Los Angeles Literature Events: 05/22/23 – 05/28/23

Another busy week full of literary events that include the return of the Los Angeles Zine Fest on Saturday and Los Angeles Poet Society’s Always Running Book Festival, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Luis J. Rodríguez’s seminal memoir Always Running. Local writers reading this week are: Brian Dunlap, Douglas Manuel, Mary Torregrossa, Ideas Aubrey, Rachelle Cruz, Maria Bolaños and Glendale Poet Laureate Raffi Wartanian, among others. Continue reading Los Angeles Literature Events: 05/22/23 – 05/28/23

Los Angeles Literature Events: 05/8/23 – 05/14/23

Another week full of literary events. Since May is AAPI Heritage Month, there is the Festival of AAPI Books at Billie Jean King Main Library in Long Beach Saturday, 10am – 4pm featuring 34 Asian American and Pacific Islander writers. Local writers reading this week include: Savannah Manhattan, Elisabet Salas, Kim Dower, Douglas Manuel, Christian Perfas, Angela Peñaredondo and Nancy Lynée Woo, among others. Continue reading Los Angeles Literature Events: 05/8/23 – 05/14/23

Los Angeles Literature Events: 04/17/23 – 04/23/23

An especially busy week in the Los Ángeles literary community. There are two festivals, the 28th Annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC (Saturday and Sunday) and the 1st Annual Neenach Poetry Festival near Palmdale-Lancaster (Saturday). Local writers reading and signing at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books are: Susan Straight, Alex Espinoza, Donna Spriijt-Metz, Erin Aubry Kaplan, Shane Murray and Lynda La Rose, among others. Local writers reading the Neenach Poetry Festival are: Anastasia Helena Fernald, Matthew Cuban Hernandez, Mauricio Moreno, Ruth Nolan, Brian Dunlap, Brendan Constantine and James Coats, among others. Continue reading Los Angeles Literature Events: 04/17/23 – 04/23/23

Los Angeles Literature Events: 03/27/23 – 04/02/23

Another busy week full of literary events: readings, open mics, book clubs and workshops and a kids and YA event or two. Local writers reading this week include: Pastiche Queen, Shonda Buchanan, Rosalilia M. Mendoza, Molly McGarry, A.K. Toney, Nancy Lynee Woo and Sarah Thursday, among others. Continue reading Los Angeles Literature Events: 03/27/23 – 04/02/23

Los Angeles Literature Events: 02/13/23 – 02/19/23

Another busy week full of literary events: readings, open mics, book clubs and workshops, including the Annual UCR Writers Week. There is even several kids events. Local writers reading this week are: James Coats, Will Alexander, Carlos Lara, Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo, Kuhamel Soul Brother No. 7, Cassandra Lane, Ron L. Dowell, Sofia Fey, Pete Hsu and Paola Gutierrez, among others. Continue reading Los Angeles Literature Events: 02/13/23 – 02/19/23

Los Angeles Literature Events: 02/06/23 – 02/12/23

Another busy week full of literary events: readings, open mics, book clubs and workshops all throughout the L.Á. area. There is even several YA, teen event and kids events. Local writers reading this week are: bridgette bianca, Lisbeth Coiman, Carla Sameth, Jen Cheng, James Coats, Kim Dower, Arthur Kayzakian and Romaine Washington, among others. Continue reading Los Angeles Literature Events: 02/06/23 – 02/12/23

Los Angeles Literature Events: 04/05/22 – 04/10/22

NOTE: There Are Both Online and Virtual Events Listed Here

Mac Barentt & Marla Frazee Present The Great Zapfino via Once Upon a Time Bookstore – Kids Zoom Event

Two bestselling and popular children’s book creators, author Mac Barnett and illustrator Marla Frazee will present their sweet, inspiring story, The Great Zapfino, for children ages 5 and up, about a runaway circus performer.

When The Great Zapfino climbs to the top of the circus platform, all eyes are on him, waiting for his incredible leap. But Zapfino is afraid of heights! He can’t take the pressure and flees, boards a plane, and runs away to start a new life. 

In the city, Zapfino starts work as an elevator operator in a tall building but soon learns you can never really outrun your fears. When disaster strikes, can Zapfino find the strength to be great?

NOTE: See site for RSVP, link and details. 

Where: Once Upon a Time Bookstore – Kids Event – Zoom Online

Date: Tuesday the 5th

Time: 5 pm

Address: Once Upon a Time Bookstore – Online Zoom Event (see site)

Website: https://www.shoponceuponatime.com/event/great-zapfino

Continue reading “Los Angeles Literature Events: 04/05/22 – 04/10/22”

Los Angeles Literature Events: 02/28/22 – 03/06/22

Many/Most Events Are Online/Virtual DUE TO CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS

Vroman’s Live Event: Local Author Day via Vroman’s – Online Event

Join Vroman’s Live Local Author Day, featuring three authors and their new work.

Barbara Mossberg is the author of the book, Here for the Present. In this exuberant record of the author engaging audiences from California to Finland, you will find poems, stories, memoir, humor, elegies, celebrations, travel narratives, rollicking speeches, nature rapture, literary tributes, cooking instructions, and love songs, among other riches. In her company, experience moments “when the Universe will reveal itself … as something generous and good, some whiff of passing grace.”

Felicia Taylor E. is the author of Southern Spiced: A Brown Girl’s Tale, which weaves stories through narrative poetry of the author’s memories of her childhood in the 1970’s South. She writes of stories of self-identity in an honest and often humorous way.

Robert Vincent is the author of the children’s book, From the Pocket of an Overcoat. It tells the true story of his son’s black cat named Max, who was rescued by a homeless woman in Dallas. A portion of books sales will be donated to organizations that promote animal rescue and adoption.

NOTE: See site for RSVP, link, and event details.        

Where: Vroman’s Live – Online event

Date: Monday the 28th

Time: 6 pm

Address: Vroman’s – Online Event (see site)

Website: https://www.vromansbookstore.com/vromans-live-local-author-day-featuring-barbara-mossberg-felicia-taylor-e-and-robert-vincent  

Continue reading “Los Angeles Literature Events: 02/28/22 – 03/06/22”

Los Angeles Literature Events: 02/14/22 – 02/20/22

Many/Most Events Are Online/Virtual DUE TO CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS

45th Annual UCR Writers Week Festival via UC Riverside – Online Event

Join the 45th Annual UCR Writers Week Festival of Events: February 12 and 14-18, 2022. This series of events is online, free and open to the public, (captioned & ASL translated), and you may register at site link or on any session time listed there.

DAY 2 of 6, EVENTS:

Session 1: 3 pm PST:

Edgar Gomez is the author of High Risk Homosexual: A Memoir, which follows a touching and often hilarious spiral-like path to embracing his gay, Latinx identity against a culture of machismo. This is a crackling, witty and poignant debut.

Daniel Olivas is the author most recently of How to Date a Flying Mexican, New and Collected Stories (University of Nevada Press, 2022). He is the author of ten books and editor of two anthologies, as well as plays produced for the stage and readings by Playwrights’ Arena, Circle X Theatre Company, and The Road Theatre Company. He has written for many publications, including the New York Times, The Guardian, the Los Angeles Times, LARB, La Bloga, BOMB, and others

Steve Erickson is the author of ten novels, and has written two books about American politics and popular culture, Leap Year and American Nomad. He has also written for Esquire, Rolling Stone, Smithsonian, Salon, and other publications and journals. He was editor and co-founder of Black Clock literary journal, and is now film/TV critic for Los Angeles magazine and a Distinguished Professor at UC Riverside.

Session 2: 5 pm PST:

Jamaica Heolimeleikatani Osorio is the author of Remembering Our Intimacies (University of Minnesota Press, 2021). She interlaces stories from her forebears with cultural artifacts from her own life to explore questions of cultural inheritance and the particular danger, as a Native woman, of relaxing into romantic love under colonial rule. Dr. Osorio is a Kanaka Maoli artist and scholar and an Assistant Professor of Indigenous and Native Hawaiian Politics at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Elisa Washuta is the author most recently of White Magic (Tin House, 2022), long-listed for the PEN Open Book Award and the PEN/Jean Stein Award, a collection of intertwined essays about land, heartbreak, and colonization, about life without the escape hatch of intoxication, and about how she became a powerful witch. She interlaces stories from her forebears with cultural aspects of her own life to explore questions of cultural inheritance and the particular danger, as a Native woman, of relaxing into romantic love under colonial rule. She is a member of the Cowlitz Indian tribe and an assistant professor of creative writing at the Ohio State University.

Session 3: 6:30 pm PST

Anthony Cody is the author most recently of the 2021 American Book Award winning Borderland Apocrypha (Omnidawn, 2020). He has a lineage in both the Bracero Program and the Dust Bowl and his poetry has appeared widely. He has taught eco-poetry at Fresno State University, and read and led workshops across the country. He continues to run the Laureate Lab Studio with Juan Felipe Herrera at Fresno State, and serves as poetry editor for Noemi Press and a poetry editor for Omnidawn.

Carribean Fragoza is a passionate writer, journalist, and artist from South El Monte, and is the author most recently of the collection Eat the Mouth that Feeds You (City Lights), and is also co-editor of East of East: The Making of Greater El Monte. She is also founder and co-director of the South El Monte Art Posse (SEMAP), a multi-disciplinary arts collective.  

Sesschu Foster taught composition and literature in East L.A. for over 20 years, and also taught at the University of Iowa, CalArts and UC Santa Cruz. His most recent books are City of the Future, poetry; World Ball Notebook, poetry; and Atomik Aztex, a novel. His has won numerous literary awards, including the Paterson Poetry Prize for City Terrace Field Manual. He is based in Alhambra, CA.

NOTE: See site for event link and details. 

Where: UC Riverside Writers Week – Online Event

Date: Monday the 14th

Time: 3 pm – 8 pm (Day 2 of 6)

Address: UC Riverside – Online (see site)

Website: https://writersweek.ucr.edu/schedule22

Continue reading “Los Angeles Literature Events: 02/14/22 – 02/20/22”