For Better or Verse: Bookstore Says Go, Poet Says No

By Lisa Burns
Joseph-Beth Bookseller in Pittsburgh’s South Side is gaining national attention for not allowing erotic poet Jan Beatty to perform a reading of her newest poetry in its downtown store over the speaker system. Beatty’s newest poetry anthology, titled Red Sugar, (University of Pittsburgh Press) is a collection of erotic poetry.

According to Joseph-Beth marketing director Chad Showalter, Beatty worked with the Pittsburgh store to have an author event in conjunction with the release of Red Sugar. The local marketing team leader reviewed the manuscript and became concerned that the sound system reaches all parts of the store, including the children’s department. Based on those terms, according to Showalter, the marketing team leader decided the store could not host the event. After this decision, Beatty’s publicist called Joseph-Beth and asked them to reconsider. Joseph-Beth came back with a couple of different options:

1. An in-store signing without a discussion
2. A signing plus discussion, but not through the store’s sound system.

The publicist declined both options, saying they were not acceptable.

Showalter tells WNW, “I’m disappointed we haven’t been able to work anything out with Jan Beatty or her publicist. Joseph-Beth’s main goal is to always maintain an environment suitable for family members, including parents, adults and children. That is our commitment, and we are proud to maintain a positive shopping experience for all.”

Joseph-Beth continues to prominently display Red Sugar in the local section of the Pittsburgh store. When asked if Joseph-Beth would ever consider Beatty for an author event under the new guidelines, Showalter replies, “Those continue to be two ways we would like to have Jan Beatty in our store events lineup. I think we’ve worked very hard to have Jan Beatty involved in our store. We are happy to support Jan if she decides to appear at Joseph-Beth.”

Calls to Jan Beatty and her publicist were not returned; however, she tells the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, “My position is that the store needs to contact me to apologize and to let me read with no strings attached.”

“I am disappointed that we have not been able to work anything out with Jan. It is our intention in presenting these two options to Jan that her event at Joseph-Beth would be a smaller, warmer event for Jan and her friends,” says Showalter.

The general opinion around Pittsburgh, home to Jan Beatty and Joseph-Beth, is that Joseph-Beth has gone above and beyond what has been expected in making an author event for Jan Beatty possible, given the store’s family atmosphere.

Agree? Disagree? Tell us at editor@writersnewsweekly.com or join the discussion on facebook.com.