A former reality TV star turned activist, a modern-day witch, and Joyce Carol Oates meet in a bar and… what happens next? We might actually find out when a stream of excellent local lit events starts flowing at the end of the month.
Tuesday, Jan. 26: Kevin Powell at First Congregational Church, Oakland.
The inevitable “You know you’re a nineties kid…” meme, hashtag, whatever, was probably put to bed years ago, but I can’t help myself from playing a version of it whenever I see Kevin Powell’s name come up in print. You know you’re a nineties kid if… you still associate Kevin Powell with the very first season of The Real World, which debuted on MTV in 1992. And yet, Powell has gone on to be a respected journalist, activist, and poet. Take that, Eric Nies. The former Vibe editor has a new memoir out, which he discusses with Hard Knock Radio host Davey D this week. Details here.
Wednesday, Jan. 27: Get Lit at Corkscrew Wine Bar, Petaluma.

Sonoma County can be sleepy when it comes to boundary-pushing lit events, but Get Lit provides a prime opportunity to wake from the stupor. The bimonthly reading series, hosted by award-winning flash fiction writer Kara Vernor and former McSweeney’s columnist (and KQED Arts contributor) Dani Burlison, kicks off its 2016 season with readings by Sexy Witch author Lasara Firefox Allen, Joyland editor Lisa Locascio, and San Quentin volunteer and Berkeley Law student Danica Von Hartwig. A lively open mic follows the guest readings; the more the wine flows, as to be expected, the livelier the stories get. Details here.