John Brantingham: A Poet Laureate
by Brian Dunlap
Los Ángeles poet and writer John Brantingham has been chosen as Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ first Poet Laureate.
Category: Articles
Empowering Diverse Writers, Innovaatively
By Agatha French
From: Los Angeles Times
Kima Jones is the founder of Jack Jones Literary Arts, a not-yet-3-year-old, three-person L.A.-based book publicity company whose clients are primarily women of color. Jones is a savvy media strategist and creative force, already counting a Pulitzer Prize winner (Tyehimba Jess’ poetry collection “Oilo”) among her campaigns.
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Saying Good By to Dirty Laundry Lit
by Brian Dunlap
Everything must come to an end. Eventually. Los Ángeles writer, author of Grace (Counterpoint, 2016), Natasha Deón, creator of Dirty Laundry Lit, has decided it’s time to end the wildly popular and successful reading series in Hollywood, after seven plus years. It’s best to let Natasha Deón say it in her own words. The following words are taken from a Facebook post she made yesterday.
Los Ángeles Writers Publish in 2017
As 2017 comes to a close, a lot of local writers have published in literary journals and magazines. They even published plenty of books. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, mystery novels, literary noveles, poetry of place, among others, It was definitely a year of publishing success in the Los Ángeles literary community. Here is what and where they published. Continue reading Los Ángeles Writers Publish in 2017
New Open Mic in Pomona
by Brian Dunlap
Friday was the second edition of the open mic Poetry y Pan at Café con Libros in Pomona, hosted by poets and educators Irene Sanchez and Matt Sedillo. The Reading began shortly after 7:30 pm, the Arts District coming to life with music and food. Next door it sounded like a band was playing a familiar Green Day song, kicking off the weekend.
The feature Besskepp had yet to arrive and in the back sat a pink box of pan for readers and audience alike. The population inside the two-month-old lending library appeared close to 15. When things kicked off Matt Sedillo made quick introductions, then announced the first open mic reader.
Remembering Michele Serros: A Writer’s Journey
by Daniel Cano
From: Labloga
In the spring of 2015, I received a telephone call from the Santa Monica College Foundation asking if I would present the SMC distinguished alumna award to writer Michele Serros, who had been a former student of mine.
“Of course,” I replied, sadly. I knew Michele had been fighting cancer, and she was putting up a courageous battle.
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Hitched at Holy Grounds Celebrates Macondo Writers and Two Book Releases!
by Michael Sedano
From: Labloga
Hitched is a quarterly reading series, created and engagingly hosted by Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo. Notable for Bermejo’s pairing of intriguing voices, Hitched might feature seasoned with emerging writers, people working in complementary styles, writers with contrasting approaches. Bermejo always finds a delighting facet in her guests’ poetry and prose.
For December, the event paired two writers bringing debut books to light, Vickie Vertiz’s collection, Palm Frond with Its Throat Cut (University of Arizona Press) and Joseph Rios’s collection, Shadowboxing (Omnidawn)! In addition, all the writers were Macondistas, including liz gonzalez, Alex Espinoza, Tisha Reichle, Sarah Rafael García. With Saturday’s reading, Hitched reaches its seventh year. In Los Angeles, that’s an institution. That Macondo writers workshop has been an institution since Day One.
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Beginnings & Endings at Avenue 50 and La Palabra
by Michael Sedano
From: Labloga
Karineh Mahdessian restrained the tears that refused restraint so the tears flowed as she disclosed news to a supportive crowd that today wraps her service hosting the immensely important and popular reading series, La Palabra at Avenue 50 Studio in Northeast Los Angeles. The December 10 meeting wraps the series for 2017.
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Even More Good Publishing News From the Los Angeles Literary Community
Publication news from the community. Continue reading Even More Good Publishing News From the Los Angeles Literary Community
Janet Fitch explains what it took to go back to Russia 100 years ago in ‘The Revolution of Marina M.’
By Janet Fitch
From: The Los Angeles Times
My new novel debuts on the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, which is also the historical moment of the book. It didn’t take me quite 100 years to write “The Revolution of Marina M.,” but 11 years was long enough.
Los Angeles Literature 