Book Tour News

I am excited to announce the first stops in my book tour. The tour information is subject to change.

April 30: Oakland – The Knocturnal Project Presents Victor Yates at Qulture Collective
Address: 1714 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Time: 6pm-9pm
Cost: $5

May 6: Palm Springs – Welcome Reception for Blatino Oasis with Johnnell Lyric Terrell at The Hyatt Regency
Address: 285 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Time: 4pm-7pm
Cost: Free

May 24: West Hollywood – Lambda Literary Finalists Reading at West Hollywood Library
Address: Council Chambers – Lower Level 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Time: 7pm
Cost: Free

June TBA: Playa Vista – Playa Vista Library/Friends of the Public Library Present Victor Yates at Playa Vista Public Library
Address: Community Room – 6400 Playa Vista Drive, Playa Vista, CA 90094
Time: TBA
Cost: Free

June 5: Brooklyn – Victor Yates Reading
Address: Private Residence – Invite Only
Time: TBA
Cost: Free

June 24: Chicago – Ubuntu Center of Chicago Presents Victor Yates
Address: 1525 East 55th Street Suite 205 Chicago, IL 60615
Time: TBA
Cost: Free

Reading at In The Meantime

The Black Artist Collective hosted Chris Cotton and I at In The Meantime in the Carl Bean House in the historic neighborhood of West Adams. The reading was significant to me because of the location. In the 80’s, when the AIDS epidemic first swept through the country, the Carl Bean House was a hospice were people went to die. Now, the property is owned by AIDS Health Foundation and the old management office space is leased by In The Meantime.

The reading was everything I hoped it would be – magical, emotional, and intimate.

It definitely prepared me for the next tour stops.

Book Tour Annoucement Coming Soon

Image by Tri Monster via Flickr

When I started writing, The Taste of Scars, I’d daydream about reading it to people (sometimes while driving). Reading it at bookstores. At coffee shops. At book club meetings. Wherever. The connection from mouth and word to ears is hardening. It solidifies the work. Makes it real, permanent. This does exist. I can’t wait for that. The interaction. The feedback. The interpretations. The connection with readers who want to get dirty and get into the book and tear it apart and share their experiences with reading it. I want the book cover stained with coffee. I want it used as coasters for wine glasses when friends come over and someone picks it up and says I heard about this on NPR. I want it lost in junky messenger bags and picked out to read on a crowded train that smells like vomit and summer.

What will it feel it, the experience, seeing someone reading my book on the subway in New York. I’m ready.

I haven’t worked out the details as of yet but I want to travel to these cities for the book tour.

Tentative City Schedule

• Los Angeles, California
• Long Beach, California
• Santa Monica, California
• Silverlake, California
• San Francisco, California
• Oakland, California
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Raleigh, North Carolina
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Miami, Florida
• Chicago, Illinois
• Houston, Texas
• Dallas, Texas