Tiffany Razzano, Journalist/Patch & Founder of Wordier Than Thou. Nanette Wiser on RadioStPete's "Lunchtime Conversations" 3-5-24

Episode 7173,   Mar 04, 05:31 PM


If you love books, raising awareness of the banned books issue, quirky bibliophile events and cats (she has three), you’ll enjoy this interview with Tiffany Razzano and Nanette Wiser, RadioStPete INSIDER’s news director. Born and raised in
New York, Tiffany Razzano is a writer in St. Petersburg, Florida. She’s an editor for Patch, covering Sarasota, Bradenton and Miami. Prior to this, she worked as an editor for Tampa Bay Newspapers. 

She also writes for La Gaceta and Watermark. Tiffany is also the founder and president of Wordier Than Thou, a literary arts business that creates fun and engaging events for Florida writers and readers. In a recent article in Green Bench Monthly we learned that Tiffany’s “Her first event was held at the former L Train, a black-box theater on Central Avenue. Soon afterward, the Blah, Blah, Blah Literary Reading and Open Mic moved to Studio@620, where it continues. As successful as the open mic night was,

Razzano wanted to reach people who may never have stepped inside a bookstore. To that end, she led Wordier to host quirky literary-themed events at local bars. She challenged local writers to roast dead authors and imagine a world with
Donald Trump as President (pre-2016 election), and invited all of Tampa Bay to hear the resulting works. In addition to the fun stuff, Razzano steers Wordier to provide writers with more tools for success. 

Wordier hosts the Tampa Bay
Publishing Conference every spring in St. Petersburg.  Her latest extension of Wordier Than Thou is a queer feminist pop- up bookstore that sells new and used fiction and non-fiction books by LGBTQ+, women and writers of color as well as
banned books. It’s called This Bookstore Kills Fascists, a not-so subtle protest of book censorship in Florida schools. The bookstore’s name is a twist on the slogan “This machine kills fascists” that folk singer Woody Guthrie painted on his
guitar during World War II in protest of Hitler and his Nazi regime.  Razzano says the bookstore name is “tongue in cheek” while still trying to make a point against banning books. Nevertheless, some other shop owners at Bazaar on
Apricot & Lime in Sarasota where the bookstore operated complained that the name was “too hostile.” She closed that
location and continues to operate a pop-up store at the monthly Gulfport IndieFaire as well as at other area markets and
businesses such as the Public Studio House on Central Avenue.”

Upcoming Wordier Than Thou events: 3/10 Come out St. Pete Chili Cookoff at Studio Public House ; 3/12 Studio@620

Open Mic; 3/16 3 rd Saturday Gulfport Indie Faire on Beach Boulevard; 3/28 Critical Drinking Book Club with Mike
Morency at the Studio Public House and the Tampa Bay Publishing Conference July 19-21 in downtown St. Pete.
https://www.wordierthanthou.com/  

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