Siel Ju

Category: Events

  • I have a new story in ZYZZYVA — plus a reading

    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

  • I’m reading at the Poetry Circus

    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 —

  • I’m reading at Poetry Palooza 5/2

    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.

  • I’m reading at UC Riverside Writers Week Conference 2019

    I’m reading at UC Riverside Writers Week Conference 2019

    I’ve long dreamed of reading at the same event as Margaret Atwood and Rachel Cusk — and next month, it’s really happening!

    UC Riverside’s 42nd Annual Writers Week Conference happens February 4-5 and 11-15, 2019. Margaret Atwood will be there to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, Rachel Cusk will be there to give the keynote, and I — will be there as one of the writers.

    There’ll be 23 writers in all, including Aimee Bender, Quincy Troupe, and Chris Kraus. And it’s all free, including parking! In fact Writers Week is California’s longest-running free literary event.

    Hope to see you there. My reading will be Tue., Feb. 12 at 2:30 pm. All events happen on the UC Riverside campus in Screening Room 1128 of Interdisciplinary Building South — except for one off-site event in L.A. featuring Ayesha H. Attah on Feb. 16.

    Thank you to Tom Lutz and UC Riverside for organizing this event.

  • Cake Time gets a review in ZYZZYVA — Plus see you at six October events

    Siel Ju and Lisa Locascio, a few Halloweens ago

    One of my first fiction publications was in the west coast lit journal ZYZZYVA a few years ago. That story’s included in my novel-in-stories Cake Time published a few months ago, and a few days ago, ZZYZZYVA reviewed Cake Time so I feel like the world’s come full circle:

    For Siel Ju’s narrator, there are no easy answers or tidy morals to unpack after a relationship fizzles—that’s just life…. Cake Time is a great story collection for our present moment; an exploration of love, morality, and contentment that proves such concepts can be as murky and uncertain as a wisp of cigarette smoke outside a chic bar.

    I love this review partly because I love ZZYZZYVA but mostly because I’ve always wanted to be mentioned in the same piece as Lorrie Moore and Mary Gaitskill and now I have! Read the full review on ZYZZYVA.

    Then come hang with me in person this Halloween month. I’ll be in costume in some or all of the events and would love to see you there —

    First up, a reading for literary journal The Los Angeles Review, with John Brantingham, Brittany Ackerman, Emma Trelles, and L.A. Times book reporter Agatha French. I am told there will be free booze at this one —

    The Los Angeles Review Reading
    (Facebook event page)
    Friday, October 6, 2017, 7:30 pm
    The Last Bookstore, 453 S Spring St, Los Angeles.

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    Then celebrate National Reading Group Month with the L.A. chapter of Women’s National Book Association who’ll be hosting an author panel with me, plus Abbi Waxman (The Garden of Small Beginnings) and Gabrielle Zevin (Young Jane Young) — both of whom I’m excited to meet —

    National Reading Group Month Authors Panel
    (Facebook event page)
    Wednesday, October 11, 2017, 7:30 pm
    Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles

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    Mid-month, news site The LA Lit Review will host Indie Author Day with a host of local readers giving short readings. I’ll be one of them — plus there’ll be refreshments, a short film screening, a comedy skit, and an acoustic musical performance.

    Indie Author Day
    Saturday, October 14, 2017, 3 pm – 5 pm
    Junipero Serra branch library, 4607 S Main St, Los Angeles

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    Then I’ll be playing host myself, leading a discussion of The Handmaid’s Tale at Pen Center USA’s Edison Book Club. I first read the book back in college; I’m now in the middle of the Hulu series as part of my preparations for this evening. Come for the specialty cocktails!

    Pen Center USA’s Edison Book Club
    (I will host this month’s event; more about the book club here)
    Wednesday, October 18, 2017, 6 pm – 8pm
    The Edison, 108 W 2nd St, #101, Los Angeles

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    Near the end of the month, Lit Crawl LA will return to North Hollywood. I’ll be at a Red Hen reading event there — but the schedule still isn’t up so I don’t know when and where it’ll be! For now, just block out the night for the crawl —

    Lit Crawl L.A.
    Wednesday, October 25, 2017, time TBD
    NoHo Arts District, North Hollywood

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    And lastly, if you’ve ever wanted to attend a posh literary salon in a private home in North Hollywood, here’s your chance. I’ll be reading with Maggie Smith — Get in touch with me for a private invite.

    Los Angeles Review Salon
    (Private event — Email me for an invite)
    Sunday, October 29, 2017, 2 pm

    *

    It’ll be a busy month and I hope you’ll make time to see me! Come in costume or as yourself and if I don’t see you before then, happy Halloween —

  • Cake Time on the East Coast (and one reading in LA!)

    Cake Time on the East Coast (and one reading in LA!)

    The West Coast tour happened in April, but the East Coast mini Cake Time tour is still coming up!

    But first, I have one reading in Los Angels before flying east. I’ll be one of the guest readers at Lauren Eggert-Crowe’s Bitches of the Drought Chapbook Release Party. It’s free, it’ll be fun, and all sales of chapbooks will go to support progressive causes:

    Bitches of the Drought Chapbook Release Party
    Monday, June 5, 2017, 8 pm
    Stories Books and Cafe, 1716 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles

    Then I’ll be in Brooklyn, New York — where I’ll get to read with fellow Red Hen Press authors Ellen Meeropol and Amy Hassinger:

    An Evening with Red Hen Press
    (Facebook event page)
    Thu, June 8, 2017, 7:30 pm
    Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton St., Brooklyn

    Then I’ll be visiting Philadelphia for the first time, to read with poet Celeste Gainey:

    Siel Ju reads with Celeste Gainey
    (There will be cake!)
    Sunday, June 11, 2017, 2 pm
    Big Blue Marble Bookstore, 551 Carpenter Ln, Philadelphia

    I’d love to see you there!

    I’ll also be in Toronto mid-June visiting my writer friend Marilyn Duarte and doing tourist things and am planning a small meetup and reading. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll send an invite —