Toronto Features

The WAR Series (Writers As Readers) is our newest interview series at Open Book, and gives writers an opportunity to talk about the books that shaped them, from first loves to new favourites.

Poet derek beaulieu’s newest book is Please, No More Poetry (Wilfrid Laurier University Press). With five books of poetry to his credit, derek’s new collection contains 35 selected works, an introduction by Kit Dobson and an interview with derek as part of the afterword. This book gives readers insight into the experimental poetry of derek beaulieu. Today, derek tells us about the lesser-known YA novels that were among some of his earliest reading interests, his first forays into adult fiction with Stephen King and the poetry book that would have been enough to get a 17-year-old derek beaulieu interested in poetry if only it was around at the time.

In case you missed it, here is an update of all the interviews and features on Open Book: Toronto this week.

Andrew Kaufman, author of All My Friends are Superheroes (Coach House Books), answers the Proust Questionnaire. He tells Open Book about the shores of Lake Huron, the office that he allows himself even though he could write in his living room, and he reveals his favourite flower, which is inspired by a well-known musician. Read the interview here.

Outlandish zine is calling for submissions. Edited by Lindsay Cahill, the founder of the recently extinct Dead (G)end(er) magazine, and Kelly Wydryk, outlandish is a new indie-run print magazine based out of New York City and Niagara, Ontario that accepts previously unpublished poetry, art and prose by world-wide contributors.

Visual artist Annie McLurg is the author of No Angel (Pedlar Press), a book that was just published on May 15, 2013. Her very first published work, it is a creative-prose novel that tells the story of an old woman who purchases a heritage house in Prince Edward County that’s in dire need of renovations. After witnessing her struggle to make the repairs, her neighbour, Elmer, steps in to help and we witness the five years that follow. Today, Annie reveals the true story behind her book, explains her very visual approach to writing and the reason behind her decision to avoid use of punctuation, and tells us what she loves so much about being a writer in Prince Edward County. To find out more about writing life in PEC, please visit our Focus On: Prince Edward County page.

When we think of the people behind the books we love, we generally think of writers. But many people work in a variety of professions to get those books onto your shelves.

Talking Tips

With Paula Daly, John Goldbach, Colette Maitland, Annie McLurg, Jim Nason, Hilary Scharper and Rebecca Silver Slayter.
This month, we asked a handful of authors to answer the question: What advice do you have for writing dialogue?

The winners of the Doug Wright Awards for Canadian Comics were announced on May 11, 2013 at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. The Doug Wright Awards were founded in 2004 in honour of the late Canadian cartoonist Doug Wright. They recognize English-language comics published in the previous calendar year and the cartoonists and comic artists who create them. They are given out in three categories — Best Book, The Spotlight Award and the Pigskin Peters Award. The Pigskin Peters Award recognizes experimental and non-traditional works of Canadian cartoonists.

Stephanie McLellan is an author whose latest book is Hoogie in the Middle (Pajama Press), a children’s book that tells the story of Hoogie, who is part of a family of monsters and is the middle of three siblings. Released in May 2013, the story follows Hoogie’s journey as she strives to get the attention she craves from her family and gradually learns that it's her uniqueness that makes her special and loved. Today, Stephanie tells us about how her own middle child was the inspiration for Hoogie, how being a mother makes her an effective children’s writer and she gives a list of her many favourite children’s books.

The Canadian Booksellers Association has announced the nominees for their Libris Awards. The Libris Awards are presented each year in 13 categories and they recognize literary achievement from members of the book industry and are voted for by independent book sellers.

The nominees are:

Have you ever wondered why people act the way they do? Michael C. Ashton is a professor of psychology at Brock University in St. Catharines who studies personality. His latest book, The H Factor of Personality (Wilfrid Laurier University Press), was published this fall, and it's filled with fascinating insight into human interactions. Co-authored with Kibeom Lee, also a professor of psychology, this book focuses on the H factor, which is one of the six dimensions of human personality. Today, Michael tells us about how he and Kibeom discovered the H factor as grad students at the University of Western Ontario, how the H factor plays a role in many aspects of people’s lives and what the most important thing is that readers will learn from The H Factor of Personality. Read on to learn about this newly discovered personality dimension.

The WAR Series (Writers As Readers) is our newest interview series at Open Book, and gives writers an opportunity to talk about the books that shaped them, from first loves to new favourites.

Charmaine Cadeau is a poet whose second book is Placeholder (Brick Books), which was published in April 2013. This poetry collection explores disintegration, gaps in the historical record and absences. Today, she tells us about some of her most memorable reads, from the Little Golden Books that were among some of her earliest reading experiences to Rae Armantrout’s Veil. Here is a wide-ranging list of children’s books, familiar classics and poetry that Charmaine has connected with.

Charmaine has some exciting events coming up. She will be reading from Placeholder at the Word*Up Reading Series in Peterborough on May 15, 2013. Please view the event details here. She will also be a guest at the Cobourg Poetry Workshop on May 16, 2013 alongside Eric Winter, Rick Webster and Mark Clement. Click here for details. On June 5th, 2013, Charmaine will be participating in the Pivot Readings with authors Andrew Faulkner, Michael Lista and Ayelet Tsabari. See the details here.

In case you missed it, here is an update of all the interviews and features on Open Book: Toronto this week.

As part of Open Book’s Behind the Books series and the celebration at Open Book: Toronto of Whazamo, Christopher Butcher, the Festival Director for The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAP) and Manager of The Beguiling Books & Art, and Andrew Townsend, Support Manager for the TCAF and employee of The Beguiling, speak with Open Book: Toronto about their jobs. They explain what their average work days look like, their memorable work experiences and the best thing about their jobs. Read the interview here.

This spring saw the launch of a book that belongs entirely to the city of Windsor, the writers near and far who have been inspired by the enigmatic City of Roses and the students who make their homes here while completing their degrees at one of the premier creative writing departments in the country. Whisky Sour City is a collection of poems inspired by Windsor that were submitted in response to a call for submissions from Poet Laureate Marty Gervais. These couldn't be just any poems: they had to have been written during three specific days in the summer of 2012. Between August 17 and August 19, 2012, the undercurrent of creativity that's always buzzing in Windsor must have been crackling at its highest pitch. The editors received over one hundred submissions. During the following months, guest editor Vanessa Shields and the students of the University of Windsor's Editing & Publishing Practicum worked hard to select, edit and publish this unique anthology. The finished project, Whisky Sour City: Poems from the South Shore, was published by Windsor's Black Moss Press in April.

Today, writer, blogger and editor Vanessa Shields tells Open Book how Whisky Sour City came to be, and shares how her own involvement with Windsor's lively, inclusive literary community enriches her own experience as a writer.

Author Peggy Blair is hosting a new show called “Getting Published,” which will be airing on Rogers TV in Ottawa. A twelve-episode series, Peggy will chat with authors in each episode, with the first guest being award-winning author Will Ferguson. Other authors featured throughout the series will include Brad Smith, Robert Pobi, Gail Bowen, Rick Mofina, Mary Jane Maffini, Linda Wiken, Cathy Astolfo, Hayden Trenholm, CB Forrest, Barbara Fradkin and Shelagh Rogers. Eight of the episodes will air in the spring, with reruns, and all twelve episodes will appear in the fall. The first episode airs May 8th, 2013 at 7:30 p.m., with repeats airing on May 10th and May 11th.

May is Whazamo month (graphic novel month) at Open Book: Toronto, and with that in mind we are speaking with graphic artist David Collier, the author of Hamilton Illustrated (Wolsak & Wynn). Hamilton Illustrated is a book that depicts the Hamilton he knows and loves through his artwork. In today’s edition of Five Things Literary, David tells us about five people who play a key role in Hamilton’s literary scene, including his book-loving author mother Sandra Collier, an enthusiastic comic book lover and Hamilton Public Library patron by the name of Jen, and Wolsak & Wynn Editor and Publisher Noelle Allen. These descriptions are each paired with some of David’s fantastic illustrations, which highlight these important people of literary Hamilton and their passion for books.

David Collier will be taking part in The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) on May 11, 2013. He will be signing copies of his books at the Conundrum Press table from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please visit the TCAF website for details.

As part of Crime Writing Month at CBC’s Canada Writes, they are focusing on compelling characters in crime fiction through their “Characters in Crime” series. The success of crime fiction often depends on the creation of memorable detectives and villains, so during May 6-17, 2013 Canada Writes will be interviewing members of Crime Writers of Canada about some of their favourite sleuths, what goes into creating characters in crime fiction and more.

By Erin Knight and Megan Philipp

Picture a high-stakes game of pool. When the cue ball strikes, the carefully aligned balls rocket off in all directions, finding their mark, dropping into the pockets or hitting another ball, altering its course. This is what Windsor & Essex County is like: the inspiration the area gives writers starts them off in any number of ways, so that the style, genre and trajectory of every writer is unique. There is a multi-layered creativity at work here in Ontario's most southern region, and a visit to the area — either in person or through the written word — is an experience that won't soon be forgotten. In our Recommended Reads list, you'll find memoir, poetry, children's books, short fiction and novels, and you're gauranteed to come away from these books feeling like you've just won that pool game. For more on Windsor's local authors, check out Melanie Janisse's feature article, "In The Underbrush: The Literary Tribes of Windsor".

Run by Dawn Marie Kresan, the publisher of Palimpsest Press, Palimpsest is a Windsor-based book blog that highlights Palimpsest Press news and general book-related information.

Four Canadian crime authors — Hilary Davidson, Ian Hamilton, Robert Rotenberg and Robin Spano — are joining together this May to tour Southwestern Ontario. These authors will be visiting Woodstock, Orangeville, Cambridge, Guelph, Brantford, Thornbury and Orillia. Although relatively new authors on the crime-fiction literary scene, they are already well-established, having published 15 books in the last four years between them.

The WAR Series (Writers as Readers) is our newest interview series at Open Book, and gives writers an opportunity to talk about the books that shaped them, from first loves to new favourites.

Andrew Pyper has described Hamilton writer Amanda Leduc's debut novel, The Miracles of Ordinary Men (ECW Press), as "fantastic realism...like a waking dream." This is a wholly original and spellbinding novel that plunges the reader into a plausible shadow world, where a man who's begun to sprout wings from his back finds his odd new life entangled with that of the mysterious and compelling Lilah.

Today Amanda tells us how a stay at Sick Kids Hospital when she was five became an opportunity for her first marathon reading session, and how she hasn't stopped reading since. Amanda will launch The Miracles of Ordinary Men at Toronto's Ben McNally Books on Wednesday, May 8th. Visit Open Book: Toronto's Events page for more details.