V6A Launch Waldorf Hotel April 12, 7pm

v6a-posterCome on down to the Waldorf on Thursday evening and hear some amazing writers who are published in a new anthology V6A: Writing from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside by editors Elee Kraljii Gardiner and John Mikhail Asfour. Partial proceeds of this book go to the Thursdays Collective–a writing group that meets at Carnegie Centre in the Downtown Eastside. I’ll be reading from my contribution to the book and I’m honoured to be a part of this anthology.

Thursday, April 12, 2012
The Waldorf Hotel
1489 East Hastings
Vancouver, BC  V5L 1S4Event runs from 7-9 pm
Admission is Free.

Vancouver is Awesome

Thank you, Lindsay Glauser, for the lovely interview! What an honour to be part of the awesomeness of Vancouver:)

Love books like me and want an excellent bookswap party? Head over to Project Space at 222 E. Georgia, February 25, 2012, for a good time book-luvin’. Add Project Space on facebook to keep up with their book nerd events.

 

New Anthology: V6A

I am so proud to be part of this anthology, coming out with my friends at Arsenal Pulp Press, and edited by Elee Krajili Gardiner  and John Asfour.

Vancouver Manuscript Intensive: now accepting applications!

This is the year. This is the year you are going to commit. Dust it off. Stop the voices in your head. Or get those voices going again:)

This is the year that you are going to get specialized eyes on that manuscript. Or that stack of stories. Those sheaves of poems. Or that novel on that website under that secret blog name.
You don’t need to know what you have in front of you. We can help you with that. You just need the desire to write and see it through.

Authors Claudia Casper, Cathleen With and Betsy Warland are
Vancouver Manuscript Intensive Mentors for 2012. Application deadline is November 30th. Go to
http://www.betsywarland.com/vancouver-manuscript-intensive-2012.

Word on the Street Vancouver, Sept 25

4-5pm at Word Talks, Alma Van Dusen room: I’m honoured and excited to be a part of a panel called, “You Gotta Know Where you Come From, to Know Where You’re Going” with Charlie Demers, Timothy Taylor, and Meredith Quartermain. This event is hosted by CBC radio’s Grant Lawrence. Come hear us talk about our Vancouver-love.

Word on the Street Vancouver

What books changed you as a kid?

For me it was A Wrinkle in Time. The 3 women, Meg as smart tomboy protag, the descriptions and settings in other worlds, the science.
Or Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. Ruthie’s awkwardness and loneliness and Aunt Sylvie’s ownership of herself.
There was this book called, Slake’s Limbo–I just recently reread it, and it also changed me. Beautiful story about a boy who lived under the NY subways and made a life for himself selling used newspapers.
I recently interviewed Maggie deVries for Vancouver International Writers’ Festival’s INK, and she talked about her aunt, Jean Little’s books. And The Secret Garden, or Sara Crewe. It’s funny how many writers talk about books that have some sort of isolated character, or special secret place.
How about you? What were your faves as a kid?
What books changed you as a kid?

Happy Mum’s

Loved the day at Historic Joy Kogawa House, thank you to Ann-Marie Metten and the lovely volunteers who make this magic happen for us.

Here is my story for my mom, who was in attendance:

“Not Auntie Carol”

When I was five years old I thought Auntie Carol was the best pseudo mom. Auntie Carol and Uncle Harrry took me to the Organ Grinder, a fancypants restaurant downtown that had music, puzzles and candy canes for the kids not even over Christmas, and of course, a man dressed in vaudeville stripes and bowtie playing a huge organ grinder. Auntie Carol took me to Ice Capades, Bedknobs and Broomsticks and even put me in a big Bedknobs and Broomsticks beds, and twisted the bedknob, told me to close my eyes and dream of flying to different lands. In Auntie Carol’s basement there were all the Nancy Drew books ever written, and she let me read them every weekend I slept over, and even take a few home. Auntie Carol gave me the Disneyland poster I had right down beside my bed. Every night I would pick somewhere different to go, trace my finger over Animal Kingdom, Frontierland, Bear Country. But Tomorrowland was the best. I could see the dips and exhilarating turns of Space Mountain, that big eyeball following my every move as I went under a microscope, and the kids, dreaming of being one of the kids who performed in futuristic costumes on the Tomorrowland stage. Auntie Carol promised we would go. And then I was 6 going on 7 and then I was 7 going on 8 and she still promised. But Auntie Carol drank. Not a lot, not like Uncle Harry. But certainly not like my parents, or mum. Which was never.

Continue reading ‘Happy Mum’s’

The Waldorf tonight: April 26: FIVE: OCW magazine

Join us tonight for FIVE: OCW Magazine’s 5th Birthday Party.

I am thrilled to be part of this Pecha Kucha type event to celebrate one cool word magazine’s fifth birthday. Come on down to the Cabaret room at The Waldorf.

 

2011 DTES Writers’ Jamboree on April 29

I am pleased to be part of the Downtown Eastside Writers’ Jamboree at the Carnegie Centre in Vancouver on Friday, April 29, 2011.

DTES Writers' Jamboree 2011Presented by the SFU Writer’s Studio, the Vancouver Public Library Foundation, and the Carnegie Community Centre, the DTES Writers’ Jamboree is a free event from 10 am to 6 pm.

The Jamboree will feature mini-manuscript consultations, round table discussions, professional skills workshops and will be followed by guest author readings.

I am so excited to be part of the round table discussion on “How to Be Heard” with Mercedes Eng, Cecily Nicholson and Jordon Scott from 2:30 – 3:30 pm.

For a full schedule of events, check out the Jamboree webpage.

Mother’s Day Tea Party at Historic Joy Kogawa House

Whether you call her mom, mum, mother, grandma, mother-in-law or her first name, join us with your mother-figure for tea and readings at our Mother’s Day Tea Party at Historic Joy Kogawa House on Saturday, May 7th, 2:30–4pm

Mother’s Day is a great time to celebrate your Mum. It’s also a great time to look back and think about all the women who have touched your life, almost like “other mothers.”

Readings by Mette Bach, Shana Myara, Maddy Van Beek, Lorrie Miller, Cathleen With, and Fiona Tinwei Lam celebrate women supporting women.

To reserve a space for you and your mum or other mother, email kogawahouse@yahoo.ca. Suggested Donation: $10 (includes tea and goodies)

Weather Permitting, we will be having a garden party. The back garden is wheelchair accessible by the back lane. But Joy Kogawa House is not (yet!) accessible. We are working on it. If we need to have the event inside, there are 4 stairs up to the house. We apologize for your inconvenience.

RSVP on Facebook