Deadlines and Assignments Are My Friends

Melinda Palacio

Bringing the Bird Forgiveness Tour to the E.P. Foster Library's Topping Room

        

       When my editor, Andrea Watson, heard me read in Phoenix four years ago, she said she wanted to publish my next book. I was happy to begin work on a new poetry book. At first, I thought the book would a short chapbook, but she pushed me to produce a ful-length book. Now, I'm enjoying taking my new book, Bird Forgiveness, on the road. My latest stop was the E.P. Foster Library's Topping Room in Ventura, run by Ventura County Poet Laureate, Phil Taggart. 

            Phil runs a tight ship at the Topping Room. The group is a welcoming bunch who meet every Thursday at 7:30 pm for poetry. Each week features a poet, followed by an open mic. Phil sets up a microphone and video recording system, it's all very professional. He, along with Marsha de la O, also put out a poetry journal, Askew. In addition to being lovely people who serve their community, by teaching, hosting events, putting out a poetry journal and running two different ongoing series in Ventura and Oxnard, they are both excellent poets. Phil has the open mic readers trained to read one short poem. 

        Many open mics lack the discipline that Phil brings to the scene, and the bar is set pretty high at this venue. I was fortunate to be the featured reader to a audience who listened attentively, bought books, and gave generously during the passing of the hat for the featured poet. La Bloga friend, liz gonzález, will feature at the E.P. Foster's Topping Room next month on October 11. If you're anywhere near, don't miss the opportunity to hear liz and to meet a wonderful group of dedicated poets. The Amtrak stops in Ventura and it would make a great day trip from Union Station in Los Angeles for an adventurous person. As someone who has read both in their open mic and as a featured reader, I highly recommend getting to know this group if you are a serious poet and are on the lookout for places to read from your new book.  

            When Ana Castillo contacts you and asks if you have an unpublished piece for a journal she is guest editing, the answer is always yes. And the action is to get to writing that piece. I'm honored to be included in Fifth Wednesday Journal's special Fall Issue on Mexican immigration. 

            Last on my To Do list is a university press has asked to see the novel I've been working on for the past several years. The editor has given me a deadline later this month to turn in the manuscript. I've been frantically rewriting and revising. One of my revision techniques has been to read the manuscript aloud, starting from page one. Hearing the words makes such a big difference. How I wish I had done this sooner. For me, writing a novel is all about revision. Learning the story you want to tell is only the beginning. 

La Bloga's Michael Sedano Takes to the Podium at the Homestead Museum

Melinda Palacio

Michael Sedano

In a fun twist of roles, I had the pleasure of listening to Michael Sedano read from his work. He is usually the eye behind the camera, waiting to capture the perfect picture of a reader. He's been documenting my literary readings for several years and his portraits documenting poets and writers over the past couple of decades are archived at USC. He also coaches writers on how to read their own work. The photographs show a master, comfortable in front of the audience for Take a Detour from Route 66: Taos to L.A., a wonderful program put together by Karen Cordova and Andrea Watson of 3 Taos Press. Read more about the show on La Bloga's March post by none other than Michael Sedano.

Michael Sedano at the Homestead Museum

Michael read from his one-act play "The Feral Child of Temple City: A Horror Narrative in One Act. The dramatic and, yes, horrifying elements to the story are the first surprise. The entire show was a surprise because not everyone read work about the road, diners, or cars, stereotypical icons of Route 66. In fact, Sedano's story could be set anywhere. Lucky for the audience, it is set in Temple City on Route 66. The second surprise, which shouldn't come as a surprise at all, given the fact that Michael has offered coaching to writers on how to read their own work at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, is how well he read, projecting and addressing both sides of the bifurcated audience.

Sedano Makes the Lectern Disappear 

Although my photographs, all taken on my iPhone, do not adjust well for the tricky backlighting, you can see how Michael kept his eyes off the page and on his audience. He used his facial expression and hands for dramatic emphasis, although he could have read the piece keeping his nose to lectern and it still would have held the audience's attention. Another favor he offered to the audience was a copy of the one-act play. I'm not sure if everyone received a copy, but I was fortunate to have been gifted one by the author. The nice thing about hearing a piece that's longer than a poem, is it gave me the opportunity to take several photographs and absorb the content of the writing (not an easy task). I have renewed respect for Michael who attends a vast number of performances, takes professional photographs with his camera, and then writes very thoughtfully about the works. I was especially moved by Andrea Watson's Frida dream poem, "The Poem in Which Frida Khalo Commandeers My Car and We Drive Like Bandits to L.A." The title says it all, a great poem. You had to have been there. I was so mesmerized by the poem that I did not take any pictures of Andrea reading it. I now understand why my husband Steve sometimes fails to take photos of my while I'm reading. Even though he's heard all of my poems read aloud a million times, he still gets caught up in my performance of them. I finally understand this phenomenon. As Michael said in his La Bloga post and write-up of the show, I hope this Detour to Route 66 becomes an annual spring offering.

Michael reads the dramatic conclusion to "The Feral Child of Temple City" by Michael Sedano

Andrea L. Watson and Madelyn Garner Read after Michael Sedano.

La Bloga in the House: Melinda Palacio and Michael Sedano