Lord Baron Joseph C.R. Vourteque IV
Valtat’s Read of new Steampunk Novel Aurorama at Quimby’s
Last Wednesday, September 22nd I attended a reading by French author Jean-Christophe Valtat read of his newest work, Aurorama, at Quimby’s Bookstore in Wicker Park. Aurorama is the first novel in his new steampunk trilogy, set in the Arctic city of New Venice. It was his first public reading, as French authors typically sign books instead of addressing audiences. It was in English to boot!
The select scenes he read from featured the Institute for Dream Incubation (a dream-inducing service) and one with some “sky-skating” (ice skating in the nude). Sitting by me was a poet who was in the midst of getting her MFA and found Valtat’s command of the English language to be quite formidable.
During the Q&A, I asked him about the difference between writing literature and writing for film as he is also the writer of the 2003 film
Augustine. Valtat found writing for film to be similar to writing in English. He was compelled by story and imagery, as opposed to the headiness of writing in French.
New York “Poetry Brothel” Invades Chicago with an Old Time Feel
This Friday
New York’s “The Poetry Brothel” invades Chicago at the
House of Blues and promises to be an unforgettable experience. I’d go into details but I like their own description of their work better, so to quote their website –
Our events are interactive performance art pieces based on the concept of the prewar brothels in the United States and Europe. Each night The Madame presents a rotating cast of both male and female poets engaged in a night of literary debauchery and private poetry readings. The poets act as “whores,” making audience members “johns,” but instead of physical intimacy, the poets offer the intimacy of their poetry in private, one-on-one readings. For a small fee, all of the resident “whores” are available for these sequestered readings at any time during the event. Of course, any good brothel need a furtive “front” or cover; ours is part saloon and part salon, offering a full bar with absinthe, live music, live painting, fortune-tellers, gypsies, and gamblers with newly integrated performances and installations from our poets and other artists at each event.
You can dress in your best brothel-wear and join in the poetry-driven depravity at The House of Blues Foundation Room – 329 N Dearborn Street in Downtown Chicago this Friday, September 24th. The show opens at 8pm and goes until midnight. Tickets are $10 but $5 with an RSVP on their
Facebook Invite Page. This event is 21+
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