Beginning August 17th, poet and journalist Victor D. Infante will host The Eclectic Word, an Internet radio show that will delve into literature's fringe with poets, satirists, alternative journalists and even (gasp!) bloggers. We'll be stepping off the beaten path of literature, taking a close look at the odd, the eccentric and the cutting-edge. Should be fun.

The show will run at 7 p.m. EST the first and third Friday of every month, as part of The World Wide Word Radio Network. You can listen to the shows live, or you can download it later for your listening convenience.

For our inaugural installment Friday, I'll be joined by Poetry Slam Inc. President Scott Woods, poet Susan B.A. Somers-Willett, author of the book Roam and the forthcoming book of criticism, The Cultural Politics of Slam Poetry: Race and the Rise of Popular Verse in America, and Marc Smith, founder of the poetry slam for "The Past, Present and Future of Slam."

Future shows:

On Friday, Sept. 7th, at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST, we're going to change gears completely, with guests Allyson Beatrice, author of Will the Vampire People Please Leave the Lobby? and Jillian Venters, author of the online column Gothic Charm School, for an installment we're calling "Manners and the Undead."

And on Friday, Sept. 21st, at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST, we'll be joined by David A. Griffith, author of A Good War is Hard to Find, and Wayne Koestenbaum, author of Hotel Theory, for "A Spotlight on Soft Skull Press."

So give it a listen! It's going to be a blast!

Right now, the U.S. Senate is preparing for a vote that could have major consequences for gays and lesbians across America. If they approve President Bush's nomination of Judge Leslie Southwick to the Federal bench, they'll give tremendous power to a man who once helped remove a woman's 8-year-old biological child from her custody in part because the mother was a lesbian.

I hope you'll join me in speaking out at: >[link]

Southwick even signed an unnecessary additional brief in the case saying that losing her child was the possible consequence of the mother's sexual "choice." Excuse me? This kind of misinformed bigotry has no place in our nation's highest courts. Southwick's appointment would be for life.

Write your senators here: [link]

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I'm having a virtual yard sale. Check it out on my LiveJournal: [link]

A friend is looking for a relatively cheap apartment in San Diego and/ or, potentially a roommate near Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Any leads would be appreciated.

I'll be doing a reading/signing/Q&A at Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena on Saturday, September 1st at 4pm.

[link]

Vote Results:

Question 1 - Establish a Broadcast Network Drama thread?:
Yes: 35
No: 39

Although it's a moot point here, I thought I'd post this as well:
Question 2 - If so, whitefont policy?:
None: 33
24 hours: 21
48 hours: 9
One week: 7
No vote: 4

x-post from bureaucracy:

Totally-unofficial-just-because poll on the upcoming tv season.

I split things up by day just to shorten the questions, and tried to axe anything that already has an established home. I also didn't split up comedy or drama in any way. Spoiler (not spoilery) questions at the end are combined because I'm a cheapskate and only get ten questions. Click Here to take survey

2nd link since some people were having trouble with the first: Click Here to take survey

(Asterisks mean it's a new show - take your best guess on those.)

It's that time again!

Drollerie Press is celebrating the release of Restless Shadows by Jennifer Cloud, and Provenance by Elena in chat tonight at 9pm EDT US. We'll also be pretty giddy that Still Life with Devils by Deborah Grabien is now available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble for pre-order.

The chat will be here: [link] To enter it you only need to choose a name. No password is required.