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Ontario Literary Landmarks

Ontario: Read it Here
A guide to the province's literary landmarks
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Welcome to Open Book: Ontario, your connection to Ontario's literary scene! Fresh & Local: our fresh daily content includes news, profiles, interviews, features and event listings from across the province. We also invite you to explore Ontario's Literary Landmarks and our seasonal online Magazine. Ontario is a vibrant publishing and culture hub, and Open Book is committed to showcasing the people, places, writing and happenings of our literary scene. Enjoy!

Recently on Open Book: Ontario

On Writing, with Drew Monkman

The May long weekend is finally here! As you head outside to enjoy the spring sunshine, you may find yourself wondering about the bird calls your hear or the flowers you find in bloom. Naturalist Drew Monkman's new book, Nature’s Year: Changing Seasons in Central and Eastern Ontario (Dundurn Press), is an almanac of key natural events that will help you fine-tune your attention to the passing of the seasons.

Today, Drew talks to Open Book about his new book, as well as the secret tricks of birders, cougar sightings and a worrying absence of bats.

Contest! Win one of three copies of Nature's Year: Changing Seasons in Central and Eastern Ontario. To enter, send an email to contests@openbookontario.com and tell us your favourite sign of spring. The contest closes June 1st and is subject to the following rules.

Read To Me: GrrrOUCH! Pain is like a grouchy bear

Read To Me, a new series on Open Book, showcases those magical children’s books that kids will ask you to read multiple times, and that you’ll love reading. Today, we’re featuring GrrrOUCH! Pain is like a grouchy bear (General Store Publishing House), written by Cathryn Morgan and illusrated by Crystal Beshara.

Weekly Roundup: Open Book: Toronto

An update of the interviews and features on Open Book: Toronto this week.

On Writing, with Marianne Apostolides

"I was writing 'Like a Cat,' a story set in a Greek restaurant where I worked as a belly dancer." Read more

Kouhi and Burnford Award Winners Announced

The Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop has announced the winners of the Elizabeth Kouhi Award and the Sheila Burnford Builders Award.

Elizabeth Kouhi Award

This award honours Thunder Bay poet Elizabeth Kouhi and is awarded annually to a writer with a significant history of contributing to the literature of Northwestern Ontario.

The winner is Sharon Irvine. She's a writer, teacher and a poet who has written for a number of periodicals and anthologies including Core, 807, Squeeze, The Whiskey Jack and Northern Nurses.

Thunder Bay and Ottawa Prepare to Celebrate the OLA's Festival of Trees

by Erin Knight

If you think today's youth can only be inspired by the likes of Justin Bieber, then you've never been at the Ontario Library Association's Festival of Trees™ awards ceremony. Some 4,500 children, parents and teachers erupt with screams and applause every time the winning book in each category is announced. The Festival of Trees™, which is the culmination of the OLA's annual Forest of Reading® program, takes place all this week. It's a reading event like no other — the audience of cheering young readers have voted for the winning authors themselves.

The Festival of Trees™ has previously been held exclusively in Toronto, with over 9,000 students from the GTA and neighbouring regions attending. For years, communities in other parts of the province have been asking to host the festival. Logistically (and financially) this hasn't been possible in the past. However, inspired by the success of IFOA Ontario and thanks to a grant from the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (OCAF), the Festival is going "on the road" for the first time, holding events this week in both Thunder Bay and Ottawa.

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Contest! Win a Gift Certificate to Your Favourite Bookstore

Dear Readers,

Take a couple minutes to fill in the survey below to give us your valuable feedback about Open Book, and we will be delighted to enter your name in a draw to win a $200 gift certificate to the bookstore of your choice! A perfect way to stock up on summer reading.

We look forward to your comments, and good luck! The contest closes at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 31, 2012 and is subject to the following rules.

Questions? Don't hesitate to email Clelia at clelia@openbookontario.com.

Introducing the Open Book App & Mobile Pages

Do you love reading, writing, arts and culture? The Open Book App is a new and vital tool for you. The Open Book App connects you with the vibrant literary scene in Toronto and throughout Ontario. Whether you are out and about, or planning from home, the Open Book App makes it simple to find details and directions for both literary events and literary landmarks. Get out and enjoy Ontario's amazing literary scene — everything you need to get involved is delivered by the Open Book App. Features and tools include:

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Featured Landmark

Writer in Residence

Writer In Residence

April 1-April 30, 2012

Helen Guri »

Helen Guri's work has appeared in many Canadian journals, including Arc, Descant, Event, Fiddlehead and Grain. Match (Coach House Books) is her first collection. She lives in Toronto.

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