CELEBRATING FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

Book Presentations during Celebration for Filipino American History Month

Oct. 29, 2016, 2-4 pm

The Sitting Room: A Community Library

2025 Curtis Drive

Penngrove, CA

What a fabulous event--thanks to curator Sheila Bare , JJ Wilson and The Sitting Room community library. It was fabulous to read and present along with Justine Villanueva . The context--including an Ethel Adnan exhibit and, always, Virginia--was warm and interested. The cooks were superb. 'Twas joyful to say hello to my section in the library. And it didn't hurt that not only did all my books sell out but I brought home some mail orders! Here are some pics (click on images to enlarge):

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EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

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CALIFORNIA WRITER'S WEEK CELEBRATION

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Napa Bookmine First Annual Local Authors Fest in Celebration of California Writer's Week

Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, Noon-2 p.m.

Napa Bookmine

964 Pearl Street

Napa, CA 94559

Here are some photos from the event!

(AMNESIA is a Napa Bookmine Staff Pick!)

(the lovely, hard-working staff)

While manning a table, there'll be the occasional lull when no one is in front of you and you start casting your eyes about. In my case, I cast my eyes downward and saw the back covers of my books, including older books. And I ended up reading back cover blurbs that I'd not read in years -- as when Kevin Killian blurbed Menage a Trois With the 21st Century and when Tan Lin blurbed Black Lightning. And read them and thought, Hey, those old books aren't bad, are they?! :)Thanks to the blurbers!

CALIFORNIA BOOK LAUNCH for AMNESIA: SOMEBODY'S MEMOIR!

It was an honor to launch AMNESIA: Somebody's Memoir at the LOBA Poetry Reading Series of Mendocino Public Library, curated by poet & librarian Melissa Eleftherion Carr.

I was delighted with the audience feedback. This audience asked for an "ENCORE!" -- a first for me to be asked to read more after the scheduled poetry selection! A Q&A wasn't scheduled but one took place as various audience members were very interested in the concepts underlying AMNESIA (which can be seen HERE).

I was also moved to learn from the poet Michael Riedell who was in the audience that he teaches creative writing to about 32 high school students (part of the California Poets in the Schools Program) and he'd been teaching my poems; the students especially loved, he said, my poem "The Forced Departure." I was so happy to hear that as I rarely hear about my work in academic settings! Last but not least, Michael gave me the anthology Shock Therapy: The Writing Asylum Anthology which features his student poets. One of my other projects, the Sit With Moi / Mini Books on Mini Chairs project, also encouraged the class to make mini-books! Michael would read from his mini-book during the Open Mic that followed my reading. Here are pictures below of the event (click on images to enlarge):

(Melissa sets up the book display)

(High school student and poet Abigail Au with my books)

(Some of the lovely audience)

(Poet-teacher Michael Riedell shows his Mini-Book)

(It was cheery to see Michael flip the pages in his tiny book as 

 he read its poem during the Open Mic)

(Melissa reading a poem during Open Mic)

(Anthology put out by Michael's students)

(The back cover features Michael's creative writing students)

Poetry lovers are often interesting people. In the audience as well was artist Heather Seggel who made a necklace pendant from origami-ed bank statements! Such creativity! She created a symphony in blue ... and I was happy to see it! I'm delighted when my poetry interests other creative folk!

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THE PRIOR INVITATION:

You are invited to the California Book Launch for

AMNESIA: Somebody's Memoir

Sept. 17, 2016, 2 p.m.

Mendocino Public Library

105 N Main Street

Ukiah, CA 95482

The library's reading series is open to both adults and teens. An Open Mic will follow Eileen Tabios's reading.

FACEBOOK Invitation Page

Eileen Tabios will read poems presenting her newest poetry collection, AMNESIA: Somebody's Memoir (Black Radish Books, 2016). Here is the publisher's press release (click on images to enlarge):

MARSH HAWK PRESS SPRING BOOK LAUNCH!

The launch was a festive success!  Thanks to everyone for coming. Here are some photographed highlights (click on images to enlarge):

(Book Table at Poets House)

(Burt Kimmelman introduced the readers)

(As the audience started to arrive...)

(Tana Jean Welch, most recent recipient of Marsh Hawk Press Annual Poetry Prize, 

reads from LATEST VOLCANO)

(Paul Pines videoed by George Quasha as he reads from CHARLOTTE SONGS)

(Sandy McIntosh reads from A HOLE IN THE OCEAN: A HAMPTONS' APPRENTICESHIP)

(George Quasha reads from THINGS DONE FOR THEMSELVES)

(Stephen Paul Miller reads from ANY LIE YOU TELL WILL BE THE TRUTH)

(Thomas Fink reads from SELECTED POEMS & POETIC SERIES)

(Eileen Tabios also read from her book THE CONNOISSEUR OF ALLEYS; 

no photograph of her as she served as photographer)

(After the readings, Jane Augustine offered an introduction to the press since it began 17 years ago!)

(In the audience, Paul Pines with artist Marc Shanker)

(Must be a successful launch when even the press' lawyer, Ron Carlin, shows up!)

(Jane Augustine, MHP accountant and office manager Barbara McIntosh & Thomas Fink)