Free Press Houston

This Saturday is the Voices Breaking Boundaries benefit and book launch at Poison Girl. Each month Poison Girl chooses a different non-profit to honor and support through their Drink Houston Better fundraiser and this month it is VBB. Head on down to Poison Girl this Saturday, October 6th to grab a copy of VBB’s first two publications and stay for ... Read More »

To open by listing author Anis Shivani’s many accomplishments — the prestigious journals where his work has appeared, the awards, the accolades — would be to take up half my column-space.  Suffice it to say that Shivani, who writes short fiction, poetry, criticism, and has his first novel coming out this fall, has been humbly sharpening his craft here, in ... Read More »

By Laura Coburn A poetry slam is unlike any other performance. The atmosphere, the personal words of the poets, and the lack of boundaries makes for not just a show, but also a unique experience. Lucky for all of us, Word Around Town Poetry Tour will be hosting a whole week chalk full of poetry and all ages are welcome ... Read More »

photo by Eric Black Scriptonian Battles In the early hours of July 18, Al-Gene Pennison III, aka The Plastic Clown, died, having fallen from a friend’s balcony.   A year ago, Al spoke about his funeral in a poem: THE FUNERAL POEM (excerpt) …at my funeral (after everyone watches me burn) I want an open bar & dancing in the ... Read More »

By Laura Coburn After less than a year of hustling to publish a literary journal for developing writers, is ready for reading. And to celebrate literature, Houston, and the launch of the publication, Story|Houston is hosting a party tonight! The festivities will begin at 5 p.m. at Boheme Café and Wine Bar. The evening will include Fresh Arts’ Cultured Cocktails and ... Read More »

By Mills-McCoin In April of this year, Nathan Nix self-published a novel he wrote titled The Drifters. Nix is a soft-spoken, polite gentleman who has lived in Houston his entire life (with the 5-month exception of living in Africa as a child).  Having written two books (that he was not satisfied with and therefore did not publish) prior to The ... Read More »

By Amanda Hart Photos by Ibikunle Ashcroft and Charlotte Kennedy Charlotte Kennedy is an emerging Houston writer working on a collection of character-inspired flash fictions called BusStopStories. The Houston Arts Alliance is the current sponsor of Kennedy’s work. FPH caught up with Kennedy after her literary creation made its first theatrical debut this past month. What are BusStopStories and where ... Read More »

By Amanda Hart Photo courtesy of Chris Grawl & Kelly Allen Houston now has its very own traveling library. When we saw The Billy Pilgrim Traveling Library at the most recent Lone Star Bazaar we figured it was deserving of an interview. FPH caught up with creators Chris and Kelly to learn more about their book-peddling bus. Who is Billy ... Read More »

It’s time for the annual Texas Crawfish and Music Festival!  Held in Old Town Spring each year in April, the festival runs for two weekends and features dozens of food vendors, three stages of live music, a carnival, and of course, all the crawfish you can eat. More than twenty five tons of live mudbugs are delivered and boiled on ... Read More »

On April 30, Word Around Town (WAT?!), Rebel Crew, and Nuestra Palabra will present the second ever Poet Draft at Taft Street Coffee. Poet Draft participants will compete for seven spots in the eighth annual Word Around Town Tour. The Word Around Town Tour is a spoken word competition that will take place from August 4 to August 10 at ... Read More »