Spotlight on Literary Events: June 2016

Daniel Torday for The Last Flight of Poxl West and Paul Goldberg for The Yid
 Wednesday, June 1^st, 6:30 p.m.
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café
1517 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington, D.C. 20036

Daniel Torday’s The Last Flight of Poxl West tells of a young man’s admiration for his Uncle Poxl, a Jewish former RAF pilot who writes a memoir about his experiences in World War II. In The Yid, Paul Goldberg addresses Stalinist Russia, Shakespeare, and Yiddish in a way that will change your perspective on history.  Join Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café for the celebration of these two debut novels. This event is free to the public.

Query Letters: They’re Not So Scary 
Friday, June 3^rd, 7:30 – 9 p.m.
Leesburg Town Hall
25 West Market Street
Leesburg, VA 

Laurie Miller, author of young adult fiction, gives advice on writing query letters. Miller previously worked in marketing for an independent documentary company. This event is $6 for the public.

Walking Tour as Personal Essay

Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.
Andrew Jackson Statue
Lafayette Square, 16^th and H Streets NW,
Washington, D.C. 20009

Rocco Zappone, writer and D.C. native, leads a walking tour through the city while sharing memories and insights he has learned from a lifetime in Washington. The fee is $25, cash only.

Open Door Reading: Herb Guggenheim, W. Luther Jett,& Richard Seldin  
Sunday, June 5^th, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
The Writer's Center
4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815

Listen to the readings of poets Herb Guggenheim and W. Luther Jett and novelist Richard Seldin. Guggenheim is the author of Sunset at the Hotel Mira Mar: New and Selected Poems, and his works have been featured in various magazines and anthologies. Jett has been published in many literary journals and has won various honors, such as the first place prize in the Jean Stainback Schmidt Poetry Contest for his poem “The Chalk House.” Seldin is the author of both short stories and poems written in English and Chinese, as well as English translations of Chinese works. After the readings, there will be a reception and signing with all three writers. This event is free.

*SPARKLE*Queer Open Mic 
Sunday June 5^th, 8:00–10:00 p.m.
Busboys and Poets
2021 14^th Street NW,
Washington, D.C. 20009

*SPARKLE* Queer Open Mic is a reading series focused on the works of LGBT poets, hosted by Regie Cabico and Danielle Evennou. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased online or at the door.

GeraldineBrooks

Monday, June 6th, 7 p.m.

Phillips Hall

Chevy Chase United Methodist Church

7001 Connecticut Avenue, NW,

Washington, D.C. 20015

Geraldine Brooks will discuss her latest book, The Secret Chord, in a conversation with Guy Raz. Registration Required: $10 CC@ H Members & $15 General Public

Alice McDermott  
Monday June 6^th, 7:30–9:00 p.m.
The Writer's Center
4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815

Alice McDermott is the author of seven books, winner of the National Book Award, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her most recent work, Someone, has received five awards from sources including The New York Times and Publisher’s Weekly. McDermott also serves on the Honorary Board of the Writer’s Center. This event is $15 for nonmembers and $10 for members.

Reading & Signing With Rebecca Schiff for The Bed Moved 
Thursday June 9^th, 7:00–8:30 p.m.
Upshur Street Books
837 Upshur Street NW,
Washington, D.C. 20011

Join Upshur Street Books in welcoming Rebecca Schiff, author of the debut collection The Bed Moved. This collection features short stories that blur the line between author and protagonist and contain themes of strong feminism. The reading will be followed by a signing and a Q&A session. The event is free of charge.

Open Door Reading: Dana Cann and Max Greenfield
  Sunday, June 12^th, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
The Writer's Center
4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815

Dana Cann, a fiction workshop instructor at the Writer’s Center and a short story author, will read from Ghosts of Bergen County. His works have been featured in journals such as The Gettysburg Review, The Sun, and The Massachusetts Review. He is joined by Jay Greenfield, author of Max’s Diamonds. The readings will be followed by a reception and book signing. Admission is free. 

Melissa Deckman for Tea Party Women 
Wednesday June 15^th, 6:30 p.m.
Kramerbooks and Afterwords Café
1517 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington, D.C. 20036

Melissa Deckman’s Tea Party Women takes a look into the role of women in the Tea Party movement and shares insight on women’s current and future leadership in politics. This event is free to the public. 

Youth Open Mic Presented by Busboys and PoetsSaturday, June 18^th, 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Busboys and Poets
2021 14^th Street NW,
Washington, D.C. 20009

Youth Open Mic is an opportunity for middle school and high school students to come share their work in an open, supportive environment. The cost of admission is $5.

Open Door Reading: Potomac Review Reading 
Sunday, June 19^th, 2:00–4:00 p.m.
The Writer's Center
4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815

This reading will feature authors published in the Potomac Review’s latest issue. The readers will include Stephanie Allen, author of A Place between Stations: Stories, Julia Campbell Johnson, author of The Tea of the Unforeseen Berry, and Katrina Norfleet, author of nonfiction work that has been published in anthologies such as Wisdom Has a Voice: Every Daughter’s Memory of Mother. The reading and reception are free to the public.

Open Door Reading: Elizabeth Poliner and Paula Whyman
Sunday, June 26^th, 2:00 p.m.

The Writer's Center
4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815

Elizabeth Poliner will do a reading from her new novel, As Close to Us as Breathing, which has been named the Amazon Best Book for March 2016. Poliner is joined by Paula Whyman, author of You May See a Stranger. The readings will be followed by a reception and book signings. Admission is free.

Dan Cluchey for The Life of the World to Come 
Tuesday, June 28^th, 6:30 p.m.
Kramerbooks and Afterwords Café
1517 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington, D.C. 20036

Dan Cluchey’s The Life of the World to Come is about a man, Leo Brice, who goes on to be a death row advocate after the love of his life moves on to pursue her dreams. Come to Kramerbooks and Afterwords for a reading from Cluchey’s deeply philosophical novel. Admission is free.

40^th Anniversary Event: Chris MatthewsThursday, June 30^th, 7:30–10:00 p.m.
The Writer's Center
4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815

Come celebrate The Writer’s Center’s 40^th anniversary with Chris Matthews, host of the nightly talk show “Hardball with Chris Matthews” and author of six best-selling books. Matthews will discuss his writing and journalistic career at this event and reception. The fee for nonmembers is $25, the fee for members is $20, and VIP access is $100.

Get Paid for Your Nonfiction

By Ellen Ryan

Register for Nuts & Bolts of Publishing Nonfiction Articles (Starts May 24) with Ellen Ryan and receive personal advice on how to get paid for your nonfiction.

 

“Heretofore to be invented throughout the universe.” I can always tell when members of the Writer’s Center class on How to Get Your Nonfiction Articles Published have reached that line in a sample contract. There’s silence in the room as everyone reads—and then someone gasps.

People should. Writers’ contracts have gotten bad. What used to be fairly friendly agreements between writer and publisher has become loaded with pitfalls: insistence on “work made for hire,” indemnity clauses, noncompete clauses, and confidentiality clauses that bar the article from pillow talk with your spouse.

Did you know a publisher can run your article with someone else’s byline on it? Or with inaccurate information in it? Or hang onto it and never run it at all?

All perfectly legal—depending on what you’ve signed.

That’s why this class isn’t like most workshops. Sure, we cover adding life and color to an article. Also how to interview someone so you get a lot more than just good quotes. And in the two query letters and two sample articles that class members write, my red pen catches everything from misspellings to places where the theme has gotten lost and wandered around the page.

But to get us published and paid—always the goal—we spend considerable time on matching ideas to the right markets, on query (pitch) letters, on finding editors and getting their attention. We also cover capturing inspiration, tracking all expenses for tax time, and understanding contracts.

Class members have all kinds of questions. For example:

• Why does the publisher want “work made for hire” when I’m not an employee?

• What’s this “Star Wars contract” I’ve heard about?

• Can they really legally keep me from writing about this topic for X months after the issue date?

• What’s the difference between “all rights” and “work made for hire?”

• If they publish it in Asia or Europe, can I be paid twice?

• Wait—you mean I should try to sell it again?

Writers’ contracts have been making their way through the court system since the dawn of the Internet (not a coincidence). The National Writers Union, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and other groups have intervened on our behalf, both individually and collectively.

There are steps we can take for ourselves, too. We can negotiate for more pay, to sell fewer rights, for a different contract altogether. We can also walk away.

Again, the ultimate goal is to get both published and paid. Attaining a fair and favorable contract is a big part of that. And that’s why spending time on contracts is a big part of how to get your nonfiction articles published.

 

Ellen Ryan has been an editor in Washington for two decades, including nearly 13 years as managing editor of The Washingtonian. Her freelance articles have appeared in Good Housekeeping, Outside, AARP The Magazine, The Washington Post, and ForbesLife Executive Woman. Ellen Ryan’s travel writing has appeared in Vegetarian Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Newsday, and most recently in Destination Maryland. Ryan is author of Innkeeping Unlimited: Practical, Low-Cost Ways to Improve Your B&B and Win Repeat Business.

 

Crush: Dave Singleton on Celebrity Crushes, Publishing Advice, and Perseverance

By Jessica Flores

You probably remember your first celebrity crush. No matter how embarrassing it might be, the object of your affection probably still has special meaning. In Cathy Alter and Dave Singleton’s new book, CRUSH: Writers Reflect on Love, Longing, and the Lasting Power of Their First Celebrity Crush, they focused on just that. The anthology is a collection of essays from writers—including Stephen King, James Franco, Roxane Gay, and Jodi Picoult—about their first celebrity crushes. Both writers/editors are teaching courses this summer at The Writer’s Center.  They will also read from the anthology at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 21 and participate in a Q&A with our own Joe Callahan. Recently, we spoke with Singleton about the project.

The Writer’s Center: How did you come up with this idea?

Dave Singleton: From the ashes, great things sometimes spring forth. I first thought of my new book CRUSH in 2012 when two things happened. First, I’d written about relationships for 12 years and had— and still have— a deep fondness for exploring all facets of longing, attraction, connection, and love. Writing about those aspects of life are second nature to me. I’d also been working on a book proposal about celebrity culture, and after some initial interest and enthusiasm from editors—and a lot of time spent writing and rewriting on my part— had decided it was a non-starter. So, I was buzzing with longing and celebrity. Then the idea just came to me.

I went out for drinks one night with my old friend Cathy [Alter] who’d just had a baby and was itching to get out of the house, and, out of the blue, she said, “Let’s collaborate on something!”

“OK,” I replied, without giving it a second thought.

“Do you have any ideas?”

“Well, I do have one—a book on first celebrity crushes.”

That night, we shared our celebrity crush stories with each other and realized they were rich and poignant. They weren’t just silly one-liner anecdotes. In the end, both of our stories were about bigger things. Hers was about her mom and mine about coming of age. This could be surprising and great if we take such a simple topic and give it a literary bent, I thought.

From that, CRUSH was born. 

TWC: What was your experience like working on this anthology?

DS: It was intense. Creative. Exciting. Demanding. It was collaboration, with all the sparky, challenging aspects that word connotes. I had no idea going in what it would take to write our essays and then a proposal. We created a wish list of writers we loved and started the long journey of finding them through our contacts, their agents, and a variety of means. Then we sent the invites and decided on a mix of voices and experiences.  Diversity was very important to us.

Some hopped on board right away. Some said no. For the writers who said yes, we worked with them on their pieces. We had a vision of literary excellence, a high bar for every essay. And boy, the writers came through. 

Then there was the business of selling it, and that took quite a while. Not everyone got the idea. Through it all, my co-author and I never wavered. This book was born of perseverance.

We were so fortunate to meet our editor at HarperCollins. She just loved it and we loved her. Selling a book is like dating. You go through a lot of rough experiences, but then you find the one and you just know. 

TWC: Who was your first celebrity crush?

DS: David Cassidy, when he was on “The Partridge Family.” Watching that show—and him—was the first time I ever carved out a little independence in my family, and it was the first inkling I had that I might be different. I didn’t know the word for gay then. I was way too young. But there was something about him and his shag haircut, his puka-shell necklace and those rockin’ bell bottoms…

TWC: What advice would you give writers who are just starting out? What do you tell students during your workshops?

DS: Don’t write and edit at the same time. Let your writing flow out of one side of the brain. Then edit from the other side. Writing and editing at the same time is like constantly putting a car in gear and slamming on the brakes. You lurch forward then halt. Lurch forward then halt. It’s not productive.

But make time for both. Ernest Hemingway said, “The only kind of writing is rewriting.” Fall in love with revising as much as you swoon over your first draft. There’s so much else—from carving out the time and avoiding making excuses to all the other ways you can bring a story to life—but I like these two best.

TWC: What motivated you to become a writer?

DS: I was motivated to become a writer out of curiosity. I want to know what makes people tick. What makes me tick. I still do. That’s why I gravitated toward nonfiction. My close friend David Keplinger, whose essay on Debbie Harry is in CRUSH, got me a birthday visit with a psychic who told me I’d be writing fiction one day. We’ll see. I love bringing real stories to life through all the elements of fiction: imagery, figurative language, dialogue, details. 

TWC: What projects are you most looking forward to working on?

DS: With CRUSH, I loved finding a new way to explore pop culture and want to stick with that theme for my next big project. I always have a couple of articles in the pipeline. When it comes to books or larger projects, I spend time on research, figuring out if the topic has been covered before, how I could bring something new and different to it, and the time I spend upfront is helpful for another reason. If you’re going to write a book, for instance, you better love the topic, because it will be with you—and you’ll be with it—for years. 

Dave Singleton has published two previous books: BehindEvery Great Woman is a Fabulous Gay Man: Advice from aGuy Who Gives it to You Straight and The MANdates: 25 Real Rules forSuccessful Gay Dating. His honors include the Media Industry Award for Outstanding Exclusive Coverage, GLAAD Award for Outstanding Multimedia Journalism, and two NLGJA Excellence in Online Journalism awards. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, PBS’s Next Avenue, AARP Media, Yahoo, MSN, the BBC, Washingtonian, Harper’s Bazaar, and OUT. He is a regular columnist for Caring.com, Yahoo, and Match. For more on his work, visit his website or follow him on Twitter.

Spotlight on Literary Events: May 2016

Roz Chas - Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?

Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 8:00 p.m.

Reston Community Center

2310 Colts Neck Road,
Reston, VA 20191

Comic artist for The New Yorker, see Roz Chas as she talks about her latest book Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?. Her graphic novel touches on mortality and family as Chas depicts the transition of becoming the primary caregiver for her aging parents as they slowly lose their independence. Filled with wit and humor, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? Is a must read for anyone. Tickets range from $15-$20.

CENTRAL LIBRARY*Shut Up & Write: YA Author Panel feat. Kelly Fiore & Lenore Appelhans

Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 7p.m. – 8 p.m.

Central Library, 1015 N Quincy St,

Arlington, VA 22201, United States

This bimonthly panel, founded by Jon Skovron (The Broken Wondrous World) and Lenore Appelhans (Wild Swans), will discuss how to write Young Adult novels. This panel will present Young Adult authors Kelly Fiore and Lenore Appelhans. A book signing will be offered after the discussion. The topic for the panel is “They’ll Never See It Coming: Writing Effective Plot Twists.” Attendance is free but participants will have the option to purchase the presenting authors’ books.

PEN/Faulkner Award Judges' Reading

Thursday, May 12th, 2016, 7:00 PM 

Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital

921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE,

Washington, D.C. 20003

Join the PEN/Faulkner foundation for the 2016 PEN/Faulkner Award Judges Reading with this year’s judges, Abby Frucht, Molly McCloskey, and Sergio Troncoso. Abby Frucht just released her new book “A Well-Made Bed” this past March. She has authored five other books and has won the 1987 Short Fiction Prize and two National Endowments of the Arts. Molly McClosky has written a collection of short stories, a novella, and a novel. Sergio Tronsco has written 3 books, the most recent of which are The Nature of Truth and From the Wicked Patch of Dust. The event is free and open to the public.

International Literature: Uruguayan Literature

Thursday, May 12, 2016, 6:30 p.m.

Library of Congress

101 Independence Avenue SE,
Washington, D.C. 20540

Join the Library of Congress as Jesse Lee Kercheval, poet and translator, reads selections of Idea Vilariño’s poetry from the spring issue of Poet Lore as well as other translations from famous Uruguayan female poets. Vilariño was one of Uruguay’s most prominent literary figures of the 20^th century. Poet Lore is the oldest regular poetry magazine in the United States, established in 1889. The event is free.

The 36th Annual PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

Saturday, May 14^th, 2016, 7:00 p.m.

201 East Capitol Street SE,
Washington, D.C. 20003

Every year since 1980 the PEN/Faulkner foundation has awarded the best work of fiction by an American citizen in the largest peer-juried award in the field. Join the PEN/Faulkner foundation in honoring this year’s winner in the 2016 ceremony. Registration is $100.

Open Door Reading:Lia Purpura & Jennifer Wallace

Sunday, May 15, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

The Writer’s Center

4508 Walsh Street

Bethesda, MD 20815

Lia Purpura is the author of four poetry collections, most recently It Shouldn’t Have Been Beautiful. She has also written three collections of essays and one collection of translations. She has received several honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, an NEA Fellowship, a Fulbright foundation Fellowship, three PushcartPrizes, a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, and several residencies and fellowships at the MacDowell Colony. Jennifer Wallace teaches at the Maryland Institute College of Art and is a poetry editor at The Cortland Review and a founding editor of Toadlily Press. Her fourth poetry collection, The Want Fire, was published by Passager Books in 2015. The reading will be followed by a book signing and reception. This event is free.

Jun Yun – Shelter

Wednesday, May 18^th, 2016, 6:30 p.m.

Kramerbooks and Afterwards Café

1517 Connecticut Avenue NW,

Washington, D.C. 20036

Shelter by Jun Yun centers on son Kyung Cho who must deal with his dysfunctional family history when circumstances force him to take care of his parents. After a violent home invasion, Kyung must close the gap with his estranged parents when they are forced to live with him. Already in the midst of financial debt, Kyung is unsure how he can deal with the added pressure of reconciling his traumatic childhood at the hands of his parents. The reading is free to the public.

Sherman Alexie - Thunder Boy Jr.

Thursday, May 19^th, 2016, 6:30 p.m.

MLK Library, 901 G Street NW,

Washington, D.C. 20001

Thunder Boy Jr. wants a name of his own. Big Thunder, his father, suggests some names, but most don’t appeal to Thunder Boy Jr. What name will father and son decide on? This children’s book by Sherman Alexie tells a story about a little boy and his father and how their relationship is tied up in a name. The event is free.

40th Anniversary Event: Martin Moran

Thursday, May 19, 7:30 p.m.

The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh Street

Bethesda, MD 20815

Martin Moran is an American actor and writer who wrote and starred in his autobiographical solo show about his own childhood molestation, “The Tricky Part,” for which he won an Obie Award and received two Drama Desk Award nominations. In 1999, he performed on Broadway as radio man Harold Bride in "Titanic." In 2006, Moran adapted "The Tricky Part" into a memoir, published by Anchor Press. In 2013, Moran debuted a second solo show, "All the Rage," in New York. This event is free.

Fellows’ ResearchColloquia: Poetry and Prayer

Friday, May 20, 2016, 12:00 p.m.

201 East Capitol Street SE,
Washington, D.C. 20003

Follow the Folger’s Research Colloquia with this spring edition where residents of the program can present their work-in-progress and receive feedback. Yale University Associate Professor of English, Jessica Brantley, will present “Poetry and Prayer: Wynkyn de Worde’s Literary Hours.”  The event will last an hour with 15 minutes of discussion. Coffee and tea will be provided but participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch. The event is free.

Gaithersburg BookFestival

Saturday, May 21, 2016, 10 a.m. – 6p.m.

Gaithersburg City Hall, 31 S. Summit Avenue,

Gaithersburg, MD, 20877

Take mini workshops with instructors from The Writer’s Center, meet best-selling authors, poets, and songwriters. Aattend readings, panel presentations, and book signings. Parents will find programs for their little ones in The Children’s Village. For younger participants, there will be readings and programs by award-wining children and young adult authors, including book signings, workshops, and performances. The winner of the high school short story will be announced. Admission and parking is free.

Bard in the Park

Saturday-Sunday, May 21-22, 2016, 7:30 p.m.

Canal Park

201 East Capitol Street, SE
Washington, D.C. 20003

Celebrate 400 years of Shakespeare by joining the Folger and Capital Riverfront for two outdoor screenings of films inspired by Shakespeare’s plays. On both nights the screenings will start at 7:30 p.m. and each film will be introduced by actors from the Folger Theatre at Canal Park. Saturday’s screening will be The Merchant of Venice (2004), the first full-length filmed version of the play with sound. Sunday’s showing will include West Side Story (1961), the well-known musical adaption of Romeo and Juliet. Both screenings are free.

Theodore Leinwand– The Great William: Writer’s ReadingShakespeare

Saturday, May 21, 2016, 6:00 p.m.

Politics and Prose

5015 Connecticut Ave NW,

Washington, D.C. 20008

Theodore Leinwand’s new book looks at 7 famous writers and their readings of William Shakespeare’s work. Presenting the journal entries, letters, and criticisms by Coleridge, Keats, Woolf, Olson, Berryman, Ginsburg, and Ted Hughes, Leinwand demonstrates the changing interpretation of Shakespeare’s work throughout the ages. This in-depth analysis presents literature in communication across ages, meditating on the works that became the foundation of English literature. The event is free.

Poetry & ProseOpen Mic

Sunday, May 22, 2:00 p.m.

The Writer’s Center

4508 Walsh Street

Bethesda, MD 20815

Don’t be shy! Share your latest short story, poem, flash memoir or excerpt from a novel-in progress.

Sign-up begins at 1:30 p.m.  The reading will be followed by a reception. This event is free.

Busboys and PoetsAuthor Event: My Father is in Prison

Monday, May 23, 2016, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Busboys and Poets

1025 5th Street NW,

Washington, D.C. 20001

My Father is in Prison tells the story of Louis, a boy who creates imaginative stories to hide the fact that his father is in prison. Heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, Patrick Baker’s book looks with the eyes of a child at a growing national issue. Where 2.7 million children have a parent in prison, the book gives context and language for children to see a reflection of what they may be going through. The event is free.