This Week in Lit: Mother Monster, the Roads Not Traveled and Post-it Mania
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We have some events fighting for your attention this week...but don't worry, you can squeeze it all in! Just get creative--and get to these talks!
Elizabeth J. Colen at Elliott Bay Book Co.:
The author of Money for Sunsets is back with her part of the anthology, They Could No Longer Contain Themselves: A Collection of Five Flash Chapbooks. Elizabeth J. Colen is one of many contributors to a collection housing stories of love, loss, and fucked-up relationship dynamics (the usual gut-wrenching kind of things). Her piece, Dear Mother Monster, Dear Daughter Mistake, uses different points of view to paint a devastating bond between mother and child. Ruthless and blunt--perhaps not the most heart-warming of tales, but well-crafted and vivacious none the less.
Tuesday, 7 p.m. // Elliott Bay Book Co. // Free
David Guterson and Rikki Ducornet at Elliott Bay Book Co. (Co-presented with GRANTA):
Granta: Ten Years After examines the varied responses to September 11th--responses that came through fiction, memoir, poetry, art and photographs.
Included in print and/or online are pieces by Nicole Krauss, Elliott Woods, Nadia Shira Cohen (and of course others), along with local writers David Guterson, and Port Townsend writer Rikki Ducornet. Guterson's piece discusses his experience being stranded in NYC on 9/11 with Ducornet, and the epic tale of the impromptu cross-country trip that unfolded. An evening with both is not to be missed…seriously.
Wednesday, 7 p.m. // Elliott Bay Book Co. // Free
Jacqueline St. Joan at Ravenna Third Place Books:
My Sisters Made of Light is a novel focusing on three generations of a Pakistani family. It follows them through the chaos and turmoil of their political and social lives (in a country where unrest is common), and puts a voice to many of the "honor" crimes against the women in Pakistan. The story unfolds with Ujala--the heart of the novel, and the one whose strength and family history make up the bulk of the story. Not a light-hearted read, but an essential tool in bringing awareness to the struggles of women who are far away.
Wednesday, 7 p.m. // Ravenna Third Place Books // Free
James A. Reeves at Elliott Bay Book Co.:
Road trips. Greasy food, unpredictable wrong turns, and generally more than one encounter with a creepy, small town local. I love them! And in The Road to Somewhere: An American Memoir, James A. Reeves shows with his words and photographs, the complicated country he experienced while traveling.
Thursday, 7 p.m. // Elliott Bay Book Co. // Free
Post-it Note Project at Richard Hugo House:
Since you'll be in the neighborhood for James A. Reeves, you may as well swing by Richard Hugo House and embrace Post-it art. Yes, Post-it art! Artist (and creative writing teacher) Clare Johnson has been drawing a picture on a post-it everyday for years…recording her thoughts about that day, or a moment she wanted to remember. The collection is hefty now, and consists of over 1,000 drawings done by this fascinating lady--who you can meet! Richard Hugo House will host an opening night party in conjunction with the Blitz Art Walk (I hear something about drink specials…), and you'll even have the chance to decorate your own post-it. No grocery lists allowed!
Opening night party, Thursday, 5-8 p.m., exhibit runs 9/8-10/14 // Richard Hugo House // Free
