September 27, 2018: Literary Voices: My Favorite Authors

Literary Voices: My Favorite Authors

By Cynthia Simmons

In February, after Black Voices, a reading of literature by authors from the African Diaspora, more than twenty people asked—Are you going to do it again? Can I read with you next time? One woman said. You don’t have to wait until next February. We could read work from other authors.

Reading other authors’ work resonated with me. My introduction to books was my nightly bedtime story. Long after I could read myself, I still loved having someone read to me. Hearing a book that I knew, like Rudy Dee’s reading of Their Eyes Were Watching God, made me see it in a different light. And reading aloud satisfies the actor in me.

The Black History Month reading had a natural selectivity. If I organized a reading from the broad swath of literature, how would I choose? I’d selected most of the authors we read in February. Why not let the reader choose from their favorite authors.

Elsmarie Norby has been a musician and photographer since early childhood. Later she became a writer of essays and poetry. Elsmarie is the founder of Ojala Niños, a non-profit education program that offers free daily classes to children of all ages in the rural community of San Miguel Viejo.

Writer/producer poet Tandy Martin lived all over the world as a child but had a career in Los Angeles, California. Tandy considers herself a West Coast person and misses the California of the author she’s going to read, Eve Babitz.

Steve Keller lives in Mexico because he thinks that country’s values better reflect his own. Mexico’s not perfect, Steve says, far from it. But its heart is good. Steve thinks he and his fellow Norteamericanos have something to learn from Mexicans.

Theater is Lauren Osornio’s first love; poetry is her second. Lauren, who received a BA in Theater Arts from Brandeis University, has been acting, directing and writing short plays since she moved to San Miguel. Lauren will share her favorite poets with us.

Ken Morrow set out to spend his life beating on things as a percussionist. Along the way music got frozen into architecture. Now, retired from that profession, he is thawing architecture back into music as a poet, and writer of program notes on classical composers and compositions.

Robert (Rusty) Russell describes himself as a recovering economist. He hosted a public radio interview show, and directed a poetry open mic series in Madison, Wisconsin for fifteen years. His poetry and short fiction have been published in numerous literary journals and anthologies.

Please join us on Thursday, September 27^th to hear excerpts from our favorite authors.

Cynthia Simmons has traveled internationally with her one-woman show, Sally of Monticello, has worked with jazz musicians Cassandra Wilson and Cecilia Smith, and has raised money for non-profit organizations.