Queer Novels Now

A night of readings and revelry with six authors of bestselling and critically acclaimed queer novels redefining what the form can do.

Free RSVP required for entry. 21+ with valid ID
Doors at 7:30, readings begin at 8
The venue is located up one flight of stairs. More detailed accessibility info is here
All books will be for sale by local indie bookstore The Head & the Hand Books

 

FRIDAY, JUNE 6TH
DOORS @ 7:30PM + SHOW @ 8PM
NO COVER // FREE FUN
RSVP: EVENTBRITE

 

About the readers:

Kristen Arnett (@kristen_arnettis the queer Floridian author of With Teeth: A Novel (Riverhead Books, 2021) which was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction and the New York Times bestselling debut novel Mostly Dead Things (Tin House, 2019) which was also a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction and was shortlisted for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Her third novel, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One, was published in March 2025 by Riverhead Books, who will also publish an untitled collection of her short fiction. She has a Masters in Library and Information Science from Florida State University and lives in Orlando, Florida.

Lydi Conklin (@lydiconklin) is the author of the novel Songs of No Provenance and the story collection Rainbow Rainbow. They are an Assistant Professor of Fiction at Vanderbilt University and have received a Stegner Fellowship in Fiction at Stanford University, a Rona Jaffe Writer’s Award, four Pushcart Prizes, a grant from the Elizabeth George Foundation, a Creative & Performing Arts Fulbright to Poland, work-study and tuition scholarships from Bread Loaf, and fellowships from MacDowell, Yaddo, Djerassi, Hedgebrook, the James Merrill House, the Vermont Studio Center, VCCA, Millay, Jentel, Lighthouse Works, Brush Creek, the Santa Fe Art Institute, Caldera, the Sitka Center, and Harvard University, among others.

Emma Copley Eisenberg (@frumpenberg) is the author of the novel Housemates, which was a national bestseller and named a best book of the year by The Boston Globe, People, NBC, Them.Us, Autostraddle, Electric Literature, and Kirkus Reviews. Housemates was longlisted for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award and won the Athenaeum of Philadelphia’s Literary Prize for Fiction. Her narrative nonfiction book, The Third Rainbow Girl, was a New York Times Notable Book as well as a finalist for an Edgar Award and a Lambda Literary Award. She lives in Philadelphia, where she co-founded Blue Stoop, a community hub for the literary arts.

Alejandro Heredia (@aleherex) is a queer Afro-Dominican writer from The Bronx. His debut novel LOCA was published in February 2025 by Simon and Schuster. He has received fellowships from Lambda Literary, VONA, the Dominican Studies Institute, Kenyon Review, and Trinity College. In 2019, he was selected by Myriam Gurba as the winner of the Gold Line Press Fiction Chapbook Contest. His chapbook of short stories, You’re the Only Friend I Need (2021), explores themes of queer transnationalism, friendship, and (un)belonging in the African Diaspora. Heredia’s work has been featured in Teen Vogue, Lambda Literary Review, The Offing, and elsewhere. He received an MFA in fiction from Hunter College.

Melissa Mogollon (@melissamogollonwriter) holds an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a BA from the George Washington University. Originally from Colombia and raised in Florida, she now teaches at a boarding school in Rhode Island, where she lives with her partner and dog. Oye, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, is her first novel.

Torrey Peters (@torreyadora) is the author of the novel Detransition, Baby, which won the 2021 PEN/Hemingway award for debut fiction and was named a Best Book of the Century by The New York Times. Her second book, Stag Dance, was published in March 2025 and was an indie bestseller. She is an amateur sauna builder, rides a pink motorcycle, and splits her time between Brooklyn and Santa Marta, Colombia.

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What’s Up at TMoms:

Daily Happy Hour | All drafts are just $4 every day from 4-6pm!

Daily Menu | Tattooed Mom will also be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.

• Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.

• Accessibility at TMoms | Due to the construction of our historical building, Tattooed Mom is only partially accessible. Our event space is on the second floor, which is only accessible via a flight of stairs (20 steps, 3 feet wide, railing on the left side only). For more information, please visit our Accessibility page.

Derek JG Williams Book Release

Williams book release

On May 13th at 8:00 an all-star group of Philadelphia poets joins Derek JG Williams to support the publication of his award-winning debut collection of poems, “Reading Water.” A $5 cover gets you all the poems you can handle (and then some).

 

TUESDAY, MAY 13TH
8PM
SUGGESTED DONATION $5
>> NOTAFLOF <<

 

Performers:

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***

What’s Up at TMoms:

Tuesdays, 4-10pm | The triumphant return of Taco Tuesday is finally here! Y’all better zoom down for $1.50 beef or bean tacos every Tuesday!! And wash it all down with $3 Tecate!

Daily Happy Hour | All drafts are just $4 every day from 4-6pm!

Daily Menu | Tattooed Mom will also be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.

• Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.

• Accessibility at TMoms | Due to the construction of our historical building, Tattooed Mom is only partially accessible. Our event space is on the second floor, which is only accessible via a flight of stairs (20 steps, 3 feet wide, railing on the left side only). For more information, please visit our Accessibility page.

Segments: A Literary Reading

A (mostly) literary salon to embrace our messy multitudes. Readings by local poets, special guests & open mic for the last hour.

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH
DOORS @ 5PM + SHOW @ 6PM
NO COVER // FREE FUN
RSVP: FB EVENT

 

Colleen T. Reese
Douglas Hardman
Keren Veisblatt Toledano
Krystle Griffin
Sean Lynch

 

***

What’s Up at TMoms:

Tuesdays, 4-10pm | The triumphant return of Taco Tuesday is finally here! Y’all better zoom down for $1.50 beef or bean tacos every Tuesday!! And wash it all down with $3 Tecate!

Daily Happy Hour | All drafts are just $4 every day from 4-6pm!

Daily Menu | Tattooed Mom will also be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.

• Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.

• Accessibility at TMoms | Due to the construction of our historical building, Tattooed Mom is only partially accessible. Our event space is on the second floor, which is only accessible via a flight of stairs (20 steps, 3 feet wide, railing on the left side only). For more information, please visit our Accessibility page.

Supernormal Stimuli Book Release Party

Come celebrate the release of Rosie Accola’s lyric novel about gay guidos with a reading + open mic. The theme is ~queer beach~, so come with your queer-beachiest poems and prose. Outfits encouraged.

Lineup:
Hosted by Veronica Bennett / Bullshit Lit
Reading by Rosie Accola

 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17TH
DOORS @ 6PM + SHOW @ 7PM
NO COVER // FREE FUN

 

***

What’s Up at TMoms:

Wednesday, 4-10pm | Burger Wednesday is BACK y’all! Come slam some Smash Burgers (classic or vegan) every Wednesday for just $6!! Plus $3 PBR! Recently named one of the top burgers in the city by The Philadelphia Inquirer!

Daily Happy Hour | All drafts are just $4 every day from 4-6pm!

Daily Menu | Tattooed Mom will also be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.

• Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.

• Accessibility at TMoms | Due to the construction of our historical building, Tattooed Mom is only partially accessible. Our event space is on the second floor, which is only accessible via a flight of stairs (20 steps, 3 feet wide, railing on the left side only). For more information, please visit our Accessibility page.

BULLSHIT LIT’S Second Anthology Release Party

BULLSHIT celebrates the release of their second print anthology with a reading and party @ tmoms! with readings from fourteen all-star writers, books for sale, and maybe even an open mic. 😉

 

SUNDAY, JULY 16TH
DOORS @ 6PM + SHOW @ 7PM
NO COVER // FREE FUN
RSVP: FB EVENT

 

Ryan Aliapoulios
L. Amariti
Jackie Domenus
Kat Giordano
Timothy C. Goodwin
finch greene
John Pinto
nat raum
Noah David Roberts
Leticia Priebe Rocha
Rory Strong
Eric Turner
Han Defeo Waldman
Isabella Willms-Jones

Hosted by Veronica Bennett!

***

What’s Up at TMoms:

Craft Sundays at TMoms? BACK. Googly eyes? BACK. Coloring pages? BACK? Your creative spirit? BACK. Come thru every Sunday for FREE arts & crafts upstairs and downstairs at Tattooed Mom! Sundays, All Day Long.

• Enjoy our happy hour! All drafts are just $4 every day from 4-6pm!

• Tattooed Mom will also be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.

• Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.

Collide Zine Artist Showcase & Open Mic // June 2023

After our first successful event back in April, Collide Zine is back at Tmom’s for ROUND 2 of their open mic and artist showcase!

Enjoy great food and cocktails in the upstairs area of the bar. The first and second rooms will have spaces for artists to hang originals, prints, or have tables of work on display for people to engage with and purchase. The third room will be closed off for an open-mic, where poets and performers can sign up for 5-10 minutes of mic time throughout the night.

 

TUESDAY, JUNE 13TH
6-10PM
NO COVER // FREE FUN

 

Issue 3 writers are encouraged to perform their pieces in the zine and be present at the event for autographs and photo ops.

11 x 17 posters of featured Collide art and hard copies of Collide Issues 3 will be available for purchase!

To purchase a vendor ticket, see the event page on Walls For Justice‘s website.

 

 

***

What’s Up at TMoms:

• The triumphant return of Taco Tuesday is finally here! Y’all better zoom down for $1.50 beef or bean tacos every Tuesday!! And wash it all down with $3 Tecate! Tuesdays, 4-11pm.

• Enjoy our happy hour! All drafts are just $4 every day from 4-6pm!

• Tattooed Mom will also be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.

• Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.

Collide Zine Art Show & Open Mic Night

Join us for a night to celebrate COLLIDE’s third issue at Tattooed Mom’s on South Street. Enjoy great food and cocktails in the upstairs area of the bar. The first and second rooms will have spaces for artists to hang originals, prints, or have tables of work n display for people to engage with and purchase.

 

MONDAY, APRIL 17TH
6-10PM
NO COVER // FREE FUN
RSVP: EVENTBRITE

 

The third room will be closed off for an open-mic, where poets and performers can sign up for 5-10 minutes of mic time throughout the night.

Issue 3 writers are encouraged to perform their pieces in the zine and be present at the event for autographs and photo ops.

11 x 17 posters of featured Collide art and hard copies of Collide Issues 3 will be available for purchase!

 

***

What’s Up at TMoms:

• Enjoy our new happy hour! All drafts are just $4 every day from 4-6pm!

• Tattooed Mom will also be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.

• Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.

One More Day On Earth Together, Vol. 3: A Reading Hosted by Kelly Xio

Gather | Transitive Verb + Adverb |to put your arms around someone and hold or carry them in a careful or loving way. 

One More Day On Earth Together is a gathering, a celebration of the present moment. Ask Alexa to play “I Was Here” by Beyonce and stand in the light emanating from each and every person whose love and existence defines you. It’s that feeling where everyone says you have to love yourself first but what if you learn by example? Love and be loved and be loved and love again.  Poetry as testament. Jenny Holzer said that we should savor kindness because cruelty is always possible later and yeah, it really be like that.

 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29TH
DOORS @ 6PM + SHOW @ 7PM
SUGGESTED DONATION // NOTAFLOF

 

Readers:
Sadie Dupuis
Geoff Rickley
Alina Pleskova
Hazel Avery
Aeon Ginsberg
Anna K Crooks

Hosted by Kelly Xio.
Flyer by Mark Plasma.

 

***

What’s Up at TMoms:

Burger Wednesday is BACK y’all! Come slam some Smash Burgers (classic or vegan) every Wednesday for just $6!! Plus $3 PBR! Wednesdays, 4-11pm.

• Enjoy our new happy hour! All drafts are just $4 every day from 4-6pm!

• Tattooed Mom will also be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.

• Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.

“Summonings” Launch Party

Join local poet Raena Shirali and friends to celebrate the launch of summonings with a night of poetry and art at Tattooed Mom, presented by Black Lawrence Press!

summonings investigates the ongoing practice of witch (“daayan”) hunting in India. These poems explore how antiquated and existing norms surrounding female mysticism in India and America inform each culture’s treatment of women, concepts that will be in conversation with the rest of the work from this incredible lineup of compelling Philadelphia poets.

In addition to readings from this collection and the work of Emma Brown Sanders, Cindy Arrieu-King, Kathy Fagan, Kim Gek Lin Short, and Alina Pleskova, the night will feature paintings by Brooklyn based artist Meera Dugal. All together, it will be a night of delicious drinks, tasty bites, and riveting art at a Philadelphia institution.

 

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH
6-9PM
NO COVER // FREE FUN
RSVP: FB EVENT

 

Lineup:
Raena Shirali
Ebs Brown Sanders
Kim Gek Lin Short
Cindy Arrieu-King
Alina Pleskova

With artwork by Meera Dugal

 

Tattooed Mom will be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.
Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.

Spooky Poems 365

Spooky Poems 365 is titled as such because Halloween never leaves our hearts. A haunted poetry reading on the first of November. What’s scarier—ghosts, or the thought that winter is coming?

The reading takes place at Tattooed Mom’s from 6PM to 9PM. There are three featured readers, who will each read for 15 to 20 minutes. The featured readers will be followed by an open mic, hosted by Noah! Readers have 5 minutes to perform. Remember, the tone is spooky! Must be 21+ with valid ID to attend.

 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST
DOORS @ 6PM + SHOW @ 7-9PM
NO COVER // FREE FUN
RSVP: FB EVENT

 

Featuring:
Lindsay Hargrave
Noah David Roberts
Robyn Hager

 

This event is obviously Halloween themed—but the idea came from Roberts’ most recent book, Final Girl Mythos, which is a collections of poems inspired by classic slasher movies. Roberts watched all the source movies over the summer—including watching films like Halloween and Friday the 13 th for the first time—and got really into the spooky spirit. Halloween is always with us! That is why the event is titled Spooky Poems 365.

 

Tattooed Mom will be serving tasty eats and ice cold drinks all evening.
Upstairs dining, bar access, and event entry is 21+ w/ valid ID.