- iTunes
- Spotify
- Direct download Ep. 23 (right-click to download)
Kristofer Collins is a poet, a small press publisher, former bookseller, owner of the record shop Desolation Row and he writes a monthly book review column for Pittsburgh Magazine. He recommends some local authors you should be reading. He offers some advice on spending this time supporting folks from your living room, so you know whose work you love when you can leave the house. Plus, we highlight a couple of small businesses who are doing good work in our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kristopher Collins knows local books
Kristopher Collins arrived at the University of Pittsburgh to pursue a degree in poetry in 1992 and never left. Over the years, he created a literary name for himself with projects such as The New Yinzer and The Bridge Series. He founded a small press and later became a freelance writer for Pittsburgh Magazine and the Post-Gazette. He reads a lot of books at once and thinks you should, too.
For more info on some of the online reading resources mentioned in this episode:
- Low Ghost Press
- The New Yinzer Archives
- The Bridge Series
- Hemmingway’s Poetry Series Archives
- Pretty Owl Poetry
- Everything in Aspic
Kris Recommends reading these Pittsburgh authors:
- Lori Jakiela
- John Edgar Wideman
- Scott Silsbe (Unattended Fire & Muskrat Friday Dinner)
- Sharon McDermott (especially Life Without Furniture)
- Willa Cather (The Pittsburgh Stories of Willa Cather edited by Peter Oresick and Paul’s Case as a PDF if you just want to read this online)
- Brian Broome (The Creative Nonfiction Magazine chapbook)
- Deesha Philyaw (Tender, an anthology co-edited by Vanessa German) and fall release preorder available for The Secret Life of Church Ladies.
You can order Kristofer Collins’ latest poetry collection, The River is Another Kind of Prayer from Amazon or local bookstores.
And you can hear him reading some of his poems here:
https://www.facebook.com/lowghost.press/videos/2979018008830948/
And on a recent appearance on the We’re All Gonna Die! (And Other Fun Facts) podcast.
Operation Face Mask is sewing up a solution for Pittsburgh
Operation Face Mask Pittsburgh is a collective of volunteers who are working to create face masks for local folks. Spearheaded by professional seamstress Jenn Gooch, the group is sewing masks for distribution to those most in need. You can request a mask, donate supplies, or your time, or some financial support via their website.
Revival Print Co. helps their fellow small business owners
Revival Print Co. in Lawrenceville has created a T-shirt program to help their fellow small businesses generate some extra revenue during this time. When you buy one of these tees for $20, ten of those dollars goes directly to the business you want to support. You wouldn’t even be listening to this podcast without the hard work that Epicast Studios does to help us make it happen each week, so consider ordering a T-shirt here.
Subscribe to The Slaw: Staying on Top of Pittsburgh podcast
The Slaw Podcast is available on:
Looking for more local books and authors?
If you are interested in learning more about Pittsburgh’s literary scene head over to Littsburgh, an online literary hub for local readers and writers. Littsburgh has a list of local writers as well as author interviews and excerpts from new books.
You can follow Littsburgh on Facebook, Twitter @Littsburgh, Instagram and join the conversation in the Littsburgh Facebook group.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8fJOfpBDGL/
