November 2009

On November 2, Richard Spilman read from his prize-winning manuscript, In the Night Speaking.  It was exciting for SPC Press to present this fine work, which was selected from over 200 manuscripts. While Sacramento’s first poet laureate, Dennis Schmitz, made the final selection, Brad Buchanan put in countless hours of work into the project, coordinating the selection process, and overseeing the layout and printing. Thanks also to BJ Shaw (The California Poet) for his design work, and the many board members who worked on the first round of readings.

On November 9, I’ll be hosting another of our popular Fiction Nights at SPC.  The editor and publisher of Farallon Review, Tim Foley will be there, and he is bringing a number of the fiction writers that he’s published in the review, including Joey Garcia and Lynka Adams.  With five Monday nights in November, it will be a full month at 25th and R Streets. On November 16, R.D. Armstrong and Bill Gainer will read; on November 23rd Tim Kahl presents Lee Herrick and Michael Medrano; and Frank Graham showcases a trio on November 30: Lucy Lang Day, Tom Miner and Dianna Henning.

On Friday, November 12, Rebecca Morrison continues her Poetry in the Arboretum series with a reading by Kel Munger and Sandra Gilbert at the UC Davis Campus, Wyatt Deck at 12 noon.

Please come to The Guild Theater on Friday, November 13 for a five-hour night of spoken word and poetry. Sample over a dozen poets, including Supanova, Kathleen Lynch, Quinton Duval, BL Kennedy, Kate Asche, NSAA, Jim Nolt, Danny Romero, Emmanuel Sigauke, Terry Moore, and some stirring recitation from Brad Buchanan. Frank Withrow and Anna Marie will perform, and Sam Pierstorff is coming up from Modesto. Eminent Spoken Word artist Phoenyx Reign will be on hand as well.  It’s good poetry for a good cause at a big place – so bring your friends, send your students, drag along your family! Come early or late, you can attend from 6 to 11 for just a $2 per person donation. All profits go to support both SPC and The Center for Fathers and Families.

Saturday, November 14 brings Distant Voices, the first ever Virtual Poetry Festival, to the Book Collector. From Ghent to Sacramento – this will be a live, around-the-world tour of poets via Skype! Starts at 5am on Saturday morning – Richard will be hosting breakfast for early risers. The online reading will continue up until about 1pm Pacific Standard Time, when 3 Sacramento poets –Indigo Moor, Rebecca Morrison and yours truly – get to take the anchor lap for world poetry! Watch me turn into pixels after the seventeenth triple latte!

Advance notice – RSVP or just show up at the door - Wednesday, December 2 at 6pm will be SPC’s annual fund-raiser at the Millers’ home. Call us at 979-9706 to RSVP, but you’re welcome to just show up – it’s $30 per person, and $25 for members. Last year was our biggest fundraiser ever – we hope to top it again this time! And come for readings in December under the new insulated roof: Monday, December  7 brings Zoe Kiethley and her new book to SPC. And on December 14, join us for a fundraiser for the Squaw Valley Community of Writers at SPC!

Speaking of communities of writers, by the way, belated congratulations are in order – Kate Washington and Brad Buchanan welcomed Lucy Elizabeth Buchanan way back on August 25th. Where does Dad find time to write new poems? Ah, but the inspiration!