Journalhttp://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/en-US2010-03-13T10:33:18ZSquarespace Site Server v5.9.2 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Dublin, Ep. 1http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/dublin-ep-1.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-03-05T11:00:00ZBrian O'Connell Colm Liddy Dublin Marty Mulligan Nadine O'Regan Nuala Ni Chonchuir Philly McMahon The Stinging Fly Una MullallyA debut for the ages, Dublin's lit-lovers came out in full force to witness Literary Death Match Dublin's inaugural event at The Sugar Club, a storied battle that  concluded with Nuala Ní Chonchúir narrowly out-potato-hurling Brian O'Connell in a titan-like clash of Throw the Spud Through the Literary Master's Puncture, winning 3-2, and capturing Ireland's first-ever LDM crown.  

But well before the finale, the night — co-sponsored by The Stinging Fly, a brilliant Ireland-based literary magazine — began with Horizon Review rep Ni Choncuir leading off against The Stinging Fly's Colm Liddy. Ni Choncuir wowed a packed house with a fantastic set of poems that

]]>London, Ep. 4http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/london-ep-4.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-02-24T11:03:48ZEmma Kennedy John Osborne London Molly Carroll Richard Milward Salena Godden Sophie Lewis Tim Wells YARN FestivalFebruary 24, 2010 — The Literary Death Matches 4th London episode at The Book Club — alongside the brilliant YARN Festival — was jam-packed with onlookers, levity, talent and enough smart-spun judging quips to make the whole matter a must-see. In the end, finalists Richard Milward (representing Faber) narrowly topped The Book Club Boutique's Salena Godden in a wild game of Springtime Olympic Cadbury Egg Bowling® that saw Milward fill both Jane Austen and W.B. Yeats wide maws with rolled choco-eggs, and thus raise himself to the rare standard of Literary Death Match immortality. 

But before the tense finale, the event — sponsored by Picador Books and Against Nature — kicked off in grand fashion, with a first round for the ages that

]]>NYC, Ep. 23http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/nyc-ep-23.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-02-18T05:29:00ZCintra Wilson Elyssa East Joanna Smith Rakoff Melissa Broder New York City Rob Spillman Shelly Oria Sini Anderson Wayne GladstoneTodd Zuniga was joined by co-host Shelly Oria, who plugged the upcoming LDM Tel Aviv (in August).]]>SF, Ep. 26http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/sf-ep-26.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-02-13T04:22:00ZDOUGLAS Mcgray Dylan Schaffer Elissa Bassist Janine Brite Joshua Mohr Michelle Tea Peter Finch Samantha Schoech San FranciscoFebruary 12, 2010 — An epic night—referred to some as "the best LDM in SF ever"—ended with Dylan Schaffer out-chocolate-launching Valentine's Day chocolates into the mouths of famous love writers (Pablo Neruda, Danielle Steele, and Sigmund Freud), narrowly edging out Samantha Schoech to snare the LDM championship. 

 

]]>Baltimore, Ep. 1http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/baltimore-ep-1.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-01-30T20:38:00ZBaltimore Carolyn Zaikowski Dave Housley Jen Michalski Michael Kimball Michael M. Hughes Mike Young Rafael Alvarez Tita ChicaoJanuary 30, 2010—Blizzard-like conditions in Charm City didn't stall Baltimore's epic Literary Death Match debut, as hardcore lit enthusiasts slipped-and-slid into the excellent Windup Space for a Mob City clash that featured Publishing Genius' Mike Young outscribbling Barrelhouse's Dave Housley in a Sharpie-fueled Draw the Judges in 20-Seconds or Less™ throwdown, and made Young the latest LDM champion. 

But before the finale was even a thought, the night kicked off with Housley stepping up and reading an insect-fueled story (that also included the mention of a newt) followed by CityLit's Michael M. Hughes who

]]>NYC, Ep. 22http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/nyc-ep-22.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-01-21T15:52:00ZCaitlin Roper Christopher Kennedy Daniel Nester Emily Zuzik Jess Grose Michael Atkinson Nelly Reifler New York City Todd ZunigaJanuary 21, 2010—An inspired LDM NYC, Ep. 22 was rife with brilliance at New York City's Bowery Poetry Club, as SWEET: Actors Reading Writers rep Nelly Reifler narrowly outshone New York Tyrant rep Christopher Kennedy in an a awards acceptance speech-off that made her the Literary Death Match Champion.]]>Dallas, Ep. 1http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/dallas-ep-1.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-01-15T13:48:04ZAmelia Gray Ben Fountain Dallas Katherine Center Owen Egerton Tina Parker Will Clarke William RazaviJanuary 15, 2010—The Literary Death Match’s love affair with Texas began with Austin, Ep. 1 (in a church, on Halloween), and continued in a big way with the series debut at the Dallas Museum of Art. Following four brilliant readings, and sharp-witted judging that set hair aflame, the night ended with Dallas' own Will Clarke capturing the LDM title over Houston's Katherine Center by hitting literary wide receivers Sandra Cisneros, Rick Bass and Larry McMurtry in consecutive fashion before launching the final touchdown pass into Miles Austin's chest to win the Tony Romo v. Troy Aikman Fling-the-Foamskin finale.  

 

]]>Chicago, Ep. 4http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/chicago-ep-4.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-01-14T06:15:00ZAndy Farkas Chicago Davis Schneiderman James Kennedy Jessica Hopper Kathleen Rooney Rebekah Silverman Shawn Smith Todd ZunigaJanuary 14, 2010—A wild finish, a wilder foursome of readers, and genius judging highlighted Literary Death Match Chicago, Ep. 4 at Fizz, in which featherproof books’ James Kennedy (The Order of Odd-Fish) outdoodled &NOW’s Davis Schneidermanin a hurried and competitive finale of Draw the Judges in 20 Seconds Or Less with Sharpies! — to take home the Literary Death Match medal and be ceremoniously crowned by Ep. 3 winner Spencer Dew. 

Before the LDM medal had been placed around the neck of its rightful winner, though, the night began with an opening round that featured Schneiderman leading off against Artifice's Rebekah Silverman.

]]>Boston, Ep. 2http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/boston-ep-2.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-01-13T14:32:00ZAudrey Ryan Boston Elisa Gabbert Janaka Stucky Lamont Price Michelle Hoover Steven Brykman Todd Zuniga William GiraldiJanuary 13, 2010—Literary Death Match’s return to Massachusetts for Boston, Ep. 2 to celebrate Opium9: The Mania Issue was a wild and talent-rich success that finished with a calamitous Musical Chairs finale led by one-mademoiselle-band Audrey Ryan, who plucked random tunes on her ukelele.  When the rubble settled, Handsome’s Janaka Stucky had come back from an improbable 3-1 deficit to beat out Open Letters’ Elisa Gabbert, and be crowned the latest LDM champion.  

But well before Stucky achieved literary immortality at The Enormous Room, the night kicked off with

]]>SF, Ep. 25http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/journal/sf-ep-25.htmlLiterary Death Match2010-01-04T22:20:00ZSan FranciscoJanuary 8, 2010—The Elbo Room roared with approval when LA fiction writer/visual team Matty Byloos and Josh Atlas successfully performed The Bell Jar in a heated final round of charades, which fans guessed in just over three seconds, barely beating out Laura Joyce Davis (Catcher in the Rye, 7 seconds) for the Literary Death Match Title.

 

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