Join Cellar Door Bookstore and our local partners with the ACLU SoCal on Monday, July 28th at 6:00 pm for another Community in Conversation, this time focusing on Silky Shah’s book Unbuild Walls: Why Immigrant Justice Needs Abolition. Author Silky Shah will be joining our virtual conversation to talk about her book!

Luis Nolasco from ACLU SoCal with Benjamin Wood and Eddie Torres from the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice will lead the book discussion on Zoom. It will be held on ZOOM ONLY, so please make sure to use this link to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86289169363

Purchase your copy of Silky Shah’s Unbuild Walls from Cellar Door Bookstore in-store, or by calling us at 951-787-7807.

IF YOU ARE ATTENDING, PLEASE REGISTER at Website. REGISTRATION IS FREE.

Where: Cellar Door Bookstore

Date: Monday the 28^th

Time: 6 pm

Address: Online Zoom Event

Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/silkyshah

Queer Book Club: Hola Papi at Cellar Door Bookstore – In-Person Event

Participants will discuss Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons byJohn Paul Brammer.

LGBTQ advice columnist John Paul Brammer writes a “wise and charming” (David Sedaris) memoir-in-essays chronicling his journey from a queer, mixed-race kid in America’s heartland to becoming the “Chicano Carrie Bradshaw” of his generation.

In this hilarious, tenderhearted book, JP shares his story of growing up biracial and in the closet in America’s heartland, while attempting to answer some of life’s most challenging questions: How do I let go of the past? How do I become the person I want to be? Is there such a thing as being too gay? Should I hook up with my grade school bully now that he’s out of the closet? Questions we’ve all asked ourselves, surely.

John Paul Brammer is an author, illustrator, and columnist from rural Oklahoma currently living in Brooklyn. He runs the popular advice column “¡Hola Papi!” on Substack. His work, including essays, short fiction, and illustrations, has appeared in The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Catapult, Business Insider, and many more. ¡Hola Papi! is his first book. He runs a print shop where he puts his artwork and designs at HolaPapiShop.com. You can keep up with him on Twitter or Instagram @JPBrammer.

Where: Cellar Door Bookstore

Date: Monday the 28^th

Time: 6 pm

Address: 473 E. Alessandro Blvd., Suite B, Riverside, CA 92508

Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/event/queer-book-club-hola-papi

Mar Vista Book Club: Books and Communi-Tea: Wicked 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.

Where: Mar Vista Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Monday the 28^th

Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Address: 12006 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/mar-vista-book-club-books-and-communi-tea

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 from 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 28^th

Time: 7 pm – 9 pm

Address: 3575 University Ave. Riverside, CA 92501

Website: https://www.facebook.com/backtothegrind

Janet Clare, with J. Ryan Stradal, & True Home, at Book Soup – In-Person Event

Janet Clare, in conversation with J. Ryan Stradal, will discuss True Home.

Swanee Burrows, the restless, razor-sharp fifteen-year-old daughter of a scandal-ridden congressman and a flawed yet magnetic socialite, struggles to find her footing as her parents’ bitter and very public divorce spirals out of control. In the rain-soaked landscape of the Pacific Northwest, Swanee’s runaway attempts and the intricate web of deception surrounding her family bring her dangerously close to the edge of no return.

At its heart, True Home is a story about coming-of-age and coming to the truth-a tale of love, betrayal, and the dangerous risks we take to find where we truly belong. Janet Clare invites readers into a world where every relationship is a labyrinth and daring to love might just be the greatest danger of all.

True Home delivers the same piercing emotional clarity as the great domestic dramas of the late 20th century, inviting comparisons to Ordinary People and Endless Love. Yet, Clare forges her own path, presenting a story that feels at once timeless and thrillingly fresh.

Where: Book Soup

Date: Monday the 28^th

Time: 7 pm – 8 pm

Heather Dandy Herbert and Chase Reynolds Ewald will present and discuss California Coastal: Seaside Living from Sea Ranch to San Diego.

The California Coast is an iconic landscape, conjuring images of endless sunshine, pristine beaches, swaying palm trees, epic waves, and sinuous curving roads clinging to dramatic cliffs along a rugged coastline. Scenically rich and teeming with wildlife, California is also known for its laid-back, nature-forward, indoor-outdoor lifestyle. This is epitomized in the architecture and design of eighteen homes featured in the book, which speaks to the coastline’s special qualities—as well as its distinct hazards. The projects are organized into Northern Coast, Central Coast, and Southern Coast. Architectural styles range from traditional to modern, with added variety in the form of rustic modern, small-format bungalow, and renovations of existing buildings.

Heather Sandy Hebert has spent her life surrounded by the worlds of design and literature. After twenty-five years in the field of architecture, she now works with numerous design, hospitality, and wine clients, large and small, to help them craft and convey their stories. Her previous books are The New Architecture of Wine, At Home in the Wine Country, and Design Mixology. truenorthcreativestudio.com.

Chase Reynolds Ewald is the author of many books on architecture, design, craftsmanship, and western and rustic lifestyle. Her most recent books are At Home in the Wine Country; Bison: Portrait of an Icon; Rustic Modern; and Wild Sugar. A graduate of Yale University and U.C. Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, she lives in Northern California, works with clients across the country, and road-trips across the West whenever possible. chasereynoldsewald.com.

Where: pages, a bookstore

Date: Monday the 28^th

Time: 7 pm – 9 pm

Address: 904 Manhattan Ave. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Website: https://pagesabookstore.com/event/2025-07-28/special-author-event-heather-sandy-hebert-and-chase-reynolds-ewald

At Skylight: Cassandra Khaw, with Olivie Blake, & The Library at Hellebore, at Skylight – In-Person Event

Cassandra Khaw, in conversation with Olivie Blake, will discuss The Library at Hellebore.

The Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted is the premier academy for the dangerously powerful: the Anti-Christs and Ragnaroks, the world-eaters and apocalypse-makers.

Hellebore promises redemption, acceptance, and a normal life after graduation. At least, that’s what Alessa Li is told after she’s kidnapped and forcibly enrolled.

But the Institute is more than just a haven for monsters. On graduation day, the faculty embark on a ravenous rampage, feasting on their students. Trapped in the school’s cavernous library, Alessa and her surviving classmates must do something they were never taught: work together.

If they don’t, this school will eat them alive…

Cassandra Khaw is the USA Today bestselling and Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Library at Hellebore, Nothing But Blackened Teeth, The Salt Grows Heavy, Breakable Things, and coauthor of The Dead Take the A Train with Richard Kadrey. They are an award-winning game writer.

Olivie Blake is the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six, Alone with You in the Ether, One for My Enemy, Masters of Death, Januaries, and Gifted & Talented. As Alexene Farol Follmuth, she is also the author of the young adult rom-coms Twelfth Knight and My Mechanical Romance. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, goblin prince/toddler, and rescue pit bull. Find her at olivieblake.com.

Where: Skylight

Date: Monday, the 28^th

Time: 7 pm – 9 pm

Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027

Website: https://www.skylightbooks.com/event/skylight-cassandra-khaw-presents-library-hellebore-w-olivie-blake

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 is passionate about discussing everything related to the craft and social significance of literature!

Where: Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center – Online event

Date: Monday the 28^th

Time: 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Address: Zoom Online Event (see site)

Website: https://beyondbaroque.org/free_workshops.html or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monday-night-fiction-workshop-tickets-1513173264969

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 paperback. https://www.francescaliablock.com/

Where: Village Well Books & Coffee

Date: Tuesday the 29^th

Time: 10 am – 11 am

Address: 9900 Culver Blvd.,1B, Culver City, CA 90232

Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/events

Tuesday Tales: A Travelin’ Storytime at Pico Branch Library, SMPL – In-Person Kids Event

This fun and engaging weekly series, featuring stories, songs, and rhymes, travels to a different library location each week. Limited space; free tickets available. For ages 3 – 5.

Where: Pico Branch Library, SMPL

Date: Tuesday the 29^th

Time: 10:30 am – 11 am

Join us weekly on Zoom on Tuesday mornings at 11am for the Virtual Book Club. In July we will be discussing The River Is Waiting, a novel by Wally Lamb.

It’s 1964. LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone’s turntable, and ten-year-old Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade—easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy. But there are several things young Felix can depend on: the birds and bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he’s never going to forget.

Each week we read and discuss 1/4 of the book. Please see the weekly discussion breakdown below.

Week 4: July 22: Parts 3 & 4 Page 321 to the end of the book.

Week 5: July 22: Wrap-up discussion of The River is Waiting & discussion of recommendations for other books, movies, etc.

Where: Virtual Event, LACL

Date: Tuesday the 29^th

Time: 11 am – 12 pm

Address: Online Event (see site)

Where: Ocean Park Branch Library, SMPL, The Annex

Date: Tuesday the 29^th

Time: 11:30 am – 12 pm

Address: 2601 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405

Where: Palms – Rancho Park Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Tuesday the 29^th

Time: 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Address: 2920 Overland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90064

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/teen-nature-writing-workshop

The Book Jewel Writers Workshop at the Book Jewel – In-Person Event

Join the Book Jewel Writer’s Group!

Every last Tuesday of the month at 4 pm, connect with fellow writers in a supportive and creative space, led by the amazing Thera! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, come share your stories and get inspired.

Please contact Thera at the website for more info.

Where: The Book Jewel

Date: Tuesday the 29^th

Time: 4 pm

Join the LGBTQ+ Book Club for a hybrid (in-person and online) discussion of We Should Not Be Friends: The Story of a Friendship by Will Schwalbe. 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 register at the link below to receive the link to the meeting via email.

https://library-lacounty-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pd-Goqz4uGNNbzVuW720zsRrGxTK1VeLG

By the time Will Schwalbe was a junior at college, he had already met everyone he cared to know: the theater people, writers, visual artists and comp lit majors, and various other quirky characters including the handful of students who shared his own major, Latin and Greek. He also knew exactly who he wanted to avoid: the jocks. The jocks wore baseball caps and moved in packs, filling boisterous tables in the dining hall, and on the whole seemed to be another species entirely, one Will might encounter only at his own peril.

All this changed dramatically when Will collided with Chris Maxey, known to just about everyone as Maxey. Maxey was physically imposing, loud, and a star wrestler who was determined to become a Navy SEAL (where he would later serve for six years). Thanks to the strangely liberating circumstances of a little-known secret society at Yale, the two forged a bond that would become a mainstay of each other’s lives as they repeatedly lost and found each other and themselves in the years after graduation.

Where: West Hollywood Library, LACL

Date: Tuesday the 29^th

Time: 6 pm – 7 pm

Address: 5040 W. Ave. M 2, Quartz Hill, CA 93536

A lot of us like to think we could solve a mystery. But do you have what it takes? The Carpool Detectives is what happens when a group of LA moms—with kids getting older and careers long in the rearview—band together and crack a double homicide wide open. It’s a jaw-dropping work of a true crime, and a poignant story of motherhood, the power of community, and how shared purpose can bring us together. Unique to the genre, this story is being revealed for the very first time in these pages.

A lot of us like to think we could solve a mystery. But do you have what it takes? The Carpool Detectives is what happens when a group of LA moms—with kids getting older and careers long in the rearview—band together and crack a double homicide wide open. It’s a jaw-dropping work of a true crime, and a poignant story of motherhood, the power of community, and how shared purpose can bring us together. Unique to the genre, this story is being revealed for the very first time in these pages.

In 2020, Marissa, Jeannie, Samira, and Nicole find themselves at a familiar crossroads: when motherhood takes charge of their lives, they begin grappling with their own identities. Their thriving careers seem like a lifetime ago, and as their children become more independent, they struggle to find purpose. But when they meet at a bowling night fundraiser for their kids’ school, they discover a shared interest in true crime that crystalizes around a mysterious double homicide that took place in their hometown of Los Angeles a decade earlier: A couple in their 60s vanished overnight from their home and mysteriously shuttered their family business, leaving millions of dollars unaccounted for. Initially believed to have absconded with the money, they went from suspects to victims when their bodies were discovered in their car at the bottom of a steep ravine. And then the case turned cold.

But what if the moms could solve it? What if they could bring a killer to justice and give closure to a grieving family? The four women have no connection to the case and no law-enforcement background, but the determined group find themselves in incredible and often dangerous situations–digging for evidence in prohibited ravines, scouring potential crime scenes for blood splatter, and sifting through pages and pages of dense police files. As they get more entangled in this complex investigation, they also find themselves in real danger—and with information that could blow the case wide open.

Chuck Hogan is the author of several acclaimed New York Times bestsellers, including Prince of Thieves, which was awarded the Hammett Prize and adapted into the hit feature film The Town starring Ben Affleck. His most recent novel, Gangland, was selected as one of The New York Times’s Ten Best Crime Novels of the year and nominated for an Edgar Award. The Carpool Detectives is his first work of nonfiction.

Where: Diesel, A Bookstore

Date: Tuesday the 29^th

Time: 6:30 pm – 8 pm

Address: 225 26^th St., Santa Monica, CA 90402

Website: https://dieselbookstore.com/event/2025-07-29/carpool-detectives-true-story-four-moms-two-bodies-and-one-mysterious-cold-case

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 29^th

Time: 7 pm – 10 pm

Address: 14537 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

This workbook is not here to heal your inner child with fairy dust. It’s here to weaponize your truth. Inspired by Nice Girls Don’t Win by Parvati Shallow, this is your brutal guide to stop performing, stop shrinking, and stop making yourself digestible to people who don’t even deserve your shadow.

A bold, eye-opening memoir about survival, trauma, and healing, from one of reality television’s most talked-about stars

At twenty-five years old, Parvati Shallow was plunged into fame and fortune after becoming the million-dollar winner of the reality television series Survivor. But despite her success, the ghosts of her traumatic past, coupled with the harsh glare of the public eye, kept her locked in a survival cycle of fear and shame that sabotaged her self-confidence and eroded her self-trust. It wasn’t until a series of painful life events, including the death of her younger brother and a challenging divorce, that she found herself on a path of healing that would awaken her true power and reset the course of her life.

In Nice Girls Don’t Win, Shallow shares the stories that allowed her to transform her most difficult moments into potent catalysts for empowerment. From her childhood growing up in a Florida commune run by a tyrannical female guru, to her journey out of the South and into the L.A. casting rooms that would eventually drop her in the lush but brutal landscapes of Survivor, Shallow shows readers what it took to build herself into the ultimate survivor—for better and, more often, for worse. She then reveals what it took to rebuild herself into something much greater.

RSVP at website.

Where: Book Soup

Date: Tuesday the 29^th

Time: 7 pm – 8 pm

Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

As spiritualism reaches its fevered pitch at the dawn of the 20th century, a Scottish girl crosses the veil to unlock a powerful connection within an infamous asylum in this thrillingly atmospheric, exquisitely evocative exploration of feminine rage and agency for readers of Sarah Penner, Alice Hoffman, and Hester Fox.

Leaving behind a quiet life of simple comforts, Nairna Liath traverses the Scottish countryside with her charlatan father, Tavish. From remote cottages to rural fairs, the duo scrapes by on paltry coins as Tavish orchestrates “encounters” with the departed, while Nairna interprets tarot cards for those willing to pay for what they wish to hear.

But beyond her father’s trickery, Nairna possesses a genuine gift for communicating with the spirit world, one that could get an impoverished country girl branded a witch. A talent inherited from her grandmother, Lottie Liath, widow of a Welsh coalminer, whose story of imprisonment and exploitation in a notorious asylum is calling out to Nairna from four decades past—a warning to break free from the manipulations, greed, and betrayals of others.

What do the cards hold for Nairna’s future?

Kathleen Kaufman is an author of magical realism and feminist gothic horror, exploring “the other” from “the other’s” point of view, how the horror of the past manifests in the present, and the inescapable intertwining of generational history. Her prose has been praised by Kirkus Reviews as “crisp, elegant” and “genuinely chilling” by Booklist. She is the author of the Diabhal trilogy, The Lairdbalor (soon to be a feature film directed by Nicholas Verso), Hag, and The Tree Museum. Originally from Colorado, Kathleen is a professor at Santa Monica College and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, kitten, and hound. Visit her online at KathleenKaufman.com.

A. (Amanda) Rae Dunlap studied film and Victorian literature at Northwestern University and spends her days as a trailer editor at Disney, bringing to life the magic of the world’s most influential storytellers for audiences everywhere. Born and raised in Okemos, Michigan, she now lives with her husband in a small mountain town in Southern California.

Where: Skylight

Date: Tuesday, the 29^th

Time: 7 pm – 9 pm

Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027

Quincy Scott Jones is the author of two books of poetry: The T-Bone Series (Whirlwind Press, 2009) and How to Kill Yourself Instead of Your Children (C&R Press, 2021). He is a Cave Canem fellow, a VONA alum, a NYC educator, and once in high school worked as a supermarket clown.

Where: Cobalt Poets – Online Zoom Event

Date: Tuesday, the 29^th

Time: 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

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.

The 5th Tuesday of the month is Women + Femmes Night.

$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 29^th

Time: 9 pm – 11 pm

Come write with us!

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.

Where: Village Well Books & Coffee

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 8:30 am – 9:30 am

Join us every Wednesday and Saturday for a storytime amongst the cozy bookstacks of Village Well!

Where: Village Well Books & Coffee

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 11 am – 12 pm

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 2^nd Monday of the month on KPFK Los Angeles 90.7 FM.

NOTE: See site for details.

Where: KPFK 90.7 FM

Date: Wednesday, the 30^th

Time: 2 pm – 2:30 pm

Address: On-air Event (live)

Copies are available to check out at the customer service desk.

Where: Angelo M. Iacoboni Library, LACL

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 3 pm – 4 pm

Address: 4990 Clark Ave., Lakewood, CA 90712

Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13809074

Teen Poetry Café at West Covina Library, LACL – In-Person Teen Event

Teens will enjoy pastries and learn various types of poetry such as blackout poetry, spine poetry, and magnetic poetry. Come enjoy the fun! For Ages 12 – 17.

Parents & Guardians: Please be aware that refreshments will be served at this program. A list of ingredients will be available.

Where: West Covina Library, LACL

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 4 pm – 5 pm

Address: 1601 W. Covina Pkwy., West Covina, CA 91790

Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13997075

Book Club: Connie at El Monte Library, LACL – In-Person Event

Bibliophiles are welcomed! Join us each month for a facilitated discussion of fiction and non-fiction titles. A limited number of copies are available for book club attendees at the library. Light refreshments will be served. For adults.

July’s Book Pick is Connie: A Memoir by Connie Chung.

In Connie: A Memoir, trailblazing journalist Connie Chung delivers a sharp, candid account of her groundbreaking career as the first Asian woman to anchor network news in a male-dominated industry. Born in the U.S. to Chinese immigrants, Chung navigated racism, sexism, and cultural duality to become a household name. With wit and honesty, she shares personal and professional highs and lows—from her marriage to Maury Povich and adopting a son at nearly 50, to surviving childhood trauma—offering an unflinching portrait of a media icon.

A small number of copies will be available for checkout on June 25, 2025.

Where: El Monte Library, LACL

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 5 pm – 6 pm

Address: 3224 Tyler Ave., El Monte, CA 91731

Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13810487

Finding Your Voice: Poetry Workshop at Junipero Serra Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event

Finding Your Voice is a poetry workshop designed to help you explore self-expression while crafting poems that resonate with unique perspectives. Through guided exercises and supportive feedback, this workshop will teach you about poetic styles and themes. You will also gain confidence in sharing your work and connecting with a community of fellow writers.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned poet looking to refresh your craft, this space is for you. No prior experience needed. Participants can also bring in copies of their poems if they would like feedback.

For more information, please contact the Literacy Coordinator at (213) 228-7037 x70719 or juniperoliteracy@lapl.org.

Where: Junipero Serra Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 5 pm

Address: 4607 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90037

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/finding-your-voice

Sci-Fi Book Club: The Watchman at Van Nuys Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event

Join us to discuss The Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons.

Synopsis: Following the brutal murder of a retired superhero, a street vigilante begins unraveling a mystery that could end in nuclear war.

Where: Van Nuys Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 5 pm – 6 pm

Address: 6260 Sylmar Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91401

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/scifi-book-club-watchmen-alan-moore-dave-gibbons

Book Club for Adults: The Watchman at Van Nuys Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event

Join us for a lively literary discussion at our book club for adults! New members are always welcome. You may check out the book (or e-book) for free with your library card.

July 30: The Women by Kristin Hannah

Where: Valley Plaza Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 6 pm – 7:15 pm

Address: 12311 Vanowen St., North Hollywood, CA 91605

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/book-club-adults-5

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 30^th

Time: 6 pm – 8 pm

Address: On-air Event (live at 101.5 FM)

Website: https://www.lapoetsociety.org/events

Mystery & Thriller Book Club: Death at the Sign of the Rook at Studio City Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event

RSVP:

Please email studio@lapl.org for details.

Where: Studio City Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Address: 12511 Moorpark St., Studio City, CA 91604

Nora Grey follows a young woman, Narina, who is pulled from a lifetime of hoax seances and roadside tarot readings by the powerful yet mysterious Edinburgh Spiritualist Society. Recognizing that Narina has true power, the Spiritualists encourage Narina to cross the veil and make a connection with her ‘spirit guide,’ a spirit who can help her communicate with others from beyond the grave. In doing so, Narina’s psychic abilities shatter the barriers between space and time, leading her to form a bond with another young woman wrongfully imprisoned in an infamous asylum decades before Narina’s birth.

Leaving behind a quiet life of simple comforts, Nairna Liattraverses the Scottish countryside with her charlatan father, Tavish. From remote cottages to rural fairs, the duo scrapes by on paltry coins as Tavish orchestrates “encounters” with the departed, while Nairna interprets tarot cards for those willing to pay for what they wish to hear. But beyond her father’s trickery, Nairna possesses a genuine gift for communicating with the spirit world, one that could get an impoverished country girl branded a witch. A talent inherited from her grandmother, Lottie Liath, widow of a Welsh coalminer, whose story of imprisonment and exploitation in a notorious asylum is calling out to Nairna from four decades past—a warning to break free from the manipulations, greed, and betrayals of others.

What do the cards hold for Nairna’s future?

Rescued from homelessness by a well-connected stranger, Nairna is whisked into a new life among Edinburgh’s elite Spiritualist circle, including visiting American star Dorothy Kellings. Researchers, doctors, psychics, and thrill-seekers clamor for the rising young medium. But after a séance with blood-chilling results, a shocking scandal ensues, and Nairna flees to a secluded community near Boston, where she assumes a new identity: Nora Grey.

But Nora can’t stay hidden when Dorothy Kellings offers her the chance to face all comers and silence skeptics at a spectacular séance at Boston’s Old South Meeting Hall, where Nora will come face to face at last with her spiritual guide: the courageous Lottie Liath, whose heart-wrenching story and profound messages are indelibly tied to Nora’s destiny.

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 6:30 pm – 8 pm

Address: 225 26^th St., Santa Monica, CA 90402

Aspiring screenwriter Jace is fed up with Hollywood, with the gays, with planning his 30th birthday. A week of wild misfortune is about to really test his limits in these “unprecedented times.” A work of fiction teetering on the edge of satire. A story of doom, destiny and decision fatigue.

Where: Book Soup

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 7 pm – 8 pm

Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

Website: https://www.booksoup.com/event/bernard-leed-discusses-signs-sucker

Book Event: Pia Mia, with Farrah Penn, & Diamonds, Deception & Destiny at The Ripped Bodice – In-Person Event

Pia Mia, in conversation with Farrah Penn, will present her rock star romance novel Diamonds, Deception & Destiny.

There will be a book signing to follow.

RSVP required, Ticketed event.

Where: The Ripped Bodice

Time: 7 pm – 9 pm

Address: 3806 Main St., Culver City, CA 90232 

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 30^th

Time: 7 pm – 9:30 pm (Doors at 6:30 pm; Open Mic at 8 pm)

Address: 3200 W. Temple St., Ste. 100, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Website: https://www.palmsupacademy.com

Anansi Writers Workshop & Long Beach Neverspeak at The World Stage – In-Person Event

The Anansi Writer’s Workshop is excited to present the 2nd installment of our Summer Takeover Series! Community and village deepens Wednesday, July 30, as we welcome Long Beach Neverspeak to takeover the World Stage in Leimert Park, CA. We share space from LB to LA!

Doors open @7 pm

Takeover begins @7:30 pm

$10 Donation (No one will be turned away)

Parking & Entrance are in the back use 43rd St. parking lot.

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 (use left rear entrance)

Date: Wednesday, the 30^th

Time: 7:30 pm – 10 pm

Join us for a night of storytelling, with the theme: 90 Second Stories!

Story Salon challenges you all to tell stories in 90 seconds! Can you do it? If you can, join us Wednesday 7/30!

Tickets can be purchased early with the link in bio or at storysalon.com.

#storytelling #valleyvillage #storysalon #communitystories #LAthingstodo #northhollywood

Storytellers coming soon!

Where: Art Parlor

Date: Wednesday the 30^th

Time: 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm (Doors at 7 pm)

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 on the site.

The workshop can sometimes reach high levels of attendance, which means not everyone will get a chance to read every session.

Jose Hernandaz Diaz is a 2017 NEA Fellow. He is the author of The Fire Eater (Texas Review Press, 2020) Bad Mexican, Bad American (Acre Books, 2024) The Parachutist (Sundress Publications, 2025) and Portrait of the Artist as a Brown Man (Red Hen Press, 2025). He has been published in Bennington Review, The Yale Review, The London Magazine, The Southern Review, Poetry Ireland Review, The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2011, and in The Best American Poetry 2025. He has taught creative writing at the University of California at Riverside. Currently, he is the Visiting Writer in Residence at the University of Tennessee.

NOTE: See site for further details, tickets, and information. 

Where: Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center

Date: Wednesday, the 30^th

Time: 8 pm – 10 pm

Address: Online event (see site)

Host Ben Trigg and Two Idiots Peddling Poetry welcome featured readings form the Shit Men Say to Me anthology.

It’s been four years since this incredible anthology was published by Moon Tide Press, and we are honored to be hosting its anniversary reading with two of its editors HanaLena Fennel and Victoria Lynne McCoy! Further details are forthcoming.

Sh!t Men Say to Me: A Poetry Anthology in Response to Toxic Masculinity includes the work of over 70 poets of different backgrounds, genders, sexualities, creeds, and colors. Their poems share personal stories about weaponized power, engrained misogyny, and finding one’s complete personhood in a system that tries to make you less.

$5 cover fee, cash only.

Where: The Ugly Mug, Orange

Date: Wednesday, the 30^th

Time: 8 pm – 10 pm

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.

About the instructor:

Tuesdays & Thursdays @10AM | $15

Where: Village Well Books & Coffee

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 10 am – 11 am

You’re invited to a conversation with neurologist and author Pria Anand to chat about her new book The Mind Electric, that looks at the stories we tell ourselves about our brains, and the stories that our brains tell to us.

A girl believes she has been struck blind for stealing a kiss. A mother watches helplessly as each of her children is replaced by a changeling. A woman is haunted each month by the same four chords of a single song. In neurology, illness is inextricably linked with narrative, the clues to unraveling these mysteries hidden in both the details of a patient’s story and the tells of their body.

Stories are etched into the very structure of our brains, coded so deeply that the impulse for storytelling survives and even surges after the most devastating injuries. But our brains are also porous—the stories they concoct are shaped by cultural narratives about bodies and illness that permeate the minds of doctors and patients alike. In the history of medicine, some stories are heard, while others—the narratives of women, of Black and brown people, of displaced people, of disempowered people—are too often dismissed.

In The Mind Electric, neurologist Pria Anand reveals—through case study, history, fable, and memoir—all that the medical establishment has overlooked: the complexity and wonder of brains in health and in extremis, and the vast gray area between sanity and insanity, doctor and patient, and illness and wellness, each separated from the next by the thin veneer of a different story.

Moving from the Boston hospital where she treats her patients, to her childhood years in India, to Isla Providencia in the Caribbean and to the Republic of Guinea in West Africa, she demonstrates the compelling paradox at the heart of neurology: that even the most peculiar symptoms can show us something universal about ourselves as humans. Register now to join this intriguing virtual conversation!

Where: Virtual Program, LACL

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 11 am – 12 pm

Address: Online Event

The first Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes Mystery.

Where: Sunland – Tujunga Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 1 pm

Address: 7771 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga, CA 91042

This humorous novel is centered around an eccentric and reclusive architect, Bernadette Fox, who suddenly disappears just days before a family trip to Antarctica. For adults.

Time: 2 pm – 3 pm

Address: 4533 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

This work of historical fiction tells the story of Odile Souchet, a young librarian at the American Library in Paris during World War II. When the Nazis invade, she risks her life in the Resistance. The book then follows Odile’s later life in Montana, her friendship with teenage neighbor Lily, and Lily’s discovery of a secret that connects them.



The library will have copies to check out or check our e-media page for electronic access on Libby and hoopla.

Please bring your book suggestions for future meetings.

Where: Eagle Rock Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 3 pm

Address: 5027 Caspar Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90041

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/eagle-rock-book-club-0

Writing Workshop with Authors Chris Baron, Emily Barth Isler, and Callie C. Miller at Once Upon a Time, Montrose – In-Person Kids Event

Do YOU want to be a writer?!

Gather your notebooks, sharpen your pencils, and get ready to write with a kids writing workshop led by three middle grade authors. The three authors will lead participants in writing and brainstorming for an hour, then at 5 pm the store will open up to everyone for a meet and greet with the authors.

Chris Baron’s newest book Spark explores resilience in kids and in our environment.

Emily Barth Isler’s The Color of Sound is an exploration of music, color, and family through synesthesia.

Callie C. Miller’s The Hunt for the Hollower follows Merlin’s great grandchildren on an epic quest with magical mischief and adventure.

Masks are optional but preferred at events. If you can’t make it to the event, you can order signed books in advance at the website.

Where: Once Upon a Time, Montrose

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 4 pm

Join us to discuss Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.

This humorous novel is centered around an eccentric and reclusive architect, Bernadette Fox, who suddenly disappears just days before a family trip to Antarctica. For adults.

This novel is centered around an eccentric and reclusive architect, Bernadette Fox, who suddenly disappears just days before a family trip to Antarctica. Her 15-year-old daughter, Bee, takes it upon herself to track her down. Told through a compilation of emails, letters, official documents, and Bee’s narration, the story unravels the mystery of Bernadette’s vanishing while exploring the complexities of modern family life. This is the evening session.

Where: Lloyd Taber – Marina Del Rey Library, LACL

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 6 pm – 7 pm

Address: 4533 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13960621

Author Event: Jennifer Pastiloff, with Debbie Millman, & Proof of Life at Zibby’s Bookshop, Santa Monica – In-Person Event

Jennifer Pastiloff will celebrate the launch of Proof of Life. She will be joined in conversation by Debbie Millman.

An urgent rallying cry to stop holding back and start living life on your terms.

Jen Pastiloff convinced herself: My life is fine and fine’s enough, until the whisper that something was missing turned full-on scream.

This is Pastiloff’s account of how she reclaimed her voice and desire by radically changing her life. She did this despite believing that change equaled death ever since her beloved father died when she was eight. (Much to her shock, change did not equal death.) She shows us it is never too late to begin again, or to let go of stories like: I don’t deserve this; I don’t get to be happy; no one will love me; I’m too old, to name a few.

Through this book, you’ll quiet your Inner Asshole, participate in the cathartic process of Shame Loss, ignore the Imaginary Time Gods, use creativity as a portal into healing and connection, and become your own permission slip. Complete with takeaways in Jen’s signature style, creativity prompts, and poetry, Proof of Life is funny, inspiring, and full of love. This book is a reminder that your birthright is not stress or shame and that you don’t have to show proof that you are worthy or deserving. You are your own proof of life.

Jennifer Pastiloff trots the globe as a public speaker and to host her retreats to Italy, as well as her one-of-a-kind workshops, which she has taught to thousands of people all over the world. The author of the popular Substack, also called Proof of Life, she teaches writing and creativity classes called Allow, and workshops called Shame Loss, when she isn’t painting and selling her art. She has been featured on Good Morning America, and Katie Couric, and in New York magazine, People, Shape, Health magazine, and other media outlets for her authenticity and unique voice. She is deaf, reads lips, and mishears almost everything, but what she hears is usually funnier (at least she thinks so). The author of the national bestseller On Being Human, Pastiloff lives in Southern California with her son, Charlie Mel.

Debbie Millman, named “one of the most creative people in business” by Fast Company, “one of the most influential designers working today” by GDUSA, and a “Woman of Influence” by Success magazine, Debbie Millman is an author, educator, designer, and podcast pioneer. She is the host of the Webby and Signal award-winning podcast Design Matters, one of the first and longest-running podcasts in the world. Debbie serves as Chair of the first-ever Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts, Editorial Director of PrintMag.com, and is the author of eight books.

Where: Zibby’s Bookshop

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 6 pm – 7 pm

Address: 1113 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90403

Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/author-event-jennifer-pastiloff-debbie-millman-tickets-1407730041449

Cookies & Comics Graphic Novel Book Club: The City and Its Uncertain Walls at Westwood Branch Library, LAPL – Online Zoom Event

Do you love graphic novels? Does your family tire of having to talk about Watchmen—again? Looking for someone to geek out with you over the new stuff from Brian K. Vaughan? Then this is the club for you!

This month, we’ll discuss Uncle Sam by Steve Darnall and illustrated by Alex Ross. Absorbed by history-traveling visions of America’s dark past, Uncle Sam struggles to remember his true identity and piece together the scattered clues of his own experiences in this deep and thoughtful look at America’s checkered past. You can grab this title on hoopla with your library card.

The intended audience for this monthly Zoom event is teens aged 16+ and adults.

Where: Westwood Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Address: 1246 Glendon Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/cookies-comics-graphic-novel-book-club-12

4^th Anniversary Celebration at Sims Library of Poetry – In-Person Event

Join us for a celebration of our library’s past, present, and future!

Join us at @simslibraryofpoetry for poetry, food, music, and more!

$20 admission

See you there!

Where: Sims Library of Poetry

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 6:30 pm

Address: 2702 W. Florence Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043

Ande Astrid Kims is a poet, educator, and local government attorney. Eros, Unbroken (2020), her second collection, is the winner of the 2019 Washington Prize and the 2021 Library of Virginia Literary Award in Poetry and was a finalist for the 2020 Foreword INDIES Poetry Book of the Year. Into the Cyclorama, her debut collection, won the Michael Waters Poetry Prize (Southern Indiana Review Press, 2016).

Nikolai Garcia grew up in South Central Los Angeles, works in East Hollywood; drinks in DTLA; and has been sleeping in Compton for 15+ years. His poems have been published in Huizache, Cultural Daily, Drunk Monkeys, Sad Girl Review, Razorcake, Sobotka, Latino Book Review and various other journals and anthologies. His first chapbook, Nuclear Shadows of Palm Trees, was released by DSTL Arts in 2019. His latest is All the Soul Music, also from DSTL Arts (2025). He is cohost of Trenches Full of Poets, a reading series in Long Beach.

Richard McDowell N/A

Cynthia Alessandra Briano is a poet, Director of the Rapp Saloon Reading Series and Founder of Love On Demand Global. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants, grew up in Southeast L.A., and at 14, attended boarding school in Massachusetts. She earned a B.A. from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and a Master in Fine Arts in Poetry from UC Riverside. Cynthia teaches at Cal. State University Fullerton in the African American Studies Department as part of the Ethnic Studies Program. She has been recipient of the Lois Morrell & J. Russell Hayes Poetry Prize and finalist in the James Hearst Poetry Prize.

Robbie McDonald, singer

Lorinda Hawkins, comedian

Where: Five Star Bar

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 7 pm – 9 pm; Jazz at 9 pm

Sam Bloch, in conversation with Nithia Raman, will discuss Shade, which brings together science, history, urban design, and social justice to change the way we think about a critical natural resource that should be available to all.

On a 90-degree day in Los Angeles, bus riders across the city line up behind the shadows cast by street signs and telephone poles, looking for a little relief from the sun’s glaring heat. Every summer such scenes play out in cities across the United States, and as Sam Bloch argues, we ignore the benefits of shade at our own peril. Heatwaves are now the country’s deadliest natural disasters with victims concentrated in poorer, less shady areas. Public health, mental health, and crime statistics are worse in neighborhoods without it. For some, finding shade is a matter of life and death.

Shade was once a staple of human civilization. In Mesopotamia and Northern Africa, cities were built densely so that courtyards and public passageways were in shadow in the heat of the day, with cool breezes flowing freely. The Greeks famously philosophized in shady agoras. Even today, in Spain’s sunny Seville, political careers are imperiled when leaders fail to put out the public shades that hang above sidewalks in time for summer heat.

So, what happened in the U.S.? The arrival of air conditioning and the dominance of cars took away the impetus to enshrine shade into our rapidly growing cities. Though a few heroic planners, engineers, and architects developed shady designs for efficiency and comfort, the removal of shade trees in favor of wider roads and underinvestment in public spaces created a society where citizens retreat to their own cooled spaces, if they can—increasingly taxing the energy grid—or face dangerous heat outdoors.

Shade examines the key role that shade plays not only in protecting human health and enhancing urban life, but also looks toward the ways that innovative architects, city leaders, and climate entrepreneurs are looking to revive it to protect vulnerable people—and maybe even save the planet. Ambitious and far-reaching, Shade helps us see a crucially important subject in a new light.

Sam Bloch is an environmental journalist. Previously, a staff writer at The Counter, he has written for L.A. Weekly, Places Journal, Slate, The New York Times, CityLab, and Landscape Architecture Magazine, among others. Bloch is a graduate of the Columbia Journalism School, and a former MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellow and Emerson Collective Fellow. He is based in New York City.

Nithya Raman (RAH-men) is an urban planner, a mother of two, an immigrant to America, and a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing District 4. She ran for City Council in 2020 and won a historic victory, becoming the first Asian American woman and the first South Asian ever to serve on the City Council. In March 2024, she was decisively elected to a second term. Since taking office, Councilmember Raman has prioritized delivering people-centered and effective services for people experiencing homelessness, building more affordable housing, and moving with greater urgency to meet our city’s climate goals.

She serves as Chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee, Vice Chair of the Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, and member of the Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee, Energy and Environment Committee, and the newly formed Ad Hoc Committee on Unarmed Crisis Prevention, Intervention, and Community Services. Councilmember Raman also represents Los Angeles on the Governing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District and serves on the Board of the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA). In 2024, she was nominated by Mayor Karen Bass to serve as Vice Chair on the LA County Executive Committee for Regional Homeless Alignment.

Where: Skylight

Date: Thursday, the 31^st

Time: 7 pm – 9 pm

Address: 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027

Where: Stories Books & Café

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 7 pm – 9 pm

Address: 1716 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026

Hosted by Jamie Mayorquin and Jesenia Chavez.

We are having our 1st storytelling event at a bar. In collaboration with @labufadorabar we bring you ‘Cuentos En La Cantona. A night of storytelling,” hosted by @chabemucho and @jaimexicano.

As usual we will have featured storytellers, and a few spots on our open mic list. (The theme is FUERA!) We also plan to have an interactive storytelling game. This event promises to be a good time, so come grab a cocktail or a craft beer and enjoy this new night with us. (Please DM us with any questions.)

Where: La Bufadora

Date: Thursday the 31^st

Time: 8 pm

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 1^st

Time: 8:30 am – 9:30 am

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 1^st

Time: 9:30 am

Address: 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020

¡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 1^st

Time: 11 am

Join us for a lively book discussion. Each month, we select a different title to read and discuss.

Call the Memorial Branch at 323-938-2732 to find out the month’s featured title.

Where: Memorial Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Friday the 1^st

Time: 1 pm – 2 pm

Address: 4825 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90019

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/first-fridays-book-club-1

WeHo Sci-Fi Book Club: The Mountain in the Sea at West Hollywood Library, LACL – In-Person Event

Are you a fan of science fiction? If so, you should join the WeHo Sci-Fi book club! A safe space where we’ll delve into the worlds of classic and contemporary science fiction. For adults.

We’ll supply copies of the book a month in advance.

For this month’s meeting, we’ll be reading: The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler.

Please contact the library to get a print copy of the book. No registration required.

For adults.

This program will be held in the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Room.

Where: West Hollywood Library, LACL

Date: Friday the 1^st

Time: 4 pm – 5:30 pm

Address: 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA, 90069

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 1^st

Time: 6 pm (Doors at 5:30 pm)

Address: 125 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 9270

Website: https://www.instagram.com

Book Discussion: Perfect Victims at Midnight Bookstore – In-Person Event

On Friday, August 1, join us in discussing Mohammed El-Kurd’s text in Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal, which details how a liberal politics of appeal impedes the ability to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance!

Newcomers are welcome.

RSVP at website link.

We will be discussing Chapters 5-6 for our third session; find the free PDF in our bio!

As oppressed people, we must be unwavering in our analysis as we stand behind the Palestinian movement as our compass and the highest form of resistance!

Where: Midnight Bookstore

Date: Friday the 1^st

Time: 6:30 pm

Address: 941 E. 2^nd St., Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tia Chucha’s Open Mic is a collaborative showcase, hosted by Alex Infinity and Voces Unidas en Pacoima, with featured Musicians, and open mic.

We are raffling off artwork, books, and gift bundles, to support KIND.

No donation is too small. We appreciate all the love you can give and help us bring relief and support to our most vulnerable population.

This event with Voices Unidas en Pacoima.

We are dedicating all our live events to help support KIND: Kids in Need of Defense. They are a non-profit organization that provides legal services, support, and resources to immigrant and refugee children.

Join us at our upcoming shows, featuring live music, poetry, and open mic.

We want to PACK THE OPEN MIC LIST! Come join us and contribute to our fundraiser.

Join our KIND page: https://fundraise.supportkind.org/fundraise/la-poet-society-is-kind

RSVP to let us know if you want to join the open mic list.

Where: Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural & Bookstore

Date: Friday the 1^st

Time: 6:30 pm – 9 pm

Jorge Perez, in conversation with Heather McDonald, will discussThe Shut the Fuck Up Method.

In The Shut the Fuck Up Method, the author weaves a powerful narrative around the transformative power of silence and non-complaint in personal growth and stress management. Rooted deeply in personal loss and epigenetic studies, the book explores how our spoken words and internal dialogues shape our reality and stress levels, impacting our genetic predispositions.

Throughout the book, the author intertwines personal anecdotes with practical advice, showcasing how quitting the habit of complaining can lead to a more peaceful and fulfilling life. Each chapter delves into different aspects of life where silence can be golden, from overcoming grief and transforming personal tragedies into sources of strength, to managing everyday annoyances and challenges with grace.

The Shut the Fuck Up Method is not just about remaining silent; it’s about consciously choosing words that empower and uplift, turning inward to meditation and mindfulness to reprogram our responses to life’s challenges. This book offers a roadmap to anyone seeking to reduce stress, enhance inner peace, and live a more connected, intentional life. By embracing the silence and the wisdom it brings, readers are guided to a state where they can genuinely thrive, attracting more positivity and manifesting their desires through the power of non-resistance and non-complaint.

Date: Friday the 1^st

Time: 7 pm – 8 pm

Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

Website: https://www.booksoup.com/event/jorge-perez-conversation-heather-mcdonald

Exit Interviews: A Farewell Celebration with Quentin Ring at Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center – In-Person Event

Please join us for a special farewell reading & party for Beyond Baroque’s Executive Director, Quentin Ring!

After more than a decade at Beyond Baroque—and six years as Executive Director—Quentin is stepping down. On Friday, August 1, he’ll host one final event, gathering poets, friends, and collaborators together to mark the occasion.

The evening will feature readings by just a few of the many, many writers who have helped build Beyond Baroque’s community with Quentin, and whose work reflects the depth and range of Beyond Baroque’s literary life.

After the readings, we’ll have a special reception & party in the Poets’ Garden and share food and drinks together.

With readings by:

Shonda Buchanan is an award-winning poet, memoirist, and educator who focuses on the intersections of race, identity, migration, landscape, and language. Born and raised in Kalamazoo, she is author of Black Indian (2019), chosen as one of the PBS NewsHour’s top 20 books about institutional racism. Her most recent book is The Lost Songs of Nina Simone (2024).

Rhiannon Cielos Chavez is a writer and Development and Operations Assistant at Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Foundation.

Ramón García is a poet, writer, and scholar. Born in Colima, Mexico, and raised in Modesto, California, García is the author of two books of poetry The Chronicles (Red Hen Press, 2015) and Other Countries (What Books Press, 2010), and a monograph on the artist Ricardo Valverde (University of Minnesota Press, 2013). The Chronicles was a finalist for the Latino International Book Award for Best Poetry Book in English in 2016.

S.A. Griffin is an American actor, writer, poet, and performance artist. Born on March 16, 1954, in San Antonio, Texas, he is known for his work in both acting and writing, particularly within the Los Angeles poetry and punk scenes. He is also a veteran of the United States Air Force.His writing is influenced by the Beat Generation, Charles Bukowski, punk rock, and Dada.

Ashaki Jackson is a social psychologist, program evaluator and writer. Her work has appeared in CURA: A Literary Magazine of Art and Action, Obsidian, McSweeney’s, Pluck! Journal of Affrilachian Arts and Culture, Midnight Breakfast, and Prairie Schooner among other journals and anthologies. The author of two chapbooks—Surveillance (Writ Large Press, 2016) and Language Lesson (Miel, 2016)—Jackson is Publisher at The Offing online magazine of literature and Art Share LA Board

L.A. Johnson is the author of the chapbook Little Climates (Bull City Press). Under Editor David St. John, she is an Associate Editor of Swirl & Vortex: Collected Poems of Larry Levis, forthcoming in 2026 from Graywolf Press. She is the Assistant Poetry Editor at The Account: A Journal of Poetry, Prose, and Thought. She curates the poetry reading series The Golden Mean at Beyond Baroque in Venice, CA.

Karen Kevorkian is an American poet based in Los Angeles. Her fourth poetry collection is Here in My Body it Feels Crowded, a chapbook (Walton Well Press, 2025). Her other poetry collections are Quivira (Three: A Taos Press, 2020), Lizard Dream (What Books Press, 2009), and White Stucco Black Wing (Red Hen Press, 2004).

Genesis Perez was named the 2019-2020 Ventura County Youth Poet Laureate at 18 years old. They were born and raised in Ventura County and study marine biology at California State University, Northridge. Genesis has been involved in the local theater community for many years and utilizes their stage experience to enhance the delivery of their poetry to audiences. A self-described “total ham,” Genesis is nevertheless dedicated to advocacy through the Literary Arts.

Luivette Resto, a mother, teacher, poet and Wonder Woman fanatic, was born in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico and proudly raised in The Bronx in New York City. Her first two books of poetry Unfinished Portrait and Ascension were published by Tía Chucha Press. Luivette’s third book of poetry, Living on Islands Not Found on Maps, beautifully highlights her as a mother, a survivor, a linguist, a woman, and a lover.

Iván Salinas is a poet based in the San Fernando Valley experimenting with words, images, and sound. His literary work has been published in a variety of journals and magazines.

David St. John is an American poet, editor, and professor, born in Fresno, California, in 1949. He is known for his poetry collections, essays, and libretti, and has received numerous awards and fellowships, including the James D. Phelan Prize, the O.B. Hardison, Jr. Poetry Prize, and Guggenheim and NEA fellowships. He currently teaches at the University of Southern California.

Lynne Thompson was the 4th Poet Laureate for the City of Los Angeles. The daughter of Caribbean immigrants, her poetry collections include Beg No Pardon (2007), winner of the Perugia Press Prize and the Great Lakes Colleges Association’s New Writers Award; Start With A Small Guitar (2013), from What Books Press; and Fretwork (2019), winner of the Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize; and most recently the collection Blue on a Blue Palette. Thompson’s honors include the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Award (poetry) and the Stephen Dunn Prize for Poetry as well as fellowships from the City of Los Angeles, Vermont Studio Center, and the Summer Literary Series in Kenya.

Jimmy Vega is a chicano los angeles poet, educator, & artist, and associate director at Beyond Baroque.

Sarah Yanni is a Mexican Egyptian writer and editor. She is the author of Hard Crush (Wonder Press) and has published writing in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Mizna, Wildness Journal, Iterant Mag, and others.

Where: Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center

Date: Friday the 1^st

Time: 7:30 pm – 10 pm

Address: 681 Venice Blvd., Venice Beach Los Angeles, CA 90291

Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exit-interviews-a-community-celebration-with-quentin-ring-tickets-1497776101639

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 Lorenzo Frank, author of Nzinga Teaches/Learns a Lesson book series.

Featured guests: TBA.

Tickets at Eventbrite.

NOTE: See site for details.

Where: Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center

Date: Friday, the 1^st

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

Frist Fridays at Rapp Saloon: Open Mic & Featured Readers, will be this week, and is offered every 1^st Friday of the month.

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 or flyer for details.

Where: Rapp Saloon at HISUA – In-Person & Online Event

Date: Friday, the 1^st

Time: 8 pm – 11 pm

Address: 1436 2nd St., Santa Monica, CA 90402

Get Lit Free Poetry Club: Every Saturday, July through September 27^th – In-Person Teen Event

Get Lit Poetry Club is offered every Saturday through September 27^th, for teens ages 13 – 19.

Link in bio! Every Saturday starting July 19 from 10 am –1 pm, teens are invited to a free poetry club at the Get Lit office in Los Angeles. This weekly space offers hands-on training in the craft of poetry, performance, and editing.

Writers will receive one-on-one support to help polish their work, connect with a diverse and passionate community, and explore real-world opportunities to share their voice.

No experience needed, just a willingness to show up and speak your truth.

Where: Get Lit Office 

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 10 am – 1 pm

Address: 672 S. La Fayette Park Pl, #10 Los Angeles, CA 90057

Please email eaglrk@lapl.org for the writing prompt.

Where: Eagle Rock Branch Library, LAPL 

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 10 am

Address: 5027 Caspar Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90041

RSVP:

Please RSVP for which dates your child would like to attend at the Google form at website.

Where: Playa Vista Branch Library, LAPL 

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am

Address: 6400 Playa Vista Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90094

کتاب خود ا به اشتراک بگذارید

کتابی را که خواندید به دیگران هم معرفی کنید

Email roya.rahimi@lapl.org for more information.

Share your book. Recommend a book you read to others. Book analysis/Friendly discussion.

Where: West Valley Regional Branch Library, LAPL 

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 11 am – 12:30 pm

Address: 19036 Vanowen St., Reseda, CA 91335

On a perfect July morning Elle, a fifty-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at “The Paper Palace”—the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. This morning is different: last night Elle and her oldest friend Jonas crept out the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Over the next 24 hours Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn’t forever changed the course of their lives.

Where: Littlerock Library, LACL 

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 11 am – 12 pm

Address: 5119 80^th St., E. Vanowen St., Littlerock, CA 93543

Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/14012699

Drag Story Hour at West Hollywood Library, LACL – In-Person Event

Join us for a fun drag storytime with the fantastic Odious Ari reading stories that promote diversity and inclusion! Co-sponsored by the City of West Hollywood through WeHo Arts. For children of all ages.

Where: Eagle Rock Branch Library, LACL 

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 11 am – 12 pm

Address: 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/14141911

Middle School book Club: The Color of Sound at Agoura Hills Library, LACL – In-Person MG Event

Join us to discuss The Color of Sound by Emily Barth Isler. For ages 11 – 14.

Twelve-year-old Rosie is a musical prodigy whose synesthesia allows her to see music in colors. Her mom has always pushed her to become a concert violinist, but this summer Rosie refuses to play, wanting a “normal” life. Forced to spend the summer with her grandparents, Rosie is excited to meet another girl her age hanging out on their property. The girl is familiar, and Rosie quickly pieces it together: somehow, this girl is her mother, when her mother was twelve. With help from this glitch in time―plus her grandparents, an improv group, and a new instrument―Rosie comes to understand her mother, herself, and her love of music in new ways.

Where: Agoura Hills Library, LACL 

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 11 am – 12 pm

Address: 29901 Ladyface Ct., Agoura Hills, CA 91301

Website: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/13880411

Book Club: Empire of Pain at Los Feliz Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event

Join the discussion of Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty, by Patrick Radden Keefe.

Where: Los Feliz Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 11 am

Address: 1874 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/book-club-32

Saturday Morning Book Discussion: The Coin at Palms – Rancho Park Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person Event

We continue reading off of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2024. Drop by for great conversation, good company, and coffee! Copies are available in print, and as ebooks on hoopla & Libby.

August 2: The Coin by Yasmin Zaher

Where: Palms – Rancho Park Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 11 am

Address: 2920 Overland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90064

The Wende is excited to host zinesters in a space shared with our unique collection of archival self-published magazines and periodicals from Eastern Bloc countries, referred to as samizdat.

As part of our continued focus on connecting historic events with community art practice, we’re bringing together local creators and independent voices to celebrate collective storytelling and freedom of expression.

Schedule:

11:15–12:15 | Garbage Zines

Presented by The Casual Creative

Location: A-Frame Theater

11:30–12:30 | Figure Drawing with Aslan Scardina

Presented by Heavy Manners Library

Location: Cotsen Learning Center

12:30–1:30 | Sharing Fandom through Zines

Presented by Genesis Perez & Iván Salinas (Beyond Baroque)

Location: A-Frame Theater

1:00–2:00 | Figure Drawing with Aslan Scardina

Presented by Heavy Manners Library

Location: Cotsen Learning Center

1:45–2:45 | Zine-Making Workshop & Pop-Up Library

Presented by Los Angeles Public Library

Location: A-Frame Theater

2:15–3:15 | Figure Drawing with Aslan Scardina

Presented by Heavy Manners Library

Location: Cotsen Learning Center

3:00–4:00 | Mi Corazón: A Guided Zine Workshop for Self-Expression

Presented by Renee Roldan (LODO Zine)

Location: A-Frame Theater

This event was organized in partnership with the West LA Branch Public Library, Heavy Manners Library, CRASH Space, Beyond Baroque Literary Arts, and KONA Ice.

Where: Wende Museum

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 11 pm – 4 pm

Address: 10808 Culver Boulevard Culver City, CA 90230

Enjoy Poets, Writers, Singers, Rappers, Comedians, Actors and Performers of All Kinds.

All funds raised go to Save the Children Wildfire Reliiief.

GIVE WHAT YOU CAN.

Call Luza at (818) 786-3470/Bed 42A

Email: radluza22yahoo.com

Call Murphy at (818) 452-8608 (Cell)

Time: 12 pm – 4 pm

Address: 11052 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601

This graphic novel is about a group of kids who blend art and science to create incredible projects in video gaming, fashion, and a whole lot more.

Join the Makers Club, where art and science come together! This graphic novel contains two stories in one. In the first story, readers meet Nadia and Priya, who are paired up for a science fair project. With Nadia’s art and Priya’s coding skills, they make a video game that’s sure to impress, but soon learn there’s more to teamwork than just having the individual skills. In the second story, old friends Aqilah and Yong Qiang reconnect at their new school. As they both try to pursue their passions in fashion design and engineering, they’ll soon find that trying to do everything and please everyone catches up to you eventually.

Readers will love this colorful graphic novel that’s all about friendship, crafting, and coming up with creative solutions.

Reimena Yee is an illustrator, writer, and designer. Hailing from the dusty metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, she is now based in Melbourne, Australia. She once was a STEM student, but left to pursue her passion for the world and all its histories and cultures, which she weaves into her art and stories. She is the cofounder of UNNAMED, a comics collective that builds community and resources for visual-literary creators in Southeast Asia. She is the author-illustrator of the gothic comics The World in Deeper Inspection and the Eisner- and McDuffie-nominated The Carpet Merchant of Konstantiniyya. Séance Tea Party was her debut middle-grade graphic novel. @reimenayee

Tintin Pantoja has previously illustrated graphic novels such as WHO IS AC? (written by Hope Larson) and the MANGA MATH MYSTERIES series (by Melinda Theilbar). She enjoys journaling, fountain pens, and fine chocolates. She also loves bad puns and window shopping. Tintin lives in Manila, Philippines with four dogs and 1/2 cat.

Melanie Ujimori is a Japanese-Okinawan vector artist and letterer from Hawai’i currently transplanted to Oregon. Bunnies will be the death of her one day, if the cats don’t get her first.

Where: Cellar Door Bookstore

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 1 pm

Address: 473 E. Alessandro Blvd., Suite B, Riverside, CA 92508

Website: https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/event/kids-graphic-novel-book-club-makers-club

Femme Fest Long Beach: Writing as Healing Retreat at Twelfth House Tea Sanctuary – In-Person Event

Join a creative and holistic healing retreat for women & femmes by WAHLA.

Tickets at Eventbrite.

Where: Twelfth House Tea Sanctuary

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 1 pm – 4 pm

Please join the San Pedro Library Book Club as we discuss Haruki Murakami’s novel. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.

Where: San Pedro Regional Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Address: 931 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro, CA 90731

Website: https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/san-pedro-library-book-club-1

Expressions L.A. Poetry Reading Series and Open Mic at Studio City Branch Library, LAPL – In-Person & Online Hybrid Event

Please join us in-person or via Zoom for Expressions L.A. Poetry Reading Series, featuring poetry readings and open poetry mic.

RSVP:

Please email studio@lapl.org for participation details.

Where: Studio City Branch Library, LAPL

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 3 pm – 5 pm

Address: 12511 Moorpark St., Studio City, CA 91604

Don Kingfisher Campbell hosts and curates these events.

Where: Saturday Afternoon Poetry Online

Date: Saturday, the 2^nd

Time: 3 pm – 5 pm

Address: Online Zoom Event

Website: https://saturdayafternoonpoetry.blogspot.com/

Pond Water Society Presents: Poets in Distress – In-Person Event

Pond Water Society Presents: Poets in Distress, music, food, the best distraction!

For 15 years the Poets in Distress have owned August at PondWater. There’s a reason for that. It’s a constantly evolving thing and always stupendous.

This will be the first year without King Daddy, but we are going to persevere and I’m quite sure that PID will kick poetry ass in his honor.

As usual, it’s a free event, but a $10.00 donation is appreciated for dinner, wine, baked goods, and such.

I wouldn’t bring kids to this one. Let’s celebrate being adults!

Joanne Qualey Baines hosts this event.

Where: Pond Water Society

Date: Saturday, the 2^nd

Time: 5 pm

Nicelle Davis is a California poet, collaborator, and performance artist. Her poetry collections include The Language of Fractions (Moon Tide Press 2023), The Walled Wife (Red Hen Press, 2016), In the Circus of You (Rose Metal Press, 2015), Becoming Judas (Red Hen Press, 2013), and Circe (Lowbrow Press, 2011). Penguin Noir recently won the Changing Light Novel in Verse Prize from Livingston Press and will be released Summer of 2025. Her poetry film collaborations with Cheryl Gross have been shown across the world. She has taught poetry at Youth for Positive Change, an organization that promotes success for youth in secondary schools, MHA, Volunteers of America in their Homeless Youth Center, Red Hen’s WITS program, and with MEP. She currently teaches Middle School in the High Desert.

Where: Village Well Books & Coffee

Date: Saturday the 2^nd

Time: 6:30 pm – 8 pm

Come and support our host Brother Tommy Domino! Every 1st Saturday inside “Shades of Afrika LB” at 1001 E 4th St. Long Beach CA 90802.

Doors open at 7:30 pm; ends at 10 pm

$10.00 Cash ONLY & bring a friend!

Where: Shades of Afrika

Date: Saturday, the 2^nd

Time: 8 pm – 10 pm (Doors at 7:30 pm)

Address: 1001 E. 4^th St., Long Beach, CA 90802

Website: https://shadesofafrika.com/griot-cafe-open-mic-poetry/

Melrose Trading Post: 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 3^rd

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

Sunday Story Time at Chevalier’s Bookstore – In-Person Event

We are pleased to bring you the official return of Storytime.

Every Sunday at 11am, bring your little one to enjoy some reading from your local booksellers, special guests, or local volunteers!

Contact us if you would like to be a volunteer reader, and we will see you at the bookstore!

As always, our storytime events are always free to attend, but we strongly recommend you RSVP so that we can accommodate all who wish to attend.

Where: Chevalier’s Bookstore

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 11 am – 12:30 pm

Where: 133 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004

Website: https://chevaliersbooks.com/event/2025-08-03/sunday-storytime

Bilingual Story Time with Xochitl Brizuela at Casita Bookstore – In-Person Kids Event

Join us starting in August for another round of bilingual storytime with @xbspanishandmore. Her storytime is fun, energetic, and full of corazón!

Where: Casitas Books

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 11 am

Address: 1440 E. 4^th St.,Long Beach, CA 90802

Every Sunday at 11am, bring your little one to enjoy some reading from your local booksellers, special guests, or local volunteers!

Contact us if you would like to be a volunteer reader, and we will see you at the bookstore!

As always, our storytime events are always free to attend, but we strongly recommend you RSVP so that we can accommodate all who wish to attend.

Where: Chevalier’s Bookstore

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 11 am – 12:30 pm

Where: 133 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004

Plus, kids get a free book to keep. FREE for ages 3-10.

We’re an L.A. bilingual lending library in Boyle Heights that puts free books into all hands.70,000+ books since 2010.

Open: Wed – Sun, 12 pm – 6 pm.

Where: Libros Schmibros

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 11 am – 12 pm

Address: 103 N. Boyle Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90033

We’re an L.A. bilingual lending library in Boyle Heights that puts free books into all hands.70,000+ books since 2010.

Open: Wed – Sun, 12 pm – 6 pm.

Where: Libros Schmibros

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 1 pm – 3 pm

Address: 103 N. Boyle Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90033

Bring paper and a pen, bring your laptop, bring a prompt to share, bring a project to work on or just come prepared to free write among other writers, and perhaps exchange projects and feedback.

Where: North Figueroa Bookshop

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 5 pm – 7 pm

Address: 6040 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90042

Website: https://northfigbookshop.com/event/#calendar-8a0f87f6-17d6-4f10-9815-04df4c8251ba-event-mabtzxoz-1751846400-1754265600

Sunday Jump Open Mic at Pilipino Workers Center, DTLA – In-Person & Live Streaming Hybrid Event

We invite everyone to end the summer together and celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Historic Filipinotown with Sunday Jump at the Pilipino Workers Center in Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles!

On August 3rd from 5 pm – 7 pm, we’ll be celebrating with performances and good vibes. You definitely won’t want to miss it! Open mic sign ups start at 4:30 pm and will be a lottery-based system to ensure fair chances for all.

Our theme this season 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 it. While tomorrow is not promised, this moment is yours to make.

Pa-ka-ra-gee-ahn Koo-ling-tong is a performing Filipino living culture gong music and dance. Founded by ethnomusicologists. Based in Southern California.

Zosimo Quibilan is a Filipino American singer-songwriter. He plays an all-original Tagalog indie pop-rock set, including songs from Quibilan’s rock opera 2BAYANI, about the 1896 Philippine Revolution Against Spain.

HiFi Kitchen is a restaurant that puts an L.A. spin on Filipino classics.

¡salud! coffee co. is an LA and OC based coffee cart.

Poetry Von Chelle, Yvonne, is an Intuitive typewriter poet from SoCal.

GARA is a vender that sells curated items inspired by the island lifestyle and made functional for city living.

Bossa Flor is an Los Angeles florist that makes bouquets, arrangements, event arrangements, and Delivers flowers.

KmB is a progressive revolutionary youth + student org that mobilizes around pro-people issues in the local community, Philippines, & the world.

Los Angeles Council District 13 is the council district for City Council member Hugo Soto-Martinez.

DJ Won is a DJ, event and sound coordinator.

Eddy M. Gana is a poet, licensed social worker and host of Sunday Jump.

Where: Pilipino Workers Center

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 5 pm – 7 pm

Mads Gabbo and Miles Klee will present and discuss Double Black Diamond.

It’s our turn in the wilderness. The future is fucked and it is already here. Feral children stage raids on villas in the foothills. Poison Ivy prowls the suburbs for boys to inject. An ether-huffing doctor is dispatched south to help contain a strange epidemic. With murder legalized, teens compete to lose their victim cards. A mysterious stench terrorizes the residents of North Hadely, Indiana. Things might seem hopeless, but as society breaks down, new forms emerge, glowing green with mutant ingenuity. Double Black Diamond incubates nineteen such freaks, creatures evolved to scavenge the wastelands. From prehistoric jungles to radioactive waters, from the haunted ruins of the old country to the glittering horrors of the new, these stories run wild, feasting on the spoils.

Mads Gobbo is a writer and illustrator from Los Angeles. Mads runs Hand Follows Eye Studios, a mobile arts education business with a queer and feminist focus.

Miles Klee is a writer from Los Angeles. He is the author of True/False (2015) and Ivyland (2012), both with OR Books. His culture writing has appeared in Rolling Stone, MEL Magazine, Slate, Vanity Fair, Lapham’s Quarterly, and elsewhere.

Where: Stories Books & Café

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 7 pm – 9 pm

Address: 1716 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026

This month’s selection is I think I’m in Love with an Alien by Ann Aguirre.

Hosted bookseller Grace.

RSVP required.

Where: The Ripped Bodice

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 7:15 pm – 9 pm

Address: 3806 Main St., Culver City, CA 90232 

Website: https://www.therippedbodice.com/events-and-tickets

Dazed and Confused Poetry Club: Poets & Open Mic at The Glendale Room – In-Person Event

Fernando Funes presents the Dazed and Confused Poetry Club every 1^st Sunday of the month, with featured poets and an open mic.

See site for tickets.

Where: The Glendale Room

Date: Sunday the 3^rd

Time: 8:30 pm – 10 pm

Address: 127 Artsakh Ave., Glendale, CA 91206 

Website: https://www.theglendaleroom.com/calendar