HoCoPoLitSo

Ross Gay is delight full. Come see for yourself as he joins us for a Happiness Hour at 5:30 on Friday, November 7th in Columbia, Maryland.

For all you need to know and tickets, visit hocopolitso.org.

Direct ticket link: www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticket...

Tickets just $25.

You kept telling us. We kept looking in the wrong place. Thanks for your persistence. The ghost of last year's contest that has been haunting our website has now been exercised. Sincere apologies for that inconvenience. You can now visit HoCoPoLitSo.org for a no-ghosts go at entering the contest.

Happiness Hour with Ross Gay Join us at the grand finale of HoCoPoLitSo's 50th anniversary season, for a Happiness Hour with Ross Gay, author of The Book of Delights and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, reading from his own work, ...

www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticket...

YouTube video by Glennon Doyle HOW TO FIND DELIGHT TODAY (AND EVERY DAY) WITH ROSS GAY: WCDHT EP 216

How are YOU practicing delight?

One of the things that is delighting us to no end is that we have Ross Gay coming to Columbia on November 7th. It is the not-to-miss end of our 50th season. We'll be even more delighted if you join us. Details in the comments.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2EE...

Tickets, just $25. www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticket...

Are you the next Ellen Conroy Kennedy Poetry Prize winner? We are looking forward to seeing your work!

For all you need to know and to enter, visit:

hocopolitso.org/2025/08/08/t...

Queen Takes Book is located at

6955 Oakland Mills Rd, Suite E
Columbia, MD 21045-5849
Phone (301) 456-4632

Readings Might Be Turning Into America’s New Favorite Pastime - Electric Literature Many people arrive looking to meet someone and enjoy a shared cultural experience

Readings are America's new favorite past time? Come see what the hype is about next Tuesday at Queen Takes Book in Columbia, Md, where we will be hosting another Wilde Readings. Featured readers: Hannah V. Sawyerr and Ronald L. Smith. Details in the comments.

electricliterature.com/readings-mig...

Colm Tóibín: Why I set up a press to publish Nobel winner László Krasznahorkai The Irish novelist discovered the Hungarian writer two decades ago, and was excited by the verbal pyrotechnics of a rule-breaking storyteller

“Krasznahorkai, I noticed, loved the snaking sentence, the high-wire act, mild panic steering towards a shivering fear felt by his characters, followed, in clause after clause, by fitful realisations and further reasons for gloom or alarm, and then…” Read on:

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

‘Very significant’ Jack Kerouac story discovered after mafia boss auction Exclusive: Two-page 1957 manuscript signed by author linked to his classic of beat literature On the Road

Interesting.

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai wins the Nobel Prize in literature Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai has won the Nobel Prize in literature for his "compelling and visionary oeuvre."

"Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai, whose surreal and anarchic novels combine a bleak world view with mordant humor, won the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday for work the judges said upholds the power of art in the midst of “apocalyptic terror.”"

apnews.com/article/nobe...

A very special event coming up a week from this Friday at the Residence of Vantage Point. The community will host Howard County's Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate, Mai-Anh Nguyen in a conversation with Felix Facchine, Deputy Chief of Staff for the County, exploring the experience the young poet.

For more information on these and all of our upcoming events, visit hocopolitso.org.

We took a moment to visit the #BannedBooks event at Howard Community College where we found students ghoulishly guarding the tombstones of books that have been banned. Impassioned students talked about books and the freedom to read. Great work, students.

#CensorshipIsSo1984 #FreedomToRead #Freadom

It's Banned Books Week. How are you celebrating your fREADom?

The announcement is TODAY! We are on the edge of our seats. We actually won't know the winner until the announcement later today at Busboys and Poets.

Two opportunities to see Safia Elhillo -- author of the acclaimed Bright Red Fruit -- for #FREE tomorrow on the campus of Howard Community College.

12:30 p.m. Monteabaro Hall & streamed via Vimeo (link below).
6:00 p.m. Monteabaro Hall

All you need to know:
www.howardcc.edu/discover/art...

Arthur Sze Named U.S. Poet Laureate The Library of Congress has named Arthur Sze as the nation’s 25th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for 2025-2026.

Our new poet laureate, Arthur Sze. "Because every U.S. poet laureate designs a special focus for their term, Sze plans to explore the art of translation, with the goal of compiling an anthology of translated poems from various languages & time periods."

www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

There's a book festival in Baltimore tomorrow.

baltimorebookfest.com/full-stage-s...

New season of Wilde Readings launches Tuesday evening at Columbia's fantastic independent bookstore, Queen Takes Book (6955 Oakland Mills Rd E, Columbia, MD 21045). Featured readers and open mic. Starts at 7. We'd love to see you there.

Put down that book you are reading and jump into a stream.

Calling all local (Howard County, Md) artists. Our Arts Council will have STUDIO SPACES available in their new location. Read through for details. Submission deadline is Sept 15.

www.hocoarts.org/rentals-and-...

Coming up this Monday, Columbia Town Center Rotary Club is hosting an event at Cured / 18th & 21st to raise funds for youth literacy related causes, helping support county kids through signature book & reading programs.

More information and tickets through the link.

patch.com/maryland/col...

Held annually in loving memory of HoCoPoLitSo’s co-founder, the 2025 Ellen Conroy Kennedy Poetry Prize submission window is now open.

hocopolitso.org/2025/08/08/t...

Mark the calendar. Reading & discussion w/SAFIA ELHILLO, author of Bright Red Fruit. #BookClubs

"An unflinching, honest novel in verse about a teenager's journey into the slam poetry scene & the dangerous new relationship that could threaten all her dreams."

Sept 18 - two readings - 12:30 & 6:30.

The Write Women Book Fest SATURDAY JULY 19TH, 12-5pm - AUTHOR SIGNING FOR READERS & BOOK LOVERS ( Tickets Required  at Bowie Comfort Inn) SUNDAY JULY 20th, 2-4pm  - AUTHOR PANELS AND WRITING WORKSHOPS (Free to Public at...

Coming up this weekend in Bowie, Maryland:

www.thewritewomenbookfest.org#/

Tonight at 7 p.m. in the Residence at Vantage Point auditorium. 5400 Vantage Point Road, Columbia, Md.

Are you or is anyone you know the next Youth Poet Laureate of Howard County? Submission window now closes on May 9th.

Apply now: www.hocoarts.org/grant/youth-...

Tomorrow evening we are THRILLED to host Denice Frohman at Howard Community College in Columbia, Md, for the Blackbird Poetry Festival. Free and open to the public.