Canadian literary event roundup: Feb. 10-16

It’s another busy week for literary events. Here’s a sample of what’s going on across the country:

• Asim Hussain launches Khadijah Goes to School, Toronto Women’s Bookstore (Feb. 11, 3 p.m., free)
• Sarah Ellis shares her experiences as a writer and librarian, Lillian H. Smith Library, Toronto (Feb. 11, 2 p.m., free)
• Vivek Shraya releases the second edition of God Loves Hair, Ryerson University Thomas Lounge, Toronto (Feb. 13, 6:30 p.m., free)
• Leslie Shimotakahara launches her memoir The Reading List, The Japan Foundation, Toronto (Feb. 14, 5:30 p.m., free, RSVP to info@jftor.org)
• Alan Lightman reads from his latest novel Mr g, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto (Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m., free)
• Ben Ehrenreich, Grace O’Connell, and Hal Niedzviecki share their stories about god, 61 Ossington, Toronto (Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m., free)
• Spoken word performer and motivational speaker Dwayne Morgan reads poetry, Danforth/Coxwell Library, Toronto (Feb. 15, 10 a.m., free)
• Saint Mary’s Reading Series presents poets Tammy Armstrong and Nick Thran, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax (Feb. 16, 7 p.m., free)
• Robson Reading Series presents Steve Burgess, author of Who Killed Mom? and Daniel Griffin, author of Stopping for Strangers, UBC Bookstore, Vancouver (Feb 16, 7 p.m., free)

Quillblog is looking for photos from literary events across Canada. Send your photos to scflinn@quillandquire.com

Best publicity stunt of the day: Lemony Snicket and Seth collaborate on new series

Quill & Quire is not in the habit of publishing emails, but this one demands sharing.

This afternoon, Q&Q was blind-copied on a correspondence between Vikki VanSickle, marketing and publicity coordinator at HarperCollins Canada, and the curmudgeonly children’s author Daniel Handler, better known as Lemony Snicket. The email revealed the “confidential” news that HarperCollins Canada is publishing a four-book series by Snicket, with illustrations by Canadian artist Seth.

From Lemony Snicket:

From: LemonySnicket
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 11:43 AM
To: Vansickle, Vikki
Subject: RE: Lemony Snicket Announcement – CONFIDENTIAL

My Dear Ms. VanSickle,

As I have already explained at length to you and others in this publishing conspiracy: no.

Take this press release back, please. I have attached it here. I have sympathy for anyone wanting to promote my work, but none of this information can be released.

In particular, I do not want to see this press release distributed to the list of people I’ve taken care to blind copy above. May they remain forever blind to any information about myself or my work.

These books are questionable and contain questions. I, for one, question why anyone would be interested in reading them.

And have the decency to leave Seth out of it. He has enough trouble as a celebrated artist imprisoned in a basement studio in some wretched university town, not to mention the fact that he’s Canadian.

I would appreciate it if you didn’t contact me again. I’ll be in my office until 4.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

The email was accompanied by a “press release” with a placeholder for a quote from Seth (“if and when he recovers from the trauma of your last encounter”), and a marked-up version of the cover.

The official press release, which arrived 15 minutes later, confirmed that the first book in Snicket’s series, Who Could That Be at This Hour?, will be available in ebook and print formats on Oct. 23.

Canadian literary event roundup: Feb. 3-9

It’s another busy week for literary events. Here’s a sample of what’s going on across the country:

• Dinner and reading with Pico Iyer, Grano, Toronto (Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m., $100)
• Ron Stevens signs Much Ado About Squat, McNally Robinson, Winnipeg (Feb. 4, 2:00 p.m., free)
• Debbie Hanlon and Grant Boland sign The Adventures of Gus & Isaac: Backyard Bullies, Chapters, St. John’s (Feb. 4, 1 p.m., free) and Coles (Feb. 5, 1.p.m., free)
• Lorenzo Reading Series presents an evening with Alexander MacLeod, University of New Brunswick, Saint John (Feb. 6, 7 p.m., free)
• Sue Goyette reads from her poetry collection Outskirts, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax (Feb. 7, 7 p.m., free)
• Kathy Dobson, author of With a Closed Fist, speaks about poverty, Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie (Feb. 9, 7 p.m., free)
• CBC Canada Reads: True Stories, CBC Broadcast Centre, Toronto (Feb. 6-9, 9a.m., free)
• Susan Dodd discusses her new book, The Ocean Ranger: Remaking the Promise of Oil City, University of King’s College, Halifax (Feb 9., 7 p.m., free)
• David Rotenberg launches his new book, The Placebo Effects, Runnymede Library, Toronto (Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m., free)
• Pivot Readings presents readings with Meira Cook, Dani Couture, and Sarah Pinder, Press Club, Toronto (Feb. 8., 8 p.m.)

Quillblog is looking for photos from literary events across Canada. Send your photos to scflinn@quillandquire.com.

Vancouver poet laureate Evelyn Lau offering free manuscript review

Photo: vancouververse.ca

As part of her three-year term as Vancouver’s poet laureate, Evelyn Lau is offering free manuscript consultations.

Starting March 5, Lau, who is working on her sixth poetry collection, will meet monthly with selected writers at the Vancouver Central Library to evaluate poetry manuscripts and answer questions about submitting to literary journals, giving readings, and other related topics.

To be considered for one of the 40-minute sessions, send a writing sample of up to three poems and a paragraph of what you hope to achieve to poetlaureate@vancouver.ca.

Canadian literary event roundup: Jan. 20-26

It’s a busy week for literary events. Here’s a sample of what’s going on across the country:

• Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild presents “Writing North: Writing the Extraordinary,” University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon (Jan. 20–21, free, www.skwriter.com)
• Poet Tanya Davis leads Stanzas in the Stacks: Poetry in the Library after Dark, Spring Garden Road Memorial Public Library, Halifax (Jan. 20, 8 p.m., free)
• Dragnet literary magazine launches its fourth issue, Academy of the Impossible, Toronto (Jan. 21, 9 p.m., pay what you can)
• Third annual Sparks Literary Festival, Memorial University, St. John’s (Jan. 22, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., free)
• William Gibson discusses his new book, Distrust that Particular Flavor, Bolen Books, Victoria (Jan. 23, 7 p.m., free)
• Robbie Burns marathon poetry reading with haggis and shortbread, Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre, Vancouver (Jan. 25, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., free)
• CBC Radio and McNally Robinson host 5 Readers, 5 Writers, 5 Minutes, Winnipeg (Jan. 25, 8 p.m., free)
• Brian Brennan, author of Writing My Way From Ireland to Canada, and Frances Hern, author of Yip Sang and the First Chinese Canadians, read from their work and discuss the Canadian immigrant experience, Central branch, Calgary Public Library (Jan. 26, 12 to 1 p.m., free. Call 403-260-2620 to register)
• Ottawa Independent Writers presents “How to Write a Winning ‘How-To’ Book” with business author Dr. Denis Cauvier, Library & Archives Canada (Jan. 26, 7 p.m., $10, www.oiw.ca)
• Reading and book signing with UPEI writer-in-residence Michael Crummey, Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown (Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m., free)

Quillblog is looking for photos from literary events across Canada. Send your photos to scflinn@quillandquire.com.

Canadian literary event round-up: Dec. 9-15

Even the cold can’t stop the literary scene, with events in full swing across the country next week. Here’s a sample of what’s coming up:

• Derek Beaulieu, Kevin McPherson Eckhoff, and Jake Kennedy read from their new poetry collections, Pages on Kensington, Calgary (Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m., free)
• Small Press of Toronto winter book fair, Hart House (Dec. 10, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., free)
• Michael Smith signs Chef Michael Smith’s Kitchen, Bookmark, Charlottetown (Dec. 10, 2 p.m., free)
• Douglas Gibson discusses Stories About Storytellers, Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Burlington, Ontario (Dec. 10, 7 p.m., $10)
• National Ballet of Canada dancer Sonia Rodriguez signs T is for Tutu: A Ballet Alphabet, Indigo Manulife Centre, Toronto (Dec. 11, 10:30 a.m., free)
• The Field Stone Poets read from Whistle for Jellyfish and David Groulx launches Rising with a Distant Dawn, Collected Works, Ottawa (Dec. 11, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., free)
• Actor and musician Jody Richardson performs dramatic reading of Bella’s Tree, a picture book by Janet Russell, The Rooms, St. John’s (Dec. 11, 2:30 p.m., $5)
• Michael Morpurgo reads from War Horse with music by John Tams, Panasonic Theatre, Toronto (Dec. 12, 7 p.m., $15)
• Esi Edugyan and Jen Sookfong Lee read from Half-Blood Blues and The Better Mother, respectively, UBC Bookstore at Robson Square, Vancouver (Dec. 15, 7 p.m., free)

Lorna Crozier talks poverty in Canada on CBC

Last Friday, poet and University of Victoria professor Lorna Crozier hosted a special edition of CBC Radio’s The Current.

“I know what it’s like to come from a needy family. Though both my parents worked, we lived in substandard rental housing. We went without. And I keenly felt my mother’s worry as she tried, and failed, to make ends meet,” Crozier said by way of introducing “We Are the 10%: Poverty in Canada.” The special in three segments presented various experiences of poverty from around the country (and also featured poetry readings by Crozier’s husband, Patrick Lane).

The first segment profiled three very different people who are just scraping by. The second looked at child poverty and focused specifically on current socio-economic conditions in British Columbia — the province with one of the highest rates of poverty. Crozier wrapped up with a panel discussion on the paradoxically higher day-to-day costs facing those with the lowest incomes.

The special has been so well received that The Current host Anna Maria Tremonti announced a follow-up call-in show with Crozier this Thursday, in which CBC listeners will discuss what it’s like to be poor in Canada.

The original radio special is available online at The Current‘s website.

Reading meets romance at Vancouver Public Library

Emma Donoghue’s Room wins Evergreen Award

Emma Donoghue’s novel Room (HarperCollins Canada) has won the 2011 Evergreen Award, to be presented on Feb. 3, 2012, in Toronto.

The Evergreen Award is administered by the Ontario Library Association as part of the Forest of Reading program, designed to expose adult library users to Canadian fiction and non-fiction. Library patrons are invited to vote for their favourite of 10 nominated titles.

“I am thrilled that with this award, Room will be part of such a valuable initiative to promote reading,” Donoghue said in a press release.

The other nominees for the prize were:

• The Night Shift, by Brian Goldman (HarperCollins Canada)
• Amphibian, by Carla Gunn (Coach House Books)
• Dahanu Road, by Anosh Irani (Doubleday Canada)
• Death Spiral, by James W. Nichol (McArthur & Company)
• Far to Go, by Alison Pick (House of Anansi Press)
• Still Missing, by Chevy Stevens (St. Martin’s Press)
• A Man in Uniform, by Kate Taylor (Doubleday Canada)
• The Tiger, by John Vaillant (Knopf Canada)
• Annabel, by Kathleen Winter (House of Anansi Press)

Canadian literary event round-up: Nov. 11-17

Here are just a few of the literary events happening across the country in the next week:

• Maria Meindl reads from Outside the Box, Type Books, Toronto (Nov. 12, 5 p.m., free)
• Hal-Con sci-fi, fantasy, and comic convention, World Trade & Convention Centre, Halifax (Nov. 12–13, tickets at hal-con.com)
• CBC’s Carol Off interviews Jeffrey Sachs, author of The Price of Civilization: Economics and Ethics After the Fall, Toronto Reference Library (Nov. 14, 7 p.m., free)
• Neil Pasricha signs The Book of (Holiday) Awesome, Indigo Manulife Centre, Toronto (Nov. 14, 7 p.m., free)
• Readings from Somebody’s Child: Stories About Adoption by contributors J. Jill Robinson, Bonnie Evans, Dale Lee Kwong, Raquel Schneidmiller, Elaine Hayes, and Judith Hope, Memorial Park Library, Calgary (Nov. 15, 7 p.m., free)
• Helen Humphreys presents at Heart of Niagara Fall Reading Series, Pelham Public Library, Fonthill, Ontario (Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., $8)
• Tightrope Books launches How to Get a Girl Pregnant, a memoir by Karleen Pendleton Jiménez; Onion Man, a poetry collection from Kathryn Mockler; and Prick, a novel by Ashley Little, Slack’s Restaurant, Toronto (Nov. 17, 6 p.m., free)
• Local authors K.L. Denman, Christy Goerzen, Cristy Watson, and Nikki Tate launch new YA titles, Kidsbooks, Surrey, B.C. (Nov. 17, 7 p.m., free)
• Beverley Brenna launches Falling for Henry, McNally Robinson, Saskatoon (Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m., free)
• Kathleen Winter reads from Annabel, Killam Library, Halifax (Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m., free)