Testimonials
“In an earlier epoch, I read in the #YeahYouWrite literary reading series held in Bo’s Restaurant, Manhattan. For those who don’t know, “yeah, you right,” is a New Orleanian expression of enthused agreement, the kind of thing you might have heard slurred by Dr. John or a United Cab driver weaving across white lines on Magazine Street. Bo’s had the Crescent City-Big Easy-yeah-you-right thing down, and under the stewardship of Lisa Amico Kristel and Robin Martin, #YeahYouWrite did, too. As a former New Orleanian, I know. The vibe is delightfully informal, partially improvisational, and decisively bonnaroo, and it’s great to see that it’s back, with the same spirit, the same inspired line-ups, in a great new location.”
author of Requiem for the Tree Fort I Set on Fire and This Is Not Happening to You
“Come for the authors. Stay for the dinner. Stay late for the post-reading conversation. Stay even later for the custom cocktails.”
author of American Estrangement, Brief Encounters with the Enemy, and When Skateboards Will Be Free
“The #YeahYouWrite evenings are a phenomenal combination of dinner and salon-style gatherings. The brainchild of Lisa Amico Kristel and Robin Martin, these get-togethers headline well-known and up-and-coming authors, and the byword is fun: There are cocktails and mocktails invented for each featured writer, and there’s excellent food in a convivial setting. Above all, there is celebration in a low-key but upbeat fashion about literature, with a particularly lively and entertaining short-answer Q&A between host and panelists. There aren’t many such evenings like these in New York—or anywhere else.”
author of Saudade, Mariana, Fado & Other Stories, Our Lady of the Artichokes, and the forthcoming Songs of Broken Places
“Welcome back, #YeahYouWrite. I’ve missed your next-level readings and thoughtful #LiteraryCocktails. Here’s to another successful run—I’m looking forward to it.”
“#YeahYouWrite is by far my favorite reading series to read at or attend. Lisa Amico Kristel and Robin Martin are the hostesses with the mostest(es). There’s nothing better than reading my own words, sipping from a specially brewed cocktail, and answering hilarious and unusual questions about my books. Not a stuffy vibe in the place. #YYW is all support, good times, great food, great drinks, and great literature. What more could a book lover ask for?”
author of Dawg Towne, Staggerwing,Wavehouse, and The Tantalizing Tale of Grace Minnaugh
“As I look out into this quiet room filled with book lovers and authors, I cannot help but think of the chaos our world is in. And right now, Paris is really burning with the destruction of Notre Dame. Which makes a space like #YeahYouWrite all the more precious. Because if we can come together and be present for an hour or two – to listen quietly, to immerse ourselves in worlds and characters created by others, to put our busy lives aside for just a moment—then I think we have come to something very special. What a wonderful thing Lisa and Robin have created.”
author of The Skin Above My Knee, Pickle’s Progress, and Oslo, Maine
“#YeahYouWrite is a reading series everyone should attend! Have you ever arrived somewhere that not only people know your name, but they’ve read your work, and want to give you food, #LiteraryCocktails, laughter, and song? With a mix of genres, the stage hosts a variety of guests, and the audience is ready to listen. Kudos to #YeahYouWrite for creating such a fun literary home.”
poet/storyteller/curator, most recent publication: No Sweet Without Brine
“It was a thrill to read at #YeahYouWrite after the publication of my first and second books—Robin and Lisa’s warm welcome, the camaraderie, the amazing food, the personalized cocktails (“Garden with a Lime” for my Garden for the Blind), and the supportive, engaged audience—absolutely a pinnacle reading experience!”
author of Garden for the Blind and I Have the Answer (Wayne State University Press, 2015, 2020) and Goodbye Toothless House (Kattywompus Press, 2019
“I had such a blast at #YeahYouWrite—a room full of diners and drinkers listening to us read, specialty cocktails designed just for our books, a rapid-fire Q&A causing much laughter. What’s not to like? It’s a fantastic combo of literature and entertainment, and I can’t wait to go back!”
author of Oliver’s Travels and The Shaman of Turtle Valley
“Here’s a toast to #YeahYouWrite—one of the most welcoming and ingenious literary reading series I’ve ever enjoyed. Don’t miss it!”
poet and founder of InsideOut Literary Arts Project
“In a packed basement at Bo’s Restaurant, the paradigm of the traditional literary reading is being revamped. Now you can watch as the author stands on stage sampling a specially mixed drink, answering rapid fire questions about writing practice, telling an anecdote about a bad review, and, oh yes, reading a few pages. This is the wave of the future.”