Category: Events

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I have a new story in ZYZZYVA — plus a reading

At long last, ZYZZYVA’s Los Angeles issue is out — and I have a story in it.

This is my second story in ZYZZYVA — and my second ZYZZYVA story inspired by Craigslist. It’s titled “People Say they Want Something.” Here’s an excerpt:

It was because of a couch that I met Cellie. The couch was ugly and listed under free stuff. I figured I could use it until I found one I actually wanted. The photo showed a cheap, boxy thing that looked to be made of Styrofoam. “It’s got some stains on it. It can be cleaned, but I haven’t gotten around to it,” read the description. This seemed very honest. I texted the number on the ad.

She called me back immediately. “Can you get it tonight?” she said.

“Tonight?”

“I really need to get it out of the house tonight.”

“Oh, is a new one being delivered tomorrow?”

“No, I just want it gone.”

I demurred. “Tonight is difficult….”

At that she went at me: “See, this is the problem. People say they want something, but then they just flake on you. I don’t get it. Why do you go through the trouble of reading Craigslist and contacting people when you have no intention of actually getting the stuff? I really want to know. Why?”

“No, I really want the couch,” I said

“Why?”

“Why do I want the couch?”

“Yeah, why,” she said, then laughed hysterically. The laughter went on for a while, long enough that she started making me laugh, incredulously, and a little curiously too. I wondered if it would ever stop. Then she was back. “Seriously, why do you want it? It’s disgusting.”

Get a copy of ZYZZYVA no. 119, Winter 2020! And join me for the launch reading, happening on Zoom on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 at 6 pm PT. Hosted by City Lights Books, the reading lineup is Wendy C. Ortiz, Jonathan Escoffery, Andrés Reconco, Kathleen Mackay, Nina Revoyr — and me, Siel.

RSVP here. See you soon

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The Poetry Circus: An annual literary party in Griffith Park

The poets arrived in style, wearing trench coats and velvet gloves, combat boots and platform Mary Janes. They slunk around looking dark and dangerous — though the day was preternaturally bright, a perfect July Saturday in Los Angeles.

The event: The sixth annual Poetry Circus. The brainchild of local poet Nicelle Davis, this annual extravaganza is described as a community event that “blurs the line between performer and audience to allow everyone the chance to run away and join the circus.” In more practical terms, The Poetry Circus combines zippy poetry readings with circusy joie de vivre at the merry-go-round in Griffith Park. When I arrived around six, the crowd was lazily milling about, getting their faces painted and leafing through chapbooks of poetry at the tables literary presses and organizations that had set up around the area. 

The theme for 2019 was Circus Noir, which is why fashions ranged from film noir to circus punk. I was one of the poets invited to read, but if there was a memo about coming in costume, I missed it — and showed up in a sundress.

Luckily no bouncers enforced a dress code, though there were a couple men in three-piece suits and fedoras who swashbuckled around like they might soon enforce — something.

We soon found out what that something was: poe-hibition! No poetry allowed! Nicelle announced in a faux-tremulous voice that readings could continue — so long as the words didn’t make anyone feel anything.

And so with cheeky aplomb, round one of the circus acts began. “I think you better get ready! I’m about to go to jail doing this,” Douglas Manuel declared before launching energetically into his first poem. 

The performances were as moody as the costumes. “Red is so needy, so eager to spill on the floor,” read Armine Iknadossian in a slow, sensual drawl. She wore long velvet gloves. She applauded the other poets by tinking a long cigarette holder against a martini glass. Jennifer Bradpiece also had her accessories: lace fingerless gloves, striped stockings, and a tiny hat with feathers pinned to hear head. Sample line: “You slip a peach pill between pink lips.”

Between readings, the fedora men kept up the poe-hibition ruse. “There’s no way these are poets,” one declared about half way through. “They’ve been incredibly timely!” It was true. Each of the twelve poets in the round had been given just four minutes to read, and for once everyone stuck to the limit — likely because Nicelle had sent out a simple yet effective warning a few days before: “YOU WILL BE KICKED OFF STAGE BY THE NOIR TEAM, if you go over your time.”

As the first act ended, I thought: Maybe all poetry readings should be limited to four minutes. They’re so much more enjoyable that way…. I was about to go looking for the snack table when Nicelle declared: free merry go round rides!

Then there was a puppet show from the Bob Barker Marionettes.

The first Poetry Circus happened six years ago. Since then, the annual event has brought hundreds to the park. This year’s event, of course, was the noirest.

The sun set. Things got ravier as Nicelle and other organizers handed out glow lights and neon party hats and snake bracelets. The second round of poets went up, then the third — my group.

Awards for most noir-circus outfits go to Ivey Merrill who came in a black goth-ish cheerleader type skirt and black platform Mary Janes (sample line: “Temporarily, razors can help”) and Melanie Jeffery with her purple hair and Doc Martens (sample line: “Cinderella’s doing time for prostitution”).

Here’s one of the poems I read:

Then suddenly, it was over. The fedora men gave their final poe-hibition threats. Nicelle thanked the audience for coming and asked us to help clean up by folding up our chairs and taking them to a designated corner. I did that, then I found the snack table and ate cookies. 

Then we all walked across a grassy hill to the parking lot and drove into the starless night.

The Poetry Circus will return in 2020, though the exact date hasn’t yet been set; keep it on your radar by following the Poetry Circus Facebook page, and support it by making a donation through GoFundMe. 

All photos by Andrea V, except for the selfie taken by Liz Rizzo on the merry go round

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It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere: A quarterly reading series in the Culver City arts district

I’m used to driving to the Mandrake from the west, so making the trip from Burbank for the first time last weekend, I got completely turned around. I parked in the general vicinity, walked up a confused half block to the stoplight, and was repeatedly pushing the cross button when I looked behind me to see an open door, and over it, the familiar little neon sign: BAR.

The Mandrake is a low-key bar in the industrial-looking area that’s the Culver City arts district. It’s also home to It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, a quarterly reading series organized by Julia Ingalls (above), essayist and literary provocateur who sometimes writes about her love life. When I walked in, she was up front in a loose tank and white jeans, greeting people with hugs. 

“Siel! I haven’t seen you in so long!”

We hugged stickily. It was a warm day, high seventies, and warmer in the bar.

Julia’s readings begin, not coincidentally, at 5 pm. Or more accurately, 5 pm is the listed start time — when people arrive, order drinks, and mingle in the sunnier front room. About a half hour later we’re corralled into the darker, danker back room, with its upholstered booths and ghoulish lighting.

Julia went up front, welcomed everyone, and the crowd of about 40 or so settled in as she introduced the first reader, Mike Sonksen, by reading a bio off her phone.

Mike Sonksen’s better known as Mike the Poet. He wore a jaunty hat and Dodgers T-shirt. He performed his poems — all about L.A. — from memory, bouncing on his heels (sample line: “The 562 is a good time because the people are down to earth”). His energy was catching; the audience smiled and bopped along. He finished with a happy yell — “I’m still alive in Los Angeles. L.A.!” — then bounced back to his seat in the applause.

Lisa Locascio went up next, pink hair glowing under the overhead light. She read from her debut novel Open Me — about a teenager’s affair with a 28-year-old man who starts keeping her locked her up in his apartment (sample line: “How fine to be a body against a smooth plane”).

Then Susan Banyas read her nonfiction work (sample line: “Is there a sense of justice, even in young children?”) with emphatic nods of the head, in the manner of an enthusiastic children’s librarian during story time. Next was Roar Shack organizer David Rocklin, reading a moody excerpt from a new novel he’s working on (sample line: “But there was the sea, blazing cobalt….”). Lynne Thompson closed the reading with more poems (sample line: “Forget this irrelevant history. Can anyone know what’s true?”).

Suddenly, it was over. The crowd applauded and started moving out, stopping at the Skylight Books table to buy the authors’ books. 

Back in the sunnier front room, people looked less ghoulish, prettier. We chatted, we mingled. Julia was back in the middle of things, working the crowd. It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere was now about three years old, she told me. She said she tried to get “a medley of different mediums” for each reading — poetry, fiction, nonfiction.

Outside the evening sun was still bright. I started walking toward my car, then realized I was going the wrong way again, and turned around.

The next Five O’Clock Somewhere happens September 15, 2019 — put it on your calendar! To hear about future events, email Julia at subtextdesign@gmail.com and ask to be put on the mailing list.

It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere. Quarterly, 5 pm (email Julia or check Facebook for dates), Mandrake, 2692 S La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. 

Read more: 11 literary reading series in Los Angeles

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I’m reading at the Poetry Circus

If you’d like to hang out with me in person this summer, come to The Poetry Circus #6: Circus Noir next Saturday.

Organized by Nicelle Davis whom I’ve been reading with a lot lately, The Poetry Circus is an interactive art event series described as “part workshop, community outreach, performance, ride, dance, and creation.” There’ll be poets, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, face painting, light refreshments, and circus acts! Here’s the schedule:

When: Sat., July 13, 2019, 5 pm-10 pm
Where: The Griffith Park Merry-go-round
Cost: Free, but if you’re into it, The Poetry Circus has a gofundme campaign going on.

I’ll be reading in round 3, at 8:20 pm, though I’ve been already warned by previous attendees that the schedule usually gets behind due to the tendency of poets to go on way past their time limit (Poets — quit doing that, seriously!).

See you soon —

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I’m reading at Poetry Palooza 5/2

Though I mostly write fiction now, I did go to grad school for poetry — and have published two poetry chapbooks I rarely get to read from. But I’ll be doing that in a couple days at Poetry Palooza!

Poetry Palooza is an annual event organized by the Northridge Creative Writing Circle, a student group at Cal State Northridge. This year, it happens Thu., May 2. I’ll read at 5 pm in Jerome Richfield Hall, room 201 (driving directions here).

Looking forward to getting to read with Nicelle Davis again — and to meeting Sophia Apodaca. Thank you to Sam Bowers and other Cal State Northridge students for organizing this event.

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12 literary reading series in Los Angeles

Hot Dish at 826LA

One great way to find a writing community: Becoming a regular at a local reading series.

To help you do that, I’ve put together a list of my favorite reading series. Just to be clear, many more readings happen in town. Indie bookstores, writing programs, and literary journals often host their own series. Plus, lots of one-off events happen everywhere from tiny coffee shops to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. And there are other reading series I haven’t included on this list, sometimes because they’re more private, salon-type events, other times because I simply don’t know about them yet.

Thus: Here’s my far-from-exhaustive list, going from the cozier, more local community based series on to the bigger venues with bigger names.
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Hot Dish at 826LA

Hot Dish Reading Series
This one’s a favorite of foodies. Organized by local writers Summer Block and J Ryan Stradal, Hot Dish brings together yummy eats with literary readings — to raise money for the educational nonprofit 826 LA.

Hot Dish happens roughly quarterly, although the last Hot Dish of 2018 happened back in August — and I was part of the lineup! It had a cheese-and-crackers theme, with most of the food brought to the party by volunteer-attendees who wanted to contribute to the cause. There was also wine and a half dozen great readings broken up with an intermission so people could eat and drink more. Cost: Usually $6, all of which goes to support 826LA.

Vermin on the Mount
Organized and hosted by Jim Ruland, Vermin on the Mount readings happen once every couple months at Book Show in Highland Park. Each event features short readings by a handful of eclectic writers — some on book tour, some local. Plus, there’s a raffle with free prizes for attendees, ranging from books by featured authors to Vermin T-shirts. Contact Jim to submit your own work to be considered for a reading spot. More: Vermin on the Mount: An irreverent reading series in LA and San Diego.

Cupcakes at Library Girl event Ruskin Group Theatre

Library Girl
Created by Susan Hayden, Library Girl events feature a handful of mostly-local readers plus a musical act. The first event of 2019 will be themed “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)” — and feature a taco cart, dessert, and commemorative souvenirs. Go for the literature and music — and complimentary snacks and dessert. Cost: $10, all of which is donated to Ruskin Group Theatre. More: Library Girl: A Santa Monica reading series with sugar and soul.

Poetic Research Bureau

PRB describes itself as a “valise fiction and portable literary service in Northeast Los Angeles” — which basically means PRB is an artsy, Duchampian, surrealist-influenced L.A. poetry collective with a love of the avant garde. Its long-running event series mostly writers and artists, many experimentally exploring new forms. Cost: Free, donations welcomed.

Why There Are Words LA

Founded by Peg Alford Pursell in Sausalito back in 2010, the series came to Los Angeles in February 2017, thanks to a couple of my favorite local literary people, Ashley Perez and Patrick O’Neil. Events have moved around — when I got to read in the series back in April last year, it happened in a sunny Koreatown living room — though the last few have happened at Kaffebaren downtown. Skylight Books always shows up to sell the authors’ books. Free.

New Short Fiction Series
Actors and writers unite at this long-running spoken word series. Every second Sunday of the month, actors read stories by west coast authors, giving the tales a performative flair. Most events happen at The Federal Bar in North Hollywood, but occasionally the readings roam around. My favorite was when my grad school friend Bryan Hurt’s story was read by Ryan Klamen at the Annenberg Beach House; Helen Hunt was in the audience, and came up afterwards to compliment them. The series is hosted by Sally Shore. Cost: $10-$20.

Roar Shack reading series at 826LA in Los Angeles

Roar Shack
Organized and hosted by local writer David Rocklin, these monthly readings in Echo Park each feature short readings by a handful of mostly-local authors, punched up with a musical performance and a little healthy writing competition called Livewrite. Contact David to get on the events email list — or to submit your own work to be considered for a reading spot. More: Roar Shack: A Monthly Echo Park reading series with music and a Livewrite.

WCCW Reading Series

Held at the Women’s Center for Creative Work, this quarterly event is put together by Nina Rota and Sara Finnerty. Each event boasts the same theme as the current WCCW programming.

Hitched
This quarterly reading series is unique in that it features pairs of writers — “as a way of celebrating the relationships we build as writers that are integral to our success and the successes of those around us.” Local poet Xochitl Julisa-Bermejo organizes these events, which always aim to give voice to marginalized voices. Her website isn’t always updated; check Facebook for the latest events. Free. More: Getting Hitched before the New Year.

Sumarr Reading Series
Organized by Diana Arterian, Sumarr readings happen once every few months, featuring a handful of mostly local readers plus a musical guest. It all happens at a cute little book store called The Pop-Hop in Highland Park. I read for this series earlier this year. Free.

Hammer Museum readings
UCLA’s contemporary museum brings to campus a great lineup of writers . Held in the spacious annex, the readings often draw a hundred or so people and usually also feature a conversation with a UCLA professor and a Q&A with the audience, followed by a book signing.

The crowd will include a mix of book lovers and UCLA students — many, I suspect, strongly encouraged by their professors to attend. Some of my favorite readings here include one by Mary Gaitskill, who talked about everything and everyone from Monica Lewinsky and Gloria Steinem, and another by Dana Spiotta, who talked about her early days working with Gordon Lish with great humor. Extra bonus: There’s always complimentary coffee, tea, and cookies. Free.

Aloud Lecture Series
The Los Angeles Public Library holds this fantastic series at the pretty downtown library, in an amphitheater that seats several hundred. Events range from a featured reading with a big name novelist to multi-author discussions of major socio-political issues (e.g. The Pursuit of War Criminals from Nuremberg to the War on Terror).

Because of the events’ popularity, free reservations are required (paying library members get first dibs) — and often “sell” out, though you’ll likely get in if you just show up because a lot of these free ticket holders end up not showing up. Don’t totally count on that though: I got in the standby line for a George Saunders reading once but was turned away; my friend and I ended up eating our sorrows at Mas Malo then returning to queue up for the book signing. Free, with reservations.
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Reading series do tend to come and go. Since I wrote the original version of this post back in 2016, Dirty Laundry Lit, Tongue and Groove, The Table, and The Window @ A.G. Geiger are no longer, while the Griffith Park Storytelling Series and Angels Flight Literary West Salons have become so occasional I’ve had to take them off the list. However, new ones also pop up all the time —

Are there other public reading series I should have included in this list? Let me know in the comments —

Originally posted 12/21/16; Last updated 2/17/19

Hot Dish photo by Lauren Eggert-Crowe