Carol A. Stephen

Tree Reading Series has extended the deadline for the Master Workshop with John Barton to take place Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and 15th at Lilipad in Val-des-Monts Quebec.  This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to work with poet John Barton.  Details below.

http://www.treereadingseries.ca/

Tree Master Workshop with John Barton
Saturday April 14th – Sunday April 15th  2012
“Putting Yourself on the Line”

The Tree Reading Series will be running a two-day Master Workshop, organized by Rona Shaffran, Tree’s Co-Director, with Canadian poet John Barton (his bio is below), on Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15, 2012.  The workshop runs during the days at Lilipad Chalet, a cottage retreat, about 45 minutes by car from Ottawa (participants often team up and drive together).   The setting is conducive to discussion and creativity. The food served is delicious and healthy.

Details of the workshop are provided below.  We have room for 12 people in this workshop. If you would like to participate, please let us know as soon as you’re able by email at treereadingseries@live.ca.  The workshop cost is $250, which includes meals, coffee and snacks.  Please follow up your email with a cheque for $250, payable to the Tree Reading Series, and mailed to:

Tree Reading Series,
143-2166 Loyola Avenue,
Ottawa  ON  K1J 8H5

Registration closes on Tuesday, 14 March 2012.

The Master Workshop Outline

The line shapes the poem, but how does the poem (and the poet) shape the line? How does it influence the larger architecture of the poem? How is it determined by it? Is the line a matter of intuition or of artful consideration, or both? Looking at examples of participants’ work, John Barton will discuss strategies for the line, including length, pace, metrics, and the importance of knowing where the line should break.

Advance preparation: choose a poem of your own to workshop (everyone to bring enough copies for all workshop participants, plus for the instructor). The poem must be no more than thirty lines long.

 Workshop Schedule of Events
Saturday April 14th
9:30-10:00    Meet and greet with bagels and coffee.
10:00-11:30    Lecture by John Barton on the line.
11:30-1:00    Lunch.
1:00-4:30    Workshop, where participants each bring one poem for discussion, with a focus on the line, with strategies for revision proposed by John Barton and the other participants.

Sunday April 15th
9:30-10:00    Bagels and coffee.
10:00-12:00    Group discussion and questions about the line, with John Barton reading three or four poems of his own to illustrate different line strategies.
12:00-1:00    Lunch.
1:00-3:00    One- on -one meetings for anyone who’s interested (each meeting would be around ten minutes in order to fit in everyone—participants should bring in another poem for the consultation). Participants can also work on revisions of the poems workshopped the day before.
3:00-4:30    Workshop, during which participants share revisions for final comment.
4:30                 Time to say goodbye.

Bio – John Barton
John Barton has published nine books of poetry and five chapbooks, including Hypothesis (Ananis, 2001), West of Darkness: Emily Carr, a self-portrait (third edition, BuschekBooks, 2006), and Hymn (Brick, 2009). For the Boy with the Eyes of the Virgin, a selected poems, and Balletomane: The Program Notes of Lincoln Kirstein are forthcoming respectively from Nightwood and Jack Pine Press in 2012. Co-editor of Seminal: The Anthology of Canada’s Gay-Male Poets (Arsenal Pulp, 2007), he has won three Archibald Lampman Awards, an Ottawa Book Award, a CBC Literary Award, and a National Magazine Award. Since 1980, his poems have appeared in anthologies and magazines across Canada and in the United States, Australia, India, and the U.K. He was writer in residence at the Saskatoon Public Library and the University of New Brunswick, and has taught at the Sage Hill Writing Experience and the Banff Centre. He has worked as a librarian and editor for five national museums in Ottawa from 1985 to 2003, where he co-edited Arc Poetry Magazine and Vernissage: The Magazine.

Accommodation
Lilipad Chalet has a few private and shared rooms available for rent, for the first night of the workshop.  For details, please contact Lise Rochefort at 613-728-3237 or through the Lilipad website at  www.lilipad.ca.

Carol A. Stephen

This week, I made a little progress on submissions by sending a second group of poems off to The Light Ekphrastic. The deadline is tomorrow so I am crossing my fingers on that one.

And I’ve been discussing my fears about travelling with a friend, who assures me that I am quite crazy, just like always! Of course, you need a little of that to be a poet, so it doesn’t really concern me (the crazy part I mean!)

I have a little plan for the upcoming week’s No-Comfort task, but I will keep it to myself for now, so that if nothing else, I have something to share next Sunday about it!

Cheers for now, and keep challenging yourself!

Carol

Carol A. Stephen

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION BRANCH (NCR)

Weekly Notices for the week of February 20, 2012

–16 Items 8 NEW & 3 NEW Contests

####Please send all submission and event notices to Carol Stephen at cstephen0@gmail.com.

****Remember to check out writing-related services offered by our members at our CAA-NCR website   http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/hire-a-member.shtml

BRANCH NEWS

ITEM 1:  CAA-NCR WORKSHOP WRITING LIVES WITH CHARLOTTE GRAY
DATE: Saturday, February 25, 2012  9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION:  Algonquin College, Room T230, 1385 Woodroffe Ave. Ottawa
Charlotte will cover both her own life as a writer (schedule, approach to research, organisation etc.) and also the challenge of biographical narrative. She invites workshop participants to bring one paragraph or page of whatever they are writing, for class feedback. This is not mandatory.
Charlotte Gray is one of Canada’s best-known writers, and author of eight acclaimed books of literary non-fiction. Her most recent book is Gold Diggers, Striking It Rich in the Klondike. Her previous seven books were all award-winning bestsellers.  Born in Sheffield, England, and educated at Oxford University and the London School of Economics, Charlotte currently chairs the board of Canada’s National History Society, which publishes the magazine Canada’s History (formerly The Beaver.) Charlotte is a member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.  To register please e-mail Arlene Smith  somertonsmith@yahoo.com . For more information please visit: http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/workshops.shtml

ITEM 2: CAA-NCR WRITERS RETREAT
DATES: Friday, April 27, through Sunday, April 29, 2012
LOCATION:  The Cove Country Inn, Westport, Ontario 

Best-selling Author BARBARA KYLE, Workshop Leader, has taught her “Writers Boot Camp” for the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, and offers twice-yearly Master Classes that focus on workshopping each participant’s novel-in-progress. Visit  www.BarbaraKyle.com
Details now available at our website: http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/events.shtml
Or to obtain a brochure and for more information please e-mail Phyllis Bohonis: phyllis.bohonis@sympatico.ca

NIAGARA BRANCH-CAA NEWS

ITEM 3: TEN STORIES HIGH SHORT STORY COMPETITION NEW!

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS MARCH 31, 2012.

First Prize – $300   Second Prize – $200   Third Prize – $100

www.canauthorsniagara.org

The Niagara Branch of the Canadian Authors Association is holding its “Ten Stories High” Thirteenth Annual Short Story Competition, open to all Ontario residents.  Stories can be of any genre but must be previously unpublished, and between 1,000 and 3,000 words in length.
No personal essays, memoirs, children’s literature or non-fiction please.  For first Canadian rights, the top ten finalists will have their stories published in an anthology in the fall of 2012.
This year, story evaluations will only be offered to the winning entries.

Judging is blind with an impartial, final judge. CAA-Niagara reserves the right to reject excessive profanity and explicit sexual or violent content. Submissions will not be returned. However, entrants without internet access may include a self-addressed stamped envelope to receive contest results.

Entries must be typed and double-spaced with the title appearing on each numbered page.
Please include a separate sheet with your name, address, phone number, email address, precise word count and title.  Also, please indicate where you heard about our contest. The entrant’s name must not appear on the manuscript itself.

The entry fee is $15 per story, non-refundable. Multiple entries are welcome.
Cheques should be made payable to the Canadian Authors Association – Niagara and mailed with your submission to:
Canadian Authors Association – Niagara Branch, “Ten Stories High,”
39 Pelham Town Square, P.O. Box 1069, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0.

Results will be announced on-line at www.canauthorsniagara.org later that summer.

WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS

ITEM 4:  VERSeFest WORKSHOPS                NEW!

DATE:           Saturday, March 1st
LOCATION:  Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa

http://www.versefest.ca/schedule/2012-saturday/

1:00 p.m.      Family Workshop with Danielle Gregoire

Danielle K.L. Gregoire will be leading the family workshop on Saturday afternoon.
Danielle has been active in the Ottawa poetry scene for many years, including performances in the finals of Capital Slam, and helping to organize the spoken word series Spoken Word Plot.

3:00 p.m.    Slam Workshop with Ian Keteku

Ian Keteku is somewhat of a renaissance man when it comes to story telling. He is a poet, journalist, and musician, amongst other things. This award-winning artist is committed to using words as both an interpretation of and cure for the human condition. Keteku is also the 2010 World Poetry Slam Champion. Ian recently released his debut spoken word album Lessons From Planet Earth (Re-Evolution.)

3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 4, URSULAR RUCKER WORKSHOP

LOCATION:  Mercury Lounge, 56 Byward Market Square

Join us for this unique opportunity for a hands-on workshop with American spoken word artist Ursula Rucker. http://www.versefest.ca/schedule/2012-sunday/

ITEM 5: BANFF CENTRE WRITING WITH STYLE DEADLINE EXTENSION
Apply by March 5, 2012 for Poetry and First Chapter Novel  NEW!

Program dates: April 15-21, 2012

Faculty: Elizabeth Philips (program director), Ray Hsu (poetry), Sarah Selecky (short fiction), Merilyn Simonds (creative non-fiction), Joan Thomas (first chapter novel).

An intense week-long writing workshop that is both inspiring and productive. Shape and edit work-in-progress under the guidance of an experienced writer and editor through group discussions and one-on-one consultations. Encounter new ideas and gain confidence in your own voice with private writing time and reading opportunities. Whether you have attended many writing workshops or this is your first, Writing With Style is a transformative experience.
Apply today! http://www.banffcentre.ca/programs/program.aspx?id=1186

A Place for Artists
The Banff Centre puts the needs of artists above all else, providing time and space for inspired creativity and intense productivity (plus bacon and dessert every day!)

ITEM 6: EAC—NCR SEMINAR SERIES 2012

TOPIC: PRACTICAL PROOFREADING
DATE:  February 22, 2012, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Editors’ Association of Canada offers seminars with a hands-on approach to many facets of copy editing and writing.  Editors, writers, and communicators can refine their skills, enhance their knowledge base, and improve their communication expertise with seminars taught by industry experts at the highly regarded National Capital Region Branch seminars.

NOTE: Space is limited. The workshop Is open to everyone. EAC members receive a reduced rate.
REGISTRATION: http://www.editors.ca/branches/ncr/seminars
CONTACT: Pat Patterson, Public Relations, EAC-NCR,  prncr@editors.ca

ITEM 7: PWAC SEMINAR GETTING A GRIP ON YOUR FINANCES

DATE:          Saturday, February 25, 2012, 11 – 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Ottawa Public Library Main Branch Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe
COST:          SEE BELOW

Ottawa money-minders Sandy Tunwell and Dylan Rose will show you how to keep more of the money you earn and how to make it grow. Sandy Tunwell – owner, founder &  managing consultant at accountrain  – will present tax-time tips and discuss bookkeeping basics
Dylan Rose – a financial advisor with the Independent Planning Group investment firm – will speak on planning for the future as an independent business operator

Presented by the Ottawa Chapter of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC)
Free to PWAC Ottawa members. Cost for non-members: $25 general public or $20 for students/members of writers’ organizations. Early-bird discount:  Register online and save an extra $5.  Send your name and contact information to pwacottawa@gmail.com by February 22nd.  Discount will be applied at the door.  Visit http://www.pwacottawa.org

ITEM 8:  TRULY MADLY DEEPLY: A ONE-DAY POETRY WORKSHOP
ON WRITING DESIRE            NEW!

DATE:        Saturday, March 3, 2012  10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
LOCATION:  Paterson Hall Room 236, Carleton University
COST:       $20.00*

Writing a good love poem can be as difficult as getting a handle on love – although this has never stopped anyone from loving, or trying to express their feelings in words. This one-day workshop is for anyone interested in exploring the meaning and mystery of love through the practice of writing poetry. Just bring your pen, your heart(ache), and your creative imagination!

Workshop co-facilitators Jane Dawson and Jessica Schafer are both experienced writers who are passionate about poetry as a tool for exploring and articulating the mysteries of the heart.

This workshop is an initiative of Faith and Arts Ottawa and is sponsored by the Carleton University Ecumenical Chaplaincy. (*if cost is an issue some sponsorships are available through the Chaplaincy Office – phone 613-520-4449)

Seats are limited. Please register in advance at info@inscapecentre.ca
or 613-230-4839 (fee is payable at the door).

ITEM 9:  WRITESCAPE:  SPRING THAW WRITING RETREAT

DATES: March 30 to April 1st
LOCATION: Elmhirst’s Resort Rice Lake, ON
COST: $745.00 inclusive, Optional extension $300.00 see below for details on discounts available
It’s the writers’ lament: “I wish I had more time to write.” Writescape’s Spring Thaw writers’ retreat strips away the excuses and the distractions that prevent writers from putting pen to paper. Spring Thaw offers participants the luxury of focusing on their writing while the resort takes care of the rest. The all-inclusive weekend getaway runs March 30 to April 1 at the scenic Elmhirst’s Resort in the Kawarthas. Not long enough? Participants can opt for an additional two days of writing with the “Extend Your Pen” option.
The retreat offers writers guided writing exercises, private time for writing and reflection, and Writescape’s amazing “inspiration station” to stimulate their creativity. Writers also receive a private manuscript consultation with valuable written feedback from two professional editors. On Saturday, meet and chat with special guest authors Jonathan Bennett, Michelle Berry and Natalee Caple. They join the group for dinner and offer a stimulating evening program.
The retreat is led by Ruth E. Walker and Gwynn Scheltema. This dynamic duo have taught a full range of programs from half-day workshops to weeklong retreats to college level credit courses. Scheltema is an award-winning freelance writer and poet, and a founding editor for the Canadian journal LICHEN Arts & Letters Preview. Walker is an award-winning writer, poet and playwright with fiction, poetry, and non-fiction work published in Canada, the US, and the UK.
Elmhirst’s Resort, located near Peterborough, offers a relaxing combination of cosy cottage accommodations and spectacular gourmet meals with amenities like an indoor pool and onsite themed pub. The resort is set on gently rolling hills beside beautiful Rice Lake, a mere 90 minutes east and north of Toronto. The retreat includes all meals, a private room in lakefront cottage accommodations and resort amenities for $745. Extend your pen option, add $300. Discounts for alumni and members of accredited writing associations. Query for a non-residential day rate. For full retreat details and online registration, visit www.writescape.ca, e-mail info@writescape.ca, or phone 905-728-7823.

SUBMISSION CALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

ITEM 10:     JACKPINE PRESS CALL FOR PROPOSALS        NEW!

DATES:   Wed.February 15, 2012  9:00 a.m.- Mon.April 16, 2012  5:00 p.m.

PO Box 7731, Station Main, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 4R5

JackPine Press accepts proposals for collaborations of text and design to be launched as limited edition hand-bound chapbooks in Fall 2012 and beyond. Chosen creators receive funding with which to acquire all necessary materials and undertake the printing of the text and …visual content. Chapbooks are then assembled by the creators themselves, in consultation with the JackPine Press collective.

The most important part of any proposal is the prototype. This is the physical version of the chapbook itself as envisioned by you. The prototype is the means by which the collective is able to assess whether or not the prospective contributors will be able to devise a design that can be successfully replicated while continuing to meet JackPine’s standards. In addition to the prototype, please also send a statement of intent, each collaborator’s CV, and a projected budget.

The deadline for projects intended to launch in Fall 2012 is APRIL 15th 2012.
The deadline for projects intended to launch in Spring 2013 is OCTOBER 15th 2012.

FOR COMPLETE AND DETAILED SUBMISSION GUIDELINES, PLEASE VISIT:
www.jackpinepress.com/guidelines.php

ITEM 11:        BYWORDS.CA SUBMISSION CALL

DEADLINE:  March 15 for the April issue

Bywords.ca considers previously unpublished poetry from emerging and established poets for our online monthly magazine. We consider work by current and former residents, students and workers of Ottawa. We also publish poems by contributors to our predecessor, the Bywords Monthly Magazine.  FOR SUBMISSION INFORMATION VISIT www.bywords.ca and click on Guidelines.  Amanda Earl, Managing Editor

ITEM 12: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: I FOUND IT AT THE MOVIES  NEW!

DEADLINE: March 31, 2012

Forthcoming anthology, I Found It at the Movies, seeks new and previously published poems inspired by cinema. All styles and approaches welcome. Seeking poems that reference specific films or actors, genres of film, the act of movie-going or video-watching, or the intersections of movies and life.  Editors: Ruth Roach Pierson and Sue MacLeod. Publisher: Tightrope Books (spring 2013). Please submit from one to five poems (1 to 5), as attachments, to filmpoems@gmail.com. You’ll receive acknowledgment upon receipt, and the selection process will be complete by October 2012. Please include full publication details for any poems which have appeared or been accepted elsewhere.

IN THE INTEREST OF WRITERS HELPING WRITERS

ITEM 13:  FEB. 20 to FEB. 26 EVENTS AT COLLECTED WORKS  NEW!
1242 WELLINGTON STREET WEST AT HOLLAND
Check Facebook for full details or visit
http://www.collected-works.com/pages/events.htm

Sunday, February 26 Rugrat Readers  – 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Parents, are you looking to get you and your rugrats out of the house? Looking for ways to get your child interested in reading? In need of an hour of “me” time? Then come on down to Collected Works on Sundays and have your child introduced to the love of reading by a Rugrat Reader, while you peruse the books and enjoy the coffee bar!
Readings for children 5 and under from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. and for children 6 and older from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

A note from Chris Carroll at Collected Works Bookstore: You thought we were awesome before… late this spring we will be completely remodeled, capable of double capacity for author events and still taking local authors on consignment! If you have books, we WANT to sell them!

ITEM 14: JELLY BELLY MAKES GARBAGE DELIGHT OF ALLIGATOR PIE
NEW!

DATES:       Mon. Feb. 20 (Family Day) 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
                   Sat. Feb. 25  4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Natalie Stern Studio Theatre 294 Picton Ave, (613) 567-6788

Presented by The Ottawa Theatre School (OTS) in association with The Ottawa School of Speech and Drama (OSSD)

Written by Kim Selody, adapted from the poems by Dennis Lee (see note below)
Director Lib Spry  Stage Management:  Jodi Morden Musical Director: Doreen Taylor-Claxton
Set and Costume  Sarah Waghorn

Three kids of diverse ethnic backgrounds stumble upon a city dumpster playing games, singing songs, and making up rhymes to pass the time as winter slowly moves in.
www.ottawatheatreschool.com

NOTE: February 28, the opening night of VERSeFest, Dennis Lee will be reading his adult poetry, alongside Paul Tyler and Suzanne Buffam, followed by Shauntay Grant and Afua Cooper.  Dennis is a Governor-General’s Award recipient, well-known for his book of children’s verse, Alligator Pie, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada and cofounder of Anansi Press.

ITEM 15: INVITATION FROM THE MEDIA CLUB OF OTTAWA
DATE:          Monday February 20 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION:      Library Archives Canada, Room 156
395 Wellington St. Ottawa
COST:          Media Club members $15, non-members $20
Journalism students free with I.D.

Co-authors Katherine Day and Wayne Jackson will discuss their book
River, Road and Rail – Woodroffe Memories at the  Media Club of
Ottawa’s February 20 meeting. Their talk will be sure to appeal if you
are interested in local or railway history even if you just like a
good read. Small sandwiches, fruit, cheese and crackers provided.

RSVP 613-521-4855 by Feb. 17. More info at http://www.mediaclubofottawa.ca

WRITING CONTESTS COMING UP

ITEM 16: CONTESTS WITH FEBRUARY DEADLINES

 THE NEW QUARTERLY  NICK BLATCHFORD OCCASIONAL VERSE CONTEST DEADLINE: Postmarked February 28, 2012
$1,000 for one glorious poem written in response to an occasion, personal or public – poems of gratitude or grief, poems that celebrate or berate, poems that make of something an occasion or simply mark one. Another $1,000 in prize money will be distributed as the judges fancy. The best of what we see will be published in The New Quarterly at our usual rates, and posted on our website. For full details, see www.tnq.ca/contests

 Summer Literary Seminars welcomes entries to its 2012 Unified Literary Contest. First place winners in fiction and poetry receive publication in The Warlus Online and Black Warrior Review, as well as an all-expense paid trip to one of their programs in Kenya, Eastern Europe or Montreal. Deadline: February 28, 2012 Entry fee: $15USD. http://sumlitsem.org/contest.html

 SUMMIT STUDIOS SHORT STORY CONTEST  DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 29, 2012 Small Newmarket-based publishing company, Summit Studios, is calling for submissions to their contest to gather new material for four new anthologies that they plan to publish in 2012 and 2013. http://www.summitstudios.biz to download Story Contest Guidelines.

 ANTHEM ESSAY CONTEST Entry Deadline: March 20, 2012  NEW!  Eligibility: 8th, 9th and 10th Graders. No application is required. Contest is open to students worldwide. FIRST PRIZE: $2,000 5 SECOND PRIZES: $500 10 THIRD PRIZES: $200 45 FINALISTS: $50 175 SEMIFINALISTS: $30  http://essaycontest.aynrandnovels.org/Anthem.aspx?theme=blue

 NEW! POETRY CONTEST: UN DITO NELL’OCCHIO 2012 If you enjoy writing poetry and you are enamored of the Italian language  and culture, don’t miss the opportunity to win a free course of Italian  language in Italy. > To participate, enter a poem on the topic IMPRESSIONS/EXPRESSIONS to the  poetry contest organized by the Language School IL FARO for a chance to  win a two-week language course in the beautiful sea-town of Caorle (near  Venice). The authors of the two most notable Italian poems will win a two-week  free* course at the School IL FARO for the summer 2012+. Send your poem on the topics IMPRESSIONS/EXPRESSIONS to : unditonellocchio@gmail.com (closing date 24 March 2012) To be eligible to participate you need to be 18 or older. Not a native speaker of Italian, living outside of Italy. All poetry will be published in our blog “Un dito nell’occhio”. The winners will be announced on 4 April 2012. In bocca al lupo! *The prize covers exclusively the cost of the course. Accommodation and travelling are not included. The winners may select a course between 11 June 2012 and 28 September 2012. Centro di Lingua e Cultura Italiana IL FARO, via Eraclea 2, 30021 Caorle (Venezia)  tel. +39 333 8927127  fax: +39 0421 3115 http://www.ilfarolingua.it/english/home.html

 NEW! The New Quarterly is proud to announce The Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest. Deadline: Postmarked March 28, 2012 $1,000 for one winning essay of any length, on any topic, in which the writer’s personal engagement with the topic provides the frame or through-line. Our only restrictions are that the work be unpublished and the writer be canadian. Entry fee: $40 per submission. Each submission includes a one-year subscription (or extension) to the new quarterly, one of canada’s liveliest literary magazines. For full details, see www.tnq.ca/contests

 THE FOUR WAY BOOKS INTRO PRIZE IN POETRY  NEW! D.A. Powell, judge Submissions accepted January 1 – March 31.  For a book-length collection of poetry written in English by a poet who has not previously published a first book of poetry. $1000.00 plus publication and a reading in NYC.  Submit online or by mail January 1 – March 31. Include necessary entry form and submission fee of $28.00. For guidelines and entry form: http://www.fourwaybooks.com/contest.php

 NEW! The 2012 Capital Crime Writers’ Short Story Contest  open to all residents aged 18+ in the NCR. Stories must be original, unpublished works of fiction featuring a crime with a 3500 word limit. The deadline is Monday, April 2nd and entry fee is $10.00 ($25 if you request a written critique). An awards ceremony will take place in June. First prize: $150.00. For additional information and instructions, visit www.capitalcrimewriters.com (under Contests).

Carol A. Stephen

This week I submitted an article that I had not even thought about submitting till an hour before.  It’s a non-fiction piece about my illness and surgery three years ago, and the fears that  I am now fighting that resulted from that experience.

Carol A. Stephen

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION BRANCH (NCR)

Weekly Notices for the week of February 13, 2012

 –15 Items 7 NEW events

####Please send all submission and event notices to Carol Stephen at cstephen0@gmail.com

****Remember to check out writing-related services offered by our members at our CAA-NCR website   http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/hire-a-member.shtml

BRANCH NEWS

ITEM 1: CAA – NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION MONTHLY MEETING THIS WEEK!
FOLKTALE, MYTH, FAIRY TALE, DREAMS, URBAN LEGEND: CONTEMPORARY FANTASY
DATE: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 7:00 P.M.
LOCATION: Main Branch, Ottawa Public Library, Metcalfe And Laurier   
SPEND A MAGICAL EVENING WITH CHARLES DE LINT chatting and discussing the genre of contemporary/urban fantasy.
Charles de Lint is a full-time writer and musician who lives in Ottawa. With 36 novels and 35 books of short fiction published, he is known as a pioneer and master of the contemporary fantasy genre.  Under My Skin, the first book of a new young adult series called The Wildlings is due to be published by Penguin Canada in March 2012.  Charles also recently released Old Blue Truck – a music CD of his original story songs.
For more information, visit his Web site at www.charlesdelint.com

ITEM 2: CAA-NCR WORKSHOP WRITING LIVES WITH CHARLOTTE GRAY
DATE: Saturday, February 25, 2012  9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.                  
LOCATION:  Algonquin College, Room T230, 1385 Woodroffe Ave. Ottawa
Charlotte will cover both her own life as a writer (schedule, approach to research, organisation etc.) and also the challenge of biographical narrative. She invites workshop participants to bring one paragraph or page of whatever they are writing, for class feedback. This is not mandatory.
Charlotte Gray is one of Canada’s best-known writers, and author of eight acclaimed books of literary non-fiction. Her most recent book is Gold Diggers, Striking It Rich in the Klondike. Her previous seven books were all award-winning bestsellers.  Born in Sheffield, England, and educated at Oxford University and the London School of Economics, Charlotte currently chairs the board of Canada’s National History Society, which publishes the magazine Canada’s History (formerly The Beaver.) Charlotte is a member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
To register please e-mail Arlene Smith  somertonsmith@yahoo.com . For more information please visit: http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/workshops.shtml
ITEM 3: CAA-NCR WRITERS RETREAT  
Dates: Friday, April 27, through Sunday, April 29, 2012
Location:  The Cove Country Inn, Westport, Ontario  

Best-selling Author BARBARA KYLE, Workshop Leader, has taught her “Writers Boot Camp” for the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, and offers twice-yearly Master Classes that focus on workshopping each participant’s novel-in-progress. Visit  www.BarbaraKyle.com
Details now available at our website: http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/events.shtml
Or to obtain a brochure and for more information please e-mail Phyllis Bohonis: phyllis.bohonis@sympatico.ca

WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS

ITEM 4: THE FRIENDS OF LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA PRESENT

FROM LOVE TO LUST: A VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY RACHEL RICHEY            NEW!

DATE:           Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 7 p.m.
LOCATION:   Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario

Free Admission

This unique presentation highlights the development of romance and eroticism in Canadian comic books beginning in the forties to the present. We will look at Canada’s contribution to the genres and their recognition both nationally and internationally. A presentation not to be missed!

ITEM 5: EAC—NCR SEMINAR SERIES 2012 

TOPIC: PRACTICAL PROOFREADING    
DATE:  February 22, 2012, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
TIME:     9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Editors’ Association of Canada offers seminars with a hands-on approach to many facets of copy editing and writing.  Editors, writers, and communicators can refine their skills, enhance their knowledge base, and improve their communication expertise with seminars taught by industry experts at the highly regarded National Capital Region Branch seminars.

NOTE: Space is limited. The workshop Is open to everyone. EAC members receive a reduced rate.
REGISTRATION: http://www.editors.ca/branches/ncr/seminars
CONTACT: Pat Patterson, Public Relations, EAC-NCR,  prncr@editors.ca

ITEM 6: PWAC SEMINAR GETTING A GRIP ON YOUR FINANCES  

DATE:          Saturday, February 25, 2012, 11 – 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Ottawa Public Library Main Branch Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe
COST:          SEE BELOW

Ottawa money-minders Sandy Tunwell and Dylan Rose will show you how to keep more of the money you earn and how to make it grow. Sandy Tunwell – owner, founder &  managing consultant at accountrain  – will present tax-time tips and discuss bookkeeping basics
Dylan Rose – a financial advisor with the Independent Planning Group investment firm – will speak on planning for the future as an independent business operator

Presented by the Ottawa Chapter of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC)
Free to PWAC Ottawa members. Cost for non-members: $25 general public or $20 for students/members of writers’ organizations. Early-bird discount:  Register online and save an extra $5.  Send your name and contact information to pwacottawa@gmail.com by February 22nd.  Discount will be applied at the door.  Visit http://www.pwacottawa.org

ITEM 7:  WRITESCAPE:  SPRING THAW WRITING RETREAT NEW!
   at Elmhirst’s Resort promises to inspire

DATES: March 30 to April 1st
LOCATION: Elmhirst’s Resort Rice Lake, ON
COST: $745.00 inclusive, Optional extension $300.00 see below for details on discounts available
It’s the writers’ lament: “I wish I had more time to write.” Writescape’s Spring Thaw writers’ retreat strips away the excuses and the distractions that prevent writers from putting pen to paper. Spring Thaw offers participants the luxury of focusing on their writing while the resort takes care of the rest. The all-inclusive weekend getaway runs March 30 to April 1 at the scenic Elmhirst’s Resort in the Kawarthas. Not long enough? Participants can opt for an additional two days of writing with the “Extend Your Pen” option.
The retreat offers writers guided writing exercises, private time for writing and reflection, and Writescape’s amazing “inspiration station” to stimulate their creativity. Writers also receive a private manuscript consultation with valuable written feedback from two professional editors. On Saturday, meet and chat with special guest authors Jonathan Bennett, Michelle Berry and Natalee Caple. They join the group for dinner and offer a stimulating evening program.
The retreat is led by Ruth E. Walker and Gwynn Scheltema. This dynamic duo have taught a full range of programs from half-day workshops to weeklong retreats to college level credit courses. Scheltema is an award-winning freelance writer and poet, and a founding editor for the Canadian journal LICHEN Arts & Letters Preview. Walker is an award-winning writer, poet and playwright with fiction, poetry, and non-fiction work published in Canada, the US, and the UK.
Elmhirst’s Resort, located near Peterborough, offers a relaxing combination of cosy cottage accommodations and spectacular gourmet meals with amenities like an indoor pool and onsite themed pub. The resort is set on gently rolling hills beside beautiful Rice Lake, a mere 90 minutes east and north of Toronto. The retreat includes all meals, a private room in lakefront cottage accommodations and resort amenities for $745. Extend your pen option, add $300. Discounts for alumni and members of accredited writing associations. Query for a non-residential day rate. For full retreat details and online registration, visit www.writescape.ca, e-mail info@writescape.ca, or phone 905-728-7823.

SUBMISSION CALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

ITEM 8:        BYWORDS.CA SUBMISSION CALL

DEADLINE:  February 15 for the March issue

Bywords.ca considers previously unpublished poetry from emerging and established poets for our online monthly magazine. We consider work by current and former residents, students and workers of Ottawa. We also publish poems by contributors to our predecessor, the Bywords Monthly Magazine.  FOR SUBMISSION INFORMATION VISIT www.bywords.ca and click on Guidelines.  Amanda Earl, Managing Editor

ITEM 9: TESSERACTS SIXTEEN SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Feb. 29, 2012

From Edge Publishing, recently released the guidelines for the latest volume in their speculative anthology, which will be edited by Mark Leslie. They’re looking for stories and poems that “focus on art, music, literature and cultural elements which are integral to the story. ” This anthology is only open to Canadians citizens (including ex-pats), landed immigrants (aka permanent residents) and long time residents.
http://www.edgewebsite.com/books/tess16/t16-guidelines.html

IN THE INTEREST OF WRITERS HELPING WRITERS

ITEM 10: FEB. 13 to FEB. 19 EVENTS AT COLLECTED WORKS  NEW!
1242 WELLINGTON STREET WEST AT HOLLAND
Check Facebook for full details or visit
http://www.collected-works.com/pages/events.htm

A note from Chris Carroll at Collected Works Bookstore: You thought we were awesome before… late this spring we will be completely remodeled, capable of double capacity for author events and still taking local authors on consignment! If you have books, we WANT to sell them!

Tuesday, February 14  7:00 p.m. Seattle’s Professor Galya Diment reads from A Russian Jew of Bloomsbury: The Life and Times of Samuel Koteliansky

A Russian Jew of Bloomsbury looks at the remarkable life and influence that an outsider had on the tightly knit circle of Britain’s cultural elite. Among Koteliansky’s friends were Katherine Mansfield, Leonard and Virginia Woolf – for whose Hogarth Press he translated many Russian classics – Mark Gertler, Lady Ottoline Morrell, H.G. Wells, and Dilys Powell. But it was his close and turbulent friendship with D.H. Lawrence, with whom he had copious correspondence, that proved to be Koteliansky’s lasting legacy. In a lively and vibrant narrative, Galya Diment shows how, despite Kot’s determination, he could never shake off the dark aspects of his past or overcome the streak of anti-Semitism that ran through British society and could be found in many of his famous literary friends. A stirring account of the early-twentieth century, Jewish émigré life, and English and Russian letters, A Russian Jew of Bloomsbury casts new light – and shadows – on the giants of English modernism.

Thursday, February 16   7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Wellington Street Readers
The book club discusses The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt. Meetings are open and new members are welcome at any time.

ITEM 11: VERSeFest, OTTAWA’S SECOND ANNUAL POETRY FESTIVAL
CANADA’S NEW POET LAUREATE READING MARCH 1ST, 2012 WITH 2005 GRIFFIN PRIZE WINNER ROO BORSON        NEW INFO!

DATE:  Thursday, March 1 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION:  Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa
Ticket information see below

The newly appointed Parliamentary Poet Laureate, Fred Wah, will be appearing in Ottawa on March 1st, in a reading with celebrated Canadian poet Roo Borson, presented in partnership with Arc Poetry Magazine. The reading will be on March 1st, as part of VERSeFest, Ottawa’s international poetry festival.
Fred Wah was named Canada’s fifth Parliamentary Poet Laureate in December. He is well known both in Canada and abroad. His work has been widely anthologized and he has been invited to many international literary festivals to give readings and talks. In 2002-2003, he was selected for a Canada-Mexico cultural-exchange with residencies at Banff and Merida, Mexico. He is currently on faculty for the Banff Centre for the Arts “In(ter)ventions: Literary Practice at the Edge” program.
Roo Borson has been a Governor General’s Award winner (2004) and a winner of the Griffin Prize for Short Journey Upriver Toward Oishida (2005). Writing in The Washington Post in 1998, former U.S. poet laureate Robert Hass described Roo Borson as “one of the best-known Canadian poets of her generation — a clear writer, clear-minded, with a dark and musical imagination.”
The two poets appear together in a reading co-presented by Arc Poetry Magazine. VERSeFest passes are now on sale online at www.versefest.ca and at the Manx Pub (370 Elgin) and Collected Works Bookstore (1242 Wellington St W.) For details and the full VERSeFest schedule visit www.versefest.ca.

ITEM 12: INVITATION FROM THE MEDIA CLUB OF OTTAWA  NEW!
DATE:          Monday February 20 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION:      Library Archives Canada, Room 156
395 Wellington St. Ottawa
COST:          Media Club members $15, non-members $20
Journalism students free with I.D.

Co-authors Katherine Day and Wayne Jackson will discuss their book
River, Road and Rail – Woodroffe Memories at the  Media Club of
Ottawa’s February 20 meeting. Their talk will be sure to appeal if you
are interested in local or railway history even if you just like a
good read. Small sandwiches, fruit, cheese and crackers provided.

RSVP 613-521-4855 by Feb. 17. More info at http://www.mediaclubofottawa.ca

ITEM 13: A B SERIES PRESENTS MUSIC/POETRY ENSEMBLE GEODE NEW!
DATE:         Thursday Feb. 16  8:00 P.M.
LOCATION: Gallery 101, 301½ Bank St.
COST:      $9; $7 for students

See poet Susan McMaster perform with musicians Alrick Huebener (bass), Jennifer Giles (keyboards), David Broscoe (winds), John Higney (steel guitar) and Mike Essoudry (percussion).
GEODE performs an inimitable blend of poetry and music drawn from sources including jazz, blues, new music, world music, contemporary and classical. Plus, see a performance of First Draft WordMusic with special guest Dean Steadman. Info: abseries.org

ITEM 14: LiPS 4TH QUALIFYING SLAM IN CARLETON PLACE NEW!

Carleton Place on the Mississippi

DATE: Friday, February 17, 2012
TIME: 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30)
LOCATION: Morphy’s Falls Restaurant (upstairs dining hall) Carleton Place
Cost: $5.00 per person (slammers/open mic participants – free)
LiPS 4th qualifying slam (2nd one being held in 2012, 2nd one being held in Carleton Place).  Top qualifyers of the season (who have each slammed at least twice during the season) will be participating in the LiPS Finals in June 2012.  The Finals will determine who makes the team who will represent Lanark County at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word (the national festival).  LiPS (the Live Poets Society of Lanark County) continues to be the only rural representatives on the national scene.
For more information on LiPS or events, check us out on Facebook  – or e-mail us at: lanarklips@hotmail.com.

WRITING CONTESTS COMING UP

ITEM 15: CONTESTS WITH FEBRUARY DEADLINES

 Speculative fiction contest with $350 prize http://friendsmerrilcontest.com/guidelines/  NEW!  Entries are invited for the Friends of the Merril Short Story Contest. First prize: $350 (CDN). Spec Fic (SF/F/H, Magic Realism, etc.) short fiction only (max. 4000 words). Deadline: February 15, 2012. International entries welcomed. Entry fee: $5.

 THE NEW QUARTERLY  NICK BLATCHFORD OCCASIONAL VERSE CONTEST DEADLINE: Postmarked February 28, 2012: $1,000 for one glorious poem written in response to an occasion, personal or public – poems of gratitude or grief, poems that celebrate or berate, poems that make of something an occasion or simply mark one. Another $1,000 in prize money will be distributed as the judges fancy. The best of what we see will be published in The New Quarterly at our usual rates, and posted on our website. For full details, see www.tnq.ca/contests

 Summer Literary Seminars welcomes entries to its 2012 Unified Literary Contest. First place winners in fiction and poetry receive publication in The Warlus Online and Black Warrior Review, as well as an all-expense paid trip to one of their programs in Kenya, Eastern Europe or Montreal. Deadline: February 28, 2012 Entry fee: $15USD. http://sumlitsem.org/contest.html
 SUMMIT STUDIOS SHORT STORY CONTEST  DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 29, 2012 Small Newmarket-based publishing company, Summit Studios, is calling for submissions to their contest to gather new material for four new anthologies that they plan to publish in 2012 and 2013. http://www.summitstudios.biz to download Story Contest Guidelines.

 THE FOUR WAY BOOKS INTRO PRIZE IN POETRY  NEW! D.A. Powell, judge Submissions accepted January 1 – March 31.  For a book-length collection of poetry written in English by a poet who has not previously published a first book of poetry. $1000.00 plus publication and a reading in NYC.  Submit online or by mail January 1 – March 31. Include necessary entry form and submission fee of $28.00. For guidelines and entry form: http://www.fourwaybooks.com/contest.php

Carol A. Stephen

Today is a bit of a brag. I had mentioned my poem (well, poems, really) being accepted for the latest issue of The Light Ekphrastic.  Here is the link to the first page of the issue.  There are some wonderful artists taking part, so be sure to check them all out. http://thelightekphrastic.com/

My particular page is here, with my poems and the photographs of Marlayna Demond: http://thelightekphrastic.com/issues/february-2012-issue-9/stephen-demond-february-2012/

There is also a call for submissions to the May issue. Deadline is February 20th, so there isn’t much time. But it’s a lot of fun and a bit of a challenge!  Check out the submission guidelines here: http://thelightekphrastic.com/submissions-2/

C

Carol A. Stephen

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION BRANCH (NCR)

Weekly Notices for the week of February 6, 2012

 –13 Items 4 new calls and events, 5 new contests

####Please send all submission and event notices to Carol Stephen at cstephen0@gmail.com

****Remember to check out writing-related services offered by our members at our CAA-NCR website   http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/hire-a-member.shtml

BRANCH NEWS

ITEM 1: CAA – NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION MONTHLY MEETING
FOLKTALE, MYTH, FAIRY TALE, DREAMS, URBAN LEGEND: CONTEMPORARY FANTASY
DATE: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 7:00 P.M.
LOCATION: Main Branch, Ottawa Public Library, Metcalfe And Laurier   
SPEND A MAGICAL EVENING WITH CHARLES DE LINT chatting and discussing the genre of contemporary/urban fantasy.
Charles de Lint is a full-time writer and musician who lives in Ottawa. With 36 novels and 35 books of short fiction published, he is known as a pioneer and master of the contemporary fantasy genre.  Under My Skin, the first book of a new young adult series called The Wildlings is due to be published by Penguin Canada in March 2012.  Charles also recently released Old Blue Truck – a music CD of his original story songs.
For more information, visit his Web site at www.charlesdelint.com

ITEM 2: CAA-NCR WORKSHOP WRITING LIVES WITH CHARLOTTE GRAY
DATE: Saturday, February 25, 2012  9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.                  
LOCATION:  Algonquin College, Room T230, 1385 Woodroffe Ave. Ottawa
Charlotte will cover both her own life as a writer (schedule, approach to research, organisation etc.) and also the challenge of biographical narrative. She invites workshop participants to bring one paragraph or page of whatever they are writing, for class feedback. This is not mandatory.
Charlotte Gray is one of Canada’s best-known writers, and author of eight acclaimed books of literary non-fiction. Her most recent book is Gold Diggers, Striking It Rich in the Klondike. Her previous seven books were all award-winning bestsellers.  Born in Sheffield, England, and educated at Oxford University and the London School of Economics, Charlotte currently chairs the board of Canada’s National History Society, which publishes the magazine Canada’s History (formerly The Beaver.) Charlotte is a member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
To register please e-mail Arlene Smith  somertonsmith@yahoo.com . For more information please visit: http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/workshops.shtml

 ITEM 3: CAA-NCR WRITERS RETREAT
Dates: Friday, April 27, through Sunday, April 29, 2012
Location:  The Cove Country Inn, Westport, Ontario

Best-selling Author BARBARA KYLE, Workshop Leader, has taught her “Writers Boot Camp” for the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, and offers twice-yearly Master Classes that focus on workshopping each participant’s novel-in-progress. Visit  www.BarbaraKyle.com
Details now available at our website: http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/events.shtml   
Or to obtain a brochure and for more information please e-mail Phyllis Bohonis: phyllis.bohonis@sympatico.ca

WORKSHOPS

ITEM 4: EAC—NCR SEMINAR SERIES 2012

TOPIC: PRACTICAL PROOFREADING    NEW!
DATE:  February 22, 2012, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
TIME:     9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Editors’ Association of Canada offers seminars with a hands-on approach to many facets of copy editing and writing.  Editors, writers, and communicators can refine their skills, enhance their knowledge base, and improve their communication expertise with seminars taught by industry experts at the highly regarded National Capital Region Branch seminars.

NOTE: Space is limited. The workshop Is open to everyone. EAC members receive a reduced rate.
REGISTRATION: http://www.editors.ca/branches/ncr/seminars
CONTACT: Pat Patterson, Public Relations, EAC-NCR,  prncr@editors.ca

ITEM 5: PWAC SEMINAR GETTING A GRIP ON YOUR FINANCES  NEW!

DATE:          Saturday, February 25, 2012, 11 – 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Ottawa Public Library Main Branch Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe
COST:          SEE BELOW

Ottawa money-minders Sandy Tunwell and Dylan Rose will show you how to keep more of the money you earn and how to make it grow. Sandy Tunwell – owner, founder &  managing consultant at accountrain  – will present tax-time tips and discuss bookkeeping basics
Dylan Rose – a financial advisor with the Independent Planning Group investment firm – will speak on planning for the future as an independent business operator

Presented by the Ottawa Chapter of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC)
Free to PWAC Ottawa members. Cost for non-members: $25 general public or $20 for students/members of writers’ organizations. Early-bird discount:  Register online and save an extra $5.  Send your name and contact information to pwacottawa@gmail.com by February 22nd.  Discount will be applied at the door.  Visit http://www.pwacottawa.org

ITEM 6:  TWUC WORKSHOP: HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PUBLICIST! 
The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) is offering the Professional Development Workshop HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PUBLICIST in Toronto, Winnipeg , Calgary , Vancouver , and Victoria, in February and March of 2012. The workshops take place from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. For those who can’t attend in one of the participating cities, a 3-hour webinar will be offered, distilling the highlights of the workshop.
Authors Elizabeth Ruth and Ann Douglas will present on traditional but innovative book marketing strategies as well as new media opportunities for writers.  Kelly Duffin, Executive Director of The Writers’ Union of Canada, will update participants on the latest evolutions in the publishing landscape.  The price of this symposium is $89.00 and covers costs, including lunch, $75 for members of The Writers’ Union of Canada. For registration information please go to http://www.writersunion.ca/registration.pdf . Please circulate this information to writers you think might be interested in coming to this event. Space is limited so register today.

SUBMISSION CALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

ITEM 7:        BYWORDS.CA SUBMISSION CALL

DEADLINE:  February 15 for the March issue

Bywords.ca considers previously unpublished poetry from emerging and established poets for our online monthly magazine. We consider work by current and former residents, students and workers of Ottawa. We also publish poems by contributors to our predecessor, the Bywords Monthly Magazine.  FOR SUBMISSION INFORMATION VISIT www.bywords.ca and click on Guidelines.  Amanda Earl, Managing Editor

ITEM 8: TESSERACTS SIXTEEN SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Feb. 29, 2012

From Edge Publishing, recently released the guidelines for the latest volume in their speculative anthology, which will be edited by Mark Leslie. They’re looking for stories and poems that “focus on art, music, literature and cultural elements which are integral to the story. ” This anthology is only open to Canadians citizens (including ex-pats), landed immigrants (aka permanent residents) and long time residents.
http://www.edgewebsite.com/books/tess16/t16-guidelines.html

ITEM 9: VALLUM 9:2 – URBAN LANDSCAPES / HIDDEN CITY  
 Deadline: 10 April 2012 
The cityscape has fascinated people since the flâneurs of Paris and beyond. An explosion of  mechanical and other structures surrounds us. But what is unseen, underground or hidden often eludes us. What are some of these hidden aspects of the cityscape or the urban landscape? No electronic submissions. Please mail submissions to: Vallum, P.O. Box 598, Victoria Stn, Montreal, Quebec, H3Z 2Y6, Canada
http://www.vallummag.com/

ITEM 10:  BIFF BAM POP! ANNOUNCES OPEN CALL FOR SHORT
HORROR/THRILLER/SUSPENSE ANTHOLOGY SUBMISSIONS

DEADLINE: 11:59 P.M. APRIL 1, 2012
Now accepting submissions for the inaugural BIFF BAM POP! Short Story Anthology.

Writers must submit their original prose before 11:59pm April 1st, 2012 deadline. A panel of BIFF BAM POP! representatives will review every submission received, and those selected will be published in the Short Story Anthology to be released this Fall.
Submissions can be sent to: biffbampopsubmissions@gmail.com (RTF or Microsoft Word files). Please see the official submission guidelines for complete information about submitting to the BIFF BAM POP! Short Story Anthology.

About BIFF BAM POP! Established in August 2008, Biff Bam Pop! is a website devoted to the world of pop culture, from comic books and video games, to movies, books, and music.  For additional information, visit www.biffbampop.com.

For more information, please contact: Andy Burns, Editor-In-Chief, BIFF BAM POP!
647-234-2112/andyburns2112@gmail.com

IN THE INTEREST OF WRITERS HELPING WRITERS

ITEM 11:  FEB 6 to FEB. 12 EVENTS AT COLLECTED WORKS  NEW!
1242 WELLINGTON STREET WEST AT HOLLAND
Check Facebook for full details or visit
http://www.collected-works.com/pages/events.htm

Saturday, February 11 3:00 p.m. Meet Terrence Rundle West, author of Not In My Father’s Footsteps  For more information, visit terrencerundlewest.com.

A note from Chris Carroll at Collected Works Bookstore: You thought we were awesome before… late this spring we will be completely remodeled, capable of double capacity for author events and still taking local authors on consignment! If you have books, we WANT to sell them!

ITEM 12: VERSeFest, OTTAWA’S SECOND ANNUAL POETRY FESTIVAL
NEW INFO!
DATES: FEBRUARY 28 THROUGH MARCH 4 2012
Tickets to VERSeFest, Ottawa’s celebration of page and stage poetry, officially went on sale Wednesday. A Festival pass gives the holder a chance to see some of the best poetry in the country and around the world. Headliners for the Feb 28-Mar 4 festival include the “Summit Reading” – a reading by three top poets from Canada, the United States and Mexico – and a Saturday night concert by American spoken word and hip hop recording artist Ursula Rucker.

Ursula Rucker is the queen of Philadelphia spoken word poetry, and is one of the few poets who is also a leading spoken word artist in the music industry; her mesmerizing voice has appeared with an array of recording artists and producers including King Britt, 4 Hero, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Josh Wink and The Roots. Each was drawn to the soft spoken eloquence and undeterred honesty which have become Rucker’s signature. Described as “strong, vulnerable, wounded and raging,” Rucker is part of a growing movement in the hip-hop and urban music divisions that is slowly adapting its aural sensibilities to women, and her powerful poems tackle the issues and challenges faced by women with a clear-eyed, painful lyricism. Rucker will also be leading an exclusive workshop on spoken word poetry on Sunday, March 4th; for information on how to register visit versefest.ca.

The Festival’s other headline event, the Summit Reading, brings together 2011 Governor General’s Award winner Phil Hall, newly named American Poet Laureate Philip Levine, and Pura López-Colomé, winner of the Xavier Villurrutia Prize (the Mexican equivalent of the GG.) Diverse in style and background, these three poets represent the best of each of their countries, and hearing them all read together will be an historic event. This reading is presented in partnership with the Embassy of the United States and the Ottawa International Writers Festival. Tickets are on sale at www.versefest.ca or in person at Collected Works Bookstore (1242 Wellington Street) and the Manx Pub (370 Elgin Street).

WRITING CONTESTS COMING UP

ITEM 13: CONTESTS WITH FEBRUARY DEADLINES

 OPL CONTEST: YOUNG POETS AND AUTHORS – ON YOUR MARK! GET SET! WRITE! DEADLINE: EXTENDED TO FEBRUARY 6TH. Details: www.BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca

 7th Annual Accenti Writing Contest  Deadline: February 7, 2012 http://www.accenti.ca/writing-contest   The contest is open to prose works on any topic. Send your short stories, travel writing or personal essays to Accenti Magazine. Multiple entries welcome. Top Prize is $1,000 and publication. Winners will be Celebrated at the 14th Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival, April 18 to 23, 2012. Also check out Accenti’s photo contest at https://www.accenti.ca/photo-contest
 Speculative fiction contest with $350 prize http://friendsmerrilcontest.com/guidelines/  NEW!  Entries are invited for the Friends of the Merril Short Story Contest. First prize: $350 (CDN). Spec Fic (SF/F/H, Magic Realism, etc.) short fiction only (max. 2500 words). Deadline: February 15, 2012. International entries welcomed. Entry fee: $5.

 GEIST 8TH ANNUAL LITERAL LITERARY POSTCARD STORY CONTEST  DEADLINE EXTENDED: February 15, 2012                   
      http://www.geist.com/articles/8th-annual-literal-literary-postcard-story-contest

 THE NEW QUARTERLY  NICK BLATCHFORD OCCASIONAL VERSE CONTEST DEADLINE: Postmarked February 28, 2012
$1,000 for one glorious poem written in response to an occasion, personal or public – poems of gratitude or grief, poems that celebrate or berate, poems that make of something an occasion or simply mark one. Another $1,000 in prize money will be distributed as the judges fancy. The best of what we see will be published in The New Quarterly at our usual rates, and posted on our website. For full details, see www.tnq.ca/contests

 Summer Literary Seminars welcomes entries to its 2012 Unified Literary Contest. First place winners in fiction and poetry receive publication in The Warlus Online and Black Warrior Review, as well as an all-expense paid trip to one of their programs in Kenya, Eastern Europe or Montreal. Deadline: February 28, 2012 Entry fee: $15USD. http://sumlitsem.org/contest.html                      NEW!

The CBC Literary Prizes recognize the best in original, unpublished writing by Canadians.
 CBC CREATIVE NONFICTION PRIZE. Competition opens March 1; deadline May 1.
 Visit http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadawrites/literaryprizes/ for full contest details

NEW CONTEST NOTICES

SUMMIT STUDIOS SHORT STORY CONTEST   NEW!
DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 29, 2012
Small Newmarket-based publishing company, Summit Studios, is calling for submissions to their contest to gather new material for four new anthologies that they plan to publish in 2012 and 2013. The contest will be running until February 29, 2012. This is the third such contest they’ve hosted during their eight year tenure.  Writers can visit their web site http://www.summitstudios.biz to download Story Contest Guidelines and to familiarize themselves with the types of stories they like to publish. You will find several previously published stories under some of the author profiles in their Writers’ Spotlight section.

For writers who do not win a prize, there is still a good chance they will publish their story if it fits their parameters. Writers maintain copyright to their work, and they pay a minimum $100 honorarium for every story that they publish.

ANTHEM ESSAY CONTEST Entry Deadline: March 20, 2012  NEW!
Eligibility: 8th, 9th and 10th Graders. No application is required. Contest is open to students worldwide. FIRST PRIZE: $2,000 5 SECOND PRIZES: $500 10 THIRD PRIZES: $200
45 FINALISTS: $50 175 SEMIFINALISTS: $30
http://essaycontest.aynrandnovels.org/Anthem.aspx?theme=blue

THE FOUR WAY BOOKS INTRO PRIZE IN POETRY  NEW!
D.A. Powell, judge Submissions accepted January 1 – March 31.  For a book-length collection of poetry written in English by a poet who has not previously published a first book of poetry. $1000.00 plus publication and a reading in NYC.  Submit online or by mail January 1 – March 31. Include necessary entry form and submission fee of $28.00. For guidelines and entry form: http://www.fourwaybooks.com/contest.php

Carol A. Stephen

This week I had a poem accepted for The Light Ekphrastic’s next issue coming up online soon. And I sent off two to another online journal, The Rose & Thorn.  Fingers crossed!  And I realized where I get bogged down when trying to do submissions is the deciding which poems are suitable and whether or not they are ready.  Often I think they are, but when the time comes, something has changed and I decide that either they are wrong for the publication or still need tinkering.

Besides that, I think I have too many possible places to submit and other projects like my next chapbook that I want to start and I lose that elusive focus I am seeking this year.  I think submitting has become an extra pressure that keeps getting in the way. So, I am going to try to select ONE place to submit and review the poems that might fit it. I am not going to set a goal of one per week right now, I am just going to go through the current calls I have already printed out, and as I review my poems for my chapbook will watch for any that will fit that one call. But my priority will be the chapbook. (or perhaps book, if I have enough poems!)

My challenge for the week to come is to maintain focus on assembling the book poems.  Crossing my fingers!  Carol

Day 30

A small tuxedo cat stops still
on his kitty-paw journey
over ice in my driveway,
a stranger, but just for a moment
I see my own tuxedo cat, larger than life,
found in a dusty synapse of brain.
I stop still, trying to catch the memory. it doesn’t hold.

Only one more day to go on this journey of stones. It has been fun to do and has made me write every day. I am hoping when I go back over the stones that I have the nuggets of poems to work with later. I think I do!  Carol