GRIND WRITERS NEWS - SEPT 2014 by GRIND WRITERS **

News

Grind Writers

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september 2014

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SIDE Open mics – not just for poets Wednesday Sept 10 nd And every 2 Wed of the month 7 – 9 pm SHORT STORY OPEN MIC NIGHT Host Margo Prentice Renaissance Bookstore 43 – 6th Street, New Westminster Bring your short stories. Read from your book, journal, essays. Storytellers welcome. Come to listen, bring a friend. Enjoy the beverages and snacks from the Renaissance Coffee Bar.

Open mics - not just for poets

Who says crime don’t pay? Detective fiction in Canada.

A novel process

A call for spooky

Wordplay in the Royal City

Things to do, places to go….

Book Talks – a Vancouver book club

Lost your mojo ? Maybe Bonnie can help.

Submit. (You know you want to.) Contests and calls for submissions

Psst. Does your manuscript have something to tell you?

Stuff about … stuff

Grind Writers – where we meet, when, but not why

Details on the website. Or call 604-525-4566

The free-write photo prompt. Just do it!

WORD Vancouver is Western Canada’s largest celebration of literacy and reading. Held during the last week of September at various venues throughout the city, this literary festival promotes books and authors with free exhibits, performances, and hands-on activities for a wide range of ages and interests. The main event is on Sunday Sept 28th downtown in Library Square from 11 am - 5 pm. For more info: http://wordvancouver.ca/ 2

autonomous

Who says crime don’t pay?

BC BOOKS

It might pay quite well, thank you very much – if you’re the one who writes a best selling detectvie series. And the Crime Writers of Canada association is here to support you in learning about the genre and its markets. Have a look at how well the Canadian crime-writing market is doing – on this list of recently released Canadian detective fiction.

Also some things the CWC offers on their website. 

“Searchable Databases related to the study of Detective Fiction in English, in a variety of media – print, film, and television.”

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The Gumshoe, crime-writing blog.

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The Mystery Site – reviews of new crime/detection fiction (worldwide, not just Canadian books). Likewise Thrilling Detective reviews detective fiction old and new.

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Subscribe to Crime Beat enews (10x a year) and get the scoop on new books, events where you might meet your favourite crime writers, updates on awards and other crimey info.

Kind of a novel process: the writing process blog tour: Here featuring local poet and intermittent Grind Writers attender, Elaine Woo. Why not use the questions to interview yourself, send them to me (email on last page) and we’ll put it in The Grind News. It may be helpfully revealing to you—and us. What am I working on? How does my work differ from others of its genre? Why do I write what I do? How does my writing process work?

Got something

spooky in the ol’ bottom drawer that you could polish up and submit by September 20? You have to be a member to submit to this one. Membership > $28/year.

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presented by the Royal Canadian Literary Arts Society Free Monthly poetry-generating drop-in Prompts provided Not a critique group: “Let’s have some fun!” B.Y.O..T. (bring your own tools) in the Back Room at the Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St. More info from: secretary@rclas.com

Places to go Things to do People to see Read a book. And talk about it. Face to face—with real people.

Sundays POETIC JUSTICE 3-5pm Sunday afternoons in the Back Room at the Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St., one block west o the Columbia Sky Train Station, New Westminster From Franci Louann, PJ Coordinator: “For a good time,” visit www.poeticjustice.ca to see what we’ve got planned for Sunday afternoons in New Westminster. Come early to the Heritage Grill for lunch with music, usually jazz. Excellent breakfasts are served till 3 pm. Franci Louann, Coordinator for Poetic Justice flouann@telus.net

Wednesdays PANDORA’S BOOK CLUB nd 2 Wednesday of the month 6:30–8:30 pm - Britannia Branch Library 1661 Napier Street, Vancouver Bring your favourite passages, points of interest, and share your reading experiences. Drop-ins are welcome. Presented by Pandora’s Collective. Hosts: Mary Duffy & Sita Carboni. More info here.

poets Salon

Twisted Poets Literary

2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of every month at The Cottage Bistro 4468 Main Street, Vancouver More info

BOOK TALKS - BOOK CLUB Second Wednesday of every month - 6:30 – 8:30 pm Presented by Pandora’s Collective & Britannia Branch library At the branch - 1661 Napier Street (at Commercial Drive), Vancouver Each month we’ll discuss a preselected book, with the occasional session reserved for a discussion on a theme. Bring your favourite passages, points of interests, and share your reading experiences. Each person is responsible for either borrowing or buying their own copy to read. This is an open book club. Drop-ins are welcome. Upcoming dates: Sept 10: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka "When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin." With this startling, bizarre, yet surprisingly funny first sentence, Kafka begins his masterpiece, The Metamorphosis. It is the story of a young man who, transformed overnight into a giant beetle like insect, becomes an object of disgrace to his family, an outsider in his own home, a quintessentially alienated man. A harrowing -though absurdly comic -- meditation on human feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and isolation, The Metamorphosis has taken its place as one of the most widely read and influential works of twentieth-century fiction. As W.H. Auden wrote, "Kafka is important to us because his predicament is the predicament of modern man." -- Amazon.com

Oct 8: Nov 12: Dec 10: 2015 Jan 14: Feb 11: Mar 11: April 8: May 13: June 10:

I Am Malala by Malala Yousufzai Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls Obasan by Joy Kogawa An Astronaut’s Guide to Life by Col. Chris Hadfield Year of The Flood by Margaret Atwood Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee The Orenda by Joseph Boyden The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank Hosts: Mary Duffy and Sita Carboni Contact: booktalks@pandorascollective.com www.pandorascollective.com

Lost your mojo? Regenerate Workshop

Co-facilitated by: Bonnie Nish is founder and Executive Director of Pandora’s Collective Outreach Society a charitable organization in the literary arts based in Vancouver. She is also Executive Producer of the Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival, an outdoor annual festival.

Saturday September 20, 2014 1- 4 pm Experiential workshop integrating expressive art, mindfulness and yoga, to assist individuals to re-integrate, re-member, and re-store at any stage of life’s journey. Explore through writing, collage, poetry and yoga. Allow your own creative life force to emerge, nourish, heal and restore.! ! Written Expression and collage offers a way to explore possibilities. It is a means of expression for that which has no words or is not yet understood. ! ! Yoga poses and breathing allows for safe and gentle processing of thoughts and emotions. It contributes to present moment mindfulness to foster deeper healing and connection to self. No previous art or yoga skills are required!!

$45 includes GST Location: Open Door Yoga in Kerrisdale, Vancouver #303-2309 West 41st Avenue Register: online: www.opendooryoga.bc.ca, “regenerate” ! 10% of proceeds to be donated to Thrive Alive Foundation! Regenerate

Bonnie has facilitated poetry and expressive arts workshops for over 15 years. She has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Expressive Arts Therapy at the European Graduate School. Published widely in such places as the Danforth Review and the Ottawa Review, Bonnie's first book of poetry Love and Bones (Karma Press) was launched into the world in Sept. 2013. - www.bonnienish.com. Sarina Auriel has become a cancer thriver. She holds a Masters Degree in the interdisciplinary studies of special education and health. She works in private practice in mind body health and wellness integrating various modalities which include homeopathy, Reiki, nutrition, pilates and yoga. Sarina is a speaker, workshop facilitator, writer,teacher and mother. Sarina is currently working on a book of short stories and is the recipient of the 2011 Wings of Change humanitarian award for her work in cancer, and the Vietnam Veterans in Canada 1987 Award of Appreciation. - www.auriel.ca

expression - mindfulness - yoga

2 more good things in New West Sat Sept 20: THE POETRY WARS: A study group hosted by Carol Shillibeer 4-6 pm 3rd Saturday of the month at Renaissance Bookstore, 43 – 6th Street, New Westminster

Tues Sept 23: THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER Facilitator Bernice Lever 6:30 – 8:30 pm Location: New West Public Library, 716 - 6th Avenue, New Westminster

Not for the faint at heart, the poetic arts in Canada roil with snark and tendentious commentary. What this study group will do is explore our literary environment (aka the poetry wars), read poems, reviews, texts, commentary. Think about it. Discuss it at the monthly study-group meetings. There will be a closedgroup blog to enable us to comment out of meeting times and to post links and reading material discovered in our private study. The goal: to understand; to be better poets. Your investment: the group is free of monetary expectation, but investment can also be in mental anguish and sweat. Expect both of the last two. Info: shillibeer@tailfeather.ca www.rclas.com

Treat your talents with respect: take a business approach to writing and publishing. Learn to create a budget for your talents, energies, emotions, finances, and more--so you can benefit from the government, public and private resources available for all writers. Turn your inspiration into manuscripts that can lead to your goals. Success comes from knowing contracts, keeping home office records for tax deductions, files for your promotion, timetabling launches, media savvy, grants, Payback, networking, etc. Bring your problems and questions for informative, shared discussions & answers. Pre-register – http://rclas.com/events/writing-workshop-businessbeing-writer-facilitator-bernice-lever 6

Submit. (you know you want to)

Contests and calls for submissions Roundup of poetry contests here

Contests by deadline date Deadline: postmarked Oct. 1, 2014 First Inaugural Fred Cogswell Award for Excellence in Poetry Cash Awards: 1st: $500. 2nd: $250 Fred Cogswell (1917-2004) was a prolific poet CAD, editor, professor, life member of the League of Canadian Poets, and an Officer of the Order of Canada. Judge: George Bowering Sponsored by the Royal City Literary Arts Society. Details available here

Ongoing submissions Sassafras Literary Magazine We will frown or smile upon your piece, and reply within 1 week (2 weeks max) with a muffin or a tumbleweed. Multiple submissions are allowed, but single submissions are preferred. All things minimalistic and mind-slicing wanted. The occasional selfless snark and sneer accepted. True wit appreciated, along with foldable grit, pocket-size memoir moments and frame by frame congeniality. Perspective: any—as long as artfully executed and self reflecting; avoid sending ego balloons and unintended mirroring. Mirrors and led wanted. Gates, doors, and attics most appreciated. THERE’S MORE— READ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES HERE

t a poem?” Submit any subject, any style, any length, any number, any time by email or by mail with SASE. Previously published poems and simultaneous submissions are welcome. The Great American Poetry Show, P.O. Box 69506, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Email: info@tgaps.net. Website: www.tgaps.net (Caveat emptor – check it out). The Quotable This online magazine wants writerreaders to submit stories based on their monthly prompts. Info here. Holler Box Rolling submissions year-round. All submissions are completely free. You may submit in multiple genres. If so, send a separate submission per genre. If your submission does not get accepted you may continue to submit, we encourage it. Please wait at least 30 days before submitting something new. Read the guidelines: https://thehollerbox.submittable.com/ submit. Submissions that do not follow the guidelines may not be considered. Geist Emerging Writer-of-theMonth Emerging writers are invited to submit short written works online. Read the FAQ. Dead Beats The Beats are dead; long live Dead Beats - focused on bringing you the highest quality literature from talented unpublished writers. We are happy to receive submissions from everyone, regardless of experience, of poems, short stories (max. 2000 words), experimental pieces and reviews, the

best of which we will publish on the site. If you would like to submit some of your work please send it in the body of an email to: deadbeats@live.co.uk. We aim to reply to all emails, though this may take some time given the number of submissions we receive. http://www.deadbeats.eu/submission

Are you over 60? - Wit and Wisdom of the Sages Have insightful stories you’d like to share with your grandchildren? Great Depression/ WW2/ Vietnam era? Seeking narratives up to 3,500 words. Send manuscripts, or for guidelines email jnjscher@yahoo.com. Anderbo.com -- “Best New Online Literary Journal.” Publishes writers in fiction, creative nonfiction), and poetry. We’re always looking for new voices. We’ll also consider nonfiction features, short memoirs, novellas, publishedbook excerpts, photography, essays, and photo essays. Now in our 9th year! For submission information and guidelines, visit www.anderbo.com. Changes in Life A monthly online newsletter is seeking personal essays from women of all ages. New writers are encouraged to submit their work. For details and submission guidelines, see www.changesinlife.com. Signature Editions - they only publish Canadian writers: What we do and don't publish: Look through the titles on our website and you'll get a pretty good idea of the kinds of books we're interested in. Where to send your manuscript: We do not accept submissions by fax or e-mail, and do not discuss concepts over the phone. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama - check website for submission guidelines. R The Evening Street Review The ESR is centered on the belief that all men and women are created equal. Reads poetry & prose submissions year-round. Replies in 3 months or less. Sometimes includes comments. Send 4–6 poems or 1–2 prose piece. 7652 Sawmill Rd., #352, Dublin, OH 43016

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monava9@gmaom

Submit.

(why not.)

cul or editor@eveningstreetpress.com. For contests and guidelines visit: www.eveningstreetpress.com. Subterranean Blue Poetry Subterranean Blue Poetry is an Internet Poetry and Art Publishing Café. We thrive on new original words and New Age art. All poets and their poetry are welcome and we are especially looking for homegrown poets from the Canadian first nations/American Indian Community; Quebec; small town Canada; international poets and anyone who was ever considered “the other.” New Age art offerings are for the masthead of each issue. Read all info here. Regime magazine - Short stories, poetry & performance writing. Not only do they want your work but they offer that you can tack $20 on your submission and they’ll send you back a detailed onepage critique. Note: do your due diligence. Read it all carefully. Full submission info here Coastal Spectator A new arts-based review and commentary site operating independently out of the U. Vic. We want to publish, on our home site, one new poem each week for a year, so if you have a new piece of work -- that is a haiku or up to 25 lines long -- do submit. Read all about it here. Multimedia journal: 5 OVER 4. New multimedia journal seeks cross-genre work made by jazzy, creative people who embrace the unknown. Poetry videos, multimedia sculpture, hand-stitched book art, JPEGs collaged with audio, sound poems via video chat, interactive projects. Live and online events. Web: 5over4.blogspot.com. Email Monique Avakian:

Pithead Chapel “An online journal of gutsy narratives” We’re looking for engaging stories told in honest voices. Most of all, we want to feel something. We want to reach the last word and immediately crave more. We want your work to leave a brilliant bruise. Send us your gutsiest narrative and we’ll do our best to get your voice heard. Submission guidelines here. 1966 - An online journal of creative nonfiction, seeks pieces of literary nonfiction with a research component—anything from immersion memoir to nature writing to reportage to travel writing to—? For submission guidelines: www.1966journal.org. PLACES FOR WRITERS

LISTINGS FOR LITERARY MAGAZINES OF EVERY TYPE, EVERYWHERE, FOR EVERYONE: Interesting resources – e.g., “Places to Publish: Can Lit” and “Publishers – Canada.” Plus continuous updates about who’s looking for what. If you have a piece to place, this might be a good place to start the hunt.

Morgan Bailey’s COMPETITIONS CALENDAR - BY DEADLINE DATE How handy that. Have a look at this excellent resource.

Weekend workshop & getaway:

Betsy Warland Listening to Your Manuscript September 19–21 Nanoose Bay (near Nanaimo) This is Betsy’s first Master Class for writers who are well into working on a manuscript. She will be offering her most current thinking inspired by her manuscript development and editing work with individual writers, her annual 5-month program Vancouver Manuscript Intensive, and her book Breathing the Page – Reading the Act of Writing.

Listening to Your Manuscript is for poets, creative nonfiction writers, memoirists and mixed genre writers who have a substantial body of work, a full draft, a chapbook, or a book and are at work on their next manuscript. The set of strategies presented will enable you to make accurate and exciting decisions about your manuscript. Examples are: how to recognize what’s missing, what your manuscript is really about, what needs to be foregrounded more (and less), what the most compelling structure and ordering of pieces is, and how to identify and extend its central images. Prior to the workshop, each participant will be invited to pose a question that Betsy will address during the workshop. In addition, each participant has the opportunity for a mini consult with Betsy. Cost: $300 includes refreshments, two breakfasts, one lunch and dinner. Time: Sept 19: 7–9 pm; Sept 20: 10am–9pm; Sept 21: 10 am–noon. Contact: Tina at tbiello@shaw.ca Location: Nanoose Bay Library and Annie’s Acre. Based on space, we have one room available to rent for early registrant. Please inquire if interested. Lots of camping space available too, please inquire.

Aerogram Writers’ Studio: This site has over 90 competitions, publication opportunities, fellowships.

stuff to know about

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stuff

Character 30 questions to ask your characters, courtesy of Marcel Proust.

Making your life easier A submissions compendium easy to use and “rich” says Malcolm, who sent it along.

Spicing it up with news A monthly literary newsletter from Goodreads. Thanks to Isabella Mori for sending this along.

Writing learning The Monashee Institute in Rossland has worshops. “Our Institute provides unique learning opportunities that represent mountain living at its best. Join us to experience our mountain culture and discover your potential.”

Grind Writers Group Meeting Schedule

Sun Sept 21

WHERE WE MEET The Grind Gallery Café - 4124 Main Street at 25th Ave. In the back room 10 am–12:30 pm

Sat Oct 4

WHY WE MEET

Sat Nov 1

Nobody knows.

Sun Nov 16

HOW WE MEET THANKS to Mr & Mrs Kim, the Grind’s owners. They’ve kindly let us meet in the Back Room for the last 7 years. And cudos to them for their support of the arts in general. The Grind provides gallery space to many local artists.

Sun Oct 19

Sat Nov 29 Sun Dec 14

Appreciate if you buy something while you’re there to support the Grind and their support of us Please email before you attend the first time. We occasionally meet outside.

free-write photo prompt

photo: Margo Lamont

r Set the timer. Don’t think it. Just start writing. Keep going, no stopping. No editing (that comes later). Forget grammar, forget spelling. Forget any “rules” you’ve ever been told Forget everything else and just write. 15 mins. by the timer. 15 minutes by the timer.