Literary Salon & Open Mic

It's fall and we are happy to launch our 4th season of our Literary Salon & Open Mic,
fostering a growing and magical literary community!

Doors open at 6pm
6:30pm program starts
6:45-7:30pm featured author convo, reading, and Q&A
7:30-7:40 intermission (refill your drink, schmooze, books for sale...)
7:45-8:45: Open Mic

This month's special feature is the local and multitalented creative soul, Maria Castellano-Usery, whose children's book Everyone's Got Cooties, is a gem for adults too!
(Oh, and what a perfect holiday gift for young and old!)

Maria Castellano-Usery is an artist living in Brunswick, Maine. Originally from Long Island, New York, she is the author and illustrator of Everyone’s Got Cooties, a children’s book about cleaning and feelings. Maria is best known for her Brushstrokes With Impact campaign which began in December 2015. Maria has a “paint-a-thon” once a month, where she paints an 8” x 8” canvas in 8 hours and raffles it off with half the proceeds going to charity. So far, she has donated over $24,000 to local and national causes. Maria has participated in Maine Public’s Family Literacy Day and Brunswick Downtown Association’s Storytime Stroll; she has also read her book at schools, libraries, and daycares. Everyone’s Got Cooties is her first book.

You can find out more about the author and her work HERE,
and this is also where you can order the book!

Allow me to swoon a little with this observation from Maine author Dave Patterson:

"What Nina Lichtenstein has cultivated is nothing short of a literary miracle...Maine Writers Studio is a rare phenomenon, even in a state boasting so many great libraries and independent bookstores. It’s a sacred space for words in an ever-chaotic world."

If you are in mid-coast Maine this October 14th, come experience the magic with fellow
writers and lovers of stories at the lovely Walter's Café, right downtown.

And as usual, bring your own writing to share for 5 minutes at open mic, if your name is pulled from the hat. (Check out some pointers on how to prepare for your reading HERE)

Join us for a warm, welcoming literary community right in downtown Brunswick, Maine.

What's a salon, anyway?

Literary Salons & Open Mic:
Where the Literary Community Comes Alive

We are excited to partner with Walter's Café for our monthly Literary Salon & Open Mic.

The concept of the salon is to foster community around our shared love of words, stories, and creativity.

Together we will enjoy stimulating conversations, listen to each other as we share our work at the open mic, and mingle with Mid-Coast area fellow writers. We will invite Maine authors to join us to talk about their books and craft, and to answer questions about their process and creative journeys.

The best part: you will have a chance to do a 5-minute reading of your work at the Open Mic.

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What is a salon anyway?

A salon is an intentional gathering of friends and friends of friends, but mostly, a salon is good times with humans coming together for conversation and to eat, drink, talk, and listen. "Salons are a little sexy," says Susan MacTavish Best, founder of The Salon Host.

When we come together in the same space, magic happens. Barriers break down. We listen to one another, ask each other questions, and marvel at the unlikely answers. Our goal is that we finish the evening feeling sated and happy, soaked in serotonin, a collective of humans, a community that is connected.

But salons are unpredictable, just like life. So it's important to show up with a sense of humor, loads of goodwill, and willingness to participate and engage with other participants.

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Open Mic Pointers

Want to read at OPNE MIC?

When you arrive at salon, drop your name in the hat for a chance to read. We usually have time for about 10 readers.

Here are some practical pointers and friendly suggestions:

Practice at home in front of a mirror.
Slow down, and practice more.
Think about where you can pause and make eye-contact.
Time yourself before you go live.
Reading from your iPhone often doesn't give the smoothest reading (No printer at home? You can print at the library for much less than at Staples).