Events on the Horizon

This weekend, I'll be attending my final event of 2011. I'll be reading poems (with 20+ other poets) at the Barnes & Noble in Webster, Texas, as part of the Houston Poetry Festival's Poetry "Out of Bounds" Readings. I believe I get to kick things off at 1 p.m.-ish (poets are smart enough to always add an -ish to everything). Click here for more details.

Mary Margaret Carlisle and I on the Featured Poets Forum at the 2011 Austin International Poetry Festival.

This reading came about as a result of meeting Mary Margaret Carlisle at the Austin International Poetry Festival. We both met at one of the events and then traded collections (my ENTER for her It's Always About The Rain) after the reading. Then, we ran into each other at the featured reading and sat next to each other at the featured panel (we were both features at the festival).

The ability to share your work and learn from others is often what makes it worth attending an event. However, it's the people you meet and connect with that can really elevate your experience to new levels. I'm still maintaining conversations with the great poets I met in Austin, and I can only hope that I've been as much help to them as they've been to me.

So yeah...2011 is wrapping up. Here's what's currently on my calendar for 2012:

AWP Conference, February 29-March 3, Chicago, Illinois
The official schedule will not be released until October, but I do know that my panel is on The Tech-Empowered Writer: Embrace New Media, Experiment & Earn. The panel was pitched by Christina Katz, who invited Jane Friedman, Seth Harwood, and myself to join her.

Poetry Hickory, June 12, Hickory, North Carolina
At 4 p.m., I'll lead a workshop on building an audience for your poetry. I believe the workshop will require a small fee of something like $10 per attendee. After that (beginning around 5:30-ish), Tammy and I will read our poetry. Tammy and I met Scott Owens, who hosts the Poetry Hickory events, earlier this year, and we're really excited to meet many of the North Carolina poets we already "know" through Facebook and other social media sites.

Poetry Hickory will be getting two poets for the price of one (or something like that).

Writing Away Retreats, Labor Day weekend, Breckenridge, Colorado
This retreat will offer writers several tentative mentors, including myself, agent Kristin Nelson, Kate Gale (I'm assuming of Red Hen Press), agent Sandra Bond, and multiple RITA award-winning author Barbara Samuel (O'Neal). These retreats are scenic, inspiring and are limited to 10-12 writers, which means you'll get plenty of time for feedback and mentorship.

I hope to see you at one of these events--either on Saturday or next year!

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If you happen to know of any speaking opportunities in your area and are interested in hearing me read poetry, talk about getting published or building a writer platform, etc., then either contact me (or have your organization contact me) via e-mail at robertleebrewer@gmail.com.

On the Road Again: Fall Festivals 2011

I love getting out to events, and I'm lucky enough to have three lined up between now and the end of the year.

September 4
Decatur Book Festival, Decatur GA, 1 p.m. at Java Monkey. This will be the second year in a row that Tammy and I will read our poetry on the local stage (thanks to JC Reilly's invite). This book festival is really a great event, and I'm totally stoked to be playing any sort of role. Hopefully, I can meet up with some of my favorite poets, including Collin Kelley, Sandra Beasley, Jericho Brown, Dorianne Laux, Thomas Lux, and more.

October 1
Houston Poetry Festival, Webster TX, at Barnes & Noble. I've got to thank Mary Margaret Carlisle, poet and president of the Gulf Coast Poets chapter of the Poetry Society of Texas, for arranging this appearance for me. I still need to get the time, but this will be for the Out of Bounds reading hosted by GCP.

November 12
Kentucky Book Fair, Frankfort KY. Thanks to Connie Crowe for inviting me to this event! I had to participate, because my Grandpa Brewer is convinced that we're related to or associated with about everyone from Kentucky. Unlike the other two events, I'll be appearing as an editor for this event, but I may figure out a way to read a poem or two while I'm in town.

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Need a speaker?
I have experience reading poetry and educating writers on the business of writing, including finding publishing opportunities, building writer platforms, and pitching editors and agents. As the editor of Writer's Market and Poet's Market, I know the business side of writing and publishing well. As a poet, I was named the 2010 Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere and was a National Feature poet at the 2011 Austin International Poetry Festival. Plus, I self-published a sold out, limited edition debut chapbook earlier this year titled ENTER and am currently accepting pre-orders on my second limited edition chapbook, ESCAPE (click here for more details).

If you're interested in having me come out to your event, get the conversation started by sending me an e-mail at robertleebrewer@gmail.com. Simple as that.

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I hope you can make it out to one of these upcoming events! The ones in Kentucky and Texas will require significant road trip time.

Here's a quick list of supplies I like to have when I hit the road:

• Ultimate Alabama 20 #1 Hits, Alabama. I grew up traveling with songs like "Mountain Music" and "Tennessee River."
• Rand McNally 2012 Road Atlas. My Droid's navigation saved me time and frustration during AIPF earlier this year, but it's always good to have a backup plan--you know, just in case I lose reception.
• Flashlight. If you're driving at night on a lonesome stretch of Interstate, you'll be glad to have vision if something goes wrong.
• Doritos and Mountain Dew. I hope I don't need to explain this one.