Category: Siel

Siel Ju’s publications and events

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Cake Time interview in Muse

Riverside City College has its own print annual literary journal called Muse, and the Spring 2018 issue features an interview with me about Cake Time and the writing life. Here’s an excerpt:

Q: You run a blog where you interview authors each month and do book giveaways. What is the most important piece of advice you would give someone who is looking to start a similar, literary-based blog? How do you offset the hidden costs involved in this work?

A: I would say start small, and be consistent. A daily blog is great in theory, but for most people, that’ll make them lose steam in a week —

Also, I wouldn’t expect to offset the hidden costs — I would just expect to pay them out of pocket. So if you’re limited in funds, use free resources as much as possible. You can grow from there when you’re feeling more flush.

Read the whole thing by picking up a copy at Cellar Door Books in Riverside, Calif., or by emailing muse@rcc.edu.

And thanks to RCC professors James Ducat and Jo Scott-Coe for inviting me to the campus for a reading and arranging for this interview — and to all the great RCC students I got to meet, both in person and through words. Here’s a video featuring the Spring 2018 RCC student staff members!

Earlier: 15 Literary journals for Los Angeles writers

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Come say hi at the LA Times Festival of Books 4/21!

The LA Times Festival of Books happens this weekend — and I’d love to see you at a couple events on Saturday, April 21 —

First, a signing: I’ll be at the Red Hen Press Booth (Booth #182 by the Poetry Stage) from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm signing copies of Cake Time!

Then, the reading: I’ll be at the Smoking Hot Indie Lit Lounge (Booth #377) from 3 pm to 4:30 pm for a reading by USC PhD in Literature and Creative writing people. It’ll be me, Diana Arterian, Doug Manuel, Catherine Theis, and Liz Johnson reading from our newish publications.

Hope to see you at one or both events!

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See you at Hollywood Hotel and the Last Bookstore

Just a reminder that I’d love to see you at a couple literary events coming up this month:

The Table Presents: Redemption
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 2:30 pm to 5 pm
Hollywood Hotel, 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
Free and open to the public!

L.A. Lit Fic – a book club with Siel Ju
(Facebook event page)
*We’ll discuss Scott O’Connor’s A Perfect Universe — and Scott will drop by at the end to answer Qs & sign books!*
Tuesday, April 17, 7:30 pm
The Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles.
Tickets: $35.95 (includes book, libations, snacks)

In other news:

I was interviewed on the Read More Podcast, and the episode is now out!

I judged the fiction contest for Prism Review, the literary journal at University of La Verne. Thanks for the honor and congrats to all the winners!

I said some nice things about Vermin on the Mount for an article at Fear No Lit. Read it — The interview with Vermin host Jim Ruland is both informative and funny — and go to the next Vermin!

Hope to see you IRL soon —

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Cake Time celebrates 1 year — April 2018 giveaway

*** Winner selected! Congratulations to Sarah in Montebello, Calif.! ***

Has it already been a year? Around this time last year I celebrated the release of my first book, Cake Time — and haven’t stopped celebrating since.

Cake Time by Siel JuAnd the celebration continues — with a Cake Time giveaway!

First, a bit about the novel-in-stories. When people ask what it’s about, this is what I usually say: It’s about a smart girl who makes risky choices about men and sex in Los Angeles. But here’s a slightly longer description:

Daring yet aimless, smart but slightly strange, Cake Time’s young female protagonist keeps making slippery choices, sliding into the dangerous space where curiosity melds with fear and desires turn into dirty messes.

In “How Not to Have an Abortion,” the teenaged narrator looks for a ride from the clinic between her AP exams. In “Easy Target,” the now-college-grad agrees to go to a swingers party with a handsome stranger. A decade later, in “Glow,” she is suddenly confronted by the disturbing and thrilling fact of her lover’s secret daughter.

Ultimately, Cake Time grapples with urgent, timeless questions: why intelligent girls make terrible choices, where to negotiate a private self in an increasingly public world, and how to love madly without losing a sense of self.

One copy of  Cake Time will be given away to one of my blog readers. All current email subscribers will be automatically entered to win the copy. Subscribe now if you’re not yet getting my occasional newsletters.

For a second chance to win, comment on this post below, naming your favorite kind of cake. The giveaway closes April 30, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. US addresses only.

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The Table: A Reading series that mentors would-be lit event hosts

So you’d like to start a reading series — but don’t know where to start. Well, now there’s a reading series to help you with that!

The Table Reading Series pairs would-be lit event hosts in need of guidance with more seasoned mentors who have lit event organizing experience under their belt. From planning the reader line-up to budgeting to promoting the event, the newbies get the help they need planning one event for the series, while mentors get to pass on their knowledge and know-how. The idea is that organizing one event for The Table will empower the new hosts with the experience and confidence they need to plan more events on their own.

Dreamed up by Natashia Deon, author of Grace and organizer of the (now sadly defunct) Dirty Laundry Lit reading series, The Table held its first event July 2017, with an event curated by Zoe Ruiz. Since then, there’s been one event a month at the Hollywood Hotel, with a new host or few for each event — and new mentors.

“It’s a one time experience for all, unless a mentee chooses to become a mentor,” Natashia says.

I finally made it to my first The Table reading in February. Themed Writing of Exploration, the event was put together by writers Rachael Warecki and Ashley Perez. There were spirited readings, a short panel discussion, a full bar, and free chocolate on the tables —

Make sure to come to the next The Table event — because I’ll be reading! Also in the lineup are memoirist Patrick O’Neil, poet Julayne Lee, Carl Kemp, and Erika Ayon. The event’s organized by Ramona Pilar and Anita Gill, with Women Who Submit cofounder and poet Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo serving as mentor.

The Table Presents: Redemption
April 15, 2018, 2:30 pm to 5 pm
Hollywood Hotel, 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles

Want to be the next host for The Table — or want to mentor a new host? Just email Natashia at info@tablelit.com to get started. Or  go to an event! “The best way to be involved is to come to the event and find me,” Natashia says. “Let’s chat.”

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Chat L.A. fiction with me and Scott O’Connor at LA Lit Fic book club 4/17

Thanks to everyone who came to the very first LA Lit Fic — a new book club on L.A. fiction hosted by The Last Bookstore and moderated by me. We talked about Woman No. 17  by Edan Lepucki, who came by at the end to answer questions, mingle over wine and cheese, and sign books.

Sad you missed it? Then get your ticket now for the next LA Lit Fic — so you have time to read the book! We’re reading Scott O’Connor‘s fantastic short story collection, A Perfect Universe. Published just a couple months go, A Perfect Universe tells ten L.A. stories, starring a teenage bicycle thief, an aging actor, coffee shop regulars, and other very L.A. types.

There will be wine and an equally festive non-alcoholic drink, plus cheese, crackers, cookies, and crudite. And yes, Scott himself will drop at the end to answer burning questions, sign books, and hang out with the fans!

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LA Lit Fic with Siel Ju
(Facebook event page)
Our April read: Scott O’Connor’s A Perfect Universe
Tuesday, March 20 at 7:30 pm – 9 pm (Edan arrives 8:30 pm)
The Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles
Tickets: $35.95 (includes a copy of the book, party, and more)
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Be there! Feel free to email or tweet me with any questions.

Earlier:
* 6 best book clubs in Los Angeles
* 11 best bookstores in Los Angeles for writers