry Prize, the 2021 Arts & Letters Rumi Poetry Prize, her poems appear in The Atlantic, Poetry Magazine, and The Slowdown. She’s received support for her writing from Vermont Studio Center, Community of Writers, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and elsewhere. Find more about her at http://www.la-johnson.com
Please spend some time before the workshop learning how to share documents via Zoom. It will keep the session moving if you’re able to make your poem viewable quickly and easily. There’s an instructive video that might help.
The workshop can sometimes reach high levels of attendance, which means not everyone will get a chance to read every session.
NOTE: See site for further details, tickets, and information.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Wednesday the 17th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: Online event (see site)
Website: https://www.beyondbaroque.org/free_workshops or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wednesday-night-poetry-workshop-tickets-796136153667
Poetry Reading & Open Mic by Two Idiots Peddling Poetry with Ben Trigg & Guest Feature Maria Bolaños at The Ugly Mug – In-Person Event
Host Ben Trigg and Two Idiots Peddling Poetry at the Ugly Mug on Wednesday Nights offers a Reading & Open Mic, with featured guest Maria Bolaños.
Maria Bolaños (she/her/they) is a Filipina American poet, co-Editor in Chief for Marías at Sampaguitas magazine, and co-Founder & -Publisher of Sampaguita Press. She is committed to building spaces to nurture and showcase Filipinxao literature as well as Black, Indigenous, and POC literature.
Maria studied English Literature, Media Studies, and Creative Writing at UC Berkeley. She was nominated for the 2021-2022 Best of the Net Anthology, and their poems are featured in US-based publications and organizations such as Touchstone Literary Magazine, Cut Fruit Collective’s Cut Fruit Stories, and decomp journal, among others; as well as international publications such as South Africa-based Antigone and Singapore-based Yuzu Press. Maria also writes reviews for the Seattle-based pan-Asian Pacific American publication, International Examiner, and runs a bookstagram account, @mariabeewrites.
Born in Manila, with family roots from the provinces of Pangasinan, Bulacan, Sorsogon, and Quezon, Maria immigrated to the United States in childhood and has lived on both the East and West Coasts. She currently lives with her husband in Tovaangar, the unceded Gabrielino, Tongva, and Kizh land also known as Los Angeles, California.
$4 cover fee, cash only.
NOTE: See site for further details.
Where: The Ugly Mug, Orange
Date: Wednesday the 17th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 261 N. Glassell St., Orange, CA 92866
Website: https://www.facebook.com/people/Two-Idiots-Peddling-Poetry/ or https://www.facebook.com/events/343030148493859/?ref=newsfeed
Reading Group: Homer’s Odyssey at Sherman Oaks Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Have you read Homer’s Odyssey? Join Sherman Oaks Branch Library’s Reading Group to explore Homer’s epic tale in eight friendly sessions on Thursdays starting January 11. This is the 2nd meeting of eight. No prior knowledge is needed, just a love for discussion and discovery. Limited to ten participants, we will read about fifty pages weekly prior to each meeting.
RSVP:
Please call the Sherman Oaks Branch Library at 818-205-9716 to reserve a spot.
Note: See site for details.
Where: Sherman Oaks Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Thursday the 18th
Time: 12 pm
Address: 14245 Moorpark St., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/homers-odyssey-reading-group
Brentwood Writing Workshop at Donald Bruce Kaufmann – Brentwood Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Bring any project that you’re working on to our weekly writing group. Poetry, novels, short stories, memoirs, and essays are all welcome. You will have free time to write and even lots of support from our great group of local writers.
Note: See site for details.
Where: Brentwood Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Thursday the 18th
Time: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Address: 11820 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/brentwood-writing-workshop
Mystery Book Club: Clark and Division at Cellar Door Bookstore – In-Person Event
Mystery Book Club participants will discuss Clark and Division {A Japantown Mystery #1), by author Naomi Hirahara.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Cellar Door Bookstore
Date: Thursday the 18th
Time: 6 pm
Address: 473 E. Alessandro Blvd., Suite B, Riverside, CA 92508
Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/event/mystery-book-club-clark-and-division
West L.A. Book Club: Song of Solomon at West Los Angeles Regional Branch Library, LAPL – Online Event
The West LA Book Club meets on the third Thursday of each month from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. We alternate between fiction and nonfiction.
Our upcoming books include:
January 18: Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.
RSVP:
For the Zoom link, please contact Carrie at cdavies@lapl.org.
Note: See site for details.
Where: West L.A. Regional Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Thursday the 18th
Time: 6 pm – 7 pm
Address: 11360 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/west-la-book-club
Poetry Book Launch: Mei Mei Holland, with Alli Cruz & Rose Nguyễn, & Year of the Cicada at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Author Mei Mei Holland, in conversation with Alli Cruz and Rose Nguyễn, will discuss her collection, Year of the Cicada
Mei-Mei Holland is a mixed-race Chinese American writer from the Washington, DC area, where she grew up the middle child in a family of three sisters. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her partner and her dog, Horatio. Year of the Cicada is Mei-Mei’s debut collection of poetry and prose.
Rose Nguyễn is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, she lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her partner and cat Minnie. She was selected as an honorable mention in the Best American Essays yearly anthology, and has been published in The Drift, among others.
Alli Cruz (she/her/ella) is an American writer of Filipinx and Cuban descent. A Lambda Literary Fellow, her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Los Angeles Review, The Margins, Hobart, and elsewhere. Alli holds a BA from Stanford and works at Sony Pictures Television.”.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Thursday the 18th
Time: 6 pm – 7 pm
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd., #1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/32759
Anna Bliss & Bonfire Night at Deisel, A Bookstore – In-Person Event
Anna Bliss will present and discuss her novel, Bonfire Night.
Bonfire NIght is an intricate historical novel set between London and Brighton, UK, during England’s anti-fascism protests of 1936 through the aftermath of WWII and features a young Irish Catholic photographer and a British Jewish medical student, each discovering the price of love, art, and ambition.
At twenty-one, Kate Grifferty is a press photographer in a Fleet Street agency. Talented and daring, she goes wherever the story might be—including, one October day, to an anti-fascism protest in East London. There, she meets David Rabatkin, a brilliant Jewish medical student who couldn’t be more different from her. Their love affair begins quickly and burns brightly, but as war looms, catastrophe drives Anna to her sister’s seaside boarding house in Brighton, while David tends patients at a busy London hospital while the Blitz rages. For Kate, never one to really consider marriage, the war has deepened her desire to capture images of life unfurling around her, the beauty and violence, struggles and joys.
Anna Bliss is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and the University of Sussex, where she wrote her dissertation on women’s narratives of the London Blitz during World War II. An alumna of the juried Northern California Writers’ Retreat, she also has studied at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Social Welfare, the American Jewish University, and the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and sons.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Diesel, A Bookstore
Date: Thursday the 18th
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 225 26th St., Suite 33, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Website: https://www.dieselbookstore.com/event/Anna-Bliss-January-18-Author-signing
Anthology Contributors & Isn’t She Great: Writers on Women Led Comedies for 9 to 5 to Booksmart at Book Soup – In-Person Event
Elizabeth Teets, Ella Gale, Aubrey Jacobowitz, Samantha Mann and more present the anthology Isn’t She Great: Writers on Women Led Comedies for 9 to 5 to Booksmart.
Based on Elizabeth Teets’s program series called “Isn’t She Great” at the Hollywood Theater, this anthology is a collection of the most beloved female-centric comedies and the audiences who adore them. From 9 to 5 to Romy and Michelle to the iconic Elle Woods, the essays in this collection build on our devotion to these films and continue the conversation around funny women and how these characters have shaped so many talented writers.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Thursday the 18th
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: https://www.booksoup.com/event/teets-gale-jacobowitz
RIPE Anthology Group Reading with: Eleanore Studer, Lila Seidman, Manuel Chavarria, Kate Bower, Tosh Berman, and Erin Alexanderat North Figueroa Bookshop – In-Person Event
North Figueroa Bookshop presents for a group reading celebrating RIPE, an anthology of erotic fiction published by local press Afterword Books! Featuring readings by Eleanore Studer, Lila Seidman, Manuel Chavarria, Kate Bower, Tosh Berman, and Erin Alexander!
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: North Figueroa Bookshop
Date: Thursday the 18th
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 6040 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90042
Website: https://northfigbookshop.com/event/#calendar-8a0f87f6-17d6-4f10-9815-04df4c8251ba-event-lq63654j
At Skylight: Linda Ravenswood, with Special Guests, & A Poem Is a House at Skylight Books – In-Person Event
Linda Ravenswood, with guests Senator Anthony Portantino, Kendalle Getty, Sola Saar, Brian Sonia Wallace, Arthur Kayzakian, and more,will presentand discuss her new collection, A Poem Is a House.
Linda Ravenswood BFA MA PhD abd is an American poet. She is the founding editor in Chief at The Los Angeles Press, est. 2015, and the founder of the Poet Laureate programme in Glendale, California. In 2023 her book—a poem is a house—won an Oxford Prize in Poetry, The Edwin Markham Prize in Poetry from US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, and The Arthur Smith Prize in Poetry from Madville Press. Her Literary Collections include The Stan Poems, Cantadora—Letters from California (Pushcart nominee, 2023) and the forthcoming Gloucestershire Poetry Prize winning, genre bender—girls in the desert (2025). Find her at thelosangelespress.com
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Skylight Books
Date: Thursday the 188h
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Website: https://www.skylightbooks.com/event/skylight-linda-ravenswood-presents-poem-house-w-special-guests
Poetry Writing Workshop at Westwood Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Gubnit Ní Dhúinn will present five workshops, each focused on a different poetic form.
January 19: Haiku
February 16: Sonnet
March 15: Villanelle
April 19: Acrostic
May 17: Ekphrastic
Equal time will be accorded to the discussion and composition of poetry. Those who come to relish the art form rather than create are also welcome.
This event is supported in part by Poets & Writers.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Westwood Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Friday the 19th
Time: 4 pm
Address: 1246 Glendon Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/poetry-writing-workshop
Book Talk: Amy Chua & The Golden Gate at Chevalier’s Bookstore – In-Person Event
Amy Chua will discuss her path to Yale law professor and author of conversation-starting books. Her recent book, The Golden Gate, is a historical novel. She is also the author of the book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.
Amy Chua is the John M. Duff, Jr. Professor of Law at Yale Law School. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College and cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was Executive Editor of the Harvard Law Review. After practicing on Wall Street for a few years, she joined the Yale Law School faculty in 2001 and is a noted expert in the areas of foreign policy, globalization, and ethnic conflict.
Amy is the bestselling author of numerous books, including World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability (2002), which was selected by both The Economist and the U.K.’s Guardian as a Best Book of 2003; Day of Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance – and Why They Fall (2007); The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America (2013); and Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations (2018). Her 2011 memoir Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother was a runaway international bestseller that has been translated into 30 languages. The Golden Gate (Minotaur, September 2023) is her debut novel and was selected as an Amazon Best Book of September
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Chevalier’s Books
Date: Friday the 19th
Time: 6 pm
Address: 133 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-talk-with-amy-chua-tickets-774953716427?aff=oddtdtcreator
Palette & Poetry: Art Viewing & Sales + Live Performances with Soul Stufat Mid City Arts Center – In-Person Event
The stage is set! Join us for Palette & Poetry in January. Our artists are uniting to create an amazing experience for the community! Step out to enjoy Visual Arts, Drinks, Live Performances by Feneco and More!
Palette & Poetry is a welcoming environment that connects the creator to the enthusiast! A place that artists can reach new audiences & an unique space to create lasting memories through music poetry and art.
Christian Perfas (Soul STUF) is a second generation Filipino-American spoken word poet who speaks on the Song, Truth Universal, and Flow of his own wandering spirit. Originally trained in the art of hip-hop and improv, Christian has learned from legendary spaces such as The Spoken Literature Art Movement at Art-Share LA, The Upright Citizens Brigade on Sunset, and Richard Horvitz’s 5 Steps To Success in North Hollywood.
NOTE: See site for cost, details, options.
Where: Mid City Arts Center
Date: Friday the 19th
Time: 6 pm – 9 pm (Art Viewing/Sales at 6 pm; Live Performances at 8:30 pm – 9 pm)
Address: 1644 S. La Cienega Blvd. Ste A, Los Angeles, CA 90035
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/los-angeles-art-exhibit-and-poetry-night-pp-tickets-782155958527
Deeper Fire/Through the Smoke, with Cecelia Woloch, Bogumila Delimata & Cristobal Osorioat Beyond Baroque – In-Person Event
Deeper Fire/Through the Smoke is an evening of poetry, performance, and dance.
Poet Cecilia Woloch and Roma performers Cristobal Osorio (from Spain) and Bogumiła Delimata (from Poland) present an evening of passion and enchantment combining spoken word, imagery, music, dance, and theater in the Gypsy spirit of duende.
Following the performance, join us for an outdoor afterparty in The Poets’ Garden.
Cecilia Woloch is a poet, writer, and performer based in Los Angeles. She has published six collections of poems, most recently an expanded and updated edition of Tsigan: The Gypsy Poem. Her honors include fellowships from the Fulbright Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Center for International Theatre Development. She collaborates regularly with musicians, dancers, visual artists, and theater artists around the world.
Bogumila Delimata was born in Wroclaw, Poland, and is of pure Gypsy heritage. A world-renowned Impressionist Romani painter combining feminist art with Romani roots, she is a Romani and Flamenco dancer and an acclaimed actress both in film and theater in her native Poland, with musical and dance performances throughout Europe and the Americas, as well.
Cristobal Osorio was born in Barcelona, Spain, and is a captivating singer and guitarist steeped in the art form of Flamenco. Considered “El Camaleón” in all musical genres as well as theatrical performances, he is known across the world from Europe to the Americas, Africa, Asia, and everywhere in between. Currently he is working in the United States on a project called Flamenco World Media Music.
NOTE: See site for costs, tickets, guidelines and details.
Where: Beyond Baroque
Date: Friday the 19th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 681 Venice Blvd., Venice, CA., 90291
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/deeper-firethrough-the-smoke-tickets-777193034287?aff=oddtdtcreator
Ed Begley Jr. & To the Temple of Tranquility…and Step on It!: A Memoir at Book Soup – In-Person Event
Ed Begley Jr. will discuss and sign his memoir, To the Temple of Tranquility…and Step on It!: A Memoir
Beloved actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. shares hilarious and poignant stories of his improbable life, focusing on his relationship with his legendary father, adventures with Hollywood icons, the origins of his environmental activism, addiction and recovery, and his lifelong search for wisdom and common ground.
NOTE: See site for guidelines and details.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Friday the 19th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA., 90069
Website: https://www.booksoup.com/event/ed-begley-jr
The Post Up Reading Event: Shaquan Lewisat Uptown Plants, Casa Verde L.A. – In-Person Event
Brenda Vaca hosts The Post Up Reading every 3rd Friday of the month, and the featured guest tonight is Shaquan Lewis.
Shaquan Lewis, known as @queenquannie was born and raised in the vibrant city of Los Angeles. Her journey as a writer began as a means to cope with the profound loss of her beloved grandfather, and she has been expressing her emotions through writing ever since. Shaquan’s unique talent lies in her ability to weave words into powerful poetry, captivating readers with her heartfelt and evocative verses. Shaquan is signed to Writing Journey 101 Press @writingjourney101press She will be releasing her debut books soon. She is a CLI @communitylitla alumni, champion of Trap Poetry Jam and member of Da Poetry Lounge.
Have something to share? Pull up early to get on the open mic list. Hosted by @iambrendavaca @plantfairylindz @bearded.plantdad It’s Brenda’s last night hosting so come through! We gather at 7:30 pm and get started closer to 8 p.m.
NOTE: See site for guidelines and details.
Where: Uptown Plants, Casa Verde LA
Date: Friday the 19th
Time: 7:30 pm (doors at 7 pm)
Address: 12909 Philadelphia St., Uptown Whittier, CA.
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/C182YqKu5g5/
Stanzarama: Featuring NYC poet George Wallace and LA poets Matt Sedillo, Susan Hayden, Luivette Resto, & hosted by Rich Ferguson at North Figueroa Bookshop – In-Person Event
Stanzarama is an event to celebrate NYC poet George Wallace and will feature LA poets Matt Sedillo, Susan Hayden, Luivette Resto, and be hosted by Rich Ferguson.
George Wallace is a NYC based poet and spoken word artist with 42 chapbooks, five albums of spoken word poetry, and an active schedule of appearances in NYC and worldwide, including 2924 scheduled appearances at the Medellin Poetry Festival (Colombia), Naoussa Poetry Festival (Greece), National Beat Poetry Festival, Lowell Celebrates Kerouac, St Augustine Poetry Festival, and performances at Ballon Vert and La Cave Cafe in Paris France. As writer in residence at the Walt Whitman Birthplace, he is creator of POETS BUILDING BRIDGES, now in its third season, triangulating groups of poets from different regions of the world.
Matt Sedillo has been hailed by journalists and historians as “the best political poet in America” as well as “the poet laureate of struggle.”
Sedillo has been featured on CSPAN, Axios, the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, La Jornada, El Machete, Counterpunch the Hampton Think, NPR for the Southwest and on countless other publications and broadcasts. Sedillo has spoken at hundreds of universities and cultural centers including the University of Cambridge, Stanford, UNAM, Casa de las Americas, La Esmerelda and ENAH.
Sedillo has been translated and published in Italian, Spanish and Hungarian, and is the recipient of numerous awards. Sedillo is the author of Mowing Leaves of Grass and City on the Second Floor.
Sedillo is the current Literary Director of the Mexican Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, the National Coordinator for the World Poetry Movement in the United States and the Co Founder of El Martillo Press.
Luivette Resto is an award-winning poet, a mother of 3 revolutionary humans, and a middle school English teacher. She was born in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico but proudly raised in the Bronx. She is a CantoMundo and Macondo Fellow and a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her two books of poetry Unfinished Portrait and Ascension have been published by Tía Chucha Press. Her third poetry collection Living on Islands Not Found on Maps was published by FlowerSong Press in 2022. Her work has been mentioned in the LA Times, Ms. Magazine, and North American Review. She sits on the board for Women Who Submit, and she was recently appointed associate editor for Tía Chucha Press.
Susan Hayden is a multigenre writer and the author of a hybrid memoir, Now You Are a Missing Person (Moon Tide Press, 2023) which received the Kirkus Star. She’s been published in Beat Not Beat (Moon Tide Press), Los Angeles in the 1970s/Weird Scenes Inside the Goldmine (Rare Bird Books) and elsewhere. She is the award-winning creator/producer of Library Girl, a monthly literary series now in its 15th year at Ruskin Group Theatre, Santa Monica.
L.A. poet/spoken-word performer Rich Ferguson has shared the stage with Patti Smith, Wanda Coleman, Moby, and other esteemed poets and musicians. He is a featured performer in the film, What About Me? featuring Michael Stipe, Michael Franti, k.d. lang, and others. His poetry and award-winning spoken-word music videos have appeared in numerous anthologies and festivals. Ferguson is the lead editor of an anthology of CA poets entitled Beat Not Beat (Moon Tide Press). He has been selected by the National Beat Poetry Foundation, Inc. (NBPF), to serve as U.S. Beat Poet Laureate (Sept. 2023 to Sept. 2024).
NOTE: See site for guidelines and details.
Where: North Figueroa Bookshop
Date: Friday the 19th
Time: 7:30 pm (Doors at 7 pm)
Address: 6040 N Figueroa St., Los Angeles CA 90042
Website: https://northfigbookshop.com/event/#calendar-8a0f87f6-17d6-4f10-9815-04df4c8251ba-event-lr5k2vbe
Your Author Series: Rilla Alexander & The New Rooster at Arroyo Secco Regional Library, LAPL – In-Person Kids Event
Embark on a whimsical adventure with illustrator Rilla Alexander! Join us for a delightful day as children get the exciting opportunity to meet a talented illustrator in person and discover the enchanting world of illustrating books. Rilla will spark creativity, ignite imaginations, and foster a love for the visual arts in our budding readers by sharing her book The New Rooster. Don’t miss this chance for your little ones to connect with the magic behind the illustrations and be inspired to explore their own artistic journeys!
Those attending the program will have the opportunity to take home a copy of The New Rooster.
Intended for ages 3 and up.
NOTE: See site for RSVP and details.
Where: Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 10:30 am
Address: 6145 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90042
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/your-author-series-rilla-alexander
Suzanne & Max Lang & Grumpy Monkey Spring Fever at Once Upon a Time – In-Person Kids Event
New York Times bestselling author and illustrator team Suzanne and Max Lang will present a special flower-powered story time for Grumpy Monkey Spring Fever. The two will read their book, draw with the kids, and host a themed craft activity. Best for ages 4+.
NOTE: See site for RSVP and details.
Where: Once Upon a Time
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 11 am
Address: 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020
Website: https://www.shoponceuponatime.com/event/grumpy-monkey-spring-fever
Poetry Workshop at Central Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Join this inclusive, in-person poetry workshop where poets of all levels can come together, share their work, and foster a vibrant poetry community. Participants are invited to bring a poem, no longer than one page, to read and receive valuable feedback from fellow poets. Engage in thoughtful discussions and provide your own insights on the work of others. Whether you’re a seasoned poet or just starting out, this workshop offers a supportive environment to refine your craft, connect with like-minded individuals, and celebrate the power of words.
NOTE: See site for RSVP and details.
Where: Central Library, LAPL Literature & Fiction Study Rooms,
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 11 am – 1 pm
Address: 630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/poetry-workshop-1
Kids Storytime: Ryan Hartford & Searching for Polaris at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Author, filmmaker, and photographer Ryan Hartford will read his award-winning children’s book, Searching for Polaris. He will be available after for Q&A and book signing.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 11 am – 12 pm
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd., #1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/33208
Children’s Storytime: Lesley M.M. Blume & Alice Atherton’s Grand Tour at Chevalier’s Bookstore – In-Person Kids Event
Lesley M.M. Blume will discuss her children’s book Alice Atherton’s Grand Tour.
From the author of the much-loved novel Cornelia & the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters comes Alice Atherton’s Grand Tour, a heartwarming story of a young girl sent to live with the extraordinary Murphy family in southern France as she comes to terms with her mother’s death.
Ten-year-old Alice Atherton is sent by her father to spend the summer with his dear friends, the Murphys, who live with their three children and pet monkey in the French Riviera. There, Alice meets and learns from some of the most extraordinary luminaries of the time. She visits a junk yard where Pablo Picasso is looking for objects to make into art, performs a dance inspired by celestial bodies with the renowned Ballet Russes, and imagines magical adventures with Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Lesley M. M. Blume is an award-winning journalist, historian, and bestselling author. She is the author of several critically acclaimed middle-grade novels, including Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters, Julia and the Art of Practical Travel, The Rising Star of Rusty Nail, and Tennyson, which the Chicago Tribune praised for its “brilliant, unusual writing.” Her adult books include Fallout: The Hiroshima Cover-up and the Reporter Who Revealed It to the World and Everybody Behaves Badly: The True Story Behind Hemingway’s Masterpiece The Sun Also Rises.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Chevalier’s Books
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 12 pm – 1 pm
Address: 133 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004
LGBTQ Book Club via Silver Lake Branch Library, LAPL – Online Event
Every third Saturday of the month at Noon LGBTQ Book Club presents an engaging book discussion. Email silver@lapl.org for the Zoom link.
We will be discussing the following title:
Jan. 20: Fire Island A Century in the Life of An American Paradise by Jack Parlett.
NOTE: See site for link and details.
Where: Silver Lake Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 12 pm
Address: Online Event
Website: https://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/lgbtq-book-club
Your Author Series: Ozomatli & Ozokidz Moose on the Loose at Central Library, LAPL – In-Person Kids Event
Popular Los Angeles rock group Ozomatli shares their new children’s book Moose on the Loose followed up with a high-energy family concert featuring Ozokidz, a branch of the Ozomatli collective that is dedicated to creating music that engages and entertains young audiences.
Intended for ages three and up.
Reservations are not required but highly encouraged. To reserve your seat, please go to this link. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
NOTE: See site for link and details.
Where: Central Library, LAPL, Mark Taper Auditorium
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 1 pm
Address: 630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071
Website: https://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/your-author-presents-ozomatli-ozo-kids-moose-loose
WeHo Arts Presents: Palabras Lit Salon & Celebrating Civil Rights Heroes, with Poet Laureate Jen Cheng at Plummer Park – In-Person Event
This event will feature a panel of civil rights leaders, Palabras Literary Salon, a reception, and shopping with arts vendors. West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng for an afternoon celebrating civil rights heroes:
1:30pm-3pm: A panel of civil rights leaders speak about building coalitions.
Rudy Ortega is a former Chairman of the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission and has served on the Commission since 2004.
Shonda Buchanan is an award-winning author and educator who has freelanced for the Los Angeles Times, the LA Weekly, AWP’s The Writer’s Chronicle, Indian Country Today, Westways Magazine, Sisters of AARP and The International Review of African American Art. Shonda is also published in Tab Journal, Inlandia Institute’s The Black Experience Anthology, the Mississippi Review, Urban Voices: 51 Poems from 51 American Poets, Black Renaissance/Renaissance Noire, Art Meets Literature: An Undying Love Affair, Phati’tude Literary Magazine, Red Ink, Strange Cargo: An Emerging Voices Anthology. Her latest book is Black Indian: A Memoir.
Ronna Magy is a professional development specialist, curriculum developer and materials writer. Experienced teacher trainer and staff development specialist in the field of adult second language learning. Author of poetry, short story, memoir.
Miya Iwataki‘s life experience as an AAPI woman activist, Japanese American warrior for Justice and Reparations; KPFK-FM East Wind Radio host; architect of diversity and cultural competency programs for LA County Health; have Inspired a lifelong respect for cultures, community and commitment to justice and equity. Her poetry, writings and columns are shaped by an appreciation for the profound effect of words and language on our culture and our times. As Vice President of Little Tokyo Historical Society, she’s working to preserve the history, legacy and cultural soul of Little Tokyo in the face of gentrification.
Marth Gonzalez is the lead singer of the Grammy Award–winning rock band Quetzal and a scholar of Chicana/o and Latina/o studies at Scripps College. Music and the power it invokes is at the heart of her practice as a musician, scholar, and activist. Her book is Chican@ Artivistas: Music, Community and Transborder Tactics in East Los Angeles.
3:30pm-5pm: an edition of Palabras Literary Salon featuring BIPOC poets and writers sharing around the theme “visionaries.”
Before, after and between these sessions enjoy a reception and shopping with arts vendors. The event is free admission, but we request that you RSVP here.
For more information about the event, visit: https://go.weho.org/poet
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Plummer Park Community Center
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 1 pm – 6 pm
Address: 7377 Santa Monica Blvd., Rooms 5 and 6, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrating-civil-rights-heroes-with-poet-laureate-jen-cheng-tickets-776502619237
GLP Practice at Get Lit – Words Ignite – In-Person Teen Event
Get Lit Players Practice sessions every Saturday afternoon.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Get Lit – Words Ignite
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 2 pm – 4 pm
Address: info@getlit.org or 213-388-8639
Website: info@getlit.org
Jimin Han, with Rosa Easton, & The Apology at pages: a bookstore – In-Person Event
Author Jimin Han, in conversation with Rosa Easton, will discuss her beautiful novel, The Apology on Saturday, January 20th at 2 pm. This is a free event but please consider supporting {pages} and the author.
This “sweeping intergenerational saga” tells the story of a pampered and defiant South Korean matriarch thrust into the afterlife from which she seeks a second chance to make amends (Kirstin Chen)—and fights off a tragic curse that could devastate generations to come.
In South Korea, a 105-year-old woman receives a letter. Ten days later, she has been thrust into the afterlife, fighting to head off a curse that will otherwise devastate generations to come.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: {pages} a bookstore
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 2 pm
Address: 904 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Website: https://www.pagesabookstore.com/event/jimin-han-conversation-rosa-easton
BUSTED! Movie + outdoor picnicat Poetic Research Bureau – In-Person Event
BUSTED! a critical conversation series –> began in Jan 2023 –> and aims to invigorate a community of artists, writers, activists, citizens, conformists, and anti-conformists about the state of community through the ever-refracting prism of power. BUSTED! slides into 2024 with a movie and indoor picnic, as we contemplate alienation, community, and our urban home(s).
We’ll watch a matinee film and consider our own relationships to the provocative questions the film engenders. Communities are broken and formed inside the film and BUSTED! also will ask us to think about our own. Questions drive the BUSTED! conversation series –> there will be no easy answers.
What does community mean in the city we live in? How has community thrived, how has it failed? What does it take to build community? How do we make community within the proliferating polarization (economic, racial, political) of our times? How do we address the alienation and polarization inside our city? What does it take to build truly inclusive and diverse communities? Do we have the strength?
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Poetic Research Bureau
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 12 pm
Address: 2220 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057
Website: https://www.poeticresearch.com/events/busted-movie-indoor-picnic
Author Talk: Major General Peter J. Gravett, United States Army, Ret. & Battling While Black at San Pedro Regional Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Author Major General Peter J. Gravett, United States Army, Ret. discusses the contributions African Americans made during General Patton’s campaigns in France, Belgium, and Germany during the Second World War. General Gravett will read excerpts from his book Battling While Black: General Patton’s Heroic African American Battalions. Participants will learn about the exploits of four African American battalions made in the battles, and there will be time for questions and answers as well. for a discussion of her new book
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: San Pedro Regional Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 2 pm – 4 pm
Address: 931 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro, CA 90731
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/author-talk
Creative Writing Group at Central Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Calling all writers of fiction, screenplays, poetry, etc. Get feedback on your writing in a fun, supportive environment. Meetings include a writing prompt/exercise, snacks, and a rollicking good time! Whether you are just starting out or well on your way to glory, join us and banish (at least temporarily) those Lonely Writer Blues!
RSVP:
Please RSVP by emailing fiction@lapl.org today.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, guidelines, and details.
Where: Central Library, LAPL, Literature & Fiction Study Rooms
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm
Address: 630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/writers-group-0
Saturday Afternoon Poetry: Poetry Reading by Denise Dumars, Jean-Pierre Rueda & Micah Tasaka & Four Fathers Press Poets – Online Zoom Event
Hosted by DKC & JRT, featured poets for a poetry reading will include: Denise Dumars, Jean-Pierre Rueda & Micah Tasaka + Poets published in Four Feathers Press online edition: Body Parts.
Don Kingfisher Campbell hosts and curates these events.
Where: Saturday Afternoon Poetry
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm
Address: Online Zoom Event
Website: http://saturdayafternoonpoetry.blogspot.com/
Brenda Perlin & Punks at Book Soup – In-Person Event
Brenda Perlin will discuss and sign her book, Punks.
Leaving aside the fact that The Damned are still alive and performing – the strain of rebellion that characterized much of the movement is still with us. It has simply evolved, in much the same way that punk itself had its roots in garage rock (and the availability of cheap guitars!). One only has to watch the news to see that the spirit of anarchy and struggle against the System continues.
So maybe it’s time to re-visit those days of stripped-down, anti-establishment music. Though, for some of us, we’re not really paying a visit to the past: a part of us never really left it to begin with.
NOTE: See site for guidelines and details.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 4 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA., 90069
Website: https://www.booksoup.com/event/brenda-perlin-2024
Sci-Fi Fantasy Book Club: Sea of Tranquility at Cellar Door Bookstore – In-Person Event
Sci-Fi Fantasy Book Club participants will discuss Sea of Tranquility: A Novel, by author Emily St. John Mandel.
Sea of Tranquility is a novel of art, time travel, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Cellar Door Bookstore
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 5 pm
Address: 473 E. Alessandro Blvd., Suite B, Riverside, CA 92508
Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/event/sci-fi-fantasy-book-club-sea-tranquility
Book Launch & Signing: Angelina Sáenz & Maestra and ire’ne lara silva & the eaters of flowers at Horchateria Rio Luna – In-Person Event
Authors Angelina Saenz will discuss her book, Maiestra andTexas Poet Laureate, ire’ne lara silva, will present her book, the eaters of flowers.
Poet David Quiroz will be our esteemed MC, Poets Luivette Resto, Bridgette Bianca, and Teresa Mei Chuc will feature as well. A dance party will follow and the music will be provided by the amazing GFunk Trece. Artwork and merchandise by Lorna Alkana will be available for purchase. Food, drinks, and postres can be bought with Horchatería Rio Luna. Come and enjoy the gorgeous space, beautiful people, the words and the celebration!
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Horchateria Rio Luna
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 5 pm – 11 pm
Address: 15950 Paramount Boulevard Paramount, CA 90723
Book Signings: Sherrie L. Smith & Elizabeth Wein: American Wings and Flygirl at Once Upon a Time – In-Person Kids Event
Sherri L. Smith is not a pilot, but she makes an excellent passenger (unless it’s a very small plane). She is the author of numerous acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books for young people, including Flygirl, the winner of the California Book Awards’ Gold Medal; The Blossom and the Firefly, the winner of the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators; Orleans; and Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen? She teaches creative writing at Hamline University. Born in Chicago, Sherri now lives in Los Angeles. Learn more at SherriLSmith.com and follow her on Twitter @Sherri_L_Smith.
Elizabeth Wein is a recreational pilot and the owner of about a thousand maps. She is the author of several young adult novels, including Code Name Verity, an Edgar Award winner and a #1 New York Times bestseller; Black Dove, White Raven, winner of the Children’s Africana Book Award; and most recently, Stateless. Her book A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II was a finalist for YALSA’s Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award. A dual American-British citizen, Elizabeth lives in Scotland. Learn more at ElizabethWein.com and follow her on Twitter @EWein2412.
NOTE: See site for RSVP and details.
Where: Once Upon a Time
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 5 pm
Address: 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020
Website: https://www.shoponceuponatime.com/event/sherri-l-smith-and-elizabeth-wein-signed-books
Anna Bliss & Bonfire Night at pages: a bookstore – In-Person Event
Author Anna Bliss will discuss her debut novel, Bonfire Night on Saturday, January 20th at 5pm. This is a free event but please consider supporting {pages} and the author by purchasing a book for you or a friend.
Spanning from England’s anti-fascism protests of 1936 through the aftermath of WWII, this moving, intricately wrought historical novel brings together a young Irish Catholic photographer and a British Jewish medical student, each discovering the price of love, art, and ambition…
Anna Bliss is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and the University of Sussex, where she wrote her dissertation on women’s narratives of the London Blitz during World War II. An alumna of the juried Northern California Writers’ Retreat, she also has studied at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Social Welfare, the American Jewish University, and the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and sons and can be found online at AnnaBlissAuthor.com and on instagram @annablissauthor.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: pages: a bookstore
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 5:30 pm
Address: 904 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Website: https://www.pagesabookstore.com/event/author-anna-bliss-discusses-her-debut-novel-bonfire-night
Pages on Stages: Juan Amador and Guests & Pimping My Trauma at Sims Library of Poetry – In-Person Event
Author Juan Amador will celebrate the release of his collection, Pimping My Trauma.
Featuring Juan Amador, actor and spoken-word artist from South Central LA. He’s excited to release his first poetry book titled Pimping My Trauma with Riots of Roses Publishing. He cannot wait to see it in everyone’s hands in Fall 2024.
Guest readers:
Mr. Chai Tea is an engineer by day, clown by night, and he embodies the spirit of chaos. His unique voice blends vulnerability and laughter in comedy and poetry, sharing stories on mics throughout LA. He released his first book, HOW CHAI TEA IS MADE, available now. You can find him at your local boba shop or board gaming with friends.
Gia Civerolo is the author of She Confuses Lovers, Movies, Angels and Poems.
Tasha Thomas is an L.A. native and Community Literature Initiative writer. She works for a living like everyone else – some of it a total joy, some of it not so much. Her vision for and service to community is currently JOKOCollective, which is a grassroots self-education program on a mission to generate working class intellectuals who are inspired to spread a gospel of critical thinking & historical and political awareness to address matters of special concern to Black Peoples.
Soul on Fire, aka Mauricio Andres Moreno, is the author of his recently released debut collection, Anatomy of a Flame.
Annalicia Aguilar is the author of the debut book, Broken, But Holding and the chapbook Odes from a Muse.
Rudy Lopez is the author of Sidewalk Prophet: Matters of the Heart.
Hosted by Karo Ska, author of Loving My Salt Drenched Bones.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Sims Library of Poetry
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 6 pm
Address: 2702 W. Florence Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043
Book Launch: ArushiAvachat, with Christine Riccio, & Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment at The Ripped Bodice – In-Person Event
ArushiAvachat, in conversation with Christine Riccio, will discuss her book Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment.
This is a ticketed event. A book signing will follow the discussion.
NOTE: See site for tickets, guidelines, and details.
Where: The Ripped Bodice
Date: Saturday the 20th
Time: 7 pm – 9:30 pm
Address: Main Street, Culver City, CA 90323
Website: https://www.therippedbodicela.com/events-and-tickets
Book Signing: StacyPlays Meet and Greet for Rescue Tails at Once Upon a Time – In-Person Kids Event
Bestselling author and YouTube star StacyPlays is visiting fans at Once Upon A Time Bookstore for her new book: Rescue Tails: The Trecherous Tower. Best for fans ages 8+.
Stacy and her intelligent pack of wolves live in harmony together in a forest cave. But when their friend Milo the bat brings news that a baby ocelot is in danger and needs to be returned to its family, Stacy and Basil must hurry to the jungle biome in order to save the day! After tracking the lost ocelot, they discover it’s trapped in a long-lost tower that’s full of obstacles, traps, and dangerous creatures. Will Stacy and her wolf Basil rescue the ocelot before it’s too late?
Rescue Tails: The Treacherous Tower is the first book in an all-new Minecraft-inspired adventure series from StacyPlays, the New York Times bestselling author and YouTube sensation with more than 2.3 million subscribers!
NOTE: See site for RSVP and details.
Where: Once Upon a Time
Date: Sunday the 21st
Time: 2 pm
Address: 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020
Website: https://www.shoponceuponatime.com/event/stacyplays-rescue-tails
Banned Books Reading Group at West L.A. Regional Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
The banned books reading group will be reading materials that have been historically challenged or are on the American Library Association’s current challenge list. Copies will be available for loan at the library.
NOTE: See site for RSVP and details.
Where: West Los Angeles Regional Branch, LAPL
Date: Sunday the 21st
Time: 2 pm
Address: 11360 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/banned-books-reading-group
L.A. Made Presents: Black Punk Now at West L.A. Regional Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Discover the inspiration and purpose that fueled the creation of Black Punk Now, James Spooner, and Chris L. Terry’s latest book. Curated from the perspective of Black writers with connections to the world of punk, the collection mixes media as well as generations, creating a new reference point for music lovers, readers, and historians by capturing the present and looking toward the future. With strong visual elements integrated throughout, this smart, intimate collection is demonstrative of punk by being punk itself: underground, rebellious, aesthetic but not static—working to decenter whiteness by prioritizing other perspectives. The co-authors will lead a table reading followed by a moderated conversation with Tunde Adebimpe and Kash Abdulmalik. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to gain insights into the book’s inception and join in the discussion with our talented creators.
James Spooner is a graphic novelist, filmmaker, and tattoo artist best known for directing the seminal documentary Afro-Punk (2003) and co-creating the Afro-Punk Festival. His graphic memoir The High Desert, about being Black in small-town California and finding salvation in punk, came out in 2022.
Chris L. Terry is the author of the novels Black Card and Zero Fade. Born in 1979 to a Black father and white mother, Terry spent his late teens and early twenties touring as the vocalist for different Richmond, Virginia punk bands. He now lives and teaches in Los Angeles.
Tunde Adebimpe is a musician, actor, animator, director, and visual artist who also sings for the band TV on the Radio.
Kash Abdulmalik grew up in the golden age of hip-hop in the 1990s. Often one to jump in on a cipher or freestyle battle, it all changed for him one day in high school after hearing Minor Threat. He moved to Los Angeles and started the hardcore punk band Bad Reaction. Now a writer and actor, he is currently working on multiple projects in film and television involving black rock and roll, comedy, and horror, including a biopic on Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and other original works.
Reservations are not required but are highly encouraged. To reserve your seat, please go to this link. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
NOTE: See site for RSVP and details.
Where: Central Library, LAPL, Nark Taper Auditorium
Date: Sunday the 21st
Time: 2 pm
Address: 630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/la-made-presents-black-punk-now
Bucket List Book Club: A Swim in the Pond in the Rain at Cellar Door Bookstore – In-Person Event
Bucket List Book Club participants will discuss A Swim in the Sun in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life, by author George Saunders.
For the last twenty years, George Saunders has been teaching a class on the Russian short story to his MFA students at Syracuse University. In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, he shares a version of that class with us, offering some of what he and his students have discovered together over the years. Paired with iconic short stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, the seven essays in this book are intended for anyone interested in how fiction works and why it’s more relevant than ever in these turbulent times.
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain is a deep exploration not just of how great writing works but of how the mind itself works while reading, and of how the reading and writing of stories make genuine connection possible.
George Saunders is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including Lincoln in the Bardo, which won the Man Booker Prize; Congratulations, by the way; Tenth of December, a finalist for the National Book Award; The Braindead Megaphone; and the critically acclaimed short story collections CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, Pastoralia, and In Persuasion Nation. He teaches in the creative writing program at Syracuse University.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Cellar Door Bookstore
Date: Sunday the 21st
Time: 3 pm
Address: 473 E. Alessandro Blvd., Suite B, Riverside, CA 92508
Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/event/bucket-list-book-club-swim-pond-rain
Focus on Craft Book Clubat The Ripped Bodice – In-Person Event
January’s Focus on Craft Book Club participants will discuss The Marquis Who Mustn’tl, by author Courtney Milan.
Development editor and teacher Jeanne De Vita leads this book club on examining romance novels from a writer’s viewpoint, but everyone is welcome.
No membership is necessary, feel free to show up!
NOTE: See site for tickets, guidelines, and details.
Where: The Ripped Bodice
Date: Sunday the 21st
Time: 7:15 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: Main Street, Culver City, CA 90323
Website: https://www.therippedbodicela.com/events-and-tickets
Los Angeles Literature 