Fertile Underground, a food co-op in Providence, is raising money for a new food access effort that you can read about here. I think this is a good project. I and a bunch of other people are reading to benefit it on Friday, March 29th, at 6 pm, at 1577 Westminster St.
Mary-Kim Arnold
Mark Baumer
Tina Cane
Darcie Dennigan
David Emanuel
Laura Brown Lavoie
Wendy Lawton
Casey Llewellyn
Serena Putterman
Kate Schapira
The event itself is free. You can see the store, investigate the project, donate if you'd like. Please come!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
How to Be at AWP
One human alone has the capacity to be slightly-to-medium gross and make a
small-to-medium mess (unless they're really trying). If you multiply that by
thousands, we have the capacity to be very gross and make a huge mess without
any intention of doing so. I saw this happen at AWP in Chicago last year, so what follows is a brief
and basic guide to doing what you do at AWP in Boston without making extra work
for the people who work in the spaces you're using.
If you're sleeping in a hotel, leave a tip for the person who will clean your room. $2 per day per bed, at the end of your stay, seems to be the standard. (There are also guidelines at that link for how to leave the money so that it will be clear it's for that person.)
If you use the bathrooms in the hotel or convention center, and you get pee on the seat, wipe it off. If you use tampons, don't flush them. Get your paper towels, if any, all the way into the garbage.
If you're working a book fair table, walk your trash to the garbage can -- don't leave it underneath.
If you currently work a "hospitality" or "service" job, or once did, act the way you wish customers would act. If you need something from someone who works in the hotel, ask politely. If you take a cab, tip the driver. If you buy food or drink, be civil to the person who hands it to you.
At an event like this, you're not acting in isolation; if you do something mildly repulsive or disrespectful, you will be part of a huge wave of increased difficulty for people who have very hard jobs. Interactions between a customer and a service worker, especially in a fast-moving and high-stress situation, often bring out the worst in the customer. I've been the customer/asshole in that situation and I don't want to be again, so this reminder is also for me.
I know there are many people for whom this reminder is unnecessary. But I also know that when we're tired, jet-lagged, overstimulated, anxious and/or hungover, we are not at our best, and if we have any latent racism and or/class prejudice and/or entitlement and/or plain spitefulness, that's when we let it show.
Make an effort, while you're at AWP, not to make anyone's day harder than it already is.
If you're sleeping in a hotel, leave a tip for the person who will clean your room. $2 per day per bed, at the end of your stay, seems to be the standard. (There are also guidelines at that link for how to leave the money so that it will be clear it's for that person.)
If you use the bathrooms in the hotel or convention center, and you get pee on the seat, wipe it off. If you use tampons, don't flush them. Get your paper towels, if any, all the way into the garbage.
If you're working a book fair table, walk your trash to the garbage can -- don't leave it underneath.
If you currently work a "hospitality" or "service" job, or once did, act the way you wish customers would act. If you need something from someone who works in the hotel, ask politely. If you take a cab, tip the driver. If you buy food or drink, be civil to the person who hands it to you.
At an event like this, you're not acting in isolation; if you do something mildly repulsive or disrespectful, you will be part of a huge wave of increased difficulty for people who have very hard jobs. Interactions between a customer and a service worker, especially in a fast-moving and high-stress situation, often bring out the worst in the customer. I've been the customer/asshole in that situation and I don't want to be again, so this reminder is also for me.
I know there are many people for whom this reminder is unnecessary. But I also know that when we're tired, jet-lagged, overstimulated, anxious and/or hungover, we are not at our best, and if we have any latent racism and or/class prejudice and/or entitlement and/or plain spitefulness, that's when we let it show.
Make an effort, while you're at AWP, not to make anyone's day harder than it already is.
"Are you going to AWP?"
I am! And so delighted not to have to get on a plane.
On Friday, I'm reading with Noemi Press writers, including but possibly not limited to:
Erica Anzalone
Shane McCrae
Jeffrey Pethybridge
Khadijah Queen
(and me)
at the Boston Playwrights' Theater
from 4pm to 6pm. Two stops away from the Hynes Convention Center on the Green Line (B towards Boston College) to Pleasant St. station. It's great if you come to hear me, but you really need to hear everyone I'm reading with. And you can still get to the 7 pm events!
On Saturday, I'll be at the book fair roaming around in the daytime. At 7:30 pm (doors at 7) I'm reading with writers from Lost Roads, Horse Less, Coconut and Sidebrow at The Distillery. It's BYOB and it will be amazing. Green Line (toward Lechmere) to Park St, change to the Red Line toward Ashmont/Braintree, take the Red Line to Broadway station. This venue is wheelchair accessible, but it's a 10-ish minute walk from the T stop.
Hope to see you there!
On Friday, I'm reading with Noemi Press writers, including but possibly not limited to:
Erica Anzalone
Shane McCrae
Jeffrey Pethybridge
Khadijah Queen
(and me)
at the Boston Playwrights' Theater
from 4pm to 6pm. Two stops away from the Hynes Convention Center on the Green Line (B towards Boston College) to Pleasant St. station. It's great if you come to hear me, but you really need to hear everyone I'm reading with. And you can still get to the 7 pm events!
On Saturday, I'll be at the book fair roaming around in the daytime. At 7:30 pm (doors at 7) I'm reading with writers from Lost Roads, Horse Less, Coconut and Sidebrow at The Distillery. It's BYOB and it will be amazing. Green Line (toward Lechmere) to Park St, change to the Red Line toward Ashmont/Braintree, take the Red Line to Broadway station. This venue is wheelchair accessible, but it's a 10-ish minute walk from the T stop.
Hope to see you there!
Monday, February 25, 2013
More Big Things: Kate Colby
One of my other favorite poets and people, Kate Colby, doesn't have a blog so I have posted her responses to The Next Big Thing here.
The Next Big Thing
Tagged by: Darcie Dennigan
What is the working title of the book?
What was once one book just became two books, titled I Mean and Blue Hole.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The dark recesses. And the light ones.
What genre does your book fall under?
Poetry, prose, poetics essays
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Loplop
What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
“As the object of 20 Questions / I always choose light.”
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
These are various writings of the last three years.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Max Ernst, Joe Brainard, Corita Kent, John McPhee, Easter Island, Mork & Mindy, my son Willie
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Pink dolphins!
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I hope and imagine they will be published by a small press or presses. Ugly Duckling and Litmus published my first four books.
Tagging: Youmna Chlala
The Next Big Thing
Tagged by: Darcie Dennigan
What is the working title of the book?
What was once one book just became two books, titled I Mean and Blue Hole.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The dark recesses. And the light ones.
What genre does your book fall under?
Poetry, prose, poetics essays
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Loplop
What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
“As the object of 20 Questions / I always choose light.”
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
These are various writings of the last three years.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Max Ernst, Joe Brainard, Corita Kent, John McPhee, Easter Island, Mork & Mindy, my son Willie
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Pink dolphins!
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I hope and imagine they will be published by a small press or presses. Ugly Duckling and Litmus published my first four books.
Tagging: Youmna Chlala
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Word for/Haunted Word
Thanks to the seemingly tireless efforts of Jonathan Minton, and a kind invitation to submit from Adam Golaski, I have a poem in the new issue of the ever-excellent Word for/Word, one of the online journals I read even when I don't have work in it. My poem is about ghosts and grammar, but I'm not going to link directly to it because you should read your way through the issue.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
The Next Big Thing
Thanks to Deborah Poe for tagging me for this!
Since I don't have a full-length collection coming out in the next little while (unless I do! do I, presses to whom I've sent work?) and because I'm a smartass, I have done this this way:
Since I don't have a full-length collection coming out in the next little while (unless I do! do I, presses to whom I've sent work?) and because I'm a smartass, I have done this this way:
The Last Big Thing / The Next Little Thing / The Next Next Big Thing
What is the working title of the book?
The Soft Place / The Ground / The Pass / The Wave / Bad Sentence
Where did the idea come from for the book?
My Social Security statement /a drive through Texas to a wedding / A 1929 grammar textbook
What genre does your book fall under?
poetry / poetry / poetry & essays
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
I hate this question and I'm not going to answer it.
What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
I attempt to get through my own armor. / Crossing is hard, even crossing together. / These sentences examine and restage the relationships between grammar and power.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
about six months / about two months / still working on it
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
my husband James, Bernadette Mayer and Bhanu Kapil / Lynn Xu, Josh Edwards and a border patrol officer, and James, also / my students and seven other writers
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Parts of it are kind of funny. / It was once three even smaller books. / Catwoman will make a guest appearance.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
published by Horse Less Press / to be published by Grey Book Press / email me at my gmail address, publiclycomplex, if you think this book might be for you!
I'm tagging Christie Ann Reynolds, Michael Tod Edgerton, and three other MYSTERY PEOPLE -- I'll post links when I have the full list!
I'm tagging Christie Ann Reynolds, Michael Tod Edgerton, and three other MYSTERY PEOPLE -- I'll post links when I have the full list!
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