Past Programs | Directions to Casa Libre

Edge 55: a Reading Series of Emerging and Younger Writers
w/Kimberly Mathes, Steven Salmoni, & Lola Rainey

Curator: Melissa Buckheit Melissa Buckheit's Bio

A note from the curator: I have often wanted to listen to authors who are in the same place in their career as myself--emerging, published in journals, with a chapbook and/or a first full-length book, still growing but full of passion, new ideas, and an edge. But there is often infrequent opportunity for this; in fact, I have often felt disappointed in the lack, that such an open community might often be circumscribed in its literary programming.  Additionally, featuring emerging writers engages other young as well as established writers, to support, frequent and attend Casa Libre and other writing events. This cycle creates the foundation for a writing community which self-generates, remains true, open, and allows many voices the opportunity for visibility and being heard. I want Tucson to be an artistic community which includes and features many voices and peoples. Literature is the province of communication, but also reflectivity, the reflection and representation of all our narratives and of new narratives and ideas, voices which are challenging and also challenge us.

Wednesday, June 19
7:30 p.m.
Suggested Donation: $5

Come to Edge: A Reading Series of Emerging and Younger Writers. Edge is a series of local and national writers and cross-genre artists, emphasizing diversity of narrative, identity and literary source. Its purpose is to create community, visibility and voice for emerging and younger writers. Broadsheets of the authors' work will accompany each reading. Books and journals will be available for purchase and signing by the authors. Refreshments will be available after the reading.

Readers:

Kimberly Mathes is the 2012 Bright Harvest Prize Winner for poetry selected by Aquarius Press. She has two poems in the 200 New Mexico poem project with the printed version of the anthology forthcoming from University of New Mexico Press. She is beginning the final year of her MFA program in Creative Writing with University of Texas El Paso. After living for over a decade in the Four Corners area of New Mexico, Kimberly now resides in Phoenix. She teaches creative writing and composition at Glendale Community College and spends time chasing poems and Arizona sunsets on her Harley.

Steven Salmoni received a Ph.D. in English from Stony Brook University and is currently Department Chair of Writing & Humanities at Pima Community College, Northwest Campus in Tucson, AZ. Recent publications include the chapbook Landscapes, With Green Mangoes (Chax Press), poems in Spiral Orb, Versal, Upstairs at Duroc, Sonora Review and Bombay Gin and chapters/articles in the Salt Companion to Charles Bernstein, The Critical Companion to Henry James, Studies in Travel Writing and the Journal of Narrative Theory.  He serves on the Board of Directors for “POG,” a Tucson-based poetry and arts organization.

Lola Rainey is a writer, educator and community activist. She writes about questions of race, gender and social justice.  Ms. Rainey published 2 books under her pseudonym, Ivory Simone:  Havasu Means Blue Water, (a literary fiction), and, The Rainy Season, The Poems, Prose and Writings of Ivory Simone, (a poetry chapbook).  She is currently working on a poetry manuscript tentatively entitled, Pilgrimage to the Blue Nile which will be published under her pen name. While living in Bangkok, Thailand, Ms. Rainey produced a weekly podcast, "Bangkok Poetry Streams", and hosted two online radio shows, "Take A Bite Out Of The Big Mango" and  "My Sister's Keeper", using the name Ivory Simone.

 

Next Edge Reading will be held July 17.

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Nov 2012

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