Fall news

Hello , 

Hope your summer is going forward thru glimpses of small and large beauties and accidental comedies.  (Life is good at that.)

Let me share with you a quote: "You write poetry not to make poems or publish but to experience life more fully" - Marco Fraticelli at the Hatley renga retreat. That grounds. Be present, be present, be. In the ease and the difficulty. Life is a few blinks long. It's 20 blinks at most to cross 20 years. Picnic more. Fritter in fret less. Walk more. I mean this as much to myself as to you. Be kinder than you need to be, and tell those you cherish that they matter more often. 

Chapbooks & Season Launches & Oh My

I sent out a couple poem submissions and got a yes back for early September for a poem. And some silence.  I'm plucking at the words of Stephen King that "You cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you." and the words of Elena Ferrante, "Honest writing forces itself to find words for those parts of our experience that are crouched and silent." ―  Let the ideas and play out and the people in. Of all the risks you can make in writing, they are less than the risks in daily living and being best and growing self. Anyhew,

I thought I'd not have a chapbook until next spring — three chapbooks were wrestling me back hard. [With a bum shoulder there's only so much I should wrestle. :) ]  Maybe, maybe, I'm making headway on the next book of short lyrical bits.  A weekend at Fieldwork moved that ahead with a few more pieces to add. Working in the field and forest gives more centering and concentration than the city. And then there was the fellowship of writers and a warm reception from the Maberly/Perth area artists and other folks. Does a heart good.

In the hard a/c of editing, spring comes early. After gracious friends gave me feedback line by line or in general, Sex in Sevens has been sent and accepted by above/ground. The chapbook is part of the tradition of every 7 years Canadian poets reflecting on what sex means at that age and stage. Its Sept 10 launch is part of the 23rd anniversary celebration of the series which gives a start or boost to so many poets.  I'll be reading with Stephanie Bolster, Braydon Beaulieu and Sean Braune. 

With phafours press, now this is way early sneak preview news but we've got chapbooks coming out from Mike Montreuil and dalton derkson. Still accepting submissions for mini chapbooks until Oct 20th.

the pet radish, shrunken has been shortlisted for the Lampman Award and is set to launch (tentatively scheduled for) Oct 4th at Pressed Café as part of the Lampman Brebner reading. Check bywords.ca to confirm closer to the time.

Literary Landscape (check out that snazzy new site) is looking forward to Jessica Moore on Sept 8, just before her reading opening Tree's fall season Sept 13th. We're now at g101 on 51 Young St B, near Preston Street and the Queensway by foot. Upcoming guests on CKCU this fall include Vera Wabegijig and David Groulx, a co-finalist for the Lampman,  in October and November. Robin McLachlen, the new co-host just interview CA Conrad. Check out the link for the archive of that fascinating show.

As co-directors, Colin and I are busy planning 2017. The Tree website for fall is now up with writers from near and far including Vanessa Shields(!), David Stymeist, Soraya Peerbaye, Adèle Barclay, Sandra Ridley(!) and more.

For KaDo, the senryu, haiku and related forms, we're looking at a Sept 11th meeting at our house. If you want to check it out, anyone is welcome to visit. Let me know and I'll give you details.
 

I haven't been blogging. I report the 95 book challenge on twitter. Of what I've finished and would recommend? Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (the hype is not overstated, powerful and poetic memoir), The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (wow, research alone but woven beautifully), even this page is white by Vivek Shraya (worth reading and pondering). And, rather late to the party, That Night We Were Ravenous (by John Steffler, 1998) is elegant and touching. And Once More Saw the Sun: Four Poems for Two Voices by P.K. Page and Philip Stratford is tender and careful and poems as relationship. Lovely. It came out from Buschek in 2001. A good local publisher. Send them all your spare money. 

Until next time, keep reading and keep writing,

Pearl