With love to Somerville/Cambridge & Boston

 

Lee Herrick/ Photo Credit: Ahn Dao Kolbe @ http://adkfoto.com

 

My Boston visit was one of the best reading experiences since my book came out.  The reading itself at the Democracy Center in Harvard Square was well-attended, with a nicely moderated Q and A.  Nate, a good friend and the kind spirit who organized the event along with BKA, was a wonderful host.  There were dinners, brunches, and I did a radio interview with Boston Progess Radio.  I also spoke to Professor Esther Iwanaga’s Asian-American writing class at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, which was a true pleasure.  Some of the students from the morning talk came to my evening reading–and I visited the Grolier Poetry Book Shop, the oldest poetry bookstore in the country (1927).  Amidst the delicious food, poetry, class visit, and quality time with some good friends, the great photographer Ahn Dao Kolbe asked if we could do a photo shoot.  Here is one shot from the session.  Thank you for everything, Boston and Somerville!

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Herrick on The Blood-Jet Writing Hour, Friday, November 20

Thanks to Rachelle Cruz, poet and host of The Blood-Jet Writing Hour, for interviewing me and for the great conversation.  We talked about process, the MFA, how music informs my writing, and I read some poems, including a brand new one called “Freedom.”  We also talked about Rage Against the Machine, Kundiman, and the new Korean adoptee literary voices.  You can listen to the interview in its entirety here.  

New Truths: Writing in the 21st Century by Korean Adoptees, Guest Edited by Lee Herrick

 New Truths: Writing in the 21st Century by Korean Adoptees, Guest Edited by yours truly, features an in-depth and revealing interview with authors Jane Jeong Trenka, Jennifer Kwon Dobbs, and Sun Yung Shin—and poetry and prose from those three award-winning authors, along with Kim Sunée, Nicky Schildkraut, Anyssa Kim, Katie Leo, Beth Kyong Lo, Hyunjin, Sun Mee Chomet, and others—and featuring cover art by JooYoung Choi.  Please spread the word and enjoy.  

My deepest gratitude to Ky-Phong Tran from Asian American Poetry and Writing for the invitation to create this exciting project.

NYC & Boston

My east coast readings are nearly here.  I’ve got my flights (JetBlue) and my books.  The shortlist of places I want to see while : NYC > AAWW, Strand, K-Town, and of course, for the reading: Verlaine on Sunday.  Boston> Chinatown, Fenway, Walden, Calamus Bookstore, and of course, for my reading: Harvard Square on Tuesday.  I am grateful to BKA for their generosity, which allows me to travel this fall to the east coast.  I am also speaking to Esther Iwanaga’s class at the University of Massachusetts, Boston on Tuesday morning.  Everyone who’s been to Boston seems to say the same thing : great city.  I can’t wait.