I’m delighted that The Cancer Poetry Project 2, which included one of my poems, “Infusion Fridays,” won the 2013 Midwest Book Award in the poetry category last night. Nice work, Tasora Books, editor Karin D. Miller and all the poets!
I’ll be at the Locally Grown Words Summer Book Fair at East End Market on Sunday, May 18, with copies of my new book, Hold Still, as well as Beauty Lessons, Flame and Behind Every Door. The free event sponsored by Orlando’s new independent bookstore, Bookmark It, will be at the popular market at 3201 Corrine Drive from noon to 4 p.m. Dozens of local authors and publishers will line the halls both upstairs and down, as well as in the beautiful courtyard. I’ll be sharing a table with Susan Lilley, author of When We Were Stardust, Night Windows and Satellite Beach. Grab lunch, check out the shops, visit with the authors and stop in at Bookmark It, which is extending the market’s grow-eat-shop-local mantra to include Central Florida readers and writers.
I’ll be reading from my new poetry book, Hold Still, for the Grown Ass Woman Brigade, a support network of 
smart, funny women who look out for one another. Everyone is invited — even grown ass men! — and the fun starts at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, at a Victorian house at 115 Maitland Ave. in Altamonte Springs. I wrote about this spunky, big-hearted group in Orlando magazine a year ago (“Rebels With a Cause”), and I can’t wait to spend more time with them. You don’t want to miss this.
I’ll be reading from my new poetry book, Hold Still, at The Warehouse on Brookhaven in the Lake Ivanhoe area of Orlando on Saturday, March 29. I’m thrilled to be reading alongside two authors with new books of short stories: David James Poissant (The Heaven of Animals) and Vanessa Blakeslee (Train Shots). The readings will start at 7 p.m. at 1300 Brookhaven Drive, just off Virginia Drive. There will be an after party featuring literary-themed cocktails (an F. Scotch Fitzgerald or Tequila Mockingbird, anyone?) at The Matador bar on Virginia Drive. Drink proceeds will benefit Burrow Press. For more about Functionally Literate and to watch videos of past readings, check out functionallyliterate.org.
Here is my interview in the ORLANDOAN blog by Functionally Literate co-host Jared Silvia.
And here is the video of my reading on YouTube.
