BETTER ANCESTORS
On Monday, January 4 we premiere a new quarterly series, Better Ancestors, featuring readings/performance by (clockwise, top L):
Josiah Luis Alderete, Aja Couchois Duncan, Nia McAllister, Brontez Purnell and Michael Warr.
One of Quiet Lightning’s efforts to diversify and move toward racial equity, Better Ancestors is a new quarterly showcase of writers of color. Developed in partnership with Michael Warr, the series features 5 authors reading or performing whatever they choose. Each author selects one performer for the following show, so the series – and community – is self-generating. All authors are paid and published in an end of the year anthology.
Read more about the series, and the authors. We hope you’ll join us.
SEEKING WRITING:
LITERARY MIXTAPE on 2/1
We’re seeking writing of all forms to be featured in a literary mixtape curated through a blind selection process by Tom Pyun (L) and Mary Ann Thomas (R).
All selected authors will be paid and published in sPARKLE & bLINK 109, and perform the book live (virtually) on February 1, 2021.
Submissions are open through 1/6.
Read about the curators. Be a part of the show.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
WATCH RECENT SHOWS
READ OUR BOOKS
art by Nancy Sayavong
art by Judit Navratil
art by nkiruka oparah
art by Livien Yin
WHAT IS ART?
"Life has no meaning in itself, but we can make life meaningful through expression."
DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF SUCCESSFUL?
"If success means loving your life not in spite of the difficulties but because of them, then yes, absolutely."
IF YOU COULD GIVE ADVICE TO YOUR 15 YEAR OLD SELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
"In 35 years, the founder of a literary series you will have participated in will ask you a series of interview questions. I’m going to Slack them back in time to you, younger me, so you’ll have 35 years to prepare and make your answers really, really awesome. Just crushingly good. Look, I don’t have time to explain Slack to you, or how I created a “past selves” channel on the app so I could chat with my earlier incarnations, or even how the hell you’re supposed to own an internet-enabled mobile device in 1985. Just imagine this is some kind of Back To The Future time warp and get on with it."
Karla Brundage
“Alabama Dirt”
[watch | read]
Madeline Cash
“Hostage #4”
[watch | read]
Alia Salim
“Deep State”
[watch | read]
Alex Maceda
“Purple is a Late Blooming Color”
[watch | read]
Halim Madi
“As Home Became Metaphor”
[watch | read]
Robyn Carter
“Excelsior”
[watch | read]