Jonathon White (“Milk”) survives youth in 70s-era Queens to become a post-911 NYPD officer and father until secrets from his past threaten to destroy everything he holds dear. Equal parts metafiction, mystery and poetry, The Story of Milk is the story of street code and the fragile bonds of friendship.

The Story of Milk inspired major motion picture The Son of No One, starring Channing Tatum, Tracy Morgan, Katie Holmes, Ray Liotta, Juliette Binoche and Al Pacino.

Dito Montiel is an author, screenwriter, director and musician. His first book, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, was made into an award-winning film starring Robert Downey Jr. His second book, Eddie Krumble is the Clapper was published in 2007. The Story of Milk is based on his third film, The Son of No One.

“What I love about Dito’s writing is that he makes me feel, as a woman, that I’m getting a glimpse inside the mind of a guy … a macho, street-wise guy, but one not afraid to show the frailty of his feminine side. And without diminishing the mystery of the male psyche, his characters confirm for me that the pathos of the human condition exists pretty much equally in both of the sexes … a predicament all at once both soothing and sad.”

- Cherry Vanilla, author of Lick Me: How I Became Cherry Vanilla

“With the Story of Milk Dito Montiel has written a mini-epic of crime, punishment, and things far beyond. Set against the hulking backdrop of the infamous Queensbridge projects, Dito’s portrait of the New York streets stands with the best: Richard Price, Spike Lee, Scorsese, Nas, Jay-Z. And the list goes on. Bravo.”

–John Schoenfelder, senior editor, Mulholland Books

Thank you Atomic!

Amanda Kingsbury

Jennifer Tress

Jennifer Levy

We’re looking forward to tonight’s reading at Atomic Books!

Valley Haggard lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and six-year-old son. A freelance writer who teaches creative writing, she has been the book editor for Richmond’s alternative newspaper, Style Weekly, since 2004. Visit her at www.valleyhaggard.com.

Julie Geen is a freelance writer, mother of two, and a substitute teacher. She lives in rural Virginia, and has been published in the local rags and the anthology Ask Me about My Divorce (Seal Press, 2009), although she did not end up getting that divorce. She also writes screenplays and is pretty sure she’s going to Hollywood one day.

Life is made of moments that make us who we are. Tarnished: True Tales of Innocence Lost is an anthology of true stories about coming-of-age and coming to terms with harsh realities. It’s about fairy tales dashed and worldviews rocked.

Local indie publishers Pinchback Press and contributing writers Jennifer Tress, Valley Haggard, Julie Geen and Amanda Kingsbury celebrate the book’s release and share their truths about lying teachers, family secrets, painful losses, desperate virgins, religious fervor and more!

Saturday October 15th
Atomic Books
3620 Falls Rd.
Baltimore, MD
410.662.4444

7 pm

Free and open to the public

In case you don’t know, Betty Davis was a funk/rock singer in the seventies, the ex-wife of Miles Davis and friend of Hendrix, Clapton and Sly, among others. More information on the journal can be found at www.adannajournal.blogspot.com

Jewish Writer’s Wanted

Slash Coleman is putting together an anthology of writing from Second and Third generation Jewish Writers. Slash is an award-winning storyteller known for his PBS special and Off-Broadway one man show, “The Neon Man and Me.” If you grew up in a home where your parents or grandparents were Holocaust survivors, Generation H wants to hear from you. Even if you don’t consider yourself Jewish.

Seeking humorous, quirky, emotional, unusual, dramatic, creative, unique stories about how survival has affected your life, your decisions, and your relationships as a child or as an adult in a significant way.

All essays should be nonfiction narratives, written in the first-person. Whether narratives delight or disgust the reader, they should have a strong story line. Focus on one or a few selected events; do not send rants or political speeches. Stories should be titled and include your name and be between 1000 – 3000 words, double-spaced, paginated and word-processed in 12 point Times New Roman or Arial font. No more than 1 entry per person. Please include a brief bio (1-3 sentences) at the end of your submission.

Deadline: March 20, 2011. Please e-mail your submissions to: projects@slashcoleman.com. Write “Generation H” in the subject bar. Writers chosen for the book will be contacted by May 2011. Pay to be determined.

For more information about Slash: www.slashcoleman.com

We are looking for creative nonfiction essays written in the first-person.  Focus on one slice-of-life or a few connected events; do not send rants or political speeches. Stories should be titled. They should run between 1000-5000 words, double-spaced, paginated and word-processed. No funky fonts, please. Please include your name and email ON your actual story!

Deadline: December 31, 2011

Submissions may be emailed to: submissions@pinchbackpress.com. You MUST put the name of the anthology you are submitting to in the subject line of your email or we will NOT read it. Example: Submission for Charmed.