A Celestial Encounter
Starting a Small Press
Sometimes, a small press emerges to fulfill a need. That’s what happened when poets George Fragopoulos and Joshua Wilkerson started Beautiful Days Press, as described by Joshua in this Periodicity Journal blog. This dynamic new press will publish my Sanguinetti translation, Alparegho, like nothing else, later this fall. Help them launch exciting new chapbooks, September 7 at 7:30pm, at Black Spring Books!
The New York Public Library celebrates the one hundredth birthday of essayist, novelist, and activist James Baldwin (1924-1987) with draft manuscripts at the Polonsky Exhibition, personal papers from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and a self-guided walking tour following the footsteps of John Grimes, protagonist of Baldwin’s semi-autobiographical novel Go Tell It on the Mountain (Vintage reprint, 2013).
Sarah Shines Off Off Broadway
Sarah Bracey White co-starred last month with Maiysha Jones in Mildred Lewis’s Louisiana Shoals.
The play was one of 30 finalists in the prestigious Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival. Sarah, a playwright, memoirist, and poet, now adds acting to her list of extraordinary talents. Congratulations to Sarah, Maiysha, Mildred, and director George Croom!
Aydan Before Moonlight
Do you know another French city that has attracted writers? Hyères, the locale of Aydan Before Moonlight (Za Mir Press), was once home to Edith Wharton (1862-1937), Robert-Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), and art collectors Count (1892-1981) and Countess (1902-1970) de Noailles. Jean-Luc Pouliquen’s novel, artfully translated by Beth Gersh-Nesic, features these sites within a romantic tale—read it and be charmed.
Jeanette’s Fuzzy Pencil
Congratulations to award-winning essayist, songwriter, and artist Jeanette Briggs on taking home gold from the Art Society of Old Greenwich’s juried art show! Her large 41x 52 graphite and pastel drawing, Fuzzy Pencil, was one of five artworks which won a Gold Medal, at the June exhibit, “Visual Gold,” at the Greenwich Library’s Flinn Gallery.
Creative Opportunities
Emily Dickinson Museum, book writing time in the poet’s room, one to two poets, $300-600
Lines + Stars, call for poems and short fiction on “in the blood,” by November 1
L + S Press, chapbook manuscripts from District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, or New Jersey poets; by October 1, $3
LitNotice, weekly customized alerts on literary opportunities, $5 per month
Long Now, almost any genre on long-term thinking
Pure Slush Press, micro fiction for The Absent Bassoonist, by September 30
Presence, poems and translated poems with spiritual intent, by October 1
Rhino, Founder’s Poetry Contest, by September 30, $15
New and Recent Releases
Simona Blat, Élan Vital (Beautiful Days Press)
Luigi Bonaffini, trans., Soundtrack of a Life: New and Selected Poems by Gil Fagiani (Legas)
Robert Fanning, Prince of the Air (Seven Kitchens Press)
Serge Gavronsky, Mind Words (Dos Madres Press)
Gabriel Gómez, Samsara at Quantum Zeno (Mouthfeel Press)
Eric Greinke, ed., Speaking for Everyone (Independently published)
Bob Heman, Washing the Wings of Angels (Quale Press)
Ami Kaye, ed., Nūr Mélange: A Ghazal Anthology (Glass Lyre Press)
Heller Levinson, Query Caboodle 2 (Sulfur Editions/La Belle Inutile Editions) and Vulvular Ash (Black Widow Press)
Valerie Martínez and Shelle VanEtten de Sánchez, eds., Open-Hearted Horizon (University of New Mexico Press)
Sarah Sarai, Bright-Eyed (Poets Wear Prada)
Maria Valente, All Honest Pilgrims (Lucia Nelson Publishing)
Creative Workshops
Racoco Productions, Tuesdays (Zoom) and Thursdays (Live), improvisation classes; email info@racoco.org
Mahopac Poetry Workshop, 6pm, second Wednesdays
Mahopac Writers Group, 6:30pm, Thursdays
ModPo, University of Pennsylvania’s free global poetry course
Norwalk Poetry Workshop, first and third Mondays, 6:30pm; email poet_laureate@norwalkpl.org to register
The Peekskill Writing Table, serious critique for writers, second and third Tuesdays via Zoom; email tpwritingtable@gmail.com
The Poets Salon, led by Ed Ahern and Alison McBain of Fairfield Scribes Press, 10am, every second Saturday
Writers and Artists Lunch Conversation, second Fridays, noon
Yorktown Poetry Workshop, 6pm, fourth Wednesdays
September Events – ET
Chicago, September 7-8, 10am-6pm, Printer’s Row Lit Fest, free
Jefferson Market Public Library, September 10, 6pm, Barbara Crooker, Marc Alan Di Martino, Maria Lisella, Betsy Mars, Donna Masini, Aaron Poochigian, Bonnie Proudfoot, and Alan Walowitz; free
National Arts Club, September 12, 6:30pm, Sarah Bracey White in An Evening of Monologues, free; register here
Poets House, September 21, 12noon, Broadstone Books marathon reading
Emily Dickinson Museum, September 23-29, Tell It Slant Poetry Festival, live and streamed event, register here
Emily Dickinson Museum, September 27, 3pm, Poetry Masterclass: Haunted Works/Haunted Words with Oliver de la Paz, free; register here
Samudra Yoga Studio, September 27, 7:30pm, Christina M. Rau leads Reiki Circle to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association (cash or Venmo: christinamrau); donations welcome whether you attend or not
Cedarmere, September 28, 3pm, Gina Sipley reads, hosted by Stefanie Maura and Christina M. Rau; register here
Brooklyn Borough Hall, September 29, 10am-6pm, Brooklyn Book Festival
Adelphi University, September 30, 4:30pm, Mary Wasacz on her book, The Frailty of a Butterfly: My Journey Though Newborn Loss (BookBaby), via Zoom and podcast; free; register here
New York Public Library, One Hundred Years of James Baldwin, free; plan your visit here
Monthly Readings – ET
Second Mondays, 6:30pm, BACCA Poetry Chats with host Christina Rau
Every Tuesday, 2pm, Spoken Word World (Paris)
Every Tuesday, 7pm, Curley’s Diner
Second Thursdays, 6pm, Calandra Italian American Institute
Fourth Friday (September only) then third Fridays, 7pm, Hudson Valley Writers Center Open Mic – click for details
Frequent Saturdays (check Facebook), 5pm, LitBalm
One Sunday monthly (check here), 6pm, Sunday Funday Book Club with Christina M. Rau; streaming and live at Hops Scotch Bottle Shop
Zucchini Nut Bread
Thanks to top chef Linda Simone for sharing the recipe for this healthy and yummy loaf.
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
1/2 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly oil or oil-spray paper. In large bowl, whisk together egg, applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; stir in zucchini. Fold in flour, mixing just to combine. Pour into loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick, inserted in middle, comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove bread by holding onto parchment paper, and cool another 30 minutes.
ʼRound the Net
Poet and publisher John Amen on winning the Susan Laughter Meyers Fellowship
Guitarist and songwriter Michael Cefola for this video of Eric Clapton’s emotional tribute to his mentor John Mayall (1933-2024), godfather of British Blues (right)
Translators Chen Du and Xisheng Chen on their Zuo You poem in Paper Republic (UK), and two Yan An poems in Hedge Apple
Art historian Beth Gersh-Nesic on her wonderful Bonjour Paris article, “Seeing Red: Matisse and Ellsworth Kelly at the FLV”
Poet and translator George Franklin for his blog post, “10 Things I Learned as a Guest Editor”
Poet and collage artist Bob Heman on designing the cover to the forthcoming Dancing about Architecture (MadHat Press), on work in The Mackinaw, and on his own latest book, Washing the Wings of Angels (Quale Press)
Poet Cindy Hochman for her interview with John Amen on Poetry Thin Air; and for work in The Mackinaw, Nūr Mélange: A Ghazal Anthology (Glass Lyre Press), Haikuniverse, and the Eric Greinke-edited anthology Speaking for Everyone (Independently published)
Poet and essayist J. Chester Johnson, author of Damaged Heritage: The Elaine Race Massacre and A Story of Reconciliation (Pegasus/Simon & Schuster), on meeting with the St. Luke in the Fields anti-racism group to discuss his book
Poet and anti-hunger activist Hiram Larew on Feed the Children using two Poetry x Hunger poems for a PSA
Poet Maria Lisella (above) for sharing this review of the recent poetry collection by her late partner, Gil Fagiani (1945-2018)
Poet Mary McCray on her poem in the Albuquerque poetry anthology, Open-Hearted Horizon (University of New Mexico Press)
Yorktown Poet Laureate John McMullen for this article on how to fall in love with baseball
Poet Karen Neuberg on work in The Mackinaw and Unlost Journal
Poet Jean-Luc Pouliquen for making us aware of French poet Lucienne Desnoues (1921-2004)
Poet and inventor Anna Purves on having her board game, Dead Poets Rise™, exhibited at the American Writers Museum
The New Yorker for this article on The Artist’s Way (TarcherPerigee)
Poet Sarah Sarai on the Mom Egg Review review of her new book, Bright-Eyed (Poets Wear Prada)
Bassist Larry Schwartzman for this video of Blind Willie Johnson singing “Dark Was the Night”
Poet and artist Linda Simone (right) for BookRadio, free audio of literary classics; and Daily Routines, how writers, artists, and other interesting people organize their days
Poet and memoirist Sarah Bracey White on sharing videos of her readings on the WritersRead YouTube page
Wishing you a crisp, productive autumn, and see you in November!
Until next time,
Ann
