The Latest
2019
Blog Post @ The Superstition Review: When Your Writing Comes Through The Ether
2017
Squaw Valley Community of Writers
I had been applying to this writing conference for years, and the Summer of 2017 was finally my time to go. At Squaw, I was lucky to be part of the Nonfiction Writers group, and each morning had the pleasure of reading and commenting on phenomenal and brave work from my colleagues. If you have an inkling in you to be part of something greater than yourself, you should apply. You won’t regret it. It truly is a community of and for writers.
My manuscript was workshopped on the last day, and was part of Workshop 11. I have SO many notes from that session and am grateful for each response and comment.
There’s an extra special part of the conference, a time set aside for you to have an individual “workshop” of sorts with an established writer. What a treat it was to have mine with southern writer Mark Childress, author of Crazy in Alabama, who gave me his time and thoughts on my novel-in-progress. His insights and suggestions are invaluable.
IRL with the savvy fiction editor @ The Superstition Review. "The Technicolor Jive" found a lovely home. AWP Los Angeles, 2016
That one time I got to read with the coolest Wendy C. Ortiz after spending months reading her work (Excavation, Hollywood Notebook). The best part? When she read from Bruja, her dreamoir
2015
Reading "Me Without You," to artists and other cool folks at 347 Clarence, hosted by the lovely Merrill Feitell
After two years of writing my heart out, the final graduate reading @ CSU San Bernardino
The one time my dear friend Alex Avila named me the Earth Avenger, and gave an epic introduction to my work. Reading two stories from "Me Without You," and trying not to make the audience cry
Reading "The Sky That You Look Upon" to a packed room at the RipRap Issue 37 Release Party. I talked about the first time I read the story aloud, and how a guy told me it was the worst thing he ever heard and then stormed out of the room. The RipRap crowd laughed and someone shouted "Asshole!" When I finished, everyone clapped, some even cheered, and no one ran away.
Reading "The Technicolor Jive" at the Muffin Top Bakery in Redlands, California. They have the best croissants and sweet treats in the I.E. Thankfully, they love hosting open mics!
2014
Cellar Door Books in Riverside, California. Reading "The Black" with my CSUSB writer crew and joining literary forces with the MFA folks at UCR
AWP Minnesota run-in with Ralph Angel, poet and professor from the University of Redlands. During my undergrad at U of R, I took a poetry workshop with Ralph, and can say that his talks on imagery have always stayed with my work.
