On the 3/12/25 Edition of Dr Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Pia Baur joins the show to speak on her recent essay “Every Day Anew” which touches on her lived experience with epilepsy. The essay was recently chosen for the Felice Buckvar Prize for Nonfiction and will be published in the Bellevue Literary Review this Spring. Baur then details her colleague Elizabeth Mitchell’s upcoming horror-sci-fi anthology called "The Claw Machine," which Baur will be contributing to. Will Alpers then joins the show to discuss his upcoming workshop, where he will teach prospective authors about self-publishing their work. He shares a poem titled “In a middle school biology class”, before the last guest of the program, Grant Faulkner calls in. Faulkner describes the structure of his upcoming reading at Avid Reader in Davis, California where he will be discussing his book titled The Art of Brevity: Crafting the Very Short Story. He also details how he came about starting his Write-minded podcast and his virtual writing classes that he runs out of Berkley, California.

Pia Baur is a writer born to German and Korean parents and raised in the United States. She received her BA in English from UC Davis in 2011 and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana in Missoula. She lives and works in the Pacific Northwest.

Will Alpers has self-published one book of poetry, The Demon is Curious About My $45 Lunch, which will soon be available for purchase on Amazon.

Grant Faulkner is the co-founder of 100 Word Story, the co-host of the Write-minded podcast, and the author of The Art of Brevity: Crafting the Very Short Story, All the Comfort Sin Can Provide, a collection of short stories, and Fissures, a collection of 100-word stories. His “flash novel,” something out there in the distance, a collaboration with the photographer Gail Butensky, is coming out in September 2025 with the University of New Mexico Press. His essays on creativity have been published in The New York Times, Poets & Writers, Lit Hub, Writer’s Digest, and The Writer.

The Poetry Night Reading Series takes place on the first and third Thursdays of the month at 7 PM in the John Natsoulas Gallery. The event is generously supported by the people and poets of the Sacramento Valley, by John Natsoulas, and by Thea and the other members of the staff at the John Natsoulas Gallery. Your host will be Dr. Andy Jones, the poet laureate emeritus of the City of Davis.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

On the 3/5/25 Edition of Dr Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Professor Jesse Drew joins Dr. Andy in the studio to discuss the Davis screening of his upcoming movie, Open Country. He shares details on the event, which is occurring this Friday, March 7, at Sudwerk‘s Beer Hall, before telling a story about his time spent interviewing the American Folk legend Pete Seeger. The next guest on the hour, the poet Anthony Xavier Jackson, joins the show to speak about an event for late poet and friend Al Cortez. The event occurred Wednesday, March 5th at Sacramento’s California stage, but the organizers will still be collecting donations to pass on to the family of Al Cortez. The last guest on the hour, Christina Deptula, opens her segment by sharing a poem, “Spontaneous Grace.” She then shares details about an upcoming event, “The Hayward Lit Hop, " a writing group gathering to share and improve their respective crafts.

Jesse Drew is an American artist, author, media activist, and educator. He became a teenage runaway at age 15, and lived on communes in Vermont and California. In 1974, he was a candidate for the State Legislature of Vermont on the Liberty Union Party ticket with Bernie Sanders. In 1975, he was recruited by Fred Ross to work for the United Farmworkers Union in California. He was a boycott organizer in San Francisco before moving into industrial organizing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Drew is now a professor in the Cinema and Technocultural Studies (CaTS) program at the University of California, Davis.

Anthony Xavier Jackson is the recent winner of The 2024 Sacramento Poetry Week’s Annual Poetry contest. Jackson has been writing poems and songs since his teens, drawing inspiration from sci-fi, myths, all genres of music, and all manner of spiritual pursuits, including recovery. Jackson has recently published his first collection of poetry, The Razor of Your Smile, available on Amazon. Jackson is a member of GTFO Poetry Collective based in Sacramento. You may find his poems paired with his music on SoundCloud and Bandcamp.

Cristina Deptula is a UC Davis alumna, a science journalist, book publicist, and publisher of the online literary magazine Synchronized Chaos.

Our March 6th, Poetry night will feature local poets Cindy Juyoung Ok, Jade Menshew, and Roy Magat. We meet at 7PM at the John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 1st Street in Davis, and we hope you can join us.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

On the 2/26/25 Edition of Dr Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Ethan Gallogy joins the show to discuss his award-winning novel The Trail, which follows two character’s journeys on the John Muir Trail. Gallogy shares his experiences on the John Muir Trail, stating that a month straight in the wilderness was an unforgettable experience. He reiterates the importance of being disconnected from technology, and outlines some of the traits of the novel's main character Gil. Gallogy then imparts some advice about how to go about hiking, seeking out trails, and joining hiking groups. Connie Poet then calls in to discuss her poetic habits, including submitting to a variety of journals, as well as setting writing goals. Post shares a poem titled, “The Wandering” before stating that she intentionally writes poems about topics like Sexual Assault in aim to help readers in their healing. She ends the episode by sharing another poem, this one in honor of her late brother titled, “Broken Metronome.”

Ethan Gallogy is a local author and an avid hiker and backpacker. He graduated from UC Davis with a PhD in Physical Chemistry in 1993, has taught around the world, including at UC Berkeley and in mainland China, and is an emeritus professor from Santa Monica College, and has now returned to live in Davis. He has written two books and is the author of The Trail, an award-winning novel set on the John Muir Trail in the High Sierra.

Connie Post’s work has appeared in Calyx, Slipstream, Comstock Review, 2 River, American Journal of Poetry, River Styx, Spoon River Poetry Review, Slippery Elm, and Verse Daily. Her poetry awards include the Caesura award, Liakoura award, and the Crab Creek Poetry Award. Her full-length collections include Floodwater, Prime Meridian and Between Twilight. Between Twilight was a finalist in the 2023 Best Book Awards and the International book award. Her 2023 chapbook, Broken Metronome has been a finalist for six book awards and won the American Fiction award for a chapbook.

The Poetry Night Reading Series takes place on first and third Thursdays of the month at 7 PM, is generously supported by the people and poets of the Sacramento Valley, by John Natsoulas, and by Thea and the other members of the staff at the John Natsoulas Gallery. Your host will be Dr. Andy Jones, the poet laureate emeritus of the City of Davis.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

On the 2/19/25 Edition of Dr Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Denisha Coco Blossom joins the show to discuss how she aims to uplift the world with poetry. She cites music as an influence of her early poetics and reflects upon her journey from open-mic nights to becoming a published author. She then shares a poem from her book The Makings of a Project Queen titled, “Welcome to Opportunity” about her time at the University of California, Davis. Blossom then explains her role in Sacramento-Area Youth Speaks, where she inspires the community and individuals alike through sharing culturally relevant literature and media with her students. Anthony Xavier Jackson is the next guest of the program, who joins in to speak on the release of his new book The Razor of Your Smile. He then details the lengthy process of collecting and curating the poems that make up his collection. Anthony Xavier Jackson then shares a poem in honor of the late Al Cortez, one of the original founders of the GTFO Poetry collective, titled “Promises.” He also outlines some upcoming projects the collective is working on, including publishing the posthumous works of Al Cortez.

Denisha Coco Blossom is a Poet-Mentor, Educator, Author, and Scholar-Activist recognized for her advocacy, community empowerment, and storytelling. Raised in South Sacramento, she serves as Associate Director of Sacramento Area Youth Speaks (SAYS), mentoring youth to find their voices and create change. With degrees in African American Studies, Education, and Organizational Communication, Blossom combines her academic background with a passion for spoken word as a tool for healing and empowerment. She has performed at major events like the Sacramento Women’s March and opened for Hillary Clinton. Her accolades include the Sacramento Poetry Day Award and the SAYS Tupac Scholar Award. Her poetic memoir, The Makings of a Project Queen, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and her website, captures her journey, faith, and philosophy: Love yourself first before you lose yourself. To learn more about Denisha Coco Blossom, visit her website at www.cocoqueendom.com or visit her social media @cocoqueendom across all platforms.

Anthony Xavier Jackson is the recent winner of The 2024 Sacramento Poetry Week’s Annual Poetry contest. Anthony Xavier Jackson has been writing poems and songs since his teens, drawing inspiration from sci-fi, myths, all genres of music, and all manner of spiritual pursuits, including recovery. Anthony has recently published his first collection of poetry, The Razor of Your Smile, available on Amazon and other venues. Anthony has enjoyed publishing honors from the likes of Bar Bar, Wingless Dreamer, Dipity, The Word’s Faire, and Tule Review 2024. Jackson is a member of GTFO Poetry Collective based in Sacramento. Find his poems paired with his music on SoundCloud and Bandcamp. Jackson is also a Substance Use Disorder Counselor who aspires to Social Work credentialing. He firmly believes everyone deserves healing.

The Poetry Night Reading Series takes place on first and third Thursdays of the month at 7 PM, is generously supported by the people and poets of the Sacramento Valley, by John Natsoulas, and by Thea and the other members of the staff at the John Natsoulas Gallery. Your host will be Dr. Andy Jones, the poet laureate emeritus of the City of Davis. The featured speakers of 2/20/25 will be Denisha Coco Blossom and Anthony Xavier Jackson.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

On the 2/12/25 Edition of Dr Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Catharine Bramkamp joins the show to discuss her role as a coach for other writers looking to publish their work. Bramkamp then shares how she has three different books coming out simultaneously, working with different publishers and media. Her work explores the women behind famous artists and ekphrastic poetry. She then shares a poem constructed through rearranging the works of Virginia Woolf, and another that uses words from James Joyce. The next guest on the show, O’Cyrus, outlines how he became a podcast host, writer, educator, and independent publisher. O’Cyrus states that reading bedtime stories for his children helped reimmerse him into creative writing. He also discusses his military upbringing and the quintessential role his father played in shaping his work ethic, before sharing a poem titled “Fallen Angels.”

Catharine Bramkamp is a world traveler, poet and belly dancer. In her spare time she is a writing coach and workshop facilitator. She has authored 27 fiction, non-fiction and poetry books. She holds a MA in Creative Writing and her poetry books: Stealing all the Blue, Sad Music for the Perfect Soul and Poet as Scribe were released January 2025. She lives in Nevada City.

O'Cyrus is a 17x award-winning author, poet, podcast host of The Author's Lounge, and the founder of the independent publishing house, Ocyrus Ink Publishing. Currently serving as an active duty member of the United States Air Force and married with three children, O'Cyrus focuses his time of creative writing between the time of 3am-7am 5-6 days weekly. His goal as a writer and publisher is for his work to positively impact people's lives, help them identify their own gifts, and seek in their purpose to add true value into the world.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

On the 2/5/25 Edition of Dr Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Professor Heghnar Watenpaugh joins the show to discuss the 2025 Templeton Colloquium in Art History, which will explore the need for protection of cultural heritage around the world. Watenpaugh outlines the scope of Cultural Heritage within art history, while also describing some of the immediate threats to Cultural Heritage such as unwise development, climate change, and intentional destruction from war. Professor Watenpaigh also shares how speakers at the event will approach the issues from the lens of archaeological materials and as art critics. The next guest on the show is Alex Gershman, who joins the show to discuss his writing and reading journey as an Undergraduate Creative Writing student. He shares the process of some of his craft, while also explaining how he has worked to build a writing and reading community on his popular youtube channel, @agwriting. Gershman converses about the works of many authors, such as George Saudners, Nabakov, Kaveh Akbar, and Gwendeloyn Brooks. Gerhsman reaffirms the importance of place, and specifically the importance of place within the cityscape in literature and the human experience.

Heghnar Watenpaugh is Professor of Art History at the University of California, Davis. She researches the visual cultures of the Middle East, including architectural preservation, museums, and cultural heritage. Professor Watenpaugh is the author of two award-winning books, a fellow of the Guggenheim Foundation, and is currently the President of the American Research Institute of the South Caucasus.

Alex Gershman is a writer from Chicago, Illinois. He’s currently pursuing a degree in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he’s working on several projects, including a novel and an essay collection centered around urban literature. He discusses writing and interviews authors on his YouTube channel, @agwriting, and is the fiction editor of The Madison Review.

The Poetry Night Reading Series takes place on first and third Thursdays of the month at 7 PM, is generously supported by the people and poets of the Sacramento Valley, by John Natsoulas, and by Thea and the other members of the staff at the John Natsoulas Gallery. Your host will be Dr. Andy Jones, the poet laureate emeritus of the City of Davis. Our next event on February 6th will be a wide open mic.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

On the 1/29/25 Edition of Dr Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

The first guest on the show, Katharine Burnett, joins to speak on the Global Tea Institute’s (GTI) 10th Anniversary Colloquialism. The theme for the colloquialism is tea and peace, as one of the institute’s initiatives is to bring community together. Mariam Ahmed then joins the show to discuss the release of her newest poetry collection, Hidden Parts. Ahmed explains why she defines herself as a California poet, and details some of her publication process. She then shares a poem titled, “You belong here,” before the next guest on the show, Maya Sinha phones in. Sinha outlines the success of Stories on Stage Davis’s recent move to Sudwerk. And shares details for their upcoming Flash Fiction night on Sunday, February 9th. Sheryl J. Bize-Boutte is the last guest of the show, and joins to share praise of the upcoming San Francisco Writers Conference. She describes the conference as a place where a diverse group of writer’s join in co-presence to formulate life-long connections and gain confidence in their craft. Bize-Boutte will feature on the conference's Saturday, “Power of Process” panel.

Professor Katharine Burnett is Founding Director of UC Davis’s Global Tea Institute for the Study of Tea Culture and Science. A professor of Chinese art history, her research explores how cultural values are manifested in art, what it means to collect art, and now also, what we can learn about cultures and societies through studying individual and diverse tea cultures.

Mariam Ahmed is a Californian poet. Mariam earned her MFA in Poetry from San Diego State University and her BA in English Literature with a minor in Sociology from the University of California, Davis. Her newest poetry collection, Hidden Parts was published on January 13, 2025 by Broken Tribe Press.

Maya Sinha is a lawyer, writer, and former reporter. For two years, she wrote a humor column for the Davis Enterprise called 'Lowbrow,' which led to a monthly humor column for The Saturday Evening Post. Her award-winning 2022 novel, The City Mother, has been presented at Stories on Stage Davis and The Avid Reader, and she is the current director of Stories on Stage Davis.

Sheryl J. Bize-Boutte is an award-winning, internationally published poet and novelist. She is the co-author of the poetry books, “No Poetry No Peace™” (a poetry reading series), and “Traipsing In Poetry Prose and Vignette,” written with her daughter Angela. Sheryl is the San Francisco Writer’s Conference (SFWC) 2025 “Writing for Change” Track Coordinator and has been appointed as the Poetry Summit Coordinator for SFWC 2026.

The Poetry Night Reading Series takes place on first and third Thursdays of the month at 7 PM, is generously supported by the people and poets of the Sacramento Valley, by John Natsoulas, and by Thea and the other members of the staff at the John Natsoulas Gallery. Your host will be Dr. Andy Jones, the poet laureate emeritus of the City of Davis. Our next event on February 6th will be a wide open mic.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.

On the 1/22/25 Edition of Dr Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Jordan Rice joins in to talk on her writing life, meditation, reading habits, and award-winning poetry. She describes the voices of her poems as echoes of other works she adores, as well as linguistic cornerstones of her diction that help her find a starting point in a poem. Rice then shares a poem, “Lost Body.” Next Lissa Provost, Director of the San Francisco Writers Conference, calls into the show. Provost outlines the agenda for the 2025 SFWC, including publishing workshops, panel discussions, and the world's longest (allegedly) open mic. She describes the intimacy of the writer’s conference, offering emerging writers the chance to directly interact with published authors. The last guest on the show is Read Forrest. Forrest details his musical influences, pulling inspiration from genres such as Latin American Pop and Folklore. He also reflects on his musical journey, before sharing the details of his upcoming performance at the Odd Fellows Lodge in Davis..

Jordan Rice is a transgender poet and writer, and the author of Constellarium (Orison Books, 2016), a finalist for the 2017 Kate Tufts Award. Her poems have been published in various literary magazines and online platforms, including The Feminist Wire, Blackbird, The New York Times Magazine, The Verse Daily, and the Academy of American Poets."Rice's work has been recognized with several poetry prizes, including the Indiana Review Poetry Prize, the Gulf Coast Poetry Prize, the Yellowwood Poetry Prize from Yalobusha Review, the Richard Peterson Poetry Prize from Crab Orchard Review, and the Milton-Kessler Memorial Prize from Harpur Palate.

Lissa Provost is the founder and chaos director of New Alexandria Creative Group. She's the author of a poetry book and chapbook and a journal/planner for neurodivergent or medically challenged individuals called Maggie's Planner. A creative dynamo, Provost is also the Director of the San Francisco Writers Conference .

Chilean musician Read Forrest is performing Tuesday January 28 at Odd Fellows Hall, his band Viramundo presenting in Rumsey for Capay Valley Almond Festival on February 23, and his other band Vuela Colibrí at Morgan’s Mill in Woodland, on February 21.

The Poetry Night Reading Series takes place on first and third Thursdays of the month at 7 PM, is generously supported by the people and poets of the Sacramento Valley, by John Natsoulas, and by Thea and the other members of the staff at the John Natsoulas Gallery. Your host will be Dr. Andy Jones, the poet laureate emeritus of the City of Davis. Our next event on February 6th will be a wide open mic.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.