Hello!!!!!
Happy Open Book day! It’s “The Best Night of the Month!’- said by the infamous Nicole Graney ! We will see you at Open Book tonight, right?!?
If you are new here - we, Open Book, are a monthly literary open mic series that meets every third Wednesday of the month at Fiction Bar! Today, we’re excited to present the 15th episode of the official Open Book Podcast, professionally edited and produced by Jason A. Smith.
This episode is hosted by John and features myself, Becka Dots, as the writer. I share a few of my pieces but mostly share my silly heart and why we keep coming back to do this thing called Open Book.
Photos taken by either Andrew Bisdale or
- who knows because they switched cams that night but both the most talented photographers I know!You may know John as the ‘ rules guy’, the ‘app guy’, or ‘ Strong John’ (a nickname dubbed by our crew after a few undefeated rounds of arm wrestling). John and I have been co-producing Open Book together ever since he joined WUTI and started to come to Open Book. He had come to me with a solution to a problem that I, we, very much needed. His problem aided the sign up system and general experience of the night. Low and behold the Open Book sign up app was born (each QR code unique to that month’s OB). It is a signup tool, records your performance, times your performance, and invites our audience to offer anonymous feedback to the readers via the app. It has simply been a game changer and I am so grateful for all the talents (shared by so many of you!!) that have benefited Open Book. As I say in this episode Open Book wouldn’t be anything without the community that makes it what it is month after month.
In this episode, both in my writing and in my conversation with John, I talk about my parents. I find I am always writing about my mom and I am always talking about other people’s writing with my Dad.
I remember my favorite poet is her.
How she sees things, and how she tells me.
My parents have always had a strong influence on who I have become but I have also been very stubborn to carve my own way. Much like the determined seagull I reference in my episode; if you don’t know of JLS by Richard Bach it’s time you learn. I’ll let you explore and then please come tell me your thoughts.
I end the episode reading from a piece I wrote titled ‘Love thy Neighbor’; a piece full of silly stanzas that describe a bit of who I am, who my community is, and who Open Book is.
Heart on the lines
Outside our open windows
Our lines, one continued clothesline,
An open book.
That being said- I hope you make it out tonight. Share space with us, share words, share a drink, and just be. I can’t wait to see you at Fiction Bar and/or at Duffs after. As always, we are so happy you are here.
Happy Reading/Writing,
-B.Dots/Open Book
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