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“BETTY’S LIST”

LITERARY SALON / BOOK CLUB

(Miss Louise’s Blue Stocking & Bad Girl Book Club)

ABOUT OUR BOOK CLUB
Entry by Betty

What’s Going On?
The year 2009 is proving to be a transition year for our Book Club as we have a new co-chair, Annie Stuart, who is following in the footsteps of co-founder, Professor Cynthia Katona. Judy Wenning now serves as our liaison to the Reading Groups. A number of our Reading Group leaders, such as Ginny Watson, are helping us in various ways and supporting the growing interest as more women find out about it.

Recently, our club celebrated by holding a Book Swap and Anniversary Party Benefit, featuring many of the authors who have spoken at our monthly events during the past several years. The event raised funds for the new Radar Queer Writers LAB, being developed under the careful hand of local literacy celeb Michelle Tea.

Reading Groups -
There are multiple reading groups, each comprised (usually) of 5 to 10 women, happening at any particular time. Each is independent in that the group members decide where they are going to meet, how often and what books they will read and discuss. Each group has at least one chair or host, a role that may rotate among members.

If you would like to inquire and find out more, please contact:

- Rita Farmer - San Francisco Locations – ritakell@comcast.net
- Diane Harrington - Peninsula Locations - dharrington1@sbcglobal.net
- Judy Wenning - East Bay Locations - judywenning@me.com

Monthly Book & Author Evenings -
Every 3rd Wednesday finds the Book Club offering an evening of conversation, featuring an invited author. The format varies from time-to-time. A popular repeating format held every few months is an Open Mic reading session led by our resident poet Kit Kennedy.

How to Join -
Just send an e-mail with your inquiry, with “Book Club” in the subject line, to BettyEventInfo@aol.com. We’ll need your name and your e-mail address to get back to you. You can also call the "Betty's List" office to inquire: 415-503-1375.

Story of Our Book Club -

The story of our Book Club begins in mid 2006 over a cocktail at Ladies Night. Professor Cynthia Katona and I, perched on our respective bar stools at MECCA, were chatting about mutual interests in teaching writing and in books.

Cynthia said she had recently completed a book about books called Book Savvy (www.booksavvy.com). Memory fails but chances are that I asked her right then and there if she would be interested in helping me start a book club. Being the generous soul that she is, Cynthia agreed, but then promptly informed me she was headed off to Australia to teach for a semester there.

Not too concerned about a semester-long gap between initial planning and launch, the two of us set off to find supporters. The trail led to Rachel Herbert, owner/operator of the famous Dolores Park Café (located at 18th and Dolores where the Dyke March beings) and a new property, Duboce Park Café, rapidly gaining a reputation as a dog-friendly coffee shop with great food.

Rachel offered the new Book Club a home at Duboce Park Café, located at 2 Sanchez Street (corner Sanchez and Duboce) just across from Duboce Park. Rachel has a particular smile and a steady hand to go with years of succefully providing hospitality and highly-valued community services.

After Cynthia returned from Australia, the Book Club launched in early 2007, and we’ve held an event at Duboce Park Café every month since. Cynthia has retired from the role of Book Club co-chair, but she remains our co-founder. The Book Club Blog Cynthia maintained, which includes lots of our history.

Official Name -
Miss Louise’s Blue Stocking & Bad Girl Literary Salon / Book Club
(Miss Louise was Betty’s mom who was a beloved teacher of English grammar and literature in Mississippi for more than 25 years. Miss Louise was born and grew up in the community called Taylor near the town of Oxford in Lafayette County. That county became known in the work of William Faulkner as Yoknapatawpha. Oxford, in Faulkner’s work, was referred to as the town of Jefferson with its traditional town square and courthouse. Miss Louise’s mother, Bettie, actually knew Mr. Bill Faulkner and saw him regularly, hanging out with friends and smoking his pipe, up around the town square.)

Monthly Programs Ledger -

2009 - December - Canyon Sam
(http://www.canyonsam.com)

2009 - November - Kit Kennedy & Friends - Open Mic Poetry Night
(http://www.authorsden.com/kitkennedy)

2009 - October - Tyler Stanley
(http://www.tylerstanley.net/tylerstanley.net/Welcome.html)

2009 - September - Heather Robinson and Friends

2009 - August - Michelle Tea and Radar Queer Writer's Retreat 2009 Writers: Ali Liebegott, Lucy Corin, Meliza Banales, Sara Seinberg, Page McBee, Rhiannon Argo and Enrique Urueta
(http://www.radarproductions.org/MichelleTeaSisterSpit.html)

2009 - July - Organizational Meeting for New Reading Groups

2009 - June - Open Mic with Poet-In-Residence Kit Kennedy & Invited Friends

2009 – May – Book Swap & Anniversary Party Benefit Supporting the new Radar Queer Writers LAB with Michelle Tea
"Thank you again for all your amazing amazing support of Radar. Basically you helped subsidize 5 low-income writers and enable them to come. Amazing!" - Michelle Tea

2009 – April – Monica Nolan
(http://loislenz.com/author)

2009 – March – Kara Wuest, Cleis Press
(http://www.cleispress.com)

2009 – February – Nan Alamilla Boyd
http://www.sfsu.edu/~woms/fac.html

2009 – January – Kit Kennedy – Open Mic Night
(http://www.authorsden.com/kitkennedy)

2008 – December – Christine Comaford
http://mightyventures.com

2008 – December – Sheri Reynolds
http://www.sherireynolds.com

2008 – November – Monica Nolan
http://loislenz.com/author

2008 – October – Terry Baum

2008 – September – Lesbian Genre Fiction Tour / Karin Kallmaker

2008 – August – Kit Kennedy – Open Poetry Night
(http://www.authorsden.com/kitkennedy)

2008 – July – Karin Kallmaker
(www.kallmaker.com)

2008 – June – Katherine V. Forrest
(www.kvforrest.com)

2008 – May – MIsha Ruth Cohen
(www.docmisha.com)

2008 – April – Sylvia Brownrigg
(www.sylviabrownrigg.com)

2008 – March – Kit Kennedy – Open Mic Poetry Night
(http://www.authorsden.com/kitkennedy)

2008 – February – Lucy Jane Bledsoe
(www.llucyjanebledsoe.com)

2008 – January – Ellis Avery
(www.ellisavery.com)

2007 – December – Elana Dykewoman
(www.dykewomon.org)

2007 – November – Valerie Miner
(www.valerieminer.com)

2007 – October – Kit Kennedy – Open Mic Poetry Night
(http://www.authorsden.com/kitkennedy)

2007 – September – Jamison Green
(www.jamisongreen.com)

2007 – August – Ali Liebegott
(www.aliliebegott.com)

2007 – July – Michelle Tea

2007 – June – Katia Noyes
(www.katianoyes.com)

2007 – May – Carol Queen, PhD
(www.carolqueen.com)

2007 – April – Jewelle Gomez
(www.jewellegomez.com)

2007 – March – Renate Stendhal
(www.renatestendhal.com)

2007 – February – Organizational Meeting
with Founders: Professor Cynthia Katona and Dr. Betty L. Sullivan

Appreciations -
Many thanks to all who have given of their time, resources and talent to create and develop our Book Club. Miss Louise would surely be proud.