Benicia Literary Arts, a new nonprofit organization that supports writers and publishes literary works after an extensive reading and editing process is becoming active with two events planned this spring and publication of Sign of the Times, an anthology produced jointly by the First Tuesday Poets, Benicia Literary Arts, and James Stevenson, Publisher.

Benicia Poet Laureate Ronna Leon won the art contest for the cover of the anthology. The work was judged anonymously. Selection of the art work was by a panel of judges, who felt that Leon’s artwork, “New Systems” was very compatible with the theme of the book, as reflected in the title, Sign of the Times.

The book will be introduced to the community on Saturday, April 28^th at a celebratory event at Benicia Library from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Dona Benicia Room. These are the thirty-one poets featured in the anthology: Colin Amato, Tamra Amato, John Berry, Peter Bray, Suzanne Bruce, Chuck Conner, Carole Dwinell, Joel Fallon, Mary Susan Gast, John Goory, Frances Jackson, Jeff Kingman, Ronna Leon, Juanita Martin, Joseph Martino, Mike Merris, Jady Montgomery, Donald D. Peery, Anne Worthington Prescott, Lois Requist, Bobbie C. Richardson, Maria Rosales, Alice Salerno, Sherry Sheehan, Robert Shelby, Gary Silva, Deborah Silverman, Joanette Sorkin, Thomas Stanton, Sandra Lee Stillwell, and Bonnie Weidel.

Benicia Literary Arts is also working with First Tuesday Poets to sponsor a poetry reading at The Rellik on Sunday, March 25^th, from 3 to 5 p.m. The first hour will be well-known poems, read by local poets. The second part will be an open microphone for poets who want to read their work. The event will be a fundraiser for BLA, through donations by those in attendance. The public is invited.

More information about BLA is available at the website: benicialiteraryarts.org/blablog/

For more information, contact: Lois Requist, 707-280-0588.