Really excited about Why There Are Words' second anniversary event tonight, in hours. The reading series I founded two years ago became more than I imagined -- I mean almost from the start -- people have relayed to me that they've had a writer who's read there say it's the best lit event in the Bay Area. What really touches me is knowing that some people base their calendars around it. They turn out every month. Lately, a group -- of fine writers -- have been traveling down from Sacramento. This is way, way more than I ever expected. People do care about good stories, literature, good books. This is the take-away, and it's so heartening, so good. It makes all the work worthwhile.

Sept. 10, 3 PM.

From the webpage:

Ever attended a reading and wish you'd heard from the authors about how and why they practice their craft? Or ever listen to an interview and wish the author had done a reading too? Now you can have your literary cake and eat it too! Come to "Inside the Writer's Studio" on Sep. 10 and hear three renowned Bay Area writers share their work and talk about their artistic approach. And there will be food! Readings followed by interviews conducted by Marcus Banks with Allison Landa, Tanya Egan Gibson, and Peg Alford Pursell.

Peri's Silver Dollar Bar
29 Broadway
Fairfax, CA

Come on out. Food, even? I'll read the Pushcart-nominated "Project"* printed in Annalemma Magazine.

*Note: there is NSFW art at this link.

Come out to the Sonoma County Book Festival, Sept. 24. All kinds of literary goodness. I'll be reading flash fiction at 3:15 on the main stage with Meg Pokrass and Stefanie Freele. It's going to be a blast!

Local Women Writers Series: Readings and Conversations
Thursday, August 4, 7 to 9 pm, $10, $8 OHCA members.

Join me, along with Jasmin Darznik and `Lyn Follett, as the OHCA celebrates women writers with readings by local authors. You can RSVP the Tuesday prior to each reading to save your seat.

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts
616 Throckmorton Avenue
Mill Valley, CA 94941
415.388.4331

Cheryl Ossola blogs about the flash fiction event at Book Passage I read at with Molly Giles and Meg Pokrass two nights ago.

I particularly like:
"Sometimes overeager disclosure occludes the craft beneath the content (or reveals that there is none). This wasn't that kind of writing. Peg, Meg, and Molly launch their ideas with skill, sophistication, wit, and elements of surprise. In fact, their messages hit home with the speed and accuracy of arrows whose tail feathers were still reverberating when the next petite, potent tale began. In just over an hour, we listeners squirreled away bits and pieces of a rich array of stories (or even entire ones), carrying them home in our hearts and minds to savor later."

Thanks, Cheryl, for this thoughtful review.

Here's video of my reading at InsideStoryTime last May. Thanks to the ever-loving Litseen-ster Evan Karp.

So looking forward to hearing my stories "This Guy" and "Guardian" performed at Stories on Stage in Sacramento tonight. SOS is the genius of Valerie Fioravanti, a wonderful writer who a couple months back graced Why There Are Words with a reading of her work.

In preparation for tonight's event, Sue Suitts interviewed me, which was a lot of fun. Check out the interview here. Thanks, Sue, and Valerie!

Reading at InsideStoryTime this Thursday, May 19. Things start up at 6:30. Cafe Royale, 800 Post St., SF. Theme is "Crossing Lines."

This will be a good night, with April Sinclair, Benjamin Bac Sierra, Salvatore Zoida, and Chris Cole. With MC James Warner (All Her Father's Guns).

I'll be reading flash fiction with Meg Pokrass and Molly Giles June 14 at Book Passage, 7pm. Short and Sweet (sooo inaccurate, says Molly) is what we're calling it, with a taste of irony when it comes to the "Sweet" part of it. Please join us.