A Little Bit of Press
I sort of forgot/was too unduly humble to mention that our new reading series got a write-up on a site dedicated to book publicists and other publishing professionals. In case anyone is interested, here is an excerpt:
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There’s a new show in town, and publicists and authors will want to pay extra attention to this. Michael McAllister, a recent Columbia MFA graduate, has returned to the Bay Area and is launching The Barbershop: A Reading Series at his partner’s barbershop in the Castro this May. Readings will be held on the first Saturday of each month at 8 pm at the newly renovated, modern but retro Joe’s Barbershop at 2150 Market Street.
“The location is both comfortable and a little irreverent, and I think people will enjoy it,” says Michael. “Not to mention the fact that there won’t be any espresso machines frothing milk in the middle of your reading.”
A man of many trades—Michael has worked as a bartender, bike messenger, and a research assistant during grad school to author Brad Gooch—the idea for the series came to him via the book club he attends. “Our book club has remained strong after two years because we really need each other,” he explained. “We need to get out of our offices and out of our heads, and sometimes talk shop and laugh and gossip for a while. Writing can be incredibly lonely, and you can go years without feedback on your work.”
Michael’s goal is to bring the same kind of energy he experiences at book club meetings to the series, especially for writers who are looking for alternative reading opportunities on book tours through San Francisco. “I want to provide another place for writers and readers to meet and discuss literature,” he says, and points out how most readings seem to be held at bars, bookstores, and coffee shops. The Barbershop Reading Series is the kind of location that could really stick in one’s memory for being unusual. Though he’d like to set the bar high for the kind of literary fiction and non-fiction he’s seeking, the atmosphere would remain casual and welcoming, with a typical “barbershop feel.”
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You can read more of the article here.
YAY for you! It so great when friends I know start living a dream
April 13th, 2009 at 7:17 pmYou go, bro! Yeah!
April 16th, 2009 at 2:43 pm[...] Writings From a Banana added an interesting post today on A Little Bit of PressHere’s a small reading“Not to mention the fact that there won’t be any espresso machines frothing milk in the middle of your reading. [...]
April 24th, 2009 at 1:41 am