November Reading + DIY Fair Seattle

We hosted our largest reading yet at the Independent Publishing Resource Center on November 30th. This reading was a release celebration of several new titles: The Three EPs and All In Black Blood My Love Went Riding by Ross Robbins, Hello by Carol Ellis, The Last Time My Sadness Was Convenient by Delphine Bedient, and Everyday Mythologies by Joshua James Amberson. All of the above authors read, along with Chris Maday, Michelle Overby, and Izzy Ferguson. This reading featured a fun new concept for transitioning from reader to reader. After each set, the writer who finished reading would draw a piece out of a cookie tin Alex was holding, read the piece and announce the author. That author would then get up and do their set. It was such fun.

3 fun posters for the reading:

Some images of the reading night. Onion spelt scones, a sea of books, and a sea of people.

Later that weekend, Alex and Andrew and Joshua drove up to Seattle for the Vera’s Project’s DIY Holiday Fair. Since ShortRun was a no go this year, this afforded the Seattle-crowd a chance to snag new Two Plum titles! We also got to buy a cassette tape shaped cat toy from Rose Melberg, and that was worth the trip in and of itself.

In London

Andrew went to London this year and hung out with his friend and favorite contemporary book designer, Coralie Bickford-Smith. Here is a picture of Coralie with some ice cream and a book store sign down the alleyway from a very good Kurdish restaurant.

Two Plum at the Pickathon Library

Our friend and author of Hear Oars, Zachary Schomburg, was asked to curate at library at the 2018 Pickathon festival. He set up this little Two Plum zone, and sent us the pictures. Here they are!

Zine Symposium 2018

We returned to the Portland Zine Symposium after a year away, and it was so good to be back! We shared some “vintage zines”– the AD LIB ZINE, which Andrew Barton and Aria Mikkola-Sears made from 2007-2010. Also tapes and friends zines, along with the usual Two Plum stock! A special thanks to Alex and Holly for holding down the table most of the afternoon!

Winter Reading

We hosted the 5th large Two Plum Press reading at the new location of the Independent Publishing Resource Center on January 19th! The reading was both a celebration of 2017's Point of Entry and Hear Oars titles, and also a benefit for the center, which has survived a very difficult year.

Without the IPRC, Alex and I wouldn't be able to do this work! Happily, folks came out in droves and donated to the cause! Hajara Quinn, who is the Program Director at the IPRC, made a letterpress broadside of the first poem as a thank you to donors. 

What a night! Ross Robbins read from his forthcoming Two Plum title The Three EPs, which will be accompanied by a reprint of All In Black Blood My Love Went Riding. Joshua James Amberson shared an incredible piece that won't appear in his forthcoming Two Plum title Everyday Mythologies, but which gave everyone a perfect teaser for his impeccable storytelling. Chris, Michelle, and Delphine all shared fantastic new pieces. Zachary gave a spellbinding reading of most of Hear Oars, done in reverse. The low rumble from the skate park overhead gently soundtracked the whole night. My best Jonathan Richman mix played during the social interludes. We ate good cookies and sipped donated rosé. What a night!