a sparrow's bones

Hiatus

2010-12-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

This blog is going on hiatus. Perhaps there is something more than just the bones now.

For news on Niagara literary and artful happenings: http://ourartnow.tumblr.com/

For news on the Grey Borders Reading Series: http://greyborders.blogspot.com/

For news on the Brock University Creative Writers' Club: http://bucwc.tumblr.com/

I'll be posting regular stream of poetry and some news at my new online home: http://personnelarchive.tumblr.com/

Thanks for following along.

Until the future,

Videos from the Cipher Series...

2010-11-21T09:11:00.000-08:00

On November 12, friends in the BUCWC videotaped the night's performances. I've embedded two here. Be sure to check out the rest of the performances on the BUCWC tumblr here.

Cipher RS, November 12th - Young Stallions from BUCWCeXtra on Vimeo.

Phil and I as The Two Young Stallions.

Cipher RS, November 12th - Eric Schmaltz from BUCWCeXtra on Vimeo.

I myself as myself sideways.

Many thanks to the group for shooting these videos.

Some GBRS News

2010-11-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

The Grey Borders Reading Series Presents...

Lia Pas

Sachiko Murakami

Domenico Capilongo

Mat Laporte

Date: November 25, 2010

Time:
8pm

Location:
Pan Cafe - 120 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines, Ontario

Facebook event, here.

Bios:
Lia Pas is a multidisciplinary creator-performer who has worked in the fields of music, writing, and theatre. Born and based in Saskatoon, Lia studied music at York University, Toronto (BFA 1995) and completed her MA in Devised Theatre at Dartington College of Arts (October 2006) in Devon, UK. Lia has written poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and scripts. In addition to her volumes of poetry: Husk (JackPine Press, 2008, with artist Ed Pas, awarded second place in the limited editions category of the Alcuin Awards), what is this place we have come to (Thistledown Press, 2003) and vicissitudes (Underwhich Editions, 2001), her literary work has been broadcast on CBC Radio and widely published in literary periodicals. Lia’s current project-in-progress, splanchnologies, is an interdisciplinary performance and text piece exploring anatomy as image. She recently completed her videopoem, susurrations, as part of this project.

Sachiko Murakami's first collection of poetry, The Invisibility Exhibit (Talonbooks 2008), was a finalist for the Governor General's Award for Poetry and the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. She has been a literary worker for numerous journals and organizations and is a past member of the Kootenay School of Writing collective. A second collection, Rebuild, is forthcoming with Talonbooks. She lives in Toronto where she cohosts the Pivot reading series.

Domenico Capilongo lives in Toronto, with his family. He teaches high school creative writing, alternative education and karate. He has had work published in several literary magazines including Descant, and Geist. He was short-listed for the 2009 gritLit poetry award and his first book of poetry, I thought elvis was Italian was published in the spring of 2008 with Wolsak and Wynn. His second book of jazz-inpired poetry, hold the note, was published this fall with Quattro Books.

Mat Laporte just released Demons a chapbook pubilshed by Ferno House. He is presently doing an independent study of chance poetics at York University. He lives in Toronto.

Words Radio - CFBU

2010-11-07T09:04:00.000-08:00

CFBU has recently added a poetry show to their line up.

The gig is called Words Radio.

You can check out there tumblr here.

The manifesto:

We are Words-Radio, Brock's literature-based Radio Show! As our title would suggest, we broadcast everything related to literature, including poetry, plays, local and visiting authors, everything under the sun!We broadcast every friday 2-2:30 on 103.7 FM and online at cfbu.ca, and if you have any questions e-mail us at wordswordswords@hotmail.ca, or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/WordsRadio or facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_153610564682584&ap=1

Some good work here. Check out the broadcast and mp3s.

GBRS in the News

2010-11-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

Sarah Ferguson, Staff Writer for the Niagara News covered the latest GBRS event.

photo credit to Sarah Ferguson

It was the

bookthug invasion of late october

featuring

Victor Coleman, Michael Boughn, Meredith Quartermain, Jay MillAr and Mark Goldstein

Check out the hype HERE.

Thanks to Sarah for doing such a lovely job.

the latest from the niagara

2010-11-04T07:12:00.000-07:00

Here's wind of a new lit/arts journal that's based in the Niagara Region.

dead (g)end(er)

From the editor:

"dead (g)end(er) is an independently run and published art+lit journal.
We promote art that is progressive, and original, eclectic, and just plain awesome.

dead (g)end(er) accepts submissions from anyone regardless of sex, age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or planet of origin.

dead (g)end(er) likes play with popular culture, just as much as we like the avante garde.
We like the experimental, just as much as we like the universal—preferably a mixture of the two is always encouraged!
As long as it’s cool, we will publish it! :)

We accept:
visual art - photography, doodles, sketches, paintings, sculptures, graphic design, etc.
literature - poetry, short-fiction, articles, essays, novel excerpts, screen-play excerpts, theatre excerpts, song lyrics, etc."

Check it:

http://www.deadgender.blogspot.com/

Cipher Reading

2010-10-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

The Cipher Series continues on...

Myself and several others will be reading at

Fine Grind Cafe on James Street in St. Catharines, Ontario

on Friday November 12, 2010.

Starts at 7pm.

Rumor has it, this events the return of the Two Young Stallions.

This is a BUCWC event.

Come out and support the local literati.

The GBRS event...

2010-10-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Grey Borders Reading Series Presents...

rob mclennan

Pearl Pirie

Gregory Betts

James Millhaven

Date:

November 10, 2010

Time: 7:30 pm

Location:

Niagara Artists Center

354 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines

905.641.0331

Licensed, pay what you can

Pearl Pirie:

Pearl Pirie's forthcoming trade collection is been shed bore (Chaudiere Books, 2010).www.beenshedbore.com. Her chapbooks include over my dead corpus (AngelHouse, 2010) and boathouse (above/ground, 2008). She blogs at pesbo, Humanyms, and a few other places. Poems have appeared thru dandelion, ditch, PRECIPICe, 1cent, Ottawater, unarmed, Peter F Yacht Club, Dusie and 17 Seconds, pooka press and gar. She writes in Ottawa and lives in her head (with outings for chocolate).

rob mclennan:

Born in Ottawa, Canada’s glorious capital city, rob mclennan currently lives in Ottawa. The author of some twenty trade books of poetry, fiction and non-fiction, his most recent titles are the poetry collections gifts (Talonbooks), a compact of words (Salmon Poetry, Ireland), wild horses (University of Alberta Press) and a second novel, missing persons (The Mercury Press). An editor and publisher, he runs above/ground press, Chaudiere Books (with Jennifer Mulligan), seventeen seconds: a journal of poetry and poetics (ottawater.com/seventeense

conds), The Garneau Review (ottawater.com/garneaurevi

ew) and the Ottawa poetry pdf annual ottawater (ottawater.com). He spent the 2007-8 academic year in Edmonton as writer-in-residence at the University of Alberta, and regularly posts reviews, essays, interviews and other notices at robmclennan.blogspot.com.

Gregory Betts:

Gregory Betts is a poet, editor, essayist, and teacher born in Vancouver, raised in Toronto, now living in St. Catharines, ON. He is the author of four books of poetry including If Language (BookThug 2005), Haikube (BookThug 2006), The Others Raisd in Me (Pedlar Press 2009), and Psychic Geographies and Other Topics (Quattro Press 2010; also as ane-book) as well as several chapbooks and various bits of ephemera.

James Millhaven:

James Millhaven was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, in 1987. His first chapbook, Edges, was released by Grey Borders Books in July 2010. He is currently working on his second chapbook and a one-act play. He would generally include a witty (or at least half-witty) remark at the end, but this was written at the last minute. Sorry.

Grey Borders Reading Series Presents...

2010-10-12T09:55:00.001-07:00

After a successful start to the season

Grey Borders Reading Series is proud to present a night of (book)thuggery featuring...

Victor Coleman

Michael Boughn

Meredith Quartermain

Jay MillAr

Mark Goldstein

Date:

Thursday October 21, 2010

Time:

7pm

Location:

The Niagara Artists’ Centre

354 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines

905.641.0331

Licensed, pay what you can

Link to the GBRS blog:

http://greyborders.blogspot.com

Link to the facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=101061936626482&ref=mf

Author Bios:

Victor Coleman is the author of numerous books of poetry, starting with the 1964 publication of From Erik Satie’s Notes to the Music, throughCORRECTIONS (1985), LAPSED WASP (1994), and ICON TACT (2006). He was a founding editor of both Coach House Press (in 1965) and Coach House Books (in 1997) and has laboured as a film programmer at Queen’ University, the Executive Director of A Space, and co-director and programmer for The Music Gallery in Toronto. He was the editorial director for the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art (www.ccca.ca) and currently toils as a semi-retired free-lance editor. His latest non-BookThug publication, from Shuffaloff/Eternal Network is How To Become A Good Dancer. Early in 2011 The University of California Press will release his (and Michael Boughn’s) edit of Robert Duncan’s The H.D. Book.

Born and raised in Riverside, California, Michael Boughn moved to Canada in 1966 because of his opposition to the war against Viet Nam. In Vancouver he met and studied with Robin Blaser who introduced him to the work of William Blake, Charles Olson, H.D., Jack Spicer, Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams and other crucial writers. He spent nearly 10 years working in the Teamsters before returning to school to study with Robert Creeley and Jack Clarke in Buffalo, N.Y. where he received his PhD in 1986. Since 1993 he has lived in Toronto. He is the author of Iterations of the Diagonal, Dislocations in Crystal, Into the World of the Dead, One’s own Mind, and 22 Skidoo/SubTractions. With Victor Coleman, he edited Robert Duncan’s The H.D. Book for the University of California Press. His detective novel, Business As Usual, is forthcoming.

Meredith Quartermain was born in Toronto but grew up elsewhere in Ontario and in rural British Columbia. At UBC she was intrigued by the poetry of Jack Spicer and Robert Duncan. She also delved into Biology, Latin, Math, Philosophy and Linguistics. For a while she practiced law. She is the author of several books of poetry including Matter, Nightmarker (finalist for the Vancouver Book Award) and Vancouver Walking (winner of a BC Book Award). She runs Nomados Literary Publishers with husband Peter Quartermain.

Toronto writer Mark Goldstein has suffered no visible education. An avid small presser, he issues limited editions under the Beautiful Outlaw imprint. After Rilke, his first collection, was published in the summer of 2008. Tracelangage is his second book.

Jay MillAr is a Toronto poet, editor, publisher, teacher and virtual bookseller. He is the author of several books, the most recent of which are esp : accumulation sonnets (2009) and Other Poems (2010). He is also the author of several privately published editions, such as Lack Lyrics, which tied to win the 2008 bpNichol Chapbook Award. Millar is the shadowy figure behind BookThug, a publishing house dedicated to exploratory work by well-known and emerging North American writers, as well as Apollinaire's Bookshoppe, a virtual bookstore that specializes in the books that no one wants to buy. Currently Jay teaches creative writing and poetics at George Brown College and Toronto New School of Writing.

BUCWC POETRY EVENT

2010-10-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

The

Brock University Creative Writers' Club

hosting

poetry reading

Thursday October 14, 2010

Fine Grind

James Street

Downtown St. Cats

7pm

see you there, bud.

The One Shot Reading Series

2010-09-20T07:04:00.001-07:00

Photos from the first (and maybe the only) reading from the executive-like students from Brock University.

Phil Miletic; a president-like individual and first time emcee.

Lindsay Cahill; a local writer and eccentric.

Mr. Ed Edmonds.

One of the shorter ones we know... Helen Tran.

Phil Miletic

Jade Wallace, incognito.

Quick garb change.

Thanks to the door for letting in a cool breeze and adding a bit of character to each of these photos.

Poetry Event

2010-09-08T07:27:00.001-07:00

A group of executive-like students

from

Brock University will be holding

Poetry Reading

Fine Grind Cafe

September 17, 2010

7 pm

featuring...

Phil Miletic

Jade Wallace

Helen Tran

Ed Edmonds

Robert Dimmers

Here is the facebook event page, here.

Stick around for the open mic that will follow the event

Grey Borders Reading Series News

2010-08-29T15:24:00.001-07:00

There have been some major updates over at the Grey Borders blog.

There is a new interview with bill bissett here.

and now some event details...

Grey Borders 3.0 is proud to present...

bill bissett

Catherine Owen

Phil Hall

Terry Trowbridge

Date: Thursday September 23, 2010

Time: 7:00 pm

Location:

The Niagara Artists’ Centre

354 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines

905.641.0331

No Cover, Licensed

Chapbook release tonight

2010-08-07T06:37:00.001-07:00

James Milhaven, a local writer is releasing his new chapbook tonight at Strega Cafe.

Details are on the poster below

Come mingle with some local literati!

Broken Pencil

2010-08-06T07:42:00.001-07:00

My reviews of Kaspoit! by Dennis E. Bolen, The Rose Concordance by Angela Carr and How to be Inappropriate by Daniel Nestor can be found in the latest issue of Broken Pencil magazine.

Check out the new issue here:

http://www.brokenpencil.com/issues/issue.php

The Oncely Monthly

2010-07-29T13:18:00.001-07:00

A diverse pamphlet project edited by Phil Miletic:

http://the-oncely-monthly.tumblr.com/

Submissions are now being accepted.

Check out the guidelines via the Tumblr.

Fausto: The Art Project

2010-07-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

Do you like art?

Here is some art you might like:

http://www.fausttheartproject.com/

Faust is formerly a St. Catharines resident.

CHECK IT OUT

Welcome to the Carnival

2010-07-11T07:25:00.001-07:00

Here are some grainy photos from The Scream's Opening:

WELCOME TO THE CARNIVAL

Steve McCaffery reads from Carnival 3

David Antin

Adeena Karasick

2010-06-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here's something to look forward to:

Adeena Karasick will be reading at

St. Catharines Library

Mills Room

54 Church Street

Wednesday, June 16th

7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

www.canauthorsniagara.org

Born in Winnipeg, Karasick has lectured and performed

worldwide and regularly publishes articles, reviews and

dialogues on contemporary poetry, poetics and

cultural/semiotic theory. She is the author of several

books of poetry and poetic theory. Karasick is a Professor of Global

Literature at St. John's University in New York City.

Check Adeena Karasick out HERE.

2010 Award Winners

2010-05-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to this year's BUCWC anthology award winners...

2010 Eleanor Abram Prize for Fiction

Cassie Leigh

2010 Canadian Author Association Prize for Poetry

Emi Morimoto

bookthug - book launch

2010-05-11T14:21:00.000-07:00

last friday, a few friends and myself invaded the bookthug book launch at "This Ain't the Rosedale Library." the night featured Karen Mac Cormack, David Dowker, and Steve McCaffery. i have a few photos of the event. the night was soggy and enjoyable.

Steve McCaffery

David Dowker

(unfortunately, i was unable to retrieve the photos of Karen Mac Cormack, sigh)

Canadian Authors in Action...

2010-04-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

"Canadian Authors In Action"

Adam Dickinson

John Barta

Jane Garrett-Peat

Keith Inman

Sheila Laundry

Ron Prickett

Malcolm Matthews

Robert Broerse

Eric Schmaltz

Tom Vaine

Jade Alyssa Wallace

Claire Bullen

Several finalists from the library's "Fresh Ink" Creative Writing Competition for Teens

This event is sponsored by the St. Catharines Library and admission is free.

Call Barb Weiler at 905-685-0153 or Diane Andrusko at 905-688-6103 for more information. St. Catharines Library.

lapse; an anthology of creative writing

2010-04-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

The launch of 'lapse' was a great success.

Thank you to everyone who was able to make it out.

A special thanks to Lindsay Gray for being our photographer for the night.

Here are photos from the evening:

Cassie Leigh in front of Cask 22

Some local enthusiasts

A bump and a growl; A dazed Duncan Griffiths

Marisa Angela Blackburn

Jade Scapillato

Jeremy Colangelo

Amanda Rose Graveline

Stephanie Tingzon

Emi Morimoto

Kris Mills

Justin Emmette Harney

The crowd and James Dean...?

Cassie and Cassondra havin' a read

The crowd at break...

Phil Miletic; new President of the BUCWC

Cassie Leigh

Jade Wallace; new Editor for the BUCWC

Jade Wallace and her accompanying voices

Ed Edmonds; new VP for the BUCWC

Helen Tran; new Editor for the BUCWC

Tom Vaine

Oksana Berda; former Editor for the BUCWC

Robb Ellison; former Treasurer for the BUCWC

Sound Poetry by Two Young Stallions

A giggle and a pop

Poster for this year's launch (many thanks to Demetra Peppas)

Hugs

Eric Schmaltz

The Next Slam...

2010-04-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010, Strega Cafe (19 King Street, St. Catharines)
7:00 - 9:00pm

The upcoming installment of our monthly contest has been certified organic by In The Soil : Niagara's Homegrown Arts Festival, running April 15th through 24th. Check out their website for details on shows and events. It's sure to be an amazing ten days for arts and culture!

For more information about In The Soil check out event details here.

Futureale

2010-04-11T15:38:00.001-07:00

My article "The Up and Coming Literary Niagara" has been featured in the latest issue of Futureale magazine.

You can check it out here.

2010-04-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

The official poster for the launch of

'lapse'

Poster Cred to Demetra Peppas

lapse; an anthology of creative writing by BrockU students

2010-04-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

The Brock University Creative Writers' Club is proud to present...

lapse;

an anthology of creative writing

The BUCWC's is proud present 'lapse.' Brock's annual anthology of poetry and short fiction which features some of Brock's most talented writers.

The launch party will be on April 13 at 7 pm. Where you ask? At Cask 22 (176 St. Paul Street). Cask 22 is a nice little wine bar in the downtown. We had a successful launch there last year, and hope to do it again.

Bring your friends, lovers and family for a great evening.

The book will be on sale at this event for $10 a copy.

If you have been featured in this year's anthology we would love for you to read the poems or the short fiction piece you have in the anthology. Email me back confirming that you are willing to read. The more writers we can showcase the better.

I guarantee this to be an excellent night.

Please spread the word. Here is the link to facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=110742355620511&ref=ts

(Word on the Street: As a non-bucwc event there may or may not be some sort of gathering at the Merchant Ale House after the event)

2010-04-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

Here are a few videos from Christian Bök's reading:

Grey Borders - Christian Bök and CCMC

2010-04-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

Last night, CCMC and Christian Bök performed at the Grey Borders Reading Series in St. Catharines, Ontario. It was a pleasure and privilege to have such excellent performers come to the city.

CCMC

Christian Bök

Grey Borders Reading Series #23...

2010-03-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Grey Borders Reading Series #23...

is proud to present

Christian Bök

CCMC – featuring Paul Dutton, Michael Snow, and John Oswald

screenings of Paul-Émile Borduas (1962) and Artist in Montreal (1954)

and (as if that weren’t enough to blow the roof off) the launch of a new, double issue of

PRECIPICe, Niagara’s literary magazine.

Thursday 1 April 2009 7:00 pm

No Cover, Licensed

The Niagara Artists’ Centre

354 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines

905.641.0331

Thanks to the Humanities Research Institute of Brock University for their generous support.

Please join us for this very special event. How to describe this event? Three ways: 1) it is going to be a great evening of performances featuring two acts that definite the cutting edge in Canadian linguistic and sonic acrobatics. 2) This evening we will be celebrating the launch of the new double issue of PRECIPICe, which is without doubt our best issue to date. Ever. And 3) This event is part of a series of events hitting St. Catharines in tribute to Françoise Sullivan of the Montréal Automatists. Our event features artists working in a field first ploughed in this country by the Automatists. See the attached posters for all the events. Do you really need more reasons to join in the fun?

These bios are not meant to be authoritative, but are intended to whet your interest that you might find out the truth behind these mere words. Go out and buy some books! Buy some CDs! Search the internet and let Google mislead you in all directions! Start here:

CCMC comprises Michael Snow (piano, synthesizer), John Oswald (alto sax), and Paul Dutton (mouth and mouth harp). The band has been cited as Canada's premier non-idiomatic improvisational ensemble, with tours to various parts of the country, to the U.S., and several European countries. See http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0000640 for more.

Christian Bök is the author of Crystallography (Coach House Press, 1994), a ’pataphysical encyclopaedia nominated for the Gerald Lampert Award for Best Poetic Debut, and ’Pataphysics: The Poetics of an Imaginary Science (Northwestern University Press, 2001). His book Eunoia won the 2002 Griffin Poetry Prize and is the best-selling Canadian poetry book of all time. Bök has created artificial languages for Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict and Peter Benchley’s Amazon. His conceptual artwork has appeared at the Marianne Boesky Gallery in New York City as part of the exhibit Poetry Plastique. He currently teaches at the University of Calgary.

Oblique

2010-03-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

"Oblique Quarterly, an arts and culture magazine introducing brilliant new talent in the fields of poetry, short fiction, art and photography."

Check it out HERE

Brock University Creative Writers' Club Presents its First Salon

2010-03-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

The Brock University Creative Writers' Club would like to invite you to participate in our up coming Salon!

A Salon is an on the spot fiction or poetry competition. You are welcome to compete, with the chance of winning a money prize, or to come to watch the competition take place and vote for who you feel is the best on the spot poetry or fiction creator.

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must create on the spot poem or other fictional form that responds

to other participant's creative creations.

The competitors will be provided a sample piece of literature. The first competitor will have to respond to the sample provided. Subsequent participators must respond to the individuals' poem or fiction that precedes them. Each participant will have two

opportunities to vocalize an on the spot creation.

The competitors will compete in the order in which their names are drawn, telling one story per round (one round completed after each competitor has told one story or poem that responds to his/her predecessors).

There will be a total of two rounds.

Once each competitor has had the chance to create a poem or fiction twice, there will be a closed ballot in which all who attend can vote for their favorite poet or story teller.

How to Participate

In order to participate in the Salon, competitors must buy in, at a cost of 2-5 dollars. The more money the competitors put in, the more money they stand to win. At the end of the competition the winner will receive half the money of the buy in and the remaining share going towards The Brock University Creative Writers Club.

So come out, bring your friends and participate in a fun creative competition.

If you have any questions or concerns about the contest please contact Katherine Whitehurst at kw07zg@brocku.ca

Hope to see you there.

The Great Canadian Beaver Ball!

2010-03-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

March 12, 2010 is launch of the 3rd annual Great Canadian Beaver Ball.

The Beaver Ball is a series of miniature art projects made by Brock students from Visual Art and Liberal Art disciplines.

My Beaver Ball, Multiple Personality, will be one of the many featured projects.

Location:

Rodman Hall, 109 St Paul Crescent

Doors:

8pm

Students are admitted for free.

I hope to see you there.

The Next Slam...

2010-03-07T20:29:00.000-08:00

Story Slam Niagara presents
the latest in our series of storytelling contests
@ Strega Cafe, 19 King Street, St. Catharines
Wednesday, March 17
and the 3rd Wednesday of every month
Sign up at 6:30pm. Stage opens at 7:00pm.
10 writers. 5 minute stories. 5 audience judges.
Winner walks away with $100.

for more details contact Jon Parsons (jwpnfld@gmail.com)
or visit http://storyslamniagara.blogspot.com

ditch, anthology 4

2010-03-01T06:16:00.000-08:00

My work has been included in ditch, anthology 4.

Check it out here:

ditch, the poetry that matters

Photos from Cipher Reading #4

2010-02-24T18:36:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Berry (author of Epidemic Victus Cadaver)

Another shot of Nicholas Berry

Robert Dimmers and Eric Schmaltz (Fresh Coat editors)

Thomas Hoad (author of I Wasn't Listening)

Thomas Hoad

A shot of the crowd

Ed Edmonds and friends

Shari Edsall, Contemplative coffee drinker

Cipher emcee and curator: Eric Schmaltz

Award winning writer Cassie Leigh Clancy

Another shot of Cassie

Lindsay "buttons" Cahill

buttons II

buttons, profile

Piero Manchego-Badiola

Piero again

Piero again again

Eric Schmaltz

Thanks to Fine Grind for having us. Many thanks to Stephen Brule for taking the photos.

All photos belong to Stephen Brule

Cipher Reading #4

2010-02-10T14:12:00.001-08:00

The Brock University Creative Writers' Club Presents...

The Cipher Reading Series

Featuring:

Nicholas Berry (author of Epidemic Victus Cadaver: A Journal)

Thomas Hoad (author of I Wasn't Listening)

Eric Schmaltz

Cassie Leigh

Lindsay "Buttons" Cahill

Piero Manchego-Badiola

Ed Edmonds

Place: Fine Grind (37 James Street, St. Catharines)

Date: February 18, 2010

Time: 7 pm

For more information contact Eric Schmaltz at es06sg@brocku.ca

Broken Pencil #2

2010-02-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

My reviews of Bone Dream by Moira Mcdougall and The Players by Margaret Sweatman are featured in the current issue of Broken Pencil Magazine.

Check out the magazine HERE.

The Next Slam...

2010-02-02T18:33:00.001-08:00

Story Slam Niagara presents

the latest in our series of storytelling contests

@ Strega Cafe, 19 King Street, St. Catharines

Wednesday, Feb 17

and the 3rd Wednesday of every month

10 writers. 5 minute stories. 5 audience judges.

Winner walks away with $100.

for more details contact Jon Parsons (jwpnfld@gmail.com)

or visit http://storyslamniagara.blogspot.com

Fresh Coat is calling for submissions from thee...

2010-01-19T20:04:00.000-08:00

Fresh Coat Fresh Coat Fresh Coat

2010-01-12T09:21:00.001-08:00

Fresh Coat is calling for submissions from thee.

Check the link for details.

http://fresh-coat.blogspot.com/

Cipher Reading #3 - January 21, 2010

2010-01-09T16:48:00.001-08:00

Copies of "Paper Seaside" will hopefully be available for this event.

Epidemic Victus Cadaver: A Journal

2010-01-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Berry has published a novel, its called Epidemic Victus Cadaver: A Journal. Check it out HERE.

Fresh Coat

2010-01-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

The whispers on the wind are increasing in volume.

http://fresh-coat.blogspot.com/

skin;

2010-01-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

http://cassleigh.wordpress.com/

sycamore.

2010-01-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

http://buttonscahill.wordpress.com/

ditch, anthology 1 (canadian innovative poets)

2010-01-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

here's a link to the first ditch, anthology.

http://www.ditchpoetry.com/anthology.htm

check it!

Rumors

2009-12-17T17:12:00.001-08:00

There is a rumor circulating throughout the St. Cats lit scene that a new magazine is starting and a new venue will be opening downtown. It'll be like a Fresh Coat for the city.

The Twelve Trials of Jason Chimera

2009-12-03T19:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 7:00pm

354 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines -- Niagara Artists' Centre

Twelve days before Christmas, for twelve days only, the Niagara Artists' Centre presents a rare exhibition of hockey art perfect for the holidays. Neil Hennessy (NYC) and Gregory Betts (St. Catharines) present their special blend of mytho-hockey artworks, including the acclaimed Twelve Trials of Jason Chimera, hockey cards, a new chapbook from Laurel Reed Books, and other delights.

http://www.nac.org/members-gallery/members-gallery-schedule/206-twelve-trials-of-jason-chimera.html

No Photos

2009-11-25T21:14:00.000-08:00

Well I don't have any photos from tonight's reading because I forgot my camera. You probably should have been there anyways.

Upcoming Event - December 6

2009-11-19T23:34:00.001-08:00

It's a DIY variety show of sorts...

Story Slam Niagara

2009-11-18T09:19:00.000-08:00

The Next Slam...

Storytelling Contest -- Saturday, November 21st,

2:00pm - 4:00pm,

St. Catharines Central Library,

54 Church Street, Mills Room
Free Admission

First prize: $100.

The contest is open storytellers 14 years of age and up, and all ages are welcome as audience members.

Email Jon Parsons: jwpnfld@gmail.com for additional Information

Cipher Reading #2 - November 25, 2009

2009-11-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

The Brock University Creative Writers' Club Presents...

Cipher Reading #2

Featuring... Oksana Berda, Tom Vaine, Robb Ellison, Rohama Basit, Rob Dimmers, Helen Tran and Phil Militec

Date: November 25, 2009

Place: Fine Grind - 37 James Street, St. Catharines

Time: 7 pm

Broken Pencil

2009-11-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

In the summer I wrote two book reviews for Broken Pencil Magazine. They have been published in the latest issue.

You can find a link to the mag here: http://www.brokenpencil.com/

Grey Borders - Friday November 13, 2009

2009-11-08T17:37:00.000-08:00

Grey Borders Reading Series Presents...

rob mclennan, Jenny Sampirisi and Catherine Owen

at Strega Cafe - 19 King Street

St. Catharines, Ontario

7:30 pm

http://greyborders.blogspot.com/

http://www.stregacafe.ca/

Photos from the first Cipher Reading...

2009-11-02T21:03:00.000-08:00

Eric Schmaltz

Craig Dodman

Neta Gordon and Gregory Betts

Duncan Griffiths; an animal

Emi Morimoto

Katherine Whitehurst

Some of the crowd...

Kris Mills

Emi Morimoto

Kris Mills and some of the crowd

Amanda Grant; last year's poetry prize winner

Cassie Leigh; last year's fiction prize winner

Photo cred to Darryl Block

Story Slam Niagara

2009-10-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

Story Slam Niagara, in association with the 25th anniversary of the 3M Teaching Fellows, will be hosting a storytelling contest at Brock University on Wednesday, November 4th from 7:00pm - 9:00pm in the Glenridge Building, room 201. We welcome all to our stage and our audience, and there is no cost involved. First prize for best story is $100.

We will also be hosting a writing workshop where writers can discuss strategies for effective narratives and test out their ideas. The workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21st from 7:00pm - 9:00pm in Thistle 253. You do not need to attend the workshop to take part in the contest.

For more details and contest rules, please visit our website:
http://storyslamniagara.blogspot.com

Questions or comments? Send an email to Jon Parsons (jparsons@brocku.ca)

The Cipher Reading Series Begins

2009-10-07T07:30:00.001-07:00

The first event for the 'Cipher Reading Series' ever...

Readers include Cassie Leigh, Amanda Grant, Kris Mills, Katherine Whitehurst, Craig Dodman, Duncan Griffiths, Helen Tran and Eric Schmaltz

Wednesday October 14, 2009 - 7PM

Coffee Culture - 194 St. Paul Street

St. Catharines, Ontario

Poster Cred to Demetra Peppas

See You There.

Counterexample Poetics

2009-08-10T17:43:00.000-07:00

In the fall, three of my poems will be published on http://www.counterexamplepoetics.com/

Artisan Brews

2009-06-27T22:12:00.001-07:00

Here is the promotional poster for Artisan Brews. The showcase features Darryl Block's 'Street Lights' along side of work by Charlene Allman, Tess Millar and Lisa Renee Mackenzie

Gloom Cupboard

2009-06-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

My poem 'A sparrows bones' was published by Gloom Cupboard.

Here is the link to the site:

http://www.gloomcupboard.com/2009/06/99.html

Street Lights Update

2009-06-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

Darryl Block's 'Street Lights' project will be shown at Coffee Culture on June 26, 2009. Coffee Culture is on St. Paul Street in downtown St. Catharines. Check out the link to his website I included in the blog post below.

Street Lights

2009-06-17T17:05:00.000-07:00

For the past couple days I've been helping Darryl Block with a photo project entitled 'Street Lights'. Its a project of particular interest to me... The photos will be on display as of June 20, 2009 at Coffee Culture on St. Paul Street in downtown St. Catharines.

Here is a link to his website: http://www.darrylblock.com/

I might have some photos from the project later on.

Canadian Author's Association - A Night of Poetry

2009-04-16T11:15:00.000-07:00

here are some photos from the canadian authors association's night of poetry. it was held at the st. catharine's library. unfortunately i forgot about my camera during the first half where the high school students, as well as Oksana Berda, Kris Mills, Katherine Whitehurst and I read.

Adam Dickinson.

Keith Inman.

Ron Prickett.

John Barta.

CANADIAN AUTHORS IN ACTION - AN EVENING OF POETRY

2009-04-11T06:46:00.000-07:00

Oksana Berda, Kris Mills, Katherine Whitehurst and myself will be reading along side award winning Niagara poets, Adam Dickinson, John Barta, Keith Inman, Shelia Laundry, Ron Prickett, and Malcom Matthews at the St. Catharines Public Library.

The reading will take place on Wednesday April 15, 2009, starting at 7:30 pm. There is no cover charge.

For more info: Click Here

Hope to see you there.

'looking for trees' release party

2009-04-09T12:04:00.001-07:00

here are the photos from last night's launch of brock university's second annual student anthology of poetry and prose. it is called 'looking for trees'.

blurry Cassie Leigh.

The crowd.

Rob Dimmers.

Katherine Whitehurst.

Three quarters of Tom Vaine.

Robb Ellison.

Emily Bednarz, Ed Edmonds and Craig Dodman.

Kris Mills.

Katherine and Rohama selling the anthology.

Thanks to Cask 22, all of the contributors, volunteers, faculty, and the readers who helped make it a successful event.

looking for trees - a student anthology of poetry and prose

2009-03-31T08:42:00.000-07:00

see you there.

poster cred to katherine whitehurst.