Tonight! Last minute reading in Richmond, Virginia!

The Battle Burgers at Polar Park (See my article from last week. I'll link in the comments.) has made the USA Today Network's regional roundup of great burgers!

"If you have lived in New England for any significant amount of time, it is likely that you are familiar with this story. Even as the Sox went on to eventually break the Curse of the Bambino and win a World Series or four, Buckner’s shadow haunts the team."

The so-called “Battle Burger” at Polar Park is a bit intimidating: Each one specifically crafted to celebrate whatever visiting team the Worcester Red Sox are facing, they appear, at first glance, to be massive. Take, for example, “The Salt City,” inspired by the Syracuse Mets.

Great story by Meg Trogolo today on WorcesterMag.com, and in tomorrow's Telegram, & Gazette! “It's going to be a collective of really cool artists in a really cool place doing really cool tattoos, and I'm pumped about it,” said organizer and tattoo artist Zafera Kambouris.

So, yesterday I was listening to the livestream of @vornietom.bsky.social and @izball.bsky.social talk about their forthcoming film, "The Greatest Treasure in the World." At one point, the discussion turned toward Hemet, CA, and a poetry reading I did there that was traumatizing for everyone.

So, by some odd circumstances, I'm going to be on a panel for this May 9 at The White Room, moderated by Karen Elizabeth Sharpe. Should be fun!

Every once in a while, I get asked where people can read more of my poetry, fiction or whatever. Here are some great places to start!

Last week was a little hectic, but I made it to the grand-opening of Creative Hub Worcester and to see @altonbrown.bsky.social speak at the Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts. Here's a bit on both!

"The first Nationals I attended was in Portland, Oregon, in 1996, and it began a series of events that would lead me to fall in love with a Worcester poet, and eventually fall in love with the city that I relocated to for her."

A couple familiar places in the USA Today Network's roundup of New England "Classics."

You know, once upon a time I wrote a whole bunch of crazy, off-the-wall stories where I had a bunch of strange ideas (Cover song challenges!) or pulled stunts (stay out all night in Worcester!) I've been far too respectable lately. Time to get weird again ...

According to the organizers, the decision to postpone the annual horror film festival came after "receiving specific information related to a security issue." www.worcestermag.com/story/entert...

We celebrate Valentine's Day with four Worcester love stories. What stood out to me is how modern life had an effect on all of them: Dating apps, COVID19, same-sex marriage ... The circumstances that shape relationships change, but love itself? That still strikes me as being pretty damn universal.

"The Venn diagram is just breathtaking, the connections are just wild. It’s one of my favorite things in life, the way our lives pass one another, how our stories hook up .... and back again ... .”

Fatima's Cafe in Worcester is almost the definition of a “hidden gem”: The bulk of its clientele are either locals who know, or African food aficionados who will drive out of their way for an hour or two to hit the modest, almost inconspicuous little restaurant.

"The shooting of 'Walking Dead: Dead City' here was definitely good for the local visual arts economy, as several actors and crew members of the show purchased work by local artists at the 'Delirium' art exhibition curated by Juniper Rag Oct. 27 through Nov. 1 at the Jean McDonough Arts Center."

Oct. 29 marked the opening night of the fifth annual "Edgar Allan Poe Double Header," held at the BrickBox Theatre and at the Jean McDonough Arts Center. Scanlon enacted two of Poe's most familiar short stories, "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado."

A few things to do in the Worcester area in the week ahead ...

The Nephesh Theatre production of "Without An Evil Eye" will have its English-language premiere on Oct. 26 at Congregation B'nai Shalom in Westborough with Ben Shimon live on stage.

Step inside the Salem Museum of Torture, a strange calm prevails. Moving quietly along the dark, narrow halls, the walls drowned in a suitably blood-like crimson, the sounds of sacred music and prayer sealing an almost meditative atmosphere.

“Together," says O'Brien, in a statement, "the team set out not only to add beauty through public art and lighting, but to transform this space in a way that brought deeper meaning and connection to the neighborhood.”

This week in Worcester Magazine, we present our first ever Digital Battle of the Bands, featuring some of the regions favorite current musical acts! Visit the story on the @worcestermagazine.bsky.social website, listen to tracks and vote for your favorites!

“Everybody, all at the same time got an alert on their phones and everybody was looking at each other, saying ‘What?’ because we don't normally get tornadoes on the East Coast, and certainly not here,” Blair said. “Then they told us that we all should seek shelter, so we did.”

The theme for this year's Queer AF is "Ethereal Beings," and this may be the organization's largest show yet, with more than 80 models and a headlining performance by "RuPaul's Drag Race" Season Three winner Raja Gemini, along with a tribute to veteran Worcester drag queen Lady Sabrina.

A lovely new flyer for the inaugural "How Journalism Works" panel discussion at @worcesterpubliclibrary. I am BEYOND excited to see this series come to life, and I really couldn't imagine a better group for the inaugural panel. Hope to see you there!

Today in Worcesteria: "'Community' is a thing with a strange gravity. It causes us to orbit one another, each of us affected by the repercussions of our actions, almost invisibly. This isn’t something we get much choice in. It’s simply a function of breathing the same air."

I had a nice little chat with Irena Kaci for Pulse Magazine's story on the Worcester Music Awards: "I don’t actually play music. Famously, I can’t play an instrument or sing a note to save my life"

"Writing is a weird life. You can go a long time — decades really — scribbling away with only the slimmest idea if anyone is really reading or paying attention, and then you get these moments when it’s suddenly clear that people were indeed paying attention. It’s a humbling experience.”

"It was a bit of a surprise March 19 when – no sooner had the Art in the Park news broken – a press release from the City Manager’s office offered a bit of light for the beleaguered festivals which have long been the city’s soul."

I put out a short-notice call to see if anyone wanted to join me at the Worcester Public Library to read excerpts from books commonly banned & challenged in the United States. Thanks to Shaun Connolly, Halliday Nelson, Rafael Acevedo and Nick Fox being willing to jump in!

A couple of my stories have appeared on the USA Today website over the past couple years, but my involvement with the Restaurants of the Year project is, I believe, my first byline in print in the paper. You can read capsule reviews of Bocado and all 44 restaurants featured in the project here!

Also, here's five Central Mass. restaurants we wish could also be on the list!

ICYMI: My write up of Bocado making USA Today's Restaurants of the Year!

A while back, I collected a bit more than a decade's worth of loose essays, blog posts and other literary ephemera into a makeshift ebook called, "Feel Like Failure, Every Time." It even had an awesome introduction by Mindy Nettifee. In any case, it's available on Amazon right now for 99 cents!

We made it through the end of January! Another week #InTheBooks! Read the recap at writing.hallidaynelson.com/reading-reca... This week I got to The Future by Naomi Alderman and Suffer For This by Victor D. Infante

Hey, Connecticut! I'll be down there Sunday, Feb. 9, with Paul Szlosek reading for Slightly Off Beat Poets! There's an open reading that I'm told is already filling up fast so, drop Robert Eugene Perry a line if you want to be on it. All told, this looks like a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Hi all! My amazing wife, Lea Deschenes, will be reading on Zoom for Rick Lupert and the Cobalt Presents series! You're really not going to want to miss this one!

My interview with Tresha Faye Haefner is online now! We had a great time talking about "Suffer For This" and a whole bunch of other things! It was a great time!

What is Love to a Poet?: Tresha Faye Haefner discusses the opening section of "Suffer For This" fhttps://open.substack.com/pub/thepoetrysalonstack/p/what-is-love-to-a-poet?r=73uwu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

The wildfires in Los Angeles have been overwhelming. These are the worst ones in my memory, and they're breaking my prodigal Californian heart. If you're looking for ways to help, here's a list of legitimate organizations who are directly involved in fighting the fires and dealing with its effects.

In Worcesteria: "I’d just spent the past hour driving around the city, taking photos and trying to get a grasp on where it is as we start 2025. I’d come to no conclusions, but sitting there in the cold, chowing on a hot dog and watching young people enjoy themselves, an idea came to me."

“There’s a lot of openness and interest and access,” said Sloat, of his conversations with local arts organizations and other nonprofits, “Which is not the story in Boston or New York ... Worcester arts provide a lot of opportunities.”

I have a couple events coming up for The Poetry Salon. One writing workshop, and a reading with G. Murray Thomas. Find out more at The Poetry Salon's Substack page: thepoetrysalonstack.substack.com/p/welcome-to...

The 2nd of Jaimes Palacio's triptych of videos he made from my California readings for "Suffer For This." This one is pretty much most of the Los Angeles show at The Book Jewel. Featuring readings by @leadeschenes.com, Beth Marquez, Eric Morago, Amélie Frank and our wonderful host, Rick Lupert!

Watched Part 1 of Jaimes Palacio's triptych of videos from my SoCal book release readings, and am genuinely blown away by the care and thought he puts into these things. I am blessed to have such a talented friend who was willing to put this much time and energy into these videos.

I asked a number of local booksellers for recommendations. Here's what they sent us. Let's just say, their enthusiasm shows!

"Suffer For This" has been up on Amazon for ages, and we've basically pretended it wasn't there. It's better for both authors and publishers to order books from the publisher, if possible. But ... there are some holidays that involve gift-giving coming up, so if you need it quick, happy holidays! 😎

I like dredging this one up at the holidays. so if you're looking for some local music to spice up your holiday playlist, here are a few suggestions, including The Deadites, Niki Luparelli and Ruby Rose Fox & Eddie Japan!

TONIGHT!!! The release part for my book, 'Suffer For This' 6 p.m. at The White Room! Special guest performances by James Keyes, Oliver de la Paz, Lea Deschenes, Mckendy Fils-Aimé, Jenith Charpentier, Karen Elizabeth Sharpe, Joe Fusco Jr and Laura DiCaronimo! Hosted by the amazing Joslyn Fox!