Litmus Press

12/17/2022

2023 : more studio parties and tarot readings 💫🎊

12/16/2022

'to be a boundless reflection' | Jacket2

“As a writing teacher, I am relentlessly bugged by the question of how to move students toward an organic practice of critical inquiry, to help them feel pulled by it at the most basic, creaturely level. In my search for a pedagogy that feels right and real, I look toward the texts that have become my own exemplars of compelling argumentation and analytic integrity, only to realize that my favorite works of critical writing are, in fact, poetry.”

"Sight (Edge Books, 1999) and Hearing (Litmus Press, 2021) model an ethic of criticism that sees the critic’s primary obligation to be the bodily and site-specific activity of looking and listening, where observation doesn’t crystallize in reportable results."

"I believe that the writing we most need will be sprawling, multiform, alien, and not even necessarily writing because it has flown away from the given categories of form and meaning that regiment thought as agreement and structure the cultural contexts through which we normally receive our texts."

— our very own Miriam Atkins on critical composition, poetical inquiry, Lyn Hejinian & Leslie Scalapino’s collaboration, the anxious essay and much more in her luminous new essay 'to be a boundless reflection' now up on Jacket2! A must read!🔥 🔥

https://buff.ly/3FWwtSU

As a writing teacher, I am relentlessly bugged by the question of how to move students toward an organic practice of critical inquiry, to help them feel pulled by it at the most basic, creaturely level. In my search for a pedagogy that feels right and real, I look toward the texts that have become m...

12/13/2022

AND COULD THEY HEAR ME I WOULD TELL THEM (AJA COUCHOIS DUNCAN) — EXCLAMATION’S GAUNTLET

"There are many things challenging about having Vestigial in the world. One is that a significant tributary of the book is drawn from a very dramatic, even traumatic, relationship I was in on and off for many years.

"The other challenge is that I am talking about gender and s*x transition in ways that reflect an experience in all its complexity. Writing is by its very nature an act of vulnerability, but this book required me to let go of the writer—to let go of my ego and all the worries it has about how people read me through my words—and simply let the aadizookaan emerge."

—Aja Couchois Duncan in conversation with the editors at CSU Poetry Center

What a beautiful interview! Check it out:

An interview with small press author Aja Couchois Duncas, author of the poetry collection "Vestigial" from Litmus Press.

12/09/2022

Members! Friends! Alchemists! Join us in 2023 ✨ - https://mailchi.mp/litmuspress.org/support-us-6211878

Over the last several years, our members and donors have not only supported the publication of print editions of exciting and vital new work but have enabled us to expand in ways that we hope will sustain poets, artists, readers, editors, and small publishing ventures in the years to come.

Join us. We simply couldn't do the work we are doing without a dedicated community of people who know that we are all in this together.

12/05/2022

Will Alexander and Sotère Torregian, reading and in conversation, The Poetry Center, San Francisco State University
Thursday, December 08
Event Time 06:00 p.m. - 07:30 p.m. PACIFIC

Friends and poet correspondents Will Alexander and Sotère Torregian will be honored guests of The Poetry Center for this special online-only event, each reading from new work and in conversation with one another and their audience. They'll be joined by Andrew Joron, poet and SF State faculty member, as online emcee. Please join us, at 6:00 pm Pacific Standard Time.

Register here! https://bit.ly/3gQIBLA

11/30/2022

I, CAUSTIC is now out!

This is the first English-language translation of Amazigh Moroccan author Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine’s Moi, l’aigre (Éditions du Seuil, 1970). Once hailed as the “Rimbaud of the Maghreb,” Khaïr-Eddine is widely considered a titan of avant-garde literature, and his writing has garnered comparisons to other celebrated Francophone writers such as Antonin Artaud, Samuel Beckett, and Aimé Césaire. Translated by Jake Syersak, with a postface by Khalid Lyamlahy.

Get it now at SPD Books. Link in bio!

11/26/2022

Collective Reading and Generative Writing Workshop in conversation with

𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈 𝘵𝘰 𝘡 by Etel Adnan.

💥 // Saturday, December 3rd on Zoom. //💥

Today in a week -- come join us for a collective reading followed by a series of writing invitations by the editors of the new digital-critical edition of Adnan's long form poem 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈 𝘵𝘰 𝘡.

Register your free participation here >>>

https://bit.ly/3gfLKEB

11/23/2022

Monti visited our friends at Hopscotch Reading Room in Berlin and guess what!
They had a copy of Etel Adnan's out-of print 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈 𝘵𝘰 𝘡, the inaugural book of The Post-Apollo Press.

But fear not if you're not in Berlin. You can access 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈 𝘵𝘰 𝘡 through the comfort of your homes through our new digital-critical edition.

& what's more! We will host a collective reading and generative writing workshop in response to the online edition of 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈 𝘵𝘰 𝘡 on Saturday, December 3rd.

Register your free particpation through the link in our bio and tune in from anywhere!
..and if you do happen to be in Berlin: Hopscotch now has a fresh stock of some of our books. Come and have a browse at one of our favorite book stores!

11/22/2022

We're super excited to celebrate the launch of ARRANGEMENTS, a new collection by Litmus author Eléna Rivera, translator of Isabelle Garron's "Body Was"!

Join AQUIFER BOOKS for the Zoom launch of their new and forthcoming collections. Eléna Rivera will be joined by Peter Hughes, Lee Duggan and Tim Allen.

Sunday November 27th, 8.00 pm (20.00) GMT

Zoom link for the event: https://bit.ly/3gvYEhE

More info at: Glasfryn Project: https://bit.ly/3EPUaf8

11/22/2022

We're super excited to celebrate the launch of ARRANGEMENTS, a new collection by Litmus author Eléna Rivera, translator of Isabelle Garron's "Body Was"!

Join AQUIFER BOOKS for the Zoom launch of their new and forthcoming collections. Eléna Rivera will be joined by Peter Hughes, Lee Duggan and Tim Allen.

Sunday November 27th, 8.00 pm (20.00) GMT

Zoom link for the event: https://bit.ly/3ENMiuG

More info at: Glasfryn Project: https://bit.ly/3EQBj3J

11/21/2022

I, CAUSTIC is now out!

This is the first English-language translation of Amazigh Moroccan author Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine’s Moi, l’aigre (Éditions du Seuil, 1970). Once hailed as the “Rimbaud of the Maghreb,” Khaïr-Eddine is widely considered a titan of avant-garde literature, and his writing has garnered comparisons to other celebrated Francophone writers such as Antonin Artaud, Samuel Beckett, and Aimé Césaire.

More about the book and Khaïr-Eddine here: https://bit.ly/3UXFlNg

11/21/2022

✨ We're so excited to invite you to a collective reading + generative writing workshop in response to our new digital-critical edition of Etel Adnan's From A to Z (The Post-Apollo Press, 1982) ✨

This event will feature readings & writing invitations by

Sahar Khraibani
Alisha Mascarenhas
Hazem Fahmy
E. Tracy Grinnell
Lindsey Boldt
& a.Monti

Register your free participation here>>>>> 🤓

https://bit.ly/3EIkQ1l

The new digital-critical edition of From A to Z is made with teachers, students and scholars in mind and includes an e-book, archival and contextual resources.
This edition and the event are part of Open Poetics, a collaboration between Litmus Press and CUNY, providing critical editions of out-of-print poetry for free, along with multimedia tools that illuminate their context. The platform is accessible to anyone interested in digital learning tools for classrooms, reading groups, independent scholarship - you name it!

Start exploring the edition right away through the links in our bio. 🪶

11/16/2022

THIS Friday, Nov 18th, 7:30 PM (doors at 7)

STANDARD AMERICAN ENGLISH book launch!

Performance by EL_S_TH H__ST_ON alias Elisabeth Houston alias baby

@ FiveMyles
558 St Johns Place
Brooklyn, NY

11/15/2022

This Friday! Performance & Book Launch @ FiveMyles (Brooklyn) - https://mailchi.mp/litmuspress.org/standard-american-english-6209930

11/12/2022

EL_S_TH H__ST_ON alias Elisabeth Houston alias bébé, qui n'est pas un bébé, qui est un enfant terrible

BOOK LAUNCH!!!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18th, 7:30 PM (doors at 7)

@ FiveMyles
558 St Johns Place
Brooklyn, NY

11/10/2022

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18th, 7:30 PM (doors at 7)

Join us for an East Coast book launch of EL_S_TH H__ST_ON aka Elisabeth Houston’s Standard American English (Litmus Press, 2022). Reading and performance by EL_S_TH H__ST_ON aka Elisabeth Houston aka baby.

@ FiveMyles
558 St Johns Place
Brooklyn, NY

baby says: you can always say no.

Litmus says: But what if you said yes????

11/08/2022

FRIDAY November 18
7:30 PM
gallery

EL_S_TH H__ST_ON
Standard American English

11/08/2022

FRIDAY November 18
7:30 PM
gallery

EL_S_TH H__ST_ON
Standard American English

10/29/2022

Litmus Press in London photo album✨ We had the best time tabling at the book fair at Conway Hall joining sixty nine presses from the UK and beyond for a weekend of readings, exhibitions and books, books, books— the only problem was to fit all the new books in our suitcase. 😅
We also had the huge pleasure of joining for a launch reading with Susan Gervitz, James Davies, Fran Lock, Eléna Rivera, Fran Lock and our very own Tracy and Amanda. 💫 Thank you London, hope to be back very soon . 💕

10/28/2022

Fall Announcements | Upcoming Events & Publications, Reader Resources - https://mailchi.mp/litmuspress.org/workshop-and-reading-6168234

10/27/2022

One of our favorite artists speaking at one of our favorite museums! Susan Bee at the American Folk Art Museum this Wednesday, November 2nd, 6 - 7:15 pm EST, in conversation with Kathy Ruttenberg and Jamea Richmond-Edwards, and the exhibition *Morris Hirshfield Rediscovered*.

More info and a link to register (free!) here: https://folkartmuseum.org/programs/in-dreams-awake/?ID=29855

10/26/2022

Tomorrow ! 👀 ⚡️

A collective book launch organized by Pamenar Press, featuring James Davies, Susan Gervitz, Biswamit Dwibedy, Elena Rivera and Litmus-All-Stars Amanda Monti & E. Tracy Grinnell.

Tune in ✨ Free & livestreamed.

RSVP here https://bit.ly/3T46GMy

10/25/2022

SAVE THE DATE!
Standard American English – NYC Book Launch! FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18th

Please join us for the East Coast launch of EL_S_TH H__ST_ON aka Elisabeth Houston’s Standard American English (Litmus Press, 2022). Reading and performance by EL_S_TH H__ST_ON aka Elisabeth Houston aka baby. Doors at 7pm. Performance starts 7:30pm.


558 St Johns Place
Brooklyn, NY

More info at: http://fivemyles.org/calendar/2022/11/18/standard-american-english-reading-and-performance

https://litmuspress.org/standard-american-english-nyc-book-launch/

10/25/2022

Welcome - Small Publishers Fair

This weekend! Litmus Press is in London for the Small Publishers Fair. ⚡️

The Small Press Publisher Fair is an annual gathering that celebrates books by writers, artists, poets, composers, book designers and their publishers. We're so excited to browse! Come say hi, London friends.

Happening this coming Friday and Saturday at Conway Hall. 🎃 ✨

Small Publishers Fair 2022 presents sixty nine UK and International publishers together with readings and an exhibition. Find out more here.

10/22/2022

Hearing—Lyn Hejinian and Leslie Scalapino, a Collective Reading and Conversation: May 15, 2021 - Poetry Center Digital Archive

If it looks like we were having a really good time on Zoom, it's because we were!

Last year, we published Lyn Hejinian and Leslie Scalapino's *Hearing* — the second book in a collaborative series exploring each of the five senses inaugurated by *Sight* (Edge Books, 1999).

Here we are in May 2021 performing a collective reading of the book in the abundant presence-absence of Leslie Scalapino. With readings by Lyn Hejinian, E. Tracy Grinnell, Eric Falci, Eileen Myles, Michael Cross, Judith Goldman, Simone White, Tom White, Myung Mi Kim, 최 Lindsay (Lindsay Choi), and Renee Gladman. Also with an introduction by Judith Goldman and a conversation moderated by Rachael Guynn Wilson.

The fully edited video is now available for viewing/listening and download at the Poetry Center Digital Archive!

The Poetry Center and Litmus Press join forces to celebrate the publication, with a collective reading of sections from this newly published book, as selected by Lyn Hejinian. Hearing is the long-awaited second book in a series of collaborations by Lyn Hejinian and Leslie Scalapino organized ...

10/20/2022

Collective Autumn Book Launch & Reading | ///// Pamenar Press

Next Thursday in London! Our friends at Pamenar Press are launching two poetry collections: James Davies' "it is like toys but also like video
taped in a mall" and Susan Gervitz's "Burns."

The event will also feature readings and new work by
Biswamit Dwibedy, Elena Rivera, aaaaand our very own assistant editor Amanda Monti and our founding editor E. Tracy Grinnell. 💞

The event is free and will also be live streamed on Pamenar YouTube channel.

James Davies - Biswamit Dwibedy - Susan Gevirtz - E.Tracy Grinnell - Amanda Monti - Eléna Rivera

10/18/2022

Traduire un texte hétérolingue : entretien autour de Clamor/Clameur de Hocine Tandjaoui

A beautiful interview on writing, memory, war, music, and translation with Hocine Tandjaoui (Clamor, 2021) and his translators, Olivia C. Harrison and Teresa Villa-Ignacio, is up at Écriture et plurilinguisme!

Cet entretien entre l’écrivain et ses traductrices a eu lieu lors de la journée d’études « Écrire – traduire – accueillir : savoir-faire avec les différences » (17 juin 2022, Université Grenoble Alpes) organisée par Myriam Geiser (UGA, ILCEA 4) Laura Reeck (Allegheny College) et Pascale Roux (UGA, Litt&Arts).

De l'entretien:
>
— Hocine Tandjaoui

Check it out:

Entretien de Hocine Tandjaoui, Olivia C. Harrison et Teresa Villa-Ignacio autour de Clamor/Clameur (New-York : Litmus Press, 2021) – 17 juin 2022, Université Grenoble Alpes Hocine Tandjaoui, né en Algérie et vivant en France depuis l’âge de 23 ans, est actuellement trésorier de l’associa...

10/13/2022

Two weeks from today!!

An incredible Pamenar Press reading in London
with James Davies
Biswamit Dwibedy
Susan Gevirtz
E. Tracy Grinnell
Amanda Monti
& Eléna Rivera

The event will launch two poetry collections: James Davies's "it is like toys but also like video taped in a mall" and Susan Gervirtz's "Burns", published by Pamenar Press 2022

When: Thursday 27th of October
Where: Candid Cafe
5 Torrens Street, Angel, London, EC1V 1NQ

The event will be free and will be live streamed on Pamenar Youtube Channel. We welcome any donations that enable us to create and promote similar events.

Register at:
https://bit.ly/3rYd8Je

10/13/2022

Two weeks from today!!

An incredible Pamenar Press reading in London

with James Davies
Biswamit Dwibedy
Susan Gevirtz
E. Tracy Grinnell
& Eléna Rivera

The event will launch two poetry collections: James Davies's "it is like toys but also like video taped in a mall" and Susan Gervirtz's "Burns", published by Pamenar Press 2022

When: Thursday 27th of October
Where: Candid Cafe
5 Torrens Street, Angel, London, EC1V 1NQ

The event will be free and will be live streamed on Pamenar Youtube Channel. We welcome any donations that enable us to create and promote similar events.

Register at:
https://bit.ly/3fZqPoF

10/13/2022

Welcome - Small Publishers Fair

Litmus Press comes to London ! 💥
We are so excited to be joining the Small Publishers Fair happening on October 28th/29th at Conway Hall. 🎃 ✨
The Small Publishers Fair is an annual gathering of books by writers, artists, poets, composers, book designers and their publishers.
Come gather your Winter reads & browse with us, UK-friends!

Small Publishers Fair 2022 presents sixty nine UK and International publishers together with readings and an exhibition. Find out more here.

10/04/2022

IN THE FALL

Not-to-be-missed-alert tomorrow in London! 👀 ✨ Habib Tengour, Cole Swensen, Peter Manson and Fran Lock are getting together for a reading organized by our friends at Pamenar Press.
7pm at CANDID GALLERY.

Ta, London!

Please join us for a poetry reading featuring: Habib Tengour Cole Swensen Fran Lock & Peter Manson

09/30/2022

We are thrilled to announce our two new fellows at Litmus Press! Alysia Slocum LaFerriere and Hazem Fahmy are joining us in our inaugural fellowship program this Fall. 🍾✨

Welcome, Alysia and Hamza! We are so excited for your collaboration and insight to support our authors and translators in the coming months.

Alysia Slocum LaFerriere is a storyteller across genres who writes about family histories, racial identities, community, and belonging. She graduated from the MFA in Writing program at Pratt Institute and teaches at Pratt and Montclair State University.

Hazem Fahmy is a writer and critic from Cairo. A PhD student in Middle Eastern Studies at Columbia University, he runs the literary newsletter wust el-balad, on Substack. His debut chapbook, Red//Jild//Prayer won the 2017 Diode Editions Contest, and his second, Waiting for Frank Ocean in Cairo was published in 2022 by Half-Mystic Press. A Kundiman and Watering Hole Fellow, his writing has appeared, or is forthcoming in The Best American Poetry 2020, The Boston Review, Prairie Schooner, Mubi Notebook, Reverse Shot, and Mizna. His performances have been featured on Button Poetry and Write About Now.

09/17/2022

WHAT! Mónica de la Torre, Tracie Morris, Ron Silliman, Elizabeth Willis, Herman Beavers & Julia Bloch at the Kelly Writers House on SEPT 21st!

It's the 10th anniversary of ModPo!

At 11am EST, join in for a discussion featuring the guest poets & ModPo TAs (including Laynie Browne, ModPo coordinator). The conversation takes place both live at KWH and as an interactive webcast.

More

09/10/2022

WHAT! Mónica de la Torre, Tracie Morris, Ron Silliman, Elizabeth Willis, Herman Beavers & Julia Bloch at the Kelly Writers House on SEPT 21st!

It's the 10th anniversary of ModPo!

At 11am EST, join in for a discussion featuring the guest poets & ModPo TAs (including Laynie Browne, ModPo coordinator). The conversation takes place both live at KWH and as an interactive webcast.

More

09/01/2022

PoemTalk 175: On Joan Retallack's Poethical Wager [Full Video]

PoemTalk takes on Joan Retallack’s essay “The Poethical Wager” with Al Filreis, erica kaufman, and Laynie Browne! Retallack (“The Supposium,” Litmus 2018 and “BOSCH’D,” Litmus 2020) read aloud from her essay, and the group delighted in discussing the relationship between the act of writing and the unplanned: “Insofar as ‘to get lost in the writing can be a way out of officially charted territory,’ we found the conversation taking the form of such getting-lost.” Listen to their conversation on Youtube!

Laynie Browne, erica kaufman, and Joan Retallack join Al Filreis at Bard College to discuss Joan Retallack's book The Poethical Wager.