Event-tually

I've been slow to record the latest events. With less than two weeks remaining to the big launch of Conjugated Visits at Diesel Books in Oakland and then the party at Robert's house, more readings have begun to pile up. That sounds like they just happened, while the truth is, multiple emails, phone calls, and other pestering has been involved with each of them. So now, in addition to Diesel and the group reading at Pegasus, September 18, I will be reading at:

Poetry Club at the Bowery in NYC on October 10, with Kyle McCord, Keith Montesano, and Amy Holman

Third Life, in Somerville, MA with Mary Alexandra Agner on October 16

Beyond Baroque in Venice CA with Rick Bursky and Millicent Accardi, November 5

Bird & Beckett Books in San Francisco with Robert Thomas, November 15

A multi-poet event in Corte Madera sometime in November/December

Poetry Santa Cruz, CA March 19th, 2011

Moonday in the Village, Pacific Palisades CA April 11th, 2011

I will eventually put all this in a neat list, with more accurate information. Do not fear. Right now, I'm just delaying getting back to a story I started writing. Yes! A short story!

You see, last Saturday, I went to Jon Carroll's workshop at Book Passages on writing the personal essay. I learned a lot (I think), not even counting my extra lesson on not to make a U-turn in a "business district." But Jon thought the idea I had for the essay was more suited to a short story. So I am trying. But it is haaaaard!

Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk

So I've got myself a reading in NYC, at Poetry Club of the Bowery. The date is Sunday, October 10, from 2–4 in the afternoon, and I will be reading with Kyle McCord, Keith Montesano, and Amy Holman, all of whom have been published by Dream Horse Press. I have found it much easier to get readings with at least one other reader. It seems that event coordinators are just happier to not put all their eggs in one unknown basket. I mean, god forbid you have the floor or the podium or the mike for one whole hour and no one shows up but your pet dog, wagging its tail. Oddly, though I've invited others to read with me, and they've been happy to, I've yet to get an actual invite from another. But in case you, out there, are looking for someone to share the spotlight with you in a little bookstore or poetry venue, I'm still eager to get something going in Boston, in Portland and Seattle or other towns in the Northwest, and in other places in California. Or your town. Try me!

Oh, it's not that I love flogging the book. Introvert that I am, I rather hate it. But it is what one does. Chances are I'm not going to get invited on Oprah, so it's up to me, isn't it, to give Conjugated Visits a life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I want to publicly apologize for the whining and poor little me attitude above. Yes, this book thing is an uphill climb — or many uphill climbs — but that's just the way it is. And it's not true, either, that I haven't had any encouragement and offers to share the dance floor. Certainly, I've had people meeting me halfway!

So please (you know who you are) forgive me for kvetching. I was tired and tired of trying, that's all.

The Wrong Stuff

Woke up to a happy post from a friend that said a poem of mine was up at Verse Daily. Well, it turned out, they posted my poem with someone else's title (I don't know how you even do that!). Then it turns out they had someone else's bio, Wiki page, and website. Yeah, and they posted a link to two poems online that I didn't even remember existed. Well, at least they were mine, though rather old news.

I'm not in a good mood. I haven't really been doing any marketing for the book, am still two and two (two readings in SF and two in LA). I need to get some more things happening, but it feels so uphill. But for those who are interested (and not on Facebook), you should know that after the August 1 reading at Diesel, there will be a big party at Robert's house for my book. Directions to the party will be available at the Diesel/ Poetry Flash reading. If you just want to come to the party, well, okay, email me at dianekmartin (at) gmail (dot) com for directions.

Yeah, I've moved my email address to gmail.

N&J are moving to San Bruno. That means, when J and I move to Sebastopol, we won't have anyone with SF priority for Camp Mather booking. Oh well. It's been a long time and will probably be a long time yet. I need a job before we move anywhere.

Here's a super poem:
http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2010/07/12/100712po_poem_plumly