Dyson Smith, Kim Orendor, Michael French, and Michael Gallowglas

On the 10/25/23 edition of Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

This jam-packed episode begins with Dyson Smith, who reflects on his upbringing in Chicago, the writing process, and his creative writing journey at UC Davis. He then reads a poem titled “Sociology Poem” before Kim Orendor joins the podcast. Orendor’s desire to produce resonant work inspired the plot of her most recent book To Whom It May Concern, which she shares an excerpt from. Michael French shares several upcoming art events involving a baroque concert at the Anne E. Pitzer Center, a visit from Native American artist and filmmaker Sky Hopinka at the Manetti Shrem Museum, and a Dia de Los Muertos-inspired musical event in the Mondavi Center. Closing out the hour, Michael Gallowglas promotes his interactive storytelling show and costume competition on Saturday, October 28th before reading some of his writing.

Dyson Smith is a Chicago-born poet and creative who recently made the move to California in pursuit of obtaining a degree in statistics and a minor in English and Sociology at the University of California, Davis. As as second-year undergraduate, Dyson serves as the Sports Director and DJ at KDVS, a submissions reader for the literary magazine Open Ceilings, an Officer for the UC Davis Boxing team, and works as a bike mechanic and salesperson at Freewheeler during his freetime. 

Michael G. French is an arts and theatre events marketing specialist for the UC Davis College of Letters and Science. He promotes performances and events for the departments of Art and Art History, Cinema and Digital Media, Design, Music, and Theatre and Dance. 

Kim Orendor began as a Sports writer with the Sacramento Bee while attending Sacramento State, and then transitioned to writing for The Davis Enterprise, where she stayed for 10 years. From 2006 to 2011, Orender taught Journalism, Reading, and American Culture Through Film at Sias (SEE-ahz) International University in Central China for 5 years, before returning to The Enterprise. She then moved to LA and worked as the Visitor's Experience Associate at The Broad from 2015 to 2018. In 2018, she moved back to Sacramento to be caretaker for her father. Her memoir about living in China, Unbound Feet: Finding Freedom in Communist China, was published with W. Brand Publishing in 2021. The following year, her second book To Whom It May Concern, was published in Augus,t 2023. She is currently living in Gold River, between Rancho Cordova and Folsom and works as a docent at The Crocker Art Museum and an Author Liaison for W. Brand Publishing.

Michael Todd Gallowglas is a hybrid-author (with mainstream and alternative publications), storyteller, and educator from Northern California. He has written over 20 books including novels, short story collections, poetry collections, and non-fiction books. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University, a Master of Fine Arts in Fiction from Sierra Nevada College, and a Master in Fine Arts in Poetry from the University of Nevada Reno, Tahoe. His traditional storytelling show at Renaissance Faires, Celtic Festivals, and geeky conventions has mesmerized audiences for over thirty years.  

The Poetry Night Reading Series is excited to feature California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick at 7 PM on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023, on the first floor of the John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 1st Street in Davis.

The Poetry Night Reading Series, taking

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, subscribe to his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com.