12/16 Holiday Book Sale Redux @ Irma Freeman Center for Imagination

12-5PM SATURDAY…

Join us for a SECOND CHANCE to browse great books from Pittsburgh authors, publishers, and booksellers.

SATURDAY, December 16th
12-5pm
Irma Freeman Center for the Imagination
5006 Penn Avenue
Penn Avenue Arts District
Free admission
Street parking

Confirmed vendors so far:

Air & Nothingness Press
Hyacinth Girl Press
Lilliput Review
Karen’s Book Row–with many books from Pittsburgh publishers!
Six Gallery Press
Very Important Books–fiction & zines
Authors signing books!

I’ll be sharing a table w/ Don Wentworth at this, so visit us for all your Six Gallery Press & Lilliput Review needs. Pictured are Manual for Wayward Angels by Jessica Fenlon, the Low Ghost love poem anthology Unconditional Surrender, & Muskrat Friday Dinner by Scott Silsbe, three great books from 2017 (I’ve at least skimmed the other ones & strongly suspect they’re also pretty good). The latest Six Gallery titles Viva Arletty! by Mark Spitzer & Arkansas Ghoulash by Scotty Lewis, Manchild by Alan Olifson, & Under the Kaufmann’s Clock by Angele Ellis w/ photos by Rebecca Clever, will be available too, along w/ selections from the back catalog by Ally Malinenko, Chuck Kinder, Elwin Cotman, Jason Baldinger, John Grochalski, Victor Navarro, book sale organizer Karen Lillis, & more.

The Old Year & the New

So, 2014 was a year. A good one in that The Lower Forty-Eight by Jason Baldinger, Yield to the Willow by Don Wentworth, Imagination Motel by Chuck Kinder, &, most recently, the blue 2nd edition of A Film About Billy by Daniel McCloskey saw the light of print; & a devastating one in that we lost a luminary, Victor Navarro, on June 30.

On the slate for 2015 is a follow-up to Victor’s collection Short Works, which he asked demanded be released immediately the day before his death, but which will actually be released on June 30 of next year. Juggling as fast as I can here, Vic!

Gloom Hearts & Opioids, a new collection of poems by John Thomas Menesini, who will also be in town at the end of January to perform at at least two readings.

Hungry by Daniel Parme, a self-published novel which has recently been worked over by two editors & given a polish by the author.

The Apartment Building by Joe Musso, a bizarre novel about the inhabitants of, yes, an apartment building.

An untitled collection of poems by Stephanie Brea, whenever she’s done fiddling with it.

Aaand, in all likelihood, several other books from the back burner. Stay tuned & happy New Year!

In Memoriam: Victor Navarro Jr. by Andrew McKeon

Deep in the groan of every moment, Victor’s undying spirit trained a spotlight on life’s hidden absurdities, turning drama into comedy.

In this week’s City Paper, Andrew pays a moving & accurate tribute to his pal Vic.

RIP Victor E. Navarro Jr.

Victor died of a stroke yesterday & with his passing the Pittsburgh literary scene has lost one of its most original & prolific scribblers. His creations include the books Victorious Delusions, Shannon in the Coal Town & Short Works, the album Corn-Pone, & thousands of drawings, paintings, hand-written “notes” & compositions. The black flag will fly at half-mast for Victor & services will be held Thursday at McCabe Bros. Funeral Home, 6214 Walnut St., from 2-4 & 6-8.