Four poems by Therese Taylor

Ode To An Author At Fifty

In the blank silence of middle night
Margaret surfaces in front of me
“Take up your pen, set your mind free.”
“Seriously,” she muses, “Words don’t bite.”

At sixteen her works inspired me
Edible prose nourished desire
At twenty-one the oracle broke free
The scribbler sparked my drive on fire

To write, to polish, to publish
That was life before my man
Three kids, laundry, the frying pan
Flooding in another eco dish
Long suffering, like Penelope
Now at fifty, where’s my destiny?

Inspiration

Phrases come to me
Insight in my ear
Words suddenly appear
Inspiration divine
It happens, so sublime
A voice cries inside
Write me down
Remember me
Set these synapses free

Twilight dreams

Life is full of dreams
Some are never seen
Popping into your head
Unfulfilled, full of dread
To sing, to dance
Write a romance
To act, to run
Enjoy abundant fun

Unfulfilled goals
Holes on your soul
Like sour Swiss cheese
Bitter bites never please
Some are never seen
Life is full of dreams

That’s It

Can lit

Studied it

Words writ

Locution knit

Writers’ wit

Inspiration hit

Write a bit

Anxiety fit

Let it sit

Edit it

Submit

Emotional pit

Don’t quit

Keep fit

Write a hit

Get credit

Void debit

Last exit

Final writ

My obit

Albeit

*

Therese Taylor has written columns for her local paper, is a former editor of Women’s Culinary Network News and an environmental activist. Co-owner of Dan T’s Inferno Foods, she has a Masters degree in Journalism and is working on a book about her Mom. She lives in Mississauga with her husband and three children and loves to write poetry.

For information about Brian Henry's writing workshops and creative writing classes, see here.

The Chick Lit Review - chick lit in bite-sized morsels

The Chick Lit Review publishes chick lit short stories and reviews of published chick lit novels.

Stories should be entertaining, light-hearted reads. The target audience (and protagonists) are women in their 20s and 30s.  Stories should not be longer than 5,000 words. Previously published stories are welcomed, though the writer must have all rights to the story. Novel excerpts are also welcome as long as the excerpt works as a stand alone story.

Reviews of published chick lit novels should be a maximum of 500 words.

Email submissions to igreen@chicklitreview.org
Paste your short story or review  into the body of the email; emails with attachments won't be read.  Please be sure to include a short bio with your submission. They'd also like to know how you heard about them - so say Quick Brown Fox sent you.  No pay from this site, just glory.

Full submission guidelines: http://chicklitreview.org/writersguidelines.aspx
Home: http://chicklitreview.org/

For information about Brian Henry's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

Writing Dialogue – the writer’s most important tool, July 17, Oakville

Dialogue – the writer’s most important tool
Saturday, July 17
10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Oakville Public Library, 120 Navy Street, Oakville

Accessible to beginners and meaty enough for experienced writers, this workshop will show you how to use dialogue to make your stories more dynamic and dramatic. Whether you’re writing fiction or memoir, you need to be able to write great dialogue and need to know how to mix your dialogue and narrative so that your characters come alive. Come to this workshop and learn both the basics and the best tricks of the trade so that you'll never write a lifeless scene again.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and George Brown College and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Sudbury.  But his proudest boast is that he's helped many of his students publish their first books and launch their careers as authors.

Fee: $38.94 + 13% hst = $44 paid in advance
Or $42.48 + 13% hst = $48 if you wait to pay at the door

To reserve a spot now, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

For information about all of Brian Henry's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

Taylor Martindale joins Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency

Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency
PMB 515
1155 Camino del Mar, PMB 515
Del Mar, CA 92014  U.S.A
http://www.dijkstraagency.com/

Before joining the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency in 2009, Taylor Martindale was the submissions coordinator at Bliss Literary Agency, Intl.  As a new agent, Taylor needs authors.

She is seeking young adult fiction, specifically contemporary, paranormal, urban fantasy, and any story with a captivating voice. Taylor is also interested in commercial fiction, women’s fiction, and multicultural fiction. She is looking for engaging and unforgettable characters and stories that stay with you long after you turn the final page. You can read an interview with Taylor on "GotYA" here. 

Taylor isn't the only agent at the Dijkstra agency who's hungry for clients.  Check out the others too: http://www.dijkstraagency.com/meet-the-agents.html   and query the agent who seems like the best fit for you.

Submissions: "We will continue to welcome unsolicited, hardcopy submissions with open arms, and we shall read each and every submission we receive. Authors whose work interests us can expect a response within 8 weeks of submitting your manuscript or proposal."  But note - if they're not interested in your work, they don't respond at all. No email submissions.

For fiction, mail a query/cover letter, a 1- or 2-page synopsis, and a sample of your manuscript (no more than the first 50 pages, double spaced, single sided, and unbound).

For non-fiction, mail a proposal (an overview, a detailed chapter outline, author bio, 1-2 sample chapters, and a brief analysis of readership and competing titles).

Full submission guidelines: http://www.dijkstraagency.com/submission-guidelines.html
 
Note: Brian Henry has a couple of "How to Get Published" workshops coming up soon: in Uxbridge on May 8, in Hamilton on May 15, in Windsor on June 6 and in Waterloo on July 24.
For information about all of Brian's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

The Wolfe Island Scene of the Crime festival Short Story Contest

The Wolfe Island Scene of the Crime Festival announces “The Wolfe Island Prize,” its annual Short Story Contest for Canadian writers who are previously unpublished in mystery or crime fiction.

First Prize is $100; Second Prize $50, Third Prize $25.00.

Deadline for submissions is June 1st, 2010.

For complete details please see www.sceneofthecrime.ca

Note: For information about all the annual writing contests in Canada, order The Canadian Writers' Contest Calendar. Details here.
For information about Brian Henry's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

"Dear Santa" by Natasha Gill

Dear Santa,

It’s me, Maya. You know, the Maya who lives in the brown house on Enfield Avenue in Etobicoke. The Maya with the bratty little sister named Mala.

Mommy called you today and I think after what she told you, I won’t be getting any presents this year. Mommy was so mad she used bad words.  A lot of them. Does that mean she won’t be getting any presents either?

Santa here is what really happened…

We had “Show and Tell” today at school. I didn’t have anything of my own to show, so I took Mommy’s pretty red nightie to school. The teacher stopped me as soon I started talking and said “Show and Tell” time was over. It had just started. She said something about calling my mother. Today, as soon as I got home from school, Mommy got a call from my teacher and her face turned all red. Just like the nightie.

Then she said her headache was back and she needed to lie down.

Mommy was sleeping so I quietly went into her bedroom to put her nightie back and saw her tray of perfume. I had an idea to make my Mommy feel better, so I took her smallest bottle of perfume, Chanel No. 5, went downstairs and sprayed all of it over Ozzy, our dog. Mommy is always telling him how smelly he is. Dumb old Ozzy didn’t like the perfume and when I let him outside to go to the bathroom he rolled around and around in the mud trying to rub it off. I didn’t know Ozzy was going to run back into the house and roll around and around all over the living room carpet and Mommy’s brand new white couch.

I spread Mommy’s white lotion all over the couch because I thought it would cover up the mud. Then I coloured all over the living room walls with my crayons so Mommy wouldn’t notice the paw prints.

Then I was bored, so I went upstairs and threw all my stuffed toys over the upstairs balcony and into the street in front of our house. I wanted to see if my Superman Teddy could fly. He can’t. Stupid Teddy! I ran out the front door and down the street to save Teddy. The nosy old lady next door ran over to our house, rang the doorbell, and woke up Mommy. So of course Mommy yelled at me to get back inside and I didn’t have time to save Teddy. I think Teddy got run over by a car.

Mommy told me to stay inside and play in my room, so I decided to have a funeral for Teddy. I dressed up in my best pink church dress and made Mala put on hers. We looked cute but something was missing. I put the chewing gum in Mala’s hair because the bright pink matched her dress. I didn’t know the gum would get stuck.

I took my scissors and tried to cut the gum out of Mala’s hair. I am a little kid, with little kid scissors that don’t cut very well so I made zigzag bangs. Mala looked in the mirror and started to cry, so I gave her my bag of souvenir rocks from the Grand Canyon. She kept crying, so I used the bag of rocks to I hit her over the head.

Mommy woke up again. Boy was she mad when she saw Mala’s hair. She told me I had to stay in my room until Daddy got home and then I would find out. Find out what? I wondered.

I got very hungry sitting in my room all by myself so I snuck out. I made Mala hold the chair while I climbed up to reach the top of the fridge to get us cookies. I didn’t know the chair was going to slip and I was going to fall. PLOP! Right on top of my sister!

“That’s the last straw!” Mommy said.

But I had a cookie in my hand, not a straw, so I told Mommy I thought she needed more sleep.

That was when she grabbed the phone and dialled your number.

Santa, please, please, please believe me. I was only trying to be a good girl and I promise I will be a good girl from now until Christmas.

Love,
Maya

P.S. Please forgive Mommy for using all those bad words.
P.P.S. My sister broke the lamp in the bedroom, not me. Please don’t bring her any presents.

*

Natasha Gill has a B.A. in Journalism (Carleton University, Ottawa) and a post-graduate diploma in International Development (Humber College, Toronto). Recently she was the Production Assistant for a documentary filmed in Tanzania. The film centered on telling the stories of people’s lives improved through microfinance programs and was screened at high schools all across Ontario. Natasha is currently working on a planned collection of short stories inspired by her father’s memories of growing up in Pakistan and spending many agonizing minutes considering whether an M.F.A. in Creative Writing is in her future.

For information about Brian Henry's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

Kate Epstein looking for Young Adult fiction and nonfiction

The Epstein Literary Agency
Randolph, MA, USA
kate@epsteinliterary.com

The Epstein Agency is a small single-person outfit founded by Kate Epstein 2005, after four years' acquisitions experience at Adams Media. Until recently Kate focused exclusively on nonfiction, but now she’s added Young Adult fiction and nonfiction of all kinds to her repertoire.

Concerning nonfiction, Kate says, “The most important thing to remember about a book proposal is that it is a sales piece. It should be professional – but also dynamic. It’s great to dot your i’s and make sure all the pieces are there, but you need to transmit a level of excitement about your project.

“A really common problem is a weak marketing plan. I do understand the challenges people face in this area. I believe that even if your efforts are unlikely to directly generate more than a few hundred sales, that you should still describe what you are going to do personally to push your book. An ambitious, even creative, plan for what you will bring to the effort tells a publisher that you will be an eager partner, and that any resources they do provide you will not be ill-spent.

“Practical nonfiction by credentialed authors is certainly the smallest stack in my pile, and I’d love to see more of that. I’ve placed a couple of craft books recently, and more of that is welcome. Uncredentialed authors that want to write practical nonfiction should, as a rule, team with someone more credentialed. If I were more on top of my slush pile right now, I could better answer this question, but thus far I’m getting the strong impression that a lot of YA authors have embraced hackneyed ideas about high school and social strata. Plot and character are to me the two most important things; I think most people that attempt YA realize how vital plot is, but to me character is just as important.

“When it comes to memoir, I’m always curious about peculiar jobs or unusual experiences, but I tend to see a lot more books about family life, which aren’t necessarily as interesting to me.”

Check that your project is something Kate might be interested in and then query by email with no attachments: Kate@Epsteinliterary.com

Complete guidelines here: http://www.epsteinliterary.com/guide.html

Note: Brian Henry has a few "How to Get Published" workshops coming up soon: in Uxbridge on May 8, in Hamilton on May 15, in Windsor on June 6 and in Waterloo on July 24.


For information about all of Brian's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

Writing Romance and Writing for Children in Charlottetown, PEI

The Island Writers’ Association presents two workshops with Brian Henry…

“How to Write and Sell a Romance Novel”
Sunday, June 27
2:45 - 9:00 pm (with a break for dinner)

Get the inside story. Whether you want to write chick lit (like Bridget Jones’s Diary) a traditional Harlequin-style romance, or woman’s erotica, this workshop will show you how. Learn the "secret formulas" and how to brainstorm a story line. Find out how much money authors earn and where the best opportunities are to get published now.

Fee: $45 in advance or $50 if you wait to pay at the door

And...
“Writing for Children and Young Adults”
Monday, June 28
7:00 - 9:30 pm

Whether you want to write the next best-selling children’s books or just want to create stories for your own kids, this workshop is for you. Learn how to write stories kids and young adults will love, and find out what you need to know to sell your book. If you’re not currently working on a children’s story, don’t worry, we’ll get you started!

Fee: $30 in advance or $35 if you wait to pay at the door.

Both workshops take place at the Stratford Town Hall, 234 Shakespeare Drive, Stratford - just across the bridge from Charlottetown.  Map here.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years, including seven years with Harlequin, the world’s largest romance publisher. He is also the author of a children’s version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Tribute Publishing Inc).He teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and George Brown College, including a credit course in writing romance novels.  He has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Sudbury, but his proudest boast is that he's helped many of his students publish their first books and launch their careers as authors.

To register, please make your cheque out to Island Writers Association and mail it to:
Island Writers’ Association
c/o Debbie Gamble
1320 Pownal Rd.
R.R. #1, (Alexandra)
Charlottetown, PE C1A 7J6

To reserve a spot now, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Photos: Books by Brian's students - Demon's Hunger a supernatural romance by Eve Silver and The Awakening, a New York Times #1 bestselling novel for teens by Kelley Armstrong.

For information about all of Brian's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

A photography course with Danielle Valiquette

I don't usually boost other people's workshops, but in Dani's case, I'm happy to make an exception...

"Snap to Snaptaculous"

This course will cover how to:
- Focus on your subject and which focus drive work best under which circumstances
- Blur the background so your subject stands out
- Understand the scene modes, for example portrait, landscape and so on
- Get your colours correct
- Capture the moment

DATE: April 25 2010
TIME: 1 pm to 4 pm
LOCATION: Functional Performance Centre
1075 Queensway East
CALL TO BOOK: 905.949.6266
$60 in advance and $70 at the door

For information about Brian Henry's writinng workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

Vestal Review, a literary journal for flash fiction

Vestal Review is a perfect-bound print magazine published twice a year, with a Web issue published quarterly, devoted to what we consider an underrepresented type of fiction: flash (or short-short) stories.

A good flash, replete with a cohesive plot, rich language and enticing imagery, is perhaps the hardest type of fiction to write. A good flash is so condensed that it borderlines poetry. A good flash engages your mind not only for the short duration of its read, but for a long time after.

We realize that there are different definitions of what a flash story is and all of them have merit. In our definition, a flash story is no longer than 500 words and it has a plot. Don't forget that the title is an important part of the story. Make it pertinent but don't tell too much. We generally do not favor one-word titles.

Vestal Review is an eclectic magazine, open to all genres except children's stories and hard science fiction. We love humor. Vestal Review includes four live flash stories per quarterly Web issue, plus a teaser for three or four more that will be available only in the semi-annual print edition. Vestal Review has been published continuously since March 2000.

Payment ranges from $5 to $15, depending on length, with stories of great merit receiving a $25 flat fee.

Vestal reads submissions only from February to May and then from August to November. They don't read new submissions in December, January, June and July.
Full submission guidelines here: http://www.vestalreview.net/Guidelines.html
Home: http://www.vestalreview.net/issue37/issue37.html

For information about Brian Henry’s writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

Canadian Authors Association, Peterborough Branch

The Peterborough branch of the Canadian Authors Association flourishes under the association’s philosophy of “Writers helping writers.” It serves East Central Ontario, but there are no real boundaries.

Members attend monthly prose and/or poetry “pocket groups."  These informal meetings provide opportunities for participants to read their work aloud and to discuss their writing progress and other writing issues. Brief critiques are offered, and more in depth critiquing can be arranged on the branch on-line forum. Members are kept up to date by the monthly “eLine” newsletter.

Other events include seminars, such as the upcoming "How to Get Published," workshop with Brian Henry on Saturday, March 16, 2013. (Details here.)

The Peterborough CAA also presents public displays and readings, an Annual Poetry Reading Marathon, seasonal dinners/potlucks, and summer and winter book sales. Typical group projects include writing collaborative mystery, poetry and short story anthologies, such as Shoreline Reflections, radio plays and producing a radio show.  Potential members are welcome to attend three monthly “pocket meetings" free of charge before deciding to join.

For more information: ptbocaa@gmail.com

Peterborough CAA: http://www.canauthors-peterborough.ca/  

CAA website: www.CanAuthors.org  

See Brian Henry's current schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Georgetown, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Kitchener, Guelph, London, Woodstock, Peterborough, Kingston, Orangeville, Barrie, Sudbury, Gravenhurst, Muskoka, Peel, Halton, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Dystel & Goderich Literary Management

One Union Square West
Suite 904
New York, NY 10003
http://www.dystel.com/

Dystel & Goderich Literary Management was founded in 1994 by Jane Dystel, who has been in publishing for over 30 years – first as an editor, then as a publisher, and finally as a successful agent.

Among its clients, Dystel & Goderich has a roster of Pulitzer Prize winning journalists, celebrated experts in fields as diverse as parenting, women's health, and cooking, and acclaimed literary and commercial fiction writers.

The agency says its primary goal is to offer not just financial and contractual advice to its clients, but also editorial guidance and support.  "Being involved in every stage of putting together a non-fiction book proposal, offering substantial editing on fiction manuscripts, and coming up with book ideas for authors looking for their next project is as much a part of our work as selling, negotiating contracts."

The agency takes your queries very seriously, as they discovered many of their most talented authors in the slush pile. The agency reads everything sent to them, whether they decide to represent it or not.

Submissions: Write your cover letter in the body of your email and attach an outline or brief synopsis of the work (with word count if possible) and a sample chapter. Double space everything other than the cover letter. Submit to only one agent at the agency.  List of Dystel & Goderich agents and their emails here: http://www.dystel.com/staff.html
Full submission guidelines here: http://www.dystel.com/submit.html

Note: In the spring, Brian Henry will be leading a number of "How to Get Published" workshops: in Gravenhurst on April 17, Moncton, NB, on April 23, in Peterborough on April 24, Kingston on April 25, Uxbridge on May 8, and (as noted) in Hamilton on May 15.

For information about all of Brian's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

DAW books

375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/daw/

We publish science fiction and fantasy novels. We do not want short stories, short story collections, novellas, or poetry. The average length of the novels we publish varies but is almost never less than 80,000 words.

Mail us the entire manuscript with a cover letter, not three chapters and a query letter.

No electronic submissions. Use 8 1/2" x 11" white paper, double-spaced, with at least 1" wide margins all around. Please use only one side of the page, number your pages, and put the title of your novel at the top of each page. Manuscripts should always be unbound.

Very important: Please type your name, address and phone number in the upper right hand corner of the first page of your manuscript. Right under this, please put the length of your manuscript in number of words.

We publish first novels if they are of professional quality. A literary agent is not required for submission. Full submission guidelines here. 

Science fiction writers will also be interested in Kasma Science Fiction Magazine (see here) and Writers of the Future, a perpetual free contest with a $5,000 annual prize, plus $2,250 in prizes awarded every three months (see here).

For information about Brian Henry's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

A Slight Kink, Stories by Steven Jacklin, reviewed by Sherry Isaac

You remember a writer’s work for one of two reasons: either it was complete rubbish, or it was entertaining, well-written prose that stirred a little something in your soul and made a connection. I remembered Steven Jacklin and his short stories from a creative writing course I took several years ago for reason #2 – they're good!

A Slight Kink features stories of everyday life with an off-kilter, or shall I say, kinked point of view. With deft pen and able voice, Steven wades into the unpredictable waters of male-female relationships. Sometimes the water is calm, once in a while there are rapids, yet at the end of every tale Steven brings his reader to shore with the finesse and cunning of a cat landing on softly padded paws.

Simplicity and clarity rule; details resonate. In "A Picture At An Exhibition" the main character, Kevin, comments, "I was wearing my old contact lenses, my last set of monthlies, now six months old."

"Green With N.V." takes the reader through "a world of pine nuts and yams." Teenage lust comes alive in "I Saw Her Standing There." Trevor, who longs only to kiss Maureen, laments, "Sam, our singer, had gone even further—he was taking off bras."

But enough of the frilly talk. As I sat in a curve-backed chair on the second floor of Timothy’s on Lakeshore, I turned page after page, entertaining those around me with my random giggles and snorts. More than once, "Story Time" had latte dripping out of my nose. The writing is both fresh and refreshing, fun and, as Derek, the father in The Camping Crusade might say, a wee bit like being "suspended in a paradise of bliss and buttermilk."

All in all, A Slight Kink is a light and thoroughly enjoyable read. Thank you, Steven. It was a real treat to read your book, and a great honour to review it.

A Slight Kink is available through Steven Jacklin’s website: www.stevenjacklin.com

Sherry Isaac’s work has been published in Quick Brown Fox and New Mystery Reader. Her short story, "The Forgetting," placed first in the Alice Munro Contest in 2009. Her newsletter, Wildflower, features up and coming writers in the GTA. Visit Sherry on the web at www.sherryisaac.com


For information about Brian Henry's writing worskhops and creative writing courses, see here.

"How to Get Published," Sunday, June 6, Windsor

1:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Optimist Community Centre
1075 Ypres Blvd, Windsor (Map here)

If you've ever dreamed of becoming a published author, this seminar is for you. We’ll cover everything from getting started to getting an agent, from getting your short pieces published to finding a book publisher, from writing a query letter to writing what the publishers want. Bring your questions. Come and get ready to be published!

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He teachers creative writing at Ryerson University and George Brown College and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Sudbury. But his proudest boast is that he’s helped many of his students to get their first book published and to launch their careers as authors.

Special Option: Participants are invited to bring a draft of a query letter you might use to interest an agent or publisher in your book. You don’t need to bring anything, but if you do, a couple copies could be helpful.

Fee: $36 paid in advance or $40 if you wait to pay at the door.
To reserve a spot now, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Note: For information about all of Brian's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

The Elora Writers' Festival Writing Contest

The Elora Writers' Festival invites entries for their 7th annual writing competition. Submit your poetry or prose (short story, personal essay or one-act play) on any theme that inspires your imagination.
Prizes: $100, $75, $50.
Age categories: adult writers (19+), writers 13 – 18 years old, and writers 12 and younger.

Length: prose maximum 2000 words, poetry no more than 75 lines.
Entry fee for the adult category $15.
Free for young writers.
Deadline: Monday, May 3
More details and entry forms here.
Note: For information about all the annual writing contests in Canada, order The Canadian Writers' Contest Calendar. Details here.

For information about Brian Henry's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

Three poems and three photographs by Karin Weber

Willow

I said to a willow tree;
you are a green haired woman
with hands growing so wild
birds slip through your fingers.
Too bad your feet are tangled up in stone

She said to me;
you are a shifting trunk
with no leaves to grace your limbs
You move in a permanent fall.
Too bad you are blown around so easily

Why Write

I live too far from the sea,

and sleep a sailor's dream.

My mind’s horizon

stretches between two blues

blended for breathing;

a spice of old shells,

dried eel grass

and lost fishes.

Standing at the edge

where smooth sand disappears

under flying water

I caste and caste again

for mermaids or a selkie lover

to draw me farther out.

They have yet to appear.

In the meantime I awake

every day land locked

to set sail with broken lines

in tiny flat white ponds.

Jasmine Cream

The short film clip shows
an eight year old girl climbing onto a truck
for a midnight ride to fields of jasmine.
Already an old woman creeps
inside the child’s spine all night
as she untethers tiny stars that loom
like dreams about to be released
until crushed in a burlap bag.

Bossman stands by with his hurry-up stick,
conversation loose as sand
pouring from one hand to the next,
“Sometimes children need to be tapped.”

Far away in a crystalline lab
a perfume artiste noses through
liquid flowers ambergris musk
to compose a master scent.
There must be no hint of any hand
that could pluck away the night.

At the department store

the beauty consultant projects a smile

on her audience and recites;

for youthful beauty one must

till the skin with loving care and just a touch of:

green mud vitamins collagen herbal infusion

extract of a million petals and water water water.

She does not speak of the stolen ingredient;

essence of childhood.

With two fingertips we are shown

how to erase our wrinkles

with white jasmine scented cream.

I think of Lotus Eaters

on their dry island

eating twisted plants,

the flavour of blossoms

masks the sight of the punishing sea.

Note: For information about Brian Henry's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

The Blank Page Writers' Group, Gravenhurst, in Muskoka

The Blank Page Writers’ Group first met in October 2003. Our group is comprised of a diverse group of writers including poets, short story writers, novelists, journalists and memoir writers, each of whom represent an equally diverse list of genres.

Ours is an active group that holds readings, hosts seminars and even runs a short story contest. We fundraise for our public library. Our objective is to provide moral support and learning opportunities for writers in our community and beyond.

Everyone is welcome to attend our meetings, held at 7 p.m. every first Thursday of the month at the Gravenhurst Public Library on Sharpe Street (behind the Opera House). At our meetings, we typically exchange news of events and contests, do a writing exercise and read from our works. Positive feedback is welcome, critiques are available upon request to an individual member but not during the meeting. Networking at our local coffee shop at 9 p.m follows the formal portion of the meeting. Jacqueline Stirrup & Nancy Beal lead the group.

The Blank Page Writers regularly hosts writing workshops led by Brian Henry.  Last year, Blank Page hosted "How to Get Published," and on May 12, they hosted "Writing Your Life and Other True Stories." On Saturday, October 1, 2011, the group will host "Writing for Children and for Young Adults." Details here.

To contact the Blank Page Writers’ Group, email us at: blankpwg@gmail.com
or visit us at: http://sites.google.com/site/blankpagewriters/
Photo: Our members and guests at a Brian Henry seminar in fall 2009

See Brian Henry's current schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Toronto, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Brampton, Georgetown, Burlington, Hamilton, Kitchener, Orangeville, Gravenhurst in Muskoka, Peterborough, Kingston, London, Peel, Halton, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

New agent at Rights Factory seeks children's and young adult books

Alison McDonald, formerly an editorial associate with the Rights Factory, has been promoted to associate agent specializing in middle grade and young adult fiction.

Company president Sam Hiyate says he’d been interested in taking on more children's authors since the recent successes of Christine Walde’s The Candy Darlings (Penguin Canada) and Mariko and Jillian Tamaki’s Skim (Groundwood Books), but needed the right person for the job. “When Ali started working for me last year … it was mutual compatibility. I wanted someone doing that for me, she wanted to do it, so we came to an arrangement,” he says.

McDonald has already signed five clients, incluing Kelli McLeod, whose debut YA novel, The Secret Keeper of Sansum Prep, is about a trailer park teen at an elite boarding school. McDonald aims to have 25 clients by the end of 2010.

Alisha Sevigny, another agent at the Right’s Factory will be the guest speaker at the "How to Get Published" workshop in Burlington on February 19, 2011.  (Details here.) As she is a new agent most of Alisha's clients are new authors, but she's open to all kinds of material. “I don’t like people who say, ‘I’m only going to do this,’” she says. “I’m open. I love literary fiction, I love non-fiction. I did a lot of creative non-fiction in university, and I like women’s fiction. Basically, if the writing is good, if the story is good, it does not have to fall into any kind of specific category.”

Email queries to Alison at: alison@therightsfactory.com
Query Alisha at: Alisha@therightsfactory.com
Or query via the Rights Factory's webform: http://www.therightsfactory.com/submissions.html
More about the Rights Factory here.

Note: Brian Henry will be leading a number of "How to Get Published" workshops: in Gravenhurst on April 17, Moncton, NB, on April 23, in Peterborough on April 24, Kingston on April 25, Uxbridge on May 8, and (as noted) in Hamilton on May 15, in Mississauga on Dec 4, and in Burlington on February 19, 2011.

For information about all of Brian's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

Two workshops in Moncton, New Brunswick, on Saturday, June 26

"Writing for children and young adults"

9 a.m. - 12 noon

New venue: Moncton Lions Community Center
473 St. George Street, Moncton
(Just off Vaughn Harvey Blvd., next to Beaverbrook Curling Club, CFB Moncton, etc. Map here.)

Whether you want to write the next best-selling children’s books or just want to create stories for your own kids, this workshop is for you. Learn how to write stories kids and young adults will love, and find out what you need to know to sell your book.

Special option: Bring your picture book manuscript or if you’re writing for older children or teens, bring your opening pages, and get them critiqued on the spot. If you’re not currently working on a children’s story, don’t worry, we’ll get you started!

And…
“Genres that Sell”
~ How to write and sell commercial woman’s fiction ~
1 p.m. - 4 p.m
New venue: Moncton Lions Community Center
473 St. George Street, Moncton
(Just off Vaughn Harvey Blvd., next to Beaverbrook Curling Club, CFB Moncton, etc. Map here.)

Get the inside story. Whether you want to write a blockbuster bestseller like Bridget Jones’s Diary, a traditional Harlequin-style romance, or woman’s erotica, this workshop will show you how. Learn the “secret formulas” and how to brainstorm a story line. Find out how much money authors earn and where the best opportunities are to get published now.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing teacher for more than 25 years, including 7 years with Harlequin Books. He is the author of a children’s version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and George Brown College, and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Ottawa. But his proudes boast is that he has helped
many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.

Fee: each workshop $40 or $60 for both (includes gst)
PWAC members: each workshop $36 or $52 for both (PWAC members must pay before June 26 to take advantage of the discount)
Make your cheque out to "PWAC - Moncton Chapter" and give it to Rayanne Brennan or mail it to:

Attention: Rayanne Brennan
VP, Moncton Chapter
47 Candice Lane
Moncton NB E1G 0A6

Reserve your spot now by emailing brianhenry@sympatico.ca
But don't email Brian after June 23.  (I'll be on the road).  Last minute reservations should be emailed to: rayanneb@rogers.com

Photos: Books by Brian's students: Business in Bangkok by Lynn Westerhout and  Ciao Bella by Gina Buonaguro and Janice Kirk

Note: For information about all of Brian's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

The Muskoka Short Story Contest & The Saving Bannister poetry contest

The Muskoka Short Story Contest

The Blank Page Writers' Group has partnered with Metroland North Media to create a brand new short story contest for year-round and seasonal residents of Muskoka. (Must be age 18 or older. Current members of the Gravenhurst Blank Page Writers are ineligible.

Note: As this is a new contest, restricted to Muskoka people, they’re not getting a lot of entries, which means you’ve got a better chance of winning.

Enter short stories of up to 2,500 words. All genres welcome. No essays please. Subject matter does NOT have to be about Muskoka or set in Muskoka.

Deadline May 10
Fee: $10
First prize: $100, second: $50, third: $25.
The names of the prize winners and honourable mentions will appear in Sideroads of Muskoka Magazine. The 1st prize winning story will be published in Sideroads of Muskoka summer edition.
Full contest details here.

The photo of the the wild turkey is from the very cool blog, http://mymuskoka.blogspot.com/.  "Muskoka View" is from http://www.muskokalakesrealestate.com/  

Note: The Blank Page Writers are sponsoring a “How to Get Published” led by Brian Henry in Gravenhurst on April 17. Details here.
 

The Saving Bannister 25th annual poetry contest
"Does your poetry speak volumes?"

The Niagara Branch of the Canadian Authors Association is pleased to announce "The Saving Bannister" 25th Annual Poetry Anthology Contest. For the past 25 years, Canadian Authors has had the honour of bringing the best of Ontario's aspiring poets into the spotlight with its series of anthologies. This year, it is awarding cash prizes of $200, $100 and $50 to the top three finalists.

This contest is open to all Ontario residents. Entries must be in English, previously unpublished and not submitted for consideration elsewhere. Print should be black in 12 pt Times New Roman on 8.5 x 11 inch white bond paper, one side only, one poem per page. Line lengths exceeding 44 characters may be broken at the discretion of the committee. Poems over 65 lines in length (including spaces between stanzas) will not be accepted.

The entrant's name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and titles of the poem(s) should appear on the cover page only. The number of entries is unlimited, but no more than six poems from one poet will be included in the anthology.

Please include the following with each entry: (1) poem(s), (2) a cover page, (3) a cheque or money order: $15 for up to three poems and $4 for each additional poem, payable to the "Canadian Authors Association - Niagara Branch." Mail entries to:

Canadian Authors Association - Niagara
The Saving Bannister Poetry Anthology Contest
c/o 1457 Niagara River Parkway
Fort Erie, ON, L2A 5M4.

Entrants should indicate where they heard about the contest. Submissions will not be returned. However, poets without internet access may include a SASE for replies. Only poets included in the anthology will be notified.
The deadline for entries is May 31, 2010.
Contest results will be posted online at http://www.canauthorsniagara.org
For more info see: http://www.canauthorsniagara.org
For all inquiries: weilerab@niagararc.com

Note: For information about all the annual writing contests in Canada, order The Canadian Writers' Contest Calendar. Details here.
For information about Brian Henry's writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.

"Illegally Blonde," new teen fiction by Nelsa Roberto

Hi Brian:

I'm one of the many thousands of students you've helped over the years. I took a course at George Brown College with you a few years ago and I just wanted to let you know that I'm now represented by The Carolyn Swayze Agency and my young adult novel, Illegally Blonde has just been released on March 30 by Great Plains Teen Fiction.

Thanks for your continuing dedication to teaching creative writing and the encouragement you provide to all your students.

Nelsa Roberto

About Illegally Blonde:
Sometimes discovering your roots is about a lot more than watching your real hair colour grow in…

When seventeen-year-old Lucy do Amaral comes home with newly bleached blonde hair she expects a major lecture and another grounding from her strict Portuguese parents. What she doesn’t expect is the shocking news that her parents are illegal aliens who’ve just been told they’re being deported in less than a week. Lucy’s furious at her parents and has no intention of leaving her boyfriend and missing prom and grad to go live in some backwater village with no cable, no movie theatre and no life in some country she knows nothing about.

But, as Lucy discovers, intentions and reality are sometimes worlds apart - or, in Lucy’s case, at least an ocean away. Lucy’s desperation to return to her ‘real’ home ensnares her in a web of illegal activity that threatens more than her journey home. But it’s when she unexpectedly falls for a guy whose connection to his home is centuries old that she finally realizes you can never run away from your roots – not even if you bleach them.

Order Illegally Blonde here.  
Info about submitting to Great Plains Publications here.
Info about the Carolyn Swayze Agency here.

Note: In the spring, Brian Henry will be leading a number of "How to Get Published" workshops: in Gravenhurst on April 17, Moncton, NB, on April 23, in Peterborough on April 24, Kingston on April 25, Uxbridge on May 8, and Hamilton on May 15.
For information about all of Brian's upcoming writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.