On The Edge of Reason: Carine Topal & Jan Wesley

Beyond Baroque invites our community to a special reading celebrating Carine Topal's newest book of poetry, Dear Blood. A collection investigating the tension between destruction and creation, reckoning and redemption.

Jan Wesley, author of Only So Much, will be reading selected work from her upcoming collection, It Wasn't Always Like This. After the readings in the Wanda Coleman Theater, join us for a reception with light refreshments and book signings by this wonderful poetry duo!

Doors Open: 6:30 PM I Readings 7:00 PM

About the authors

Jan Wesley is the author of Only So Much, Living in Freefall, and a couple of published chapbooks. Her poems have been in Askew, Blue Mountain Review, The Iowa Review, Rattle, Spillway, Beyond Words, and two anthologies, titled Angle of Reflection, and newly published, Shared Condition. She worked in post-production in the film business for many years, and after receiving an MFA at Vermont College, she taught writing at The University of Redlands and The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandizing.

Carine Topal, born and raised in NYC, holds a MA from New York University. She has been awarded residencies in the U.S. and Russia, is the recipient of numerous poetry awards and honors, including the Robert G. Cohn Prose Poetry Award, the Briar Cliff Poetry Award, Red Wheelbarrow Poetry Prize, and others. Her chapbook, “Tattooed,” won the Palettes and Quills Poetry Chapbook Contest. Over the years, Carine has anthologized the poetry of many special needs children. She participated in the grassroots organization California Poets in the Schools, was the Poet-in-Residence for the City of Manhattan Beach and Poet-in-Education for Manhattan Beach elementary schools. Topal’s 5th collection, In Order of Disappearance was published by the Pacific Coast Poetry Series, an imprint of Beyond Baroque Books. Her new book, Dear Blood, was just published by Ben Yehuda Press. Carine lives in Southern California with her husband— in the desert and by the sea— and teaches poetry and memoir workshops.

Livestream: If you can’t join us in-person the event will be livestreamed on at the scheduled time of the event.

Masks are encouraged while inside our center.

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected]

Event attendees are expected to behave in a respectful and considerate manner while in our space. Beyond Baroque reserves the right to remove individuals from our events, virtual or otherwise, if they are not respecting the space, fellow attendees, or performers.

Host or Publisher Beyond Baroque Literary | Arts Center