AWP is in Portland, Oregon this year, and it’s happening this week!

Yeah, I’m not hip; I just learned last month what AWP even is. Apparently it’s a big-deal conference, with a lot of cool- and/or technical- and/or jargony- and/or awesome-sounding panels. It’s also a HUGE BOOK FAIR.

It’s expensive, and it looks a little…intense for me at this stage of my writing career, so I’m not going.* I am, however, planning to stop by the Northwest Micropress Fair on Saturday, after which a favorite lit mag based right here in Portland has asked me to read some of my poems.

I go on at 8pm (or thereabouts, I imagine), and I’ve got FOUR WHOLE MINUTES.** Should be a pretty spectacular flash in the pan. ;)

The afterparty for the Fair is at the same place as the Fair: The Ace Hotel, downtown. If you’re in Portland for the evening, stop by and prop me up if I faint.***

There are other AWP shadow-events all weekend, too, some of which are also dedicated to supporting smaller presses. I might check out NO FAIR/ FAIR, if I’ve got a lot of spoons on Saturday.

And Copper Canyon Press has a reading and book launch for a bunch of great poets at the 3rd Street Stumptown, same time as my reading. Maybe you should go to that one.

Northwest Micropress Fair:
Fri/Sat 10am to 6pm,
The Cleaners at The Ace Hotel

Afterparty:
Saturday, after 6pm, in exactly the same place.
I go on at 8!

* Ok, I’m totally going to the book fair, though. Those are magical, siren-song words.

**How many poems can I read in four minutes? Let’s find out.

***Do I faint? I don’t know, but I’ve never done this in, like, PUBLIC before, so I bet I’ll be nervous. Please bring me a fancy fan.