Jackson Street Books Presents Author Keith Thomson at Lacamas Hall in Second Life

Jackson Street Books Lacamas Hall

On Monday March 22nd, at 6 pm PDT/SLT, Jackson Street Books is proud to present Keith Thomson at Lacamas Hall.

What happens when a spy develops Alzheimer's? Pair him with his mid-thirties son who owes the Russian mafia for his pony debts, who still thinks Dad was just an appliance salesman...


“Utterly original, it is an adrenaline-fueled concoction of sidesplitting humor and genuine suspense. Think Carl Hiassen taking on John Le Carré and the winner is the reader. What a find! I can't imagine not loving this gem of a novel!”

—Christopher Reich :: New York Times Bestselling Author

'Once A Spy' Excerpt: read early chapters at HuffPo: http://bit.ly/acdh4U


Book trailer:


http://keiththomsonbooks.com/video-trailer.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwy8czyZ_c0&feature=player_embedded

Order the book:

http://bit.ly/awtnX3

Milk Wood's 1st Annual March Poetry Festival

An exhibition of work and readings from Second Life's most popular poets begins on today on the 5th March. This first of a planned annual event begins at 1pm PST/SLT ends on Sunday 7th March at 4pm PST/SLT.


Here's the line up of events planned by day, the time and SLURL:

Friday - March 5th

Flawnt Alchemi - 1pm SLT at the Bookstacks Performance Space

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/141/203/441

Morgue McMillan - 1:30pm SLT - Outside Milk Wood Library

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/207/71/24

Rosemary Serenity 1:45pm SLT - at Storybook Dell

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/218/37/23

Stosh Quartz - 2:00 - 2:30 pm SLT - at the Stone Circle

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/150/82/23

Kezhen Yheng - 2:30-3pm SLT - at the Stone Circle

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/150/82/23

Saturday - March 6th

All Events at the Stone Circle http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/153/78/23

Rosedrop Rust - 1:00 - 1:30pm SLT

June Stormcrow - 1:30 - 2:00pm SLT

Donjuan Writer - 2:00 - 2:15pm SLT

Morgue McMillan - 2:15 - 2:30pm SLT

Klannex Northmead - 2:30-3:00pm SLT

Huckleberry Hax - 3:00 - 3:15pm SLT

Sunday - March 7th

All events at the Library http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/227/87/30

Wolfgang Glinka - 1:00 - 1:30pm SLT

Kamille Kamala 1:30 - 2:00pm SLT

IU's Man in Black - 2:00 - 2:30pm SLT

Aianna Oh - 2:30-3:00pm SLT

Corwyn Allen - 3:00 - 3:30pm SLT

Manx Wharton - 3:30 -4:00pm SLT

CW Aigner Photographic Exhibition Opens in Second Life

Poster CW Aigner Photographic Exhibition

On Wednesday the 10th of February, the photographic exhibition of CW Aigner ((Christoph Wilhelm Aigner) makes its debut in Second Life. Presented by the 431art Gallery, the exhibition entitled, "Everything unknown comes out of the sea" will open with an event at 1:00 pm PST/SLT. This is a first for the renowned Austrian Poet and for gallery owner Myth Guyot. Born in Salzburg Austria, Mr. Aigner currently resides in both Salzburg and Italy. He was cited by "World Literature Today"as one of the world's most distinguished poets. He has received high honors in literature including the German Else-Lasker-Schüler prize and the Austrian National prize. The photographs were originally in the PolColl Series and titled "The curious every day events in Italy" or "All strange things come from the ocean" and originated in the winter months of 1992/93 in the Italian villages Marina di Cecina and Rieti. Subsequently, in the years 2008/09 the Polaroid collages were captured as large pictures, 60x60 cm and printed in a single edition collection. The pictures are mounted onto Finart Baryt paper and 4mm thick aluminum. They were manufactured in Salzburg by Ulrich Ghezzi. Mr. Aigner worked with the original medium of a Polaroid camera from Edwin Land for 25 years. Production of the Polaroid camera has since been halted.

Shortly before the scheduled opening, I spoke to gallery owner and artist Myth Guyot who had invited me over for a brief preview. After we exchange pleasantries and a few remembrances we talked about the exhibit and the gallery.

Nazz: Thank you for the heads up about the exhibit. When will it open?

Myth: I'm still planning for the opening on the 10^th of February and I need some text from the artist first.

Nazz: Is he in Second Life?

Myth: He's never been yet … I'm trying to convince him.

Nazz: You've bought his work in then for display?

Myth: He's a friend of mine and I support him to show it here.

Nazz: I'm scanning around with my camera. The gallery is a nice build … yours?

Myth: Yes, it's brand new. On this floor is the exhibit. Below us is the video room to see the "Walk to Elea" … and on the TP board is a link to take you to see the maze.

Nazz: I recall both, seeing and writing about them. The very first article I did for the SL Newspaper was about the Maze. There are quite a few pieces in the exhibit … I'm reminded of post cards when looking at them. Are they paintings and is the text, his poetry?

Myth: A photographic collage … a mixture of Polaroid's and painting and collage. In a way, yes his poems. In German the exhibit is "Alles unbekannte kommt aus dem meer" which means, "Everything unknown comes out of the sea". He'd taken the pictures while in Italy.

Jackson Street Books Presents Author Peter May in Second Life

YOU ARE INVITED!!!

Jackson Street Books is proud to present noted mystery author Peter May to read and discuss his Second Life novel, Virtually Dead.

Michael Kapinski has joined SL to participate in Group Therapy Sessions after the death of his wife. He's gone back to his job as a Crime Scene photographer, but he's losing his house and can no longer afford the lifestyle his wealthy wife has left him. When an apparent glitch deposits $3M US worth of Lindens in his account, it looks like the answer to his mortgage problem, until the Mafia come looking for their money.

Join us and find out the secrets of a real Second Life detective!

Saturday February 6, 2010

12noon SLT

Lacamas Reading Hall
Watch the trailer
Order the book from Jackson Street Books

Author Arlene Radasky to Appear at Netera's Coffee Shop in Second Life

I became acquainted with Netera Landar and her weekly reading series at her coffee shop. This week Thursday at 5 pm PST/SLT, Arlene Radasky author of "The Fox," will be the guest. For more information on Ms Radasky, stop in at the coffee shop. There is a notecard giver in front and free donuts on the counter top inside.

Huckleberry Hax Live Reading at the Blue Angel Poets' Dive

I attended and thoroughly enjoyed Huckleberry Hax's reading live from his novel, "Beside an Open Window" at the Blue Angel tonight. It was a little touch and go for the start, Second Life voice went out for him before he started which he was able to correct with two re-logs and clear "cache". With voice recovered he held an audience of fifteen avatars sat transfixed while he read from the first two chapters of his novel.

Author Garth Stein on KUOW Radio

The following notice is from BookemJackson Streeter, co-owner of Jackson Street Books:

Tomorrow (January 6th) at 9am SLT, Garth will be on our local NPR station KUOW. The discussion among Seattle authors will be the "Future of Indie Bookstores". We'll be streaming the show at Lacamas Reading Hall at 9am.

Author Convention and Exhibition 2010

The following came to me by way of Jilly Kidd, of the Written Word Group:

 

Go to our social network for writers to discuss the convention in the Author Convention and Exhibition Group on Written Word Ning

 

The first Author Convention and Exhibition will be taking part in the early months of 2010 on the London School of Journalism Island. In the run up to the Convention we're inviting authors and publishers who would like to take part to have a free display area in the Orb Space Station above the island.

 

As well as having a display opportunity in the Space Station, authors and publishers will be able to collaborate on how they would like the Convention to be organised. Everybody will be able to help organise and work together for a calendar of events. Perhaps authors in the same genre will get their heads together for panels etc. Readings, talks, book signings and sales will all be part of the Convention. Highlights of the Convention will be filmed and broadcast, including whole events. There will be no cost involved in taking part in the Convention.

 

If you would like to take part, contact me and I'll invite you to the London School of Journalism group so you can set out your display in the Orb Space Station. There will be an easy TP or TurboLift from ground level to the Space Station, and also the Convention can use all of the venues at ground level - an Amphitheatre, the Southbank Theatre, tutorial/discussion cabins, outdoor campfire seating, an ice rink which will be a London Park, offices and a beach area which will also have an outdoor stage over the water.

 

This is sure to be a wonderful and well promoted event and will get a lot of interest. I'll be writing about it myself for RL press and publishers in Publishing Talk. So let's get our heads together to plan a really good first one, and it will then run every year.

 

To take a look at the venues come to the Orb Space Station:

 

And take a look at the island:

 

For more information contact Jilly Kidd in Second Life.

 

Talk With a Fake British Accent Day at Writers' Circle

A group notice from Jilly at the Writers' Circle:

Today's Writers' Circle celebrates the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, and if you don't fancy that it's also Talk With a Fake British Accent Day. The British among us will choose a different British accent as we each have our own countries. British accent - what is that anyway?? You can also bring writing on any other theme and in any form to read out - fiction, nonfiction, poetry, whatever. Or sit back and just enjoy. Free Boston Tea Party Sweaters and a nice warm British cuppa tea for you all.

Avatar Repertory Theater Presents - The Real Christmas Story

Press Release from Avatar Repertory Theater Group:

Does your Christmas look less like Norman Rockwell and more like Norman Bates? Does your family put the "Diss" in "Dysfunctional"? Does your Uncle Fred use the Andy Williams' Christmas Albums for target practice? Well, welcome home Buckaroo! The actors of the Avatar Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) invite you to "The Real Christmas Story", starring Y.A.D.F. (your average dysfunctional family). These original Christmas stories will premiere on Friday, December 11, at 5 pm SLT/PST at the Dove Theater. Two other performances will be presented on Saturday, December 12 at 3 pm SLT/PST, and Sunday, December 13 at 2 pm SLT/PST.

Written by three members of the A.R.T., "The Real Christmas Story" presents three views of the pain and pleasure of the holiday season. Sodovan Torok, Kayden Oconnell and Rowan Shamroy have googled their internal computers and found stories that embrace the past, endure the present and anticipate the future. Scrooge may have survived the spirits, but Tiny Tim might need counseling after spending time with these ghosts.

In his "The Xmas I Met Santa", Sodovan Torok brings us a sweeter tale of how Santa made an unexpected entrance and a somewhat painful exit. Rowan Shamroy shows us how old family dynamics are magnified and amplified during the requisite holiday gathering. And Kayden Oconnell shatters some Christmas myths when a hotshot reporter visits a young old man who knew Santa before Santa was cool.

Directed by Em Jannings and produced by AvaJean Westland, the Christmas shows include A.R.T. actors Prospero Frobozz, Thundergas Menges, Mickie Nikolaidis, Kayden Oconnell, Persephone Phoenix, Ada Radius, Rowan Shamroy, MadameThespian Underhill and Dolgoruky Umarov. The sets have been built by JubJub Forder, with costumes and animations assembled by Ada Radius, Joff Fassnacht and Rowan Shamroy. We are also introducing the new A.R.T. English Sub-titler for the hearing impaired designed by Prospero Frobozz and managed by JudyArx Scribe. Admission to the event is free.

Interstitial Fiction and Music Tonight at Jackson Street Books

The following came to me by way of BookemJackson Streeter:

On Monday, Dec 7 at 6pm SLT, five authors from the short story collection Interfictions2 will discuss their works in a panel at Jackson Street Books
Lacamas Reading Hall. What is interstitial art? It is art made in the interstices between genres and categories. It is art that flourishes in the borderlands between different disciplines, mediums, and cultures. It is art that crosses borders, made by artists who refuse to be constrained by category labels.

Interfictions2 (Small Beer Press $16.00) Signed Bookplate will be sent later for all book orders.

Autumn Writers Competition Winners Announced

Here's an update from Autumn Writers' Exhibition which finished yesterday.

Competition winners were:

Best Poem: Hypatia Pickens

Best Prose: Renee Silversmith

Best Display: Huckleberry Hax

Best Grand Ball Costume: Corwyn Allen.

 
 

Congratulations to the winners! The promise was that details would be available on the Written Word website soon.

Avatar Repertory Theater Company to Participate in World-wide Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A.R.T. COMPANY TO PARTICIPATE IN WORLD-WIDE EVEN

Coventry University presents Avatar Repertory Theater's staging of 13 Objects: Studies in Servitude by Howard Barker as part of an international festival celebrating the work of this prestigious playwright. Performances will be on Oct 20, 4pm SLT and October 21, 2pm SLT at Coventry University SIM:

On October 21, 2009, more than 50 theater companies will stage readings and performances in celebration of the 21st anniversary of the founding of Howard Barker's theater company, The Wrestling School. A.R.T.'s virtual theater will be another facet in the world wide celebration, from Mexico to Iceland, Australia to Cyprus, in five languages. Organizations participating include the Royal Shakespeare Company in London and the Skylight Theatre Company in Perth

Howard Barker's Wrestling School was established in 1988 by actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Court. The name arose from the feeling that the company must 'wrestle' with the ideas in Barker's text before being able to present them on stage.

A.R.T. will be performing "13 Objects: Studies in Servitude" by Howard Barker, live in Second Life, October 20th at 4 pm and October 21st at 2 pm SLT at the Coventry University SIM. 13 Objects shows the secret lives of everyday objects, such as a cup and saucer, or a camera, to make intimate connections and inspire powerful feelings, with poetic language, provocative ideas and dark humor.

The Second Life production is directed by Joff Fassnacht, theatre lecturer at Coventry University, UK. Joff has combined the virtual world with the real world, bringing his students into Second Life to expand and enhance their creative skills. Coventry University was one of the first in the UK to purchase virtual space in Second Life, starting in 2007. Their SIM is used as a creative tool for students, as they work in fashion, design and general business.

Along with the live performances, A.R.T. plans to display an installation featuring scenes from "13 Objects" to allow Second Life residents to wander through the environment and get a feel for this remarkable work. The installation is scheduled to open sometime in October and be up for at least thirty days.

Sets and installation builds will used the remarkable objects built by Arcadia Asylum in 2006 and 2007, currently housed in Arcadia Asylum Library and Museum, curated by Mally McGinnis. Pieces from Arcadia's Slum City and Hobo builds carry out director Joff Fassnacht's vision of "post World War II London blitz post-apocalyptic grunge" with astonishing aptness. A.R.T. Producer Ada Radius commented, "It's as though she (Arcadia) had been reading Barker two years ago."

Cast members/voiceover actors include Kayden Oconnell, Prospero Frobozz, MadameThespian Underhill, Ada Radius, Em Jannings, Mickie Nikolaidis, AvaJean Westland, Rowan Shamroy, Dolgoruky Umarov and Persephone Phoenix. Directed by Joff Fassnacht, sets and costumes assembled by Ada Radius using the designs of Arcadia Asylum. Sound engineering by Thundergas Menges, scripting by Sodovan Torok, Prospero Frobozz and Ian Pahute, animations by Joff Fassnacht, with additional graphics and builds by JubJub Forder and Ada Radius. Admission to the event and installation is free.

# # # #

For more information please contact Mickie Nikolaidis via notecard or at mickie4004@gmail.com

Jackson Street Books Welcomes Author in Second Life

I had a brief chat with Jackson Street Books co-owner, BookemJackson Streeter in second life where she happily announced the appearance of Garth Stein to discuss his latest award winning novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain. The event is scheduled for Monday evening the 7^th of September at 6 pm PDT/SLT and will be held at the Jackson Street Books in SL location. Ms Streeter's characterization of the book is a "Heartbreaking and achingly perfect this book is really impossible to describe. Narrated by the big hearted Enzo, this story reminds us of the grace of everyday, the preciousness of each moment. Enzo is a dog who can explain what it is to be human."

It will be Mr. Stein's first appearance in second life and she told me, "I'm really excited about this … but kind of nervous about the voice interview part … We've done other authors here, but in text ... this will be the first time in voice. I want to do more Monday author events and I'll have a Machinama of Garth to show at the upcoming NW book show ... but I'm not ready to be weekly yet."

When I commented that I thought she'd do fine and that it'd be just like talking to a friend, she said. "Luckily, he is a real life friend so I don't have to worry about that."

An Update on the Reluctant Quester

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post here in Lane's List about the "Reluctant Quester" and good friends Jenaia Moraine and Marty Snowpaw. You may recall my having explained that Jen and Marty are well known in second life for their work on the Virtual World Story Project. I'd also written an article about their recent activities which appeared in a SL Newspaper article, "Stories without Borders Quest Workshop at 2009 SLCC". This evening I received an e-mail update from Jen announcing that the adventures of the Reluctant Quester and Cice his "opinionated sidekick" had been captured in a machinima by filmmaker Ariella Furman. The machinima will air in an invitation only premier in Second Life on Thursday, October 1, 2009 at noon PDT/SLT. Meanwhile, here's a taste, a trailer that I'd viewed previously but watched again and again tonight, "SWB-The Life and Times of Uncle D – Trailer".

I know you'll be as captivated as I was … enjoy.

Second Life Residents Present Book to New York Public Library

I received an off line instant message from Nasus Dumart this past week, with an announcement for a mixed reality event. Nasus Dumart and Apple MacKay are the authors of "'The Unofficial Guide to Building Your Business in the Second Life Virtual World" and I'd interviewed Nasus just prior to its release for an article that ran in the SL Newspaper several months ago. We'd had a delightful chat that day about the book, its release and of business in second life. Nasus and Apple are also the owners of Molaskey's Pub, a highly popular live music venue in second life where both are very active in promoting music.

An excerpt from her message follows:

"On Monday August 31st 6:30p (EDT) the New York Public Library, Mid-Manhattan Branch proudly will present 'Virtual Life Lessons' with Jay Mahar and Sue Martin Mahar. In Second Life, Jay and Sue are Apple MacKay and Nasus Dumart of Molaskey's Pub. They will be presenting their book, 'The Unofficial Guide to Building Your Business in the Second Life Virtual World' at the NYPL and featuring Molaskey's Pub during a Second Life live demonstration. If you are in the NYC area, you are welcome to attend in real life! This is a NYPL Workshop, open to the public. It is located at 455 Fifth Avenue at 42nd St. 6:30-8p. 917-ASK-NYPL "

We chatted briefly on my next trip in world about catching up after the event for another interview and I look forward to doing so.

The Vision Quest Awards

I had the opportunity this past week to take part in Jenaia Morane's "Vision Quest" event, which was part of the Helen Keller Day activities in Second Life. Ms Morane had asked me to be one of the judges for the writing competition which I readily agreed to do. She runs one of the most delightful spots in second life for writers, StoryBook Island, which is the home of "The Virtual Worlds Story Project and I Avatar: Stories from the virtual edge". She is active in the nonprofit sector of second life and is a talented writer in her own right.

Details on the event and the winners of the competition can be found at "Days of Our Second Life".

Experience the Magic of the Vision Quest

Join writer, educator, and storyteller Jenaia Morane as she shares the tale of how the blind community and their guide dogs inspired the Second Life Vision Quest.

Vision Quests are journeys of self-discovery designed to spark your imagination and encourage you to "see" in new and thought provoking ways.

The Second Life Vision Quest is an interactive, immersive adventure designed to let you experience and write stories about what it's like to be blind. It was created to celebrate the launch of Max, the first virtual guide dog here in Second Life.

Participants in the Quest can choose to experience their journeys from the perspective of a blind person or from the viewpoint of a guide dog. Both versions of the Quest utilize Max (free to everyone) to help navigate and find clues.

When: Monday, June 29

Where: Olde: (please IM Marty Snowpaw, Saxet Uralia, or Louise Later if you have trouble locating us)

Time: 4:00 pm SLT

Who: Open to Everyone who loves adventures and stories

Ready to Start Your Vision Quest?

Save Our Small Publishers Campaign

The following came to me by way of Adele Ward (AKA Jilly Kidd) from the Written Word Group in Second Life:

SAVE OUR SMALL PUBLISHERS CAMPAIGN

Buy just one book and keep our invaluable small presses afloat.

Publishers are among the first to be hit in a recession and small publishers are at risk at the moment. We need our small publishers because they're the ones who invest in non-mainstream forms including poetry and debut novels. They work on a tight budget, sometimes getting into debt, to give these writers a chance. Novelists get the opportunity to be picked up by larger publishers thanks to these risk takers.

In the UK we're trying to keep our small publishers going and this can be international. Salt Publishing was at serious risk and had a widely publicized campaign asking people to buy just one book. This helped them raise the finance they needed to keep going thanks to a fantastic response. My own publisher, Bluechrome, has said that if each writer who submitted a manuscript actually bought just one book to see what they publish this would be enough to stay afloat.

We give publishers free space on the Written Word area as part of this SOS Publishers campaign, which I'm also organizing on other websites including Facebook.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP OUR SMALL PUBLISHERS GOING?

Buying a book from a publisher you want to submit your manuscript to is essential and it's necessary research so that you can see you're submitting to a publisher who takes your kind of writing. If we all took the trouble to buy a book from a small publisher this would also make a massive difference - if we don't buy these books then small publishers will fail during the recession and there won't be enough outlets for new writers.

Buying just one book each could show that the internet can keep publishers successful during a recession and this would increase the outlets for new writers. Publishers could keep accepting more new work. At the moment they are having to cut back.

As a poet I need to read as much poetry as possible, and as a fiction writer I'm constantly reading the work of debut novelists. I'll be increasing the number of books I buy to help the SOS Publishers cause. I use Facebook to contact poets direct to ask them for signed copies of their books, and this supports the poets as well as the small publishers. It's also building up a very special set of collectable books for me, so I suggest this as a great way to help during the recession. It also forges links with the writers and builds your contacts list. I find it very inspiring.

I'm not going to put forward my publisher alone, but want to suggest buying a book from any small publisher or direct from the author. There's a list of all the small poetry publishers in the UK on the Poetry Library website (and if you have similar links for your own countries let me know):

If you join the British Poetry group on Facebook you'll see this discussion on their discussion board with writers and publishers joining in, so you'll get more ideas there and perhaps find some authors who you'd want to ask for signed copies.

We have some small publishers, including Bluechrome, Cinnamon Press, and Snowbooks, at the Written Word on Cookie Island. Bluechrome has a buy-one-get-one-free offer as part of this campaign and Cinnamon Press encourages buyers to support small publishers with a fantastic range of wonderful poetry and fiction. Snowbooks has very good advice on submitting manuscripts - so pop over and follow the links to their websites.

The best place for books at a good price with free international delivery is the Book Depository or use this Book Depository Muse Harbor link to help us fund our area.

You'll find some larger publishers on our area too with guidance on how to submit manuscripts online.

Publishers at Muse Harbor

Written Word at Cookie Island

Keep writing but don't forget to buy a book to keep our publishers going. I'm broke and I'm doing it! Poetry books keep their value for years and can be sold secondhand on Amazon. I'm lucky enough to have a publisher, and if we all buy a book then more aspiring writers will get into print.

Adele Ward AKA Jilly Kidd

Last Chance: Flash Fiction Contest Call for Submissions

This notice arrived early this morning from the TLE Educational Network:

Submit flash fiction stories up to 500 words, related to the theme of the Speakeasy Event: prohibition, speakeasies, 1920s-1930s, the mafia, '20s and '30s era outlaws, and so on. Prizes of 1000L, 500L, 250L awarded to top three stories chosen by a panel of judges. All entries to be included in anthology published in SL. DEADLINE: 11:59 pm SLT Sunday, May 31. More information and Mail Drop for submitting entries is located at TLE Creative Showcase for Writers.