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The Top 10 Bay Area Literary Events in September -- Plus

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After the perennially slack month of August, September is full of literary events worth checking out that range from the SF Zine Fest and annual San Francisco Public Library Book Sale to storytelling series, out of town author appearances, and readings at such places as the SF Zen Center and the SF Conservatory of Flowers. Below is a detailed Top 10 list, in chronological order, with some additional notables too good to exclude.

Thursday, Sept 1 The Poetry Center presents David Meltzer and Special Guests: Poems, toasts & salutes from David Meltzer’s friends & fellow poets, followed by Meltzer, with live improv by ‘ambient drone… myth-jazz” poet-band Cloud Shepherd. Meltzer recently published When I Was A Poet (City Lights), “a spiritual assessment of the meaning of a lifetime spent writing poetry” (Meridian Gallery, 535 Powel St, 7:30pm, $10; $5 seniors/students/low income).

Saturday and Sunday, Sept 3-4 10th Annual San Francisco Zine Fest: A celebration of small-press publishing, from zines and comics to art books and more, Zine Fest is a vital showcase of the diversity, creativity, and exuberance of the small-press movement. Exhibitors range from established small-press publishing houses to first time self-publishers/creators (San Francisco County Fair Bldg., 1199 9th Ave @ Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park, 11am-6pm, Free).

Monday, Sept 5 Quiet Lightning presents: The Greenhouse Effect, v.2: For this second installment of the 3-part series, the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers and Quiet Lightning are hosting a Labor Day potluck picnic just SE of the Dahlia Garden, with free food and music preceding the submission-based, no-introductions readings — a high-energy double-set mashup of all forms of writing (100 John F. Kennedy Dr, Golden Gate Park, music @ 5pm, readings @ 7:30pm, $5 suggested for readings).

Thursday, Sept 8 Why There Are Words: Longing: A center for the North Bay literary scene, this monthly series is intimate despite the grandiosity of Studio 333. Readers this month reflect the diversity and talent of the series: an international-bestselling, first-time novelist translated into 15 languages, a short story writer/memoirist, an NEA Fellow, a PEN USA Literary Award Finalist, a journalist-cum-novelist, and a fiction writer whose work deals with “the cataclysmic effects of historic and social upheaval on the lives of ordinary people” (333 Caledonia St, Sausalito, 7pm, $5).

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Friday, Sept 9 RADAR Lab Showcase: Every year, this nonprofit takes a group of writers and artists on a 10-day retreat to Mexico, where they write and talk about art with other writers. Having just returned, RADAR will present a group of this year’s artists who will share their experiences along with some of the work they’ve accomplished. Hosted by Michelle Tea and Ali Liebegott (Dolores Park Cafe, 501 Dolores St, 7pm, $5-$10).

Friday, Sept 9

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