Poppin' Up:: Veronica Liu & WORD UP in NYC

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Do you know what I love about my generation? How easy digital communication makes everything. I've been in touch with Veronica Liu, the woman who's set up Word Up, the pop-up bookstore in Washington Heights, NYC, since I found out about the pop-up store via Karen Lillis's wonderful "Small Press Librarian" blog, and she is not only sweet, but excited about what she's doing and what others are doing. She is the managing editor for Seven Stories Press, and as far as I can tell, she knows what she's doing. This is what makes being an editor so thrilling to me. She has been fast to respond to my emails, informative when need be and possesses a level of small excitement that can go undetected via email, but I can sense it. See a fraction of our email exchange below, from today. She had asked me to send copies of the 2.2 issue asap, in order that they could promote the reading by displaying them. I had sent them on Friday, and I wasn't sure when they'd arrive.

Yes, I like being a poet. Yes, I like the big flapping butterfly I get in my stomach when I get to read in front of other people. But there is nothing like collecting other people's fantastic work into a cohesive volume and getting it out there. I find it much easier to rave about Gigantic Sequins than I would ever rave about anything I myself have written. Someone once told me, between the shelves of poetry and film books at the Strand, that being an editor detracts from your own writing. I haven't found that. I have found that the inspiration I get from others by being part of a literary arts journal is essential, and without Gigantic Sequins, who knows where my writing would be.

This being said, Veronica Liu seems to have the same caring about bringing people's works together, on a different scale, and I am happy to be a part of Word Up. Gigantic Sequins will be gracing the shelves soon [see below], and a reading will be there to celebrate our 2.2 issue. Ian Carlos Crawford, Michelle Cheever, Leigh Phillips and Helen Vitoria will all be reading their work. I've met Ian and Leigh (she read at our ACA Galleries reading with Boog City) in the past, but I am glad I get the chance to meet Helen and Michelle now, too. I hope that I also get to meet the wonderful Veronica, to thank her for her enthusiasm, if nothing else.


NOTE: I will have an flyer/more info on the July 12th reading at Word Up in NYC soon. Meanwhile, please check out the facebook event for it! In general, Word Up, at 4157 Broadway near 176th Street, is open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 4 p.m. on weekends.



kimberly southwick to Veronica
show details 1:25 PM (1 minute ago)
Thanks for the info! the books have been sent, you should get them soon.

We're excited for you to have us! i'll have the bios soon, too.

kimberly
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Veronica Liu to me
show details 1:26 PM (1 minute ago)
They JUST ARRIVED!
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