Girl Talk: A Poetry Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month

Please join us if you're in the area. Lots of poetry, cookies, books!

Girl Talk: A Poetry Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month

Please Join Us

Girl Talk: Some Photos

Last Saturday was the 10th year in a row that I have run an event called Girl Talk: A Poetry Reading  in Celebration of Women's History Month. Each year I invite more than two dozen multi-talented women poets to each read one poem that's related to the lives of women. We fill the room with poets, poetry lovers, and friends. We fill the room with sisterhood and poetry. It's always a joyful afternoon.

Those poets with recent books are invited to put out copies for sale. The library provides volunteers to handle the sales and the money. I ask my readers to volunteer to bring home-baked cookies. (This year I had so many volunteers that I had to ask a few bakers not to bake.) Then following the reading we have a reception with poets and readers invited.

Here are some photos from the afternoon to give you an idea of our day.

Books for Sale

Audience arriving

Christine Waldeyer, Editor-in-Chief of Adanna

Dawn Gunther Bernstein, first-time reader

Deborah Gerrish, poet and contributor of roses

Denise LaNeve, runs the North Jersey Literary Series

Julie Maloney, founder of Women Reading Aloud

Priscilla Orr, editor of The Stillwater Review

Vasiliki Katarou, curates the Panoply Reading Series

Cookies, cookies, and more cookies

Beautiful roses contributed by Deb Gerrish—each poet gets to take one home

Girl Talk: A Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month

This year is the 10th anniversary of this reading. Please join us for an exciting afternoon of terrific poetry. Plus, you won't find better cookies anywhere, so please join us for the Reception following the reading.

Girl Talk: A Poetry Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month

If you're in NJ or nearby, please join us for this reading, now in its 8th year.

Details and Directions

Girl Talk: A Poetry Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month

Please join us for this annual event.

Details and List of Poets

Planning a Girl Talk Reading

     
For the past six years I have organized and run an event called "Girl Talk: A Poetry Reading in Celebration of Women’s History Month." Each year since keeping this blog, I’ve posted something about the event after it took place. I’ve then received notes from other women poets saying that they’d love to attend such an event or organize one. I thought that this year I would post details before the event so that others might feel motivated to host such an event and have time to do the planning. So here’s how it goes.

1. Choose a date. Ideally, this should be in March since that’s Women’s History Month, but if March doesn’t work out, a different month is fine. Decide where you want to hold the reading. Mine is held in my local library, a place that has a great reading room and has become a congenial place for poetry. I always choose a Saturday, daytime, but you could choose any day of the week or could hold your event in the evening. Once I have a date in mind, I contact the librarian, and if the date is available, he puts Girl Talk on the calendar. A house reading would also be a lovely option if someone has a space large enough to accommodate the readers and guests.

2. Decide how many poets to include. I begin with two dozen, but somehow the list always grows as each year I get requests from women who want to read the next year. You can, of course, keep your group smaller, but I wouldn’t go much larger than 30. I have 32 on this year’s list, but typically a few readers cancel last minute. Be prepared for that. Make a list of who you want to invite to read. Aim for some diversity. Invite each poet to read one woman-related poem. I stick with poets who live within an easy driving distance. That reduces the chance of last-minute cancellations and seems to bring in more visitors. Send out your invitations. I do this by email. Be sure to give a deadline for response.

3. Once the list is compiled, I ask for a brief bio from each poet—3-5 sentences—and make a page at my website. This is not essential, but it’s a good way to publicize the event. I ask poets to link to the site from their own reading calendars and to use the link when they invite friends to attend. I prepare a list of readers to hand out at the event. If I didn’t have the website, I would include the bios there.

4. I ask for volunteers to bake cookies. I decline any offers for store-bought or bakery cookies. Homemade only! I usually get more volunteers than I need. The cookies are for the reception that follows the reading. The poets and all visitors are invited to join in.

5. I ask poets with books published within the past 5 years to send me title and price, one title only per poet. These books are placed on the book sale table at the reading. Poets may put out 6 books, but replenish if they get lucky and sell out. The library provides two volunteers to handle book sales.

6. Next comes the pr. I post notices of the event in a variety of online sources and local newspapers. I prepare and send a flier to all of the poets and ask them to post it and use it in their email invitations to friends and relatives. If everyone helps a bit with the pr, you can be sure of a good turnout.

This is just one half of the room. We also fill up the other side.

7. I have one short meeting with the librarian about two weeks before the event. We go over room setup, book sales, and any last-minute details.

That’s it for the planning. At the event you’ll want to arrive a bit early to greet people and get the volunteers set up with the books. Be sure that prices for the books are very visible. I ask my poets to use straight dollar amounts so no one has to mess with silver change. All the cookies get put in the kitchen until the reading is over.

I use alphabetical order for the reading. I begin with a welcome to the audience. Then I introduce each poet by name. She gets up and reads at the podium. The mic is set up there. About halfway through we take a 10-minute break. Caution: Don’t let the break go much over that or you will lose some people. Then we go through the remaining poets. Throughout the reading I remind everyone that books are available for sale and signing.

After the reading, the bakers get their cookies and put them on the table at the back of the reading room. Chairs are moved up to allow poets and visitors to circulate. There’s lots of good conversation during this time and lots of good cookies are eaten. There’s also a table set up at the front of the room where poets and visitors can put out fliers, postcards, notices of workshops, etc. (Nothing for sale there.)

That’s it! The event runs from 1:00 - 4:00. We leave well nourished with poetry, cookies, and girl talk.

Let me know if you decide to do a similar event. I hope you do.

Girl Talk 2013: The Movie

I previously wrote about Girl Talk, an event I ran at my local library on Saturday, March 16. This year marked the sixth year in a row for the event. In my earlier post I described how the event is organized and detailed the work that goes into putting it together. I hoped then, and now, that someone out there might be inspired to run a similar event next March.

Each year, following the event, I have used the photos for a video. Here's this year's version. Enjoy with some popcorn.

Girl Talk Redux

This past Saturday was the 6th annual Girl Talk: A Celebration of Women's History Month. I began this event because I thought it would be fun. I've continued running it because it is fun. A lot of fun. People say, Oh, it must take so much time to put this together. I am not being modest when I say that it does not take much time to put it together. It's held at my local library, so I don't have to clean my house. I ask for volunteers to bake cookies and others to bring beverages. I always get more than enough. The library staff sets up the room for us and arranges for two volunteers to handle the book sale table.

My job includes inviting the women poets, this year twenty-nine. If you want to run a similar event—and I encourage you to do so—that's a good number if each poet reads one poem. Invite a few more than you really think is just right because invariably a few drop out. We lost three this year due to illness. Invite poets who live pretty close to the event site. There will be fewer dropouts if the weather is uncooperative. One year we had a hurricane. This year we had snow. Also, poets who live nearby tend to bring more guests for the audience.

I also do PR for the event. Not a big job as this can all be done online. The librarian who works with me on this event sends a press release to local newspapers. I also ask the readers to each reach out and invite guests.

Each year I include some new faces and voices. Some of these new readers are women who've asked to be included; some are women recommended to me. It would be lovely to have everyone back each year, but you need to rotate a bit to keep the event fresh and to keep the total to a reasonable number.

I divide the reading into two parts, with a 15-minute break in the middle. That gives everyone a chance to browse the books and buy some. For the first few Girl Talks I invited all the readers with books to include one title for sale. However, starting last year I limited the book titles to more recent ones so the sale would be more manageable for the volunteers. This seemed to stimulate more rather than fewer sales. Fewer choices make for easier decisions? To stimulate book sales, each year I contribute copies of a craft book or anthology for a lottery. For each book a person buys, she puts her name in the basket. At the end of the day, there's a drawing. This year I gave away five copies of Wingbeats: Exercises & Practice in Poetry.

I welcome the audience and introduce each poet. I do not give bios as I want the event to move along. However, bios are posted at the Girl Talk webpage.

Following the reading, the bakers go into the kitchen and bring out the cookies for the Reception. Our approximately 80 guests are all invited to stay and enjoy the cookies and engage in some poetry conversation. More books are purchased and books are signed. Guess who goes home with the leftover cookies? Me.

Here are some photos to give a sense of the day.

 Book Sale Table. Visitors browsing and buying! What a lovely sight to see.

Crowd gathering before the reading. We filled the room. How lovely for poets to have a full room.

 Poet Deb Gerrish who so graciously brought a beautiful rose for each reader. And baked! 

And then brought beverages for one of the poets who couldn't make it. All in the midst of snow.

Jean Meyers waiting to read. I met her years ago in a Dodge Poetry Workshop.

Sandra Duguid signing her just released first book!

 

Girl Talk: A Poetry Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month

Girl Talk: The Movie

Each year for the past five years I've run an event at my local library. It's called "Girl Talk: A Poetry Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month." Although my initial intention was to do the event once and then be done with it, the response to it was so wonderful and the requests for another so numerous that I've done one each year since. I've also been lucky to have the support of the library and the assistance of librarian Ethan Galvin.

I invite slightly more than two dozen women poets to come and each read one woman-related poem. This year we had 27 poets read. And I already have requests from several poets to be included next year. The topics cover a wide range: dealing with aging parents, the loss of a parent, childbirth and child-rearing, marriage and divorce, the body, current events, and so on. Although I use alphabetical order for the line-up, somehow the poems play off each other.

When I send out the invitations, I also ask for volunteers to bake cookies for the reception following the reading. This year I had so many volunteers that I had to let a few off the hook. I also had to take home quite a few cookies and eat them myself.

The room holds 80 people and we had it filled. Each poet seems to bring a few people and then lots of people come just to enjoy an afternoon of poetry. Although the audience is made up of primarily women, we do get some men too.

The poets who have recent books out are invited to place them on the book sale table. Sales are managed by library volunteers who each year generously give us their time to support this event. Many books are signed during the reception.

Here's a video I made of the reading. It should give you a hint of Girl Talk.

Bits & Pieces of This & That

Busy weekend! Saturday was Girl Talk: A Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month. I've been running this event for five years now. It was intended to be a one-shot deal, but everyone enjoyed it and wanted more. So more they got. We had 27 women poets each read one woman-related poem. It was a joy to read for a packed room of approximately 80 people, mostly women but some men. The poems were wonderful and the spirit in the room was palpable. The reading was followed by a Reception with lots of homemade cookies. One of our poets, Teresa Carson, who does promotion work for CavanKerry Press, recently posed 3 questions to me about this event. She then posted this brief interview at the CK blog.

Half of the Room

Then yesterday I went to Julie Maloney's Meet the Author event in Bernardsville. Her guest was Molly Birnbaum, author of the memoir, Season to Taste. Julie has interviewing refined to an art. Her questions elicited wonderful responses from Molly as she told us about her experience of losing her sense of smell as well as her sense of taste. Shortly before she was to leave for the Culinary Institute of America to pursue her dream of being a chef, she was hit by a car. She crashed headfirst into the front windshield of the car. Her memoir details the changes that accident meant in her life and how she went about recovering her lost senses and understanding what they really mean to us. As a poet interested in the senses and imagery, I found both the book and the in-person interview fascinating.

 Julie Maloney and Molly Birnbaum

Another member of the audience yesterday was the Human Resources Director at the company where my daughter works. Back in 2008 they'd invited me to give a poetry reading for one of their Women's History Month programs. Then last year they invited me back to read one poem as part of a program defined as a Collage of Women. Half a dozen women employees each chose a woman they admired and then spoke about her. It was absolutely wonderful, so much so that they're repeating the program this year. Now as a result of yesterday's chance meeting, I'm invited back again and am now trying to choose a poem. I love it when one thing you do leads to another.

Also in the Good News Department is this new interview with poet Michael T. Young, posted at The Inner Music. The interview is followed by Michael's review of my book, Temptation by Water. I feel very fortunate to have had this attention for my book. And very grateful!

Girl Talk: An Invitation

Girl Talk 2011: The Movie

This was the fourth year that I ran an event called "Girl Talk: A Poetry Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month." This event runs on a Saturday afternoon in March and runs from 1:00 - 4:00 PM. It's held at my local library in their Community Room. On March 26, twenty-seven women poets each read one poem related to the lives of women. We had an incredible array of poems, some funny, some sad, some both. This year was the best turnout we've had so far for this reading. Approximately 100 people filled the room. Every chair was filled. A few people sat on the floor and some stood at the back of the room.

Following the reading we had a Reception which consisted of beverages and homemade cookies, baked by the poets who volunteered to bake them. Everyone was invited to stay and enjoy the cookies and some conversation.

Poets with books were each invited to bring copies of one title for placement on the book sale table, which was supervised by library volunteers. We had a total of 19 titles and sold a goodly number of books. Many of these were signed during the Reception.

Here's a short video of the event. I hope it captures the spirit and joy of the event. I also hope that it might inspire you to run a similar event in your town next March.

Invitation to Girl Talk: A Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month

Visit The Patch for an article about the event.

Girl Talk: A Reading in Celebration of Women's History Month

Last Saturday I ran a poetry reading called "Girl Talk." This was the third year of what I initially thought would be a once-only event. I've wanted to continue doing it because it has been fun and the people who participate ask to do it again. The event is held at my local library which has a nice Community Room. The librarian works with me in making the arrangements.

Here's how it goes. A few months before the selected date, always March to coincide with Women's History Month, I invite a few dozen women poets to participate. This year we started out with 30! A few too many because everyone said yes. That's the easy part. The hard part is having to say no to women who send notes asking to be included. I just can't add more than that. So I now have a "waiting list."

I ask the poets to each send me a brief bio. I post those on the Girl Talk page at my website. I ask for volunteers to bake cookies. This year I had 10 volunteer bakers. I also ask the women to bring friends to join the audience. Although the focus of the reading is a celebration of women, each year we have a number of men who join us.

There is a book sale at this event. Each of the poets is invited to bring six copies of one title for the book table. The librarian arranges for volunteers to man the table and handle the sales.

This year we were cursed by horrible weather, heavy rain and strong wind. Many sections of NJ and elsewhere were flooded and without power by late Saturday night. But mercifully the worst held off until after the event. Most of the poets remained undaunted by the dire predictions. We lost only three, the ones who were coming the farthest distance. We lost some audience, I'm sure, but it was still a good turnout. Even with fewer people, we sold more books this year than last.

Most importantly, everyone had a great time. Each poet read one poem only on a woman-related topic. We heard poems about mothers and daughters, grandmothers, body image, paying for college, good marriages and bad. It was wonderful to hear such a variety of voices coming together. After the reading, everyone was invited to stay and enjoy the refreshments.

Here's video which captures highlights of the day.

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