Five Questions for the #YeahYouWrite Reading Series

To launch our fall writing workshops, intensives, and master classes, we teamed up with the #YeahYouWrite reading series at Bo’s Kitchen & Bar Room for a showcase for our instructors Nicole Dennis-Benn, Daniel José Older, Rebecca Schiff, and Tony Tulathimutte.

Each month, Lisa Kristel and Robin Martin select a few writers—past guests include Téa Obreht, Sara Lippmann, and Jonathan Lee—to read in the restaurant’s Garden District Lounge. What makes their reading series different? While the authors are reading, attendees can order cocktails crafted to match each authors’ literary taste. And, in addition to Bo’s delicious food, you can order the readers’ books right off the menu.

RSVP is required—please click attending on Facebook or email [email protected]. If you forget, make sure to mention #YeahYouWrite when you check in with the hostess.

To get to know a little bit more about the women who run this one-of-a-kind reading series, I asked its founders, Lisa and Robin, some questions.

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How did the #YeahYouWrite Reading Series come into existence?

Lisa and Robin met at Salt Cay Writers Retreat and since they were both in New York, and Robin liked eating at Bo’s, and Lisa was there all the time anyway, they decided it would be fun to get an author series together. Besides, the lounge space was just calling for it.

What makes your reading series stand out?

Hard to choose just one thing: the custom literary cocktails? The dreamy lounge? The casual atmosphere with dinner and drink service? Robin’s relentless search for incredible authors? The open mic . . . ?

What do you look for when choosing authors to have at your events?

Critically acclaimed / award-winning authors, with a nice mix of fiction, poetry, and some YA and nonfiction thrown in for good measure.

What’s been the biggest surprise about running #YeahYouWrite?

Two surprises: how even the worst reviews or rejections are funny when shared with an audience, and how accessible some writers are despite their agents immediately replying no.

What’re you reading these days?

Everything by our readers!

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