Tag: Pikes Peak Library District

Slamming Poetry and Facilitating a Surrealism Workshop at the Pikes Peak Poetry Summit

brookbhagat

The 3rd annual PPLD Pikes Peak Poetry Summit created by our fabulous Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius was awesome! I was honored to be invited to facilitate a Surrealism workshop, where we discussed the movement in literature and art and had a blast playing classic Surrealist games like the Exquisite Corpse. I had so many participants that people had to sit on the floor! Later, I participated in my first poetry slam and connected with so many beautiful people, including the amazing poet Nico Wilkinson. We had over 100 attendees– What an incredible day!

with Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius
slamming!
with poet Nico Wilkinson

“Making ‘Magic Chai,’” an essay on writing craft, forthcoming in creative nonfiction anthology from Unsolicited Press

brookbhagat

I’m proud to share that my creative nonfiction piece, “Making ‘Magic Chai,'” has been accepted by Unsolicited Press for publication in an anthology set for release in July 2024. The anthology promises “essays about writing, writing life, craft, and experiences in the writing world” that are “well-written, researched, and honest.” The small press also produced my full-length collection of poetry and short stories, Only Flying, in 2021.

In “Magic Chai,” which tied for second place in the 2023 PPLD All Pikes Peak Writes fiction contest, a young woman travels back in time to try to find her father and save his life. I wrote the story last summer, when my own father was on hospice care. Later, I dedicated the story to him. “Making ‘Magic Chai'” details my creative experience between life, art, and grief, and also highlights the benefits of belonging to a writing community, including the Nearby Universe.

“Magic Chai” ties for second in PPLD fiction writing contest

brookbhagat

I’m pleased to announce that my short story, “Magic Chai,” tied for second place this August in the Pikes Peak Library District’s annual fiction writing contest, All Pikes Peak Writes. This year, the contest required that each story in the adult writing category be under 3500 words and begin with the sentence, “The train screeched to a halt.” “Magic Chai” was helped by invaluable feedback from her writer’s group, the Nearby Universe, and Brook extends her gratitude to the group. The story is dedicated to my father and was published in a PPLD anthology on Bibioboard. Read “Magic Chai” here.