The Parlor’s First Annual Creative Connection was a success by every measure. Thank you to our fabulous host The Salem Athenæum and to the incredible crowd who packed the room and participated in the conversation with our special guest Hannah Tinti.

For those of you who missed it, here’s an excerpt of the conversation:

Adam Pieroni: What advice do have for those of us here today who might want to devote ourselves to writing, start a magazine, or pursue a career in publishing?

Hannah Tinti: Like with anything in life, it’s not one big break that you get, it’s not like life changes in one day. It’s a series of very small steps… Once you have the goal for yourself … for me it was writing, this is what I decided to do … I said, “I’m going to throw my eggs in this basket and I’m going to do what I do best.” But at the same time I had a job, I was working in an office, trying to write at night and on the weekends, trying to pay my rent, trying to live my life, do my laundry, pay my taxes. And I basically decided what I would do is, once every day, I would try to do something that would further me towards my goal. And that … wouldn’t necessarily be submitting my work to a magazine or something like that. It would be reading a good short story, or even reading a magazine article about a writer, or it could be something really small:  giving myself 10 minutes to sit and try to write a good sentence…. Or I’d go to a reading at a bookstore. And of course I wouldn’t make it every day. I’m sure there were many days I didn’t do something, but if you keep pushing yourself with these small steps toward a goal, you eventually reach it. And the most important thing–because often times, particularly with beginning writers, I think they feel that what they’re doing isn’t worthwhile–is time: finding ways to give yourself time, to make time, to write. Treat it like it’s something important. Value what you do. You do have something important to say.

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It’s here! Our debut event! Please join us on Saturday for The Creative Connection with Hannah Tinti.

Saturday, July 19, 2:30 pm
The Salem Athenaeum
337 Essex Street, Salem, MA

Light refreshments will be served. Look up the title of Hannah’s first book and you’ll get a hint for what we’re serving. Hope to see you there!

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The “Last Word” is celebrating it’s one-year anni on Friday June 27th. They’ve got excellent readings planned from award winning poets Michael Hoerman, Sarah Getty and Jennifer Jean, as well as AWP winner Rod Kessler and local singer songwriter Rachel McCartney. An open mic will follow.

Monets Garden Art Cafe
95 Rantoul Street
Starts at 8 PM
$3 requested donation.

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Thanks to our incredible friends at The Salem Arts Association, The Salem Athenæum, and The Salem Culture Fest, you can get your creative writing fix in a few ways this summer, including a free manuscript critique, visiting with the author of a critically acclaimed new novel, and kickstarting your writing with the help of an accomplished instructor…

First up is the Creative Connection!

Novelist Hannah Tinti will be coming home to Salem before embarking on a national book tour to promote her new novel, and not only to relax with family and friends. On Saturday, July 19th at 2:30 pm, new Salem-based writing center The Parlor will host Hannah Tinti for their first annual Creative Connection held at The Salem Athenæum. Continue Reading »

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As much as we love Gulu Gulu, we never got in gear to get over there for any of the Poetry Month events. Thankfully Gulu has decided to extend the series, so there’s still time to experience Gulu Idol!

Gulu Idol! Poetry Series to Continue!
The Salem Gulu will host the Witch City Poetry Series on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month.  Sign-up begins at 5PM with readings beginning at 5:45PM. The Lynn Gulu will host the Speak Up - Spoken Word Open-Mic every Wednesday of every month!  The Open-Mic starts at 7:30PM and sign up starts at 7PM.

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Annual Poetry Read-In
Saturday April 26th at 2:00 p.m.
The Salem Athenæum
337 Essex  Street

From The Athenæum: You are cordially invited to bring along a few of your favorite poems and to join in the group reading. This is a celebration of the beauty of poetic language and the wisdom, sincerity, and humor that poems express.   Lemonade and cookies will be served to keep spirits high. Please extend this invitation to any of your friends who are also lovers of poetry. We hope to see you this Saturday at the Athenaeum!   

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April 24, 7 PM
Monet’s Garden Cafe
Red Brick Art Gallery
95 Rantoul Street
Beverly, Massachusetts

Member of The Parlor’s Advisory Board, Rusty Barnes, is reading at Monet’s Garden cafe with Timothy Gager and Michael Hoerman. This is a great chance to get a copy of Rusty’s book Breaking It Down!

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This summer The Parlor is hosting its first Creative Connection and we’re thrilled that Hannah Tinti will be coming home to Salem to join us for a reading and conversation about her literary life. Now if only the first crocus would appear…

Hannah Tinti grew up in Salem, Massachusetts. Her story collection, Animal Crackers, has sold in sixteen countries and was a runner up for the PEN/Hemingway award. Her first novel, The Good Thief, will be published by The Dial Press in June 2008. She is co-founder and editor-in-chief of One Story magazine.

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Thanks to Lisa and Pat at Monet’s Garden for inviting us to read from Quick Fiction at their first ever event. The Red Brick Gallery and Monets Garden are incredible–we had a great time! So did Keith Monahan, pictured below, who read stories by Stace Budzko and Mark Yakich from issue 11 of the journal.

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