Odd Bits of Life in New Orleans

Odd Words October 8, 2014

This week in literary New Orleans, sponsored by the Loyola Writing Institute at the Walker Percy Center for Writing and Publishing.

& At 6 pm Thursday the Rosa Keller Branch of the New Orleans Public Library hosts a Meet the Author/Book Signing with Daniel Peter Moriarty II, A Fine Body of Men: The New Orleans Light Horse Cavalry, 1861-1865. In this thoroughly researched Civil War regimental history, the author tells the story of the New Orleans Light Horse, an independent cavalry troop described by the Daily Picayune as “a fine body of men all splendidly mounted. Moriarty will also appear Saturday from 3-5 pm at the Latter Memorial Library.

& Thursday at 6 pm check out the weekly Spoken Word event #WordConnections at the Juju Bag Cafe.

& Also at 6 pm Octavia Books hosts the launch of Tulane University environmental law professor Oliver A. Houck’s new book, DOWNSTREAM TOWARD HOME: A Book of Rivers. American rivers are among the most diverse and challenging in the world, and for many the excitement and escape they offer develops into a lifelong pursuit. In DOWNSTREAM TOWARD HOME, Oliver A. Houck recounts his six decades exploring America’s waterways,from unnamed creeks and Louisiana swamps to the rivers of western canyons and the Alaskan tundra. This engaging travelogue leads readers down over thirty-two rivers found across the country. Along the way Houck provides quiet observations as he finds footprints of red wolves on a sandbank or paddles through an aqueous forest of cypress trees. Collectively, these moments of adventure and introspection reveal his distinct and extraordinary vision of the national landscape.

& Thursday Garden District Book Shop hosts Barbara Barnes Sims’ The Next Elvis: Searching For Stardom at SUN Records at 6 pm. In the male-dominated workforce of the 1950s, 24-year-old Sims found herself thriving in the demanding roles of publicist and sales promotion coordinator at Sun Records. Sims’ job placed her in the studio with Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins, and other Sun entertainers, as well as the unforgettable Phillips, whose work made the music that defined an era. The Next Elvis chronicles Sims’ career at the studio, a pivotal time at this recording mecca, as she darted from disc jockeys to distributors. Sims not only entertains with personal stories of big personalities, she brings humor to the challenges of a young woman working in a fast and tough industry. Her disarming narrative ranges from descriptions of a disgraced Jerry Lee Lewis to the remarkable impact and tragic fall of DJ Daddy-O Dewey to the frenzied Memphis homecoming of Elvis after his military service. Collectively, these vignettes offer a rare and intimate look at the people, the city, and the studio that permanently shifted the trajectory of rock ‘n’ roll.

& Meanwhile at Maple Street Books Ron Fisher will read excerpts and sign copies of his book, Mid-City Errands, at 6PM, at Maple Street Book Shop. 1950s Mid-City comes to life in Mid-City Errands, a new novel that offers a unique view of New Orleans through the eyes of its seven-year old hero Vonny, whose detective exploits take him through the heart of the old neighborhood. The author grew up with his large family in Mid-City, and New Orleanians will enjoy the references to landmarks like Picou’s and the old Bruno’s Bar.

& Thursday Crescent City Book hosts poets Geoff Munsterman and M’Bilia Meekers reading from their acclaimed first books and also new work. Downstairs at CCB at 7 pm. Munsterman is the author of Because the Stars Shine Through It. Meekers new chapbook is Wish for a Drowned Daughter. “Geoff Munsterman’s poetry is visceral and robust. It gives life to a region of hard-scrabble human richness registered in his supple and often gritty lines. I found myself repeatedly surprised and moved and sometimes even unnerved.”–David H. Lynn, Editor of The Kenyon Review

& Also at 7 pm the East Jefferson Regional Library hosts the bi-weekly SciFi, Fantasy and Horror Writer’s Group. ames Butler, a writer of science fiction and fantasy (especially steampunk), leads a workshop to encourage the creation of these genres by local authors. Open to all levels. Free of charge and open to the public. No registration.
Library: East Bank Regional Library.

& At the same time, the EJ Library hosts The Inevitable City: A Book Discussion with Scott Cowen. Tulane President Emeritus Cowen will be discussing and signing his newly published book, The Inevitable City: The Resurgence of New Orleans and the Future of Urban America. Dr. Cowen will talk about his book and its themes, which include leadership, Hurricane Katrina and the rebirth of Tulane and New Orleans.

& New Orleans Literary and Performance Series presents Poet and Percussionist OMAR PÉREZ Thursday 7:30pm at the Gold Mine, 701 Dauphine Street, followed by open mic hosted JIMMY ROSS. Pérez grew up in Havana, the city where he was born in 1964 and where he lives today. Pérez is the author of four poetry collections: Algo de lo Sagrado (1996), Oíste hablar del gato de pelea? (1999), Canciones y letanías (2002), and Lingua Franca (forthcoming). In 2000, Pérez won the Cuban National Critics’ Prize for the category of the essay in 2000 with his collection La perseverancia de un hombre oscuro. Pérez is a percussionist for dance-theater performances, and his interest in artistic collaboration informs recent writing projects. Pérez’ latest credits include Cuba’s Nicolás Guillén Prize for Poetry for Crítica de la razón puta in late 2009, and early 2010 saw the release of his multilingual book of poems, Lingua Franca (Unión). Recently he began to compose regguetón poems (sound files forthcoming at the PennSound archive) and original poetry in English.

& Every Thursday evening the New Orleans Poetry Brothel hosts a Poetry Hotline. Call 504-264-1336) from 8-12 pm CST and we’ll to hear an original poem.

& Friday at 5:30 pm Octavia Books features a children’s book event: The authors of WHAT THE SLEEPY ANIMALS DO AT THE AUDUBON ZOO are back with YOU WOULDN’T LIKE ME WITHOUT MY COFFEE. Meet Grace Millsaps, Ryan Murphy, and illustrator Danny Marin on Friday, October 10, 5:30, at their book launch event. Sam and Lou’s parents crave their morning coffee. What happens when they go without it? The brothers are determined to find out. But taking their parents’ coffee isn’t such a great idea.

& Every Friday The Rhyme Syndicate presents a spoken word open mic at Dish on Haynes Boulevard hosted by Hollywood. Doors at 8. Admission $7, $5 will college ID. Music by DJ XXL.

& This weekend Inspired by Walker Percy’s best-known nonfiction book “Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book,” the Walker Percy Center for Writing and Publishing at Loyola University New Orleans will host its second biennial conference, “Still Lost in the Cosmos: Walker Percy and the 21st Century,” Oct. 11-12. Open to the public, the conference offers a variety of panels and performances focused on Percy’s lively and satirical analysis of the modern condition.

The conference begins Oct. 11 at noon in the J. Edgar and Louise S. Monroe Library on Loyola’s main campus and will offer participants an in-depth look at one of the most influential American writers and philosophers of the 20th century. Registration is available online in advance or onsite during the conference.

Paul Elie, senior fellow with the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, will deliver the keynote address Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Audubon Room, Danna Student Center, second floor. His work deals primarily with the ways religious ideas are given expression in literature, the arts, music and culture. Walker Percy is one of four 20th century Catholic writers featured in Elie’s book, “The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage” (2003).

Actor Tom Key will perform a one-person show based on “Lost in the Cosmos” Saturday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. in Nunemaker Auditorium on Loyola’s main campus. For the theater, Key has adapted two Walker Percy books, the National Book Award-winning novel “The Moviegoer” as well as “Lost in the Cosmos.”

& Saturdays at 11:30 am its Story Time with Miss Maureen at Maple Street Book Shop. This week Johnette Downing will be reading and signing her latest book, Macarooned on a Dessert Island, a delightful tale of cake, candy, and sweets, this mouthwatering daydream takes you to a magical island where every bit is edible. Sprinkled with cupcake flowers and lollipop trees, this is a land where happiness grows. Even in the land of desserts, healthy snacks abound—fruits, veggies, and more. Punny images and lighthearted verse encourage children to invent an original world of fantasy, fancy, and fun.

& This Sunday at 3 p.m. The Maple Leaf Reading Series features fiction writer Vicki Salloum reads from and signs her new novel, Faulkner and Friends followed y an open mic. The Maple Leaf is the oldest continuous reading series in the south, founded by Everette Maddox. .

& On Monday a special edition of Reading Between the Wines celebrates the launch of Southeast Louisiana Food: A Seasoned Tradition by Addie K and Jeremy Martin Monday at 6 pm at the Pearl at the American Can Company.

& Susan Larson, the former book editor of the former Times-Picayune newspaper and member of the National Book Critics Circle hosts The Reading Life on WWNO (89.9 FM) on Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. She features interviews with authors of local and national interest. Watch Odd Words on Facebook and Google+ on Tuesdays for a complete list of her guests and features.

& Tuesday at 6 pm Garden District Books hosts Joy Wilson and Joy the Baker Homemade Decadence: Irresistibly, Sweet, Salty, Gooey, Sticky, Fluffy, Creamy, Crunchy Treats. Wilson, the beloved blogger behind JoytheBaker.com, has a pretty sweet life. She believes that everything is better with pie. And caramel. And definitely ice cream. In Joy The Baker Homemade Decadence, she pushes the limit with her most boldly delectable recipes.

& Every Tuesday night get on the list to spit at the longest running spoken word venue in New Orleans at Sweet Lorraine’s Jazz Club hosted by African-American Shakespear. Doors open at 7pm and the Mic pops at 8pm. It is $5 to get in.

& At 5:30 pm Wednesday the Algiers Regional Library hosts A Gathering of Words poets and writers gathering. No experience needed. Come share your thoughts, stories and ideas and listen to others. This is an open forum for discussion and feedback. Every other month something new and exciting such as workshops, readings, book discussions, and poetry socials. Bring a selection and a friend.

& Wednesday at the Latter Memorial Library A Book Club Named Desire meets. Adults meet to discuss a local classic every fourth Wednesday of the month at 6 pm. For more information, contact Toni at tlmccourt@hotmail.com.

& The New OrleansYouth Open Mic is back next Wednesday, October 15th from 6:30-8 PM. The show will be located in Der Rathskeller, the diner/performance space located in the basement of the Lavin-Bernick Center (McAlister Place) at Tulane University.

& Over at Maple Street Books at 6 pm Michael Blumenthal will read and sign his latest collection of stories, The Greatest Jewish-American Lover in Hungarian History. Etan Yogev had had no experience in bed—and hardly any outside of it—and it was not without a strong feeling of awkwardness and insecurity that he had first allowed Daphna Flinker to guide his somewhat ambivalent member into her own body, and his lips against her lips. She enjoyed it—this teacherly role—it had been a very long time since she had been able to practice the art of sexual instruction, and there was something exciting and alluring about this—all that innocence in a single place. A humorous and heartrending portrait of expatriate life, The Greatest Jewish American Lover in Hungarian History draws upon the hazards and confusions that occur when the Old World meets the New. In venues as diverse as Israel, Hungary, Paris, Cambridge, and even Texas, the stories portray life in an increasingly connected and globalized world.

& Also at 6 on Wednesday Octavia Books presents the wondrous and talented, bestselling author Carl Hiassen will be with us on Wednesday, October 15, 6:00 P.M. to read and sign his new YA novel, SKINK–NO SURRENDER. Classic Malley—to avoid being shipped off to boarding school, she takes off with some guy she met online. Poor Richard—he knows his cousin’s in trouble before she does. Wild Skink—he’s a ragged, one-eyed ex-governor of Florida, and enough of a renegade to think he can track Malley down. With Richard riding shotgun, the unlikely pair scour the state, undaunted by blinding storms, crazed pigs, flying bullets, and giant gators.

Wednesday at 7 pm the East Jefferson Regional Library hosts an author event: The South, America, by Rod Davis. On an early Sunday morning walk through the empty streets of the Faubourg Marigny downriver of the French Quarter, maverick journalist and Big Easy transplant Jack Prine discovers the body of a well-dressed black man with a bashed-in skull. Soon Jack is drawn into an emerging web of violence threatening Elle Meridian, the victim’s beautiful, complicated sister, burdened with a past she can barely confess. They begin a dangerous, desperate flight through Alabama, the Delta and back to New Orleans searching and evading button men, goons, racists and family secrets. Deadly ties extend to the Dixie Mafia, priceless stolen art and debased Southern aristocracy. A final, violent showdown in the Arts District of New Orleans uncovers one last nightmarish revelation that may bind Elle, Jack and a mob enforcer named Big Red for years to come — if anyone survives. Friends of the Public Library will be on hand to sell copies of the book for those who would like to purchase it. Free of charge and open to the public.

& At 8 pm Wednesday it is Poetry & Music at BJs’ Blood Jet Series at BJ’s at 8 pm. This week’s feature is TBA at press time.

& Every Wednesday at 8 pm at the Neutral Ground Coffeehouse there is an hour-long open mic poetry night (or fiction night; whatever you want to read really!).

Odd Words October 1, 2014

This week in literary New Orleans, sponsored by the Loyola Writing Institute at the Walker Percy Center for Writing and Publishing.

& The Loyola University Department of Theatre Arts and Dance and director Laura Hope kick off the 2014-2015 season with Samuel Beckett’s tragic comedy Endgame. Endgame will run in the Lower Depths Theatre at Loyola University, 6363 St. Charles Avenue (Corner of Calhoun and St. Charles), continues October 2, 3, 4 at 7:30 pm No Late Entry. Endgame’s opening lines repeat the word “finished,” and the rest of the play hammers away at the idea that beginnings and endings are intertwined, that existence is cyclical. While Hamm and Clov are in the “endgame” of their ancient lives, with death lurking around the corner, they are also stuck in a perpetual loop that never allows final closure. Like no other dramatist before him, Samuel Beckett’s works capture the pathos and ironies of modern life yet still maintain his faith in man’s capacity for compassion and survival no matter how absurd his environment may have become.

& Thursday at 6 pm Garden District Books hosts James Nolan and You Don’t Know Me: New and Selected Stories. In this collection of interrelated short stories, James Nolan swings wide open the courtyard gates of a city fabled both for its good times and bad. With ten new stories plus ten from his acclaimed previous volume, Perpetual Care, he introduces us to a quirky village of universal characters at crisis moments. We meet fatherless boys, Creole spinsters, and lying hustlers, a pregnant teenager, a concert pianist searching for his roots, a crooked homicide detective, a Carnival-parade king hiding in a Dunkin Donuts, a pistol-packing babysitter, and a codger who plots to blow up an overpass. Bookended by two post-Katrina stories, this collection takes us from the secretive hive of the French Quarter to decaying cemeteries, from Gentilly to Uptown to family dramas in the suburbs. With mordant dark humor, James Nolan paints a wry, disturbing but affectionately human portrait of his hometown for those who think they already know New Orleans, and what it means.

& Also on Thursday at 6 pm Louisiana native Ken Wheaton, author of SWEET AS CANE, SALTY AS TEARS, visits with Octavia Books. A freak accident forces a New Yorker to return to Louisiana and confront her Cajun past. There is nothing more dangerous than a spooked rhinoceros. It is just before lunchtime when Huey, the prized black rhino of Broussard, Louisiana, erupts from his enclosure, trampling a zoo employee on his way to a rampage in the Cajun countryside. The incident makes the rounds online as News of the Weird, and Katherine Fontenot is laughing along with the rest of her New York office when she notices the name of the hurt zookeeper: Karen-Anne Castille-her sister. Fifty years old, lonely, and in danger of being laid off, Katherine has spent decades trying to ignore her Louisiana roots. Forced home by Karen-Anne’s accident, she remembers everything about the bayou that she wanted to escape: the heat, the mosquitoes, and the constant, crushing embrace of family. But when forced to confront the ghosts of her past, she discovers that escape might never have been necessary

& Thursday at 6 pm check out the weekly Spoken Word event #WordConnections at the Juju Bag Cafe.

& At 6 pm at the Nix Library on South Carrollton in New Orleans:If you’re a writer who is interested in publishing your own or others’ work, come hear author/publisher Gary Michael Smith discuss the process of small press publishing from start to finish

& Thursday the Fiction Writers Group meets at the East Jefferson Regional Library at 6:30 pm. The Fiction Writers’ Group is a support group for serious writers of fiction. The group does not focus on poetry, essays or nonfiction. Events consist of critique sessions from group members, author talks and writing exercises. Free of charge and open to the public. Registration is not required

& The Gold Mine Saloon Weekly Poetry Night returns this Thursday at 7:30PM, 701 Dauphine Street (in the French Quarter). Admission is free. Must be 21yrs+. This week features A SCRIBE CALLED QUESS, PAUL CATAFAGO, LEE MEITZEN GRUE and musicians LOREN PICKFORD (sax & flutes), EARLE BROWN (sax), SPIKE PERKINS (bass), SIDNEY SNOW (guitar), ERIC B (d rums), REVEREND GOAT (buffalo harp), LIZ KIMBROUGH (washboard), KATARINA BOUDREAUX (vocals), MORIKEBA KOUYATE (kora). Followed as ever by OPEN MIC hosted by JIMMY ROSS(sign-up begins at 7:30pm). This event is sponsored by NEW ORLEANS INSTITUTE FOR THE IMAGINATION

& Every Thursday evening the New Orleans Poetry Brothel hosts a Poetry Hotline. Call 504-264-1336) from 8-12 pm CST and we’ll to hear an original poem.

& Every Friday The Rhyme Syndicate presents a spoken word open mic at Dish on Haynes Boulevard hosted by Hollywood. Doors at 8. Admission $7, $5 will college ID. Music by DJ XXL.

& Saturdays at 11:30 am its Story Time with Miss Maureen at Maple Street Book Shop. This week she’ll read Julia’s House for Lost Creatures by Ben Hatke. When Julia and her walking house come to town, she likes everything about her new neighborhood except how quiet it is! So Julia puts a sign up: “Julia’s House for Lost Creatures.” Soon she’s hosting goblins, mermaids, fairies, and even a dragon. Quiet isn’t a problem anymore for Julia…but getting her housemates to behave themselves is! The simple, sweet text of this picture book by New York Times Best-Selling Zita the Spacegirl author/illustrator Ben Hatke is perfectly balanced by his lush, detailed, immersive watercolor illustrations.

& Saturday afternoon brings The Poetry Buffet at the Latter Memorial Library at 2 pm hosted by Gina Ferrara. Poets Nordette Adams, Dennis Formento, Biljana Obradovic, and Nina Ouedraogo read from their work.

& This Sunday at 3 p.m. The Maple Leaf Reading Series features an open mic. f The Maple Leaf is the oldest continuous reading series in the south, founded by Everette Maddox. An open mic follows.

& Monday at 5:30 pm the Robert E. Smith Library on Canal Boulevard presents a writers’ workshop: Do you think in verse that could become poetry? Do you imagine characters, dialogue, and scenes? If so, join the Smith Library’s free Creative Writing Workshop.

& Monday at 7 pm brings Where We’re Going We Don’t Need Roads: Topside Press and Quaint Magazine present Casey Plett and Sybil Lamb at Kajun’s Pub. This fall the best new transgender fiction is going on a road trip! Topside Press authors Casey Plett (author of A Safe Girl To Love) and Sybil Lamb (author of I’ve Got A Time Bomb) will be crisscrossing Canada and the United States. This isn’t just a tour, this is a movement! On Mond see them read along with special guests M.E. Riley, Soleil Ho, Cordelia Nailong, Tela Clark, and Megan Mchugh.

& On Tuesday The 1718 Reading Series hosts two events: First off, at 12:30 we are hosting a meet-and-greet with our featured reader Zachary Lazar in the Manresa Den in Bobet Hall at Loyola. Pizza will be served and Lazar will be available to chat about all things writerly–his new novel, grad school, you name it. Next, as always we have our reading at the Columns Hotel. The reading starts at 7pm and will feature student readers Anna Schulte from Loyola, Alessandro Powell and Carolyn Canulette from Tulane! Zachary Lazar will read from his new novel I Pity the Poor Immigrant and Maple Street Books will host a signing directly after the reading.

& Susan Larson, the former book editor of the former Times-Picayune newspaper and member of the National Book Critics Circle hosts The Reading Life on WWNO (89.9 FM) on Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. She features interviews with authors of local and national interest. Watch Odd Words on Facebook and Google+ on Tuesdays for a complete list of her guests and features.

& Tuesday at 6 pm Keith Weldon Medley presents BLACK LIFE in OLD NEW ORLEANS at Octavia Books. People of African descent have shaped New Orleans from its earliest days into the vibrant city it is today. From the slaves and indentured servants who drained the swamps, erected the buildings, constructed the levees, and dug the canals to the Freedom Riders who fought for racial equality in a segregated South, New Orleans’ history and black history in America are intricately connected. Historian Keith Weldon Medley recounts the rich history of African and African-American cultural influence on one of America’s most-beloved cities. This in-depth account is one of personal significance for the author, who was raised in New Orleans’ Faubourg Marigny and whose family history is tied to the area. Through fifteen self-contained chapters, Medley takes a chronological and focused look at some of New Orleans’ most prominent people and places. Rife with detailed histories of Faubourg Tremé, Congo Square, and many other pivotal locations, Medley’s subjects include the Mardi Gras Indians, the Zulu Parade, and Louis Armstrong and his upbringing in black Storyville. Tales of many other prominent New Orleanians also fill the pages, such as educator and civic leader Fannie C. Williams, founder of the People’s Defense League Ernest Wright, and civil rights attorney A.P. Tureaud.

& Also on Tuesday evening at 6 pm brings Benny Lewis and Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World to the Garden District Book Shop. Lewis is the creator of http://www.fluentin3months.com, the largest language learning blog in the world. His proven techniques break down language learning myths and replace them with practical “language hacks” that take advantage of the skills we already possess. Fluent in 3 Months provides everything you need to make learning a new language fast, intuitive, and fun.

& Zachary Lazar is 1718’s featured reader for their October Reading at the Columns Hotel at 8 pm. 1718 is a literary society comprised of students from Loyola, Tulane, and UNO. Their monthly readings are free and open to the public, and feature student readers as well as locally and nationally recognized writers. Lazar earned an A.B. degree in Comparative Literature from Brown University (1990) and an M.F.A from the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop (1993). Lazar published his first novel, Aaron, Approximately, in 1998. His second novel, Sway, was a finalist for the Discover Great New Writers Award at Barnes & Noble and was an Editor’s Choice at the New York Times Book Review. Appropriating such real-life iconic figures as the early Rolling Stones, Charles Manson acolyte Bobby Beausoleil, and the avant-garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger, Sway is a novelistic exploration of the rise and fall of the Sixties counterculture. It was selected as a best book of 2008 by the Los Angeles Times, Publishers Weekly, Newsday, Rolling Stone, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and other publications. In 2009, Lazar published the memoir Evening’s Empire: The Story of My Father’s Murder. It was selected as a Best Book of 2009 by the Chicago Tribune. Lazar’s articles and reviews have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Newsday, BOMB magazine, and elsewhere. His most recent book is I Pity the Poor Immigrant. Zachary Lazar joined Tulane’s faculty in 2011. His honors include a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation (2009-2010), the Hodder Fellowship at Princeton University (2009-2010), a fellowship from the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown (1994-95), and the James Michener-Copernicus Society Award from the University of Iowa (1998). Maple Street Book Shop will be on-site to sell books.

& Every Tuesday night get on the list to spit at the longest running spoken word venue in New Orleans at Sweet Lorraine’s Jazz Club hosted by African-American Shakespear. Doors open at 7pm and the Mic pops at 8pm. It is $5 to get in.

& Wednesday at the Latter Memorial Library A Book Club Named Desire meets. Adults meet to discuss a local classic every fourth Wednesday of the month at 6 pm. For more information, contact Toni at tlmccourt@hotmail.com.

& Wednesday the East Jefferson Public Library hosts The Legend and Legacy of Everette Maddox. Moderator (and former XRP editor) Thomas Bonner, Jr. explores the legend and legacy of late New Orleans poet Everette Maddox with former Louisiana Poet Laureate Julie Kane, Xavier Review Editor Ralph Adamo, and others. Event starts at 7 pm at the East Bank Regional Library.

& The next Reading Between the Wines will take place Wednesday, October 1st, at 6:30PM at Pearl Wine Co. in the American Can Company (3700 Orleans Ave.). Pearl offers a selection of wines for $5 per glass. The series is free of charge and is open to the public. Registration is not required. Maple Street Book Shop will be on-site selling books. Readers had not been announced at press time.

& At 8 pm Wednesday WHO be reading at the Poetry & Music at BJs’ Blood Jet Series at BJ’s at 8 pm. This week features

& Every Wednesday at 8 pm at the Neutral Ground Coffeehouse there is an hour-long open mic poetry night (or fiction night; whatever you want to read really!).