Dear annogrammers, Happy Fourth of July! I hope you are able to celebrate with joy, barbecue, and some fireworks for a memorable post-Covid holiday.
annogram Anniversary
Thanks to Darrell Laurant for “The annogram Keeps Growing,” (scroll down) on the phenomenon of this
newsletter. It’s been 15 years, and if you would like to promote your events,
publications, or readings, email me the month before we go live. I’m honored to
share the stellar recognition the following writers have received—each has been
personally generous to the creative community, including me among many, and
that may be one vital secret behind their success.
Charles Alexander Wins Coveted CLMP Award
Publisher of my translation, The Hero (Chax Press, 2018), Charles Alexander received the Lord Nose Award for lifetime achievement in literary publishing at the CLMP Firecracker Awards Ceremony. The extraordinary Charles—book designer, poet, and poetry advocate—is also a kind person who has brought dignity and grace to our field for more than 40 years. Upon receiving the award, Charles thanked his family, and Chax authors and supporters, adding “I'm feeling very fortunate today.” So are we, Charles!
Sarah Bracey White’s Stage Debut in “Transcendence”
Sarah Bracey White |
“Camp Cook” Premiere in Voices of Color Festival
If that wasn’t wonderful enough, Sarah’s play, “Camp Cook,” also taken from Primary Lessons (Cavan Kerry, 2013), made its debut the same weekend as “Transcendence.” Directed by Misha T. Sinclair, “Camp Cook” featured a sensitive and vulnerable performance by Maiysha Reilly as Sarah—alert for someone to “discover” her! The ensemble cast worked seamlessly to tell Sarah’s compelling story of racial divisions at a New England summer camp in the 1960s.
Darrell Laurant and We Who Create
Darrell Laurant |
and increase our promotional opportunities. Curated from 100+ newsletters, WWC combines stories about creatives with event listings. In this space, creatives may converse, local art galleries and bookstores will be featured, and—if Darrell’s dream comes true—an annual convention. Help his generous mission by clicking the website’s “follow” button—which simply quantifies how many of us visit.
A Happy Trans Girl
Fran Sisco |
New and Recent Releases
John F. McMullen, My Life in 26 Poems (Independently published)
Laura Morelli, The Stolen Lady (William Morrow) (pre-order)
Jay Shulman,
producer, “Alan
Shulman - The Tattooed Stranger” (Bridge Records, 2021)
Frank Vitale, “The Erotic Fire of the Unattainable” (Amazon
Prime, Google Play, You
Tube Movies)
Creative Calls
Bordighera Press Lauria Frasca Poetry Prize – by July 11
Mom Egg Review open
call on “mother figures” – poetry, fiction,
prose, hybrid – by July 15
Open
Door Poetry Magazine – call for poems on war – by July 11
Pure Slush Press – call
for poetry, fiction, and essays on love – by August 31
VIA: Voices in Italian Americana – open for submissions
Creative Workshops
Mahopac Poetry Workshop, 6pm, every second Wednesday
Mini Tutorial on Poetic Meter thanks to Yorktown Poet Laureate John McMullen
ModPo, University of Pennsylvania’s free poetry
course and global community
Norwalk Poetry Workshop, first and third Mondays, 6:30pm; email poet_laureate@norwalkpl.org to register
The Poets Salon, led by Ed Ahern and Alison McBain of Fairfield Scribes Press, 10am, every second
Saturday
Under
The Microscope: A Poetry Workshop at Maine Media College featuring Kevin Pilkington, July 19-23
July Readings and Events – ET
"Dragonfly" by Meg Lindsay |
July 1-31, Upstream Gallery, 2021 Juried
Paperworks Show
July 8, 8pm (7pm Central), Mutabilis Press poets Chip Dameron, Patricia McMahon,
Gregory Maguire, Scott Chalupa, Michael Baldwin, Carla Hagen, Leroy Sorenson,
Gabrielle Langley, Maria King Illic; register here
July 8, 7pm, Andrew Delbanco, Rebecca Makkai; July 15, Cleopatra
Mathis, Matthew Olzemann, Sue Miller; July 22, Benjamin Garcia, Tom Barbash;
July 29, Jeff Sharlet, Ivy Pochoda; Canaan
(NH) Meetinghouse, LIVE
Michael Baldwin |
July 10, 5pm, Lit Balm: Timothy Donnelly, Valzhyna Mort, Danielle Blau,
Chase Twitchell; register here
July 14, 7pm, Ellen Bass, Arthur Sze; register here
July 18, 6pm, The
Industry Bar, The Imperial Court of New York Christmas
in July Show featuring Fran and Kelly Sisco to benefit Bailey House
July 21, 7pm, Katie Farris, Emily Lee Luan,
and Isabella DeSendi; register here
Mary Newell |
July
28, 7pm, Silvina López Medin, Jennifer Militello, and Jennifer Stewart Miller;
register
here
August
31, 3:30pm, Garrison Public Library, Mary Newell book launch Re-Surge
(Trainwreck Press)
Monthly Readings – ET
First Sunday, 4pm, Poetic License (Austin)
Every Tuesday, 2pm, Spoken Word World (Paris)
Every Tuesday, 7pm, Curley’s Diner
Third Fridays, 7pm, Hudson Valley Writers Center Open Mic – click on third Friday for details
Beth’s Gluten-Free Hurricane Sandy Cake
Art historian and translator Beth Gersh-Nesic shares the recipe she created to use up eggs and butter when she lost power during Hurricane Sandy but still had her gas oven working. This dense chocolate cake is perfect for a picnic—it slices like pound cake and tastes even better. So yummy. Thanks, Beth!
1 stick (1/4 lb) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup clear sugar
6 eggs
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups (1/2 lb) Trader Joe’s Almond Flour
½ or 1 whole package chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a microwave-safe
glass bowl: Melt butter in microwave oven. Stir in sugar. Mix in whole eggs.
Add cocoa, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon, and salt. Add almond flour.
Add chocolate chips to taste. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and then line
with parchment paper. Pour batter into pan. Bake 40-45 minutes. Check with knife
for doneness. Bon Appétit!
̓Round the Net
Poet and novelist Regi Claire on having work in The New European, The Best New British and Irish Poets 2019-2021 (Black Spring Press), and issue 96 of The Rialto.
Writer Barbara Dickinson
and photographer Margie Herrick on
the debut of their Wishing
Wisdom blog
Translators Chen Du and Xisheng Chen on translations of poet Yan An in Interim Poetics and The Momentist
Poet Terry M. Dugan for this article
on punctuation as a tool in Black activism
Editor Larry Faltz for
the best
amateur astronomy newsletter this side of the Ort Cloud
Art Historian Beth Gersh-Nesic on discovering artist Wan-Ting Chiu, who taps her own anxiety as inspiration for “bold, beautiful and poignant” work
Artwork by Wan-Ting Chiu |
Poet and memoirist J. Chester Johnson for this Guardian article
on the Elaine Race Massacre and gifting Damaged Heritage: The Elaine Race Massacre and A
Story of Reconciliation to Johnson House Juneteenth celebrants
Yorktown Poet Laureate John McMullen for sharing this post on
framing experience in poems
The New York Public Library on restoring full service to all of its branches on July 6
Cellist and musical archivist Jay Shulman on the release of “Alan Shulman - The Tattooed
Stranger” (Bridge Records, 2021), a CD he
produced of his father’s 1940s R.K.O. film scores
James Baldwin (1924-1987) |
Studio Theater in Exile for
Artist Recognition Month
Filmmaker Frank Vitale
on his award-winning film, “The
Erotic Fire of the Unattainable,” now available to buy or rent on Amazon
Prime, Google Play, and You Tube Movies
I will be taking off August, so send me your news for September,
and enjoy your summer!
Until next time,