It's About Time
Writers Reading Series
Every Second Thursday
6:00 - 7:45 p.m.
5614 22nd Ave. N.W.
Seattle , WA 98107
206-684-4089
Wheelchair accessible. Free
for information or to schedule a reading
co-curators
Open mike readers have 3 minutes to read
Scheduled writers read 15 minutes
Writer's craft presenters have 20 min
Note: Due to a library contract, books are not sold at the Ballard Branch.
If you park in the underground lot, cars need to be moved by library closing time, or they'll get locked in. This has happened!
This reading series exists for all those who want to write. It is dedicated to the memory of Anna Helfgott, (1899-1996) who began writing at age 70, & to the memory of Nelson Bentley (1918-1990), the quintessential teacher who gave Anna, & scores of others, help & hope. It's About Time was founded in 1989 by Esther Altshul Helfgott, and is now, as of Fall 2011, being curated by Peggy Sturdivant and Katie Tynan. It's About Time belongs to Seattle. If you live here and want to help with events, you have a standing invitation. The It's About Time Writers Reading Series is dedicated to an end of racism, homophobia, antisemitism, homelessness & war.
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A bit of history: In 1989, I asked Nelson Bentley if my students in North Seattle Community College's Senior Adult Education Program could read in the UW Castalia Series, which Nelson curated. I was a history grad student, doing poetry on the side, and had been reading for Nelson since taking his class in 1982. Nelson said that only university students were allowed to participate. "Why don't you start your own series?" he asked; and before I could say anything else, he said. "You can do it!" So I did. I lifted the name from the defunct "It's About Time Feminist Book Store" on the Ave and "The It's About Time Writers Reading Series" was born.
The first reading took place at the Ravenna-Bryant Senior Center in Jan 1990. Shirley Guterson and Genevieve Beach were among its first readers. (Genevieve is 99 years old now) I have the video of that first reading and will place it in the University of Washington Special Collection Archives where I've already deposited some of the It's About Time's files. If you have materials concerning the series, you may wish to gift them to that collection. Perhaps one someone will want to write the History of Literary Seattle.
I'm often asked if I had planned for the series to go on for so long - twenty-two years next January. I think if I would have made such a plan, I wouldn't have managed to bring the series forward at all. So I'm glad I didn't have one. I would have missed the opportunity to meet some amazing people, up front and in the audience too.
Thank you for supporting It's About Time,
Esther Altshul Helfgott
December 2011
2012 Calendar
Thurs. January 12, 2012 #267 - Priscilla Long, Ingrid Ricks, Marty Campbell & Jane Alynn on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. February 9, 2012 #268 - Paula Friedman, Cancer Lifeline Writing for the Moment class, Larry Ebersole, &
Don Harmon on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. March 8, 2012 # 269 - Katy E. Ellis, Elena Louise Richmond, Jennifer D. Munro, & Christopher J. Jarmick
on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. April 12, 2012 #270 - Rita Bresnahan, Akinfe Fatou, Christine Johnson-Duell & Emily Warn on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. May 10, 2012 #271 - Roselle Kovitz, Deborah Bacharach, Miriam Bassuk & Judith Skillman on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. June, 2012 14 #272 - Joan Moritz, Alex Bleeker, Greg Bem & Corbin Lewars on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. July 12, 2012 #273 - Don Kentop, Diana Brement, Michael Schein & J.T. Stewart on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. August 9, 2012 #274 - Steve Hersch, Mitsu Beni Akiyama Sundvall, Helen Landalf & Donna Miscolta on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Sept. 13, 2012 # 275 - Bethany Reid, Iraj Mohebalian, Leigh Clifton Goodwin & Jack Remick on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Oct. 11, 2012 #276 - African American Writer's Alliance & Pamela Hobart Carter on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Nov. 8, 2012 #277 - Rita Weinstein, Jonathon Moore, Katy E. Ellis & Sharon Cumberland on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Dec. 2012 #278 - Kimberly Kent, Emily Holt, Betsy Bell & _open _ on the Writer's Craft
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2011 Calendar
For each reading we have three readers and one Writer's Craft speaker. Open mic readers go first, 3 minutes each. Scheduled readers=15 min; Writer's Craft=20 min
Thurs. Jan 13, 2011 #255 - John Shaw, Deborah Green, Emily Dietrich, Michael Spence
No Writer's Craft talk this month
Thurs. Feb 10, 2011 #256 - Martha Silano, Janee Baugher, Bill Carty
+ Laura Snyder on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. March 10, 2011 #257 - Linda Malnack, Robert Flor, Lauren Fenk
+ Jack Remick on The Writer's Craft (Modern Poetics)
Thurs. April 14, 2011 #258 - Mike Hickey, Don Harmon, Corbin Lewars + Arleen Williams on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. May 12, 2011 #259 - Michael Schein, Sylvia Pollack, Leslie Fried + Sharon Hashimoto on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. June 9, 2011 #260 - Julene Weaver, Idore Anschell, K.G. Bond
+ Payam Fotouhiyehpour on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. July 14, 2011 #261 - Sharmagne, Steven Reigns, Diane Westergaard
+ Louise Spiegler on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. August 11, 2011 #262 - Marjorie Manwaring, Megan Snyder-Camp Lehman, Payam Fotouhiyeh + Idore Anschell on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Sept 8, 2011 #263 Curt Colbert, Waverly Fitzgerald, Ann Hersey
+ Denise Calvetti Michaels on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Oct. 13, 2011 #264 Roberta Feins, Linera Lucas, Leta Hamilton
+ Anitra Freeman on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Nov 10, 2011 # 265 Lyn Coffin, Mac McClure, Mitra Lotfi Shemirani + Bill Carty on The Writer’s Craft
Thurs. Dec 8, 2011 #266 Pat Hurshell, Ellie Belew, Bruce Taylor + Ieisha McIntyre on The Writer’s Craft
+ on The Writer's Craft
2010 Calendar
Thurs Jan 14, 2010 #245 Jon Jech, Arleen Williams, Brian Culhane + Thomas Hubbard on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Feb 11, 2010 #246 Drew Dillhurt, Nashira Priester, Judith Roche + Jerry Gold on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. March 11, 2010 #247 Peter Ludwin, Priya Keefe, Laura Snyder + Michael Daley on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. April 8, 2010 #248 Philip Randolph, Marcia Arunga, Rich Furman + Leonard Orr
on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. May 13, 2010 #249 Kathleen Flenniken, Lilias Bever, Anne McDuffie + Susan Rich on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. June 10, 2010 #250 Selene David, Bruce Taylor, Anne Sweet
+Terry Grabstein on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. July 8, 2010 #251 Tom Aslin, Berthany Reid, Rebecca Meredith
+ Michael Spence on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. August12, 2010 #252 Nu Quang, Lynn Miller, Ellen Bovarnick, Denise Calvetti Michaels
No craft talk tonight
No reading in Sept - Rosh Hashanah
Thurs. Oct. 14, 2010 #253 Ann Teplick, Monica Schley, Georgia S. McDade + John W. Marshall on The Writer's Craft
No reading in Nov - the library will be closed due to Memorial day.
Thurs. December 9 2010 # 254 Carol Levin, Gerry McFarland, Tina Schumann
+ Elizabeth Colen on The Writer's Craft
2009 Calendar
Thurs. Jan 8, 2009 #233 Roberta Feins, Larry Ebersole, Lina Raymond
+ Michael Schein on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Feb 12, 2009 # 234 Sherry Reniker, Jack Remick, Elizabeth Austin
+ Joannie Strangeland on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. March 12 '09 #235 Moreah Vestan, Darby Ringer, Anne Sweet
+ Roberta Feins on The Writer's Craft
Thurs April 9 , 2009 #236 no reading due to Passover
Thurs. May 14, 2009 # 237 Rochelle Kochin, Carmen Germain, Josh Isaac
+ Emily Warn on The Writer's Craft: Poetry & Personal Identity
Thurs. June 11, 2009 #238 Deborah Woodard, Michael Daley, Priscilla Long
+ Bethany Reid on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. July 9, 2009 #239 Authur Tulee, Jeff Encke, Jane Alynn
+ Laura McKee on The Writer's Craft
Thurs Aug 13, 2009 #240 Brandon Scott Gorrell, Joannie Stangeland, Joan Swift
+ Jeremy Halinen on The Writer's Craft: How he developed Knockout Literary Magazine
Thurs. Sept 10, 2009 #241 Susan Rich, Todd Fredson, Sarah Vap
+ Jeff Encke on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Oct. 8, 2009 #242 Julene Weaver, Don Kentop, Terry Grabstein
+ Jane Alynn on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Nov 12, 2009 #243 Jeremy Halinen, Carol Guess, Elizabeth J. Colen
+ Kim-An Lieberman on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Dec 10, 2009 #244 Lyn Coffin, Oliver De La Paz, Matt Briggs
+ Martha Silano on the Writer's Craft
2008 Calendar
Thurs. Jan. 10, 2008 #222 Linda Clifton, Susan Landgraf, Maggie Kelly
+ Peter Pereira on The Writer's Craft: Esther interviews Peter on Writing and Medicine
Thurs. Feb 14, 2008 #223 Jared Leising, Kristen Spexarth, Karen Baker
+ Philip H. Red Eagle on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. March 13, 2008 #224 Joseph Aprile, Jesse Minkert, Belle Randall
+ Judith Skillman on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. April 10, 2008 #225, A.K. Allin, Irene Drennan, Jim Karniss
no craft talk tonight
Thurs. May 8, 2008 #226 Peter Pereira, Flicia Gonzalez, Clareice Keegan
+Peggy Sturdivant on The Writer's Craft: Blogs and Healing
Thurs. June 12, 2008 #227 Jourdan Keith, Carol Levin, Hadiyah Carlyle, Crysta Casey
no Writer's Craft talk tonight
Thurs. July 10, 2008 #228 Soheyla Shakerine, David Matthews, Sharmagne, Linda Alexander,
Thurs. Aug 14, 2008 #229 Rosemary O'Hara, Janet Leicester, Nora Jarvis
+ Ron Starr on The Writer's Craft
Thurs Sept 11, 2008 #230 Sheila Alexander, Monica Schley, Philip H. Red Eagle
+ Belle Randall on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Oct 9, 2008 - Susan Blair, Brian McGuigan, Kate Lebo, Elizabeth Davis
No Writer's Craft tonight. Carolyne Wright will emcee.
Thurs. Nov. 13, 2008 #231 Mike Hickey', Marilyn Meyer, Bethany Reid
+ Ken Shiovitz on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Dec. 11, 2008 #232 Pat Hurshell, Nancy Dahlberg, Kim-An Lieberman
+ Carolyne Wright on The Writer's Craft
2007 Calendar
Thurs. Jan. 11, 2007 # 210 Kelly Riggle Hower, Don Kentop, Anne Sweet, Jennifer Foster
+ Kay Mullen on the Writer's Craft - cancelled due to snow
Thurs. Feb 8, 2007 # 211 Michael Schein, Jennifer Borges Foster, John Burgess
+ Tamara Sellman on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. March 8, 2007 # 212 Michael Dylan Welch, Ina Gilles, CR Manley
+ Jed Myers on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. April 12, 2007 # 213 Charlotte Houck, Aaron Silverberg, Anne-Marie Hackenberger
+ Kay Mullen on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. May 10, 2007 # 214 Dee Krieg, Diana Brement, Amy Baranski,
+ Wendy Marcus on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. June 14, 2007 # 215 Kay Mullen, Ruth Fox, Idore Anschell
+ Priscilla Long on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. July 12, 2007 #216 Don Kentop, Amelia Fielden, Holly Chiron
+ Diana Brement on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Aug. 9, 2007 #217 Wendy Marcus, Crysta Casey, Pesha Gertler
+ Denise Calvetti Michaels On the Writer's Craft: Is This the Way It Was When Emily Dickinson Died? Remembering Tillie Olsen & Tina DeRosa
Thurs. Sept. 13, 2007 #218 Donna Miscolta, Linden Ontjes, Arthur Ginsberg
+ Aaron Silverberg on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Oct 11, 2007 #219 Ken Shiovitz, Lynn Miller, Erika Michael
+ Julene Weaver On The Writer's Craft: Writing From The Body
Thurs, Nov. 8, 2007 #220 Kathleen Bisagna,Amanda Laughtland, Mary Lynne Evans
* Jourdan Keith on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Dec, 13, 2007 #221 John W. Marshall, Emily Warn, Mike Hickey
+ Christine Deavel on The Writer's Craft
2006 Calendar
Thurs. Jan 12, 2006 # 198 Suzanne Paola, Julene Weaver, Susan Casey
+ Bruce Beasley on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Feb. 9, 2006 # 199 Larry Ebersole, Kathleen Smith, Geri Gale
+ Idore Anschell on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. March 9, 2006 # 200 David Horowitz, Mike Hickey, Susan Starbuck
+ Curt Colbert on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. April 13, 2006 # 201 Rosanne Olson, John Wright, Judith Skillman,
+ David Messengill on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. May 11, 2006 # 202 Margaret Roncone, Miryam, Gordon, Koon Woon
+ Kathleen Flenniken on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. June 8, 2006 # 203 Kathleen Notley, Donna Frisk, Deborah Woodard
+ Jeannette Allée on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. July 13, 2006 # 204 Eric McHenry, John Akins, Crysta Casey
+ Tatyana Mishel on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Aug. 10, 2006 # 205 Basha Brownstein, Barbara Bowen, Laura Snyder
+ Don Kentop on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Sept. 14, 2006 # 206 Allen Braden, Gerry McFarland, Murray Gordon
+ Laura Gamache on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Oct. 12, 2006 # 207 Randy Schuder, Irene Drennan, Marika Pineda, Eve Anthony
Hanninen
Thurs. Nov. 9, 2006 # 208 Carolyne L. Wright, Lana Hechtman Ayers
+ Susan Rich on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Dec. 14, 2006 # 209 Kelly Riggle Hower, Idore Anschell, Jeannine Hall Gailey
+ Donna Frisk on the Writer's Craft - due to bad weather conditions, the reading is cancelled,
first time since its inception in 1989. Readers will be re-scheduled.
2005 Calendar
Thurs. Jan. 13, 2005 # 186 Sandra Larkman, Trisha Ready, Rebecca Meredith
+ Marilyn Meyer on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Feb 10, 2005 # 187 Anitra Freeman, J.W. Marshall, Pesha Gertler,
+ Peter Pereira on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. March 10, 2005 # 188 Priscilla Long,. Diane Westergaard, Anne Pitkin,
+ Pamela Moore Dionne on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. April 14, 2005 # 189 Dobbie Norris, Pat Hurshell, David Massengill
+ Ted McMahon on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. May 12, 2005 # 190 Mike Hickey, Linda Malnack, Martha Silano
+ Joan Fiset on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. June 9, 2005 # 191 Beth Coyote, Maya Sonenberg, Sibyl James,
+ Gabriella Gutierrez y Muhs on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. July 14, 2005 # 192 Holly Thomas, Crysta Casey, Alma Rolfs +
Marjorie Rommel on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Aug 11, 2005 # 193 Lynn Miller, Karen Cronacher, Cheryl Latif
+ Jeannine Hall Gailey on The Writer's Craft
Thurs Sept 8, 2005 # 194 Julian Mueller, Pamela Moore Dionne, Michael Dylan Welch
+ Allen Braden on The Writer's Craft
Thurs Oct 13, 2005 # 195 Migael Scherer, Denise Michaels, Aaron Silverberg
+ Martha Silano on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Nov. 10, 2005 # 196 Jack Remick, Carlos Martinez, Kelli Russell Agodon
+ Sharon Cumberland on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Dec. 8, 2005 # 197 Chris Jarmick, Jeannine Hall Gailey, Sharon Svendsen
+ Michael Dylan Welch on The Writer's Craft
2004 Calendar
Thurs. Jan 8, 2004 #174 Joseph Kelly, Richard Gold, Jed Myers
+ Sharon Svendson on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Feb. 12, 2004 # 175 Carlos Martinez, M.Anne Sweet, Blair Sweeney
+ Linda Clifton on The Writers Craft
Thurs. March 11, 2004 #176 Chris Jarmick, Miriam Fitting, Michael Dylan Welch
+ Gloria Burgess on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. April 8, 2004 # 177 Denise Michaels, Paul Nelson, Darby Ringer
+ Richard Gold on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. May 13, 2004 # 178 John Akins, Christine Eisen, Don Roberts
+ Merna Hecht on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. June 10, 2004 # 179 Kathleen Notley, Philip Randolph, Bruce Beasley, Rachel Lev
+ Suzanne Paola on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. July 8, 2004 # 180 Waverly Fitzgerald, Carol Levin, Daniel Gutierrez
+ Emily Warn on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. August 12, 2004 # 181 Deborah Green, Charlotte Houck, Curt Colbert
+ Elizabeth Austen on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Sept. 9, 2004 # 182 Diana Brement, Shadow Many Whales, Cora Goss-Grubbs
+ Jack Remick on the Writer's Craft
Thurs. Oct. 14, 2004 # 183 Kathleen Flenniken, Susan Butler, Katherine Grace Bond
+ John McFarland on The Writer's Craft
Thurs.Nov. 11, 2004 # 184 George Cox, Don Kentop, Sherry Reniker
+ Sheila Bender on The Writer's Craft
Thurs. Dec. 9, 2004 # 185 Jack Evans, Monica Luckow, Kristen Spexarth, Carolyn "Puddin" Cox
+ Michael Dylan Welch on The Writer's Craft
Thank you for supporting the It's About Time Writers Reading Series.
Esther Altshul Helfgott, Coordinator
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