Here is the monthly news of books, art, classes, and more from The Grotto! May classes start this weekend and next, the Bookswap, and Laura's newest!
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WHAT'S UP WITH GROTTO CLASSES (VOTED BEST OF THE BAY AREA BY SAN FRANCISCO MAGAZINE) ...
Last chance to sign up for these evening classes - beginning next week!
The Pang in Your Heart: A Short Story Workshop with Elizabeth Bernstein (ebernstein@aol.com), 6 Tuesday evenings, May 4-June 8 ($385)
Strictly Workshop/All genres with Janis Cooke Newman (j-newman@comcast.net), 6 Wednesday evenings, May 5-June 9 ($365)
Get Published: A Non-Fiction Intensive with Ethan Watters (ethanw1@mindspring.com), 6 Thursday evenings, May 6-June 10 ($365)
Or, enroll in these weekend workshops STARTING TOMORROW:
The Art of Craft with Laura Fraser (laura@laurafraser.com), THIS Saturday, May 1 ($155)
All About Magazines with Laura Fraser (laura@laurafraser.com), Saturday, May 8 ($155)
Bringing the Reader Inside the Story with Rachel Howard (rachel.howard@gmail.com), Saturday, May 8 ($155)
Imitation Is the Highest Form of Artistry: A Workshop with Rachel Howard (rachel.howard@gmail.com), Saturday, May 15. ($155)
And, two one-day workshops just added for June:
How to Break Into Travel Writing: A Travel Writing/Photography Workshop with Janis Cooke Newman (j-newman@comcast.net) and Chris Hardy, Saturday, June 5 ($155, 10% discount if taken with How to Write Travel Essays and Features for Magazines)
How to Write Travel Essays and Features for Magazines with Laura Fraser (laura@laurafraser.com), Saturday, June 19 ($155, 10% discount if taken with How to Break Into Travel Writing)
To register for any of these classes, please email the instructor. For a more complete class description, visit http://www.sfgrotto.org.
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CHECK OUT CHRIS’ APRIL ARTICLES IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN AND HIS INTERVIEW ON KALW
Christopher Cook is working as communications director for Revenue for All, a coalition of San Francisco groups fighting for progressive taxation and against harmful budget cuts. Check out his Guardian op-ed, Revenue for All, and his in-depth piece on a major labor trial, An Inconvenient War. He was a guest on KALW radio: Love's Labors Lost: Crosscurrents Interview on SEIU (see link below). Chris is seeking agents for his road adventure memoir, Postcards for Jack Kerouac. You can reach him through http://www.christopherdcook.com.
Revenue for All is at http://www.sfbg.com/2010/04/06/revenue-all
An Inconvenient War is at http://www.sfbg.com/2010/04/13/inconvenient-war
The KALW interview is at http://kalwnews.org/audio/2010/04/14/christopher-cook-loves-labors-lost-between-seiu-and-roselli_301230.html
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LAURA FRASER'S NEW BOOK “ALL OVER THE MAP” DEBUTS JUNE 1ST, AND IS ALREADY RECEIVING RAVE REVIEWS
“All Over The Map makes you want to pack your bags, explore the world, mend your broken heart, and totally reclaim your life.” Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love and Committed
“Brave, honest, and compulsively readable. I truly laughed and cried.” Mary Roach, author of Stiff, Spook, and Bonk
“A winning coming-of-middle-age memoir.” Booklist
Please join Laura at one of these readings:
June 3rd, 7:30 PM, The Booksmith
June 5th, 4 PM, Book Passage (Corte Madera)
June 11th, 7 PM, Copperfields Books (Santa Rosa)
June 13th, 3 PM, Diesel Bookstore (Oakland)
June 16th, 7:30 PM, Capitola Book Café ¨Capitola)
June 22nd, 6:30 PM, San Francisco Public Library (100 Larkin Street)
June 23rd, 10:30 AM, Towne Center Books (Pleasanton)
June 27th, 3 PM, Clayton Books (Clayton)
To order an autographed copy personalized to you, go to: http://www.booksmith.com/book/9780307450630
For more information, go to http://www.laurafraser.com
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THE BOOKSMITH BOOKSWAP HAPPENS ON FRIDAY, MAY 7!
Every two months, The Booksmith hosts BOOKSWAP, a very social evening where all the smart, creative lit-minded souls of San Francisco meet to enjoy good company, a swell atmosphere, delicious Reverie Food, free-flowing wine, wise discourse, hilarious anecdotes, and all the best in favorite books -- and the company of other book lovers, including guest authors/hosts. Bring a book -- a book you loved but can part with, and that you want to passionately tell others about -- and you'll receive one in return, plus we'll give you 20% off on any purchases for the evening.
Friday, May 07, 2010 6:30 PM
The Booksmith
1644 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
With special guest host author LEWIS BUZBEE!
Space is very limited -- these events sell out, so we urge you to get your tickets well in advance!
Online: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/90777
Or at the store:415-863-8688
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THE MONTHLY RUMPUS CELEBRATES MAKING MISTAKES ON MAY 10TH
The Rumpus Proudly Presents: Fresh Starts and New Mistakes
May 10th at The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street, 7pm.
Featuring authors Keith Lee Morris, Jillian Lauren, Beth Lisick, and Andrew Sean Greer!
With Comedy by Kyle Kinane. Music by Michael Mullen. Plus a special guest, our very own Ted Wilson! Food provided by The Girl From Empanada.
Also chances to win great prizes in our monthly porn raffle. $10, cheap! You can’t afford not to go.
Hosted by Rumpus editor Stephen Elliott, back from NYC!
Order your tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/110107
NOTE: No one under 21 years old will be admitted.
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KATHRYN READS AT THE CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA ON MAY 18TH
Can't get to Shanghai for the World Expo 2010 this summer? Come hear Grottoite Kathryn Ma read at the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco on Tuesday, May 18 at 6:00 pm.
More on the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco here
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MATTHEW ONE OF NEXT VICTIMS OF LITERARY DEATH MATCH
The Literary Death Match SF is proud to bring you Episode 29. The LDM features four readers fighting to survive in the harsh reality that is the literary world: a brutal smackdown of words, punctuation, and ideas.
Ep. 29 will be a literary variety show, spotlighting poetry, playwriting, and bedlam.
Our show includes the accomplished Matthew Zapruder (author of three collections of poetry: American Linden, The Pajamaist, and Come On All You Ghosts), the dynamic Jeremy Hatch (film editor of TheRumpus.net), past beloved co-host/hula hooper/exotic dancer/playwright Braden Marks, and dreamboat poet Randall Mann (author of the collection of poems Breakfast with Thom Gunn).
The readers will be judged by the following experts: Andrew Leland, managing editor of the Believer and author of pseudo-erotic flash fiction on his website, Good Jobbbbbbbb; professional funny lady Emily Heller; and Bucky Sinister, a misunderstood poet and self-help author of Get Up: 12 Step Recovery for Misfits, Freaks, and Weirdos.
Co-hosted by Alanna Nemzoff Coby and LDM SF producer Elissa Bassist.
Four readers enter; one will remain. The LDM is a reading series that's competitive; it's great fun and an inspiring crucible of talent in a package that's all smiles and cheer and friendly intellectual combat.
Where: Elbo Room, 647 Valencia St.
When: Doors at 6:30pm, show at 7:00pm (sharp)
Cost: $7 pre-order*; $10 at the door; $7 with a valid student ID. This event is free for Literary Death Match subscribers
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BE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR THE NEXT POP-UP LIVE MAGAZINE EVENT!
Grotto sublettor Douglas McGray reports that Issue 3 of Pop-Up Magazine, on April 16 at Herbst Theatre, sold out in less than an hour. In fact, demand was so heavy it crashed the City Box Office servers. Pop-Up Magazine is the world's first live magazine, created for a stage, a screen, and a live audience. Issue 3 will showcase contributors to the New Yorker, This American Life, the New York Times Magazine, All Things Considered, Harper's, Outside, and Wired, plus Oscar-winning filmmakers, world-renowned photographers, and bestselling authors presenting new work live on stage. As always, the show is followed by drinks and mingling among audience and contributors. Join their mailing list to find out about future shows by emailing info@popupmagazine.com or visit http://www.popupmagazine.com
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