Category Archives: Reading

WRR Staff Celebration Reading!

Our Staff Celebration Reading yesterday was a bright spot in a dark time. I’m so thankful for these folks who work on Whale Road Review with me and who are such gifted writers themselves.

You can join us asynchronously and watch the reading on YouTube!

Glen Workshop Reflection

I’ve attended the Glen Workshop many times, so it was a special honor to return as faculty this summer. I was the writing retreat guide, and I spent a few hours each morning working on writing projects in the company of wonderful creative people.

A few of my writing retreat folks

There were too many highlights in the week to name them all, but one that stands out to me is the LOGOS poetry reading on Sunday night. It was co-sponsored by EcoTheo and hosted by Shann Ray, who created such a welcoming space. I loved reading alongside Phil Metres and Gabby Bates, and the audience conversation and Q&A times were more lovely than I can describe; the whole event had a beautiful earnestness about it.

My people

As always, my very favorite part of the week was spending time dear friends and making new ones. When I first attended the Glen ten years ago, I said that I felt like I’d found my people, and despite a lot of changes (location, schedule, leadership, etc.) over the last decade, that’s still true.

A Conversation with Jimmy and Friends

Last Monday, I was the featured poet at A Conversation with Jimmy and Friends. This weekly Zoom reading and conversation hosted by Jimmy Pappas is so fun! I loved presenting game poems and having the attendees ask questions and make observations back to me. In addition to sharing some poems from my How to Play chapbook, I also shared two game poems I love that were written by other poets: “Do Not Pass Go” by Jennifer H. Dracos-Tice (first published in Whale Road Review!) and “Queen Me” by Kelli Russell Agodon.

Bad News, Good News

I mentioned in my last post that January had been intensely difficult, but the weeks since then became even more harrowing. My dad had a heart attack and has been sedated in the ICU with all sorts of tubes keeping him alive. This week, I had the scariest asthma attack of my life and was diagnosed with pneumonia. Yesterday, my son injured his foot in PE and is now on crutches. And, of course, the entire political situation in the US gets more absurd and awful each day.

But just yesterday, my dad was finally able to wake up enough to nod in response to questions and squeeze hands when asked. That feels like a miracle.

I’ve had to miss or cancel many poetry-related things so far this year, but I’ve also had several lovely poetry-related things happen: I had two poems each accepted in the new journals Villain Era and Jackdaw Review, and I was invited to contribute to a really cool project called The Creative Process. Today, I get to read at the first event for the MAW Reading Series, which is run by students in our new M.A. in Writing program. I’ve been writing new things alongside my students during exercises in my writing classes.

Somehow, in the midst of so much bad, there is still creativity, newness, and good.

Election Week Poetry Events

It would be an understatement to say that the past week has been rough, but I realized today that the week has also brought some really lovely moments of connecting with people over poetry, and I want to hold on to those experiences.

On Monday evening, I went straight from the airport to the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park for a fair of women-run organizations and the book launch of Jane Muschenetz’s Power Point. It was life giving to celebrate Jane’s book and to be in the company of so many incredible women.

On Wednesday afternoon, I hosted our annual Poetry on Point reading at PLNU. I started this event 9 years ago so that all of the faculty and staff who write poetry could gather to read our poems for an audience, and it’s so lovely and joyful to hear my colleagues across disciplines sharing their poems.

On Thursday, I was a guest poet in the University of North Dakota’s Virtual Speaker Series. I read a variety of my poems and talked about my process of learning (over and over again) to let myself write what I need to write without letting my worries or anything else hold me back. Even via Zoom, they were such a lovely audience and had great questions. I’m grateful to Patrick Henry for inviting me and teaching my work in his class!

Yesterday afternoon, I got to be a guest speaker at the International Memoir Writers Association monthly gathering. I talked about and read from my chapbook 28,065 Nights, answered questions about chapbooks and about how poetry and memoir intersect, and ended with a writing exercise (that got me writing too!). I was honored to be invited to share with this group of kind writers.

Another thing that lifted me away from post-election despair was this: I filled in for a friend’s American Literature class on Friday, and he had assigned readings from Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Margaret Fuller. Re-reading these texts and discussing 19th century women’s rights with a room of college students (all brilliant women) felt so important, and I think it fired me up to face whatever comes next.

Poetry in Ocean & Con Pane!

I’ve gotten to do a couple of readings recently that were both very special to me.

The first was the Poetry in Ocean event held at the San Diego Public Library. I read poetry alongside a photographer, a surf podcaster, and fellow poets, and we all shared about the importance of the ocean in our work. There was an open mic, a raffle, music, pizza… it was a very lively and fun event! Thanks to Michael Klam and the SDPL for having me!

This week, I also had the honor of reading my poem “Con Pane” at the 25th anniversary event for Con Pane, my favorite bakery (and favorite place). Some of the employees came over one-by-one to tell me how much my poem meant to them, and it felt so beautiful that we could affirm the importance of each other’s work. It was also special to get to share the celebration with my son, who might love Con Pane as much as I do.

Next up: publication news!

Publications & Reviews & Readings… Oh My!

I just read the last words of this post’s title in George Takei’s voice rather than as the end of “lions and tigers and bears” from The Wizard of Oz, and I’m loving the collision of pop culture references that’s happening in my head!

The last couple of months have been a busy blur, not always in the best ways, but sometimes in wonderful ways. Here are some poetry highlights…

Courtney LeBLanc came to town in September, and I got to read with her at the CHE Cafe! What a brilliant poet, and what a wonderful space!

At the end of September, I hosted PLNU’s 25th Annual Poetry Day. I had the idea to have an ensemble reading of 25 poets for this special occasion, and we pulled it off! San Diego poets and a few guests from LA turned out for this incredible event, and we filled the auditorium. People stayed around talking for a long time afterwards too, and that’s how I know it was a good time. The whole evening felt magical.

In October I was a featured reader for Hafez Day in San Diego alongside some incredible poets. I chose the poems I read that night using Hafez divination: I opened the book of poems and let the lines I landed on point me toward which of my poems I should read. (I loved this! I need to let Hafez choose poems for me more often). This was such a beautiful night of poetry by a gorgeous variety of people.

Jennifer Pollock Michel interviewed me about Hereverent alongside Heather Lanier for The Englewood Review of Books podcast.

My poem “Who Is Like God?” was published in the latest issue of The WIndhover!

Psaltery & Lyre published Jennifer A. Sutherland’s incredibly thoughtful review of Hereverent last week.

The grad students in my Editing & Publishing course in PLNU’s new MA in Writing program are creating a new online literary journal that focuses on longform work, and it’s amazing: Last Syllable. I’m so proud of the work they’re doing. They’ve already had their first reading period and chosen work for the first two issues, and the first issue will be out in December!

I’ve also gotten to be a guest at a poetry salon, attend some delightful readings, receive a couple of exciting acceptances… and I made some fun arrangements that involve licensing “This Poem Is about Dinosaurs” (my Jeff Goldblum poem). More info on that coming soon!

May Readings!

May found me finishing the semester, celebrating a milestone birthday, and giving more poetry readings!

May 5: Getting to do a First Fridays reading at San Diego Writers, Ink with my dear friends Margarita Pintado Burgos and Eddie Matthews on the night before my birthday was delightful all around! And Kristen Fogle, Executive Director of SDWI, even brought a birthday cake for me.

May 13: Kevin Kearney invited me into this wildly fun Small Press Nite reading at The Book Catapult with Ana Carrete, D.T. Robbins, Kyle Seibel, and KKUURRTT! I’d never met any of them before, and each one of them made me laugh so much!

May 16: Headlining at Poets Underground was almost too much fun. I brought out the weird stuff and did some audience participation pieces. I love this speakeasy-style venue, and I love the open-hearted open mic that followed my set.

Hereverent Launches!

Hereverent has been thoroughly and lovingly launched!

My poetry & jazz book launch was fantastic on April 20 at PLNU. We had poetry, music, drinks, and dessert in this little parlor that makes me feel like a wealthy great aunt has invited me to tea. 😁 I’m so grateful to Brenda Martin for her gorgeous music and her fun improv collaborations! (And thanks to Emma McCoy for the photo!)

Then my virtual book launch for Hereverent on April 21 was also lovely. What a gift to hear poets I adore read my poems alongside theirs. I’m so grateful to Agape Editions for publishing and celebrating my book! ❤️ (And thanks to Nicelle Davis for this shot!)

Finally in this countdown to launch, 15 of my favorite local poets read with me in my church’s sanctuary this past Saturday night, and I brought my favorite brownies (a recipe from my beloved dissertation advisor, Marthe Reed), and many more dear friends and delightful people came to celebrate my new book too. (And thanks to Margarita Pintado for this picture!)

My heart is full. Thank you to all who read with me, attended, and made these events possible!