by Kat Georges, Co-director, Three Rooms Press

At Three Rooms Press, we often ask ourselves why we do what we do. And our answer is generally, “We publish books in order to make a difference in the world and help build community.” After the recent upheaval in the US political area, we have amended that thought to remember that publishing books—readings, interviews, performances, and getting books into the public arena—is a form of resistance. And we need this creative resistance now more than ever.

Every word written, page read, review, reading, signing, interview, performance event contributes to the independent spirit of creation, adding to the side of the scale that resists facism, resists autocracy, resists plutocracy. Readers, writers, publishers, distributors, bookstores, libraries, book clubs, book reviewers—all are part of the resistance.

In 2024, Three Rooms Press has celebrated our 30th anniversary. In thirty years, we’ve published nearly 150 books, chapbooks, and more, plus staged thousands of events with thousands of artists and writers. Rather than stage a huge anniversary event, we decided to focus on doing what we do best, change the world, build community. We remain a fiercely independent publisher driven by diversity, dada, punk, and passion.

Publishing has never been easy, and costs have skyrocketed in the past 10 years. We have never asked for donations, believing that your contribution to our corner of the resistance is manifested when you buy a book, write a review, or attend an event. But, by popular demand, we now offer a new opportunity: The Billionaires Button. Now, you can make a donation to Three Rooms Press via our “Billionaires Button,” which allows you to feel like a billionaire by helping to fund our press with no strings attached. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

And now, let’s take a look at Three Rooms Press in 2024, our 30th year of independent publishing.

January 1: Alternative Poetry Marathon at Westbeth, Greenwich Village, NYC
Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges read poetry at this annual New Year’s Day marathon event.

January 9: Harry’s Poetry Hour: hosted by Harry Northup, Virtual
Interview of 3RP co-directors Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges, featuring reading of their original poems.

March 3: Roscioli Symposio with Poetical Flavors, Greenwich Village, NYC
A dinner event with wine, poetry, food, music, performance art & storytelling at Roscioli NYC. Hosted by poet Jane LeCroy (Signature Play), with performances by 3RP co-directors Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges, and others.

April 5: Walt Whitman Birthplace Poetry in Performance, Huntington, NY
A reading at the Walt Whitman Birthplace by poets Gern Stern, Peter Carlaftes, and Kat Georges

April 16: MY VIETNAM, YOUR VIETNAM: A Dual Memoir Book Release
Christina Vo and Nghia M. Vo celebrate the release of their new book

April 20: WNBA Pitch of Rama, Virtual
3RP co-directors Kat Georges and Peter Carlaftes, in alliance with the Women’s National Book Association, meet with 50+ aspiring writers to discuss their new projects.

April 20: Rainbow Book Fair, Greenwich Village, NYC
3RP team hosts a table and participates in panels at this annual queer event at the LGBT+ Center.

April 22: UNDER A NEON SUN: A Novel Book Release
Kate Gale celebrates the release of her new book

April 30: Fall of Saigon Anniversary, San Jose Library, Virtual
My Vietnam, Your Vietnam co-author Christina Vo discusses her new memoir (co-written with her father, Nghia Vo) with Kenneth Nguyen from The Vietnamese Podcast on this remembrance of the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War.

May 1: Under a Neon Sun Book Launch, Broadway Books, Portland, OR
Reading and signing featuring author Kate Gale

May 4: Puma Perl’s Pandemonium, Parkside Lounge, NYC
Reading including 3RP co-directors and a host of NYC-based poet-performers

May 8: Book Launch for The Spellbook of Ordinary Mistakes, The Red Room, NYC
Book launch for TRP-associated poet Jane LeCroy

May 15: Under a Neon Sun Launch, Porter Square Books, Boston, MA
Reading and signing featuring author Kate Gale

May 18: Author Hour Series feat Christina Vo, Newhope Library, Santa Ana, CA
Interview, reading, and signing by My Vietnam, Your Vietnam co-author Christina Vo

May 20: Billy Cancel, Instagram Live @MaintenantDadaJournal (Virtual)
Interview of featured contributors to MAINTENANT Dada Journal

June 3: Poetry reading, Gulf of Maine Bookstore, Brunswick, Maine
Reading and signing featuring poets Gary Lawless, Jane Ormerod, Peter Carlaftes, and Kat Georges

June 20: Strings and Poetry, Jim Kempner Fine Art, Chelsea, NYC
Reading with original musical compositions by Composers Concordance, feat. Peter Carlaftes, Kat Georges, Puma Perl, others

June 28-30: American Library Association Conference, San Diego, CA
3RP hosted a kiosk featuring new and recent titles; co-director/poets Kat Georges and Peter Carlaftes led a panel on how to promote library poetry programs.

July 28: Dual Reading and Signing, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM
Under a Neon Sun author Kate Gale and My Vietnam, Your Vietnam author Christina Vo discuss and read from their books.

July 30: WBAI Cat Radio Cafe Interview, Virtual
3RP co-directors Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges discuss MAINTENANT 18’s theme of Plutocrazy and Dada in a lively discussion with show hosts Janet Coleman and David Dozer.

August 11: New Voices, New Rooms Conference, Arlington, VA
3RP debut author Micki Janae (Of Blood and Lightning) discusses her forthcoming book with booksellers at “A Moveable Feast” event and other conference panels.

August 14: Under a Neon Sun launch, City Lights, San Francisco, CA (Virtual)
A discussion and reading by Kate Gale of her debut novel, Under a Neon Sun, with others.

August 15: 17th Annual Charles Bukowski Memorial Reading, Bitter End, NYC
Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges host this annual event featuring poems, readings and performances by Penny Arcade, Jennifer Blowdryer, Puma Perl, Michael Puzzo, Danny Shot, Richard Vetere, George Wallace, and special guests.

September 22: Chuck Connelly Tribute Event, Philadelphia, PA
Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges feature with others at this music and poetry event hosted by Composers Concordance, honoring the work of renowned artist Chuck Connelly.

September 29: Brooklyn Book Festival, Downtown Brooklyn, NYC
3RP full team features a selection of recent books at this popular annual festival.

October 8: Micki Janae Interview on Instagram Live (Virtual)
An interview with OF BLOOD AND LIGHTNING author Micki Janae

October 9: OF BLOOD AND LIGHTNING Book Release
Author Micki Janae celebrates the release of her new book.

October 10: “Talk of Alabama” ABC-3840-TV: Interview with Micki Janae
Author Micki Janae discusses her new book with host Crystal Gray

October 10: NYC DADA DO Part I at New York Public Library
More than 25 contributors to 3RP’s MAINTENANT 18 dada journal join together for an evening of dada performance and poetry, hosted by Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges.

October 13: Homewood, AL Public Library 2nd Annual Teen Mini Con 
Author Micki Janae features with a reading, interview and signing at this cos-play and fantasy gathering for teens

October 19: Poets Building Bridges (Virtual)
3RP co-director Kat Georges presents poets from Three Rooms Press, including Peter Carlaftes, S.A. Griffin, and Maw Shein Win in this global virtual event co-sponsored by the Walt Whitman Birthplace.

October 20: Interpretations of Art at Ki Smith Gallery
3RP co-directors join Composers Concordance for an evening of poetry and new musical compositions inspired by art represented by Ki Smith Gallery.

October 24: NYC DADA DO Part II at New York Public Library
More than 25 contributors to 3RP’s MAINTENANT 18 dada journal join together for an evening of dada performance and poetry, hosted by Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges.

November 1: Micki Janae Reading at Alabama School of Fine Arts
Micki Janae returns to her alma mater to read from her 3RP release, OF BLOOD AND LIGHTNING.

November 2: Birmingham Public Library Local Authors Expo
Micki Janae signs and discusses her book at this annual forum of Birmingham-area authors.

November 2: Kentucky Book Festival: Troublesome Rising Panel
Author Julia Watts discusses the challenges and importance of diverse perspectives in Appalachian-based literature, focusing on her 3RP novel, LOVESICK BLOSSOMS.

November 7: A Galère of Poetic Autopsies, Park Theater, Hudson, NY
3RP co-directors Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges read from their latest collections, LIFE IN THE PAST LANE and AWE AND OTHER WORDS LIKE WOW at this monthly regional reading series.

November 9: Micki Janae in conversation with Ashley M. Jones, Barnes & Noble Patton Creek, Birmingham, AL
The OF BLOOD AND LIGHTNING author reads from and discusses her 3RP book with the Alabama State Poet Laureate.

November 12-November 14: International Virtual Dada Festival
New York Public Library and Three Rooms Press co-host this annual four-part virtual festival, featuring nearly 60 performance artists and poets from more than 20 countries.

December 4: #ReadingAfrica Week Instagram Live event
3RP Author Ebele Chizea (Aquarian Dawn) joins Catalyst Press author Onke Mazibuko (The Second Coming, Catalyst Press), to discuss coming-of-age fiction as part of the #ReadingAfrica Week celebration.

December 8: SF Dada Do, Specs’ Bar, San Francisco, CA
3RP co-directors Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges host this annual event feauturing performance artist and poets who are contributors to MAINTENANT 18 Dada Journal

December 13: LA-DI-DADA 11, Beyond Baroque, Los Angeles, CA
3RP co-directors Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges host this annual event feauturing performance artist and poets who are contributors to MAINTENANT 18 Dada Journal

December 20: Prose Poetry Party (Virtual)
3RP hosts a virtual reading by select recent and forthcoming authors in the 12th annual edition of this end-of-year event.

 

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