Timmy: You’re tackling a 12 city Literary Death Match tour, how come?
Todd: For 9 years I’ve run Opium on a brand of pennilessness that shames Poe. But a month ago, after an excruciating wait, Opium for the Arts was born — and we were officially a 501c3 nonprofit. While our reputation is intact, and we try to give every reason to subscribe, I wanted to do something in the spirit of Opium to convince people to donate and support us: something bold, a little bit lunatic, and exhausting to us and superfun for others. And the LDM tour was born.
Timmy: Why did you pursue nonprofit status for Opium Magazine? What are the benefits to running it as/with a 501(c)3 nonprofit?
Todd: Opium couldn’t have survived otherwise. With nonprofit status we can live forever, if people subscribe and donate. I think they will, I think they should, and I hope they do. People have no idea how much $25 means to us. It adds up so fast and we turn it into, I think, literary gold.
Timmy: You’re only hosting 11 of the 13 events, why so?
Todd: Logistically, I’m still only capable of being in one place at one time. And the LDM is like a big literary crowdsourcing experiment gone right. So it made sense that I wouldn’t e hosting in SF or NYC, two places where the LDM is established and well known. I like leaning on the people I have in those cities — Elissa Bassist in SF who’s a worldbeater and a team of literary agent Erin Hosier, improv master Carter Edwards, artist James J. Williams III and newcomer/genius/future co-host Ann Heatherington in NYC.
Timmy: What are your fears and concerns regarding this LDM tour?
Todd: That a plane will crash or I’ll get a monster cold. But I’m getting better at wearing myself out and not paying the long term price. So we’ll see. And also, I’m as madly in love as I’ve ever been, so heartsickness is a concern. The one thing I’m not afraid of is the success of the events. They’re not failproof — nothing is — but there’s so much talent that I’m tapping into (50 writers! 35 judges!) it’s just overwhelmingly flattering that they’re participating and just plain cool that its happening.
Timmy: What are your hopes and dreams for the tour?
Todd: That 100 people subscribe. That we raise $10,000. That people have such a great time they sort of giggle before going to sleep the night they see the show. That the writers involved all find new audiences. That people aid our hunt to turn this into a TV show. That people fall in love with people they meet at the events and look back thirty years from now and think: I love that we were there, that we saw that, that we took a chance, that faraway night.
Timmy: Tell me about some of your travel logistics. I think people will be interested in know how something this massive gets accomplished?
Todd: Oh, man. I can reel off my itinerary in a hot second. It’s freaky. And I always love when people ask where I’m going and their eyes glaze over when I get halfway through the list. And then I think: ha! I actually have to TRAVEL to all those places. But the trick is: buy tickets way early and rely on the air mattresses of strangers.
Timmy: Who are some of the folks that make these Literary Death Matches happen? How’d they get involved?
Todd: I listed SF and NYC people above, but that’s a sliver of who helps. Sara Ortiz of the Writer’s League of Texas in Austin has been fantastic, Zach Dodson of featherproof books was essential to Chicago happening, Andre Perry in Iowa City is a god amongst literary men/women, and San Diego would never have happened without Shauna McKenna. Then there’s Sam Barsanti, my right hand man for LDM — he’s officially an intern, but his true title is “the glue.”
That’s what I love about the LDM, is that I’ve always called it my Fight Club, and it’s truer every day.
The other twist is that many LDM’s happen because I get a Twitter note or an email or whatnot that says, “Bring it to our city!” and I think there’s only one or two where I haven’t immediately put a plan into motion to get there and do it.
So, the mix of those involved ranges from longtime friends I trust, to people in the lit world, to those I’ve yet to meet. Pretty wild, when I think about it. Here’s a perfect example: driving from Iowa City to Minneapolis I called Steve Marsh, who was co-hosting with me. I couldn’t remember who had put us in touch weeks before. And near the end of our conversation I told him, “I’m excited you’ll be a part of the event.” “Why,” he said, “you’ve never met me.” my response: “Exactly!”
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