...and fun was had by all!

A big thank you to everyone who made it out to last night's reading in Manitou-- especially the ones who had standing room only! Jenn Koiter pretty much blew us out of the water with her poetry, which seemed to lighten our loads and end our weeks with some much-needed laughter.

Next month's reading is scheduled for Friday, September 17th, at 7:30pm. Same place, Black Cat Books in Manitou, and hopefully parking won't be so crazy without the marathoners in the neighborhood! I think we might have a crowd of students at September's reading, considering the awesome extra credit power these events hold in college classrooms, so get there early. And if you're a writer, bring some work to read for Open Mic!

Here are a couple pictures from last night.

Jenn Koiter, poet, behind the podium-disguised-as-music-stand.

The crowd, which, although cozy, enjoyed the browsing, the wine, and the intimacy that Black Cat Books provides. Thank you, Natalie! We support our indy bookshops!

Tim Christian, who, as usual, delights us during Open Mic with his fiction.

Hopefully I'll see you as well as more new faces next month! This reading was a total success, in my book, and I can't wait for what happens next.

Abby

CSWRS Coordinator

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AUGUST FEATURED READER!

I'm happy to announce that we've got several great writers lined up to read over the next several months. This Friday, the 20th of August, we get to hear the poetry of Jenn Koiter, a writer who will be traveling to Colorado Springs from Laramie, Wyoming! Her bio on the link provided is great-- sweet, to the point, and right up the CSWRS alley when it comes to bridging writers and community through accessible and captivating work. Her "thesis" reads:

"I love poems that engage my full faculties as a reader to unearth something hard and true. Smug poems, on the other hand, poems that ask me to work too hard for too little, make me want to heave something heavy across the room. Onto the poet, if possible." (www.anti-poetry.com)

This reading is going to be fantastic. Be sure to catch it at Black Cat Books in Manitou Springs, Friday at 7:30pm, in the downstairs portion of the store. Get there a little early and start sipping some wine from the wine bar! This venue will be cozy... and you can keep your shoes on!

See you Friday night!

Abby

CSWRS Coordinator

AUGUST PREVIEW... almost!

A quick update, here: we're still scheduled for our monthly event on August 20th at 7:30pm. I'll be announcing the featured reader shortly! Be prepared with some material for Open Mic-- I'd love to hear 3-5 minutes of your best poetry or prose. (Sign up at the door, ten readers max!)

Here's a big change, though: we're moving to Black Cat Books at 720 Manitou Avenue! Make sure you take note of the change. I may actually stop by Inner Space, our old venue (which isn't too far away from downtown, maybe ten minutes' drive), to leave a note on the door for those who haven't checked the blog. Natalie-- at Black Cat-- seems like a gracious hostess, and the venue will be just as intimate.

Featured reader to be announced soon... stay tuned! And I'll see you on the 20th!

Abby

CSWRS Coordinator

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JULY READING REVIEW

Well, our July event seemed to go off without a hitch! We had writers from varying genres stand up to read for the Open Mic section, some new faces in the crowd, and Cicily Janus' reading from her new book The New Face of Jazz was (seriously) fantastic. Everyone left the room feeling inspired, including me, and I felt the overwhelming sensation of a community coming together for the sake of creativity.

No new blogs to report, so I'm just posting the ones we already have and want to keep an eye on for new work:

Debbie Allen: http://www.writingwhilethericeboils.blogspot.com/

Angela Giles Klocke: http://www.angelagilesklocke.com/

Sue Spengler: http://www.suesun40.blogspot.com/

(and yours truly) http://www.abbyemurray.blogspot.com/

I now have an email list started up for this series. We may be moving to a new venue soon, and I want to be able to let everyone know beforehand. Look out for emails from cswritersreading@gmail.com!

Hope to see you all again on August 20th, at our next event! (Featured reader TBA.) Thanks for coming!

Cicily Janus reading from The New Face of Jazz

JULY'S FEATURED READER

Hi everyone!

Just a quick update here. I'm currently in Oregon, hosting a delightful reading series at the Pacific University MFA Program, but I'll shortly be returning to Colorado Springs. While I've been here, though, I've scheduled the next featured reader, Cicily Janus, who will be reading some of her work at our event on Friday, July 16th, at 7:30PM.

Yep, you heard right, we're back on schedule this coming month. (Did you miss it in June??) I'm really looking forward to it.

Also, I'll have books available for sale from Jessy Randall, the May featured reader, as well as my own.

See you then!

Abby

CSWRS Coordinator

MAY READING REVIEW!

As promised, I've posted some photos from our May reading, featuring poet Jessy Randall. I also wanted to list the blog sign up sheet, which is still growing. Supporters of the reading series should look up each other's writing and enjoy it! Give feedback and connect.

Debbie Allen's work: www.writingwhilethericeboils.blogspot.com
Angela Giles Klocke's work: www.angelagilesklocke.com
Sue Spengler's work: www.suesun40.blogspot.com
(my poetry can be found at: www.abbyemurray.com)

If anyone else has a writing blog they'd like me to post, let me know. Leave a comment or send me an email. Remember, next month's reading is cancelled due to my traveling out of state (I'm sure I'll post some exciting news about the writers gathering at Pacific University's MFA readings, though.) Our next reading is scheduled for FRIDAY, JULY 16th, at 7:30pm.

Oh! One more thing I thought you poets might enjoy. I met with Sharon Cumberland while I was in Seattle last week (her poetry is intelligent and graceful, I love it) and she showed me a neat compilation of poetry she's been teaching in her writing classes at Seattle University. It's called Story Hour: Contemporary Narratives By American Poets, and I highly recommend it. (That's the link to Story Line Press, where you can most easily purchase a copy.) The first poem Sharon pointed out was Linda McCarriston's "Le Coursier de Jeanne D'Arc," and it was stunning. No other word for it.

Okay, on to the pictures. Thanks for reading, everyone!

Jessy Randall, featured reader

Bryce Crawford, open mic poetry reading

Edie Adelstein, open mic prose reading

Everyone's smiling, so it must be good!

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QUICK UPDATE - LAST FRIDAY'S READING

Hi everyone!

Thanks to those of you who came to this past Friday's reading. I really enjoyed meeting most of you, and what a great sample of new work during open mic, plus Jessy Randall's poetry, which kept us all smiling. A great time had by all, I say!

Those who would like to purchase one of Jessy Randall's books, come to the next reading and I'll have a couple available then too. Just a reminder: the next reading is Friday, July 16th, at 7:30pm. The featured reader will be announced later. For more updates, you can also look at the Inner Space website at www.downtowninnerspace.com.

Anyway, this is just a brief update to let you know that I'm going to post those new blogs added to the blog sign up when I return to Colorado Springs next week. (I flew out to Seattle the morning after the reading.) I'll also be putting up some pictures from the reading as well. So stay tuned!

And how, for the love of Mike, did I not think to use that enormous gong to get things started at the first reading?! I think that's a great way to get our minds going and ears buzzing!

Take care!
Abby