Tufik "Tom" Shayeb

From AZPoetrypedia

Tufik "Tom" Shayeb has been writing poetry since 1997. In addition to appearing in local Arizona anthologies his work has found its way into nationally regarded collections, such as Write Bloody Publishing's The Good Things About America (2009). In addition, he has published three chapbooks titled Cracked Verses (2007), I'll Love You to Smithereens: a selection from the full-length manuscript (2008), and How Did Things Get So Janked Up? (2009). His most recent first book, I'll Love You to Smithereens was released by Loose Mannequin Publishing in April, 2009.

Biography

Tufik Youssef Shayeb came into the local Phoenix, Arizona performance arts scene in May of 2007 and, since that time, has performed at venues both locally and nationally, including:

• Arizona: Mill's End Cafe, The Paper Heart, Chyro Arts Venue, The Fair Trade Cafe, The Essenza Coffee House, The Willow House Cafe, A Shot of Java, The Paisley Violin, Bragg's Old Pie Factory, Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, The Applesauce Teahouse Spoken Word Theater, Mesa Community College, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Gateway Community College, Glendale Community College, Arizona State University Polytechnic, the Cottonwood Center for the Arts, The Great Arizona Puppet Theater, Queen's Pizzeria, Conspire Coffee, Club Mardi Gras and The Del Sol Reception Hall.
• California: The Starry Plough Pub and The Long Haul.
• Florida: Roxy's and Respectables.
• Illinois: The Green Mill Jazz Club.
• New Mexico: One Up Lounge, Kimo Theater and Winning Coffee Company.
• Wisconsin: Sprecher's Brewry, Avol's Bookstore, The Bartell: Drury Theater, The University of Wisconsin, and The Orpheum Stage Door.

Aside from slamming original poetry, from 2000-2008 Tufik programmed the poetry of other authors into ten-minute selections for poetry interpretation performances on pre-collegiate and collegiate circuits.

In 2007, Shayeb was one of the National Forensic Association's Poetry Interpretation semi-finalists, and then in 2008 he advanced to the American Forensic Association's National Poetry Interpretation quarter-finalist rounds.

In 2008, Shayeb was invited to read at Anthology Incorporated's Valentine's Day Massacre. He also opened for Derrick C. Brown's "The Lasers of Sexellence," and became a member of the Mesa Nationals Slam Team. In November of that year, Shayeb was asked to read at the Superstition Springs Review Reading Series.

In 2009, Shayeb completed his first national tour, came back to read at the Valentine's Day Massacre, and won the Mesa Grand Slam (making him the 16th Mesa Grand Slam Champion).

Currently, he holds a degree in Philosophy from Arizona State University and is in pursuit of a degree in a law.

Published Works

Cracked Verses (2007)

I'll Love You to Smithereens: selections from the full-length manuscript (2008)

How Did Things Get So Janked Up? (2009)

I'll Love You to Smithereens (2009)