I was truly honored to feature with eight other poets on April 18th at the San Gabriel Valley Poetry Festival. Discovered the incredible, Teresa Mei Chuc, among other familiar readers, including Raquel Reyes-Lopez. If you don’t know her, she’s a gifted poet and a beautiful soul. What I’m even more excited about is that you can watch videos of all the performances recorded by the host, Don Kingfisher Campbell, on You Tube. Click on this link to watch my set and this one to watch all the other sets.
Category: Feature Readings
Art Show Opening with Esmeralda Villalobos
My dear friend, Esmeralda Villalobos, is having an art show at our favorite local coffeehouse, Viento Y Agua on Friday, April 17th from 7-10 pm. I have had the honor of using her art on the cover of two of my books, Unanchored and All the Tiny Anchors. I am once again honored to be able to read poetry at her art show, this time with a favorite poet and friend, Raquel Reyes-Lopez. If that was not enough, we will be joined by two incredible musical acts, King Kang and Bearcoon. Find out more information on the Facebook event page, or just come down to 4007 E. 4th St. on Long Beach.
San Gabriel Valley Poetry Festival
April is National Poetry Month and I will be celebrating poetry every weekend, including a feature at the San Gabriel Valley Poetry Festival in Pasadena on April 18th. The event began in April 2000 and includes month long celebrations of poets from all around the Southern California area. Check out their Facebook page for updates. I will join my poetry sister, Raquel Reyes-Lopez, as well as many other wonderful poets from 3-5:30 pm on Sunday, April 18th, at the Santa Catalina Branch of the Pasadena Public Library on 999 E. Washington Blvd. in Pasadena. Don’t miss the slew of amazing poets on April 11th, from 3-5:30, including Elmast Kozloyan, Raundi Moore Kondo, Joe Gardner, and more!
Louder Than Long Beach 3!!
On Saturday, April 11th, Long Beach will once again be taken over by the artistic mash-up that is Louder Than Long Beach. Music, poetry, and art will be dancing together at CALB on Pine Ave from 3-8 pm. Poetry magicians, Larry Duncan, Keayva Mitchell, Nancy Lynée Woo, and Kevin Ridgeway will be casting their spells along with a special dual reading by Raquel Reyes-Lopez and myself. Six bands and several artists, including Fernando Gallegos, will also be strutting their stuff. In addition, Lucid Moose Lit and Sadie Girl Press will have plenty of books to browse. The best part (like there needed to be a better reason) is that all of this is free! The Cultural Alliance of Long Beach (CALB) has the mission of bringing you incredible events like these for free, just to keep Long Beach the cultural bounty it is.
Excursions: A Sight & Sound Festival on March 15th
Dave Williams is a fantastic musician, specializing in magical trumpet playing, also hosts Excursions: A Sight & Sound Festival. The event has music, poetry, and poetry with music! I am excited to be invited to participate reading poetry on Sunday, March 15th, from 5-8 pm, at CALB at the Shore located above Shenanigans Irish Pub in Shoreline Village. Even more excited to be joining two of my favorite Long Beach poets and friends, Shy But Flyy and Keayva Mitchell. Check out more details on the Facebook event page!
Moon Pixel Open Mic on February 27th, 2015
On Friday, February 27th, I will be featuring at a wonderful new monthly reading series, Moon Pixel Open Mic. I am especially excited because my dear friend and kick-ass assistant editor of CadenceCollective.net, Raquel Reyes-Lopez is hosting. As if that wasn’t enough, I will be joined by the sultry dream weaver, Elmast Kozloyan. There will be a musical feature and an open mic list. It will be at Half-Off Books in Whittier, which has the most incredible selection of new and used books, comics, and even music! Plan on arriving early to sign up beginning at 6:30 and the reading will start at 7 pm.
2015 Pasadena Author Fair
On Saturday, February 21st, my poetry partner, Nancy Lynée Woo and I will be joining authors from all around Southern California for the 2nd Annual Pasadena Author Fair. We will be talking on a panel about our books and offering our insights about this surreal journey we’ve been traveling. The Fair is from 10 am to 2 pm at the Pasadena Central Library, 285 E. Walnut Street, Pasadena, CA. You can follow the Pasadena Library page on Facebook to find more information.
San Gabriel Valley Literary Festival!
I’m thrilled to be a part of the annual San Gabriel Valley Literary Festival! Last year, I attended this festival and not only discovered many new poets, but made many new friends. My dear poetry mother, Ricki Mandeville, made a prediction that I would be featuring in the next year. This year, I am honored to be reading among many poets and authors I admire and respect. The two day festival, February 21-22, features writers from all over Southern California and beyond, held at the dA Center for the Arts in Pomona. I’ll be reading on Sunday February 22nd, at 4:30 pm. There will also be open reading time slots, so bring some of your own words to share. Check out the SGVLF Facebook page for more details, a full schedule, and updates. You can also RSVP on the Facebook event page. They could also use your donations to help cover the costs of this amazing free event. Go to their website SGVLitFest.com for more information.
Power Of Words Open Mic
On February 5th, I get to read poetry with some of my favorite people at this really great venue, Manazar Gamboa Theater in Long Beach, hosted by Felicia Cade. The P.O.W. (Power of Words) Open Mic will have my two favorite things: poetry and music. I’m planning on a special set of poems for the month of love. You are all invited to come down and share a song or poem of your own. 1323 Gundry Ave. in Long Beach. Begins at 7 pm! Including performances by JL Martindale, Keayva Mitchell, Alex Hattick, Fernando Gallegos, and more!
Speakeasy: Storytelling Showcase @ MADE IN LB
I’m very excited about this new store that just opened called MADE in LB. It features local products from small merchants and artisans in Long Beach. They are also going to have in-store events! Gatsby Books, our favorite indie bookstore, will have a booth there early next year when they officially open. In the meantime, they will have a holiday showcase of local merchants and Gatsby’s monthly storytelling showcase, Speakeasy, will be held there on Wednesday, December 17th at 7 pm. On top of all that, I get to do a special storytelling set of poetry specially arranged for the event. If you are in the area, come down and check out the local goodness and hear a story or two or three. There is even an open list if you have a story to tell! 236 Pine Ave, Long Beach.
Sarah Thursday 