Queer Literary Festival in Mt. Airy

The queer literary community of Philadelphia is at the forefront again in Mt. Airy's second annual Queer Literary Festival at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore on Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 11am to 3:00pm. Diverse selections of prose, poetry, and creative non-fiction will be presented by writers Ashraf Osman, Jane Cassady, Laura Neuman, Nathan Long, Misia Denea, Saida Agostini, Kelli Dunham, Cassendre Xavier, and Janet Mason. The festival is free and open to everyone.

A special collaboration for this year's festival is the partnership of Mt. Airy's independent Big Blue Marble Bookstore and Philadelphia's premiere GBLT bookstore Giovanni's Room. Big Blue Marble Bookstore will give a percentage of the day's proceeds to Giovanni's Room to add to their fundraising efforts for the massive renovation project of the store's building. A schedule of the readings and biographies of the readers are below:

11:00am- Ashraf Osman
11:20am-Jane Cassady
11:40am-Laura Neuman

12:00-12:30pm-Break (Literary Lunch)

12:30pm-Nathan Long
12:50pm-Misia Denea
1:10pm-Saida Agostini

1:30-2:00pm-Break (Open Mic)

2:00pm:Kelli Dunham
2:20pm-Cassendre Xavier
2:40pm: Janet Mason

For bio info on the readers, please check the event listing in the PhillyPoetry Calendar. For more information on the Queer Literary Festival or for picture requests please contact Maleka Fruean, events coordinator: 215-844-1870, maleka(at)bigbluemarblebooks(dot)com.

The Symposium: Identity, Community, Race, Sexuality and Philly Poetry

On Sunday, November 8, 2009, I'll be part of the Poetic Arts Performance Project (PAPP) 2nd Symposium on Identity, Community, Race, Ethnicity, Sex, Sexuality and Philly Poetry. The symposium will be moderated by Debrah Morkun, and will include Alyesha Wise, Frank Walsh, and Frank Sherlock.

Where: University City Arts League, 4226 Spruce St.
When: 2:00 - 4:30 pm
Cost: $3.00 (some proceeds to benefit Rubye's Kids)

I hope you can make it!