Cynthia Alessandra Briano

Friends,

About Spitfire Lit.                                               
Productive Self-Reflection

*
*

    Spitfire Literary Productions, Org. is a Literary Arts Organization that offers Creative Writing Workshops to young adults and adults at absolute Intro, Experienced, and Advanced levels aiming at publication or purely, purely for inspiration. Small, intimate workshops, Private Tutorials and Public School Curriculum Enrichment workshops are offered with an aim at developing the writer’s distinctive style and creating individualized, polished work ready for publication and presentation, or simply for satisfaction in productive self-reflection. A large component of Spitfire Lit. is collaboration in and initiation of Literary Events in the city-wide Literary Arts Community.
*

    Writing is a compulsive, pleasurable, intangible, unnatural and very natural act. It can make us experience ourselves as inventive, genial, worthless, inarticulate and contradictory beings. Whether you are an astute observer of people, a closet (love?) poetry writer, a lifelong journal keeper, an insatiable reader, a family scribe, a published author, or simply someone who suspects there is the seed of worthwhile thoughts in them, we all need motivation and guidance to propel our suspicions and thoughts onto the written page. That is where Spitfire Lit. comes in.
*

    All Spitfire students have a chance to participate in Cynthia’s poetry project, Love On Demand, a booth set up on Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade where anyone can custom-order a love poem, written on location, typed up and ready for pick up in an hour! Recently, Al Borde Magazine completed documentary on the project, and Alicia Monsalve, the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Al Borde was the film-maker for this mini documentary, as well as the author of an article in the September 2005 issue: "Amor por encargo/Love On Demand" (pg. 16). The future for Love On Demand holds a screening of the short documentary recently completed on the project, the expansion of the project via Professors, students and fellow poets at Universities and Literary Centers in L.A. and N.Y.C., and a published collection of the works created from this project.  Gift certificates and orders by e/mail also available.

Since the onset of it, Love On Demand has produced over 200 customized love poems by request!
*

Please contact Cynthia for inquiries on collaboration:
alessandraxz@yahoo.com

Spitfire Lit. Courses Offered
*

Public School Curriculum Enrichment:
Please see supplemental Spitfire Lit. brochure/contact Cynthia for further details on Spifire Poets-In-The-Schools. 
*
*
Intro Creative Writing:
Learn how to begin to say what you mean through writing. No experience necessary! In a small, intimate group, you can learn how to sound as less corny as possible! You’ll learn how to eek, vomit, and choke things out of you and onto the page! You’ll learn how to make the process as painless and as productive as possible, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to let others see what you wrote so you can solidify it even further. Field trips to poetry slams and local Literary Centers will be taken. I’ll introduce and you’ll try:     *Poetry     *Fiction     *Bilingual Writing      *(Love?) Letter Writing     *Experimental Writing     *Journal/Diary Writing *Inventing Words     *Creating your own dictionary…and more…

Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now. -Goethe
*
*
Advanced Poetry Writing:
Designed to broaden our supportive literary networks, stimulate us out of our accustomed writing habits and prompt us into new, inventive modes. For those with some previous training in poetry, an intensive and supportive workshop with a focus on refining your particular voice through formal and inventive elements. Our goal is to create material ready for submission, and ready to be shared at local poetry venues, which we will frequent. Manuscript production and Chapbook design is also integrated into our curriculum. We also explore bilingual writing, try our hand at inventing words, and set up a Love-On-Demand (impromptu poetry) booth on 3rd Street Promenade, where anyone can custom-order a Love Poem, written on location, typed up and ready for pick up in an hour.

I am free to write the worst junk in the world. -Natalie Goldberg.
*
*
Private Tutorials:
One on One Instruction, Editorship, and Flexibility.  Personally designed syllabus and weekly agenda. Weekly reading material/books provided, 24-hour availability via phone for editing/writer’s block emergencies, flexibility in scheduling, the opportunity to participate and be a featured writer on Spitfire Lit.’s Love On Demand project, manuscript compilation and revision as well as integration in the Spitfire Literary Arts Community via Literary Events and other readings.         

Nothing exists unless it is on paper. -Anaïs Nin
*
*

For Instructor Literary Biography Scroll Down to previous post.
For Inquiries Contact: Cynthia Alessandra Briano at: alessandraxz@yahoo.com

Cynthia Alessandra Briano                                
Founder and Instructor

LITERARY BIOGRAPHY:
Cynthia Alessandra Briano is a recipient of the Lois Morrell & J. Russell Hayes Poetry Prize, a finalist in the national James Hearst Poetry Prize, and has been published in the North American Review, Small Craft Warnings, and Scarlet Letters. She is co-founder of Spanish Literary Journal, enie, and has served as Editor-in-Chief of Ourstory, a diversity publication. Cynthia is founder of the annual Night of Shamelessness, and has initiated Multi-Lingual Poetry Slams at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where she completed a Directed Creative Writing Project, facilitated poetry and creative writing workshops for alumni and students, and where she earned her B.A. in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Studio Art. She has been a Featured Poet at Pasadena and L.A. County Libraries and has read her work at various L.A. venues, including The Natural History Museum of L.A, The Sunland-Tujunga Library of L.A., which was co-sponsored by Poets & Writers, Inc., and the On-Air Inspiration House, on KPFK. Cynthia has served as Co-Curator of the city-wide World Beyond Poetry Festival on behalf of Self-Help Graphics & Art, where she has served as Literary Programs Director and Poet-In-Residence.
*

Currently, Cynthia is a Creative Writing Instructor and the Founder of Spitfire Literary Productions, Org. Spitfire Lit. is a Literary Arts Organization that offers Creative Writing Workshops to young adults and adults at all levels. Small, intimate workshops, private tutorials and Public School Curriculum Enrichment Workshops are offered. A large component of Spitfire Lit. is collaboration in and initiation of Literary Events in the city-wide Literary Arts Community.
*

For special occasions and/or purely for inspiration, Cynthia runs Love-On-Demand, a poetry booth on Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade, where anyone can custom-order a love poem, written on location, typed up and ready for pick up in an hour. Collaboration with other writers welcomed. Gift Certificates and orders by e/mail also available.
*

http://cynthiabriano.blogs.friendster.com/cynthia_alessandra_briano/             
Email: alessandraxz@yahoo.com

Spitfire Lit.’s Love On Demand Poetry Booth, up, running, April 29, Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade. Noon - 6pm.

*
*Also:
…NEW Spitfire Lit. WEBSITE under construction…TBA
…Printed Brochures, Info Pamphlets and Flyers on Spitfire Lit. Workshops, Public School Curriculum Enrichment/Poet In The schools, Private Tutorials and Upcoming Literary Events now available. Please email for inquiries.
…Love On Demand Gift Certificates and Orders via email/mail/phone now available.
…Manuscript Compilation, Revision and Editing now available too.
…Please email Cynthia at: alessandraxz@yahoo.com if you would like to be added to Spitfire Lit.’s mailing list, or would like to collaborate.

*
For more info on Love On Demand, scroll down to previous posts.

POSPONED!

DATE TBA.

Featured Reading
@ Libros Revolucion, Downtown L.A.
Sunday, March 26th

6pm Reading followed by Open Mic
(Time subject to change)
*

Libros Revolucion has invited me to be a Featured Poet, as a culminating speaker after a day of activities and speakers commemorating International Women’s Month. The Reading will be followed by an open mic, in which the bilingual community is encouraged to share their words, music and expression.

For 18 years, Libros Revolucion, a bilingual revolutionary bookstore, has provided books and hosted events aimed at understanding the world in order to change it.

*

All bilingual, monolingual, polyglots more than welcomed. First time expressionists (absolutely intro writers, as in, Mamas and aunts and sisters who have plenty to say, especially welcomed.) All are welcomed. Admission is Free.
*

More info on content of the days activies and themes explored TBA.
*

Libros Revolucion, Revolution Books
Celebrating 18 years of books to change the world
312 West 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(Between Broadway & Hill)
213-488-1303
Host: Carlos Mauricio Soto
*

*SAVE THE DATE: Sat. June 25, 2006 3-5pm
I’ll be a Featured Poet at Dutton’s Bookstore in Brentwood, at the Projectile Poetry Series, hosted by Theresa  Antonia,  Poet.  Open Reading to follow the feature. This is particularly exciting because Dutton’s was the site of my very very first reading (ever) when I was 19.

For my Literary Biography please see "March 2005 Archive." Scroll down to very bottom of "Adv. Workshop" post for updated details.

In anticipation of the Day of Love and Friendship (that’s what Valentine’s Day is called in Spanish– El dia del amor y la amistad), I’ll be running my Love On Demand Poetry Booth in Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade under the new banner of my own organization, Spitfire Literary Productions.
*

Sat., Jan 28, & Sun., Feb 5, 2006, Noon-6pm.
(Weather-permitting.)
*
Featured Poets:
Peter J. Harris
Theresa Antonia
Sara Sifuentes

*

I’ve already gotten a few orders by mail and my first request for a gift-certificate redeemable for one of my poems!  So, again, for those new to the endeavor:

Custom-Order a Love Poem! Written on Location (by me), typed up on my Remington Manual Typewriter, and Ready for Pick-Up in an hour.
*

Spitfire Literary Productions and The Future for Love On Demand holds:
–a screening of the short documentary  recently completed on the project,
–the expansion of the project via Professors, students and fellow poets at Universities and Literary  Centers in L.A. and N.Y.C.,
–collaboration between established and up and coming  poets in the L.A. area as guest writers
–Love On Demand Tutorials/Workshops and if all continues to go well,
–a published collection of the works created from this project. 

Since the onset of it, Love on Demand has produced almost 200 customized love poems by request. The author of an article on it, said it was a way of bringing poetry "back to the people," and not just the Professor types.
*

I’ve gotten orders from a range of architects, waiters, bankers, AA Meeting Attendees (hoping to secretly ask out other AA meeting attendees via this poetic missive as it’s outlowed to pick up fellow non-drunkards), parents who don’t know how to read and write, mourning daughters, sappy teenagers, and one girl bastard who specifically, sadistically ordered "an Elizabethan sonnet with heroic couplets, 3 allusions to Greek Mythology, 3 alliterations, 3 uses of synesthesia, and 3 uses of litotease double negative." Poems have been requested for wedding receptions, anniversaries, reconciliations between fathers and daughters, solicitations by (secret)crushes, those (understandibly) needing to wallow in lost or unrequited loves, dirty talkers who welcome the opportunity to transcribe their deeds, and simple affirmations of people who love someone or suspect they love someone in some real way.  I have read many of these poems at various venues throughout the L.A. area, some of which, I’ll read next Friday, June 20, at my upcoming reading where I’ll be a Featured Poet in the Sunland-Tujunga Library (see below post). I have been privy to many secrets, confessions, and abashed and unabashed corniness about beloveds, daughters, feonces, and especially, old loves. Anyone that knows me knows I live on revelations of this nature, and to have it come from strangers, in a big city, makes me appreciate the intimations even more. In any case, this is all done purely for inspiration. So, here’s hoping for handfulls of that… *C 

PS: my specialty is this: You tell me about your beloved. I take corniness in, non-corniness in poetic form comes out. Sweetness maybe, corniness, banned. I can guarantee it because it’s free.

*
If you are a poet and want to collaborate on this project: There is always room for collaboration. Intro and Advanced poets welcomed! Please email me at: alessandraxz@yahoo.com, and if you are an experienced writer, please detail your previous experience and 3 samples of your writing. If you are in Intro writer, please indicate your interest and any experience or samples you may have, though none are required, I’ll teach you! The earlier the better please so that I can run you through the training. Guest poets generally join me for 3-4 hour shifts then stay for longer!

*
For more info on Love On Demand, including, a recent published
article on it, and a recently completed documentary on the endeavor,
scroll down to previous posts.  Scroll down to very first post (bottom of page) for my Literary Biography.

I will be a Featured Poet at the "Word of Mouth Poetry Series" alongside Elena Karina Byrne at the Sunland-Tujunga Branch of the L.A. Public Library Friday, January 20, 2006. The reading starts at 7:00 p.m. My students and writerly friends are welcomed and encouraged to read at the open reading that precedes the feature (Everything begins at 7pm). I’ll read for about 1/2 hour.

Hosted by Katerina Canyon, the Word of Mouth Poetry Series is supported by Poets & Writers, Inc., through a grant it has received from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. It is also underwritten by the Friends of the Sunland-Tujunga Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.

The Sunland-Tujunga Library is located at 7771 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga, CA 91042. Due to trademark and copyright issues, "Word of Mouth Poetry Series" will be changed to "Eccentric Moon Poetry Series" in January. If familiar faces could make it, it would be great to see you. And for noteriety’s sake: please lemme know if you would like a flyer or a few sent to you. Muchas Gracias.

Link to Poets & Writers Calendar:  www.pw.org/rw/calendar/index.php?msg_group=ALL&m=01&y=2006

Link to the Poetry Series, MAP and info on Katerina Caynon, Host: poetickat.com/

Sunland-Tujunga Library Map and  Home: www.lapl.org/branches/35.html

The article is out! 
"Amor por encargo/ Love On Demand" by Alicia Monsalve, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Al Borde Magazine.

The September Issue of Al-Borde Magazine, has published an article on my Love On Demand poetry project. Alicia Monsalve, the author and Founder of the magazine, is also the film maker behind the documentary that was recently filmed and completed on Love and Demand. For those of you that live in the L.A. area, you can pick up a September issue at any of the local red little newstands that say "Al Borde." Or, read the month’s issue on line, available at
www. alborde.com (page 16). (You need Adobe Reader to view it, you can DL it on the site). Apologies to non-Spanish readers.  Should I post up the actual text of it up here?…:)