Italian American Writers Association Literary Reading (www.iawa.net). Since 1991, IAWA has given voice to writers through its literary series every second Saturday of the month. IAWA East is held even months at Sidewalk Café and IAWA West continues at Cornelia Street Café on odd months.
WHEN: Saturday, January 17th, 5:45-7:45 pm – special date – 3rd Saturday
WHERE: Cornelia Street Café at 29 Cornelia Street, West Village, NYC-10014
WHO: Maria Lisella‘s new poetry collection, Thieves in the Family, was published by New York Quarterly Books in June 2014. Her work in Amore on Hope Street (Finishing Line Press) and Two Naked Feet (Poets Wear Prada) has been twice nominated for a Pushcart Poetry Prize. She won Honorable Mention from the Allen Ginsberg Poetry Award and was a finalist for Queens, NY Poet Laureate. Her work appears in Feile Festa, LIPS, Paterson Literary Review, Skidrow Penthouse, DanMurano.com and First Literary Review-East. Lisella is a charter member of the 12-year-old online poetry circle brevitas that celebrates the short poem. She co-curates the Italian American Writers Association monthly readings and is co-chair of the Vito Marcantonio Forum. Professionally, Lisella is an award-winning business writer with a focus on travel; her work has appeared in AFAR, FoxNews.com, The New York Daily News, Travel and Leisure and other major trade and consumer publications.
Frank Messina wrote four books of poetry, including Disorderly Conduct, and Full Count: The Book of Mets Poetry. His work has appeared in The New York Times, PBS, NPR and on The Jimmy Kimmel Show. He was awarded the Woolrich Poetry Fellowship of Columbia University and has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Poetry Prize. In 2013, his handwritten 9/11-related journal was accessioned into the National September 11 Memorial & Museum permanent collection. Recognized for his baseball poetry, he has read at Shea Stadium, the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and has appeared four times on SportsNet New York as “The NY Mets Poet.” His chapbook, Shinebox, is forthcoming in 2015 from Finishing Line Press. In 2014, the Manhattan Film Institute adapted his poem, “Grunt,” about a soldier returning from the war in Iraq, into a short film. Frank is currently writing a screenplay based on the diary of his Sicilian great-grandfather’s journey from Sicily to New Orleans to New York City. An actor, Frank has appeared most recently in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. He currently lives in Jersey City, NJ.
Event kicks off with Open Mic readings of five minutes.
COVER: $8 CONTACT: www.corneliastreetcafe.com; or 212-989-9319.
DIRECTIONS: By Subway, A, B, C, D, E, F, and M to West 4th St. or 1 to Christopher St.-Sheridan Square
Next Readings
Feb. 14: Peter Carravetta and Marisa Frasca @Sidewalk Café
Mar 14: Amy Barone and Al Tacconelli @Cornelia St. Café
April 11: Anthony D’Aries and Julia Lisella @Sidewalk Café
May 9: Gil Fagiani and Stephen Siciliano @Cornelia St. Café
Contacts: www.iawa.net , www.corneliastreetcafe.com or www.sidewalkny.com
Follow IAWA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/italianamericanwritersassociation