Blue Bicycle Books

Richard Garcia is opening up a new biweekly class of Long Table Poets. This second section will begin with the basics: forms, both formal and informal, structures, and strategies.  Each meeting features members’ poetry news, discussion of contemporary poetry, an exercise toward producing a new draft, and critique. Richard’s exercises are fun, imaginative and often produce new, publishable poems.

Richard’s students have achieved journal and book publication, won prizes, and gone on to attend prestigious MFA programs such as Iowa Writers’ Workshop and Warren Wilson. The first meeting of the new section will be on Aug. 4, 7 – 9:30 pm., at Richard’s house on James Island. To sign up and get directions: richardgpoet@earthlink.net or 843-795-0115. The group will meet every other Wednesday. When scheduling is an issue, poets may attend either of the two groups. The cost is $25 for each session.

Richard Garcia teaches at Antioch Low Residency in Creative Writing in Los Angles,College of Charleston, Idyllwild Poetry Festival, Burke High School, at his home and privately on line. He has had five book published, among his publishers are The University of Pittsburgh Press and BOA Editions. He has received a grant from The National Endowment of the Arts, several Pushcart Nominations and a Pushcart Prize, and is in included in many anthologies such as Best American Poetry. You can read more about his poetry, books and teaching on his website.

Long Table Poets include Helen Brandenburg, Kit Loney, Katherine Williams, Susan Stevens, Susan Myers, Joe Zealburg, Debbie Scott, Carol Peters, Mary Harris and Barbara Hagerty. You can also see collaborative poems produced by Richard and his students in the journals Poemeleon and Qarrtsiluni.

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On the morning of Sat. July 31, at 9 am, a short bicycle ride around Downtown Charleston will celebrate the life of Edwin Gardner, who passed away after a bicycle accident last week. The ride will start and finish at Cannon Park (Calhoun Street between Ashley and Rutledge) for breakfast and fellowship. All members of the community are welcome on any type of bike. We hope to see you there with your favorite Edwin story.  Read the tribute in the City Paper written by store owner Jonathan Sanchez here.

We don’t think we have even seen Kate Gosselin multi-task at a booksigning like this. Nice work Matt. Matt and Ted Lee are busy men but managed to squeeze in a trip to the Blue Bike during the Wine and Food fest. This peanut boil kicked off a run of great events at the store all spring long.

Matt being awesome

Matt and Ted being brotherly in front of Blue Bike

The brothers boiling peanuts outside the store