Where Vivid Narratives Live

Many

Intermingling practices, no

Xenophobia

The Rouletters started off with a treat: specially labeled candies to see the type of women in attendance. Hershey Kisses for women who think size doesn’t matter. Twix for women who share men. Almond Joy for the single horny women. Reese’s Pieces for the cheap women who think a man really bought them something. Special Dark for the mature single woman who’s never married but still believes in true love with the proverbial tall, dark, and handsome. Mr. Goodbar represents women who have unrealistic expectations of meeting the perfect man. Kitkat for orgies. Payday represents divorcees since once their marriage is over, all they want to do is cash out.

Stephanie Johnson helped herself and dared anyone to analyze her choices.

This month’s roulette was hosted by a cultural chameleon, adaptable to many financial niches. 

Click on the link below to see the performances of Hope Ruiz, Kamila Forson, Daniel Davila, Velma M. Roberson, Teresa Y. Roberson, Brian Grosz, Thom the World Poet accompanied by Daniel Davila:

 Hope Ruiz revealed the survival strategies of the gazed upon woman.

Kamila Forson made the audience fly-on-the-wall witnesses of an exchange between a foreigner and her boss.

Daniel Davila explained culture according to dogs.

Velma M. Roberson reminisced about driving culture throughout her life.

Teresa Y. Roberson dipped her big toe into poverty and detailed the many jobs she juggled in the gig economy to alleviate her underemployment. 

Brian Grosz served up a fresh slice of Brooklyn culure.

Thom the World Poet, accompanied by Daniel Davila, made different cultural observations from 9/11 to the protests among different groups of people.

Stephanie Johnson started the open mic.

Click on the link below to see the performances of Stephanie Johnson, David Lester Young, Donna Dechen Birdwell, Adriel Vigo, Russell Wong, Cliff Marroquin, Daniel Davila, Brian Grosz, Suzanne La Follet, Hope Ruiz, Thom the World Poet accompanied by Daniel Davila:

David Lester Young

Donna Dechen Birdwell

Adriel Vigo

Russell Wong

Cliff Marroquin

Nicole Cortichiato

Daniel Davila

Brian Grosz

Suzanne La Follet

Hope Ruiz

Thom the World Poet with Daniel Davila

Powerful

Haunting

Ominous

Backwards glance

Inevitable

Adversity

The Rouletters gathered to clear the air about their fears, fictional or otherwise. Check out the Fear Confessions at the end of this post.

And all but one of us were on time! Just compare the two pictures to see who.

Click on the video link below to view the performances of the featured artists: Udelle Robinson, Donna Dechen Birdwell, Robert Carranza, Teresa Y. Roberson, Brian Grosz, & SuperThom.

Udelle Robinson detailed the fear of being swallowed in Biblical proportions.

Donna Dechen Birdwell read an excerpt from her novel, Flight of the Owl.

Robert Carranza examined facets of death through poetry.

Teresa Y. Roberson read an except from her never-ending editing thriller writing project, The Fear of Being Swallowed.

Brian Grosz shared his brand of haunting ghost tales from his childhood in Connecticut to present-day Austin.

Thom the World Poet highlighted the real-life hauntings of social and political spheres.

Click on the video link below to view the performances of the open mic artists: Donna Dechen Birdwell, Udelle Robinson, Steve Pressler, Nori Hubert, Hope Ruiz, Stephanie, Tia Boyd, Brian Grosz, & SuperThom.

Donna Dechen Birdwell started the open mic with her weapon of choice: a pen, which hits the head and the heart simultaneously.

Udelle Robinson

Steve Pressler

Nori Hubert

Hope Ruiz

Stephanie Johnson

Tia Boyd

Brian Grosz

Thom the World Poet

Fear Confessions

Joe

Teresa

Thom

Udelle

Donna

Nori

Hope

Stephanie

Tia

Brian

Fernando

Culpable

Reckless

Absurd

Zany

Youthful

The spinning wheel of illogical actions that don’t affect the situations they’re supposed to was in the house! 

The Rouletters came together to express the fuzzy logic they’ve experienced.

Hope Ruiz embraced her weaknesses for strength.

Ursula Pike walked the deliciously fine line between the authentic and fake.

David Kendall told a fantastic tale about Woodrow’s toe.

Teresa Y. Roberson spun her wheel of illogical actions that she’s encountered in her life.

Thom the World Poet, accompanied by Yeshua Udelle, touched upon the political fuzzy logic around the electoral college and other societal conventions.

Pete Sebert and Teresa Y. Roberson began the open mic.

Teresa Y. Roberson

Pete Sebert

Donna Dechen Birdwell

Click on the link below to see the performances of Donna Dechen Birdwell; Hope Ruiz & Brian Grosz; & Stephanie Johnson.

Hope Ruiz, accompanied by Brian Grosz

Brian Grosz, accompanied by Hope Ruiz

Stephanie Johnson

Yeshua Udelle

Click on the link below to see the performances of Yeshua Udelle; David Kendall; & Thom the World Poet accompanied by Yeshua Udelle.

David Kendall

Thom the World Poet, accompanied by Yeshua Udelle

Yokelish

Anecdote

Rambling

Narrative

The host dressed in a stray snow boot.

Fortunately, Austin hardly ever gets any snow and the Rouletters came out in full force for the last show of 2016.

Birdman 313 untangled the dangers of the web.

Hope Ruiz spun the tale of the interconnected dream catcher.

David Kendall told a fabulous tale about a colorful storyteller.

Teresa Y. Roberson speculated about the entwined stories of stray shoes found at intersections and along the side of the road.

Brian Grosz fried up some bacon about how he knows practically everyone through someone else.

Thom the World Poet, accompanied by David Kendall on guitar, talked about the season of homelessness, suicide and recycling childhood Christmas stories across generations.

Aralyn Hughes self-defined the word “witch.”

Robert Bayless kicked off the open mic.

Click on the link below to see the performances of Robert Bayless, Donna Dechen Birdwell, & Birdman 313.

Donna Dechen Birdwell

Birdman 313

David Kendall

Stephanie Johnson

Dave Royal

Click on the link below to see the performances of Dave Royal, Hope Ruiz & Brian Grosz.

Hope Ruiz

Brian Grosz

Yeshua Udelle

Thom the World Poet & David Kendall

Soulful recharge

Splendid revitalization

Sensual rejuvenation

The Rouletters said their “Happy New Year’s” by sharing their spiritual renewal narratives and music.

Birdman 313 conjured up a spiritual storm.

Stephanie Webb started off the New Year with a motivating cheer, “Fight for You!”

Click on the link to see the performances of Birdman 313 and Stephanie Webb:

Ursula Pike took a spiritual journey in her new car to Ishi Pishi.

Rebecca M. Raphael described the sensuality of the sound of words, using poetry.

Click on the link to see the performances of Ursula Pike and Rebecca M. Raphael:

Brian Prioleau read about the inner peace found in an apocalyptic time.

Teresa Y. Roberson spoke of yoga rejuvenation after cursing and cheating through the bikram series.

David Kendall gave witness to the holy spirit found in a Black Baptist church.

Brian Grosz explored the artistic side of finding one’s soul in 17 syllables.

Thom the World Poet, accompanied by David Kendall on guitar, spoke of renewal within our lives and throughout nature.

OPEN MIC ARTISTS

Larry Mayfield

Stephanie Johnson

Brian Grosz

Birdman 313

Brian Prioleau

Click on the link to see the performances of Larry Mayfield, Stephanie Johnson, Brian Grosz, Birdman 313, & Brian Prioleau:

David Kendall

Chanan Bell

Click on the link to see the performances of David Kendall & Chanan Bell:

Scorpia Rose

David Lester Young

Thom the World Poet & Larry Mayfield on flute

Click on the link to see the performances of Scorpia Rose, David Lester Young, & Yes He Is! with Larry Mayfield on flute:

Ravishing overdone pretentious fling

Rhapsodic ornery passionate flirtation

Relationship of paroxysm fascination

The Austin Writers Roulette convened to celebrate Valentine’s Day the best way they knew how–creatively unconventional!

For a 3rd year in a row, Cindie’s donated two gift bags. 

One for the best female and male performers.

Also, for the 3rd year in a row, La Rouge donated audience gifts, which decorated their seats, making everyone a Rouletter Valentine’s.

In the spirit of “Romance and Other Patriarchal Fantasies,” Malvern Books created a theme-inspired display of related books.

The hostess did a bit of cleaning up before the show.

The stage was set. 

The audience’s chairs were decorated with parting gifts. 

And there were three choices of cookies, including an irregularly phallic-shaped cookie!

Actually, it was pretty harmless looking when flipped over on the elf side.

Thom the World Poet gifted the show with the Valentine’s Day balloon and some flowers.

After all the preliminary pomp and circumstance, the show began on time with one Rouletter running in just as the group pictures were being taken.

HOPE RUIZ delivered a powerful sermon about romance and the patriarchy.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON reiterated what Hattie McDaniel, the first Black actress who won an Oscar for her role as “Mammy” in Gone with the Wind, said, “I’d rather play a maid than to be one!”

Click on the link to watch the performances of Hope Ruiz and Teresa Y. Roberson:

BRIAN GROSZ detailed handling fake breasts during a chance encounter with an adult movie star.

THOM THE WORLD POET started by asking the crowd if they wanted a box of emptiness or something that lasted forever like plastic flowers.

Click on the link to watch the performances of Brian Grosz and Thom the World Poet:

During intermission, participants and the audience had an opportunity to peruse the Valentine’s Day collection of books.

OPEN MIC ARTISTS

DONNA DECHEN BIRDWELL

STEPHANIE JOHNSON

Click on the link to watch the performances of Donna Dechen Birdwell and Stephanie Johnson:

BRIAN GROSZ

HOPE RUIZ

RAY BELLON

DAVID LESTER YOUNG

THOM THE WORLD POET

Click on the link to watch the performances of Brian Grosz, Hope Ruiz, Ray Bellon, David Lester Young, & Thom the World Poet:

HOPE RUIZ won best female performer and all four guys tied for first place and shared the prize.

Although we had a tired Cupid, everything still came up roses!

Strategic options

Stylish outcome

Selective opportunity

The Survival 101 books prepped the audience for the latest roulette. 

Another theme table, to celebrate the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day the following week, displayed books by Irish writers.

Finally, the front table commemorated Women’s History Month. 

The host arrived in her best survivalist fashion.

Then, the Rouletters took to the stage for a group picture, most of whom wearing boots!

YESHUA UDELLE sought a survival spark.

DONNA DECHEN BIRDWELL explained survival in the lifeboats of religion and science.

HOPE RUIZ survived the great outdoors.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON advised how to stay on the right side of natural selection.

BRIAN GROSZ shared his latest post apocalyptic survival plan.

THOM THE WORLD POET spun an extended poem about how to survive the ever-changing world.

During the intermission, the boot-wearing Rouletters took a group shot.

OPEN MIC ARTISTS

Please click on the link below to view the performances of STEPHANIE JOHNSON, HOPE RUIZ, DEAGLE, & LOU LOCKABBY.

STEPHANIE JOHNSON

HOPE RUIZ

DEAGLE

LOU LOCKABBY

Please click on the link below to view the performances of  BRIAN GROSZ, RAY BELLON, & ROSEMARY HOOK

BRIAN GROSZ

RAY BELLON

ROSEMARY HOOK

THOM THE WORLD POET

Playful indecency usurped

Pretending intellectual understanding

Precocious icy undertaking

There was a new sheriff in town.

Fortunately, that didn’t deter the Rouletters, who came out in international force, thanks to the 25th anniversary of the Austin International Poetry Festival.

A selection of “Pretense Is Underrated” books was thoughtfully procured by Malvern Books. Two of which, actually had the word “pretense” in it, but thanks to the magic of  displays, one had sold prior to the show.

DONNA DECHEN BIRDWELL showed us that sometimes pretending everything is okay makes it easier to survive the unacceptable.

JUSTIN BOOTH exposed the character behind a persona.

TERESA Y ROBERSON shared her recent experience of enforcing access to handicapped services when capitalism threatened to encroach.

THOM THE WORLD POET pointed out the fakery in our world to pretend we’re not in the same world as our fathers.

OPEN MIC ARTISTS

Please click on the link below to enjoy the open mic performances of the following artists: Birdman 313, Christina M. Jackson, Trev the Road Poet UK, Ray Bellon, Stephanie Johnson, Philip Drexler, LeeAnna Cervantes, Brian Grosz, Ailana Larson, David Young, Ursula Pike, Sam Carfagno, Stephanie Morrissey, Hope Ruiz, Brian Grosz (reading for Thom the World Poet)

BIRDMAN 313

CHRISTINA M. JACKSON

TREV THE ROAD POET UK

RAY BELLON

STEPHANIE JOHNSON

PHILIP DREXLER

LEEANNA CERVANTES

BRIAN GROSZ

AILANA LARSON

DAVID YOUNG

URSULA PIKE

SAM CARFAGNO

STEPHANIE MORRISSEY

HOPE RUIZ

BRIAN GROSZ reading for THOM THE WORLD POET

Overlooked ministering

Open-minded male

Omniscient motherhood

The host was prepared to navigate everyone through the Mother’s Day event. 

Malvern Books created a Mother’s Day-inspired table to greet the masses. 

Rouletters shared their true and fictional mother narratives.

LARRY MAYFIELD paid tribute to his mother by providing a narrative to the treasures preserved in her button jar.

KELLY RUXER shared a short story about a mother’s intuition with a twist.

URSULA PIKE gave a reality check about 21st century motherhood.

HOPE RUIZ read a love poem dedicated to her child. Then, she channeled her inner male and read the chronicles of BRIAN GROSZ’s maturing relationship with his mother.

KATHY REEVES provided poignant examples of how people mother others.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON recommended more GPS, girl-perceived sightings, to navigate the country where it needs to go just like her sisters did when their mother drove around lost.

THOM THE WORLD POET, accompanied by LARRY MAYFIELD, explained that every day is Mother’s Day with grandmother’s wisdom.

Prior to the open mic, URSULA PIKE gifted Austin Writers Roulette producer, TERESA Y. ROBERSON, with a beautiful bouquet flowers for her “mothering” of the show.

OPEN MIC ARTISTS

Click on the video below to see the performances of the following artists: BIRDMAN 313, DONNA DECHEN BIRDWELL, STEPHANIE JOHNSON, LARRY MAYFIELD, ROSEMARY HOOK, & THOM THE WORLD POET.

BIRDMAN 313

DONNA DECHEN BIRDWELL

STEPHANIE JOHNSON

LARRY MAYFIELD

ROSEMARY HOOK

THOM THE WORLD POET, accompanied by LARRY MAYFIELD

Fabled resistance

Faceted rights

Fated rein

According to the theme table, The Austin Writers Roulette gathered to recognize “Freedom Reimagined.”

The host showed off her reimagined freedom before the show began.

The Rouletters posed for an avant garde group picture before the show.

LARRY MAYFIELD shared the tools his father taught him how to use.

ALLYSON WHIPPLE brought newfound freedom for inanimate objects through her short stories.

PAUL NORMANDIN gained newfound freedom by confronting his past.

T-BIRD told us what happened when America walked into a bar and other travel stories.

HOPE RUIZ danced with a reimagined freedom.

STEPHANIE WEBB declared her reimagined freedom.

TERESA Y. ROBERSON pointed out the lasted star in her intersectionality constellation.

THOM THE WORLD POET exuded the personification of reimagined freedom and recited the Ten Commandments of reimagined freedom, based on what an individual lacks.

During intermission, one of the largest roulette audiences perused the pride theme book table.

OPEN MIC ARTISTS

Click on the link below to view the open mic performances of the following artists: BRIAN GROSZ, STEPHANIE JOHNSON, ALLYSON WHIPPLE, JEFFERY HOLLIE, HOPE RUIZ, LARRY MAYFIELD, & THOM THE WORLD POET.

BRIAN GROSZ

STEPHANIE JOHNSON

ALLYSON WHIPPLE

JEFFERY HOLLIE

HOPE RUIZ

LARRY MAYFIELD

THOM THE WORLD POET