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2017 First Wednesday Series: What a lineup!

So many incredible poets, fiction and non-fiction writers said Yes, and now they’re coming to the Suzie’s Dogs & Drafts stage on the First Wednesday of each month in 2017. Big thanks to Suzie’s for adding a speaker for the spoken word, and to you for coming out. An open mic will follow each reading except in February and April. If you’re inspired, bring some work to share.


January 4: Robert Miltner/Molly Fuller

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We folded Molly Fuller’s stories into Storygami! at the Summer Festival of the Arts


We kick off our series with two fine writers from Kent State who taught a successful workshop on flash forms for Lit Youngstown last summer. Purple Cat will host us at the Purple Cat Productions Theater on W. Boardman.

February 1: YSU CROW: Compose: A Review of Writing

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Angela Messenger introduces CROW at Feb. 2016 reading


YSU advisor Angela Messenger will host this evening’s student readings from the newest issue of CROW.

March 1: Sean Thomas Dougherty/Terry Murcko

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Terry Murcko reads at the Jewish Community Center


Two soulful poets: Sean Thomas Dougherty is an acclaimed Erie poet, and Terry Murcko is a Youngstown literary icon.

April 5: Mark Winne

Food justice activist Mark Winne will join us from New Mexico. His visit is co-sponsored by St. John’s, and his book, Closing the Food Gap, will be a Food for Thought book club selection.

May 3: Lori Jakiela/David Giffels

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David Giffels reads with Chris Jennings’s Canfield High School students


Lori Jakiela, author of memoir The Bridge to Take When Things Get Serious, and David Giffels, author essay collection The Hard Way on Purpose, grace our stage.

June 7: Nin Andrews/Rochelle Hurt/Allison Davis Pitinii

We’ll be back at Purple Cat Productions for this terrific reading. Nin Andrews, who brought down the house (on her birthday!) when she read from Why God is a Woman, reads from her new book Miss August. Youngstown natives Alison Davis Pitinii (Line Study of a Motel Clerk) and Rochelle Hurt (In Which I Play the Runaway) visit home with their new books. You may have seen Rochelle and Allison read last April at the Soap Gallery.

July 5: Mike Foldes/Robert Pope

Mike Foldes, a Binghamton, NY, native and editor of the online journal Ragazine, will read from Sandy: Chronicles of a Superstorm, a  volume of poetry and images.

Robert Pope’s novel is Jack’s Universe. He teaches fiction writing in the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts.

August 2: Jason Irwin/Jen Ashburn/Roger Craik

From Pittsburgh, Jason Irwin is a poet and playwright and Jen Ashburn’s first poetry collection is The Light on the Wall.

Roger Craik, a retired professor of English at Kent State-Ashtabula, is the author of the poetry collection Down Stranger Roads.

September 6: Meg Johnson/Caryl Pagel

Poets Meg Johnson of Iowa State University, author of Inappropriate Sleepover and Caryl Pagel of Cleveland State, author of Twice Told, read from their work.

October 4: Nancy Christie/ J. Everett Prewitt

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Nancy Christie at the open mic at Suzie’s


Local writer Nancy Christie is the author of a short fiction collection, two short fiction e-books, and a motivational book. J. Everett Prewitt is the author of mystery novels Snake Walkers and A Long Way Back; he lives in Cleveland.

November 1: Kevin Haworth/Steven Reese

National Endowment of the Arts fellow Kevin Haworth of Carlow University will read from his creative non-fiction and Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts Director Steven Reese will read from his poetry.

December 6: Chris Alonso, Bill Soldan, Sara Tracey

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Chris Alonso emcees the open mic at Suzie’s


NEOMFA Reunion Reading features Chris Alonso and Bill Soldan of Youngstown and Sara Tracey of Akron.

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