Pinky's Paperhaus

Pitt MFAs get cracking

Last night the ritual of having first-year MFA students read our work in public began, and I wouldn't consider it hazing but for the loud Steelers fans on the floor above.

That's Julie Granum at the mic. She's a fine poet.

April Line, who is very funny, read a serious story about being a single mom.  Adri Ramirez, who is also very funny, read a funny story about being a brick house (that's me trying to be funny. It was more involved than that).

Nonfictioneers Helen Gerhardt and Mark Kramer deftly handled weighty issues (don't ask/don't tell and identity in the Balkans, respectively). But nonfiction isn't always serious, as Dan McMillan proved with his story of getting a ride  from Jehova's Witnesses.

I'm up next week. Come on down to the Fuel & Fuddle basement Thursday if you dare.

Shiver me timbers

Ahoy, mateys! The extraordinarily talented Chris Abani headlines the Vermin on the Mount reading series, punnily calling itself Pyrats of Chinatown in LA tonight. Also on the bill are Teka-Lark Lo, a snappy poet who's got something, plus novelist Karen Palmer and poet Carol Novack. If I were within 2000 miles of Los Angeles I'd show up; in my book, 132 miles is definitely within striking distance (this means you, Tod Goldberg.)

The LitBlog Coop pick for summer is Michael Martone's Michael Martone, and this week two more Martoney posts went live: the Michael Martone podcast interview and a separate e-mail conversation for those who are MP3-averse. Martone! Martone! Martone!

This Tuesday the 22nd Joe Meno will be in Pittsburgh to read from his new book is The Boy Detective Fails. Also reading are fellow Chicagoan Todd Dills (Sons of the Rapture) and Mickey Hess, who I am failing to provide a link for. It's happening Artists Image Resources, 518 Foreland St. Hopefully my car will be out of the shop so I can do what I always do in Pittsburgh and drive around lost for a while before arriving at my destination. Which in this case is a place called AIR.

one missing vermin

I'm so late to the Vermin On the Mount round-up that it hardly seems there's anything left to say, after Karen's summary for The Elegant Variation, writer Daniel Olivas' spotlight on fellow reader Lizz Huerta, and Vermin's own pictorial review.  My contribution is just this picture of host Jim, who is not nearly as short as he appears.

Rat-a-tat-tat

Hip hop hooray, the rat climbs the mountain again! Vermin on the Mount, a reading series that is actually fun, is back for its summer edition, Saturday the 16th. This one features Jacob Forman, Lizz Huerta, Wendy Molyneux and Daniel Olivas, who is everywhere this week.  Besides, MC/host Jim Ruland rules. He rules so much I'm not sure that "rule-land" is his real last name.

The Mountain Bar is in Chinatown. So if you want to be super-cool, swing by the Basquiat opening at MOCA on your way.