We’re pushing forward with our July and August readings. August is going to be a busy month for us, with the conclusion of the Spring/Summer readings along with another book club discussion meeting and first game night. We’re hoping to do a game night every month, but will be charging for this event. A nominal fee of Rs 100 at the minimum. We might or might not issue a set of tickets available at Paper Microphone.

Anyway, if you’d like to register for our reading, click here. And if you’d like to present your material featured, please send that into reading@desiwriterslounge.net no later than July 9th.

– TPTB!

Book clubs are being launched in both Islamabad and Karachi, which has started its own thread. Email us for more details and to put you in touch with our coordinator in the city. Meanwhile, we’re still looking for reading material and because we’ve kept an open and revolving door policy, your material will be presented in a first come, first serve basis so if you’re interested, now’s the time to let us know!

Meanwhile, we’re issuing a formal invitation to anyone in Islamabad to attend our next discussion meeting. Have your thoughts and ideas at hand. Without further ado, your invite:

Heralded as a breakthrough first novel, A Case of Exploding Mangoes reimagines the conspiracies and coincidences that led to the mysterious and still unexplained 1988 plane crash of Gen Zia-ul-Haq.

On August 2, we invite you to join us at the Paper Microphone Cafe to discuss the book over coffee, muffins and other delightful delicacies.

The What: Desi Writers Lounge Book Club Meeting #2

The When: Sunday, August 2, 2009 @ 6 PM (please be punctual)

The Where: Paper Microphone Cafe (2nd Floor, Main School Road, Super Market right after the Shell petrol Pump)

The Registration Details: Click here

The Extras: If you can’t find a copy of the book at your local bookstore, you can always order it online at Liberty Books. Not pimping out their service or anything, but the prices are great and shipping is free so what’s not to love?! 🙂

The RSVPs: Won’t be there? Not enough time to finish? Bringing in a guest? Mail in your comments here. Also, if you’ve already registered prior to this posting, please don’t register again.

Hope to see you there!

– TPTB

A few months ago, we were considering extending the muscle of Desi Writers Lounge towards social work and to that effect, had a meeting with representatives of The Citizens Foundation (TCF). With both parties suitably interested, we’ll be taking a trip down to their two schools close to Islamabad to assess the situation.

Our ideas included holding a book club/reading session and a creative writing workshop, both activities conducted in the English language. Needless to say, we’re looking for volunteers interested in literary and educational progress. So if you’re interested, drop me a line with your name and any questions or suggestions you may have.

We’re committed to this project and are looking for individuals who can help us further the cause.

– MP

We realize it’s been a while since our last reading session and want to give our member- and readership a heads up that we’ll be taking material in for July’s session now. If you’re interested and/or know others you might be interested, direct them to this post.

Pieces (poetry, prose, random rants of non-fiction) can now be sent into readings@desiwriterslounge.net. Registration for the reading will be opening up shortly. Watch this space and our website.

Any questions, you know where to find us!

– TPTB

The time, date and venue for the first DWL book club session for Daniyal Mueenuddin’s In Other Rooms, Other Wonders have now been finalized. For those of you who’ve registered, the email will go out shortly. For anyone else that hasn’t registered, but has read the book and might decide to join us, the open invite is below:

The What: Desi Writers Lounge Book Club Meeting to discuss In Other Rooms, Other Wonders
The When: Sunday, June 21 @ 5PM
The Where: Mocca Coffee, Shop No. 1, Kohsar Market (Right above Al Saleem Salon)
The RSVPs: info@desiwriterslounge.net, maryam@desiwriterslounge.net
The Extras: Bring along your notes, thoughts and opinions about the book. Maybe bring the book with you to point out your favorite passages and why they rang home to you as much as they did…alternatively, you can use your copy to effectively debunk the opinions of somebody else!

So that’s about it.

– TPTB

The following is the letter sent out to all book club registrants, and has been reproduced below:

Hello everyone,

If you’re getting this email, you have registered or shown interest in our book club, which officially launched on May 24, 2009 with Daniyal Mueenuddin’s In Other Rooms, Other Wonders.

We held an ice breaker aka an informal meeting for our attendees to get to know one another before the discussion would inevitably turn into more serious venues. While this was not a mandatory requirement, it was recommended.

If you attended the ice breaker on the 24th, more power to you and if you were unable to do so, you still have the chance to participate in our Club which will convene sometime at the end of June (exact dates will be announced a little closer to the date set). That’s why you’ve been included in the mailing list.

If you’re still interested, now’s the time to prove it by picking up the short story collection available at any and all major bookstores in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

If you have any questions on any of the above, please let me know by sending me an email.

Meanwhile, constant reminders will be sent at two week intervals so if you haven’t bought the book yet, didn’t attend the ice breaker and are wondering where you stand on things, I’m here to tell you that all is not lost and you can buy the book, read it and join us at the end of June to discuss things.

Hope to see you there!

– TPTB

We’ve finalized the date, time and venue for the first ice breaker meeting for our book club, as well as its selection. Starting out with Daniyal Mueenuddin’s short story collection, In Other Rooms, Other Wonders that easily won a majority vote in the poll we set up for this reason. The Case of Exploding Mangoes followed in second place.

The reason we’re calling the first meet an “ice breaker” is so that all participants can meet up, introduce themselves and generally just mingle, talk about books, words, whatever comes to mind really. The reason we’re putting in the directions on the blog is to invite people who haven’t registered and who aren’t sure if they will and give them a chance to sample out the crowd.

So come along, bring in a friend or two and see if you can’t appreciate things. Here’s the invitation to formalize things:

The What: Book Club Ice Breaker
Then When: Sunday, May 24th @ 5 PM
The Where: Mocca Coffee, 2nd Floor Kohsar Market (it’s above Gloria Jeans and the entrance is on the extreme left side of Kohsar Market)
The Who To Get In Touch Withs: info@desiwriterslounge.net

Hope to see you guys there!

– TPTB

The first book club meeting (also known as a meet and greet, for attendees to get to know one another a little…an open house of sorts) has been postponed, partly because the Paper Microphone Cafe is closed for renovations, and partly because one of the organizers is currently in Lahore (that may explain the post below).

The new date has been tentatively set for Sunday, May 10 until further notice. We apologize for the late message, but look at it this way: more time to register for the reading, more time to vote for your favorite if you haven’t already done so already, and more time to spread the word). If you have issues with the date, because they’re coinciding with exams, please let us know at info@desiwriterslounge.net. We might shuffle things around so that the book club takes place in hardcore summer.

🙂

– TPTB

‘ello Lahoris,

So here’s the thing. We’re throwing an impromptu reading session in Lahore, and yes, there’s barely any time, and yes, we don’t know where it’s going to be or when but that’s where you come in.

If you’re interested, mosey along to this thread and start the planning (forum members only, sadly). This could be the very first in a series at Lahore, after all! Who knows, we might jumpstart a book club here as well? If you’re interested, tell us. It’s the only way we’ll know for sure.

Hope to see you…well, somewhere! 🙂

– TPTB

Interested members can also register on our site. Apparently, the forms are currently unavailable at the cafe. We are imploring participants to only register if they are absolutely certain they will be participating. There were a lot of registrants to the reading, from which only a handful showed up despite confirming.

So please, please save us and yourselves the trouble of being continuously harassed and only register if you’re absolutely, positively, 100% interested and sure about your attendance.

– TPTB