Award-Winning Grand Lake Poet Holds Signing, Reading of New Book

Award-winning Grand Lake area writer Arisa White will be reading works from her latest book of poetry, A Penny Saved, followed by a signing at Pegasus Books in Berkeley.

The reading and signing will be held Sunday, June 9 from 7:30-9 p.m. The store is located at 2349 Shattuck Ave.

White's debute collection of poetry, had been nominated for a 44th NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Poetry. It is also a finalist for the 82nd California Book Awards.

A Penny Saved is the second volume of poetry from the Oakland poet, published by Willow Books. It reimagines the true story of Polly Mitchell, who, after graduating high school, was held captive in her home for 10 years by her husband.

Poetically/fictitiously reinvented and renamed Penny, the collection is arranged in three sections.

In each, Penny's voice is juxtaposed with another, bringing to fore an intimate perspective of Penny's captivity and abuse and the role of each character/voice within this violence. 

[Watch David Perry interview White about A Penny Saved.]

A Penny Saved is a collaboration with Beating Hearts, which supplied the cover image for the book. BEATING HEARTS: Stories of Domestic Violence is a photographic project inspired by true stories of domestic violence documented by Kate Sartor Hilburn and Terrie Queen Autrey of Louisiana.

Guest readers Soma Mei Sheng Frazier and Vickie Vertiz will also be present to share their words and light refreshments will be served during the event.

About the Poet

White is a Cave Canem fellow, an MFA graduate from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is the author of the chapbooks Disposition for Shininess and Post Pardon, as well as the full-length collections Hurrah's Nest and A Penny Saved. 

Co-editor for HER KIND, an online literary community powered by VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, and the editorial manager for Dance Studio Life magazine, White has received residencies, fellowships, or scholarships from Port Townsend Writers’ Conference, Rose O’Neill Literary House, Squaw Valley Community of Writers, Hedgebrook, Atlantic Center for the Arts, Prague Summer Program, Fine Arts Work Center, and Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference.

Nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2005, her poetry has been widely published and is featured on the recording WORD with the Jessica Jones Quartet. White is a native New Yorker, living in Oakland with her partner.

For more information on White and her works, visit her website at www.arisawhite.com.