This week, we have another great lineup of literary events in the region. Here’s a quick look at the upcoming book discussions, readings, open mics, and workshops.
Thursday, March 7
6:00 PM – Eileen Riley Hall – “The Shape of Secrets” @ Northshire Saratoga
Maggie Murphy, 12 years old in the summer of 1972, is awakening to her world. Awkward, chubby, and shy, Maggie is an outcast among Catholic school peers. Her home life, punctuated by her parent’s nightly alcohol-fueled fights, is equally miserable. Patty, her rebellious 16-year-old older sister, adds to the chaos of the house.
7:00 PM – A Galère of Poetic Autopsies @ Park Theater
Expect the unexpected as poets, writers, and other creatives from the Hudson area and beyond reveal the inspiration and shadows behind their work.
7:00 PM Poetry Night @ Nobel Coffee Roasters
Monthly open mic for poetry and spoken word hosted by Robert Milby. This month’s featured poet is Hayden Wayne.
Friday, March 8
1:00 PM – Murderous March 2024
Murderous March offers a pitch workshop, a Master Class on analyzing other people’s work to better edit your own, and another Master Class on solving the mystery of social media.
7:30 PM – The Salisbury Forum: “Age of Danger: Keeping America Safe in an Era of New Superpowers, New Weapons, and New Threats” with authors Thom Shanker and Andrew Hoehn @ Housatonic Valley Regional High School
An urgent look at how America’s national security machine went astray and how it fails to keep us safe—and what we can do to fix it.
Saturday, March 9
1:00 PM – Murderous March 2024
Murderous March offers a pitch workshop, a Master Class on analyzing other people’s work to better edit your own, and another Master Class on solving the mystery of social media.
2:00 PM – Anna Quindlen – “After Annie” @ Northshire Manchester
Literary icon Anna Quindlen, the bestselling author of Rise and Shine, Still Life with Breadcrumbs, and One True Thing will join us at SVAC in Manchester to share her new novel in conversation with Joe Donahue of WAMC / Northeast Public Radio.
2:00 PM – Woodstock Poetry Society @ Woodstock Library
Poets Ethan Sirotko and Janet Kaplan will be feature, followed by an open mike when the Woodstock Poetry Society meets in-person at the Woodstock Library and virtually via Zoom (and streamed live on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WoodstockPoetry).
3:00 PM – Eileen Clinton – “What a Wonderful World” @ The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza
Eileen A. Clinton, M.S. has a diverse background as a health educator, hospice bereavement specialist, and licensed funeral director. After years of supporting the bereaved in funeral service and hospice, Eileen co-founded the Bereavement Studies Program at Maria College in Albany, New York. For over 20 years, Eileen educated students on the subjects of death, dying, and bereavement. She has served on the faculty at Maria College, SUNY Canton, and been a lecturer for funeral directors in New York State. Since the beginning of her career in funeral service, Eileen has been passionate about supporting the bereaved and educating the public about the grief process. She believes in the power of telling one’s story to inspire others. Having experienced personal losses and overcoming her own challenges, Eileen communicates a message of hope and gratitude.
Sunday, March 10
10:00 AM – Second Draft Sunday @ The Poetry Barn
Drop in each second Sunday of the month from March-December, 10 AM-12 PM, for a peer-critique workshop. Enjoy coffee, tea, and conversation.
11:00 AM – Becky Cushing Gop with Wilton Wildlife Preserve – “What Goes On Inside a Beaver Pond” @ Northshire Saratoga
Northshire Saratoga is delighted to partner with the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park to present an event with author Becky Cushing Gop! The author will share her terrific picture book about beaver habitat, and an educator from Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park will present a fun craft activity and more great facts about beavers.
11:00 AM – Cookbook Signing: NYT Cooking Contributor, Lidey Heuck – “Cooking in Real LIfe” @ Oblong Books
Meet Popular NYT Food Columnist Lidey Heuck and grab a copy of her highly anticipated debut cookbook COOKING IN REAL LIFE: Delicious and Doable Meals for Everyday.
2:00 PM – 2nd Sunday @ 2 – Poetry + Prose @ Collar City Mushrooms
The 2nd Sunday @ 2 open mic for poetry and prose, supporting emerging, published and all writers in-between.
3:00 PM – Reading & Book Signing: Lesa Cline Ransome – “One Big Open Sky” @ Oblong Rhinebeck
Three women narrate a perilous wagon journey westward that could set them free—or cost them everything they have—in this intergenerational verse novel that explores the history of the Black homesteader movement through Lettie – a young dreamer heading westward with her family to Nebraska.
6:00 PM – Everyone Reads Second Sundays Open Mic
Come create community on second Sundays of every month 6-8pm EST with a virtual open mic on zoom. Please contact Lindsay Rockwell for zoom link if interested: emonrock@mac.com Format Focus: EVERYONE READS! Read a 3-minute or 5-minute piece, dependent upon attendance.
Monday, March 11
6:30 PM – Poetry Circle Schenectady — New Location @ Congregation Gate of Heaven
Schenectady’s monthly poetry circle, now at it’s new home, hosted by local poets and writers Judith Prest and Rhonda Rosenheck.
Tuesday, March 12
7:00 PM – 2nd Tuesday Open Mic
All-genre open mic out of Bennington via Zoom hosted by Charlie Rossiter.
7:00 PM – Poets Creating Conversation: Heard @ Unitarian Universalist Church, Pittsfield
Not for the faint of heart, Poets Creating Conversation throws out a single word and asks poets to respond. The results defy expectations! Equal parts art and community, WordXWord is where words go to be heard. Poets Creating Conversation is an ongoing series of events that challenges poets (and soon-to-be-poets!) to circle loosely around a theme or issue in the current social discourse to create a broad, multi-dimensional “conversation” between poems, poets, and audience.
Wednesday, March 13
12:30 PM – Midday Write Ins @ Mochalisa’s Caffe
Midday Write Ins are a free, shared space to write. No fee, no minimum, no programming. Just a free space to write alongside other writers.
5:45 PM – Writers Group @ Schenectady Public Library – Central Branch
Whether you’ve been doing it forever or just starting out, bring your written words to this volunteer run community group and receive feedback from fellow wordsmiths as time permits.
7:00 PM – Straw Dog Writes Weekly Writers Meet Up
Straw Dog Writers Guild members who would like to spend some time writing together can join a Zoom session. We will spend 15 minutes on introductions, a 45 minute writing session, have a 15 minute discussion, then write for a second 45 minute period of time.
7:30 PM – Writers Mic
Writers near and far are welcome to join host Jackie Craven for a lively monthly open mic.
8:00 PM – Barkreaders: Roselyn Elliott @ Adirondack Center for Writing
Roselyn Elliott will read from her book of poems, The Pause Between Inhale and Exhale. After, we’ll host an open mic where anyone can share up to 5 minutes of writing at the mic. There will be a book sale and signing following the reading.
Did we miss anything? Let us know at info@hvwg.org, and be sure to check out https://hvwg.org to find out more about our vibrant literary and arts community.
