The Reading Series Census checks in with the Rogue Loon Reading Series in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The New York City Reading Series Census is an ongoing project to catalogue the contemporary literary scene. Any reading series curator in the New York area can take the survey here.

What is the name of the series, and what is the significance or meaning of the series name?

Rogue Loon Reading Series at Black Spring Books

Who founded the series, and who runs it now?

I [J.T. Price] host and it is Simona Blat’s store.

What genres or mediums does the series include?

[Mixed.]

What is the format of the series?

Five readers with one musical act; three readers followed by a musical performance, an intermission, and then the final two readers followed by a second musical performance.

Where does the series take place?

[Black Spring Books, Williamsburg, Brooklyn]

When and how often is the series performed (and is it seasonal)?

A Sunday night every other month (approximately). Outdoors when the weather permits.

How long has the series been active?

[Since 2021.]

Where can people find information about series on the web?

Black Spring Books Events Page
On Twitter: @rogueloon

Do you take submissions, solicit material, or a combination?

Did you set out with specific goals when the series was launched and have they changed over time?

I was kayaking on a lake in northern Minnesota and texting w my collaborator for the initial version of the series when a few loons crossed my path. My feeling was that emerging from the prior year’s pandemic conditions maybe the loon was a more relatable symbol than ever before.

What I say is that the series is meant to honor the iconoclastic, going your own way, and being maybe a little out of place. And of course the whole endeavor can’t help being somewhat in the spirit of the late Michael Seidenberg, whose speakeasy bookstore is where I met Simona, not to mention a number of writers who have read for the series. Michael was the consummate host, someone who did his best to keep the conversation lively, and welcoming. Most of all, he loved books, talking books, hearing abt new books, and so this series is a means of keeping that spirit alive.

What distinguishes the series from others?

Perhaps we are exactly the same as every other series, after all. We aren’t in this to make grand claims, only to bring people together around a dynamic slate of readers. Ultimately the only way to know is to decide for yourself.

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The next Rogue Loon Reading Series will take place on Sunday, April 24, at 6pm at Black Spring Books and features Robert Jones, Jr., Marco Roth, Paula Bomer, Scott Cheshire, and Michael Barron with music by Will Chang.

* Answers in brackets are added at the discretion of the editor