Inch by inch

Dearest readers,    Today is the official start of our 3-day fundraising campaign to support Blue Stoop's free public programs. With your help, we'll be able to cover enhanced presenter stipends for Thursdays on the Stoop and Novels in Progress, and give a boost to new volunteer-led projects like happy hour meet-ups and a poetry discussion group. Collectively, these free programs make literary education and community more accessible to writers in Philly and beyond.   As of this email, we're already 59% of the way to our $1,500 goal. Will you help us raise an additional $610 by May 15th? There's no minimum donation — every single dollar makes a difference.  SUPPORT FREE PROGRAMS Thank you for all you've done to help Blue Stoop thrive so far. It's truly an honor and a joy to serve this community.    In solidarity,   Julian Shendelman Co-Director   P.S. Looking for more local literary connections? Check out our community calendar and resource pages. ON THE STOOP Wednesday, 5/14, 3:30 – 5:30 pm ET: Creative Coworking on Zoom. Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. Write, edit, read, daydream, or do whatever best serves your literary life. We'll open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. (FREE/VIRTUAL)   Applications are open: Our free Thursdays on the Stoop workshops are on a brief hiatus while we plan the upcoming semester. But the application for new TOTS sessions is open now! Local BIPOC writers are highly encouraged to apply. ($75 HONORARIUM/VIRTUAL)  CLASSIFIEDS Got an event, organization, business, or book to promote?  Blue Stoop offers affordable ad space here and on our website.  BEYOND THE STOOP   Here's an excerpt from our community calendar. Adding an event is easy and free! ~~~~~~~~~   Event title Janice Deal & Kate Brandes   Start time 5/14/2025 6:30pm   Location Head House Books, 619 South 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147   Description Head House Books welcomes Janice Deal, author of the just-published novel The Blue Door. Joining Janice for conversation will be local author Kate Brandes, whose most recent novel is Stone Creek.   Link https://www.headhousebooks.com/event/evening-janice-deal-conversation-kate-brandes   Contact info doug@newdoorbooks.net   Cost Free. A $5.00 event voucher secures your spot for the event and can be applied to any purchase on the evening of the event.   ~~~~~~~~~   Event title An Evening with Joshua Gottlieb-Miller and Mónica Gomery   Start time 5/15/2025 6:30pm   Location Head House Books, 619 South 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147   Description Join poets Joshua Gottlieb-Miller and Mónica Gomery as they read from their books and celebrate Dybbuk Americana, Joshua's new collection with Wesleyan University Press.    Link https://www.headhousebooks.com/event/evening-joshua-gottlieb-miller-and-m%C3%B3nica-gomery   Contact info saleshhb@gmail.com   Cost $5   ~~~~~~~~~   Event title Ebs Sanders & Mike Bagwell at Molly's Books & Records   Start time 5/16/2025 7:00pm   Location Molly's Books & Records 1010 S. 9th Street Philadelphia 19147   Description The second of our monthly reading series on the third Thursday of each month.    Ebs Sanders is a poet and editor living in Philadelphia. They co-edit the tiny and are the author of Intimacies that did not destroy us (Bottlecap Press, 2022) and A Fallow Channel (Gauss PDF, 2020). Their work has been published in Asterion Projects, baest, bedfellows, blush, Cul-de-sac of Blood, Discount Guillotine, Full Stop, Keith LLC, peel lit, Prolit, the Rumpus, and Tripwire, among others.    Mike Bagwell is a form of mutual antagonism towards the sky, the writer and a software engineer in Philly. He received an MFA from Sarah Lawrence and his work appears in Poetry Northwest, Action Spectacle, ITINERANT, and others. Recent chapbooks include Poem of Thanks: A Court of Wands (Metatron 2025), A Collision of Soul in Midair (Bottlecap), and micros from Ghost City and Rinky Dink. He runs the Ghost Harmonics reading series in Philly.    Link https://poetryreadingebsmike.rsvpify.com.    Contact info Carla Dickie: mollysbookstore.events@gmail.com    Cost Suggested donation $5 includes refreshments & beverages     ~~~~~~~~~   Event title Bring a Blanket #17   Start time 5/17/2025 2:00pm   Location Washington Square, 210 W Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA 19106   Description we’re back! bring a blanket proudly presents Kate Catinella and Andrew Katz, with your cohosts @alexandranaughton and @jdalewrites warming you up with some new ish. join us on saturday may 17 at 2pm at washington square park. look for the red balloons 🎈 🎈🎈   Link https://www.instagram.com/p/DJNVKeUpHKI/   Contact info @bring_a_blanket on Instagram   Cost Free   ~~~~~~~~~   Event title DTL Poetry: People's Choice Competition   Start time 5/17/2025 6:00pm   Location The Sweet Lounge: 433 West Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19123   Description Welcome to the Official DTL Poetry: People's Choice Competition held every 3rd Saturday of the Month in Philadelphia. This is NOT a SLAM competition, this is a contest for poets everywhere to compete for a cash winning prize of $1,000.00. That's right, you read that clearly! This platform is specifically for Poetry only. Designed for poets by poets. Respect the MIC, Respect your peers and Respect the Platform providing the space.   Link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dtl-poetry-peoples-choice-competition-tickets-1323650758049?aff=ebdsoporgprofile   Contact info dtlpoetry@gmail.com   Cost $15   ~~~~~~~~~   Event title Overflowing Poetry Presents...   Start time 5/17/2025 7:00pm    Location Brickbat, 709 S. 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA.   Description A poetry reading featuring Rosie Stockton, Nora Treatbaby, Oki Sogumi, and Syd Zolf   Link https://www.instagram.com/brickbatphilly/p/DJb4V3CxMav/   Cost Free   ~~~~~~~~~   Event title Wild Indigo Presents Yesenia Montilla & Kirwyn Sutherland   Start time 5/18/2025 5:00pm   Location Young American Hard Cider, 6350 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia   Description Join us for month 9 of Wild Indigo Poetry! What?? We can't believe it either... This month is going to be another astonishment, with Philly's own Kirwyn Sutherland and NY poet Yesenia Montilla. Plus, you on the open mic. On the terrace at Young American Hard Cider, so twice the capacity! $5 suggested donation - more if you can. Delish cider, NA drinks, light fare for sale from our partner venue Young American. Wheelchair accessible. Donate for your tickets here: https://bit.ly/wildindigoseries. Remember, if you're buying tickets for more than one person, you have to donate for each of them. (Sorry for that inconvenience!)   Link https://bit.ly/wildindigoseries   Contact info wildindigo.poetry@gmail.com   Cost $5 suggested donation   ~~~~~~~~~ VIEW MORE EVENTS 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 300 Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States Unsubscribe or Manage Preferences