Riveting, Rowdy, and Rambunctious: Derrick Brown's Weekend at IVLC
- minajademoon02
- Mar 29
- 2 min read
Riveting, rowdy, and rambunctious — that's the only way to describe Derrick Brown's weekend on San Juan Island.
His Friday night Red Light Show had us feeling flirtatious and feisty from the very first line. If you missed the sneak peek on our socials, go find those photos immediately — they tell a story all their own.
But the magic didn't stop at the show.
Saturday's workshop cracked us wide open. Derrick pushed us to ask ourselves three whys about our work — a deceptively simple exercise that cuts straight to the heart of what a poem is really doing. We were challenged to take a journalist's pass on our writing. Before EVERYONE at the workshop shared, we had to say, “ I am not afraid to suck”.
The prompts he gave us weren't easy, and that was entirely the point. Imagine you've died and crossed over to the other side — and they're waiting for you there with microphones. It's a press conference. What do you say? The second prompt asked us to describe heaven according to us, personally and specifically. Both sent us deep into our own minds and onto the page in ways we didn't expect.
One of the most lasting takeaways was a question Derrick urged us to bring to every piece: Is this personal and therapeutic, or is it presentable? Not that it can't be both — but knowing which one you're writing matters. We were reminded of the power of inviting other readers into our work, letting their questions illuminate the corners we can't always see ourselves.
By Saturday evening, with Derrick's presence felt in every syllable of his performance, every attendee could feel exactly who Derrick Brown is — stripped of pretense, straight to the soul.
A massive thank you to Derrick Brown for giving us a weekend we won't forget. Be sure to pick up a copy of one of his books from IVLC Head Quarters or here
This event was made possible by San Juan County through its Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) and the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Contributions Fund.
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Stay tuned — Buddy Wakefield is next in our Guest Author Series, and trust us, you don't want to miss it.
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