Tag: reading

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Cake Time in August: Two readings, two interviews

Is it really August already? Last night I had a nightmare that stores were already selling Halloween-themed tchotchkes. I woke up to a happier world, if rather anxious to really make the most of the rest of this summer —

And I hope you’ll be part of it. I have a couple readings coming up in Los Angeles — both free and open to the public — so please come on by and hear me read from my novel-in-stories, Cake Time!

First, up, the latest Roar Shack reading (more about the series here) happens Sunday, and I’ll be reading with Martina Blumenthal, Lisa Cheby, Brad Griffith, Patrick O’Neil, and Jane Starr:

Roar Shack presents “Shine On” Sunday
Sunday, August 13, 2017, 4 pm – 5:30 pm
826LA, 1714 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles

Then just a few days later I’ll give my first library reading:

Author’s Club: Siel Ju
(Facebook event page)
Wednesday, August 16, 2017, 6 pm
Westwood Branch Library, 1246 Glendon Ave., Los Angeles

I realize 6 pm on a Wednesday is an odd time — but you know, there’s a bar down the street from me that always seems to be packed then, so my guess is many of you can get out of work on time and make it! We can all go out for happy hour later —

In other cakey news:

— Juked interviewed me about Cake Time, and I said things like this: “I think cake brings up a lot of emotions, some pleasurable and cheerful, some disturbing and dirty.” Read the whole thing here: An Uncontrollable Sweet Tooth: A Conversation with Siel Ju.

— The Story Prize featured an interview with me about writing, in which I said things like this: “I go through periods where I actually worry my excessive reading is a sign of something, I don’t know, bad.” You can read more about my bad habits here: Siel Ju and the Suitable State of Mind.

Also, did you notice my website’s been redesigned? Thanks to Kim Woodbridge for her amazing WordPress skills! Leave a comment or drop me a line and let me know what you think of the new look —

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#90X90LA: Summer heats up with daily lit events

Lit lovers in Los Angeles are going to be busy this summer, because a season-long series is set to bring the city 90 literary and cultural events in 90 days.

Yes, an event a day for 90 days, starting July 5! Called #90X90LA, this series is put together by local indie press Writ Large Press and friends.

This is actually the second summer Writ Large has done this. The press organized its first 90 in 90 series back in 2014. For 2017, #90X90LA returns “with more focused goals and vision in a crucial time of change in our neighborhoods and in the world at large,” according to the event website.

Events will happen mostly in downtown LA, Little Tokyo, and South Central — with sattelite events planned across the country. And all are invited!

It all kicks off with an opening reception Wednesday, July 5 at 8 pm at Cielo Galleries/Studios. Attendees are invited to bring things to share — food, drinks, reads — and there will be music.

Events will happen nightly after that. There’s a zine workshop and a community design jam and even something called Digging on Sade!

You can still propose events, or volunteer to help out. Can’t donate time but want to contribute? Support #90X90LA on Patreon.

#90X90LA. July 5 to Oct. 1, 2017. Los Angeles.

Image via #90X90LA

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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 —

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Thank you — plus two more Cake Time readings this week!

Siel Ju at Writes of Spring Rio Hondo College Whittier

Thank you to Rio Hondo College for having me at the Writes of Spring festival! It was an amazing time — A special thanks to Tom Callinan, who organized this annual two-day event.

Siel Ju at Writes of Spring Rio Hondo College Whittier

And thank you also to Why There Are Words — Los Angeles for letting me read from Cake Time over the weekend too.

And last but not least — Thank you to Kaya Press for hosting the Pre-Smokin’ Hot Lit Lounge Reading at Other Books!

I have two more readings to celebrate the launch of my own novel-in-stories Cake Time this month! First, I’m reading at Santa Monica College.

Cake Time: A Reading at SMC Spring Literary Series
Tuesday, April 25, 2017, 11:15 am – 12:30 pm
Santa Monica College, HSS 165, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica

Yes, the audience will be mostly students, but the event is free and open to the public! I’m planning to read a story that I wrote back when I was an undergrad.

Then this weekend, I’ll be at The Window @A.G. Geiger‘s “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” reading. The afternoon will also feature readings from Adam Leipzig, Jessie Jacobson, and Nathan Birnbaum plus musical guests:

Ain’t Too Proud To Beg event at The Window @A.G. Geiger
Sunday, April 30, 2017, 4 pm
A.G.Geiger Fine Art Books, 502 Chung King Ct., Los Angeles

Hope to see you at one or both!

Photo credits from top to bottom: Tom Callinan, Keith Martin

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The Window @A.G. Geiger: A new literary series at a Chinatown art bookstore

Why host just one literary reading series when you can host two? Susan Hayden, the woman behind the Library Girl reading series in Santa Monica, has teamed up with Alexis Rhone Fancher and started a brand new series across town: The Window @A.G. Geiger.

Held at A.G.Geiger Fine Art Books in Chinatown one Sunday afternoon a month, The Window has a similar format as Library Girl — a handful of readers, musical performance, wine.

The first event happened in February, featuring playwright/essayist Guy Zimmerman, poets Pam Ward and Kelly Grace Thomas, and monologist Jim Turner — plus music by Susan’s son Mason Summit and Sofia Wolfson. A good crowd filled the cozy space — which is a great place to browse through pretty art books post-reading —

I hope you’ll come to the next event because I’ll be one of the readers, reading from Cake Time! Titled “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” the afternoon will also feature readings from Adam Leipzig, Tina Yang, and Nathan Birnbaum plus musical guests.

It all happens Sunday, April 30 at 4 pm. Admission is $10, and includes wine and other beverages. Hope to see you there!

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The Window @A.G. Geiger. A.G.Geiger Fine Art Books, 502 Chung King Ct, Los Angeles. One Sunday a month at 4 pm. Cost: $10.

Earlier:
* Library Girl: A Santa Monica reading series with sugar and soul
* 12 literary reading series in Los Angeles

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Come celebrate Cake Time in April: LA, Oakland, Portland, Seattle

Friends — My debut novel-in-stories, Cake Time, is almost here!

April 6, 2017, is the official publication date — and I hope you’ll celebrate with me at one or many of the cakey events next month, the biggest of which is the Los Angeles launch event:

Siel Ju reads from her novel-in-stories CAKE TIME
with special guests
Janice Lee, Victoria Patterson, and Jim Ruland
Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
FREE!
(Facebook event page)

It’ll be really cake time because there’ll be cupcakes, and wine, and other fantastic writers who’ll be reading short pieces about Los Angeles. Please come — whether you plan to get Cake Time from Skylight Books or have already preordered it elsewhere or plan to borrow it from the library or win it on Goodreads — and say hello and eat sweet things.

I really, really hope to see you there!

I’m also coming to Oakland / San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle — All events are FREE; most will have cake!

Oakland / San Francisco
Siel Ju reads from CAKE TIME with fellow Red Hen Press authors Andrew Lam and Brynn Saito
Friday, April 7, 2017 at 7 pm
DIESEL, A Bookstore in Oakland, 5433 College Avenue, Oakland
(Facebook event page)

Portland
Siel Ju in conversation with Kevin Sampsell
Monday, April 10, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Powell’s on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland
(Facebook event page)

Bellingham, Wash.
Siel Ju reads from Cake Time with Kelly Magee
Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at 7 pm
Village Books, 1200 11th St., Bellingham, Wash.

Seattle
Siel Ju: Cake Time with Corinne Manning and Tara Atkinson
Thursday, April 13, 2017 at 7 pm
Hugo House, 1021 Columbia St., Seattle

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After that I’ll be back in SoCal, and there’ll be more readings in the Los Angeles area:

Red Hen Press event featuring Elizabeth Powell, Siel Ju, Angela Palm, and Lynnell Edwards
Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 3 pm
Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.

Writes of Spring Festival
April 19-20, 2017, time TBA
Rio Hondo College, 3600 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier, Calif.

Why There Are Words Los Angeles
Thursday, April 20, 2017, 7pm
Location TBD, Los Angeles.

Cake Time: A Reading at SMC Spring Literary Series
Tuesday, April 25, 2017, 11:15 am – 12:30 pm
Santa Monica College, HSS 165, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica

Ain’t Too Proud To Beg event at The Window @A.G. Geiger
Sunday, April 30, 2017, 4 pm
A.G.Geiger Fine Art Books, 502 Chung King Ct., Los Angeles
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And don’t forget I’ll be doing a pre-publication reading at the Angels Flight • literary west Salon with Siel Ju & Lilliam Rivera on Sunday, March 26, 2017, 4 pm – 6 pm at Clifton’s Republic, 648 S Broadway, Los Angeles!

In June, I’ll be hitting the east coast. If you’re in NYC, put June 8 in your calendar! I’ll be reading with fellow Red Hen Press authors at Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton St., Brooklyn, on Thu, June 8, 2017, 7:30 pm. More about that and other east coast readings closer to date —

Hope to see you in April!