Robot Hearts: True & Twisted Tales of Seeking Love in the Digital Age

Love and technology have tied the proverbial knot, for better and for worse. Human interaction has gone hi-tech — it’s now both more immediate and global. Does courtship even still exist in the world of instant-everything? Can a real connection ever be made from afar? Robot Hearts is a collection of true stories from writers navigating the relationship maze of new media. Strange, diverse, heartbreaking and hilarious — each story, at its core, is 100 percent human.

“At the core of every cyber-intrigue is a human heartbeat. Robot Hearts captures the vulnerability that fuels our never-ending affair with technology. It is testimonial to the ways that love will always triumph over machines, even as it speaks through them.” – Lily Burana, I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War and Other Battles

Cover art by Tony Acosta

Unpublished or prize-winning, all word artists are welcome at this loose monthly gathering of DC-area writers. In the tradition of the great 15th-century French literary salons, England’s “Bluestocking society,” Harlem’s Renaissance and New York City’s Algonquin Round Table, we aim for camaraderie and collaboration among fellow creatives. No workshopping, no need to bring writing or read your resume. Just show up—then eat, drink and be yourself.

Where:
Rock & Roll Hotel
1353 H. Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202.388.7625
(upstairs)

When:
Every 1st Wednesday
Beginning May 5th
6-8 pm

Half-price burgers (meat & veg), $3 rail drinks

Look for the giant “S”

For more info:
Contact Shawna Kenney or Cara Bruce: info@pinchbackpress.com

Tarnished: True Tales of Innocence Lost

Guidelines
All essays should be nonfiction narratives, written in the first-person. Focus on one or a few selected events in your life; do not send rants or political speeches. Stories should be titled. Essays should be between 1000 – 5000 words, double spaced, paginated and word-processed. No funky fonts, please.

Please include a brief bio (1-3 sentences) at the end of your submission.

Deadline: March 1, 2010

Please send your submissions to: white@pinchbackpress.com or
Pinchback Press
P.O. Box 4788
Baltimore, MD 21211

Writers chosen for the book will be contacted by May 1, 2010.  Each contributor receives two free copies of the finished book.

Feel free to repost and forward!

2640 St. Paul
Baltimore, MD
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 • 7:00pm

Join authors Shira Tarrant, Shawna Kenney, and Cara Bruce for an evening of Feminist Sex. Reading from their latest work, these authors explore what it means to be both anti-sexist and sex-positive.

Shira Tarrant will discuss pornography and masculinity from her newest book, Men and Feminism (Seal Press). She is also the editor of Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power and author of When Sex Became Gender. Shawna Kenney reads her essay, “Seven Minutes With Stripper #2,” which appears in the new anthology, Hos, Hookers, Call Girls, and Rent Boys: Professionals Writing on Life, Love, Money, and Sex (Soft Skull Press). Cara Bruce draws from her published work in Viscera, Best Bisexual Women’s Erotica, and Best Fetish Erotica.

Please join us for a rousing discussion and invigorating debate. The event will be held at 2640 St. Paul, hosted by Red Emma’s Bookstore and St. John’s United Methodist Church.  A $3 – $10 sliding scale suggested donation.  No one turned away for lack of funds.

•Please note that the location has changed from Red Emma’s to 2640 •
For general info see http://www.redemmas.org/2640/
For media queries contact Jen Angel at jen@aidandabet.org

IF YOU ARE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. DO NOT MISS THIS EVENT:

Byron Hurt and Shira Tarrant Talk About
MASCULINITY, SEX, AND HIP HOP
@
Busboys and Poets
Monday, October 19 — 6:30pm

14th & V. Streets
2021 14th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-387-7638
Join author Shira Tarrant and author/filmmaker Byron Hurt for a provocative discussion about masculinity, sexuality, pop culture, and men’s crucial role in the fight for progressive change.

Shira Tarrant is author of Men and Feminism (Seal Press) and editor of Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power (Routledge). Byron Hurt is director of the award-winning film Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes and contributing author to several anthologies, including Men Speak Out.

•This event is co-sponsored by Ms. Magazine •

For general info see http://www.busboysandpoets.com/
For media queries contact Jen Angel at jen@aidandabet.org

Upcoming Readings for Hos, Hookers, Call Girls & Rent Boys Reading

Tuesday, November 10th
Busboys & Poets
1025 5th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 789-BBAP (2227)

Short readings by:
David Henry Sterry (editor)
Shawna Kenney 
“This collection is a wonderful reminder that good writing is not about knowing words, grammar or Faulkner, but having that rare ability to tell the truth, an ability that education and sophistication often serve to conceal. While we are all, I suppose, in the business of surviving, some really are surviving more notably than others. The collective cry for identity found in this unsentimental compilation will resonate deeply — even, I suspect, with those among us who pretend not to pay for sex.” -Toni Brantley, NY Times

www.hoshookerscallgirlsrentboys.com

This reading is NOT to be missed!

Robot Hearts: Twisted and True Tales of Seeking Love in the Digital Age

We are looking for thoughtful-yet-humorous nonfiction pieces that focus on the uniqueness of trying to make a human connection in this digital age. We are interested in the ideas of love and technology intertwined, for better or for worse. Is dating now so very different from the days of our ancestors? Does courtship still exist in the world of instant-everything? Have ideas of romance changed even within your lifetime? Has technology enhanced or intercepted your chances at a love connection? Has progress gotten in the way of your more primal instincts? The world wants to know!

Guidelines
All essays should be of the true and personal nature, written in the first-person. Focus on one or a few selected events in your life; do not send rants or political speeches. Stories should be titled. Essays should be between 1000 – 5000 words, double spaced, paginated and word-processed. No funky fonts, please.

Please include a brief bio (1-3 sentences) at the end of your submission.

Deadline: Dec 31st, 2009

Please send your submissions to: red@lifesabitchbooks.com or
Life’s a Bitch Books
P.O. Box 4788
Baltimore, MD 21211

Writers chosen for the book will be contacted early in 2010. Their selected stories will be published in an anthology shortly thereafter. Each contributor receives two free copies of the finished book, will be included in publicity promoting the book and will be invited to read at literary events associated with the release of the book. Books will be available on amazon.com  and our company website.

Feel free to repost and forward!

Image by Tony Acosta
www.tonymech.com

6-Week Writing Intensive: September 15, 2009 to October 27, 2009

Write your truth. Tell your stories. Make a commitment to yourself. Wherever you’re from, whatever you’ve survived, however you live—it’s all fodder for your work. Your unique experiences are vital to creating and critiquing. This multi-genre workshop will serve as a tool for self-discovery and story excavation under the guidance of two professional writers in a focused, supportive environment.

Generate dynamic new material through exercises and peer review; revive dormant work using elements of craft, community and critique. By the end of the course, writers should be comfortable sharing their writing and offering constructive criticism.

This is a multi-genre online workshop for anyone serious about turning life stories into publishable works. Our stories span generations, theme, structure and region. Thanks to the Internet, Life’s a Bitch Books offers access to professionals and dialogue with a worldwide writing community.

We will be publishing 50% to 75% of students’ work (depending on quality) in one of our upcoming anthologies.

Cara Bruce brings fiction, publishing and editing expertise to the class, while Shawna Kenney offers nonfiction and memoir advice. Both have nurtured many writers on their way to publication.

Online workshops allow you to set your own schedule, no matter how busy you are. In addition, online writing workshops give you the opportunity to present your work with no fear. It is often easier to share your most personal experiences online instead of face to face. Assignments are given weekly and feedback is given daily.

Limited enrollment for maximum attention to your work. Waiting list maintained for next workshop. Space may be reserved by sending a writing sample or letter-of-intent to the email address below. All inquiries should be directed to:

info@lifesabitchbooks.com

Total Fee: $250, payable by check, money order, or Paypal
For more information visit our Register page.

A partial deposit is required. Once enrolled, you will receive a password and link to the online Moodle classroom, with instructions for uploading documents and initial introductions. Refer a new student and receive a $25 discount. Email us for more information.

We look forward to reading your work!

For more information visit: www.lifesabitchbooks.com

Write your truth. Tell your stories. Make a commitment to yourself. Wherever you’re from, whatever you’ve survived, however you live—it’s all fodder for your work. Your unique experiences are vital to creating and critiquing. This multi-genre workshop is designed to serve as a tool for self-discovery and story excavation under the guidance of two professional writers in a focused, supportive environment.

Generate dynamic new material through exercises and peer review; revive dormant work using elements of craft, community and critique. By the end of the course, writers should be comfortable sharing their writing and offering constructive criticism. Participants will possess at least one polished piece ready-for-publication, with rough drafts for many more. We will teach you how to prepare pieces for publication, write pitches, and submit pieces for both fiction and nonfiction publications.

Wednesdays     
April 1st – May 6th
6:30 – 8:30 pm
Minas Gallery
815  36th Street
Baltimore, MD 21211

Limited enrollment (10 writers, maximum)
Contact us with questions or a letter of intent to reserve a space: roamingwriters@gmail.com

Fee: $300, payable by check, money order, or Paypal
Waiting list will be maintained for next workshop.

About the Instructors:
Shawna Kenney is the author of Imposters and the memoir, I Was a Teenage Dominatrix, which earned a Firecracker Alternative Book award, international translation and a film development deal. Her work has appeared in Swindle, Juxtapoz, Transworld Skateboarding, the Florida Review and LA Weekly, among others. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and teaches online for the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.

Cara Bruce is the editor of Viscera and the author of two books in The First Year health series. Her short fiction has appeared in many anthologies including Pills, Thrills, Chills & Heartbreak, Best American Erotica, Best Women’s Erotica, Necrologue, Noirotica, Shameless and many more. She has written for The San Francisco Bay Guardian, While You Were Sleeping, GettingIt.com, Playgirl, Salon.com, the McClathy-Tribune, and more. She is currently writing a novel.

On Workshop
Workshopping your writing can help you to become a better writer. You don’t necessarily need teachers or editors. You don’t need prescriptive advice about what changes to make in your piece. You need what a book called Writing Without Teachers calls “movies of people’s minds while they read your words.”  What you write may be rough, and it may be in the beginning stages, but it can only be improved if you learn how people perceive your words.