Tuesday, Jul 17th 2012

LitUp Writers took over Intersection for the Arts once again for a night of humor storytelling. The  night’s theme? Smörgåsbord. Co-producer-host Graham Gremore treated us to theatrical author presentations while (as always) smartly dressed. His non-ironic nautical tee and seersucker weight blazer gave our night of smörgåsbord storytelling a crisp sea air and summery spin.

As a Litseen contributor it’s always of interest when people ask me to not videotape their reading. “It’s way too personal,” they tell me as the lights go down over a packed house of strangers. Or, “Yeah. I don’t DO cameras.” No problem, I say to them, it’s no biggie. It’s the author’s right really—EXCEPT when their piece holds you in such a wonderful kind of awe that afterward you want to smash the camera repeatedly to the ground for not being powered on and capturing their every word if only to digitally cling to their story that much longer. One of those please-no-video-smash-camera-worthy readings happened at this past LitUp. I don’t even know if I’m allowed to say whose story it was, or sketch the faintest remembrance of their words. Alas…

These live, truly once in a lifetime moments are yet another reason why we, all of us, should attend as many live literary events as we are able. Things happen at these event, people. Stories happen. Truth happens. And, I know we don’t want to miss any of it.

But, if you did miss this past LitUp, here are the evenings recorded writers in order of appearance. Click on the videos above:

1. Linnaeus Bloom
2. Julia Halprin Jackson
3. Laura Joakimson
4. Kate Clark
5. Terry Boero

Find out all about LitUp Writers and attend (yes, you, in the flesh) the next show.

– Evelyn Manangan-Price