Writer and performer Jae Nichelle will debut her poetry collection this Friday at Alienated Majesty Books. Titled “Grownfolk Blues: a musical in poems,” the collection is a story told through bank statements, to-do lists and resumes.
“(The collection is) designed to make people laugh,” Nichelle said. “I want people to come and know that even when things are super serious, super sad, our joy and our ability to play and satirize things actually helps us persist.”
Friday’s “Vaudeville Night” event is the latest in a long history of collaborations with Host Publications, which was originally founded in 1988 by Joe W. Bratcher, who also opened Malvern Books, which later became Alienated Majesty.
Host’s managing editor, Annar Veröld-Miranda, worked at Alienated Majesty for almost 10 years before entering publishing.
“It’s been amazing to see how society, but also myself as an organizer in our press, as a publishing house, evolve with the needs of our communities and the people that we love and the people that we champion,” Veröld-Miranda said.
Working with Veröld-Miranda to book performers for the event, Nichelle selected a mix of different artists, reflecting the multi-genre style of “Grownfolk Blues,” which is part poem, play and musical. The launch features friends and collaborators M. Mick Powell and Amanda Johnston, 2024 Texas Poet Laureate, as well as local saxophonist Bianca Bailey.
“If you go to a regular bookstore, you know it’s people that read all the bestsellers and they’re in book groups and they think of themselves as readers,” said Melynda Nuss, co-owner of Alienated Majesty. “But, we’ve gotten a lot of people that think of themselves as musicians or punk rockers or just people walking down the street who happen to find books that they like.”
Nichelle said she looks forward to introducing audiences to “Grownfolk Blues,” and hopes even when not performed live, readers engage with the piece in a thoughtful way.
“I want my success measured by the things that I do that contribute positively to my community, to my society, and are less focused on the external validation, things that we’re taught to pursue, achieve, dream of,” Nichelle said.