Spoken Interludes - DeLauné Michel

Spoken Interludes was a critically-acclaimed literary salon where award-winning, bestselling, and up-coming writers read their own work each month to audiences of over 300 book lovers. DeLauné Michel created Spoken Interludes in 1996 when the choices for literary events were limited to poetry readings or signings in bookstores. Since that time, this literary institution in New York and Los Angeles was covered extensively by publications ranging from The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, GQ Magazine and had a show on NPR station KCRW.

The salon began with the audience arriving for an exquisite buffet dinner. The readings followed, and featured writers such as: Andrew Solomon, Karen Russell, Delia Ephron, Francine Prose, Frank Bruni, Meg Wolitzer, Adam Gopnik, Jay McInerney, Jennifer Egan, Ann Beattie, U.S. Senator Gary Hart, Gabrielle Hamilton, and Gary Shteyngart. The evening winded down with book signing and chatting with the authors. In 2000, Ms. Michel developed an outreach writing program for at-risk children in inner-city schools and juvenile institutions in LA and NY, reaching over 250 students a year. She also created a book drive for a pediatric clinic in Yonkers, NY that put free books into the hands of underprivileged children. Since its debut, Spoken Interludes provided a place where people came together, enjoyed great food, and heard stories like their own reflected in the voices of others. See a list of participants here.

The Los Angeles Times
“LA’s hippest salon has an eclectic menu of words.”
Larry Charles, producer/writer “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” “Reading at Spoken Interludes is a very authentic, inspiring experience.”
LA Weekly “Spoken Interludes recasts the idea of Story Hour… as a monthly literary salon for adults.”