Indie Lit Book Table at Polish Hill Arts Fest

Karen Lillis Book Release Party Thursday March 8th

Thursday Night Book Release Party in Polish Hill!Karen Lillis, a wonderful writer, is having a book release party this week
Events will be held at Lili Coffee Shop and Copacetic.
6:00pm Meet & Greet at Copacetic... (3rd Floor)
7:00pm Reading at Lili Coffee Shop (1st Floor)
8:00pm Book signing at Copacetic (3rd Floor)
From CP Short List:

Thu., March 8 — Words
Blogger, journalist and small-press advocate Karen Lillis is as busy as anyone on the local lit scene. Lillis' experience with small presses also includes publishing on them: Watch the Doors as They Close (Spuyten Duyvil), her second novella and fourth full-length work of fiction, bows tonight with a release party and reading at Copacetic Comics. The novella's narrator is a Brooklyn woman struggling to create a portrait of her recently departed lover. Joining Lillis is acclaimed, and now-Pittsburgh-based, zine-maker Ocean Capewell (High on Burning Photographs). BO 6-9 p.m. 3138 Dobson St., Polish Hill. 412-251-5451 or www.copcomco.com

Additional presss release information about Karen Lillis and Ocean Capewell:
"Karen Lillis is the author of four books of fiction: the novels "The Second Elizabeth" (Six Gallery Press, 2009) and "i, scorpion" (Words Like Kudzu Press, 2000); and the novellas "Watch the Doors as they Close" (Spuyten Duyvil, 2012) and "Magenta's Adventures Underground" (Words Like Kudzu with New York Nights, 2004). Her fiction was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2010, and her article on the independent presses of Pittsburgh was a finalist for a Golden Quill Press Award in 2007. She blogs at Karen the Small Press Librarian and she is the creator of the online literary portal, Small Press Pittsburgh.
Ocean Capewell was born in Queens in the 80's. She moved to Pittsburgh purely for the hell of it, and is the creator of the long-running zine "High On Burning Photographs". She recently completed her first novel, "The Most Magnificent Rot", a queer punkhouse tour de force that's searching for a good publisher. She spends her days battling bureaucracy at the welfare office and spends her nights baking cookies, writing her second book, and trying to unblock her second chakra."

Blogging the Pittsburgh Literary Scene

Zine writer Artnoose reads to a crowd at Belvedere's, July 2011.

Over at my literary blog, Karen the Small Press Librarian, I am posting year-end Best of the Small Press lists (as I have for the past few years) from small press authors, editors, reading series hosts, and other indie lit movers and shakers. This year I did something different and chose participants from the many small press folks who visited or read in Pittsburgh in 2011. This gives me a chance to highlight the Pittsburgh literary scene along the way (on my normally-not-Pittsburgh-focused small press blog).

I am sometimes surprised by how little is known (outside of the literary scene) about Pittsburgh readings. I get the impression that some people think the sum total of Pittsburgh's literature is a number of colleges bringing in national writers, and maybe a few local poets scribbling things in isolation, plus Michael Chabon. But the city has a flourishing, supportive scene of small presses, reading series, literary magazines, bookstores, homegrown poets, transplanted writers, and visiting authors, unconnected to/in addition to the universities.

So check out the December posts at my blog to see just a small fraction of what went on in Pittsburgh letters in 2011. I may extend a few days into January, too, so check back if it interests you.

Poet Nick Demske reads at Lili Coffee Shop in Polish Hill, September.

Poet Bob Pajich reads at ModernFormations with The New Yinzer Presents reading series, March.

Fiction author Gary Lutz reads at Awesome Books on Penn Avenue, August.

Writer Lori Jakiela (R) and teammate won the Literary Death Match at Brillobox in November.

Fleeting Pages pop-up bookstore brought small press books to a former Borders space in East Liberty, May 2011.

TONIGHT in Pittsburgh's Literary Scene

Three events are competing for your ear tonight on Pittsburgh's literary landscape:

JAZZ POETRY Concert

sponsored by City of Asylum/Pittsburgh
Poet Sonia Sanchez

with many other City of Asylum poets from around the world
music by Oliver Lake and Tarbaby
7:30 pm, Saturday, Sept. 10
The New Hazlett Theater (this venue shift was recently announced due to the rainy forecast)

North Side
FREE

Creative Nonfiction release party, Issue 42, "The Night"
Readings, art display, and refreshments
7:30 pm, Saturday, Sept. 10
The Irma Freeman Center for the Imagination
5006 Penn Avenue

Garfield/Bloomfield

FREE

September Cool-Off open mic event
Cyberpunk Apocalypse Writer's House

7:00-9:00pm Saturday, Sept. 10
5431 Carnegie Street at 55th Street

Lawrenceville
$2-$4 donation

More Small Press Tourism in Pittsburgh

As seen on the Short List in City Paper:
LITERARY READING:
Mike Faloon (stories) and James Jay (poetry)
with ArtNoose (zinester)
Monday, July 12th
7:00pm
Cyberpunk Apocalypse House
5431 Carnegie St
Upper Lawrenceville
Pittsburgh
Free/Donations Appreciated

I'm very excited to welcome writer and editor, Mike Faloon to Pittsburgh tomorrow, Monday, July 12 at the wonderful Cyberpunk Apocalypse Writer's House. Mike will be reading from his new book of stories out on Gorsky Press, THE HANGING GARDENS OF SPLIT ROCK. He is touring with the poet James Jay, whose new book THE JOURNEYMEN, is also on Gorsky, a small press based in LA.

I have had the privilege of working with Mike through his truly great punk zine, GO METRIC, and I can attest to the fact that he's a hilarious storyteller. He also contributed to the Richard Leck Memorial Reading, and although he was not able to attend, you can see Tom Hendrickson reading Mike's very funny tribute to Richard on Youtube.


Do come out to the reading on Monday and support Small Press Tourism in Pittsburgh (Mike and James are on a reading tour from New York and Arizona respectively), the great venue Cyberpunk Apocalypse in Upper Lawrenceville, and three great readers: Cyberpunk resident Artnoose will represent as the local writer. And I can't promise, but there are often vegan treats at Cyberpunk events.

Read more about the books here.

Literary Pittsburgh: Readings Galore This Weekend

The next few days are packed with great readings: I’m exhausted just thinking about it!

Saturday afternoon, August 29th, 1:30pm: Autumn House at the Pump House. Pittsburgh’s own Autumn House Press will host one novelist and one poet at the historic
Pump House in Homestead: There’s a nice review of John Hoerr’s novel Monogahela Dusk in the City Paper this week; Hoerr is actually a long-time labor journalist, and this is his first work of fiction. I’m a big fan of Robert Gibb’s poetry, especially his Homestead Trilogy. Gibb will read at the Pump House from a new Autumn House volume of his work, What the Heart Can Bear: Selected and Uncollected Poems, 1979-1993.

Saturday night, August 29th: East End avant-garde publisher Six Gallery Press is holding their periodic Showcase (this one is called Hot August Night) with 14 readers from the Pittsburgh poetry underground. Digging Pitt blogger, videographer extraordinaire, talented poet, and charismatic reader Jessica Fenlon (pictured) will read from her new book of poetry, Spiritual Side Effects. Guest author Kevin Finn will read from his new chapbook, Exit Wounds (Ohio: Amsterdam Press), Six Galllery poet Michael S. Begnal is visiting from North Carolina, and all will share the stage with many other local talents: Renee Alberts, Nikki Allen, Jerome Crooks, Davka, Che Elias, Bill Hughes, Jonathan Loucks, Alexi Morrissey, Scott Silsbe, Ed Steck, Billie Steigerwald, Matt Wellins, and Don Wentworth of Lilliput Review fame. Local rock stars Colin Baxter and Julie Sokolow will provide the musical entertainment. ModernFormations at 4919 Penn Avenue, $5 at the door, 8:00pm, BYOB.

Late-night on August 29th (hey, you could make it to all 3 of Saturday's readings if you wanted to): KINETIX! (formerly Poetry…Yes!) is a new late-night poetry series that happens once a month and runs from 11:00pm-1:00am in the theater lobby at The New Hazlett Theater on the Northside. Featured Pittsburgh poets are followed by an Open Mic. $5 door charge; doors open at 10:30pm. (N.b.: the last 54C bus leaves Allegheny Center at 1:12 AM.)

Sunday August 30th at 2:00pm: The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Main library in Oakland) holds its weekly Sunday Poetry and Reading Series, featuring Chuck Lanigan’s presentation of fiction and oral history: To Be of Use: Stories of Labor and Identity in Southwestern PA. Free.

Sunday night, August 30th: The fabulous Typewriter Girls Cabaret will feature the fabulous Gist Street hosts as readers: poet Nancy Krygowski and fictionist Sherrie Flick with her new novel, Reconsidering Happiness. Poet Sandra Beasley, musician Steve Pellegrino, burlesque act The Bridge City Bombshells, and much more will round out the show. Howler’s Café in Bloomfield. Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm, $5.00 cover. See more info here.

Tuesday evening, September 1st: Outrageous blogger Maddox will be in town signing his book of “fratire,” called The Alphabet of Manliness. 6:00pm at Borders Eastside on Centre Avenue near Highland (aka Penn Circle South).

Lit News: Novelist Michael Kimball Visits Pittsburgh This Week

I'm really excited that novelist Michael Kimball is coming from Baltimore to read TWICE in Pittsburgh this week. I could tell you that I loved his heartbreaking and tragicomic new book, Dear Everybody, in which we get to read the thank you notes and apologies a suicided young weatherman left behind, but why take my word for it when you could take the LA Times', Time Out New York's, The Believer's, New Pages', or Just Listen Book Reviews'. Dear Everybody has been getting non-stop rave reviews for several months, and you shouldn't miss this opportunity to see Kimball read from it.

For a taste of the readings, check out this beautiful video for the book, an excerpt in the author's voice that plays like a visual short story: Dear Everybody, the Book Trailer

Kimball is also the author of the ongoing blog and forthcoming book, "Michael Kimball Writes Your Life Story (on a Postcard)".

Michael Kimball reads on:
Monday, March 16th @ 7:30 pm
University of Pittsburgh English Department
Cathedral of Learning
5th floor, room 501

and

Wednesday, March 18th @ 8:00 pm
TNY Presents at ModernFormations Gallery
4919 Penn Avenue
$5 or free with pot luck item
with Kelly Ramsey, Andy Mulkerin, & Colin Baxter

Second Elizabeth released

Full disclosure - Karen Lillis is one of Pittsburgh Arts - Digging Pitt contributors. We are ever so happy for her! The following is from Bill Driscoll's review --

Lillis, writing in the first person, tells the (perhaps at least semi-autobiographical) story of a young woman named Karen E. Lillis as she spends a summer working in a deli in small-town Charlottesville, Va., while reeling from the fallout from an unspecified personal trauma. Anxious, introverted and hard-pressed to communicate with others, including a gutsy co-worker named Beth, Karen longs to become the title character -- the more confident, more assertive person she used to be. "My meanings are trapped inside my body, I have a body which is a wall between the words I mean and the words I say," she says. From the City Paper - Read the article

The Second Elizabeth is available at Amazon.

Literary Reading at Modern Formations

Tonight at Modern Formations Gallery in the Garfield section of Pittsburgh: literary readings, music, and crowds, courtesy of Pittsburgh's own Six Gallery Press.

MultiMedia Series: Southside Pgh

New Novel Features Fictional Ohio Garage Band

The Underground Literary Alliance is on the road. The Philadephia Weekly asks, “Is the ULA a subversive prank? Or a genuine revolution in American literature? One suspects a bit of both.” (St. John Barned-Smith)

This month, ULA author and Cleveland native, Wred Fright, is dragging Crazy Carl Robinson around on a six-city reading tour, including our fair Steel City. Says Wright, “In this revolutionary month of July, we'd like to make this declaration of literary independence because American literature, like American democracy, is not in the healthiest of shapes at the moment.”

Fright’s semi-autobiographical “The Pornographic Flabbergasted Emus” is a humorous look at the life of a hapless Ohio garage band. Robinson will be reading from his latest novel, “Fat on the Vine,” and the Pittsburgh-based Karen Lillis [me] reads at this stop from her forthcoming novel, “The Second Elizabeth.”

UNDERGROUND LITERARY AMERICA TOUR
featuring WRED FRIGHT, CRAZY CARL ROBINSON & KAREN LILLIS
Monday, July 23 at 7:00 PM
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
2705 East Carson Street
Southside, Pittsburgh
FREE
Also, see this week’s City Paper for an interview with Wred Fright and a review of “The Second Elizabeth.”

Don't Miss This Poetry Reading

Attention poets, writers, readers, spoken word artists, lyricists, afficianados of cross-culture, audiences who believe in supporting out-of-towners, Union members, New Yorker subscribers, literature lovers, star fuckers, and ex-pat Brooklynites!! Martin Espada, one of the most passionate and articulate living poets, will be in Pittsburgh to read this Saturday on Pitt’s Oakland campus, for free!

Born in Brooklyn in 1957, much of Espada’s work is drawn from his Puerto Rican heritage and his work experiences, which range from bouncer to tenant lawyer.

Find a selection of his poems here: martinespada.net

Martin Espada Reading: Saturday, April 14th, 5:30-7:00 pm, 2500 Posvar Hall, University of Pittsburgh, Oakland. Free and open to the public. Contact Professor Marcus Rediker for more details: marcusrediker@yahoo.com

Literary Reading in Oakland: Tuesday, March 13th

Tuesday evening, 6:30pm, March 13th, visiting author Ellis Avery will read from her novel, The Teahouse Fire, on the fifth floor of the Cathedral of Learning on the University of Pittsburgh campus. Avery has been published in the Kyoto Journal and the Kyoto-published, ENHAIKLOPEDIA. She is in the seventh year of a ten-year project of daily haiku, Seventeen Reasons, which is also a correspondence with writer Melissa Demian.

Come and support the dialogue between Pittsburgh and the artists of other cities!

photo credit: Kate Attardo