Letter 6: Los Angeles

Published 10 days ago • 3 min read

Letter 6: Los Angeles

By Birdy Francis
Founding Publisher

Attendees at our first anniversary reading. All photography by Jude Nario.

Welcome to Sunstroke Press’ newsletter.

I am still riding the high of our first anniversary event! Los Angeles’ Reverie Bookstand was jam-packed that Saturday, April 11th, which also marked our first California event. Sunstroke Press technically came to be at our first book launch for Diaries of a Wet Bird in January 2025, but we want to officially claim the April date as Sunstroke’s new birthday. It’s much warmer, and spring signals new beginnings.

That Friday, the 10th, I caught a ride from Brooklyn to Newark, and flew into LAX. Once we arrived, Managing Director Cassidy Howard and I stayed with longtime Sunstroke collaborator and contributing illustrator, Casey Beifuss. We did a book crawl through Echo Park, stopping at Stories Books & Cafe, Heavy Manners Library (who were also holding a great zine fair), A Good Used Book, and—just as the golden hour hit—landing at Reverie, where our event was taking place. Tim, who owns Reverie, gifted me a Shirley Jackson collection after hearing I was looking to add more horror into my library.

Creative Director and editor Alex Ramos, along with Sunstroke’s designated photographer for the night, Jude Nario, as well as Diaries of a Wet Bird author and photographer Sophia Cutino all drove down from the Bay Area for the event. We had five readers for the evening: Cassidy, Alex Moreno (Word Art’s Head Editor) and Word Art contributors Emma Gardner, Isabel Yi Jimenez and Katja Grober, all of whom brought something special to the night. We laughed more than we thought we would, that’s for sure.

Attendees listening to a reading, outside looking in, at Reverie Bookstore.

Isabel Yi Jimenez (Word Art contributor, left) and Alex Moreno (Word Art head editor, right).

Every time we’re able to string an event together and I get to look around at a room full of people engrossed in a reading, I am filled to the brim with gratitude. This is what it’s all about for us—artwork you can hold and making real-life connections. As a retired theater kid, I could sit and watch readings all day long. (And I fully intend to keep doing so.)

The heavy coat I had been wearing as spring arrived in New York was left behind and, instead, was replaced by a light t-shirt and big sunglasses. It was a warm night, and people spilled onto the Echo Park sidewalk and filled the walls of Reverie. We ended the night over pizza, ice cream and drinks.

What a gift it was to explore Los Angeles and its literary community, in the name of Sunstroke Press! There is so much more to come. We plan on holding more literary events, this time in our home base of Brooklyn, so keep an eye out.

Sincerely,
Birdy Francis, Founding Publisher

In Our Orbit

In Our Orbit is Sunstroke Press’ recommendations section. This is a snapshot of stuff we like right now, whether that’s an old movie or a new poem. Each link directly gets you to where you can listen, watch, purchase or learn more about the recommendation. Enjoy!

All Fours by Miranda July

Purchase at Penguin Random House or Bookshop

I spent my entire flight and trip to California reading All Fours, and I could not look away. What a simultaneously refreshing and stressful read in a world that has been jamming down my 26-year-old throat the idea that getting older is something to fear, that it all somehow ends in a few short years. If you’re in the mood for something a little batshit and very entertaining … this is it. —Birdy Francis, Founding Publisher

Lonesome Dove: A Novel by Larry McMurtry

Purchase at Simon & Schuster or Bookshop

Jumped on this bandwagon last summer and have been steadily making my way through the book. It's a classic for a reason—the characters, storytelling, prose, etc. are truly the best of the best (and not just for the Western genre, either). I could easily have finished it months ago—despite the triple-digit page count, it's a fast read—but I already know I'm going to miss it as soon as I do, so I'm enjoying taking my time. So far, Gus and Lorena are my favorites. —Turi Sioson, Publicity Director & Editor

Tyler Childers

Stream on Spotify or Apple Music

I'd only ever listened to "Feathered Indians" and maybe "Lady May" but I recently gave in and watched one of his live performances and I can't believe how good he is! There's a blues, soul and funk thing going on that I hadn't realized he was about. Bonus points that Childers is a huge reader and has a book club in collaboration with Libby. —Turi Sioson, Publicity Director & Editor

WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA by Slayyyter

Listen on Spotify or Apple Music

Miss S, government name Catherine Grace Garner, expanded her reach across the scene with WOR$T GIRL's lead single "CRANK" (which I recently got to experience in the club for the first time with our founding publisher, which was epic). The project furthers female artists being outspoken in their own desires for sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. "Diamond grills, champagne bottles, swagger I bleed," she chants on "BEAT UP CHANEL$." Like? C’mon. This record was basically the only thing I listened to while running a poorly-prepared-for half marathon this past weekend and I trust it to carry you, too, dear reader, through whatever you’re needing an energy boost to battle. —Cassidy Howard, Managing Director

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