Events

~2024~

 

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Class: “Publishing Biz ABCs”

Winston-Salem Writers

10 a.m. to 12 noon EST

Zoom

Yay! You’re ready to send your work out into the wide world of publishing…but where? Out of the zillions of journals, contests, presses & agents, how do you find the right place for your words? This session will offer resources to help you sort through your options, tips for evaluating opportunities & guidance about the whole process, including query letters. Plenty of time for your questions!

Registration: https://www.wswriters.org/upcoming-registration

 

***

 

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Flyleaf Books

752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Signing Line at 5:30 pm, Talk begins at 6:00 pm

Celebrate female friendship at Flyleaf! The evening will feature conversation between authors Julia R. Smith, Karen Tucker, Leslie Pietrzyk & Alison Hart about womanhood, on the page and behind the pen. They’ll also read from their recent works: Sex Romp Gone Wrong by Julia Ridley Smith, Bewilderness by Karen Tucker, Silver Girl by Leslie Pietrzyk,and The Work Wife by Alison B. Hart. More info.

 

***

Teaching fiction workshop at Converse University Low-Res MFA

December 29, 2023 ~ January 7, 2024

Spartanburg, SC

~2023~

 

***

Saturday, November 4, 2023

****

May 31 ~ June 12, 2023

Converse University low-residency MFA program

****

April 29, 2023

Forsyth Public Library

Right Brain Writing

Explore your creative side in this workshop of writing prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about place–both physical landscape and places of our imagination. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for writers, memoirists, and poets with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further.  Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer.

Registration details: https://www.forsyth.cc/library/Central/article.aspx?NewsID=27493

****

April 22, 2023

North Carolina Writers’ Network Spring Conference

Class: “How to Make Your Dialogue Snap, Crackle & POP!”

Greensboro, NC

Registration information: https://www.ncwriters.org/programs/conferences/spring-conference-2023/

 

***

Thursday March 9, 2023

AWP Writing Conference

Panel: Minding the Gaps and Mining Landscape in Linked Short Story Collections

1:45pm – 3:00pm

Rooms 343-344, Summit Building, Seattle Convention Center, Level 3

Open to all registered conference attendees

***

January 21, 2023

Winston Salem Writers January Workshops

Writing the Short Story
10am-12noon EST
via Zoom

This interactive class offers an overview of the fundamentals of what makes a short story soar. We’ll study Fred Chappell’s “Children of Strikers,” keeping a close eye on character, dialogue, tension, setting, and language, and examine how these elements are used to create a masterful story in merely 1000 words. The goal is for workshop participants to come away with insight and techniques to apply to their own writing and revising.

More information: https://mailchi.mp/e31c9c3c222b/all-the-news-for-january

*****

December 30, 2022 ~ January 8, 2023

Converse low-res MFA program

 

~2022~

 

December 30, 2022 ~ January 8, 2023

Converse low-res MFA program

*****

October 29, 2022

Barrelhouse: Conversations & Connections

Virtual track: “Untitled: The Art of Titling Your Poem, Story, Novel, Memoir”

*****

October 24, 2022

Grace & Gravity: From the Attic

Virtual reading

*****

May 21, 2022

Gaithersburg Book Festival

10AM – 6PM

Gaithersburg, MD

Free

More information: https://www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org/authors/featured-authors/

 

*****

May 15, 2022

Books in Bloom Festival

noon ~ 5pm

Columbia, MD

Free and open to the public.

Details: https://www.booksinbloommd.com/

*****

May 13-14, 2022

Washington Writers Conference

Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

Rockville, MD

2 panels:

“DC Narratives.”
Washington, DC, has inspired countless works of fiction, nonfiction, and more, but what’s it like to actually live and write “inside the Beltway”? Join moderator Susan Coll, author of the forthcoming novel Bookish People and the novels The Stager, Beach Week, and Rockville Pike, and celebrated DC “insiders” Leslie Pietrzyk, Kim Roberts, and Morowa Yejidé as they talk about their Washington-inspired works and dish about the inner lives of the people who inhabit our nation’s capital.

“The Writer’s Life: A Primer.”
How do I make time to write? What resources can I access to get started? How can I get involved in a writing group? Award-winning writers Leslie Pietrzyk (Admit This to No One and This Angel on My Chest); Susan Muaddi Darraj (2022 Maryland State Arts Council Independent Artist State Awardee and author of A Curious Land: Stories from Home and the Farah Rocks middle-grade series); Donna Hemans (author of the acclaimed River Woman and Tea by the Sea and owner of DC Writers Room, a co-working studio for writers based in Washington); and Melissa Scholes Young (Flood and The Hive) share their tips and tricks for getting started — or keeping going! — as a writer.

Details: https://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/index.php/page/

Registration: https://wirobooks.regfox.com/2022-washington-writers-conference

 

*****

March 23-26, 2022

~~AWP Conference ~~ Philadelphia, PA~~

Thursday, March 24, 2022

10:35 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

Panel [in person]

122AB, Pennsylvania Convention Center, 100 Level

Writing Young Protagonists: YA or A & Who Decides?

( Donna Miscolta, Leslie Pietrzyk, Jessica Barksdale Inclán, Lan Samantha Chang, Amanda Floresca)

Why do we write young protagonists? Are coming-of-age stories YA? What happens when our young protagonist is defined as YA contrary to our intentions? What craft choices do we make when we intend to write YA? Panelists discuss when writer intentions and reader perceptions coincide and when they diverge with respect to writing young protagonists. They share the changes they did or didn’t make in the writing, revising, and marketing of their work to satisfy their own intentions and perceptions.

[open to conference attendees]

 

Friday, March 25, 2022

11:00 AM ~ noon

Bookfair: Signing ADMIT THIS TO NO ONE

Story Magazine booth

[open to conference attendees]

 

Friday, March 25, 2022

7 PM

Reading [in person]

With Leslie Pietrzyk, Saida Agostini, Dave Housley, Elizabeth Hazen, Reuben Jackson, Richard Peabody, and Teri Ellen Cross Davis

Hosted by Alan Squire Publishing

Asian Arts Initiative

1219 Vine St

Philadelphia, PA

More information: https://alansquirepublishing.com/event/saida-agostini-and-dave-housley-book-launch-feat-teri-ellen-cross-davis-leslie-pietrzyk-and-others-live/

Free & open to the public

 

*****

 

Thursday, March 10, 2022

7 PM EST

Celebrate Short Story Collections!

Reading with Leslie Pietrzyk, Christopher Gonzalez, Morgan Thomas, and Sara Lippmann

~virtual~

Hosted by White Whale Books

Pittsburgh, PA

Free; registration required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrating-short-story-collections-gonzalez-thomas-pietrzyk-lippmann-registration-253949227977?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

 

***

 

Thursday, January 20, 2022

In conversation with BFF writer Susan Tekulve

6 PM EST

Hub City Books [Spartanburg, SC]

~~in person!~~

This in-person event is free, but you need to register here.

 

*****

~2021~

 

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

7PM CT/8PM EST

In conversation with BFF writer Rachel Hall

Madison Street Books [Chicago, IL]

Virtual

Free, but registration is required: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/admit-this-to-no-one–/register

 

*****

Saturday, November 13, 2021

5PM

Reading & Conversation with BFFs, writers Carolyn Parkhurst  & Paula Whyman

Politics & Prose Bookstore

Washington, DC

Virtual.

Free, but registration is required: https://www.politics-prose.com/events/detailed-list?title=pietrzyk

Watch this event on YouTube.

 

*****

 

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Interview, OLLI at WVU (West Virginia University)

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST

(virtual)

OLLI instructor Sara Abbas will speak on Zoom with author Leslie Pietrzyk about her career as a writer.

Free, but registration is required:  https://olliatwvu.wpcomstaging.com/archives/4544

 

*****

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

CITYLIT STUDIO VI: Writers on Craft, Creativity & Community

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm EST (virtual)

FREE

CityLit Project presents Studio VI: Writers on Craft, Creativity & Community presented as a part of Free Fall Baltimore, is a unique opportunity for writers to experience readings/lectures by two authors in different genres. Participants engage in deep-dive discussions on craft and the writing process.

FEATURING:

“This Really Happened: Turning Fact into Fiction” with Leslie Pietrzyk

“Writing Violence – When It’s Better Not to” with Cherie Jones

Free, but registration is required: https://www.citylitproject.org/event/citylit-studio-vi-writers-on-craft-creativity-community/

 

*****

July 6, 2021

Saint Leo University, M.A. in Creative Writing

Guest lecturer (virtual)

 

*****

 

June 24 ~ July 4, 2021

Chatham University

Summer Community of Writers

Fiction workshop (virtual teaching)

*****

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Mesa Community College

10pm – 11pm (EDT)

(virtual)

The creative writing and English departments at Mesa Community College are proud to welcome poet Maja Zmyslowski and author Leslie Pietrzyk for a reading.

 

****

 

March 8, 2021

Short Story Night

7pm CENTRAL time

Hosted by Neenah Public Library

Via Zoom; open to all

Take one part late-night talk show, a heavy dose of Intro to Lit 101, a sprinkle of literary mischief and you have Short Story Night! Join host Richie Zaborowske for an evening of virtual trivia, author interviews, literary discussion and more. This month we will be joined by author Leslie Pietrzyk we discuss her story “Wealth Management.” Be sure to read the short story ahead of time and get ready for a wonderful evening of discussion and plenty of laughs.

More info, link to story, and registration: https://www.neenahlibrary.org/node/4210

 

****

February 5, 2021

7:00 PM EST – 8:30 PM EST

Virtual event

This Is What America Looks Like Anthology Release

Hosted by The Writer’s Center & Washington Writers’ Publishing House

 

The Writer’s Center welcomes Washington Writers’ Publishing House to celebrate the release of their brand new anthology, This Is What America Looks Like: Poetry and Fiction from DC, Maryland, Virginia.

 

Editors Caroline Bock (fiction) and Jona Colson (poetry) will begin the evening with a chat about putting the anthology together, followed by readings and talks from the anthology’s six special honorees.

 

Fiction Honorees

• Leslie Pietrzyk (Virginia), “Admit This To No One”
• Ahmad Wright (DC), “In My Own House”
• Christopher J. Greggs (New Jersey), “What I Read Between the Lines or A Prose Erasure Of ‘Executive Order on Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes’”

 

Poetry Honorees

• Kateema Lee (Maryland), “Last Epistle”
• Regie Cabico (DC), “Asian In The Sun”
• Natalie E. Illum (DC), “Bull Sharks of Long Island Sound

 

Free registration and more details here.

~2020~

 

December 28, 2019 ~ January 6, 2020

Teaching: Converse low-residency MFA program

Spartanburg, SC

 

****

 

Thursday, January 23, 2020

6:30 ~ 9:00 PM

Politics & Prose Bookstore

Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington, DC

Class: Right Brain Writing: Time and Eternity

With Leslie Pietrzyk

Explore your creative side in this session, one of a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about the passage of time as witnessed through our daily lives while also exploring how time relates to us in a larger, more spiritual sense. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration.

 

Registration & more information: https://www.politics-prose.com/class/right-brain-writing-time-and-eternity-2002

 

****

 

Thursday, February 6, 2020

7:00 ~ 8:00 PM

Politics and Prose at Union Market

Washington, DC

I’ll be in conversation with Emily Nemens, author of The Cactus League, her debut novel
More information: https://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/emily-nemens-cactus-league-in-conversation-leslie-pietrzyk-politics-and-prose-union

 

***

March 10 ~ March 19, 2020

Sandhills Writer’s Road Trip Residency

Nebraska

Readings at University of Nebraska at Kearney and at the Mari Sandoz Heritage Center at Chadron State College

More information: https://sandhillsroadtripr.wixsite.com/info

At-home reading of “A Quiz” from THIS ANGEL ON MY CHEST, recorded for the students I missed due to coronavirus shutdown at Chadron State College on my March 2020 writing/residency drive through Nebraska

***

Saturday, March 21, 2020

17th CityLit Festival: CANCELED

The Enoch Pratt Free Library

400 Cathedral Street

Baltimore, Maryland

Panel: Writing a Short Story

Details to come: http://www.citylitproject.org/

***

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Class: Right Brain Writing: Shifting Perceptions: CANCELED

6:30 ~ 9 pm

Politics & Prose Bookstore

5015 Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20008

Explore your creative side in this session, one of a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about how our perceptions shift, whether through altered landscapes, the passage of time, or being thrust into a different point of view. Is it we who have changed…or the world around us? No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further.  Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer.

Register and more information: https://www.politics-prose.com/class/right-brain-writing-shifting-perceptions-2038-new-class-date

***

July 30 ~ August 8, 2020

Converse Low-Residency MFA, virtual residency

***

Monday, December 7, 2020

6PM ~ 7:30PM

Zoom Reading with Welter

University of Baltimore MFA

Email for zoom link

 

~2019~

 

December 29, 2018 ~ January 7, 2019

Teaching: Converse low-residency MFA program

Spartanburg, SC

 

***

Monday, January 21, 2019

Readings on the Pike: group reading

7:30 doors open

8:00 readings begin

Josephine’s Italian Kitchen

2501 Columbia Pike

Arlington, VA

More info: https://www.facebook.com/groups/readingsonthepike/

 

***

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

6:30-9 p.m.

Class:

Right Brain Writing: People

Politics & Prose Bookstore

Washington, DC

 

Explore your creative side in this session, one of a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about the people in our lives—the people we know, the people we think we know, and, of course, the deepest mystery of all: ourselves. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further.  Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer.

More information/registration: https://www.politics-prose.com/class/right-brain-writing-people-1930

 

***

Thursday, February 21, 2019

CBAW + Torpedo Factory Art Center Creative Writing Workshop

Hosted by Community Building Art Works and Torpedo Factory Art Center

6:30 PM ~ 8:30

No creative writing experience required! Join Community Building Art Works for our monthly community building creative writing workshop in partnership with the Torpedo Factory Art Center. February’s workshop will be led by author Leslie Pietrzyk. Doors at 6:30, workshop begins promptly at 7 pm.

About the Workshop: Scene-Building: Making Your World Real

Learn some tricks and tips about how to create lively, interesting scenes that will make your readers feel right there with you. Appropriate for prose writers at all levels of experience. (And poets who want to play with prose!)

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbaw-torpedo-factory-art-center-february-creative-writing-workshop-with-leslie-pietrzyk-tickets-54644070887?fbclid=IwAR23AzeGInm0KDhQW2XR_uLkSWPdkJwsank8DZpHfIDENdMEWIRTfxi6aF0

***

Thursday, March 28, 2019

5:30 ~ 7 pm

Drue Heinz Literature Prize Reading with Brad Felzer

Sponsored by University of Pittsburgh Press

Mother Foucault’s Bookshop

523 SE Morrison St.

Portland, OR 97214

*****

Thursday, April 4

Gettysburg College

Reading

*****

Monday, May 13

6:30-9 PM

Politics & Prose Bookstore

5015 Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington, D.C.

 

Class: Right Brain Writing: Places

 

Explore your creative side in this session, one of a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about places we know, places we remember, and places we imagine. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further.  Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer.

Registration/more information: https://www.politics-prose.com/class/right-brain-writing-places-1982

*****

May 29 ~ June 8

Converse College low-residency MFA: teaching

Spartanburg, SC

*****

 

June 20 ~ June 23

Barrelhouse Writer Camp

Guest writer

More info: http://www.writer-camp.com/

 

*****

Saturday, September 14, 2019

6pm

Presentation on Why I Like This Story: short essays by 48 American fiction writers on their favorite American short stories

Including Jackson R. Bryer (editor) and contributors: Elliot Ackerman, Maud Casey, Susan Coll, Jack Greer, Olga Grushin, Alice McDermott, Leslie Pietrzyk, Rion Amilcar Scott, and Mary Kay Zuravleff

6:00 PM

Politics and Prose Bookstore

5015 Connecticut Ave NW • Washington, DC

www.politics-prose.com

 

*****

Thursday, October 3, 2019

CLASS ~ Right Brain Writing: Daily Life

6:30 – 9 p.m.

Politics & Prose Bookstore | 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW | Washington, D.C. 20008

Explore your creative side in this session, one of a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about daily life and its simple beauty, the extraordinary found in the ordinary. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further.  Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer.

Registration: https://www.politics-prose.com/class/right-brain-writing-daily-life-19122

 

*****

October 15, 2019

Readings on the Pike: group reading

8 PM – 9:30 PM

Acme Pie Co.

2803 Columbia Pike, Arlington, Virginia 22204

Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/334305187479060/

 

~2018~

 

December 29, 2017 ~ January 7, 2018

Teaching: Converse low-residency MFA program

***

Wednesday, January 31

6:30 to 9 p.m.

Politics & Prose Bookstore

Washington, DC

Class: Right Brain Writing: Relationships

Explore your creative side in this session, one of a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about the variety of relationships we have in our lives, significant people, people who are still with us, people who are lost, even relationships with people we don’t know. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further. Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer. Note: new exercises!

More information/registration: http://www.politics-prose.com/class/right-brain-writing-relationships-1828

***

Thursday, February 1

1 to 4 p.m.

Politics & Prose Bookstore

Washington, DC

Class: Elements of Writing: Mastering Effective Dialogue

Dialogue is tricky. It’s not simply recorded speech; conversation must sound natural—while also creating a sense of a character and advancing the action. How does the writer learn that balance, knowing when characters should talk and when maybe they should keep quiet? How can your conversations build layers of meaning? This hands-on, interactive class will focus on helping you learn the tricks needed to get your characters to talk the talk! This class is appropriate for fiction writers, memoirists and anyone looking to sharpen their dialogue skills. All levels of experience are welcome. Please bring a notebook/pen or charged computer for writing exercises.

More information/registration: http://www.politics-prose.com/class/elements-of-writing-mastering-effective-dialogue-1822

***

Saturday, March 3

 3:30 PM

SILVER GIRL BOOK LAUNCH!

Politics & Prose Bookstore

Washington, DC

http://www.politics-prose.com/

***

March 7 ~ 10

AWP Conference

Tampa, Florida

(Must be registered participant to attend)

Thursday, March 8, 11:30 am-12:00 pm

Book signing @ THE CINCINNATI REVIEW / ACRE BOOKS booth
Friday, March 9, 11:00 am-12:00 pm
Book signing @ CONVERSE COLLEGE LOW RESIDENCY MFA/SOUTH 85 JOURNAL booth

***

Thursday, March 29

Reading

City Lit Books

Chicago, IL

http://www.citylitbooks.com/

***

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

6 p.m.

Chop Suey Books

Richmond, VA

In conversation with author Patricia A. Smith

http://www.chopsueybooks.com/

***

Thursday, April 5

7PM

In conversation w/ best-selling author Krista Bremer

Flyleaf Books

Chapel Hill, NC

http://www.flyleafbooks.com/

***

Saturday, April 14, 2018

City Lit Festival

Baltimore, MD

Panel on fiction writing.

***

Sunday, May 6

5PM ~ 6PM

Johns Hopkins MA Program in Writing Celebratory Reading

With Tim Wendel

Upshur Street Books

Washington, DC

More information.

***

Tuesday, May 8

Reading w/ William Wall

The Ivy Bookshop

Baltimore, MD

http://www.theivybookshop.com/

***

Thursday, May 10

Reading w/ Tim Wendel

One More Page Books

Arlington, VA

http://www.onemorepagebooks.com/

***

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Conversations & Connections Writers Conference

Arlington, VA

More information.

***

Wednesday, May 16

Reading

7PM

Bards Alley Bookstore

Vienna, VA

http://www.bardsalley.com/

 

***

May 19

Reading/discussion

10:35 AM

Gaithersburg Book Festival

Details.

***

May 21

Rehoboth Beach, DE

Reading with The Writers’ Guild

***

May 30 ~ June 9

Converse College low-residency MFA program

Teaching residency in SC

More information.

***

Wednesday, June 13

6:30 p.m.– 9 p.m.

Class ~ Right Brain Writing: The Art of Losing

Politics & Prose

Washington, DC

 

Explore your creative side in this session, one of a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about the variety of losses we have encountered in our lives, the large and small absences that inform our landscape. Elizabeth Bishop calls it “the art of losing”; where is the art in saying goodbye? No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further.  Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer. Note: new exercises!

More information.

 

***

July 19 ~ 22, 2018

West Virginia Writers Workshop

Faculty: fiction workshop

West Virginia University campus

Morgantown, WV

https://english.wvu.edu/research/west-virginia-writers-workshop

 

***

Thursday, October 11, 2018

4:30pm – 5:45pm

“Wanting More: Coming of Age Novels” / Reading with Jon Pineda

Fall for the Book Festival

George Mason University

Sandy Spring Bank Tent, Johnson Center North Plaza

Details.

More information about the Fall for the Book festival.

***

Saturday, October 13, 2018

Master Class: Find Your Creative Voice: Creating Memorable Fiction and Memoir

10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA

Have you always wanted to write but couldn’t quite find the courage to pick up a pencil? Or perhaps you’re a secret writer, scribbling stories in private notebooks, compulsively filling the pages of your journal? This supportive, hands-on workshop with Leslie Pietrzyk will give you courage to write and direction about how to proceed. Through discussion and writing exercises, participants will learn some basic techniques of fiction/memoir writing. The goal is to leave with a couple of promising pieces to finish at home. (This event is in conjunction with the Fall for the Book festival.)

 

Tickets/registration information.

More information about the Fall for the Book festival.

***

Monday October 15

6:30 to 9 p.m.

Right Brain Writing: Material Goods

Politics & Prose Bookstore

5015 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20008

Explore your creative side in this session, one of a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about the variety of items we own or have owned along the path of our lives. Can we love a “thing”? What happiness (or sadness) might “things” bring? No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further.  Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer.

Registration/details.

***

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

7 pm

Reading

Mary Riley Styles Public Library

120 N. Virginia Ave.
Falls Church, VA

 

 

~2017~

 

November 9

Visiting Writer: Aquinas College

Contemporary Writers Series

Reading, Pears on a Willow Tree, 7PM

Grand Rapids, MI

More information.

 

*****

 

October 3

5PM

University of Maryland—Baltimore

English Department Reading Series

Reading/Q&A

More information.

 

*****

 

September 27

Right Brain Writing: Shifting Perspectives

Class on prompt writing, 6:30 ~ 9PM

Politics & Prose Bookstore

Registration/more information.

 

*****

September 25

1 to 4 p.m.

Class: Who’s Telling Your Story? Experiments in Point of View

Politics & Prose bookstore, DC

Point of view is one of a writer’s first decisions: Who will tell the story? And how? Everyone knows about first person and third person. But maybe your story or novel could benefit from a more unconventional point of view: collective first person or second person. We’ll talk about the possibilities (and challenges) of several POVs and then dig in with some writing exercises, which can be new or based on your work-in-progress. This class is also suitable for nonfiction writers, and writers of all levels of experience.

Registration/more information.

 

*****

Saturday, September 23

4PM

Baltimore Book Festival, panel

“A Novel Affair,” with Donna Hemons and Tracy Chiles McGhee

CityLit Stage

Event information.

General information, Baltimore Book Festival

 

*****

 

August 2-31, 2017

Writer in Residence

Wolff Cottage

Fairhope, AL

 

*****

 

June 15 & June 20

Right Brain Writing: Time & Eternity

Class

Politics & Prose Bookstore

 

*****

 

May 31 ~ June 10

Converse College Low-Residency MFA Program

Spartanburg, SC

 

*****

 

May 24

In the Beginning

Class

Politics & Prose Bookstore

Washington, DC

 

*****

 

April 30 ~ May 8, 2017

Writer in Residence

Appomattox Regional Governor’s School (ARGS)

Petersburg, VA

 

*****

 

April 29

Washington Writers Books Alive! Conference

Short Story Panel

College Park, MD

 

*****

 

April 18

Montgomery College, class visit

Rockville, MD

 

*****

 

March 30

Artomatic

Reading

Crystal City, VA

 

*****

March 23, 2017

Anne Arundel Community College

Reading @ Visiting Writers Series

2PM ~ 3:15PM

*****

 

February 8 ~ February 11, 2017

AWP Conference

Washington, DC

Reading to honor Cimarron Review’s 50^th Anniversary

 

*****

January 31

Right Brain Writing: Daily Life

Class

Politics & Prose Bookstore

 

 

 

 

~2016~

EVENTS FOR “THIS ANGEL ON MY CHEST”

 

January 1 – January 10
Converse low-residency MFA program
Spartanburg, SC
Reading/teaching

***

January 14
Carlow University low-res MFA program
Pittsburgh, PA
Lecture

***

 

Thursday, January 21, 2016 

The Ivy Bookshop

Reading with Kathy Flann & David Ebenbach

6:30 PM

6080 Falls Road Baltimore, MD

***

Monday, February 8, 2016

7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA

Merten Hall, Room 1203

Reading/Q&A

 

 

***

February 25, 2016
SUNY—Geneseo
Geneseo, NY
Reading, Doty Recital Hall, 6PM

***

March 2, 2016
6pm – 7pm
Towson University

Towson, MD

College of Liberal Arts building/CLA, Room 3150

Reading/Q&A

 

***

March 11, 2016
Rehoboth Beach, DE

Reading: 6 pm ~ 8:30 pm

(order food/beverages @ 6; reading starts @ 7)

Nicola Pizza (upstairs)

 8 N 1st St

Rehoboth Beach, DE

Reading with Lisa Couturier

Hosted by Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild

 

***

Thursday, March 24, 2016

7pm ~ 8:30 pm

Upshur Street Books

827 Upshur St NW

Washington, DC

Reading with Kathy Flann & David Ebenbach

 

***

March 30-April 2
AWP Conference
Los Angles, CA
Panels & book-signing

Friday, April 1, 2016

AWP Panel: “We’re on the Road to Somewhere: Approaches to Managing the Writing Life”

9am ~ 10:15am

Room 407

L.A. Convention Center, Meeting Room Level

 

Friday, April 1, 2016

AWP Panel: “Should I Know Who You Are? Book PR for the Modern Age”

4:30pm ~ 5:45pm

Room 408A

L.A. Convention Center, Meeting Room Level

 

***

 

Friday, April 8, 2016

6 pm ~ Reception | 7 pm ~ Readings

Johns Hopkins MA Program in Writing

DC Faculty/Alumni Reading with Leslie Pietrzyk, Meg Guroff, and Dana Cann

Lower Level,  JHU DC Center

1717 Massachusetts Ave NW,

Dupont Circle

***

Right Brain Writing: class

Wednesday, April 27

6:30 – 9 p.m.

Politics & Prose Bookstore

5015 Connecticut Ave. NW

Washington, D.C. 20008

Price: $45 (10% off for members)

Explore your creative side at this afternoon of guided writing exercises designed to get your subconscious flowing. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current project, looking for a jolt of inspiration. The goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further. Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer.

Registration

***

May 20 ~ 22

The Sun Magazine Conference, teaching

“Into the Fire” Writing Retreat with The Sun magazine

Wildacres, North Carolina

Details and registration.

***

 

Residency

June 1 ~ June 11

Converse Low-Residency MFA Program

Spartanburg, SC

More information

*****

Monday, July 11, 6:30 – 9 p.m.

Teaching: Right Brain Writing ~ Prompts about People

Politics & Prose Bookstore

5015 Connecticut Ave. NW ~ Washington, D.C. 20008

Explore your creative side safely in this session, one of a series of stand-alone prompt classes. We’ll focus on writing about the people in our lives, including ourselves. The class offers discussion and writing exercises designed to get your subconscious flowing. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current project and looking for a jolt of inspiration. The goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further. Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer. NOTE: New book and all new exercises! Returning participants welcome! Registration and more info.

 

****

Wednesday, September 7

Class: RIGHT BRAIN WRITING—PROMPTS ABOUT PLACE

6:30 – 9 p.m.

Politics & Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC

Explore your creative side in this session, one of a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about places we know, places we remember, and places we imagine. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further.  Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer. Note: new exercises!

More information/registration.

 

 

 

*****

 

Sunday, November 20, 2016

5:30 p.m.

Reston Reading Series

Reston’s Used Book Shop

 Lake Anne Village Center

1623 Washington Plaza N

Reston, VA

With Nathan Leslie and Eric D. Goodman

 

*****

*****

 

PREVIOUS EVENTS

~THIS ANGEL ON MY CHEST: 2015~

 

 

Wednesday, September 30
6 PM
Fall for the Book Festival
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia
Research Hall, Room 163
More information: http://fallforthebook.org/

***

Thursday, October 8, 2015
7 p.m.
Official Launch!
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
One Schenley Park
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
For info, call 412-383-2493
More information: http://bit.ly/1UnA3E2

***

 

***

Saturday, October 10, 2015
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Conversations & Connections Writing Conference
Chatham University
N Woodland Rd
Pittsburgh, PA
Featured speaker
More information: http://writersconnectconference.com/

***

Thursday, October 15
Montgomery College
Rockville, MD

***

Saturday, October 17, 2015
6 PM
Politics & Prose Bookstore
5015 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC
More information: www.politics-prose.com

***

Saturday, October 24, 2015
4:30 PM
Wisconsin Book Festival
Madison, WI
More information: http://wisconsinbookfestival.org/

***

Tuesday, October 27, 2015
8 p.m.
Converse College
Bain Room, Wilson Hall
Spartanburg, SC

***

November 2, 2015
6:00 – 7:30 PM
Chop Suey Books
2913 W. Cary St
Richmond, VA 23221
For more information: http://www.chopsueybooks.com/

***

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Shop Opp: holiday shopping bazaar

I will be selling/signing books.

Sponsored by My Little Bird

2PM to 8 PM

Dock 5 at Union Market, 1309 5th Street NE, Washington, DC

Details: http://mylittlebird.com/2015/10/save-the-date-wednesday-november-4/

***

Wednesday, November 11, 2015
5:30 P.M.
Northwestern University
University Hall 201
1897 Sheridan Rd.
Evanston, IL 60208

***

Thursday, November 12, 2015
5 p.m.: social
5:30 p.m.: reading
6:00 p.m.: signing
Powell’s Books Chicago (University Village)
1218 S. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL
More information: http://www.powellschicago.com/

***

Sunday, November 15, 2015
2 p.m. ~ 4 p.m.
The Writer’s Center
4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD
More information: https://www.writer.org/

***

Tuesday, November 17, 2015
5:30 – 8:30 PM
The National Press Club
38^th Annual Book Fair & Authors’ Night
529 14^th Street, NW
Washington, DC
Fundraiser to support The SEED Foundation
For more information: http://www.press.org/bookfair

 

************

Thursday, March 12
8:00pm
Upshur Street Books
827 Upshur St NW, Washington, DC

Come enjoy readings, food, drinks, and music! Copies of Folio Literary Journal will be available for purchase. Please come ready to contribute a donation to the wonderful Folio!

Writers reading:
Carolyn White
Jenna Ogilve
Leslie Pietrzyk
Mark Cugini
Paulette Beete
Tyler Christensen
Jonathan Harper

***

AWP Reading
Friday, April 10
11:30am – 6:00pm
Minneapolis Convention Center: Room M101BC

The Third Annual HEAT Reading, HEAT: Hotter Than Hell.

FOUR PM reading slot
Leslie Pietrzyk
Anna Leahy
Ben Tanzer
Janée J. Baugher
Robin E. Black
Bonnie West
Jane Neathery Cutler

***

April 10, 2015
6:30 PM ~ 8:00 PM
AWP Reading

Sponsored by The Sun Magazine
Open to the public
Minneapolis Central Library
Pohlad Hall
300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN

With:
Sy Sarfransky
Krista Bremer
Joe Wilkins
Leslie Pietrzyk

***

Wednesday, January 21, 1 – 3:30 p.m.
Class: Right Brain Writing
Politics and Prose, Washington, DC

Explore your creative side at this afternoon of guided writing exercises designed to get your subconscious flowing. No writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck in their current project, looking for a jolt of inspiration. The goal is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with several promising pieces to work on further. Please bring lots of paper and pen/pencil or a fully charged computer. For more information.

***

January 1 – January 10, 2015
Converse College Low-Residency MFA
For more information.
Public reading: Monday, January 5, 2015
8PM
Spartanburg Marriott, Conference Center
Panel, moderator: Thursday, January 8, 2015
“Social Media for Writers”
7PM
Spartanburg Public Library | Sponsored by Hub City Books.
Join us for a casual, talk-show format panel on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and more with these featured panelists:
Marybeth Whalen, Charlotte novelist and co-founder of She Reads.
Anna Sutton, marketing assistant at John Blair, Publisher.
Marlanda Dekine of Spoken Word Spartanburg.
Meg Reid, Hub City Writers Project Assistant Director.

Moderator: novelist and blogger Leslie Pietrzyk, a member of the Converse MFA faculty.

More information.

~2014~

September 18 and October 16
Politics & Prose Bookstore
Class: Right Brain Writing
Washington, DC

June 26, 2014
Politics & Prose Bookstore
Class: In the Beginning: Get Your Novel/Story/Memoir Off to a Great Start!
Washington, DC

June 2014
Teaching Residency
Converse College Low-Residency MFA
Spartanburg, SC
Fiction Workshop

April 30, 2014
Politics & Prose Bookstore
Class: Right Brain Writing
Washington, DC

April 5, 2014
Conversations & Connections
1-day Writing Conference
Johns Hopkins University
Washington, DC
Panel: “Who’s Talking?: Point of View”

January 2014
Teaching Residency
Converse College Low-Residency MFA
Spartanburg, SC
Fiction Workshop