Salvatore Salerno has an M.F.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he was awarded The Academy of American Poets University Prize. He is a retired English and drama teacher from Davis High School in Modesto. Salerno was the Poet Laureate of Modesto from 2020-24, and his most recent poetry book is titled After Thoughts. He is a founding member of the Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center and a volunteer at Dos Rios State Park. Salerno is also a long-time president of the Stanislaus Audubon Society and has published two volumes on birds, birders, and the culture of birding.

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Patrice Vecchione is the author of two collections of poetry, three books of nonfiction, and is the editor of many anthologies. Her recent writing appears in Red Wheelbarrow, Edible Monterey Bay, Catamaran Literary Reader, the Monterey Herald, and in the anthology Women in a Golden State: California Poets at 60 and Beyond. Her art show, Imagination Pollination, with fellow local artist Stefanie Quintanilla, is on view at Sweet Elena’s Bakery in Sand City till the end of the month. This summer, Vecchione is leading writing workshops for women in her Monterey garden. Let her know if you’d like to come: https://www.patricevecchione.com/

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Our next reading will be held on August 9.

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The Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium seeks to showcase the finest talents of the diverse Central Coast literary community, from Big Sur to Santa Cruz to the Salinas Valley and beyond. Free readings are held on the second Saturday of each month at the Pacific Grove Public Library. All are welcome. Follow us on Facebook, or contact Kent Leatham (kent.leatham.poet@gmail.com) for more information. This series is graciously co-sponsored by the Whitney Latham Lechich Poetry Trust.