Fire & Ink Presents! October 4, 2008

Fire & Ink Presents!
10 a.m.-12 noon Saturday, October 4, 2008
Regal Hall II, Sterling Hotel Dallas
1055 Regal Row, Dallas, Texas 75247

Just because Summer has faded into Fall doesn't mean Fire & Ink is slowing down a whit. The heat is still on in Texas, and Fire & Ink is bringing a little heat of its own to this year's Dallas Southern Pride weekend.

This has been a great year so far for Fire & Ink. We're on course for Fire & Ink III: Cotillion and we're blazing our trail there with event after event presenting blazing literary talent from coast to coast.

This year, our first for Fire & Ink Presents!, we have hosted dozens of authors at eight Black Pride celebrations from our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., to Newark, St. Louis, Portland, and Nashville!

Now we're headed deep into the heart of Texas and we are not about to start slippin'! Join us at 10am on Saturday morning, October 4th, for an exciting event featuring four diverse and talented authors talking about their work, and reading delicious excerpts from their latest projects:

• Samiya Bashir (Where the Apple Falls)


• Tim'm T. West (Flirting)

" target="_blank">Nikki Rashan (Double Pleasure, Double Pain)
Michael-Christopher (Unspeakable)

Samiya Bashir's collection of poetry, Where the Apple Falls, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. Samiya's upcoming collection of poetry, Gospel, is forthcoming in 2009. Samiya is also the editor of two groundbreaking anthologies: Best Black Women's Erotica 2 and Role Call. Her poetry, stories, articles, essays and editorial work have been widely published. She will be MC for the event, discussing her new work, and reading briefly.

Tim'm T. West is an author/publisher, poet, emcee, and activist who in 1999 co-founded Deep Dickollective, the black queer rap outfit known for putting the subgenre referenced as "Homo Hop" on the map. In 2003 he released a critically acclaimed poetic memoir Red Dirt Revival; in 2005, a chapbook, BARE. In July 2007 West released the highly anticipated Flirting through Red Dirt Publishing. Musically, he released his solo debut, Songs from Red Dirt on Cellular Records in 2004 and in July 2007, Blakkboy Blue(s). He has appeared in several documentaries including but not limited to Alex Hinton's Pick Up the Mic (LOGO) and Byron Hurt's Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes (PBS/Independent Lens). In July 2008 West relocated to Houston, Texas, where he happily resides.

Flirting is Tim'm's poignant follow-up to Red Dirt Revival: a poetic memoir in six breaths. Flirting is expressed through poetry, prose and essays; in it, West flirts with memory, girls, boys, danger, politics, and romance. He writes in the tradition of poets like Audre Lorde, Essex Hemphill and Pablo Neruda, who seize language as a tool reflecting social change while bridging political and erotic landscapes. Here, the distinction between the personal and political is beautifully blurred. While rooted in his experiences as black, gay-identified poet, emcee, activist, and educator, Flirting is an invitation to (re)connect others to that optimistic, joyful space where, even between rocks and hard places, hope springs eternal. Beyond word play, there is profound meaning and possibility in Flirting.

This year, Michael-Christopher celebrates ten years of self-publishing success. Since 1998, Michael has written, illustrated and published a graphic novel compilation and three literary novels, including the Living the Life series and the critically acclaimed From Top to Bottom. A graduate of New York’s School of Visual Arts, Michael plans forthcoming collections of photography and sketches and the seventh installation in his graphic novel series. Unspeakable is Michael-Christopher's fourth novel.

In Unspeakable, Rodney Franklin seeks the comfort of family and friends in his hometown of Philadelphia following a breakup with his partner. While reconnecting with his past, Rodney discovers he and a childhood friend both share a disturbing experience—they were both victims of child molestation at the hands of the same depraved man. In their attempt to right the wrongs of the past, Rodney and his friends find themselves in very present trouble. Amidst it all, Rodney’s old flame, Katrina, enters the picture in hopes of resuming her role as damsel in distress, but this time around, she finds Rodney is not the man she once knew.

Nikki Rashan uses her ability to tap into the depths of human nature to create emotionally honest and passionate stories of love and romance, mixed with bits of humor and suspense. In her writings, Rashan utilizes the energy she experienced through her coming out journey, which she openly shared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2004. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rashan is the loving mom of teenage twin girls. www.nikkirashan.com

Double Pleasure, Double Pain is the story of Kyla, a woman challenged by emerging affections toward Stephanie, a female classmate. Having lived a rather charmed life, 26-year-old Kyla has remained undisturbed within the comfort zone of her supportive family, loyal sweetheart and close-knit friends. But an unforeseen yet heart-awakening physical attraction and emotional bond forms between Kyla and Stephanie. What will Kyla do?

Official Website: http://fireandink.org/fire-ink-presents-is-taking-it-to-the-texas-heat/