Derrick Brown headlines Island Verse guest author series
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Submitted by Island Verse.
The Island Verse Literary Collective’s Guest Author & Workshop Series continues this March with the return of acclaimed poet and performer Derrick Brown for a weekend of readings and workshops at Island Verse headquarters in downtown Friday Harbor.
On Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m., audiences are invited to flip on their fiery threads and leave the kids at home for an adults-only erotic poetry reading titled “Redlight Radness.” Brown will headline an evening of bold, playful and provocative poetry.
On Saturday, March 21, from noon to 2 p.m., Brown will lead a free writing workshop, sharing insights into his creative process and some of the wily tricks of his trade. That evening, he returns for an all-ages reading featuring a lineup of local poets opening the show.
All three events will take place at Island Verse HQ, 30 First St., next to Madrone Cellars.
Brown is the author of 10 poetry collections and the founder of Write Bloody Publishing, one of the premier independent poetry publishers in the United States. In collaboration with Island Verse and Alchemy Arts Center, Write Bloody will also be launching a San Juan Island–based publishing imprint affectionately known as Write Bloody Island.
A former weatherman, paratrooper and still-practicing magician, Brown is widely known for his electric stage presence and inventive writing. The New York Times praised his work as “a rekindling of faith in the weird, hilarious, shocking, beautiful power of words.”
This is a rare opportunity to get lit up by language, reinvigorated by verse and reminded just how far humor and poetry can travel in the capable hands of a master performer.
RSVP for all events at www.islandverse.com.
The Island Verse Guest Author & Workshop Series is made possible through support from the San Juan County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Contributions Fund.
