Thursday, November 12, 2009

Don't Forget: Philly Fiction 2 reading this Saturday


Mark your calendars. Don Ron Books is hosting another reading of stories from their acclaimed new anthology. Philly Fiction 2 authors Susan Balée, Marc Bookman, John Carroll, and Rachel Toliver read selections from their stories and reveal their favorite "strange" Philadelphia spots. Come out and hear tales from the book Philadelphia Magazine calls, "A bunch of great short stories from local talent."

See post below or our press release for more information.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Reading at Double Shots Espresso Bar

Enjoy a Saturday afternoon of coffee, stories, and good Philly fun. Come to the hip Double Shots Espresso Bar in Old City Philadelphia on Saturday, November 14th, 2009, at 3pm to hear three authors from the critically acclaimed Philly Fiction 2 anthology read from their stories. Double Shots Espresso Bar is a large, comfortable coffee shop in the heart of Old City. It is home to numerous writers groups and three-time winner of the City Paper Reader's Choice award.

The night will be hosted by Don Ron Books editors Josh McIlvain and Christopher Munden. Four Philly Fiction 2 writers will read from their stories: Susan Balée from "Ineffable," Marc Bookman from "A Transcript of Auden Hope's Last Request Before Being Shot by the Police," John Carroll from "Baby Blue," and Rachel Toliver from "Soup's Last Stand."

Susan Balée Philly Fiction 2Susan Balée reviews books for the Hudson Review and the Philadelphia Inquirer and has published articles in the Times Literary Supplement, the Weekly Standard, the Women’s Review of Books, and the Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature, among other publications. She appears on audio programs for the National Endowment of the Arts’ Big Read and has published short stories in Silent Voices and the Wild River Review. She has a PhD in literature from Columbia University and teaches in the intellectual heritage program at Temple University. In her story "Ineffable," Norton's Ph.D. in classics has yet to get him beyond an assistant's job in the office of English Department at the University of Pennsylvania. When the hopelessly shy Norton gains the affections of a much younger Marc Bookman and copand seemingly sexually adventurous grad student, he's convinced he will lose his spoils to his older, conquering boss.

Marc Bookman has published stories in various literary magazines and journals over the past twenty years. He has been a public defender in Philadelphia since 1983, and lives in Wyndmoor. In his story "A Transcript of Auden Hope's Last Request Before Being Shot by the Police," a hostage stand off is transpiring in Center City, but the hostage-taker is duping the police and the crowd with taped screams from old movies, and neither his child nor his ex-wife are with him.


John Carroll Philly Fiction 2John Carroll was born and raised in Philadelphia, lives in the East Passyunk Crossing area, and works at the Kelly Writers House. John's work has appeared in the Battered Suitcase, 34th Street Magazine, and Dragonfire, as well as the websites Phillyist and CHUD. In 2006 John won the Kelly Writers House Junior Fellows Award, which funded his yearlong experimental mail project, A Place to Stand Productions. In his story "Baby Blue," Phil bumps into his old high school American lit teacher in a Northeast bar watching an Eagles game. The teacher begins to force a bond between them over sports, and despite Phil's wariness, the two go to a Phillies game, where the teacher's uncomfortable antics fuel Phil's desire to escape.

Rachel Toliver photoRachel Toliver's work has been published in Cutthroat, Night Train, Alligator Juniper, Literal Latte, the King’s English, Thieves Jargon, and Geez. Toliver teaches English at the same Philadelphia public high school from which she graduated. She lives in West Philadel¬phia (though not in a squat) and disagrees with all the nasty things people say about Philly. Soup, a squatter in West Philly and the "hero" of her story "Soup's Last Stand," tries to get his sorry sac of a dog back from his ex-girlfriend so he can split the city. But when he gets the dog, his anger subsides and he starts to see the city as his home, while others see his presence in an entirely different light.

Details:
Philly Fiction 2 reading
Double Shots Espresso Bar
211 Chestnut Street, Phila. 19106
Saturday, November 14, 2009, 3pm

Email phillyfiction@yahoo.com or visit phillyfiction.com for more information.