Small Press Night

Feed Your Head Books invites you to join the founders of local small presses Thieves Jargon, Persephassa, and Black Ocean for a night of readings, discussion, and inspiration. Matt DiGangi, Roxanne Carter, and Janaka Stucky will tell the stories of the beginnings of their respective presses, discuss how and why they began publishing, offer advice to writers and aspiring publishers, and, of course, read selections from works published by their presses.

Thieves Jargon is an online literary journal specializing in fiction and poetry. Based in Salem, MA, Thieves Jargon Press is dedicated to printing the work of writers who publish in the journal. They published their first novel last year and have a new anthology forthcoming. Persephassa Press is based in Providence, RI , and produces beautifully bound handmade books featuring works of literature, photography, illustrations, poetry, and novellas. The press is inspired by the fine press books of artists like Maureen Cummins (Innana Press), Gloria Stuart (Imprenta Glorias), and by women publishers who have taken the task to hand and published their own works as well as the works of those in their communites—Anais Nin (Gemore Press), Nancy Cunard (Hours Press), and Virginia Woolf (Hogarth Press). Black Ocean is a non-profit publishing and production company with liaisons in Boston, New York, and Chicago. In conjunction with their book releases, Black Ocean aims to saturate the public with passionate forms of expression through a wide variety of mediums by also holding art parties, rock shows, and various other celebrations. As you can see, all three of these small presses approach their publishing in very different manners, promising an evening filled with diversity and a wide breadth of experiences.

The small press extravaganza will take place on Saturday, May 6, 2006 at 5 pm at Feed Your Head Books, 272 Essex Street, Salem, MA (accessible by MBTA via the commuter rail to Salem). Admission is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, please contact randie@feedyourheadbooks.com or call 978-744-4009.