My best advice for high school seniors who have entered PANIC SEASON is this:
Start with the left-corner brick.
Read the rest on College Essay KJ and share my Substack with the student, guardian, or educator in your life!
New College Essay KJ
Exceptional “Hell Gate” Evening
What an unforgettable No, YOU Tell It! “Hell Gate” show!! Thank you to everyone for such an amazing evening of Hell Gate Bridge history, storytelling, art, poetry, and music.
Visit the show program here. Photo credit: Yui Kitamura
Podcast episodes featuring the live story swaps coming in October!
Follow @noyoutellit and subscribe to the No, YOU Tell It! podcast on your preferred platform.
Special thank you to:
~Our storytellers, Alicia, Jackie, Mia, and Ashley, for sharing such beautiful stories and giving incredible performances.
~Everyone who came out to see the show!
~Grove 34 for the space to have such a special evening.
~Ashley, for creating your Hell Gate-inspired art and music to inspire us all.
~Greater Astoria Historical Society for teaching us so much about the history of Hell Gate and our neighborhoods.
~Bob Singleton for his poetry and insights into the history of Astoria.
~Natalia ‘Saw Lady’ Paruz for her special, beautiful *birthday* performance.
~Brooklyn Book Festival for including us as a Bookend Event once again.
~Flushing Town Hall, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York Foundation for the Arts, and New York State Council on the Arts for making this possible.
~Our amazing creative team, Erika, Kelly Jean, Chenda, and Tim, for everything to make this possible.
Stay tuned for more photos and clips from the show and to hear what we’re up to next season.
In the meantime, check out the full list of #bkbf Bookend Events and the main festival this weekend!
No, YOU Tell It! “Hell Gate” on 9/25
Our No, YOU Tell It! “Hell Gate” show is next week at Grove 34 in Astoria!
Get your tickets here and join us as four fabulous Queens storytellers trade true tales inspired by the iconic Hell Gate Bridge.
Plus, a special presentation from the Greater Astoria Historical Society and story trivia for literary prizes!
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THIS IS AN OFFICIAL 2024 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL BOOKEND EVENT
The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.
This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.
No, YOU Tell It! “Hell Gate” is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.
Fantastic “Hell Gate Bridge” Sip & Scribe
Last Friday, our four No, YOU Tell It! “Hell Gate” storytellers attended the sold out evening of writing, mingling, and drink-sipping with other Queens creatives at Sunnyside Arts.
Read more about the evening here.
Want to join us next month? Register here for the 10/4 Sip & Scribe or email kjfitzsimmons@gmail.com to be added to my weekly newsletter of upcoming writing fun.
This community event also helped the storytellers generate ideas for the true tales they will trade and perform at our upcoming 9/25 “Hell Gate” show at Grove 34.
Grab a ticket to come hear the stories the night inspired!
2024 MJS Seventh Grade: Memories that Make Time Stand Still
The highlight of my summer is publishing an anthology of seventh-grade memoirs.
More College Essay KJ coming soon as we head into the new school year.
Please share with the students, guardians, and educators in your life looking for college essay writing support.
NYC & ME Starts 7/25
Find and craft a personal narrative inspired by NYC history with ME in this online class through The Center for Fiction that starts 7/25!
Registration closes on Monday. Click here to grab your spot today.
Have you generated story ideas at one of my one-day workshops you’d like to develop? Or interested in developing something new?
Sign up for this 6-week workshop via ZOOM. Thursdays, July 25 to August 29.
Email kjfitzsimmons@gmail.com with questions.
Aurora Polaris Prize Finalist
Sometimes I Host Shows
No, YOU Tell It! “Left My Heart” photos and show video are coming soon. Follow @noyoutellit for more.
Credit: AJV Media Video, Photography & Graphic Design
WE LAUGHED, WE CRIED, WE SIGHED
We had a fantastic evening of story swaps, Astoria history, and music at our “Left My Heart” show! Full program here.
To quote storyteller Catherine Kapphahn, “We laughed and cried and sighed.”
Click here to learn more about all that went into the amazing night at Grove 34!
No, YOU Tell It! “Left My Heart”
One week until our show at Grove 34 in Astoria! Get your tickets here.
For this special Queens edition, four curated storytellers will trade tales inspired by the music and history of Astoria native Tony Bennett from the Greater Astoria Historical Society archives. Plus, story trivia for fun literary prizes!
Visit noyoutellit.com and follow @noyoutellit for more information about the series and storytellers.
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The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.
This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.
No, YOU Tell It! “Left My Heart” is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.