Category: events

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events poetry publications readings writing

Reading(s) at 2019 Word Fest

It’s April, so it’s time for the Albany Word Fest. This year, it’s an 8-day event, with readings, open mics, slams, and even a book sale at a farmer’s market.

The seventh issue of Up the River, the annual lit mag from Albany Poets, is being released during Word Fest. I have something in the newest issue, and there’s going to be a launch party on Wednesday, April 19, 2019. I’ll be reading there, along with some of the other contributors to the issue. Come listen and pick up a copy of #7. The details:

Up the River, Issue Seven Launch

Wednesday, April 17, at 7 p.m.

Restaurant Navona
289 New Scotland Avenue
Albany NY

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2337283043223742/

I’ll also be stopping by the Readings Against the End of the World open mic on Friday, April 12. Probably reading a bit around 9 p.m.

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events poetry

2018 Albany Word Fest

It’s April, so that means it’s Albany Word Fest time again, the week-long series of poetry and spoken word events. I’m doing my poetry shtick this Friday evening at the Readings Against the End of the World, a 24-hour-long event that benefits the South End Children’s Cafe in Albany. I’m scheduled to read at 8:40 p.m. Here are the details:

Readings Against the End of the World
Friday, April 20, 2018
7 p.m. start time (I’m on at 8:40 p.m.)
Husted Hall Cafe, UAlbany Downtown Campus
135 Western Ave.
Albany, NY 12203

This is always a good time. I’ll be reading a whole bunch of stuff, including some new ones for a project my buddy Kevin Ridgeway hinted about in this interview. Hope to see some familiar faces there.

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events

Pens to Paper

Snagged this swag at the clubThank you to the Pens to Paper club at the Guilderland High School for inviting me to visit them yesterday. I had a good time talking to everyone about the writing and publishing process. The lemonade and cookies were pretty good, too. Thanks also to club president Cassandra for the fancy-shmancy notebook.

If you have a writing group of some sort that might like to hear me ramble sometime, get in touch. I also do children’s birthday parties and bat mitvahs.*

*Not really.

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events workshops writing

New teen writing workshop

Buscemi
It would be great if he showed up

Earlier in the year, I ran some sessions of a creative writing workshop for teenagers. To my surprise, a handful of them asked about turning it into a regular event. They asked more than once. Now it looks like it’s happening.

The first meeting is Saturday, October 1, at 10:30 a.m. in the board room of the Bethlehem Public Library (451 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054).

No signup required. Teens are encouraged to bring four or five copies of something (five-page maximum) for the group to workshop, though it’s not mandatory. Please email me with any questions.

If attendance is decent, this will be a monthly event. I’m thinking the first Saturday of the month as the regular meeting day.

EDIT 11/27/2016: December meeting canceled. Get in touch with me for updates.

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events workshops writing

Another writing workshop

bpl2Last fall, I ran a creative writing workshop for teens at my local library. I’m doing it again next month. Here’s the basic info:

Teen writing workshop (grades 8 – 12 only)

Thursdays, March 10, 17, and 24
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Bethlehem Public Library
451 Delaware Ave.
Delmar, NY 12054

Registration required: Do it online or call the library at (518) 439-9314

As the official description states, teens can expect to “learn creative writing techniques and participate in a peer review group.” They don’t need to bring anything other than pen and paper.

The workshop is held in the library’s Storytime room, so that we can be surrounded by creepy puppets and stuffed animals.

Things went pretty well last time, except for when I made a reference to American Psycho, got a bunch of blank stares, and realized most of those kids weren’t even alive when the book (or the movie) came out.

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events workshops writing

Writing workshop

bplAre you a teenager (grades 8 through 12) interested in creative writing? Do you live near Albany, NY? If you said “yes” to both questions, well then, do I have news for you.

I’m running a writing workshop for teens next month at the Bethlehem Public Library. This will be on the first three Thursdays in November at 7 p.m. You don’t have to bring anything to the workshop except paper and pen.

According to the official description, students will “learn creative writing techniques and participate in a peer review group.” I’ll try to remember to do both those things.

All the info you need:

Teen writing workshop (grades 8 – 12 only)

Thursdays, November 5, 12, and 19
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Bethlehem Public Library
451 Delaware Ave.
Delmar, NY 12054

Registration required: Do it online or call the library at (518) 439-9314

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events poetry readings writing

LIVE! from the Living Room

I’m happy to say that I’ll be the featured reader at the September edition of LIVE! from the Living Room, the long-running reading series hosted by Don Levy. Expect 15 or so minutes of me, followed by an open-mic. The details are as follows:

LIVE! from the Living Room featuring Matt Galletta
Wednesday, September 10, 2014 – 7 PM
332 Hudson Ave
Albany, NY 12210

This is one of my favorite open-mics of all the ones in the Albany area. You should come if you can; it should make for a good time. I’ll have copies of the new book with me too.

PS: Need to notify Facebook about what you’re doing at all times? You’re in luck: There’s an event page for the reading set up, so you can let Mark Zuckerberg know what your plans are.

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events poetry readings writing

2014 Albany Word Fest

wf2014logoHi there. I’m reading this Friday as part of the 2014 Albany Word Fest. If you’re local to Albany, NY, you’ve probably heard about this annual celebration of “the poetry and spoken word of upstate New York.” If not, more information (and a full schedule of events) is available here.

There’s a full week of events worth checking out. I’ll read a couple pieces at the open mic they’re holding this Friday, starting at 7 pm at the UAG Gallery (247 Lark Street). I think there are still spots available to sign up, if you’re interested. I’m scheduled to read at 9:05, though that will most likely shift earlier or later. Stop by if you can. It’s always an entertaining time.

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events poetry publications readings writing

Up The River launch party & reading

I have two poems slated to appear in Up The River, the new journal put out by some of the folks involved with Albany Poets, and they’re having a release party to celebrate the inaugural issue. Come out, listen to me and some of the other writers from the issue read our stuff, and pick up a copy of the mag. Should be a good time. Here are the details:

Up The River Launch Party
Sunday, April 14, 2013 at 6 PM
McGeary’s (4 Clinton Square, Albany, NY)

More info available here. This event also marks the start of the annual Albany Word Fest, a week-long extravaganza of poetry/spoken-word/what-have-you. You can read all about that here. And, if you’ve got a few extra dollars you’d like to see put to good use, consider donating to Albany Poets’ Indiegogo campaign to help fund all the craziness of this year’s Word Fest.

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events fiction friends poetry readings writing

Thank you, Southbury

Thank you to everyone who came to the reading last night. And of course, big thanks to Thomas Hahn for inviting me. I had a fun time, and hopefully didn’t bore anybody to death.

I think everything went pretty well. I even unloaded a few of my old chapbooks, which was cool. Speaking of which, I should probably apologize to the guy who asked me to sign a book for his girlfriend (who wasn’t there at the time), and I wrote “We’ve never met but I love you already. Wait for me.” In retrospect, that might not be funny.

Anyway, here’s a neat activity you can play at home. Try to figure out which one of us, in the picture below, is heavily medicated.