Kelly’s Spring 2025 Newsletter

Events & Readings:

I apologize, I’ve fallen off the mini reviews book wagon in the last few months, trying to keep up with travel and events for my poetry book, The Weeping Degree. Things with that book have been going well. Happy, yes. Grateful, yes. Now it’s spring and time for my spring newsletter.

I spent February 4 - March 7th in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, working and writing. So glad to have escaped the heaps of Hamilton snow, (especially with my bum knee!) and also grateful to my hosts who helped me find places to stay and write: Bill and Laura, Tasha and Carlos—you’re on the top of my gratitude list!

Besides the unseasonably warm weather, the time in SMA gave me so many great opportunities to read publicly, which is such good practice for a writer. It started with Feb 6th, where I was one of four featured poets @san_miguel_poetry_cafe @cafemurmullo. I read with Catherine Marenghi, Nina Corwin and writer/musician Bill Harrison. I’m just reading through their books now. I finished, Future Life by Nina Corwin at the Real de Minas pool one day. Loved it. I’ll be reviewing it shortly.

Next, I was invited to read at the Bilingual Poetry Event at the San Miguel Writers’ Conference, #SMWC2025, my first time reading at the conference, which was a thrill.

Friday, March 7th, I read with two other stellar poets: Tasha Paley and Anne Damrosch, along with photographer and musician Barry Weiss at Casa de la Noche, 19 Organos, where we held a Poetry Pop Up Party, with art and music, tarot and palm readers. I love events that mix different art forms, and obviously other people liked the idea too, it was standing room only. Interesting factoid, Casa de la Noche, was originally a San Miguel brothel. It’s now a gorgeous 5-star boutique hotel, where my friend Bill Cloud hosts poetry club every Sunday. Check it out at: www.casadelanoche.com

Every year in the second week of February, they host the San Miguel Writers Conference. This year was another amazing lineup of keynote authors: John Irving, Ruth Reichl, Jorge F. Hernandez, and Kaveh Akbar. #SMWC is the only literary festival of the Americas, bringing together writers from Canada, the US and Mexico. It was a moment of unity and robust togetherness, during a crisis of political divisiveness. It was worth it just to hear what the various authors had to say about our current political climate.

They have already posted discounts for next year’s packages. And podcasts of the writers’ talks. If you’re interested you can find out more on their website: www.sanmiguelwritersconference.org, or follow them @sanmiguelwriterconference on Insta for early bird discounts.

Next week: My SMA book list. THANK YOU FOR READING!