Literary Conquest — Events
A traveling poet’s campaign across cities, coffee shops, bookstores, and open mics —sharing poetry, meeting readers, and building the Purple Rose legacy one cup of coffee and room at a time.
Below you will find all upcoming appearances, readings, and meet-ups.
Some events are traditional literary readings.
Some are intimate poetry sessions.
All are part of the journey.
COFFEE WITH A POET
Coffee with a poet is our chance to read my work together like two old friends—or a few friends, if others join us—discuss poetry, and any questions you may have. Show up, grab a cup of coffee, and bring your book — or you can buy a copy from me, as I will have books with me. We will pick a few poems, read together, and have a chat as far as the discussion for a little while. I’ll sign your book before we part ways—first as lovers of poetry, and after as acquaintances and lovers of poetry.
Be mindful of the space: bookstore or coffee shop. Join me in supporting local business with a coffee while we enjoy their space and my poetry.
I look forward to meeting you.
Eternally,
James V The Poet
Copies bought directly from the author are not returnable.
*****
COFFEE WITH A POET — EVENTS
Coffee With a Poet — Raleigh
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Saturday, December 14, 2025 | 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Location: Lucky Tree Coffee, Raleigh, NC
What I’ll Do: Read a poem, listen to a poem chosen by an attendee, and hold a short discussion.
Note: Come buy a cup of coffee and chat with a poet.
Coffee With a Poet — Durham
City: Durham
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Saturday, December 14, 2025 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Cocoa Cinnamon, Durham, NC
What I’ll Do: Read a poem, listen to a poem chosen by an attendee, and hold a short discussion.
Note: Come buy a cup of coffee and chat with a poet.
City: Sanford
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Thursday, December 18, 2025 | 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM
Location: Karma Coffee Bar or Milltown Java, Sanford, NC
What I’ll Do: Read a poem, take a poem selected by an attendee, discuss the work, and sign copies.
Note: Come buy a cup of coffee and chat with a poet.
Coffee With a Poet — Raleigh (Evening)
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Friday, December 19, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Lucky Tree Coffee, Raleigh, NC
What I’ll Do: Read a poem, listen to a poem chosen by an attendee, and hold a short discussion.
Note: Come buy a cup of coffee and chat with a poet.
Lucky Tree Coffee
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Lucky Tree Coffee, Raleigh, NC
What I’ll Do: I’ll be live on TikTok reading from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her, with an in-person reading for those who attend.
Note: Come grab a coffee, tap into the live, and experience the poetry in person.
Surfers Coffee
City: Wahiawā
State: Hawai‘i
Country: USA
Date & Time: Sunday, April 19, 2026 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Location: Surfers Coffee
What I’ll Do: I’ll be live on TikTok reading from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her, with an in-person reading for those who attend.
Note: Come grab a coffee, tap into the live, and experience the poetry in person.
Coffee With a Poet — Hosted by James V The Poet
City: Honolulu
State: Hawaii
Country: USA
Date & Time: Saturday, July 11, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Egghead Cafe, Honolulu, HI
What I’ll Do: Read a poem, listen to a poem or piece chosen by an attendee, and hold a short discussion about poetry, writing, publishing, grief, love, creativity, and the stories that shape our lives.
Note: Come buy a cup of coffee and chat with a poet. Bring a favorite poem, a question, a story, or simply yourself. Whether you’re a reader, writer, artist, or just curious, all are welcome. Books will be available, and I’ll be happy to sign copies and talk about Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her.
READING EVENTS
Surfers Sunset — Surfers Coffee
City: Wahiawā
State: Hawai‘i
Country: USA
Date & Time: Friday, December 5, 2025 | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Surfers Coffee
What I’ll Do: Attend, connect with local readers, hand out books.
Tongue & Groove Afternoon Open Mic — Artspace
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Sunday, December 14, 2025 | 12:30 PM – ~3:00 PM
Location: Artspace, 201 E Davie St
What I’ll Do: Enter the draw, read from the book.
Free the Mic Open Mic — Lucky Tree
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Monday, December 15, 2025 | 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Location: Lucky Tree, 3801 Hillsborough St
What I’ll Do: Attend, get on the list, read from the book.
Poetry & Prose Workshop/Open Mic — Blackbird Books & Coffee
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Blackbird Books & Coffee
What I’ll Do: Attend, read from the book, connect with the literary crowd.
Freshly Brewed Poems — Tap Yard Raleigh
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Wednesday, December 17, 2025 | Sign-up 6:30 PM, readings 7:00–9:00 PM
Location: Tap Yard Raleigh, 1610 Automotive Way
What I’ll Do: Attend, sign up, read from the book.
City Soul Cafe Open Mic — Terminal 8
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Wednesday, December 17, 2025 | 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Location: Terminal 8 Bar & Lounge
What I’ll Do: Optional second reading after Tap Yard.
Quail Ridge Books — Author Presence
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Thursday, December 18, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Location: Quail Ridge Books, 4209-100 Lassiter Mill Rd
What I’ll Do: Introduce myself to staff, offer signed copies, speak about the book and the veteran cause
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Monday, December 22, 2025 | 7:30PM
Location: Lucky Tree, 3801 Hillsborough St
What I’ll Do: This is my last open mic in 2025. AT 7:30PM I am scheduled to read poems from the book.
City: Cary
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Wednesday, December 24, 2025 | , readings 7:00–9:00 PM
Location: Downtown Cary Park, 327 S Academy St
What I’ll Do: Christmas Eve – I will start a TikTok live for five minutes and read a few poems and end the live. I will send the rest of the hour until 5:00PM writing poetry in the park.
Surfers Sunset — Surfers Coffee
City: Wahiawā
State: Hawai‘i
Country: USA
Date & Time: Friday, February 14th, 2026 | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Surfers Coffee
What I’ll Do: Read my poems at the open Mic and give out a few books.
Plantoem Cafe
City: Honolulu
State: Oahu, Hawaii
Country: USA
Date & Time: Friday, February 20, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Location: Plantoem, Honolulu, HI
What I’ll Do: I’ll be reading from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her—a selection of the thirty-three love letters written to one woman, only a handful ever sent before the door in this lifetime closed.
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Monday, March 23, 2026 | Time: TBD
Location: Lucky Tree, 3801 Hillsborough St
What I’ll Do: This is my next open mic in Raleigh. I’m scheduled to read poems from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her.
ATHENA of the Triangle
City: Cary
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 | Time: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Location: SAS Campus, Cary, NC
What I Did: I attended the ATHENA of the Triangle Leadership Conference, a gathering of leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals focused on growth, networking, and leadership development.
Neptunes Parlour
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 | Time: TBD
Location: Neptune’s Parlour, Raleigh, NC
What I’ll Do: This is my next open mic in Raleigh. I’m scheduled to read poems from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her.
Terminal 8 Bar and Lounge Poetry Open Mic
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 | Time: TBD
Location: Terminal 8, Raleigh, NC
What I’ll Do: This is my next open mic in Raleigh. I’m scheduled to read poems from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her.
Speak Your Peace —House of Creatives Open Mic at The Lucky Tree
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Thursday, March 26, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Lucky Tree Coffee, Raleigh, NC
What I’ll Do: I’ll be reading through Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her.
Juiced Bar —Poetry Night
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Thursday, March 26, 2026 | 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Location: Juiced Bar, 434 Hill St, Raleigh, NC
What I’ll Do: I’ll be reading from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her.
Volcanic Voices Open Mic — The Bar Next Door
City: Honolulu
State: Hawaii
Country: USA
Date & Time: Thursday, April 2, 2026 | Time: 8:00 – 11:00 PM
Location: The Bar Next Door, 1154 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813
What I’ll Do: This was my debut night with Volcanic Voices. I read from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her.
Terminal 8 Bar and Lounge Poetry Open Mic
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 29th,, 2026 | Time: 8:00 – 11:00 PM
Location: Terminal 8, Raleigh, NC
What I’ll Do: This is my next open mic in Raleigh. I will get on the schedule to read poems from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her.
Dreams & Legacy — Hip-Hop & R&B Night at Terminal 8 Bar & Lounge
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Friday, May 1, 2026 | 9:00 PM – 2:00 AM
Location: Terminal 8 Bar & Lounge, Raleigh, NC
What I’ll Do: I’ll be performing as one of the featured artists, reading poetry from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her. I’ll be there enjoying the night—hookah, live music, and supporting local talent, including my friend Payper performing his song “Radar.”
Creators Market — Hosted by TurnMeUpRank
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA
Date & Time: Thursday, May 2nd, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: 5104 Western Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27606
What I’ll Do: I’ll have a table selling poetry books, signing copies, and doing a live poetry reading from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her.
Blue Moon Tavern Open Mic Night — Hosted by The Blue Moon Tavern
City: Seattle
State: Washington
Country: USA
Location: 712 NE 45th St, Seattle, WA 98105
What I’ll Do: I’ll be performing live at the legendary Blue Moon Tavern during their open mic night. I’ll have a 10-minute featured slot where I’ll be reading 3–4 poems from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her, along with unreleased material nobody has heard yet from my upcoming book.
Established in 1934, the Blue Moon Tavern is one of Seattle’s most iconic literary and artistic landmarks, with a history of welcoming writers, poets, musicians, and creatives for generations.
For those who know my work, you already understand this is more than poetry to me. This is legacy, emotion, storytelling, and truth spoken out loud.
Great crowd. Great music. Historic atmosphere. Real Seattle creative energy.
If you’re in the area, come out, grab a drink, and experience it live.
Poetry Open Mic Night — Hosted by Sons and Daughters Books
City: Los Angeles
State: California
Country: USA
Location: 7817 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
What I’ll Do: I’ll be reading poetry from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name — Letters from Me to Her during the Poetry Open Mic hosted by Sons and Daughters Books. I’ll also be sharing additional original work and connecting with fellow poets, writers, and readers in one of Los Angeles’ most respected independent bookstores.
Owned by author and poet Raine De Leon, Sons and Daughters Books has become a welcoming home for literary voices, creative expression, and community-centered storytelling.
Whether you’re reading your own work or simply coming to listen, all poets and poetry lovers are welcome.
If you’re in the area, I’d love to see you there.