so, i just realized how painfully out of date i was (am?): apparently, the site that was hosting my audio files went belly up a year ago! whoops! and apparently they only notified the paying customers – not the folks that were hosting audio for free (because, you know, sending a mass email is just that difficult).

anyway, i’m trying to find a good site for hosting my audio and streaming it here, for free. there doesn’t seem to be a YouTube equivalent for audio… or am I missing something? WTF?

i found a service that looks pretty good… only their player doesn’t seem to be embedding properly. Not for me, anyway (or for the 12 other people that logged the same problem in the past day). I’m waiting for some feedback. But in the meantime, you can listen to the tracks by clicking on the titles under the dysfunctional players, or by going directly to my page on SoundCloud.

And if anyone knows of a reliable audio hosting/streaming service, let me know. Please.

UPDATE: Looks like all my players are working now. Yippey!

SoundCloud’s whole website was just down for about 30 mins… not sure how often that happens or how flukey the site/service really is. But for now, play away!

This week, I debuted my first set of poetry postcards/broadsides at my reading in Elkins Park. I designed four unique cards (4×6 inches) featuring four different poems, using word art, images, and ink stamps. I’m really happy with how they came out, and people seemed to like them (they bought them!) so I was inspired to create a way for folks to view and buy them online.

If you’re so inclined, you can check them out here and on Etsy.

I hope to be making more cards with other poems in the future. Any feedback on these “first edition” cards is most welcome.

Here’s the thing I’m feeling iffy about. Madras is a nonprofit, and the website explains that all net proceeds from books sales are donated to a charity of the author’s choosing. Now, I come to you as a woman who has spent the better part of her life trying to be of service — giving away my 8th grade field trip spending money to a homeless man in D.C., volunteering in high school, college & after, and ultimately settling into a career as a nonprofit fundraiser & manager. I am all about supporting nonprofits of all shapes and sizes. BUT, I don’t understand why the writers can’t make a little money off their writing?

Now, I don’t know what exactly Madras means by “net proceeds” — maybe they have built in some compensation to the writer — but it seems to me that writers can raise their voices and use their work to support nonprofits, without sacrificing themselves. We need to be able to leverage our art to get money from those who really have it to spare, rather than just giving up what little we might earn.

And this isn’t the first I’ve heard of this… the Poetic Arts Performance Project here in Philly that aims to “use our poetic gifts and those of artists from around the country and globe to help other charitable organizations in the Philadelphia area.” That’s commendable… and yet, I often wonder about arts organizations (which are hobbled to begin with) trying to help other organizations. Why can’t it be enough to raise up the arts, to focus on raising up the arts, and let the art have the powerful social effect that art can have. Keep what little money you might make and put it back into your own organization, so you can spread more art, whether that’s through publishing more stories that won’t find a home any other way, or putting on kick ass readings & educational events. I wonder… do these organizations think that they need to bribe potential patrons with the promise of a tax write off? Do they think it somehow makes it okay to pay for art by not really paying for art by giving to something “more worthy”?  Honestly, I suspect these organizations recognize that they aren’t going to get rich off their books and events, and they altruistically believe that what little they raise can make a difference to another struggling organization. And they may be right.

But I’m not convinced… I’m not sure that doing this doesn’t just reinforce the idea of writing as folly, hobby, something readers can & should get for free… unless its by someone a major publishing house has told them they should pay for.  I know that no one goes into writing for money… but why must writers always be hobbyists, why must we exhaust ourselves at full-time jobs so that we can pay the bills, so that we can live, so that we can write. Why can’t we try to get a least a little compensation for all the hours, heartache, tears, and papercuts we endure as artists.

Everyone else does it. I know its hard for some of us to understand that people who are scientists, engineers, and technologists are really passionate artists in the work they do. Only they make medicines and machines, and they don’t give them away for free just because they loved the process of creating and because they are so impressed with what they made. Hells no. If that was the case, everyone would have a car, a computer, and an iPod.

Maybe that’s over-simplified. And maybe not. All I know is when I buy a book or go to an event, when I’m really impressed by a writer, I feel great knowing that writer is going to get a little compensation for a job well done. A writer who needs that money to keep doing the best damn job she can. Making art. Putting it out there, in people’s faces, saying I am worth something. I am valuable. Listen to me.

But tonight I had a great reading at the Elkins Park Free Library and a few people, including a very generous spirit named Ruth, asked about my website – and so it seems its time to get some motivation back.

As far as readings go, this one was pretty awesome. 30 whole minutes! Enough to present a variety of my work & not feel like I’d overstayed my welcome. And the room was packed, at least 20-30 people. But only about 1/2 of the audience read in the open mic, which means the rest of the folks were there to listen & enjoy poetry. As someone who hosts a monthly reading, I’m still amazed & delighted by those crowds. But then again, those that did read in the open mic were talented and genuine with their art. What’s more, I sold 10 of my brand-spankin’-new poetry postcards (more info & pictures to come).

Many thanks to everyone who was there! It’s always an honor to get invited to read. Tonight was an honor and a pleasure. Plus, I serendipitously discovered a great little reading venue just 10 minutes from my house. Bonus!