musings

Bellevue Literary Event (ArtsCrush) Lit Twice: Luminado Dos Veces

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:09:00 +0000

Hey ya'll I'm super excited to be featured at this event produced by La Sala, as part of ArtsCrush taking place Wednesday October 12th at Bellevue Arts Museum!

Hope to see you there!

LIT TWICE/LUMINADO DOS VECES

An ArtsCrush Featured Literary Event at Bellevue Arts Museum

(Seattle, WA – September 19, 2011) On Wednesday, October 12, 5:30 - 8pm, La Sala and Bellevue Arts Museum (BAM) are hosting a reading of new literary creations inspired by the objects of adornment in BAM’s groundbreaking exhibition Think Twice: New Latin American Jewelry. Don’t miss this exciting fusion of literary and visual art!

Think Twice (through October 16 at BAM) brings together more than 130 works by over 90 artists from 25 countries. Think Twice is the largest collection of contemporary Latin American jewelry to be seen in the United States and BAM is the only museum in the Northwest to showcase this fascinating exhibition.

Lit Twice/Luminado dos Veces is a response to this unprecedented collection of artwork.

Local writers Nilki Benitez, Catalina M. Cantú, Felicia Gonzalez, Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs, Donna Miscolta, Maria De Lourdes Victoria and Rita Wirkala were given three images from Think Twice to use as inspiration for two new literary works of art.

Lit Twice is recipient of a grant via a unique partnership between Arts Crush and Amazon.com that was given to foster new writing and new writers/authors. The seven writers are a thrilling group of established and emerging literary artists. This exciting Arts Crush Featured Event builds community, invites collaboration, and celebrates creativity.

La Sala is a collective formed to coalesce and mobilize the growing Latino/Latina arts community of the Seattle/Bellevue area. Bellevue Arts Museum is the Pacific Northwest’s center for the exploration of art, craft and design. Arts Crush is a month-long festival that connects artists and audiences with invigorating new experiences at hundreds of events across the region.

Come early for a docent tour, music, and wine and appetizers. Enjoy bilingual interpretations exploring this mesmerizing exhibit.

Schedule: *** 5:30 pm Docent Tour of Think Twice: New Latin American Jewelry *** 6:30 pm Reception with music by Miho & Diego Duo *** 7:00-8:00 pm Literary Readings

About the Participating Writers:

Nilki Benitez is an Acentos Poetry Foundation Fellow of Colombian heritage. She is a poet and journalist whose work has appeared in several online and print media. Her poetry is art as a weapon for social and environmental justice.

Catalina M. Cantú of Mexican/Madeiran heritage writes essays, poetry, and prose, inspired by her experiences in social justice, domestic relationships, and economic survival. She formerly chaired Los Norteños Northwest Latino Writers Group. She is now writing a young adult adventure series.

Felicia Gonzalez was born in Cuba. A Hedgebrook alumna, her writing has received numerous awards including Artist Trust Fellowship, 4 Culture, and CityArtist. She’s currently working on a collection of interrelated short stories, Swimming in Mercury, exploring the relationship of language to identity.

Gabriella Gutierrez y Muhs, PhD. is an associate professor at Seattle University and the 2009-2012 Latin American Studies Program Director. Her literary and cultural criticism has been published in various journals in the US and abroad. She is an anthologized Chicana writer, as well as a Latina/Chicana cultural worker.

Donna Miscolta of Mexican/Filipino heritage is the author of the novel When the de la Cruz Family Danced. Her unpublished story collection Natalie Wood’s Fake Puerto Rican Accent was a finalist for the 2010 Grace Paley Award for Short Fiction. Find news of her publications, awards, and residencies at www.donnamiscolta.com.

Maria de Lourdes Victoria is from Veracruz, Mexico. Her fiction has been published internationally in English and Spanish. Her second novel, Beyond Justice, took third place at the prestigious Planeta Book Award. Her first novel, I leave you the sea, was the finalist for the Mariposa Book Award. Her short stories have appeared in prominent literary journals in the US.

Rita Wirkala is a writer and a teacher (University of Washington) originally from Argentina. Excerpts of her novel El encuentro (Pearson Ed) are in her blog: http://ritawirkalawriting.blogspot.com/ She is the director of All Bilingual Press, a company specialized in Spanish texts for children.

Award-winning author Michael Hogan on Writing

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:00:00 +0000

I'm super thrilled to be sharing with you today a guest post on "Writing" by author Michael Hogan.

Today is Day One of the author's virtual book tour of The Irish Soldiers of Mexico presented by Condor Book Tours. Make sure you check out the rest of the book tour schedule after the post so you can follow along with the book tour.

Michael Hogan

On Writing

It comes from doing and doing.—Charles Bukowski.

It may well be that genius consists in something ordinary people
never guess at—obstinate persistence.—Stendhal

Few readers would guess that a street poet like Bukowski would have much in common with a classic author such as Stendhal but they would be mistaken. Both were widely read, both were persistent, both had highly disciplined writing habits, both persisted even when their talent was not recognized, both loved classical music, and both were widely appreciated in Germany even though neither lived there (Bukowski lived in L.A. and Stendhal in Paris). But it is the wide reading, the persistence and the disciplined writing habits that I would like to talk about today.

READING

Aldous Huxley once wrote that there is “no great writing without great reading.” Most successful writers tend to agree. Stephen King, for example, an author appealing to a middle brow audience nevertheless has many allusions to history, contemporary literature, poetry and even Shakespeare in his work. He is someone who reads widely and enthusiastically. A love of language permeates his work. Successful poets such as W.S. Merwin, the Poet Laureate of the United States read the classics. Merwin also reads poetry in French and Spanish, as well as his American contemporaries just to “see what they’re up to.” He also reads biographies, histories, and science. Sometimes we get so involved with our own work and then the marketing of it that we forget this important factor. We need to re-charge the mind, we need to fill up the vocabulary basin, and widen our vision through the eyes of others. We need to read a little bit each day and then more widely on weekends and vacations.

PERSISTENCE

I first began writing short essays in my journals as well as poetry. My first publications were in small literary magazines and campus publications. I have since gone on to publish 18 full length books in my lifetime, and my poetry, stories and articles have appeared in hundreds of magazines. My work has been translated into six languages. But I have written perhaps 3,000 poems over the past thirty years, over 500 articles and stories, and 36 full length manuscripts. So only about 15% of my writing has been published. That means that 85% of the work I sent out came back with rejection slips (or I received a notice of rejection by email). My conversations with other widely published writers suggest that 10%-15% of submitted work being published is about average. So, it is important to believe in yourself as a writer; to feel that you have something to say and to have the faith that sooner or later if you persist, an audience for your work will be found. In the meantime, you keep sharpening your skills, keep reading, and keep open to a wide range of interests.

HABIT OF WRITING

And of course, keep writing. What I have found is that only a small part of the time do I feel inspired, or fired up with a genuine desire to communicate something. Many days I just show up at my desk and work away at a project with each word being drawn out with the same pain and difficultly as a reluctant tooth at the dentist’s office. However, even on those dull days I am learning discipline; I am practicing my craft, and I will be ready with the words and the style when the inspiration comes as it always does sooner or later. I should also note that for most of my writing career I also worked as a teacher. So that meant correcting papers long into the night. Most of my “real” writing took place on weekends, Christmas vacation, spring break, and in the early morning.

The best advice I ever had from a fellow writer was from the poet, William Stafford, and I will share that now. When I told him that sometimes I found it difficult to make time to write, that I was locked in by the demands of family and work, he said, “Get up when the house is quiet, before the day actually begins and do your work then. Most places you can still be free if you wake up before other people.”

So, in the early morning hours of each school day I would get up early, do a short meditation and then sketch out a few paragraphs in my journal, or a draft or a poem, or an idea for a story. This was my real freedom from the daily work or teaching and the other demands of the day as a parent. And, day by day, year by year, those pages added up to books. Now I have the time to work on my writing full time, thanks to William Stafford. “Most places you can still be free if you wake up before other people. “ How true, in so many ways.

Michael Hogan
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

*********

Learn more about Michael Hogan by visiting his website, facebook & The Irish Soldiers of Mexico Facebook page.

Learn more about Condor Book Tours by visiting our website & facebook page.

The Irish Soldiers of Mexico Book Tour Schedule:

Book Tour Schedule

Sunday August 21 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific Author Livechat. View the instant replay at Condor's Author Chat Salon!

Mon Aug 22 Musings (Author Guest Post)

Tues Aug 23 Latino Book Examiner (Author Q&A)

Wed Aug 24 Dulce Bread & Book Shop (Review)

Thurs Aug 25 Juan of Words ( Review)

Fri Aug 26 New Latina (Author Q&A)

Mon Aug 29 Vida de Oro (Author interview)

Tues Aug 30 La Bloga (Author Guest Post)

Wed Aug 31 Franky Benitez (Review)

Thurs Sep 1 Latina Book Club (Review)

Fri Sep 2 Chica Writer (Review)

Purchase your copy of The Irish Soldiers of Mexico from Condor's BookStore & 100% commissions earned will be donated to the Isabel Allende Foundation.

Condor Book Tours Presents: The Irish Soldiers of Mexico by Michael Hogan~A virtual book tour

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 03:35:00 +0000

Condor Book Tours is proud to present

The Irish Soldiers of Mexico

Michael Hogan

August 22 thru September 2

On the eve of Mexican-American War of 1848, a group of recently arrived Irish immigrants deserted the U.S. army and joined the Mexican army as the Saint Patrick's Battalion. This excellent study explores the motivations of the Irishmen, their valiant contributions to the Mexican cause, and the consequences for them when they were ultimately captured.

The Irish Soldiers of Mexico sold out four editions in English and two editions in Spanish from 1997 to 2001. It has been the basis of an MGM feature film starring Tom Berenger, two documentaries and has also been used in many history classes both in the United States and abroad. As Michael Hogan rightly points out in his introduction, American textbooks scarcely devote attention to this war. "Coverage," he writes, "generally consists of a two or three page section entitled Westward Expansion or Manifest Destiny."

The book is now available (Kindle & traditional) for the first time from Amazon.

Michael Hogan lives in Colonia Providencia, Guadalajara, Mexico, with his wife Lucinda Mayo, the internationally known fabric artist. Born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1943, he is the author of sixteen books, including a collection of short stories, six books of poetry, collected essays on teaching in Latin America, a novel, and a history of the Irish battalion in Mexico which formed the basis for an MGM movie starring Tom Berenger. His work has appeared in many journals such as the Paris Review, the Harvard Review, Z-Magazine, Political Affairs and the Monthly Review. He is a consultant to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Overseas Schools in Latin America. As an author he has received wide recognition for his work, including a PEN Award, two Pushcart Prizes, an NEA fellowship, the Benjamin Franklin Award, the gold medal of the Mexican Geographical Society.

For more information visit the author's website at http://drmichaelhogan.com
Book Tour Schedule

Sunday August 21 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific Author Livechat at Condor's Author Chat Salon!

Mon Aug 22 Musings (Author Guest Post on Writing)

Tues Aug 23 Latino Book Examiner (Author Q&A)

Wed Aug 24 Dulce Bread & Book Shop (Review)

Thurs Aug 25 Juan of Words ( Review)

Fri Aug 26 New Latina (Author Q&A)

Mon Aug 29 Vida de Oro (Author interview)

Tues Aug 30 La Bloga (Author Guest Post)

Wed Aug 31 Franky Benitez (Review)

Thurs Sep 1 Latina Book Club (Review)

Fri Sep 2 Chica Writer (Review)

Don't mis out on all the fun during this book tour--buy your copy of Irish Soldiers of Mexico by Michael Hogan NOW ! 100% commissions from purchases made thru Condor's Bookstore will be donated to the Isabel Allende Foundation.

Product Details

Paperback: 298 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (May 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1463502451
ISBN-13: 978-1463502454

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 1531 KB
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1463502451
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B004G5Z668
Lending: Enabled

Seattle Event: Represent! A Multicultural Playwrights' Festival

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:44:00 +0000

The Hansberry Project Hosts
REPRESENT! A Multicultural Playwrights’ Festival

July 19 – 24, 2011

Represent! A Multicultural Playwrights’ Festival
Stage readings of new plays by Keith Josef Adkins, Joann Farias & Lauren Yee

Performances:
7/19-7/22 7:30 PM
7/23 2 PM, 5PM & 8PM

Panel:
7/24 at 2PM
In the Bullitt Cabaret at ACT Theatre, 700 Union Street, Downtown Seattle

Tickets:
$5 General Admission
$15 Festival Pass
Includes the opportunity to meet the writers!

ACT Theatre
Ticket Office: (206) 292-7676
700 Union Street, Seattle WA 98101
www.acttheatre.org

The Hansberry Project, in a joint venture with eSe Teatro, SIS Productions and Pratidhwani, will host Represent!: A Multicultural Playwrights' Festival July 19-24.

The festival will feature staged readings of 3 new full-length plays, an evening dedicated specifically to showcasing the work of six very talented local writers and a panel about the role of ethnically specific theatres in the development of new work.

According to Hansberry Artistic Director, Valerie Curtis-Newton:

We have always been clear that the work of the playwright is central to all that we do. They are theatre’s true generative artists. Their vision, passion and craft call the rest of us to the process.

"The Hansberry Project is committed to doing whatever we can do to support them. Last, year, we took a huge step forward -- commissioning our first play. This year, we are showing support for playwrights by hosting our first new play festival. eSe Teatro, SIS Productions and Pratidwhani have accepted our invitation to join us in making a space for playwrights of color to be heard. We’re very excited by the energy that is being generated by this new collaboration. Our hope is that REPRESENT! will become an annual event. ”

A local writers’ showcase kicks off the week. The playwrights whose work will be included are: LaChris Jordan, Reginald A. Jackson, Danielle Villegas, Lonnie Tristan Renteria, Kathy Hsieh and Maggie Lee.

The heart of REPRESENT! is a series of full length readings by some of the most exciting playwrights on the national scene. The selected plays are:

THE FINAL DAYS OF NEGROVILLE by Keith Josef Adkins
directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton

Built largely on the success of its Black middle class inhabitants (doctors, lawyers, school administrators), Negroville is fraught with dysfunction – loneliness, infidelity, and a loss of history. Over the course of a single day, the town’s well-educated African-American mayor, Cornell Gates, is caught in a series of events that challenge the truth about the town’s history and forever change the future for this set of middle class African-Americans. Presented by The Hansberry Project.

THE LAND OF CORN AND POWER by Joann Farias
directed by Arlene Martinez-Vickers

Jeff, second generation Mexican-American, gives up his Law degree for Anthropology and a trip to Guatemala to study the Mayan's religious believes. This study will initiate a journey of transformation, not only for Jeff, but also for the Mayan shamans he comes in contact with. This insightful text by Joann Farias explores the effect that two colliding cultures can have on each other, in this age of globalization. Presented by eSe Teatro.

SAMSARA by Lauren Yee
directed by Agastya Kohli

When American couple, Katie and Craig, make a last-ditch effort to create a baby of their own, their quest leads them to India to “rent” a surrogate. A hilarious, unsettling look at whether we can truly achieve intimacy in the face of shrinking worlds and expanding boundaries. Presented by SIS Productions and Pratidhwani.

The festival will close with a conversation entitled REPRESENTING: Ethnically-Specific Theatre in the 21st Century. Valerie Curtis-Newton, Kathy Hsieh, Danielle Villegas, Arlene Martinez-Vickers and Agastya Kohli will discuss the role of ethnically specific theatre in the development of new work.

All events will take place in the Bullitt Cabaret at ACT Theatre. Tickets are $5 for individual events/$15 festival passes are available online at www.acttheatre.org, or at the ACT Theatre Ticket Office at 700 Union Street, open daily M-F from 12 noon until 7 p.m., (206) 292-7676.

About The Hansberry Project

The Hansberry Project is a professional theatre laboratory created to present the work of black
theatre artists to as broad and diverse and audience as possible. HP produces main stage shows,
presents staged readings and community conversations, develops new works, and hosts conversations
between artists and audiences. HP is committed to building a community in which the voices of
black theatre artists – artfully expressing their observations, investigations, hopes and dreams - are an
integral part of a rich, full-throated civic conversation.

For more information about the Hansberry Project visit www.acttheatre.org/hansberry.

About eSe Teatro

eSe Teatro is a collective of professionally trained local Latino theatre artists actively providing a creative
home for Latino Artists to explore their craft. eSe Teatro’s mission is to empower local Latino artists to
generate, produce, present, and promote Latino theater, including bilingual, Spanglish and Spanish-speaking
theater.

About SIS Productions

SIS Productions is a production company that strives to create, develop and produce quality works that
involve Asian American women, their themes, and Asian American issues. SIS Productions encourages opportunities and support for Asian American women to be involved in all aspects of the production of artistic endeavors.

About Pratidwhani

Pratidhwani is a non-profit cultural organization based in the Seattle area. At its core, Pratidwhani is a group of professionals of Indian heritage, who are extremely enthusiastic and passionate about the artistic traditions of our homeland. The main objective of the organization is the promotion and cultivation of the performing arts of the Indian subcontinent.

About ACT: A Theatre of New Ideas - Raising Consciousness Through Theatre

Located in the heart of downtown Seattle and serving a population of curious, open-minded, and brave
audiences, ACT - A Contemporary Theatre is the only theatre in Seattle dedicated to producing contemporary work with promising playwrights and local performing artists since 1965. A theatre of new ideas, ACT serves as a cultural engine that makes plays, dance, music, and film that touch us.

Because contemporary life demands examination, ACT is driven to inspire and strengthen our diverse community through works that advance our understanding of human life. With more than 100,000 people who attend shows annually, ACT is an interactive community where artists and the public witness, contemplate, and engage in dialogue on today’s thought-provoking issues, ideas and art, presented with intelligence, insight, and humor.

Condor Book Tours Author Interview Series: Robert Renteria

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Condor Book Tours

presents

Mi Barrio by Robert Renteria

6/20-7/1

Today I'm honored to share with you an audio interview with author Robert Renteria.

Renteria's book From the Barrio to the Board Room (Writers of the Round Table Press, 2008) inspired the creation of the From the Barrio Foundation, as well as a state standard-based curriculum.

More than 80 schools, libraries, organizations and facilities around the U.S. have implemented the curriculum along with the books to support their at-risk youth communities.

Robert Renteria, author, CEO, philanthropist

Mi Barrio, a graphic novel (comic book) adaptation of From the Barrio to the Board Room was written to support elementary level students and other readers who will benefit from the message but who might not be able to access the 7th grade reading level of the full book.

*Both books are available in English and Spanish.

I'm proud to be hosting Mi Barrio thru Condor Book Tours. Please visit Condor for more information regarding the books, author Robert Renteria & to see how Condor supports community thru literacy.

Check out the rest of the Virtual Book Tour schedule below the media player!

click on the play button on the player to hear the interview with Robert Renteria

Want to talk more about the issues raised in the interview? Please Join us for an author livechat with Robert Renteria on Sunday June 26 7pm Eastern/6pm Central at Condor's Author Chat Salon

Book Tour Schedule
Author Robert Renteria and his graphic novel Mi Barrio will be stopping by each of the following blogs from 6/20 thru 7/1. Make sure you stop by and say hello, you may just win a copy of Mi Barrio by Robert Renteria!

WEEK 1

Mon June 20 Musings http://nilkibenitez.blogspot.com
Tues June 21 Dulce Bread & Book Shop http://dulcebreadandbookshop.com/
Wed June 22 Frankie Benítez http://juliorvarela.com/
Thurs June 23 Brown Girl BookSpeak http://books.browngirlspeaks.com/
Fri June 24 Latina Book Club http://www.latinabookclub.com/

WEEK 2

Mon June 27 VivirLatino http://vivirlatino.com/
Tues June 28 Blogs By Latinas http://www.clicklatina.com/
Wed June 29 Dos Idiomas/Two Languages http://www.ofelianj.com/
Thurs June 30 Juan of Words http://www.juanofwords.com/
Fri July 1 Sammy Makes Six http://www.sammymakessix.com/

Please consider purchasing a copy of Mi Barrio from Condor's BookStore* 100% commissions will be donated to From the Barrio Foundation.

*Amazon affiliate

Condor Book Tours Presents: Mi Barrio by Robert Renteria ~ A Virtual Book Tour

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:47:00 +0000

ECONDOR BOOK TOURS

PRESENTS

Mi Barrio

by Robert Renteria

(SmarterComics/Writers of the Round Table, 2011)

As Told To Corey Michael Blake

Illustrated by Shane Clester

ISBN-10: 1610660005

ISBN-13: 978-1610660006

http://fromthebarrio.com

Book Tour Schedule:

Mon June 20 thru Fri July 1

Author Robert Renteria and his graphic novel Mi Barrio will be stopping by each of the following blogs from 6/20 thru 7/1. Make sure you stop by and say hello, you may just win a copy of Mi Barrio by Robert Renteria!

WEEK 1

Mon June 20 Musings http://nilkibenitez.blogspot.com
Tues June 21 Dulce Bread & Book Shop http://dulcebreadandbookshop.com/
Wed June 22 Frankie Benítez http://juliorvarela.com/
Thurs June 23 Brown Girl BookSpeak http://books.browngirlspeaks.com /
Fri June 24 Latina Book Club http://www.latinabookclub.com/

WEEK 2

Join us for an author livechat

Sunday June 26th at 7pm Eastern/6pm Central

at Condor Book Tour's

Author Chat Salon!

Mon June 27 VivirLatino http://vivirlatino.com/

Tues June 28 Blogs By Latinas http://www.clicklatina.com/
Wed June 29 Dos Idiomas/Two Languages http://www.ofelianj.com/
Thurs June 30 Juan of Words http://www.juanofwords.com/
Fri July 1 Sammy Makes Six http://www.sammymakessix.com/

***Have questions for the author? Want to share your experience? Have a youth that could use some motivation and inspiration? Grab them & your friends and join us for an author livechat on Sunday June 26th at 7pm Eastern/6pm Central at Condor Book Tours' Author Chat Salon.

A few words from the Robert Renteria:

Mi Barrio Reviews

Adapted from the book From the Barrio to the Board Room (2008) by Renteria, who created a foundation that brings his message of hope to inner-city schools...Mi Barrio hits all the familiar points in a straightforward first-person narrative that eschews subtlety in favor of its lessons, while the artwork conveys the clean, efficient sense of a corporate brochure. However, it has the undeniable gravity of the truth and its inspirational message does come through loud and clear as Renteria, encouraged by his loving mother and grandfather, learns a sense of discipline in the army and employs a philosophy of hard work, a never-quit spirit, and a drive to live out what he describes as “the American Dream.” Grades 6-9. --Jesse Karp (BookList)

This inspirational title, produced by the business books–into–comics outfit Writers of the Round Table, adapts businessman Renteria's 2008 memoir about his hard-knock life into a punchy, easy-to-digest story. Renteria grew up with a single mother in a rough Los Angeles neighborhood during the 1970s, where he did everything that should have gotten him killed: running with gangs, selling drugs, the works. A stint in the military straightened him out, but didn't provide many prospects for employment. After knocking around in Chicago, Renteria convinced the owner of a laundry sales company to take a chance on him. Cut to years later, and Renteria is a wealthy salesman who has started his own company and now also mentors and lectures about getting out of the ghetto grind (his quick answer: hard work). Clester's art is more highly accomplished than is usually seen in true-life graphic adaptations, and while Renteria's tendency to gloss over the details can leave his story feeling sketchy at times, it's a work whose hard-won sense of hopefulness outweighs any hint of preachiness.
(Publishers Weekly)

Mi Barrio Book Trailer

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*Ed Note: Schedule Correction was made for Friday June 24 & Monday June 27

Seattle Event: Ethnic Heritage Council Presents Ethnic SpringFest

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Wed, 11 May 2011 19:45:00 +0000

You're Invited!

Please join Ethnic Heritage Council for an evening of Friendship and Celebration!

Friday May 20, 2011 5:30pm

House of Hong

409 8th Ave South, Seattle
in the International District

Please join us & enjoy a sit-down dinner, entertainment, and a special honor for community member Tsering Chamatsang Yuthok.

To register for this event, go to http://www.ethnicheritagecouncil.org/
or call (206) 443-1410
or email

Seattle Events: eSe Teatro presents Luís Alfaro's Electricidad at ACT

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Tue, 03 May 2011 21:57:00 +0000

eSe Teatro: Seattle Latinos Take Stage

present

Luís Alfaro's

ELECTRICIDAD

a staged reading directed by Rose Cano

5/20 & 5/21

A Contemporary Theatre

700 Union St

downtown Seattle

7:30pm

BUY YOUR TIX NOW!!

http://www.acttheatre.org/Shows/OnStage/Electricidad

Check out eSe Teatro at http://eseteatro.org
and
stay connected thru twitter & Facebook

Get to Know: Ethnic Heritage Council, Seattle Washington

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:42:00 +0000

I'm super thrilled to share with you that I'm a newly elected member of the Board of Directors of Seattle's Ethnic Heritage Council.

If you've spent any amount of time in Seattle, you've likely seen the Ethnic Heritage Council at work through one of their many events that they produce or sponsor throughout the year.

With offices based in the Seattle Center, Seattle's cultural hub and home to the Space Needle, EMP, Science Center, Children's Theatre, and many more, the Ethnic Heritage Council is behind many of the festive events that liven up the Center House throughout the year. Check out the beautiful event photo galleries.

EHC is probably best known for their Annual Naturalization Ceremony which, for the past 26 years has taken place on the Fourth of July, and during which thousands of new American citizens have been sworn in.

The Ethnic Heritage Council (EHC) of Seattle, Washington was established in 1980 and has grown in membership from a few individuals, to hundreds of ethnic and cultural organizations and individuals.

EHC's mission is to preserve and promote ethnic and cultural traditions, foster mutual understanding, enrich lives and celebrate our heritage.

I'm honored to have been invited to join the Board of Directors of the Ethnic Heritage Council, and I look forward to using my skills in Communications, PR, Marketing and Social Media to support this stellar and vital organization of our community.

Please visit the Ethnic Heritage Council website at http://www.ethnicheritagecouncil.org and get to know this fabulous organization dedicated to celebrating the ethnic diversity of our region.

Stay tuned to Musings for occasional updates on EHC events, such as the Ethnic Springfest on May 20, 2011 produced by Ethnic Heritage Council. As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them in this post, or email me.

*All photos credit: Jal Schrof*

Seattle Poetry Event: Rock Wilk's "Broke Wide Open" March 12, 2011

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 21:49:00 +0000

So here I am, putting these songs out into the universe for everyone to hear, and I hope that you feel them and enjoy them as much as I do.

Rock Wilk's

Broke Wide Open "Unplugged"

Seattle Premiere

March 12, 2011

8pm

Sandbox Studio*15 McGraw St*Seattle*98109

(Queen Anne Hill)

tix $10 at the door or pre-purchase at: http://www.brokewideopen.com/home.html

About Broke Wide Open

Broke Wide Open was born from one man's quest to search for answers to his identity. Luckily for us, this man is Rock Wilk; a beautiful soul, a skilled poet and musician. Initially produced as a musical journey in form of an album, the one-man play was created while riding on the NYC subway system and explored issues of identity stemming from his personal history as an adopted child. A man who grew up with great admiration of, and love for, his adoptive mother, and a mystery for his biological mother.

I tried to reveal myself, to strip down naked and open my personal window, to let you see who I am, in hopes that you might allow me into your world, briefly, one song at a time.

About Rock Wilk

An actor, a playwright and a poet, New York City's own Rock WILK is also a socially and politically charged vocalist and an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. He creates all of this art while riding the subways of NYC. Along with being a Nuyorican Poet's semifinalist and 2010 runoffs qualifier for The Nuyorican's national team, Rock also was recently a featured performer for Amnesty International at an event for human rights.

My father and my grandmother were both great storytellers. Just sitting around after a meal with them was a gift. You would hear the most amazing stories. They both had this ability to make you hang on every word, to make you laugh until you cried.

He has worked as a studio and touring background vocalist for many years, most recently singing with the legendary Patti LaBelle and contributing vocal and horn arrangements to the Grammy Award winning Les Paul compilation album, LES PAUL AND FRIENDS.
Rock's music can also be heard on such TV shows as MTV's "The Real World" and "Making The Band", among others.

There were many times I didn’t think I was going to be able to complete this project, that it was just too difficult to get through, because I was digging so deep inside of myself.

Got WILK?

Seattle Poetry Event: Sonya Renee Taylor & A Little Truth on Your Shirt

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:27:00 +0000

Condor Book Tours presents:

Award-Winning Performance Poet & Social Activist

Sonya Renee Taylor

to Visit Seattle in Honor of Women's History Month

Seattle Poetry SLAM * Seattle Central Community College Women in Society * Elliot Bay Book Company

March 1 & 2

Sonya Renee Taylor, easily one of the most distinguished, accomplished, and recognizable women in the world of Performance Poetry, will be performing in several events in the Seattle area on Tuesday, March 1^st and Wednesday, March 2^nd.

Sonya Renee Taylor will kick off her Seattle tour as featured poet at Seattle Poetry SLAM Tuesday, March 1, 2011 from 8:30pm-10pm at the Rebar.

On Wednesday March 2^nd, Sonya Renee will be the guest lecturer at Seattle Central Community College’s Women in Society Lecture Series. This is a free event and open to the public, and is scheduled in conjunction with the 3^rd annual Free Women’s Health Fair at SCCC. Sonya Renee’s presentation will take place in BE-1110 from 12:00-1:50pm. The health fair runs from 9am to 2pm.

On Wednesday evening, Sonya Renee will give a reading of her poetry book, A Little Truth on Your Shirt (Girlchild Press, 2010) at Elliot Bay Book Company. The reading will take place from 5pm-6pm followed by a book-signing event.

About Sonya Renee Taylor

After a meteoric rise to super-stardom in Spoken Word in 2004, Sonya has redefined the role and impact of women in performance poetry. Her recently released debut poetry book, A Little Truth on Your Shirt (GirlChild Press, 2010), incorporates a few of her performance pieces with new poems written for the page, with the same commitment to her roots as a humanitarian and social justice activist.

Sonya’s poetry has been translated into multiple languages, used as curriculum in universities across the country and abroad, and as a tool for community and national action for organizations such as the Black AIDS Institute, HIV Campus Education, and Gloria Steinem’s reproductive rights organization, Choice USA.

Sonya Renee has also seen commercial success with appearances on HBO, Oxygen Network, BET, CNN, and MTV. To learn more about Sonya Renee, please visit her online EPK.

Check out Sonya performing Still Life, one of my favorite of Sonya's poems:

Please support our local indie book stores--come out to the Elliot Bay reading on Wed March 2nd 5pm!!!

eSe Teatro: Seattle Latinos Take Stage, and The Central Heating Lab at ACT present "Passport"

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:50:00 +0000

Saturday February 26 and Saturday March 5th

eSe Teatro: Seattle Latinos Take Stage

present Gustavo Ott's "Passport"

One Play, Two Languages, Four Actors. No Theater Ensemble Has Ever Attempted a Bilingual Presentation Like This.

eSe Teatro and The Central Heating Lab: on the Cutting Edge.

eSe Teatro: Seattle Latinos Take Stage, and The Central Heating Lab at ACT present a staged reading of Venezuelan Playwright Gustavo Ott’s dramatic piece entitled, Passport.

Translated by Heather L McKay, directed by Arlene Martinez-Vickers, Passport will be performed bilingually (Spanish/English).

In this staged reading performed in Spanish/English, Eugene finds himself falsely imprisoned in a foreign country, surrounded by a language he can’t understand. His search for answers becomes a desperate journey to comprehend beyond language and cultural barriers.

En un país extraño con un idioma que él no entiende, un simple malentendido lleva a la detención de Eugenio. Una búsqueda por respuestas se convierte en un intento desesperado de comprender, a pesar de las barreras de idioma y cultural.

The cast includes: Erwin Galan, Michael Blum, Gerald Alejandro Ford and Meg Savlov.

Gustavo Ott, playwright, screenwriter, novelist and director has received many international awards.

Passport responds to eSe Teatro’s mission to present contemporary pieces that represent the Latino experience to Seattle audiences, in English and/or Spanish.

Saturday, February 26 7:30pm at A Contemporary Theater (ACT)

Admission $5.00
7th Ave & Union St in Downtown Seattle.

In conjunction with The Central Heating Lab at ACT

Pre-purchase Tickets

Saturday, March 5, 2pm at Burien Little Theatre followed by a panel discussion on immigration,

Admission $5.00

437 Southwest 144th Street Burien, WA

hosted by Latinos for Community Transformation.

eSe Teatro’s mission is to empower local Latino artists to generate, produce, present, and promote Latino theater, including bilingual, Spanglish and Spanish-speaking theater.” “eSe Teatro” is a collective of professionally trained local Latino theatre artists actively providing a creative home for Latino Artists to explore their craft.

For more information / Para más información: www.eseteatro.org or by email

Upcoming Poetry Event--Seattle

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:55:00 +0000

Photographic Letters: An afternoon of poetry.

A reading of new work by author Eugenia Toledo.

Seattle Public Library, Downtown.

Saturday - January 15^th, 2011

2 pm – 4 pm

Level 4, Room 2

Over the past two years, Eugenia Toledo has been working on a poetic project titled "Photographic Letters." Her poems have been inspired and based upon the theme of: The Life of Latino People in the Northwest. This project follows the photographic work of the documentary photographer Hugo Ludeña.

During the creation of this work, Toledo has applied the poetic process called "Ekphrastic Poetry." An Ekphrastic process begins with inspiration from another piece of artwork. In “Photographic Letters” the poems are written response to the images.

The project has been supported by 2010 City Artist Project program from the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.

Eugenia Toledo, a native from Temuco – Chile, has a Ph.D. in Latin American and Spanish Literature from the University of Washington. Most of her work is a result of research and collective experience.

She has an unpublished book called Map Traces, and two published books of poetry called Arquitectura de Ausencias (Architecture of Absences) and Tiempo de metales y volcanes (Time of Metals and Volcanoes).

This presentation at the Seattle Public Library will be a bilingual reading with the assistance of translators Susan Sola and Anne Greeott.

Read some of Eugenia Toledo's poetry in Spanish or English

For more information about the event, please visit: www.eugeniatoledo.com

This project supported by the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs thru:

2010 CityArtist Project

Eugenia Toledo

Cyber Monday Book Buying Event: Buy Books Win Big!!

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:24:00 +0000

LATINO BUSINESSES COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT LATINO AUTHORS IN BOOK BUYING EVENT

On Cyber Monday November 29^th Latino artists and businesses are coming together to encourage shoppers to buy books from Latino authors as gifts for the holidays.

Nilki Benitez Communications (NBComm) is hosting a one-day book-buying event at their book publicity service website Condor Book Tours (http://condorbooktours.com)

Partnering with Latino owned and operated businesses such as graphic designer Rafael Esquer’s http://alfalfa-seeds.com and Kathy Cano-Murillo’s http://CraftyChica.com, NBComm will offer incentives for shoppers to buy a minimum of two (2) books from Latino authors.

Shoppers who purchase at least two (2) books from Condor Book Tours’ Amazon affiliate store Condor Books http://condorbooktours.com/index.php?pr=BookStore and send a proof of purchase via email to info@condorbooktours.com will be entered to win an autographed copy of Pulitzer-Prize winning author Oscar Hijuelo’s latest novel, Beautiful Maria of My Soul.

In addition to the grandprize, the first 5 shoppers to send a proof of purchase of a minimum of two (2) books will win a CD from the Afro-Cuban Miami-based band, Palo! The first 10 shoppers will receive gifts from CraftyChica.com and the first 25 shoppers will receive 40% discount coupons to alfalfa-seeds.com. There will also be random gift giveaways to shoppers with qualifying purchases.

In order to qualify for prizes and giveaways, shoppers must be residents of the United States, must have purchased a minimum of 2 books through Condor Book Tours’ Amazon store, Condor Books, and purchases must be made between 12am and 11:59pm Pacific time November 29^th.

Condor Books is an Amazon affiliate store. All commissions earned through sales made through Condor Books year-round are donated annually to an organization supporting Literacy in the Americas.

Check out more details for this awesome event by visiting:
http://condorbooktours.com/index.php?pr=Holiday_Book_Event

Here's the link to buy books on Cyber Monday:
http://condorbooktours.com/index.php?pr=BookStore

Hope to see you there!!

NBComm is a consulting business specializing in publicity, new media, and written content for artists and authors.

Reading of Joyce Carol Oates' I Stand Before You Naked to benefit Safe Horizon

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 00:19:00 +0000

photo credit chrisfelver.com

On Sunday November 28th, John Jay College in New York City will host a special reading of Joyce Carol Oates' I Stand Before You Naked to raise funds for the nonprofit organization Safe Horizons.

Safe Horizons is the largest victims’ services agency in the United States, with more than 60 locations serving more than 250,000 children, adults, and families affected by crime and abuse throughout New York City each year. Safe Horizon provides support to victims of domestic violence, child abuse, human trafficking, rape and sexual assault, homeless youth and families of homicide victims.

About the Event (from Safe Horizons):

Spend an evening with award-winning author Joyce Carol Oates for a special reading of I Stand Before You Naked, to benefit Safe Horizon, at the Gerald Lynch Theater at John Jay College in New York City on Sunday, November 28th.

I Stand Before You Naked explores the lives of "women oppressed by their husbands, their lovers, and themselves – a searing look at misplaced love, infidelity, prostitution, and the primal desire to be loved."

The reading, directed by Bill Connington, stars Tony-nominated actress Stephanie D’Abruzzo (Avenue Q, It Must Be Him). Joyce Carol Oates will join faculty experts from John Jay College in a free panel discussion on the oppression of women at 5:30 to 6:30.

Tickets for the I Stand Before You Naked performance are $20 to $30 and post-show reception tickets are available for $35. All proceeds will benefit Safe Horizon.

Purchase I Stand Before You Naked tickets today!
By Phone: 212.352.3101
Online: Go to https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/789025

Venue: The Gerald Lynch Theater, John Jay College of Criminal Justice - City University of New York, 899 10th Avenue (between 58th and 59th Streets), New York, NY.

Born in the USA: Writing Contest Submission Alert for Writers in WA, OR, ID, & MT

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:48:00 +0000

photo credit culture mob

Seattle's Richard Hugo House is a thriving center for literary arts that supports the creation of new works.

Their mission is to provide writers with resources, and to "connect audiences with the world of writing, foster the creation of new work and promote the literary arts as a vital part of our culture."

As part of their Hugo Literary Series, a program devoted entirely to commissioned new works, the Hugo House is currently accepting previously unpublished poems, short stories, personal essays or plays for their New Works Competition.

About the New Works competition from Richard Hugo House:

As part of the Hugo Literary Series, Richard Hugo House seeks previously unpublished poems, short stories, personal essays or plays, of no more than 1500 words.

The theme is Born in the U.S.A., and the winner will receive $500, publication in City Arts Magazine and an invitation to read at the final Hugo Literary Series event on March 18, 2011 alongside authors Alan Chong Lau, Victor LaValle and Debra Magpie Earling.

Entries must be received by January 10, 2011.

The theme: All manuscripts must reflect the theme, Born in the U.S.A., using the prompt below as a jumping point:

Since the birth of our nation, we’ve grappled with the uncomfortable question of who gets to be American and why. My ancestors came over on the Mayflower; yours made the “middle passage” on a slave ship. Your grandparents were interned in a prison camp during WWII; you serve in the U.S. Army today. My older sister can be deported because she was born before our parents crossed the border, but I’m a citizen because I was born here. Our declaration says all men are created equal; our pledge to the flag says we are one nation, indivisible—so why do so many of us still hyphenate our nationality? Whether you were born in Sarah Palin’s “real America,” The Daily Show’s “fake America” or somewhere in between, what does being American mean to you?

Submission Format: Five copies of the manuscript typed, double-spaced, pages numbered, in 12-point standard font. No name of author on entries; include cover page with name, address, phone, email, entry titles and genres. One cover page is sufficient for the five copies of your entry. SASE #10 for notification and SASE with sufficient postage if you would like manuscript returned.

Entry restrictions: The New Works Competitions are only open to residents of Washington state, Oregon, Idaho or Montana.

Entry fee: $10.00.
Submissions may be sent to Richard Hugo House, c/o New Works Competition, 1634 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122.

*********
Even if you don't enter the contest, this is a great writing prompt. Let me know if you decide to use Born in the USA as a prompt. I wrote a poem inspired by the facebook group Poets Responding to SB1070 that I'm thinking of polishing into shape to submit...what will you submit?

Now Accepting Submissions Alert: (and this one's for a great cause!)

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:29:00 +0000

The anthology A Bowl of Bread: Poetry of Community is currently accepting submissions, deadline November 30, 2010.

Clare House of Hospitality. Bloomington, Illinois

(photo credit: Shae Davidson)

A Bowl of Bread: Poetry of Community will explore the ideas of community and hospitality, tracing the ways in which sharing and shared experience draw us out of ourselves and build a deeper, more nuanced society.

Proceeds from A Bowl of Bread will benefit Clare House of Hospitality, a central Illinois Catholic Worker house that offers a food pantry and soup kitchen and works to strengthen community life by encouraging service and nurturing radical openness.

Clare House is currently seeking submissions from a broad range of contributors, including new poets and established authors as well as voices from central Illinois and people from farther afield. The range of perspectives will help create a richer picture of the anthology's central theme.

Anyone interested in contributing should send up to three poems, roughly ten to fifty lines each, along with a biography of up to twenty words.

Please send submissions in the body of an email (no attachments!) before 30 November 2010 to:

bowlofbreadATpeacemailDOTcom
or
shae.davidsonATgmailDOTcom

To learn more about A Bowl of Bread: Poetry of Community, check out our Q&A with Shae Davidson, Project Director:

Shae, how did this project develop?

The idea for the project first started to take shape while I was reading Poets for Peace, the anthology edited by Timothy Crowley. Inspired by the work of Buddhist monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh, Crowley had started working with members of the North Carolina Writers' Network to create a collection of "poems for peace," but the project took on broader meaning after the 9/11 attacks. Crowley's collection really made me think of the connection between local social action, community, and creation.

What is your involvement in the project?

I'll be directing the project. My doctoral work in history explored the way shared ideals and notions of community play out in daily life, and helped me put the core idea for the project together. I've published a few collections of poetry and have served as an editor with tinywords. Over the past two years I have been very active in food justice programs in central Illinois, including efforts to make farmers' markets more accessible to lower-income families and finding ways to get more fresh, locally-produced food into emergency food programs. Prior to that, I served as a member of the Creative Synthesis Collaborative, a think that focused on the connection between creativity and community.

Where will the anthology be distributed?

Most of the special events related to the anthology will be held in central Illinois, and the book will be available in stores in the area. You will also be able to find A Bowl of Bread at Amazon.com, and we're hoping that we can make it available through other Catholic Worker communities.

What do you hope this project accomplishes?

Clare House is well known in central Illinois, and residents have been very generous over the years that the house has been open. Hopefully, the anthology helps people think beyond the basic image of a soup kitchen or pantry, though, and leads readers to consider the many ways that the cycle of connection, generosity, and gratitude play out in the community and in their own lives.

*********

If you belong to an organization, such as a Catholic Worker community, like Shae mentions, please contact Shae Davidson to see how you and your organization or group can help distribute the Bowl of Bread anthology so that it can be accessible to a broader audience.

Bags of food ready for distribution to community at Clare House of Hospitality

(photo credit: Shae Davidson)

Free Upcoming Event for Latina Writers!

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 22:15:00 +0000

Thanks to editor extraordinaire Marcela Landres for alerting me to this fascinating author panel and event taking place at the Newark Public Library on November 6, 2010 from 2-4pm featuring women writers, editors, and playwrights of Latin American heritage coming together to debate the benefits and pitfalls of being known as a 'Latina author'.

Admission is free. No registration is required.

The Ups and Downs of Being a Latina Writer

WHAT: An author panel, Coloring Outside the Identity Lines: The Upside and Downside of Being a Latina Writer. Admission is free. No registration is required.

WHEN: November 6, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Newark Public Library, 5 Washington Street, Newark, NJ

WHO: Marcela Landres, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, Michele Carlo, Raquel
Ortiz, Linda Nieves-Powell, Caridad Pineiro, and Dahlma Llanos
Figueroa. Moderated by: Liz Llorente

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit
http://www.npl.org/Pages/ProgramsExhibits/Exhibits/hhm10.html (then scroll way down)

And while you're there, check out all the other fantastic programs the Newark Public Library is offering to the Latino community! I think they each deserve a post of their own!

Panel Discussion and Presentation of Hispanic New York: A Source Book

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:22:00 +0000

The Hispanic New York Project (hosted by Columbia University's Center for American Studies) is proud to present the publication of Hispanic New York: A Sourcebook (Columbia University Press, 2010) edited by Claudio Iván Remeseira with the following event:

HISPANIC NEW YORK AND THE LATINOIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES

Panel Discussion & Presentation of

Hispanic New York: A Sourcebook

(Columbia University Press, 2010)

with:

Paul Berman

Gabriel Haslip-Viera

Milagros Ricourt

Frances Negrón-Muntaner

Virginia Sánchez Korrol

Claudio Iván Remeseira (editor)

Moderated by RAY SUAREZ

SEPTEMBER 15, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 pm

At Columbia University's Davis Auditorium

Morris A. Schapiro Center

530 West 120^th Street

(between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue)

For directions, click here

FREE ACCESS – SEATS ARE LIMITED - FIRST COME FIRST SERVED
In order to ensure a seat, we suggest arriving 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the event

A Reception Will Follow

Co-sponsored by Columbia University's

Center for American Studies

and the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race and by The New-York Historical Society

**************************************************************************

Hispanic New York: A Sourcebook
Edited by Claudio Iván Remeseira (576 pages) paper copies ISBN 978-0-231-14819-1 regular price $29.95

Order it at Columbia University Press and enter code HIS 20 for 20% off discount

Cloth copies ISBN 978-0-231-14818-4 regular price $89.50, $71.60 after discount. Regular shipping and handling costs apply.

About:

The Hispanic New York Project is hosted by Columbia University's Center for American Studies, whose director is the noted literary critic and scholar Andrew Delbanco. The main goals of HNYP are to promote the Latino and Latin American cultural heritage of New York City and to serve as a venue for communication and collaboration among writers, artists and intellectuals.

The HNYP is directed by writer and journalist Claudio Iván Remeseira

HNYP To learn more about The Hispanic New York Project, please visit http://hispanicnewyorkproject.blogspot.com

From Uphook Press: Hell Strung and Crooked

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:12:00 +0000

Our friends at Uphook Press celebrate the release of their 2nd anthology:

hell strung and crooked

Poetry taken to the edge and back round again

Featuring forty-one poets, hell strung and crooked also includes interviews with National Book Award winner Mark Doty, and the Danish writer-performer Claus Ankersen.

Lenore Balliro, Samantha Barrow, Paul M. L. Belanger, Alex O. Bleecker, Meredith Devney, Malaika Favorite, Joseph Fritsch, Christian Georgescu, Robert Gibbons, Thomas Gibney, Deborah Hauser, Suzanne Heagy, Aimee Herman, R. Nemo Hill, Vicki Iorio, Kit Kennedy, Stephen Kopel, David Lawton, Richard Loranger, E. K. Mortenson, Nancy Carol Moody, Puma Perl, John Marcus Powell, Bob Quatrone, Seraphime Rhyianir, Lynn Samsel, Jackie Sheeler, Mary McLaughlin Slechta, Elliot D. Smith, Laura L. Snyder, Francesca Sphynx, Gregory Vincent St. Thomasino, Charles F. Thielman, Andrew Topel, John J. Trause, Geoffrey Kagan Trenchard, Stephanie Valente, Jacob Victorine, Ocean Vuong, Bruce Weber, and Laura Madeline Wiseman.

hell struck and crooked

published September 1st 2010

ISBN: 978-0-9799792-2-4

144 pages

$15

Available from Amazon, at readings, and at The Brooklyn Book Festival on Sunday Sept 12th.

Upcoming September Events

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 8th 7pm

KGB Bar

85 East 4th St (between Bowery and 2nd Ave), New York City

Free

Featuring: R. Nemo Hill, Vicki Iorio, David Lawton, E. K. Mortenson, Puma Perl, John Marcus Powell, Jackie Sheeler, Elliott D. Smith, Ocean Vuong, Bruce Weber

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 21^st 6pm

The Cornelia Street Cafe

29 Cornelia Street (between Bleecker and W4th St), New York City

$7 entry includes one house drink

Featuring: Joseph Fritsch, Christian Georgescu, Robert Gibbons, Deborah Hauser, Bob Quatrone, Francesca Sphynx, Gregory Vincent St. Thomasino, John J. Trause, Geoffrey Kagan Trenchard, Stephanie Valente, Jacob Victorine

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 23^rd 7pm

ArtRage Gallery

505 Hawley Ave, Syracuse, NY

Free but donation requested for gallery

Featuring: Joseph Fritsch, Robert Gibbons, Mary McLaughlin Slechta

Plus open mic

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 24^th 7pm

the river's end bookstore

19 West Bridge Street, Oswego, NY

Free

Featuring: Joseph Fritsch, Robert Gibbons, Mary McLaughlin Slechta

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 12^th

The Brooklyn Book Festival on Sunday September 12th

Q&A with Poet Oscar Bermeo

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 03:37:00 +0000

"It took me a long time to figure out that any poem I write is political just based on who I am and my background."--Oscar Bermeo

"Bronx-raised, Ecuadorian-made" poet Oscar Bermeo is the author of four chapbooks Anywhere Avenue, Palimpest, Heaven Below and To the Break of Dawn.

He is the founding curator of the Acentos Bronx Poetry Showcase as well as a founder, curator and host of synonymUS, a multidisciplinary poetry series at the Nuyorican Poets Café.

Besides being a featured writer at various institutions such as The Loft Literary Center, La Peña Cultural Center, and the Studio Museum of Harlem, Bermeo has facilitated workshops at Rikers Island Penitentiary, the Bronx Academy of Letters, and Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice.

I'm forever grateful to Oscar Bermeo for sharing his thoughts with me and Musings' readers through the following Q&A which we conducted via electronic mail.

Thanks forever, Oscar!

*********
NB: Oscar, as a writer just beginning my own journey, I sometimes struggle with the question of what makes a poem good. Or maybe a better term would be work. What makes a poem work for you, personally?

OB: First off, I need a poem to accomplish its intent. If a poet sets out to write a sonnet, then it should be a sonnet. If a poet sets out to write a rant, it should be a rant. No filters, no explanations, no apologies  . The other thing I look/listen for is perspective. Is the poet an observer, a participant, unreliable narrator, omniscient authority, or does it shift perspectives? I read/hear some poems where the poet starts in a very declarative stance but when it comes time to actually say something important, the poet shifts to a soft world view. I don’t dig that. I like poems where the poet claims a position and writes from that perspective. It gives me a better sense of the poet as actually involved and living in the real world and not just writing for writing's sake.

On another level, I want a poem to wow me with its craft and art. I want the poem to take me to unexpected places, subtly modulate tones, physically move me through the poet’s world, and I want it to do it without me noticing its happening. I love poems where I know where the “turn” happens but as I experience the poem I get caught up in the language and emotion and miss the “turn.” That’s the real craft.

NB: Was there an experience that helped you gain confidence in your poetry or in yourself as a poet that you can recall, or did it just happen slowly over time? 

OB: It happened over time and it happened really slowly. I started out as an open mic poet and started off with a string of readings where I was trying to find my voice and writing style. It was definitely a process and the only encouragement I received came from Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, the curator/host of the a little bit louder reading series at Bar13 in New York. Guy kept giving me spots in the open mic, even when I showed up late after the sign up, and I kept at it. Over time, as the series grew, it’s now known as The louderARTS Project, I grew as well and over time found my voice as a reader and my style as a writer.

NB: How do you know when a poem is done? 

OB: Two things have to happen before I can consider a poem as close to done as possible:

The first thing is that I need to read the poem out loud, preferably at a live reading with an audience, so I can feel how the poem moves through my body, how it interacts with the real world, what kind of feedback I’m getting from the recitation. I’ve never written just for the page, I always write to share so the act of reading is key in the revision process.  

The second thing is I try to put the poem in print. I submit it for publication or I include it in one of my chapbooks. I think of my poems in a very analog kind of way, each poem needs to build from the last poem and then lend momentum to the poem ahead of it, almost like a mixtape. In the same way I don’t write only for the page, I also don’t write just for the stage; I look for a balance between the two, a place where the poems can exist in both worlds without losing any integrity in either.

NB: Do you have a network of poets or other trusted sources that you share your work with for feedback, or is it a purely solo experience for you?

OB:  My most trusted source is my wife, Barbara Jane Reyes. She is the first listener/reader for all my work. It really isn’t a poem for me until Barb has heard it. At first, she used to give me some real key pointers about crisp language and consistency but after a while I realized that I already knew the flaws in the poem even as Barb was articulating them. That pushed me to be a harder editor of my own work and polish the poem to a real fine degree before sharing it.   I’ve always been lucky in that I’ve surrounded myself with very honest poets who weren’t afraid to tell me hard things about my poems. In return, I try to honor that honesty by taking their advice to heart and putting it into action, or letting the person know why I won’t follow that piece of advice. Either way, I thank the person for reading the work and knowing that I do value their opinion.

NB: How do you start a poem: are you inspired by language, themes that come to you mysteriously, or do you set out to talk about something a little more purposefully? 

OB: I’ve spent the last four years developing a manuscript, Anywhere Avenue, a poetry collection based around the misperceptions of the 70's era South Bronx, the home of hip-hop.

I’ve immersed myself with as much poetry, literature, film and art about the BX as possible so that I can continue adding to my manuscript. I’m always thinking about poems to include in the manuscript—new forms, experimental literature, flash fiction, everything. I keep mining my memories and asking old friends about their recollections all the time. My focus is pretty sharp so even when it feels like it may be “mysterious,” it’s really a product of persistence.

NB:   What is your opinion on MFAs for aspiring poets? 

OB: I think anything that helps a poet continue in their development is a good thing. For some poets, that might mean working more on their recitation so they may want to stay involved in live readings. For some other poets, it involves getting a more hands on approach with their mechanics. If that’s the case, then a MFA sounds like the right move. Or they could apply for Squaw Valley Writers Workshop, maybe VONA, Cave Canem or CantoMundo. There are a lot of options out there. The question to MFA or not MFA turns poetry into a very small house with only a few little rooms, poets need to step out of that mindset and take serious control over their futures. If a poet has laid out all his/her options and decided MFA is the best route, more power to them. If they decided the best option means another way, then that’s cool, too. As long as poets continue developing their own craft, that’s all that counts.

NB: What is the most exciting thing (in your opinion) happening right now in Poetry? 

OB: Poetry is always exciting. Seriously. There’s nothing new under the sun. People get all worked up about the internet, social media, and e-publishing but its all just the penny press all over again. Sure, it may be a little faster and it’s definitely more convenient for armchair poets but I think it detracts from the fact that poetry is always reinventing itself and creating exciting moments all the time.

NB: Who are some of these poets creating these exciting moments in poetry today?

OB:  Barbara Jane Reyes. Her new book Diwata is just out from BOA Editions and it is amazing. I’ve seen this book evolve from idea to group of poems to full collection and now fully realize the volume of work and dedication it takes to create a book that honors the traditions of orature and literature to the highest level.

Tara Betts, an old friend from my early open mic days. Her first collection Arc & Hue has recently come out and has been quite the inspiration. The poetry is finely crafted and the political voice urgent. I also remember when Tara was envisioning this book and her determination in getting it published. I appreciate that kind of poetic gangster.

John Oliver Simon, an accomplished poet and translator who has been a part of the Bay Area poetry community for years. He also teaches bilingual poetry to elementary school students and I’m in awe of his ability to draw out quality poems from youngsters. It’s been an honor to witness his skills in the classroom.

NB: Oscar, what do you know now that you wish you had known about poetry when you first started this journey?

OB: The realization that I don’t have to insert overt political statements into my poetry in order to make it “political.” My early poems centered on culture, food and love. Whenever I read them, I always felt I was not being political enough. It took me a long time to figure out that any poem I write is political just based on who I am and my background.

NB: Thank you so much for your generosity, Oscar .

OB: Thanks for all these questions, Nilki, it really got me thinking deeper about my own process.  

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Make sure you check out Oscar's online poetic journal Intuitive Intertextuality, where you can stay updated on all his current projects.

Oscar's also a proponent of gift economy. Check out his chapbooks here and if you have a killer cd, book or other item in your media library that you'd like to trade, give him a holler here.

Q&A with Filmmaker Frances Negrón-Muntaner

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:29:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to share with you this Q&A with award-winning filmmaker and author Frances Negrón-Muntaner, which, due to her incredibly busy schedule, has been a long-time coming. I am eternally grateful to you, Frances, for having scraped the few spare moments you had together in order to answer these questions!

From Negrón-Muntaner's website:

Frances Negrón-Muntaner is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and scholar. Born in Puerto Rico to a family of academics, Negrón-Muntaner’s work spans several fields, including cinema, literature, cultural criticism, and politics. Her education anticipates these various interests: She obtained a Bachelor’s in sociology at the University of Puerto Rico (1986), then a Masters in film and anthropology at Temple University, Philadelphia (1991, 1994), and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Rutgers University, New Brunswick (2000). For her work as a scholar and filmmaker, Negrón-Muntaner has received Ford, Truman, Scripps Howard, Rockefeller, and Pew fellowships. Major foundations and public television funding sources have also supported her work.

Since the late 1980s, Negrón-Muntaner’s work has been considered an important resource in addressing sexuality, colonialism, nationalism, and migration in Puerto Rican/Latino diasporic communities. In 1994, she released the award-winning film Brincando el charco: Portrait of a Puerto Rican (1995 Whitney Biennial, Audience Award at the 1995 San Juan CinemaFest and a Merit Selection at the 1995 Latin American Studies Association Film Festival), the first Puerto Rican film to examine issues of race, gender and homophobia in the context of migration. Three years later, Negrón-Muntaner co-edited the groundbreaking Puerto Rican Jam: Rethinking Colonialism and Nationalism, a collection that questioned the accepted formula that nationalism was the cure of colonialism. During the same year, she wrote the first draft of what was to become “The Radical Statehood Manifesto,” a political intervention that sought to challenge conventional ideas of sovereignty in the Caribbean. In 2004, Negrón-Muntaner published Boricua Pop: Puerto Ricans and the Latinization of American Culture (CHOICE Award 2004), a collection of essays that included “Jennifer’s Butt,” a landmark text for the discussion of contemporary U.S. popular culture.

Negrón-Muntaner has also contributed to the founding of programs and institutions to disseminate the work of Latino filmmakers and intellectuals. She is the founder of Miami Light Project's Filmmakers Workshop, the organizer/fundraiser of several conferences on Puerto Rican/Latino affairs, and a founding board member and former chair of NALIP, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers.

During her three-year tenure as NALIP's board chair, Negrón-Muntaner actively participated in the creation of the organization’s signature programs (the annual conference, Latino Producers Academy, and Latino Writers Lab). She has also been part of the leadership responsible for the organization’s transformation from a startup operation with a few hundred members in 1999 into the country’s most important Latino producer organization, with over a thousand members and a $1 million budget. For her work as a filmmaker, advocate, and scholar, she was named as one of the nation’s "100 Most influential Latinos" by Hispanic Business in 2005.

Negrón-Muntaner currently teaches at Columbia University's Department of English and Comparative Literature and at the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race. She divides her time between Miami and New York City.

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NB: What are the different approaches you take to write your prose, poetry and narrative work? Do you step into a different persona for each, do they reflect different parts of your personality? Do you have different writing habits for each?

FN-M: Yes, I think different media touch different parts of me. My most successful poetry and prose are concerned with what we can call the insides of me. My essays and films, however, tend to be about broader social themes. Over time, I have also developed different rhythms. When I started writing, for instance, I would write poetry every day and occasionally write essays. Now I write essays almost every day and poetry on occasion.

NB: How do you know when your poetry is ready to go out into the world? Do you rely on critiques? If so, do you rely on the same set of eyes/ears, or do your reviewers change from work to work?

FN-M: First I read the poem out loud. If it stirs me in an interesting way, I have my partner read it. I consider her a great reader because she can actually pinpoint when the poem lost her. So, I focus on what made her stop reading and I go back to that place in the text. Once I have another version I ask my partner to read it again. She then usually says that the text is perfect but I don't always believe her!

In time, I realized that this was the case because when I ask others to read my work, I am not asking for approval. Rather, I am hoping to discover new ways to tackle my own insatisfaction.

NB: What is your process for working with an editor? Is it a close relationship? Is it the same for writing and film-making?

FN-M: In contrast to almost everyone I know, I like to work closely with tough print editors that literally mess with my work. For example, it is helpful to me when an editor changes a word or a paragraph even if I end up returning to my initial phrasing. This unsettling allows me to read the text with fresh eyes and at times makes me a more articulate defender of my choices. But finding these editors is extremely hard as many people increasingly feel that writing does not require that kind of dialogue.

My relationship with film editors can be more combative. With film I immediately know how I feel about a sequence and why it may not be working. At that point, it doesn't really matter what editors say! Although, at the end, the final film is almost always the result of a much closer collaboration than when I work on a book.

NB: Do you ever listen to your gut and ignore editorial suggestions?
FN-M: All the time. When writing in English, sometimes an editor will tell me that a turn of phrase is not written in the English language. Similarly, a Spanish-language editor will correct a word saying it's not proper Spanish. I sometimes ignore this.

NB: How is the process of film-making different or similar to writing? Does it have elements of each, poetry, prose and narrative? Or is it a beast all it's own?

FN-M: Writing is like fighting demons on your own and filmmaking is like leading a battalion into war.

NB: Which language do you work most comfortably in? English or Spanish? How do you determine which language you will work in?

FN-M: Context, circumstances, and desire; it all depends on who is asking and whom I would like to address.

NB: What are your thoughts on rejections, negative feedback? How do you handle it?

I was asked this once before and I had answered: "When I receive any harsh critique I am like a village hit by a hurricane: Devastation, reconstruction and renewal." Now I do not really see criticism as devastating. It is more of an opportunity to think otherwise.

NB: Looking back, what do you think was the biggest mistake you made when you were starting out as a writer?

FN-M: To believe that writing is about my self-expression. It's really about enabling others.

NB: What words of advice do you wish you had received when you were first starting out?

Fn-M: To see differently is more important than to write perfectly. Although I don't think that I would have listened.

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U.S. Poets in Mexico: Nurturing Creativity & Collaboration

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:53:00 +0000

Through the fabulosity of Facebook (yes, I'm a true believer of it's powers to connect!) I've come across a great organization I want to share with you.

U.S. Poets in Mexico brings American and Mexican poets together to collaborate, work to strengthen their own writing, to expand public audiences for poetry from both nations and to further literary cultural awareness between Mexico and the United States.

USPiM brings a faculty of 4 to 5 poets to Mexico to conduct workshops and give free public readings alongside established and emerging Mexican poets. 5 scholarships are awarded each year to poets in each state in Mexico where the workshops are held. Although workshops are primarily conducted in English, at least two bilingual faculty members attend each workshop and featured Mexican poets conduct bi-lingual workshops. The readings are in both languages, and what's really special is that USPiM also features poetry in indigenous languages with Spanish and English Translation-check out featured Mayan poet Feliciano Sánchez Chan here (in Spanish)

USPiM sponsors residencies in Mexico where American and Mexican poets can spend 2-4 weeks residing in Mexico and creating new work.

USPiM also publishes Pyramid, a journal of poetry from current participants.

Check out their upcoming workshops and activities in Tulum, Mexico on January 2-9, 2011 here

**What a Dream!!!**

**Poets: apply for the Merida Fellowship Award & Workshops by October 15, 2010 here **

Sheila Lanham, the founder of US Poets in Mexico, recently had this to share with me about why she started USPiM, and what her vision is for the future (Thank you Sheila!):

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Hi Nilki, I have returned from Coatepec/Xalapa. Your blog is super!

I started U.S. Poets in Mexico for several reasons. The first, in response to another workshop program I had participated in (how would I do it differently) and secondly, out of shame-that I had been visiting Mexico since 1978 and knew so little about Mexico’s poets or poetry!

USPiM was developed with a focus on a few areas: to provide encouraging workshops for new work, and to introduce Mexican and American poets in order to encourage collaborations and translations. I decided that five yearly full-tuition scholarships for local poets/writers in Mexico would help integrate the program with local literary communities. Day trips to archaeological or ecological sites or to local cultural venues were added so participants and faculty develop a sense of place. USPiM features a reading by one indigenous language poet each year.

Now in our third year, I am working harder on finding funding for USPiM programs; garnering interest from college creative writing programs who might like to partner with us; finding non-profit publishers with whom to partner, increasing advertising and social networking in order to spread the word, etc.

Currently, we offer one week of workshops in January, featured readings by faculty and Mexican poets and lectures. We will be moving around to different colonial cities or beach locations within Mexico each year. At first I was going to only hold the workshops in colonial cities, but, hey, I love Mexico's beaches and why deny writers the opportunity to discover those as well!

Our upcoming workshops will be held on the beach in Tulum, January 2-9, 2010 featuring faculty and visiting poets Diane Wakoski, Jerome Rothenberg, Anselm Hollo, Jen Hofer, Mark Weiss, Susan Rich, Alberto Blanco, Luis Cortes Bargallo and Maya language poet, Feliciano Sanchez Chan.

We will make translation residencies available in Mexico each year and eventually a couple per year for a duration of one week to a month. Currently, I am selecting Residency and Translation Residency participants.

Through the Translation Residency program, Two Voices and One Vision (dos voces y una vision), we are producing a series of documentary films that will highlight the process of translation between Mexican and American poets. This program is still in the development stage. With the help of an educational consultant we hope to present the documentaries (and corresponding poetry translations) to schools in the U.S. where there is a large Mexican-heritage and ESL student body. The process of translation is a wonderful way to learn a new language. It requires working closely together, sharing and making a real effort to understand each other, pulling out the dictionary, exploring-all good things!

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To find out more about USPiM, visit their website

read their blog

and

Join USPiM's Facebook page

Condor Book Tour of Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Father Greg Boyle July 5-30

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:47:00 +0000

Condor Book Tours is proud to present Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion (Free Press) by Gregory Boyle.

There will be daily reviews and articles about the book throughout the month of July.

You can see the entire schedule at Condor Book Tours and stay posted to events by joining Condor's fanpage on Facebook.

BUY A BOOK and support a worthy cause!! All proceeds of book sales go to Homeboy Industries. Additionally, all commissions earned through sales of the book at Condor Books will be donated to Homeboy Industries' Homeboy Press which teaches publishing, writing and design skills and results in a biannual literary journal, The Homeboy Review.

Father Gregory Boyle, a Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries (the nation's largest gang prevention organization), has written a memoir based on his experiences throughout the last 20 years with the many young men and women who have made an effort to change their lives with the help of Homeboy Industries.

Father Gregory Boyle's memoir, Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion (Free Press) has been on the Los Angeles Times Best Seller List since it's release in May of 2010.

http://condorbooktours.comFrom the publisher:
Tattoos on the Heart is a breathtaking series of parables distilled from his twenty years in the barrio. Arranged by theme and filled with sparkling humor and glowing generosity, these essays offer a stirring look at how full our lives could be if we could find the joy in loving others and in being loved unconditionally. From giant, tattooed Cesar, shopping at JCPenney fresh out of prison, we learn how to feel worthy of God's love. From ten-year-old Lula we learn the importance of being known and acknowledged. From Pedro we understand the kind of patience necessary to rescue someone from the darkness. In each chapter we benefit from Boyle's wonderful, hard-earned wisdom. Inspired by faith but applicable to anyone trying to be good, these personal, unflinching stories are full of surprising revelations and observations of the community in which Boyle works and of the many lives he has helped save.

Listen to Father G's interview with NPR's Fresh Air host Terry Gross:

BUY A BOOK and support a worthy cause!! All proceeds of Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion book sales go directly to Homeboy Industries. Additionally, all commissions earned through sales of the book at Condor Books (a Amazon affiliate) will be donated to Homeboy Industries' Homeboy Press which teaches publishing, writing and design skills and results in a biannual literary journal, The Homeboy Review. You can also find the book at your local independent bookstore, if they don't carry it, ask them to!

Homeboy Industries, based out of Los Angeles, California is the nation's largest gang prevention organization. With it's motto of "Nothing Stops a Bullet Like a Job" and slogan of "Jobs not Jails", Homeboy provides job skills training and employment to at-risk, disadvantaged and formerly gang-involved individuals. Through their Work is Nobel (WIN) Program, young people are assigned to work in local businesses in which they express an interest Homies employed at Homeboy Industries currently work at the Homeboy Bakery and Homegirl Cafe and Catering, maintenance services, a merchandise store, a silkscreen and embroidery studio and a Press. Homeboy also offers services such as tattoo removal and counseling, as well as a wide range of educational programs that help clients strengthen their education, life skills, financial management and business skills while increasing their self-worth and gaining control over their lives.

To learn more about this organization, please visit their website: Homeboy Industries

Q&A with Editorial Consultant Marcela Landres

nbencomm@gmail.com (Nilki Benitez) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:30:00 +0000

Marcela Landres

Author of the e-book "How Editors Think: The Real Reason They Rejected You"

http://www.marcelalandres.com/E-book.html

When I became committed to my journey to publication, one of the first "book people" I heard about was Marcela Landres. As a former editor at Simon & Schuster, publisher of the award-winning ezine Latinidad, and through learning about her editing expertise first hand by reading her phenomenal ebook "How Editors Think: The Real Reason They Rejected You", Marcela quickly rose to the top of the ranks of people publishing whom I greatly admire.

When I found Landres on twitter, I was looking for an editor to assist me on the polishing of my middle grade novel that I had "finished". Through the wonderful thing which is social media, I reached out to Landres about editing my work. Although I was extremely disappointed to find out that Landres does not handle middle grade (she works with YA and up) I decided to ask her if she would consider answering some questions for Musings.

I have to admit, Marcela Landres was by far the most intimidating person I've reached out to so far in my work at Musings--and if you've been reading this blog for some time, you've undoubtedly seen that I've been lucky to have many incredibly talented and powerful people participate in interviews and guest posts in this blog. Why was approaching Marcela Landres so intimidating to me? I don't know yet...it's something I'll have to reflect upon. However, in reality, Marcela Landres was one of the most generous, kind, and open individuals I have interviewed for this blog, and I'm thrilled to share some of her insights into publishing, agents and editors with you now. I'll shortly be posting a review about her ebook, but until then, if you are serious about becoming a published writer, purchasing this book will be the best $10 investment you've made in your career (yes, even more so than that moleskine notebook).

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Q: Marcela, can you walk us through the publishing process for a writer?

A: Great question! It would take me hours to properly answer it, though. My best advice is to read The Shortest Distance Between You and a Published Book: Everything You Need to Know in the Order You Need to Know It by Susan Page. After reading it, you will have a realistic understanding of the publishing process. Every writer--even published authors--should read it.

Q: In your opinion, are writers at a disadvantage if they deal with publishers without the assistance of an agent?

A: Yes. There are several reasons why writers should have an agent, primarily because publishing companies can and do pay smaller advances to unagented authors than to authors who have agents. I can’t tell you exactly how much less money you’ll make without an agent, but I assure you it will be less than what you and your book is worth.

Q: What services can a writer can expect when working with an editor, and conversely what should raise red flags for a writer?

A: It depends. If you mean an editor at a publishing house, the kind of relationship you will have is often defined by the size of the publishing company and by the company’s expectation of how profitable your book will be.

At the larger houses, very few authors--the Dr. Phils and Stephenie Meyers of the world--are expected to be hugely profitable. Those authors are given the lion’s share of the publisher’s time, energy, and promotional budget. All other authors will receive, comparably speaking, a minimal amount of handling. In terms of the writing itself, expect your big house editor to invest a weekend of two of her time editing your manuscript; manuscripts that require more substantial editing are usually rejected.

At the smaller houses, every author is likely to receive much more time and energy than the average author is given at a larger house. The trade-off, however, is that the smaller houses have less money with which to promote your book. On the plus side, editors at smaller houses are more likely to work with you to properly edit your manuscript. Having said this, many talented writers whose sales are too modest for large houses are being snapped up by smaller houses. This is great for small house editors who have their pick of a larger pool of top-notch manuscripts; this is not so great for those of you whose manuscripts need more than a light polish to be ready for publication.

Alternatively, if you’re really asking what writers can expect from working with a freelance editor, the services are defined by the editor’s experience. There are a lot of freelance editors, but very few of them have worked in the book business, and even fewer have worked in the editorial department of a publishing company. A good editor should not only help you hone your writing craft, she or he should also offer concrete guidance on how to manage your writing career. Reputable freelance editors should have experience:

1. Working for a book publishing company, not a magazine or newspaper or their school’s literary journal.

2. As an acquisitions editor (as opposed to a managing editor, production editor, or any other kind of editor who has not actually acquired books).

3. Editing the kind of book you’re writing.
For example, if you write children’s books, the ideal editor would be someone who was an acquisitions editor at a publishing company that published children’s books, and/or has a track record of editing children’s book writers who have gone on to be published.

A freelance editor’s web site should clearly indicate his or her experience and areas of expertise. If not, proceed with caution.

Marcela Landres is the author of the e-book How Editors Think: The Real Reason They Rejected You, publishes the award-winning e-zine Latinidad, and is an Editorial Consultant who helps writers get published by editing their work and educating them on the business side of publishing. A member of the Women’s Media Group, she has acted as a judge for the PEN/Beyond Margins Award, and was formerly an editor with Simon & Schuster. For more information, visit http://www.marcelalandres.com/

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