About the Author

2011 is shaping up to be a banner year for LOD book releases. In March, Mindmade Books will publish my chapbook, About the Author; and at a date TBD, Beard of Bees will publish my e-chap, abbrev. I am also hoping to have my full-length collection, Brief Nudity out this year as well.

I will let everyone know when these titles are officially available.

I am also working on setting up a series of readings supporting all these publications. Later this month, I'll be returning to Woodland Pattern Book Center in Milwaukee to read at their 17th Annual Poetry Marathon & Benefit, and in April I will be featuring at the long-running series at The Cafe. As more dates are confirmed, I will pass on that information.

This is a very busy yet exciting time for me. I hope you can make it out to some of these events, and of course I hope you pick up all these forthcoming titles as they are published.

Thanks for your support!

Some winter-ings

As my semester starts off tri-tiered -- I've already returned to my Hands on Stanzas classrooms as of last week; I start a new rhetoric class next week, and two more sections of composition at a third school the following week -- thought I'd take a brief moment to mention some upcoming performances.

January 15th is my first Folk You! show of 2010. We are now officially in our ninth year, continuing the third Friday of every month at The Horseshoe. Here's the poster for next week's shindig:

On January 28th, my band, The Injured Parties returns to the Double Door for a free Rock 'n' Roll Bailout show, which begins at 8 PM.

In three weeks, I'll once again be reading at Woodland Pattern Book Center. Every year, on the last Saturday of January, over 125 poets, writers, and performers show their support for Woodland Pattern by participating in its Annual Poetry Marathon & Benefit. Each writer presents five minutes of work to a packed house and raises pledge money benefiting Woodland Pattern programming. I'll be participating during the noon hour.

Finally, on February 3rd, I'll be one of two featured readers for series A at the Hyde Park Art Center. The event begins at 7 PM.

Hope to see some of you at these events!

Music Marathon & Benefit

For the past few years, I've been making the trek to Milwaukee in snowy January to read at Woodland Pattern Book Center's annual Poetry Marathon. It's always been a terrific opportunity for me, with audiences that are big as well as enthusiastic, and satisfying too since the store's one of the last great independent booksellers.

On August 22nd, Woodland Pattern will host its first ever Music Marathon & Benefit in support of the Alternating Currents Live (ACL) music series. ACL had its official inauguration in September 1995 with a solo performance by Dutch saxophonist Luc Houtcamp. Hal Rammel, ACL's curator, had already been on 91.7 WMSE-FM when Anne Kingsbury & Karl Gartung invited him to extend the show into live concerts at Woodland Pattern. The concert is then aired the following Sunday on 91.7 WMSE-FM.

For 15 years, Alternating Currents Live has presented composers, performers and improvising musicians from around the world as well as next-door. The Music Marathon is a wonderful chance to discover and connect with a rich variety of musicians from the Milwaukee area. Spoons, mandolin, drums, flute, violin, trombone, guitar, cello and rubber duckies have all had their turn at Woodland Pattern.

Each music marathon participant will perform 10 minutes of music –- jazz, folk, rock, instrumental, rap, hip hop, experimental, etc. or any combination. All money raised will go towards the Alternating Currents Live music series. Individual pledges can be for any amount.

I'll be playing during the 1:00 hour. If you'd like to sponsor me, please contact me by email.

Thank you! Hope to see you there.