LGTBQ+ Book Club: Blackouts at Cellar Door Bookstore – In-Person Event
Participants will discuss Blackouts: A Novel by author Justin Torres.
A book about storytelling—its legacies, dangers, delights, and potential for change—and a bold exploration of form, art, and love, Justin Torres’s Blackouts uses fiction to see through the inventions of history and narrative. A marvel of creative imagination, it draws on testimony, photographs, illustrations, and a range of influences as it insists that we look long and steadily at what we have inherited and what we have made—a world full of ghostly shadows and flashing moments of truth. A reclamation of ransacked history, a celebration of defiance, and a transformative encounter, Blackouts mines the stories that have been kept from us and brings them into the light.
Justin Torres is the author of We the Animals, which won the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, was translated into fifteen languages, and was adapted into a feature film. He was named a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35,” a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, and a Cullman Center Fellow at the New York Public Library. His short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, Granta, Tin House, and The Washington Post. He lives in Los Angeles and teaches at UCLA.
Where: Cellar Door Bookstore
Date: Monday the 28th
Time: 6 pm – 8 pm
Address: 473 E. Alessandro Blvd., Suite B, Riverside, CA 92508
Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/event/lgbtq-book-club-blackouts
Mar Vista Book Club: Books and Communi-Tea at Mar Vista Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
We welcome all readers to our book club; no sign up is required.
For each month’s title, please contact the branch. Copies of the book are available at the Reference Desk for check-out.
Participants will discuss Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
Where: Mar Vista Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Monday the 28th
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 12006 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/mar-vista-book-club-books-and-communi-tea
Big Read Book Discussion: The House on Mango Street at Sherman Oaks Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Join us to discuss The Big Read for 2025.
Participants will discuss The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.
Where: Sherman Oaks Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Monday the 28th
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 14245 Moorpark St., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/big-read-book-discussion-house-mango-street-2
Rupo Open Mic at Back to the Grind in Riverside – In-Person Event
RUPO Open Mic is every Monday Night at Back to the Grind in Riverside.
Every Monday at 7 pm to 9 pm. Sign-ups are at 6:30 pm and in person only, $4 cash admission. See you then!
NOTE: See site for link and details.
Where: Back to the Grind, Riverside
Date: Monday the 28th
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Address: 3575 University Ave. Riverside, CA 92501
Website: https://www.facebook.com/backtothegrind
TICKETED EVENT: Bonnie Tsui, with Charles Yu, & On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters at Book Soup – In-Person Event
Bonnie Tsui, in conversation with Charles Yu, will discuss and sign On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters.
From the bestselling author of Why We Swim comes a mind-expanding exploration of muscle—from our ancient obsession with the ideal human form to the modern science of this amazing and adaptable tissue—that will change the way you think about what moves us through the world.
In On Muscle, Bonnie Tsui brings her signature blend of science, culture, immersive reporting, and personal narrative to examine not just what muscles are but what they mean to us. Cardiac, smooth, skeletal—these three different types of muscle in our bodies make our hearts beat; push food through our intestines, blood through our vessels, babies out the uterus; attach to our bones and allow for motion.
This book shows us the poetry in the physical, and the surprising ways muscle can reveal what we’re capable of.
Where: Book Soup
Date: Monday the 28th
Time: 7 pm – 8 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Under the Tree We Dream: A Monthly Writing Circle with Alex Petunia at Holy Grounds Coffee – In-Person Event
An Invitation to write and dream with generative props and creative community.
Hosted by Alex Petunia.
All writing levels welcome.
Entrance requires a drink purchase.
Where: Holy Grounds
Date: Monday the 28th
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 5371 Alhambra Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90032
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEOGc5KSBsC/?img_index=1
NEW DATE: Gayle Forman, with Lauren Oliver, & Signs After Life at Vroman’s – In-Person Event
Gayle Forman, in conversation with Lauren Oliver, will discuss and sign Signs After Life.
One spring afternoon after school, Amber arrives home on her bike. It’s just another perfectly normal day. But when Amber’s mom sees her, she screams.
Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while on the very same bicycle she’s inexplicably riding now.
This return doesn’t only impact Amber. Her sister, Melissa, now seven years older, must be a new kind of sibling to Amber. Amber’s estranged parents are battling over her. And the changes ripple farther and farther out: Amber’s friends, boyfriend, and even people she met only once have been deeply affected by her life and death. In the midst of everyone’s turmoil, Amber is struggling with herself. What kind of person was she? How and why was she given this second chance?
This magnificent tour de force by acclaimed author Gayle Forman brilliantly explores the porous veil between life and death, examines the impact that one person can have on the world, and celebrates life in all its beautiful complexity.
Where: Vroman’s
Date: Monday the 28th
Time: 7 pm – 8 pm
Address: 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Monday Night Fiction Workshop via Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center – 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 Literary Arts Center – Online event
Date: Monday the 28th
Time: 7:30 pm – 10 pm
Address: Zoom Online Event (see site)
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monday-night-fiction-workshop-tickets-1333914507199
No Pulp Open Mic at Work Evolution Laboratories – In-Person Event
This open mic event is held every 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month.
Where: Work Evolution Laboratories
Date: Monday the 28th
Time: 8:30 pm – 11 pm (Doors at 7:30)
Address: 235 E. Broadway, Suite 800, Long Beach, CA 90802
Website: https://www.lbpoetry.com/
Lit Angels: Heal Through Writing with Francesca Lia Block at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Let Francesca help you with all aspects of your writing!
Do you want to write professionally or for personal satisfaction and healing but aren’t sure where to start and need some inspiring tips and support? Do you have a project that needs revision? Are you feeling stuck creatively? Join acclaimed author and writing instructor Francesca Lia Block for a discussion of her 12 Questions followed by free writing and Q&A. Come be a part of the supportive Lit Angels writing community and consider writing a story to share at our Valentine’s event on 2/7 for possible submission in Lit Angels Journal.
Francesca Lia Block is the author of more than thirty books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry, and has written screenplay adaptations of her work. She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association, and from the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, and PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY. Currently she teaches creative writing at UCLA Extension, Antioch University, Pocket MFA, and numerous workshops across the country. Francesca also edits LIT ANGELS, a literary journal available on Substack. Her latest novel is HOUSE OF HEARTS now out in paper ack. https://www.francescaliablock.com/
Note: Please RSVP at site.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 10 am – 11 am
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd. #1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/1885820250429
Bestsellers Book Club: The Marriage Portrait at Stevenson Ranch Library, LACL – In-Person Event
Join us and enjoy a lively book discussion and an art project. All supplies will be provided. For adults.
Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to wonder at its treasures, observe its clandestine workings, and devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to the ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf.
As Lucrezia sits in constricting finery for a painting intended to preserve her image for centuries to come, one thing becomes worryingly clear. In the court’s eyes, she has one duty: to provide the heir who will shore up the future of the Ferranese dynasty. Until then, for all of her rank and nobility, the new duchess’s future hangs entirely in the balance.
Where: Stevenson Ranch Library, LACL
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 11:30 am – 1 pm
Address: 25950 The Old Rd., Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13222952
Teen Poetry Contest at Claremont Helen Renwick Library, LACL – In-Person Teen Event
Celebrate National Poetry Month entering our third annual teen poetry contest! Youth in grades 7-12 can submit an original poem for a chance to win a gift card and have their poem printed in a booklet anthology.
See website for complete list of rules.
Poems will be judged in three categories:
Grades 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12.
1st place in each category will receive a $50 gift card.
The top 15 finalists will also have their poem printed in a booklet anthology that will be distributed to the finalists and displayed at the library.
Pick up an entry form at Claremont Library. You can submit the completed entry form and your poem by dropping it off or mailing it to Claremont Helen Renwick Library. You can also email your entry form and poem to pespinosa@library.lacounty.gov
The deadline for submission is April 30, 2025.
Where: Claremont Helen Renwick Library, LACL
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 12 pm – 8 pm
Address: 208 N. Harvard Ave. N, Claremont, CA 91711
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13276740
Spoiler Alert! The Venice Library Young Adult Book Club at Venice – Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch Library, LAPL – Online Teen Event
The Spoiler Alert! Young Adult Book Club is a teen book club where, each month, a different book will be chosen in the hopes of trying new genres, carousing the library catalog, and, of course, spilling those spoilers.
NOTE: Ages 14-18 only.
Where: Venice – Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch Library
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 4:30 am – 5:30 pm
Address: Online Event (see site)
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/spoiler-alert-venice-library-young-adult-book-club-0
Poetry Zines for Teens at Alondra Library, LACL – In-Person Teen Event
It’s Poetry Month! Let’s express our feelings and emotions by creating unique poetry zines. All materials included.
NOTE: Ages 13-17 only.
Where: Alondra Library, LACL
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Address: 11949 Alondra Blvd., Norwalk, CA 90650
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13289868
Hooked on Books Book Club at Quartz Hill Library, LACL – In-Person Teen Event
Join us as we journey through Horse by Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks. For adults.
A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, Brooks braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history.
Copies are available at the Customer Service desk and newcomers are always welcome!
Where: Quartz Hill Library, LACL
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 6 pm – 7 pm
Address: 5040 W. Ave M 2, Quartz Hill, CA 93536
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13139112
Iocoboni Book Club at Angelo M. Iocobani Library, LACL – In-Person Event
Join us for our monthly book club! This month we’ll be discussing What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama. Copies of the book will be available at the customer service desk. This program is for adults.
Where: Angelo M. Iacobani Library, LACL
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 6 pm – 7 pm
Address: 4990 Clark Ave., Lakewood, CA 90712
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13293302
LGBTQ+ Book Club: Small Rain at West Hollywood Library, LACL – In-Person & Online Hybrid Event
Join the LGBTQ+ Book Club for a hybrid (in-person and online) discussion of Small Rain by Garth Greenwell. For adults.
This is a hybrid event and will be hosted in-person in the West Hollywood Library Community Meeting Room as well as on Zoom. Please contact the library to borrow a print copy of the book. Register at the link below to receive the link to the meeting via email.
https://library-lacounty-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pd-Goqz4uGNNbzVuW720zsRrGxTK1VeLG
West Hollywood Library’s LGBTQ+ Book Club meets on the last Tuesday of the month to discuss literary works of relevance and interest to the LGBTQ+ community.
Summary provided by the publisher:
A poet’s life is turned inside out by a sudden, wrenching pain. The pain brings him to his knees, and eventually to the ICU. Confined to bed, plunged into the dysfunctional American healthcare system, he struggles to understand what is happening to his body, as someone who has lived for many years in his mind.
Where: West Hollywood Library, LACL
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 6 pm – 7 pm
Address: 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/12981698
Conchas y Café Bilingual Writing Zine Workshop via DSTL Arts – Online Event
Our Conchas y Café bilingual community writing workshop series is a 15-week virtual course that explores skills in poetry and other forms of creative writing. Writers of all skill levels are welcome to join.
The SPRING 2025 SEMESTER will culminate with the publishing of Conchas y Café Zine; Vol. 10, Issue 2.
The theme we will be exploring during this series and zine is the concept: “TBD.”
Days and Times: Tuesdays (weekly); 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
To enroll in our series, visit: https://classroom.google.com
Nuestra serie de clases bilingües comunitarias de escritura ‘Conchas y Café’ es un curso virtual de 15 semanas que explora técnicas poéticas y otras formas de escritura creativa. Autores de todo nivel técnico son bienvenidos a participar.
Where: DSTL Arts
Date: Tuesday the 29th (through May 6, 2025)
Time: 6:30 pm – 8 pm
Address: Online Event
Website: https://www.dstlarts.org/calendar
Open Mic Readings Every Tuesday at the Aftermath Bar, Sherman Oaks – In-Person Event
CALLING ALL WRITERS! Every Tuesday we’ll be having Open Mic Readings open to the public! Read your poems, fiction, and spoken word at our open mic reading EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT from 7 pm – 10 pm!
Read your poetry, fiction, spoken word or lyrics.
Free event. 21+
Note: Please RSVP at site.
Where: The Aftermath Bar
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 7 pm – 10 pm
Address: 14537 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Website: https://www.instagram.com/theaftermathbar
Collin Armstrong, with Kevin Haulihan, & Sister, Sinner: Polybius at Book Soup – In-Person Event
Collin Armstrong, in conversation with Kevin Haulihan, will discuss and signPolybius.
This novel is based on the terrifying urban legend about a video game created by the government for psychological warfare.
October, 1982. Forced to move to the quiet seaside town of Tasker Bay by her mother, the only thing on high schooler Andi’s mind is saving up enough money to return to her old stomping grounds in Silicon Valley. Her self-taught skills with all things electronic make her a perfect fit for a job at the dingy local arcade where she can tune out from life and bankroll her eventual escape.
Pining over the distant and aloof Andi is Ro, the son of Tasker Bay’s sheriff, who begins spending more time at the arcade. Despite promising herself she wouldn’t get attached to anyone in town, Andi finds herself opening up to the thoughtful, like-minded Ro.
When Polybius—a new bleeding-edge game of unknown origin arrives—the shop is suddenly overwhelmed with players fighting for time on the machine. Seemingly overnight, a virus-like epidemic grips Tasker Bay while a violent coastal storm rolls in, isolating it from the outside world. People begin experiencing fits of anger, paranoia, and hallucinations—no one can be trusted. After a grisly act of violence goes unsolved, the town descends into chaos. Is the arrival of this mysterious game and the disorder in Tasker Bay a coincidence? Convinced the dire situation is somehow linked to Polybius, Andi and Ro desperately search for clues that might stop the spread before they, too, begin experiencing side effects…
Where: Book Soup
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 7 pm – 8 pm
Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: https://www.booksoup.com/event/collin-armstrong-conversation-kevin-haulihan-discusses-polybius
Book Event: Alec Karakatsanis and Bianca Tylek Present: Copaganda & The Prison Industry, respectively at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Join us for a powerful conversation on the far-reaching harms of the prison industrial complex with two leading voices for justice: Alec Karakatsanis, author of Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News, and Bianca Tylek, author of The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits.
In Copaganda, prizewinning civil rights lawyer and Civil Rights Corps founder Alec Karakatsanis offers a powerful warning about how the media manipulates public perception, fueling fear and inequality, while distracting us from what truly matters Every day, mass media manipulates our perception of what keeps us safe and contributes to a culture fearful of poor people, strangers, immigrants, unhoused people, and people of color. The result is more and more authoritarian state repression, more inequality, and huge profits for the massive public and private punishment bureaucracy.
In The Prison Industry, Bianca Tylek and Worth Rises—a criminal justice organization best known for campaigns that have revolutionized prison telecom and made prison and jail communication free in cities and states around the country—offer a meticulous exposé of who profits from incarceration, culminating in a compelling case for dismantling the prison industry and prison abolition more broadly.
After beginning his career representing people accused of crimes who could not afford an attorney, Alec Karakatsanis founded the Civil Rights Corps, an organization that challenges systemic injustices in the U.S. legal system. In the last decade, the organization’s work has freed hundreds of thousands of people from illegal confinement in jail cells, reunited hundreds of thousands of families, returned tens of millions of dollars to marginalized communities, and advanced inspiring alternatives to punishment as a means of preventing and addressing social harm. He was named the 2016 Trial Lawyer of the Year by Public Justice for designing and litigating landmark constitutional challenges to cash bail and modern debtors’ prison practices across the United States. The author of Usual Cruelty: The Complicity of Lawyers in the Criminal Injustice System and Copaganda (both from The New Press), he lives in Washington, DC, with a community of wonderful friends, family, weird paintings, a garden, and his rock collection.
Bianca Tylek is the founder and executive director of Worth Rises, a New York–based criminal justice advocacy organization known for its innovative research and compelling storytelling; federal, state, and local policy work; corporate activism; and a range of other initiatives. The co-author (with Worth Rises) of The Prison Industry (The New Press), she lives in New York City.
Note: Please RSVP at site.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 7 pm – 8 pm
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd. #1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/2518820250429
Bridget Morrissey, with Rebekah Faubion, & Anywhere You Go at Vroman’s – In-Person Event
Bridget Morrissey, in conversation with Rebekah Faubion, will discuss and sign Anywhere You Go.
A small-town waitress and a big-city Broadway press agent swap homes to escape the messiness of their personal lives, only to find new purpose—and new love.
Tatum Ward and Eleanor Chapman lead totally opposite lives. Tatum’s never left her Midwestern hometown. She resides in a quaint guest cottage on her parents’ property while working part-time as a waitress, where she spends most shifts ignoring her feelings for a beautiful regular named June. Eleanor dedicates every waking hour to her high-profile press career, sacrificing personal relationships for professional success, save for the occasional hookup to fight off her loneliness. When both women’s lives unexpectedly blow up at the exact same time, they each need an escape, and fast.
In Tatum’s hometown, Eleanor expects a quiet hideaway where she can recharge. Instead, she gets wrapped up in the family drama that Tatum left town to avoid, pulled in by Tatum’s charismatic older sibling, Carson, who charms Eleanor at every turn. Tatum ends up in Eleanor’s New York high-rise apartment with June. One week together in the big city might make it impossible for Tatum to avoid not just her true feelings for June, but her real dreams for her life.
Amid a friendship with a reclusive Hollywood actress and a complicated family reunion, Tatum and Eleanor each discover much more than they bargained for away from home. Their house swap won’t last forever, but it might be just long enough for both women to surrender their defenses and finally fight for the life—and love—they deserve.
Where: Vroman’s
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 7 pm – 8 pm
Address: 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Muse of Fire Open Mic at The Wicked Wolf, Long Beach – In-Person Event
This open mic event is hosted by Philosophy.
NOTE: Ages 21+.
Where: The Wicked Wolf
Date: Tuesday the 29th
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Address: 2332 Pacific Ave., Long Beach, CA 90806
Website: https://www.lbpoetry.com/
The Virtual Cobalt Series & Open Mic: Rick Lupert & Guest Corey Mesler – Online Zoom Event
Cobalt Poets Reading & Open Mic and host Rick Lupert welcomes guest Corey Mesler to read and discuss his work.
Corey Mesler has been published in numerous anthologies and journals including Poetry, Gargoyle, Five Points, Good Poems American Places, and New Stories from the South. He has published nine novels, four short story collections, six full-length poetry collections, and a dozen chapbooks. His novel, Memphis Movie, attracted kind words from Ann Beattie, Peter Coyote, and William Hjorstberg, among others. He’s been nominated for the Pushcart many times, and three of his poems were chosen for Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Almanac. He also wrote the screenplay for We Go On, which won The Memphis Film Prize in 2017. With his wife he runs Burke’s Book Store (est. 1875) in Memphis.
Where: Cobalt Poets – Online Zoom Event
Date: Tuesday, the 29th
Time: 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Address: Online event (see site)
Website: https://www.poetrysuperhighway.com/cobalt
Da Poetry Lounge Open Mic Night at Greenway Court Theatre – In-Person Event
The nation’s largest weekly spoken word Open Mic event is 26 years strong. DPL is a community space for every poet to be heard. They provide a platform to celebrate poetry while using it as the foundation for creativity, innovation, and expression across an array of media outlets.
$10 donation. Do NOT line up prior to 7:30 pm Free parking adjacent to the theater.
Masks are encouraged.
Where: Greenway Court Theatre
Date: Tuesday, the 29th
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/
Lit Angels: Morning Writing with Francesca Lia Block at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Come write with us!
Many people believe that a morning writing practice is key to finding your voice, your story and, in this case, your community! At the Village Well!
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at 8:30 AM come join acclaimed author and writing instructor Francesca Lia Block for a brief intro and 40 minutes of free writing on any topic without judgement. Afterwards, you will be able to share a bit about your process and ask Francesca questions about your writing.
Francesca Lia Block is the author of more than thirty books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry, and has written screenplay adaptations of her work. She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association, and from the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, and PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY. Currently she teaches creative writing at UCLA Extension, Antioch University, Pocket MFA, and numerous workshops across the country. Francesca also edits LIT ANGELS, a literary journal available on Substack. Her latest novel is HOUSE OF HEARTS now out in paper ack. https://www.francescaliablock.com/
Note: Please RSVP at site.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Wednesday the 30th
Time: 8:30 am – 9:30 am
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd. #1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/2491120250430
Poets Café via KPFK 90.7 FM – Live On-Air Event
Poets Café celebrates Poetry. This program is a weekly half-hour literary arts discussion and reading program featuring guest authors and their works.
Poetry From Around the World is a segment of this series offered monthly on the 2nd Monday of the month on KPFK Los Angeles 90.7 FM.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: KPFK 90.7 FM
Date: Wednesday, the 30th
Time: 2 pm – 2:30 pm
Address: On-air Event (live)
Website: https://www.kpfk.org/on-air/poets-cafe/
The Big Read Book Discussion: The House on Mango Street at Northridge Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Join us for salsa tasting and a discussion of the Big Read Book of 2025, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.
Where: Northridge Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Wednesday the 30th
Time: 4 pm
Address: 9051 Darby Ave., Northridge, CA 91325
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/house-mango-street-discussion-and-salsa-tasting-1
Teen Poetry Café at West Covina Library, LACL – In-Person Event
For National Poetry Month, teens will enjoy pastries and learn various types of poetry such as, blackout poetry, spine poetry, and magnetic poetry. Come enjoy the fun!
Parents & Guardians: Please be aware that refreshments will be served at this program. A list of ingredients will be available.
NOTE: Ages 12 – 17.
Where: West Covina Library, LACL
Date: Wednesday the 30th
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm
Address: 1601 W. Covina Pkwy., West Covina, CA 91790
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13316293
Science Fiction Book Club: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card at Van Nuys Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Teens & Adults Event
Join us to discuss Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. Copies are available at the library.
Synopsis: Ender Wiggin is a 6-year-old recruit for military “Battle School.” But where does Ender’s Game end and the real wars begin?
Where: Van Nuys Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Wednesday the 30th
Time: 5 pm – 6 pm
Address: 6250 Sylmar Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91401
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/science-fiction-book-club-enders-game
Reading in Bed with Jessica: L.A. Poet Society via 101.5 FM – Live On-Air Event
Reading in Bed with Jessica hosts poets and writers in conversation and is aired weekly on 101.5 FM.
Jessica Wilson Cardenas is the founder of the Los Angeles Poet Society.
Guests: TBA
This program is offered weekly on radio in Los Angeles 101.5 FM.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: 101.5 FM
Date: Wednesday the 30th
Time: 6 pm – 8 pm
Address: On-air Event (live at 101.5 FM)
Website: https://www.lapoetsociety.org/events
Mystery & Thriller Book Club: If Something Happens to Me at Studio City Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Teens & Adults Event
Join us on the last Wednesday of every month for our Mystery & Thriller book club!
Upcoming meeting:
April 30: If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
RSVP:
Please email studio@lapl.org for details.
Where: Studio City Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Wednesday the 30th
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 12511 Moorpark St., Studio City, CA 91604
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/mystery-thriller-book-club-0
Shaina Steinberg & An Unquiet Peace (A Bishop and Gallagher Mystery) at Diesel: A Bookstore – In-Person Event
Sahina Steinberg will discussAn Unquiet Peace (A Bishop and Gallagher Mystery).
In this propulsive, quick-witted mystery set in late-1940s Los Angeles, former WWII spy Evelyn Bishop and LA noir detective Nick Gallagher team up as an unconventional duo…
As an undercover operative for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, Evelyn Bishop routinely embarked on deadly missions. By contrast, civilian life should be simple. Yet Evelyn, now back in Los Angeles, struggles with the responsibility of being the new president of Bishop Aeronautics, when people see her as nothing more than a beautiful socialite.
With Nick Gallagher, at least, Evelyn can be entirely herself. Once a fellow spy, now her fiancé, Nick works as a private investigator. But the mission that first brought them together is not over. Evelyn receives a call from her former commanding officer, who is overseeing the Berlin Airlift. He is concerned that the Soviets are trying to recruit Kurt Vogel, a scientist Evelyn and Nick smuggled out of Nazi Germany. After six long years, there’s word his wife and daughter may have survived the war. Is this a chance for a long-promised reunion, or a Russian ploy to lure Vogel to their side?
Past and present collide again when a routine case offers Nick a reunion with a childhood friend who runs a high-class “gentleman’s club.” The clientele includes everyone from Hollywood royalty to mobsters—to a hidden enemy who will draw both Evelyn and Nick into a web as twisted and treacherous as any they have ever faced.
Her recent book, Stateless: The Politics of the Armenian Language in Exile (Syracuse University Press, 2023), focuses on two key moments in Western Armenian literary history, Post WWI Paris and Post WWII Beirut, to a) examine how a stateless language sustains itself in a diasporic setting and b) critique the model of world literature in its reluctance to expand the practice of literary history to account for stateless literatures that elude international canonization.
Shaina Steinberg is the author of the Bishop & Gallagher Mysteries, as well as a film and television writer who’s worked on Malcolm in the Middle, Everwood, Cold Case, Bionic Woman and Spartacus. Named to the Young and Hungry List in 2013 and the WriteHer List in 2017, she has developed pitches, pilots and features with companies such as Temple Hill, Endgame Entertainment, Fremantle, eOne, Blondie Girl, Josephson Entertainment and Alcon. Most recently, she optioned a feature film to Balcony 9 with shooting scheduled to begin in 2023. She lives with her family in Los Angeles, CA.
Where: Diesel: A Bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 30th
Time: 6:30 pm
Address: 225 26th St., #33, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Website: https://www.dieselbookstore.com/event/Shaina-Steinberg-An-Unquiet-Peace-Author-signing
Special Author Event with Judy Stella & Reverence at pages: a bookstore – In-Person Event
Judy Stella will celebrate and discuss the publication of her new book, Reverence.
Reverence: Echoes of Healing and Gratitude invites readers into the inspiring life story of Judy Stella, a first-generation Latina whose resilience defied the odds. Judy’s narrative exposes the challenges of growing up in a low-income immigrant community while surviving various forms of childhood abuse at home. Within the pages of this poignant memoir, Judy courageously shares the intimate details of her struggles and triumphs, offering readers a glimpse into the metamorphic power of inner strength and perseverance. The narrative unveils the significant impact of the beautiful individuals who crossed her path. Their kindness, wisdom, and support added layers of richness to Judy’s life, leading her to discover a deep reverence for the interconnectedness of humanity and the transformative strength of genuine connection.
This book transcends the boundaries of a traditional memoir; it is a compelling tribute to the resilience of the human spirit and a beacon of hope for those who have experienced isolation and despair. Join Judy Stella as she unfolds her extraordinary journey of overcoming adversity, embracing the inherent strength within, and discovering the transformative potential of embracing one’s authentic self.
Judy Stella is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with extensive experience dedicated to supporting children and families. Her commitment to helping and empowering others stems from her personal journey of overcoming adversities during her childhood and early adulthood.
A Maxwell Leadership Certified Trainer and Coach, Judy channels her passion into adding value to people’s lives and helping them realize their potential. Renowned as a mentor and public speaker, she remains committed to lifelong learning.
Where: pages: a bookstore
Date: Wednesday the 30th
Time: 7 pm
Address: 904 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Website: https://pagesabookstore.com/event/2025-04-30/special-author-event-judy-stella
RECESS Open Mic is at SIPA HQ, Palms Up Academy – In-Person Event
RECESS Open Mic is at SIPA HQ on Wednesdays.
This dynamic open mic is the most accessible public program in the Palms Up Academy curriculum and manifests their mission statement in a physical (and digital) space.
Join them at the intersection of Historic Filipino town & The World: Search to Involve Pilipino Americans.
NOTE: See site for RSVP, cost, guidelines, and details.
Where: SIPA HQ
Date: Wednesday, the 30th
Time: 7 pm – 9:30 pm (Doors at 6:30; Open Mic at 8 pm)
Address: 3200 W. Temple St., Ste. 100, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Website: https://www.palmsupacademy.com
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;
- 9:05 pm – 10:00 pm — Open mic.
Suggested: $10.00 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, the 30th
Time: 7:30 pm – 10 pm
Address: 4321 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/DH_iBedvp6E/
Wednesday Night Poetry Workshop with Tom Laichas via Beyond Baroque – Online Event
The West Coast’s longest-running free poetry workshop is offered by Beyond Baroque 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 be prepared to share one poem.
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. An instructive video is available at the site.
The workshop can sometimes reach high levels of attendance, which means not everyone will get a chance to read every session.
Tom Laichas is author of four books of poetry, including Three Hundred Streets of Venice California (FutureCycle Press, 2023) and the forthcoming Landscapes From An American Afterlife (The Los Angeles Press, 2025). His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Plume, BarBar, The Los Angeles Times, the Irish Times, The High Window Review (UK), and elsewhere. He is the winner of poetry prizes from Jabberwock Review, Puerto del Sol, and Prime 53, and has been shortlisted in competitions sponsored by The Moth (Ireland), Aesthetica, Arts & Letters, New Letters and Gunpowder Press. He lives with his family in Venice, California.
NOTE: See site for further details, tickets, and information.
Where: Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center
Date: Wednesday, the 30th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: Online event (see site)
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wednesday-night-poetry-workshop-tickets-1336614492929
Poetry Nights with East Los Soul at East Los Angeles Rising Youth Club – In-Person Event
East Los Soul presents Poetry Nights every Wednesday from 8 pm – 9:45 pm at East L.A. Rising Youth Club. Poetry starts at 8:15 pm.
This week’s event is titled Ghosts & Echoes,
Hosted by John White, with vibes by DJ Hennytee.
Where: East Los Angeles Rising Youth Club
Date: Wednesday, the 30th
Time: 8 pm – 9:45 pm (Doors at 7:30)
Address: 324 N. McDonnell Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90022
Website: https://www.instagram.com/eastlossoul/ or https://www.bgcela.org/
Poetry Reading & Open Mic by Two Idiots Peddling Poetry with Ben Trigg and Guest Sheila J. Sadr at The Ugly Mug – In-Person Event
Host Ben Trigg and Two Idiots Peddling Poetry welcome featured guest Shiela J. Sadr.
Sheila J. Sadr (she/they) is a first-generation Iranian American poet, educator, and new auntie nuzzled in the Southern California coast. Her work has been featured with the United Nations, TEDx, House of Blues, Write About Now, Tinderbox Poetry, BOAAT, and many other gems. They are a two-time finalist for the Not A Cult Poetry Book contest, winning the second time around.
Sheila released her debut book Birthday Girl in November 2020 with Not A Cult Press.
$4 cover fee, cash only
NOTE: See site for further details.
Where: The Ugly Mug, Orange
Date: Wednesday, the 30th
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Address: 261 N. Glassell St., Orange, CA
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/637437245642350?locale=sk_SKSheila
Lit Angels: Heal Through Writing with Francesca Lia Block at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Let Francesca help you with all aspects of your writing!
Do you want to write professionally or for personal satisfaction and healing but aren’t sure where to start and need some inspiring tips and support? Do you have a project that needs revision? Are you feeling stuck creatively? Join acclaimed author and writing instructor Francesca Lia Block for a discussion of her 12 Questions followed by free writing and Q&A. Come be a part of the supportive Lit Angels writing community.
Francesca Lia Block is the author of more than thirty books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry, and has written screenplay adaptations of her work. She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association, and from the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, and PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY. Currently she teaches creative writing at UCLA Extension, Antioch University, Pocket MFA, and numerous workshops across the country. Francesca also edits LIT ANGELS, a literary journal available on Substack. Her latest novel is House of Hearts now out in paper back. https://www.francescaliablock.com/
Come make some magic at the Village Well! All genres and levels are welcome!
Reserve your tickets on EVENTBRITE!
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Thursday the 1st
Time: 10 am – 11 am
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd. #1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/1880320250501
Book Club: Long Island at Hermosa Beach Library, LACL – In-Person Event
Participants will discuss the novel Long Island by Colm Tobin. For adults.
Where: Hermosa Beach Library, LACL
Date: Thursday the 1st
Time: 10:30 am –11:30 am
Address: 550 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13422482
Creative Writing Workshop: Tending the Heart: Writing from the Inside at Heavy Manners Library, LACL – In-Person Event
Join us for the workshop titled Tending the Heart: We will write to our hearts’ desires and longings.
Hosted by Angela Wurtzel
angelawurtzelmft.com
RSVP at website (pay what you want donation)
Where: Heavy Manners Library
Date: Thursday the 1st
Time: 6 pm
Address:1200 N. Alvarado St. Unit D, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Website: https://heavymannerslibrary.com/events/writing-from-the-inside-out-tending-the-heart
Menopause Health Book Talk with Michelle Biton at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Bestselling author Michelle Biton (The Instant Anxiety Solution) joins hormone expert Dr. Lorne Brown to discuss this often-overlooked aspect of women’s health. They’ll cover everything from nutrition, exercise, and weight loss.
Packed with proven lifestyle tips and research-backed weight loss strategies, this book transforms the challenging mid-life transition into a period of opportunity and growth, helping you to feel empowered to navigate menopause without the extra pounds.
Michelle Biton is an International best-selling author, Wellness Coach, and Health Educator. For the past 20+ years she has been a leading expert in health and wellness online. She has written for the Encyclopedia of Natural Health and a variety of online and offline publications and has been featured on various television, radio shows, and magazines as a health and fitness expert. She has a Masters’ Degree in Holistic Nutrition, Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, and a Certificate in Kinesiology Health and Fitness Studies.
Dr. Lorne Brown is a recognized expert in hormone balance and reproductive health, helping women over 40 navigate the challenges of perimenopause and menopause with a holistic, integrative approach.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Thursday the 1st
Time: 6:30 am – 7:30 am
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd. #1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/2519320250501
Alana Marie Levinson-Labrosse & Dream State at North Figueroa Bookshop – In-Person Event
This book launch event celebrates the collection Dream State, by Alana Marie Levinson-Labrosse.
The poems of Dream State arise from the poet’s experience living and working in Iraq, not as a soldier or journalist, but as a writer, translator, teacher, and preservationist of Kurdish culture. In a stunning act of co-generative imagination, Levinson-LaBrosse’s poetic voice emerges alongside the voices of others with whom she has collaborated. Together with her poems, these translated memories, testimonies and stories form an interdependent environment bridging time and perception.
As a book, Dream State resists categorization. And yet it is fundamentally accessible in its humanity. People come together in understanding and break apart just as quickly. Fictions shatter and endure, while national imaginations always seem to be at risk. And everywhere the poet turns, she learns that peace is never self-sustaining. True peace is an enduring act of courage, and one that must be lived every day.
As the 2003 Iraq invasion reached its twentieth anniversary (2023) and the Islamic State’s attempted genocide in Shingal reaches its tenth (2024), Dream State attempts to sit with other people’s experiences, rather than extract details to exploit them; amplifies the work around the poet, rather than supplant it; and trusts that listening to individual perspectives will lead to common understanding.
Alana Marie Levinson-LaBrosse is a poet, translator, and assistant professor at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS). She earned her PhD in Kurdish Studies at the University of Exeter, specializing in nineteenth-century poetry, and holds an MFA from Warren Wilson College as well as an MEd from the University of Virginia. Her writing has appeared in Poetry, Modern Poetry in Translation, World Literature Today, In Other Words, Plume, Epiphany, Sewanee Review, The Iowa Review, and Words Without Borders. Her book-length works include Kajal Ahmed’s Handful of Salt (2016), Abdulla Pashew’s Dictionary of Midnight (2019), Nali’s My Moon Is the Only Moon (2021) and Farhad Pirbal’s The Potato Eaters (2024). She was a 2022 NEA Fellow, the first ever working from the Kurdish. She serves as the Founding Director of Kashkul and was the Founding Director of the Slemani UNESCO City of Literature. She lives near the Tomalas Bay in Northern CA.
Where: North Figueroa Bookshop
Date: Thursday the 1st
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Address: 3806 Main St., Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://northfigbookshop.com/event/#calendar-8a0f87f6-17d6-4f10-9815-04df4c8251ba-event-m9gbn0yn
Monster Love Author Panel at The Ripped Bodice – In-Person Event
This Monster Love Author Panel includes: S.E. Wendel, Jenifer Wood, and Jillian Graves, with a TBD moderator.
S.E. Wendel is a fantasy author who self-published her early books as a teenager. Since then she’s graduated from UC Davis with both her Masters and Bachelor’s degrees in creative writing.
Jenifer Wood, is a long-time reader and writer who enjoys napping and watching cooking shows. She is a goth kid at heart.
Jillian Graves is a paranormal romance and romantic suspense author who likes to write about kinky witches, monsters, and supernatural shenanigans.
NOTE: RSVP for this ticketed event.
Where: The Ripped Bodice
Date: Thursday the 1st
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Address: 3806 Main St., Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://www.therippedbodice.com/events-and-tickets
Writers Bloc Presents, with Book Soup, presents The Alchemy Tour with Sulieka Jaouad, hosted by Jon Baptiste, at Saban Theatre – In-Person Event
Sulieka Jaouad, with host Jon Baptiste, celebrated the debut of her new book, The Book of Alchemy.
This melding of conversation, music, and community will leave you less world-weary, more filled with wonder—and brimming with ideas for how to live a more inspired life. All tickets will include a copy of the book.
Suleika Jaouad is the author of The Book of Alchemy, as well as the New York Times bestselling memoir Between Two Kingdoms, which has been translated into more than twenty languages. She wrote the Emmy Award-winning New York Times column and video series “Life, Interrupted,” and her essays and feature stories have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, The Guardian, and Vogue, among others. She is also the subject, along with husband Jon Batiste, of the Oscar-nominated documentary American Symphony—a portrait of two artists during a year of extreme highs and lows. A visual artist, her large-scale watercolors are the focus of several upcoming exhibitions. She is also the creator of the Isolation Journals, a weekly newsletter and global community that harnesses creativity as a tool to navigate life’s interruptions.
Jon Batiste is a seven-time Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and composer. His eighth studio album, Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1), released in November 2024, reimagines Beethoven’s iconic works through a blues-infused lens, embracing a broad genre spectrum. This album follows World Music Radio (2023), which received five Grammy nominations, including ‘Album of the Year.’ In 2021, his album We Are earned 11 Grammy nominations and won five, including Album of the Year. In 2024, Batiste launched his first-ever headlining tour, Uneasy Tour: Purifying the Airwaves for the People. On the film side, Batiste most recently composed the innovative score for SATURDAY NIGHT, Jason Reitman’s film about the chaotic moments before the first SNL broadcast in 1975, blending jazz, classical, and contemporary styles. In 2023, Batiste was the subject of AMERICAN SYMPHONY, a documentary by Matthew Heineman on Netflix, which earned him an Oscar nomination for the song “It Never Went Away.” Batiste also composed the score for Pixar’s SOUL, winning an Academy Award and several other honors. From 2015-2022, he was the bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
NOTE: This is a ticketed event.
Where: Saban Theatre
Date: Thursday the 1st
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Website: https://www.booksoup.com/event/writers-bloc-presents-book-soup-suleika-jaouad-jon-batiste
Lit Angels: Morning Writing with Francesca Lia Block at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Many people believe that morning writing practice is key to finding your voice, your story and, in this case, your community! At the Village Well!
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at 8:30 AM come join acclaimed author and writing instructor Francesca Lia Block for a brief intro and 40 minutes of free writing on any topic without judgement. Afterwards, you will be able to share a bit about your process and ask Francesca questions about your writing.
About the instructor:
Francesca Lia Block is the author of more than thirty books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry, and has written screenplay adaptations of her work. She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association, and from the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, and PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY. Currently she teaches creative writing at UCLA Extension, Antioch University, Pocket MFA, and numerous workshops across the country. Francesca also edits LIT ANGELS, a literary journal available on Substack. Her latest novel is HOUSE OF HEARTS now out in paperback. https://www.francescaliablock.com/
Come make some magic at the Village Well! All genres and levels are welcome!
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Friday the 2nd
Time: 8:30 am – 9:30 am
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd. #1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/2491220250502
Pajama Storytime at Once Upon a Time, Montrose – In-Person Kids & Family Event
Our most popular story time is ready to delight and dazzle! This is also the prime time to see Pippi Longstocking, our bookstore cat in action.
There is a large FREE parking lot off Florencita Dr. as well as metered parking along Honolulu Ave. and Montrose Ave.
Free to attend.
NOTE: Free to attend.
Where: Once Upon a Time, Montrose
Date: Friday, the 2nd
Time: 9:30 am
Address: 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020
Website: https://www.shoponceuponatime.com/event/pajama-story-time-12
Book Club: America for Beginners at Claremont Helen Renwick Library, LACL – In-Person Event
Join our monthly book club for an engaging discussion of our latest selection, America for Beginners by Leah Franqui. For adults.
Find a copy of America for Beginners in the library catalog here. A limited number of copies will be located at the Claremont Library. Please contact the library at 909.621.4902 with any questions.
Where: Claremont Helen Renwick Library, LACL
Date: Friday, the 2nd
Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Address: 208 N. Harvard Ave. N, Claremont, CA 91711
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13357411
Bilingual Storytime at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Bilingual Storytime! Exposing your children to multiple languages is highly beneficial for their learning and development, and what better way to do it than through this fun activity where we will read a wonderful story in both English and Spanish.
¡Hora de cuentos bilingüe! Exponer a tus hjijos a varios idiomas es de gran beneficio para su aprendizaje y desarrollo, y qué mejor que hacerlo en esta divertida actividad en donde leeremos un maravilloso cuento en inglés y en español.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Friday the 2nd
Time: 11 am
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd. #1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/2070820250502
Adventures in Bookland: Matilda at Diamond Bar Library, LACL – In-Person Kids Event
Join this exciting book club for young readers, where we will meet monthly to discuss the selected book and participate in journaling, crafting, or games. The selection this month is Matilda by Roald Dahl.
NOTE: Ages 9 – 12.
Where: Daimond Bar Library, LACL
Date: Friday the 2nd
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm
Address: 21800 Copley Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13428447
Fierce Friday: Preview for YALLWEST MG & YA Book Festival at Main Library, SMPL – In-Person MG & YA Event
Santa Monica Public Library and Macmillan/Fierce Reads presents a special preview event to YALLWEST, the young adult and middle grade book festival now celebrating its eleventh year in Santa Monica. Fans will get the chance to meet and get their books signed by some of the biggest authors, including Kristen Ciccarelli, Hafsah Faizal, Kami Garcia, Brittney Williams, C.B. Lee, Axie Oh, Tricia Levenseller, Margaret Owen, and Mary E. Pearson, with several more to be announced.
Where: Main Santa Monica Library
Date: Friday the 2nd
Time: 4 pm – 6 pm
Address: 201 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401
Website: https://www.santamonica.gov/events
Open Mic Night Every Friday Night at The Den Café, Santa Ana – In-Person Event
See you for a night of local talent, food, coffee and cocktails at The Den Cafe. A stage that’s been a home for OC’s artist since 1999.
Sign-ups start at 5:30 with @rodharrison66
Music starts at 6 pm
Spoken word and poetry are welcome!
Where: The Den Café
Date: Friday the 2nd
Time: 6 pm (Doors at 5:30 pm)
Address: 125 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 9270
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHuMOcESB9H/?hl=en
2025 Annual Lit Fest in the Dena Event (Day 1 of 2) at Pasadena Presbyterian Church in Playhouse Village – In-Person Event
The theme of the 2025 Lit Fest in the Dena event is: Books That Teach Us About Character.
Founded in 2012, LitFest in the Dena connects the Pasadena, Altadena, and greater Los Angeles communities with literature and local authors through this free, community literary festival for lovers of the written word. LitFest events include panel discussions, readings, author guest talks, workshops, and literary performances that engage, challenge, and inspire. Southern California’s most diverse literary festival, LitFest in the Dena is writer-driven and deeply representative of Los Angeles County’s communities, celebrating our diversity, and featuring programming for all literary interests.
This year’s Lit Fest in the Dena is a two-day event held at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, featuring 100 authors and 35 panels, and offering free workshops and readings.
Five different panel events are offered at two evening performance times: at 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm and at 8 pm – 9 pm.
NOTE: See the complete schedule of events, panels, and speakers at website link.
Where: Pasadena Presbyterian Church in Playhouse Village
Date: Friday the 2nd
Time: 6 pm – 9:30 pm
Address: 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Website: https://www.litfestinthedena.org/ https://dola.com/events/2025/5/2/litfest-in-the-dena-2025-tickets
Angel City Review 10th Anniversary Show & Pizza at The DMST Atelier – In-Person Event
Join us for a night of art, community, poetry, and pizza.
Featuring: Kim Young, Luivette Resto, Reynaldo Macias, Hannah Patchman, and Anthony Seidman.
For the third installment of the readings for the Angel City Review anthology, we are partnering with @dmstatelier and @midcitydough .
Order a pizza across the street at Mid-City Dough pop up (dollar off your order if you dm them before 5pm) and then head to DMST for a night of art and poetry.
Kim Young, Luivette Resto, Reynaldo Macias, Hannah Patchman, and Anthony Seidman will be reading their work from the anthology as well as some new and selected work. Free copies of the anthology for all in attendance.
It is the closing weekend of the photo exhibition Lives in Parallel, which examines gentrification and its effects on our communities of LA. Be sure to check out the profound work while you’re here.
Where: The DMST Atelier
Date: Friday the 2nd
Time: 7 pm
Address: 4614 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90021
Website:https://www.instagram.com/
Horror Book Launch: Nat Cassidy, with CJ Leede, & When the Wolf Comes Home at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Award-winning horror author Nat Cassidy is on tour for his latest chilling novel, When the Wolf Comes Home. Join us for his Los Angeles stop at Village Well where he’ll be chatting with local author CJ Leede about all things spooky! An audience Q&A and book signing will follow the conversation.
One night, Jess, a struggling actress, finds a five-year-old runaway hiding in the bushes outside her apartment. After a violent, bloody encounter with the boy’s father, she and the boy find themselves running for their lives. As they attempt to evade the boy’s increasingly desperate father, Jess slowly comes to a horrifying understanding of the butchery that follows them—the boy can turn his every fear into reality. And when the wolf finally comes home, no one will be spared.
Nat Cassidy writes horror for the page, stage, and screen. His acclaimed novels, including Mary: An Awakening of Terror and Nestlings, have been featured in best-of lists from Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, NPR, the Chicago Review of Books, the NY Public Library, and more, and he was named one of the “writers shaping horror’s next golden age” by Esquire. His award-winning horror plays have been produced throughout New York City and across the United States. You’ve also likely seen Nat on your TV, playing various Bad Guys of the Week on shows such as Law & Order: SVU, Blue Bloods, Bull, Quantico, FBI, and many others…but that’s a topic for a different bio. He lives in New York City with his wife.
CJ Leede is a horror writer, hiker, and Trekkie. She is the author of Maeve Fly and American Rapture. Her debut novel Maeve Fly won the Golden Poppy Octavia E. Butler Award and Splatterpunk Award, and earned a Bram Stoker Award nomination. When she is not driving around the country, CJ can be found in LA with her boyfriend and rescue dogs.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Friday, the 2nd
Time: 7 pm – 8 pm
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd., 1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/2495720250502
POET FILM STAGE Event at Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center – In-Person & Online Hybrid Event
Join us for a night of poetry, film screenings, and live performances with multitalented authors from Los Angeles.
Poet Film Stage is coming to Beyond Baroque! Experience a night of poetry with moving images beyond the page and dynamic performances by multi-talented Los Angeles authors.
Featuring: Phil Abrams, Michelle Bitting, Brendan Constantine, Nicelle Davis, Kathleen Florence, Rich Ferguson, S.A. Griffin, Susan Hayden, Eric Morago, Harry E. Northup, abbi page, Jeremy Ra, Amy Raasch, David A. Romero, Lynne Thompson and jimmy vega.
Enjoy a reception with light refreshments before and after the performances
Where: Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center
Date: Friday, the 2nd
Time: 7:30 pm – 9 pm (Doors at 7 pm)
Address: 681 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90291
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/poet-film-stage-tickets-1295206370119?aff=oddtdtcreator
SWAAM Spoken Word Art & Music Event at Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center – In-Person Event
SWAAM Spoken Word Art & Music is offered every 1st & 3rd Friday of the month and hosted by Loranzo Frank.
Featured guests: Pw
Pw, a 24-year-old author, poet, and educator, has been writing for 16 years and was recognized by the state of California at 12 years old as a district-wide poetry tournament winner. She co-founded Tuskegee University’s Skegee Speaks and has been featured in numerous articles and journals, including Black Voices of Los Angeles. Her debut collection, Fever Memory (World Stage Press), is available in branches of the Los Angeles Public Library. She collaborated with the Arts Council of Long Beach to create Long Beach Spits Fire, an anthology celebrating the city’s poets.
Tickets at Eventbrite.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center
Date: Friday, the 2nd
Time: 8 pm – 12 am
Address: 4305 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008
Website: https://www.depoet.info/swaam
First Fridays Rapp Saloon Reading Series & Open Mic with host Cynthia Alessandra Briano at Rapp Saloon, Santa Monica – In-Person & Online Hybrid Event
First Fridays at Rapp Saloon: Open Mic & Featured Readers, will be this week, and is offered every 1st Friday of the month by host Cynthia Alessandra Briano.
First Friday: Cynthia Alessandra Briano
Second Friday: Russell Greene
Third Friday: Elena Secota
Fourth Friday: Jim Bolt
Fifth Friday: James Evert Jones
This is a hybrid event, live in-person while offering a Zoom option for our performers and guests.
Our featured guest poets and artists this month TBA.
NOTE: See site for details.
Where: Rapp Saloon at HISUA – In-Person & Online Event
Date: Friday, the 2nd
Time: 8 pm – 11 pm
Address: 1436 2nd St., Santa Monica, CA 90402
Website: https://www.facebook.com/RappSaloonReading or https://www.instagram.com/rappsaloon/?hl=en
2025 Annual Lit Fest in the Dena Event (Day 2 of 2) at Pasadena Presbyterian Church in Playhouse Village – In-Person Event
The theme of the 2025 Lit Fest in the Dena event is: Books That Teach Us About Character.
Founded in 2012, LitFest in the Dena connects the Pasadena, Altadena, and greater Los Angeles communities with literature and local authors through this free, community literary festival for lovers of the written word. LitFest events include panel discussions, readings, author guest talks, workshops, and literary performances that engage, challenge, and inspire. Southern California’s most diverse literary festival, LitFest in the Dena is writer-driven and deeply representative of Los Angeles County’s communities, celebrating our diversity, and featuring programming for all literary interests.
This year’s Lit Fest in the Dena is a two-day event held at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, featuring 100 authors and 35 panels, and offering free workshops and readings.
Five different panel events are offered at six event performance times: at 10 am –11 am; at 11:30 pm – 12:30 pm; at 1 pm – 2pm; at 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm; at 4 pm – 5 pm; and at 5 pm – 5:30 pm.
NOTE: See the complete schedule of events, panels, and speakers at website link.
Where: Pasadena Presbyterian Church in Playhouse Village
Date: Saturday the 3rd
Time: 10 am – 5:30 pm
Address: 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
Website: https://www.litfestinthedena.org/ https://dola.com/events/2025/5/2/litfest-in-the-dena-2025-tickets
YALLWEST Festival at Santa Monica High School with SMPL – In-Person MG & YA Family Event
SMPL proudly returns for its eleventh year as a presenting sponsor of YALLWEST, the annual young adult and middle grade book festival on Samohi’s campus. Nearly 80 authors are confirmed and will be participating in panel talks and book signings. Join us at the Library’s booth to play fun book-related games and win cool prizes. Enter via the 4th Street gate, beginning at 9 am. Admission is free. Reservations for some panels and ticketed author signings, as well as the full author line-up, can be found at yallwest.com.
Where: Santa Monica High School – 4th Street Entrance
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 10 am – 7 pm
Address: 601 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405
Website: https://www.santamonica.gov/events
Western Edge Writers at Eagle Rock Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Writers and aspiring writers, join us for a group that supports writing endeavors of all genres: fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and memoir.
Please email eaglrk@lapl.org for the writing prompt.
Where: Eagle Rock Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 10 am
Address: 5027 Caspar Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90041
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/western-edge-writers-1
Poetry Workshop: Where Do Poems Come From (Week 1 of 3) with Author Kim Dower at West Hollywood Library, LACL – In-Person Event
Join us for a poetry workshop with former City of West Hollywood Poet Laureate Kim Dower. For adults.
Often the “Muse” comes from the quotidian aspects of everyday living: watering our plants, a faded sign we see on the street, browsing the fruit aisle, a Polaroid that catches our eye, a conversation we overhear. But many times, a poem is born from deep emotions—memories of our past, a special wedding, falling in love or suffering through a difficult breakup, death of a loved one. This is also where poems come from.
Each week’s session will explore a variety of poems that deal with specific topics, such as memory, love, grief, and humor. We will explore how poets deal differently with similar subjects—how some sad topics and events can be written about in a humorous way. Reading other people’s poems will provide students with ideas and prompts for their own work. This fun, inspiring, and provocative examination of poems that deal with the core topics of Poetry and Memory, Poetry and Humor, Poetry and Grief, Poetry and Love will be used as prompts for student’s automatic writing which they will share in class. Through positive, constructive, nonjudgmental feedback offered in a cozy and creative environment, each student will receive encouragement and unique recognition and will go home with work they can develop into poems. Sponsored by the Friends of the West Hollywood Library.
Attendance is limited, and advance registration is required. This will be used to save your spot in the program. We cannot guarantee availability for any unregistered attendees. This is the first of a three-program series that will be held on May 3, 10, and 17. Each program date has its own event page. Please register individually for all of the dates you would like to attend.
Where: West Hollywood Library, LACL
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
Address: 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13146712
Book Club: Clear at Westwood Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Read the book and join our lively discussion!
The club will meet on the first Saturday in May. There is no December meeting.
May 3: Clear by Carys Davies
Where: Westwood Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 11 am
Address: 5027 Caspar Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90041
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/book-club-3
Book Club: Wandering Stars at Westwood Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
We continue to choose books from the annual The New York Times Notables list. Drop by for great conversation, good company, & coffee!
Copies available at reference and online via hoopladigital &/or Libby.
May 3: Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
Where: Palms – Rancho Park Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 11 am
Address: 2920 Overland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90064
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/saturday-morning-book-discussion
Book Club: Wandering Stars at Westwood Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Participants will discuss North Woods by Daniel Mason. May 3: Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
Where: Los Feliz Branch Library, LAPL
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 11 am
Address: 1874 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/book-club-30
Middle School Book Club: The Spirit Glass at Agoura Hills Library, LACL – In-Person MG Event
Join us to discuss The Spirit Glass by Roshani Chokshi.
Corazon yearns to finally start training as a babaylan (a mystical healer and spirit guide) under her powerful guardian, Aunt Tina. As soon as her magic awakens, Corazon plans to bring her parents back from the dead and no longer must rely on a soul key to allow visits with their ghosts for a few hours every Saturday night. But when a vengeful ghost steals Corazon’s precious key, the fragile balance between the human world and the spirit world is thrown out of whack. Aunt Tina reveals that if Corazon wants her magic to awaken, then she must lay the ghost to rest by fashioning a new soul key. With her rather bloodthirsty gecko companion, Saso, Corazon embarks on a quest through the spirit realms.
NOTE: Ages 11-14.
Where: Agoura Hills Library, LACL
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 11 am – 12 pm
Address: 29901 Ladyface Ct., Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13193241
Book Club: Local at Littlerock Library, LACL – In-Person Event
Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Littlerock Library’s Adult Book Club as we discuss Local by Jessica Machado. For adults.
Local is a powerful memoir about a Hawaiian woman who leaves paradise to find herself. Feeling disconnected from her heritage and family, she moves to Los Angeles and discovers isolation instead. Through grief and self-discovery, she learns to reconnect with her roots.
Pick up a copy at Littlerock Library or use Libby for a digital version.
Where: Littlerock Library, LACL
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 11 am – 12 pm
Address: 35119 80th St. E, Littlerock, CA 93543
Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13345259
French Storytime with William Stern at Village Well Books & Coffee – In-Person Event
Join us for a special French storytime amongst the cozy shelves of Village Well!
William Stern will lead this bilingual reading. Born and raised in Los Angeles, William learned French in college and his time living abroad. When he’s not busy teaching 4th grade, he manages to squeeze in drumming, environmental activism, private French lessons and family time with his wife and toddler.
Where: Village Well Books & Coffee
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 11 am – 12 pm
Address: 9900 Culver Blvd., 1B, Culver City, CA 90232
Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/2580620250503
4th Annual Pomona Poetry & Book Fest (Day 1) at L.A. County Fair, Pomona – In-Person Event
Join us for Day 1 of the 4th Annual Pomona Poetry & Book Fest hosted by Judah 1 and CES ONE of Lionlike Mindstate and featuring 21+ poets and musical guests.
NOTE: See link for flyer/schedule and names of poets performing and times for their readings onsite.
Where: L.A. County Fair
Date: Saturday the 3th
Time: 12 pm – 7 pm
Address: 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, CA 91768
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHmbEwVyKir/?hl=en
Kids Graphic Novel Book Club: Sorceline #2 at Cellar Door Bookstore – In-Person Kids Event
Cella Door welcomes participants to discuss Sorceline #2 by Sylvia Douye and illustrator Paola Antista.
Sorceline has proven herself a star student at Balzar’s prestigious academy—but her gifts might have gotten the best of her. As Sorceline fights for her life, her classmates must work to uncover her origin story, revealing details of her past that may offer a key to their present.
At the back of the book, enjoy an illustrated bestiary along with behind-the-scenes bonus material!
Paola Antista is an Italian illustrator and comic artist. A graduate of Disney Academy, she began her career illustrating for magazines, educational books, and advertising agencies. She now teaches comic art in middle schools and high schools and is the illustrator of the Cats! graphic novel series.
Where: Cellar Door Bookstore
Date: Saturday the 3rd
Time: 1 pm
Address: 473 E. Alessandro Blvd., Suite B, Riverside, CA 92508
Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/event/kids-graphic-novel-book-club-sorceline-2
The Other Side of Memory: Photographs by Luis C. Garza / Film Screening / Book Signing / Reception at Central Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
Join us for an afternoon celebrating the work of acclaimed Chicano photographer Luis C. Garza, beginning with a special screening of the award-winning 15-minute documentary short Razon de Ser: Luis C. Garza.
Doors open at 2 p.m., and the screening will begin promptly at 2:15 p.m. A post-film conversation will follow with Luis C. Garza, moderated by Tony Diaz of Nuestra Palabra and featuring curator and collector Armando Durón, filmmaker Alessandro Gentile, and Melissa Richardson Banks of CauseConnect, Garza’s longtime artist representative and project partner. Following the discussion, Garza will sign copies of his latest photography book in the auditorium lobby.
A reception will also be held starting at 3:30 p.m. to celebrate the opening of his exhibition, The Other Side of Memory: Photographs by Luis C. Garza, on view in the Central Library’s First Floor Galleries through July 13, 2025.
Where: Central Library, LAPL, Mark Taper Auditorium
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 2 pm – 5 pm
Address: 630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071
L.A. Book Launch: Random Experiments in Bioluminescence, Amy Shimshon-Santo at Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center – In-Person & Livestream Hybrid Event
Join us for a conversation and launch of Amy Shimson-Santo’s latest book, Random Experiments in Bioluminescence.
Join Amy Shimshon-Santo & friends for an afternoon of eco-poetry and community conversation at the LA launch of her book Random Experiments in Bioluminescence. Choral, cryptographic, and exhilarating, her work is a homecoming to the body and the planet, cultivating respect for multiple languages, and awe for life in our pluriverse. The poems ask us to become attentive to multi-species, biotic and abiotic phenomena, and welcomeplurilingualism into our everyday lives.
Dr. Amy Shimshon-Santo is a writer, educator, and culture maker who believes that creativity is a powerful tool for personal and social transformation. She was born on Tovaangar land in current day Los Angeles, and has immediate family in the Southwest, the Middle East, and South America. Amy is the author of Random Experiments in Bioluminescence (Flowersong Press, 2024), Catastrophic Molting (Flowersong Press, 2022), Even the Milky Way is Undocumented (Unsolicited Press, 2020), the limited edition chapbook Endless Bowls of Sky (Placeholder Press, 2020). Her essays have appeared in GeoHumanities, Urban Education, and Imagining America, and come together in her forthcoming collection Piecework: Ethnographies of Place (Unsolicited Press, 2025). She has been nominated for an Emmy Award, two Pushcart Prizes, a Rainbow Reads Award, Best of the Net (Poetry), and was a finalist for the NightBoat Poetry Prize. She has performed and taught throughout the U.S., Latin America, West Africa, Taiwan, and Singapore. Recent community collaborations touched the University of Boulder Colorado’s Access and Community Engagement efforts, UCSC’s Department of Play, University of Maryland’s Creative Placemaking, along with global initiatives with UNESCO in Mexico, UNEB in Brazil, PaGya Literary Festival in Ghana, and the Lagos International Poetry Festival in Nigeria. She has edited anthologies and special editions published by UC Press, IOPN, Critica Cultural (Brazil), Libretto Magazine (Nigeria), and, most recently, Songs of the Earth for the LA Public Library and Reading Braille With Chocolate for the Braille Institute of America Library.
Karen Llagas’ chapbook, All Of Us Are Cleaved, was published by Nomadic Press/Black Lawrence Press in 2023. Her first collection of poetry, Archipelago Dust, was published by Meritage Press in 2010. Karen has recently translated Dancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language (Chronicle Books, 2023), which won a Schneider Family Book Award, and How Do You Eat Color? (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025). A recipient of the 2022 RHINO Founder’s Prize, Filamore Tabios, Sr. Memorial Poetry Prize, an Elizabeth George Award and a Hedgebrook residency, her poems, translations & prose have also appeared in various journals and anthologies. She has an MFA from Warren Wilson College and teaches Filipino/Tagalog at UC Berkeley.
Àkpà Árinzèchukwu is a 2023 Oxbelly Writing Retreat Fellow, a winner of the 2021 Poetry Archive Worldview Prize, a Best of the Net nominee, Pushcart, and Geoffrey Dearmer Prize, shortlisted for the FT/Bodley Head Prize, and a finalist for the 2020 Black Warrior Review Fiction Prize. His works appear in Kenyon Review, Adda, Transition, Black Warrior Review, Prairie Schooner, The Rumpus, Poetry Review, and elsewhere. He is the curator of Muqabalal, a bilingual conversation series, co-host of Muqabalal’s Poem a Day in Translation, and the Church of Poetry.
Ticket purchase is required. No one will be turned away for lack of funds! Tickets will be available at the Beyond Baroque bookstore on the day of the event, but we recommend registering in advance through Eventbrite. Masks are encouraged while inside our center.
Where: Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center
Date: Saturday the 3rd
Time: 2 pm – 5 pm
Address: 681 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90291
La Palabra Poetry Reading & Open Mic: Pam Concepcion hosts Laura Sermeno & Ashton Cyhthia Clarke at Avenue 50 Studio – In-Person Event
New host and new address!
Despite the tough changes Avenue 50 Studio has faced in leaving its original home, we will continue the legacy of La Palabra on its 25th year. No amount of gentrification can stop the power of poetry.
In our first special relaunching of the series, we will be featuring two survivors of the recent Altadena fire. They will share a couple poems, and stories about their home. With the gallery’s upcoming exhibit Urban Wild: Images From the Heart as a tribute to the beauty of Altadena, I hope to create a space where we can feel, reflect and understand deeper the impact of the fire through both art and poetry.
Open mic sign up will start at 2 pm. You may read any poem for 5 mins, no theme is necessary. However, I will be extra happy if someone does an ekphrastic poem on one of the paintings in the gallery.
La Palabra Reading Series & Open Mic is hosted by Pam Concepcion.
This month’s featured poets:
Laura Sermeno is a SoCal native, mother, poet and author of the self-published collection born to cry.
Ashton Cynthia Clarke is a storyteller, actor, and writer of creative non-fiction. She has performed her true, personal stories in live venues throughout the Los Angeles area and New York City.
Where: Avenue 50 Studio, Highland Park
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 2 pm – 4 pm
Address: 3714 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90065
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/DIrr0F4TTkT/?hl=en&img_index=1
Fiction Frenzy Book Club: Anxious People at The Open Book, Woodland Hills – In-Person Event
Fiction Frenzy book club participants will discuss the novel Anxious People, by author Fredrik Backman.
A group of disparate people converge on a highly sought-after apartment for an open house and find themselves caught in a hostage situation unlike any we’ve seen before. This book has something for everyone: it’s funny, it’s heartwarming, it has a bit of a mystery element to it with a fun twist that turns the book on its head, and it all adds up to one of the best books you will ever read: period. That’s right, we’re staking our reputation on this recommendation!
Where: The Open Book, Woodland Hills
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 2 pm
Address: 6320 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Suite # 1680, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/DIUiF1AT0DC/?hl=en
Scavenger Hunt: Find the Hidden Treasures of Los Angeles With Author Danny Jensen at Central Library, LAPL – In-Person Event
They say nobody walks in L.A., but with local author Danny Jensen, you’ll ditch the wheels and discover Los Angeles’s hidden treasures you’d otherwise zip past.
Join Danny for an interactive scavenger hunt and talk that will help you see the city in new ways as you locate under-the-radar and iconic landmarks. Set off on an exciting journey to uncover some of the more than 300 locations in neighborhoods across L.A. featured in his book LA Scavenger: The Ultimate Search for Los Angeles’s Hidden Treasures using photos and rhyming clues.
Danny Jensen is also the author of Secret Los Angeles: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure and 100 Things to Do in Los Angeles Before You Die. He is also the Programs Chair for the Los Angeles City Historical Society. His writing and photography have been published by Time Out, Thrillist, KCET, and others. Danny has explored the hidden corners, unusual landmarks, and under-the-radar restaurants of Los Angeles for over a decade.
Where: Central Library, LAPL, Meeting Room A
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 2:30 pm – 4 pm
Address: 630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071
Saturday Afternoon Poetry: Poetry Writing Workshop with Don Kingfisher Campbell, Pasadena – In-Person Event
Join us for a Poetry Writing Workshop. Submit up to 3 poems totaling no more than 150 lines including the subject of or at least mentioning rock or roll for Four Feathers Press online edition: Rock ‘n’ Roll by emailing donkingfishercampbell@gmail.com by 11:59 pm, May 16th).
Don Kingfisher Campbell hosts and curates these events.
Where: Saturday Afternoon Poetry Online
Date: Saturday, the 3rd
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm
Address: Online Zoom Event (see site)
Website: https://saturdayafternoonpoetry.blogspot.com/
Philosophy Book Club: Psychopolitics at Chevalier’s – In-Person Event
Join participants to discuss Psychopolitics by Byung-Chul Han.
Where: Chevalier’s
Date: Saturday the 3rd
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm
Address: 133 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004
Website: https://chevaliersbooks.com/event/2025-05-03/philosophy-book-club
Readings at Sunset: An Afternoon of Queer Poetry at The Plant Chica – In-Person Event
Cuties Los Angeles presents Readings at Sunset! Readings at Sunset is an afternoon of live poetry at The Plant Chica happening every first Saturday, hosted by Adrianne D. Embry. “Readings” features a lineup of local LGBTQ+ poets sharing pieces about a selected theme. This month the theme is TOUCH.
If you’d like to read, do not purchase a ticket and sign up to read at link at website!
Doors open at 4:00 pm and poetry will begin at 4:30 pm! Please arrive early to grab a seat and meet other Cuties.
Dear Mama LA will be there with vegan Mexican food available for purchase, and our friends at Lé Trois Apothecary will be joining us as well!
About the venue:
The Plant Chica is a family-owned plant shop and community greenhouse rooted in Sandra’s love for plants and family. Raised in South Central LA by Salvadoran immigrant parents, Sandra’s passion for plants blossomed early, and she dreamed of turning it into a family business. Today, alongside her loved ones, she curates a selection of rare houseplants, many sourced from the same places her mother showed her, bringing a personal touch and plenty of love to the community!
Parking: Parking lot behind The Plant Chica – lot address is 3416 W43rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90008
Where: The Plant Chica
Date: Saturday the 3rd
Time: 4 pm
Address: 4311 Degnan Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90008
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/readings-at-sunset-an-afternoon-of-queer-poetry-tickets-1330877001939
PondWater Presents: Aruni Wijesinghe & Terri Niccum & Othersat Private Residence – In-Person Event
Join PondWater Society participants to hear Aruni Wijesinghe & Terri Niccum present their poetry, with host Joanne Qualley.
In 2 Revere Place, Aruni Wijesinghe unfolds her family’s first ten years in the United States through a gently curated collection of poems. The lush narrative moves from Sri Lankan beaches through apartment living in the Bronx to a quiet Rockland County suburb, leaving a trail of exquisite details charting the journey. Wijesinghe chronicles her family’s evolution into Americans through the eyes of a child learning what it means to hold two countries inside herself. Her reflections on the past glimmer with firefly light while calling the immigrant experience of 1970’s America into laser focus.
PondWater is Terri Niccum:
Terri Niccum’s most recent chapbook is Sky Leaning Toward Winter, released in 2024 from Moon Tide Press. She is the author of a full-length collection, The Knife Thrower’s Daughter, also from Moon Tide Press. Niccum has been a runner up for the Steve Kowit Poetry Prize (2020-2021) and was a finalist for the Atlanta Review International Poetry Contest in 2024. Her work has appeared in A Moon of One’s Own, an online journal from Picture Show Press; Atlanta Review; Nimrod International Journal; Golden Streetcar; The Maine Review; Oberon Poetry; and the Pomona Valley Review, among others.
PondWater is The Others:
The Others are a group of friends who have been making music together for nearly 40 years. They are eclectic and play music from every decade from 1920s to present day. Of course, they put their own spin on things. Basically their performances are designed to get you to tap your feet and sing along. And hopefully, give your spirits a boost!
Where: Pondwater – Private Residence
Date: Saturday the 3rd
Time: 5 pm
Address: 16504 E. Masline St., Covina, CA
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/1543191429933474
A Celebration of New Poetry: Mark Irwin, Rick Barot, Matthew Gellman at Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center – In-Person & Livestream Hybrid Event
Join us for a night of poetry readings from L.A. based poets Mark Irwin, Rick Barot, and Matthew Gellman.
Beyond Baroque presents a captivating evening of poetry in celebration of three recently published collections and forthcoming works: Once When Green by Mark Irwin, Moving the Bones by Rick Barot, and Matthew Gellman’s debut collection, Beforelight. The program will feature poets in The Wanda Coleman Theater with book signings to follow.
Mark Irwin is the author of thirteen collections of poetry, which include Once When Green (2025), Joyful Orphan (2023), Shimmer (2020), American Urn: Selected Poems (1987-2014), Large White House Speaking (2013), Tall If (2008), Bright Hunger (2004), White City (2000), Quick, Now, Always (1996), and Against the Meanwhile: Three Elegies (1988). He has also translated Philippe Denis’ Notebook of Shadows, Nichita Stănescu’s Ask the Circle to Forgive You: Selected Poems, and Zanzibar: Selected Poems and Letters of Arthur Rimbaud (forthcoming with Alain Borer). His collection of essays, Monster: Distortion, Abstraction, and Originality in Contemporary American Poetry, was published in 2017. His poetry and essays have appeared in many literary magazines. A professor in the PhD in Creative Writing & Literature Program at the University of Southern California, he lives in Los Angeles and the mountains outside Salida, Colorado. His poetry has been translated into several languages.
Rick Barot’s most recent book of poems is Moving the Bones, published by Milkweed Editions in 2024. His previous collection, The Galleons, was longlisted for the National Book Award. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Poetry, The New Republic, The Adroit Journal, and The New Yorker. He has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Stanford University. He lives in Tacoma, Washington and directs The Rainier Writing Workshop, the low-residency MFA program in creative writing at Pacific Lutheran University.
Matthew Gellman’s first book, Beforelight, was selected by Tina Chang as the winner of BOA Editions, Ltd.’s A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize. His second book, The Understudy, is forthcoming from Four Way Books in 2027. Matthew has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, Brooklyn Poets, Adroit’s Djanikian Scholars Program, the Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts, Virginia Center for Creative Arts, Bread Loaf Writers Conference, and elsewhere. His poems have appeared in Bennington Review, Gulf Coast, Prairie Schooner, Poetry Northwest, Indiana Review, The Common, the Missouri Review, and other publications. He is currently a PhD candidate in literature and creative writing at the University of Southern California.
Enjoy a reception with light refreshments before and after the readings.
Where: Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center
Date: Saturday the 3rd
Time: 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 681 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90291
Griot Café Mic & Poetry at Shades of Afrika, Long Beach – In-Person Event
Griot Cafe Open Mic and Poetry. Hosted by Tommy Domino
Featuring: Food4Thought
$10 Cover & bring a friend – Save $2. {$5.00 for 1st person and $3.00 for each addl. friend after that}
More info at https://shadesofafrika.com/griot-cafe-open-mic-poetry/
Where: Shades of Afrika, Long Beach
Date: Saturday the 3rd
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm (Doors at 7:30 pm)
Address: 1001 E. 4th St., Long Beach, CA 90802
Website: https://www.lbpoetry.com/
Melrose Trading Post Event & L.A. Poet Society at Greenway Arts Alliance at Melrose Trading Post at Fairfax H.S. – In-Person Event
The Melrose Trading Post is a pioneering arts-based marketplace held every Sunday at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, CA with 275 local creative small business vendors, delicious food booths and local live music.
MTP was founded in 1997 with a mission to champion small businesses, art and community. The market funds Greenway Arts Alliance’s arts education programming and provides employment and leadership development opportunities for students at Fairfax High School.
JOIN us in space R18 each Sunday, from 11 am – 5 pm.
All poems are donation based, so you name your price.
NOTE: Check every Sunday for story time and reading events
Where: Melrose Trading Post, Greenway Main Stage at Fairfax HS
Date: Sunday, the 4th (Every Sunday)
Time: 10 am – 5 pm (market); 11 am – 5 pm (poets on demand)
Address: 7850 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046
Website: https://www.instagram.com
Storytime Re-Launch: Reading with Ronnie at Chevalier’s Books – In-Person Event
You asked, we answered! Get ready for the return of Storytime!
11am every Sunday in May we are bringing you a new storytime event starting off with our newest special guest RONNIE!
Details to follow – we’re excited to have you back!
Where: Chevalier’s
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 11 am – 12 pm
Address: 133 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004
Website: https://chevaliersbooks.com/event/2025-05-04/re-launch-storytime-reading-ronnie
ZZYZX WORD: Feature Your Poetry & Music at Chevalier’s Books – In-Person Event
Join us and workshop new poems and music on our podcast.
All genres are welcome!
Where: The Libros, Lincoln Heights
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 11 am
Address: 3422 N. Broadway, Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, CA 90031
Website: https://www.instagram.com/
4th Annual Pomona Poetry & Book Fest (Day 2) at L.A. County Fair, Pomona – In-Person Event
Join us for Day 2 of the 4th Annual Pomona Poetry & Book Fest hosted by Judah 1 and CES ONE of Lionlike Mindstate and featuring 21+ poets and musical guests.
NOTE: See link for flyer/schedule and names of poets performing and times for their readings onsite.
Where: L.A. County Fair
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 12 pm – 7 pm
Address: 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, CA 91768
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHmbU74S9A1/?hl=en
Kendall Wilkinson & Beauty All Around at Diesel: A Bookstore – In-Person Event
Kendall Wilkinson will present and sign her book Beauty All Around.
Known for creating interiors formed around connection and experience, Kendall Wilkinson fashions together spaces that elicit an emotional response. The California native has been widely celebrated for her artful interpretations of her discerning clients’ visions. It was through the lens of aesthetic individuality that the designer established her eponymous San Francisco firm in 1992. Now, over 30 years later, Kendall Wilkinson Design continues to render residences that accentuate both beauty and comfort.
Kendall was introduced to the world of design through her mother, Alice Wiley, who was not only an interior designer, but also an art connoisseur and style setter. Kendall’s creative upbringing was instrumental in honing her artistic vision. “I learned from my mother to appreciate the value of color, scale and texture, and continue to draw inspiration from the fashion world.”
With a foundation built on a classic design sensibility, Kendall’s style continues to evolve with every project she engages. “As designers, we are informed by artistic, cultural and technological shifts,” Kendall says of her tailored approach to interior design. And, in support of her aesthetic evolution, Kendall adds to her list of titles fabric designer, thanks to her array of successful textile collections with Fabricut. Kendall shares that, “Ultimately, it’s about bringing the vision of the client to life through creativity and service.” The firm’s portfolio, which includes both commercial and residential spaces, wholly demonstrates this philosophy and has been widely recognized in esteemed publications and national press outlets.
Where: Diesel: A Bookstore
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 3 pm
Address: 225 26th St., #33, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Website: https://www.dieselbookstore.com/event/Kendall-Wilkinson-May-4-Author-signing
AAPI Romance Writers hosted by Bel Canto Books at Bel Canto Books, Long Beach – In-Person Event
Bel Canto Books is delighted to host a conversation with AAPI romance authors Julie Tieu (THE GIRL MOST LIKELY TO), Jennifer Chen (HANGRY HEARTS), Trinity Nguyen (A BANH MI FOR TWO), and Suzanne Park (ONE LAST WORD), moderated by Dahlia De La Vega.
Julie Tieu is the author of The Donut Trap, Circling Back To You, Fancy Meeting You Here, and The Girl Most Likely To. When she is not writing, you can find her reading, on the hunt for delicious eats, or dreaming about her next travel adventure. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her high-school-crush husband and two energetic kids.
Jennifer Chen is an award-winning freelance journalist who has written for Today, New York Times, and Oprah Daily. She is the author of two young adult novels, Artifacts of an Ex and Hangry Hearts. Jennifer is a proud mentor for WriteGirl, a creative writing organization and a loving foster kitten mom. She lives in Los Angeles with her TV writer husband, twins, two pugs, and two cats named Gremlin and Taro. Follow her on Threads and Instagram at @jchenwriter.
Trinity Nguyen is a Vietnamese American author and graduate of Franklin & Marshall College. She was born in Viet Nam and raised in Little Saigon, California, and learned English by reading too many young adult novels and never turning off closed captioning. Her debut novel, A BANH MI FOR TWO, is a national independent bookstore bestseller, a 2024 Freeman Book Awards honoree, and a 2024 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee. Trinity currently lives in Los Angeles with her cats and the succulents from her mom’s garden.
Suzanne Park is a Korean American writer who was born and raised in Tennessee. Suzanne graduated from Columbia University and received an MBA Degree from UCLA. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, female offspring, and a sneaky rat that creeps around on her back patio. In her spare time, she procrastinates. Her comedic novels have been featured in “best of” lists in NPR, Elle, Popsugar, Real Simple, Country Living, Bustle, Buzzfeed, Marie Claire, Parade, Shondaland and The Today Show.
Dahlia De La Vega is the LA-based bookstagrammer and book reviewer behind ofpagesandprint on social media. She is a voracious reader and audiobook devourer and created ofpagesandprint to support and promote YA, fantasy, and romance authors.
Kindly RSVP so we can plan accordingly. Please stay home if you feel sick.
Where: Bel Canto Books, KUBO, Long Beach
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 4 pm – 6 pm
Address: 3976 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, CA 90807
LiveTalks LA Presents: José Andrés, with Baratunde Thurston, & Change the Recipe at The Aratani Theatre – In-Person & Online Hybrid Event
José Andrés, in conversation with Baratunde Thurston, will discuss his book Change the Recipe: Because You Can’t Build a Better World Without Breaking Some Eggs
This book is a unique collection of life lessons from renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés.
A roadmap to finding your purpose in life, this book is perfect for those who are starting their careers, seeking new direction, changing the world around them, or changing themselves. Frank about failure, excited by discovery, humble about feeding the hungry, and joyful for the possibilities ahead, this book will lift your spirits and inspire you to dream big, no matter where you start—or where you think you’re headed.
José Andrés is a chef, an entrepreneur, an author, an Emmy award-winning television host, and a tireless humanitarian leader across the globe. A Michelin-starred chef with more than forty restaurants, José is also the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit dedicated to feeding the hungry in the wake of natural and man-made disasters. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Zaytinya, The World Central Kitchen Cookbook, We Fed an Island, and Vegetables Unleashed. He was honored as Outstanding Chef and Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, was twice named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025.
Baratunde Thurston is a storyteller exploring interdependence across our relationships with each other, nature, and technology. He is an Emmy-nominated host, a writer, public speaker, and proud Earthling. His newest project is Life With Machines, a YouTube podcast exploring the human side of the A.I. revolution. Baratunde is also host and executive producer of the PBS series America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston, creator and host of the How To Citizen podcast, and a founding partner and writer at Puck. His comedic memoir, How To Be Black, is a New York Times best-seller.
NOTE: See Ticket information at site.
Where: Aratani Theatre, Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 4:30 pm
Address: 244 San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
NOTE: Parking available at the venue
Website: https://livetalksla.org/events/jose-andres/
Sunday Jump Open Mic Series at Pilipino Workers Center – In-Person Event
Sunday Jump is a community arts organization in the Historic Filipinotown neighborhood of Los Angeles.
One event they host is an open mic, with vendors, features, and musical guests performing.
These events are held 1st Sundays, 5 pm – 7 pm. May – November.
This is Sunday Jump’s 13th season! This year’s theme is “Time Check.” Living for the day is a call to be present. We define the meaning of who we are by seizing the gift of today. Opportunities come and go, and sometimes pass by, without us acting on them. While tomorrow is not promised, this moment is yours to make.
NOTE: See website link for schedule and complete guidelines.
Where: Pilipino Workers Center
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 5 pm – 7 pm
Address: 153 Glendale Boulevard, 1st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sunday-jump-open-mic-series-tickets-1326128388709
Tantra Barz #2 Workshop at The Wicked Wolf, Long Beach – In-Person Event
Writing workshop series on first Sundays in the Wrigley district at the Wicked Wolf 5-7 pm PST. It’s $15 with a $5 drink ticket.
Led by Beach City Poetress https://www.instagram.com/beachcitypoetress/
Where: The Wicked Wolf
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 5 pm – 7 pm
Address: 2332 Pacific Ave., Long Beach, CA 90806
Website: https://www.lbpoetry.com/
Book Release: Kim Dallesandro & Dust, featuring Outlaw Women at Stories Books & Café – In-Person Event
Kim Dallesandro will present her new book, Dust.
Poetry and lyrical writing led to short stories and Kim Dallesandro’s ability to find the discipline to condense words and incite emotions writing with precision and economy. Selections of her writing were published in Paraphilia Magazine. DUST is her tenth book. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Joe and her cat Winston.
Featuring performances by:
Zoe Hansen, Michelle Carr, Patty Schemel (Hole), Alison Wolfe & Molly Neuman (Bratmobile/riot grrrl), Cathy Cooper (The Great Sadness), Paz Lenchantin (Pixies)
Where: Stories Books & Café
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Address: 1716 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026
Website: https://storiesla.com/events
May Queer Romance Book Club: Dear Wendy at The Ripped Bodice – In-Person Event
Bookseller Grace. will lead our discussion of: Dear Wendy by author Ann Zhao.
We read widely across the romance genre, featuring LGBTQIA authors.
No membership is necessary, but RSVP is required.
Where: The Ripped Bodice
Date: Sunday the 4th
Time: 7:15 pm – 8:30 pm
Address: 3806 Main St., Culver City, CA 90232
Los Angeles Literature 