We returned to the event where Two Plum Press made it’s debut, lo those many years ago, the Portland Zine Symposium! We thought it was the best one in years. The new PNCA building, where it took place, is light and airy and centrally located. The lunches for vendors they had delivered were super good and such a nice touch! Way to go, PSZ organizers! Here is a photo of Alex looking cuter than everyone else that day.
Zachary Schomburg, author of Hear Oars, organized a wonderful series of “off-campus” events during the 2019 AWP Conference called No Fair/Fair. Here is a great article about it that appeared in the Portland Mercury in the same issue as the Two Plum article!
These events included a two day book fair (the first Portland-area book fair in the spring, maybe ever?), and a Friday night epic reading with two locations and simultaneous readings every 20 minutes, from 5 p.m. to midnight.
Carol Ellis and Ross Robbins represented Two Plum Press during the Friday evening readings at Outlet. Zachary Schomburg read from his latest book, Pulver Maar, which includes pieces that first appeared in Hear Oars. Andrew read later that night representing Quotidian Press (run by Two Plum author Delphine Bedient).
Alex and Andrew hung deep with their water bottles at the book fair, nearby Quotidian and long-time pals Big Big Wednesday, where they even received a visit from esteemed author Chris Maday
Andrew and Sofie had the pleasure of hearing Jess Ardnt give a reading at Reed College in the Elliot Chapel, the same day Mercury article was published. We met Jess by chance at the 2017 Wordstock after party. Having been a huge fan of Jess’s contributions to Diner Journal, usually related to cocktails, we invited Jess to write a cocktail (or at least cocktail-threaded) book for Two Plum Press. Jess agreed, and there has been much discourse about the shape this book will take. It will happen someday! In the meantime, we highly recommend Jess’s book of short stories, Large Animals.
The Portland Mercury published a spotlight on Two Plum Press in their Spring Arts issue! You can read it here for stories about the origin of the press and other ramblings.
Here is a janky screenshot from Quotidian Press’s Instagram, whereupon my absurd “4 L.L. Bean tote bags on the bus” method of taking my stock down to Publication Fair was captured for all to see and OUR VERY OWN INSTAGRAM was tagged. Follow us there!
