Friday, June 30, 2017

“Canada – True Citadel of Multicultural Ethos and Values” by Shankar Swaminathan


This is a particularly pleasant morning.  Just the four of us in the tennis court while the world still seems to be in deep slumber. My usual early morning Canadian pals assemble at the Erin mills lawn tennis court as we have been doing religiously with great fervor for the past five years.

The same faces, same place and the same game. We have all been so closely acquainted during this period and known each other so well that there is nothing more to discover about each other. Or so it seems.  But still strangely the excitement of gathering at the same spot week end after week end doesn’t seem to wear off or wane.

The fact that we are four different personalities from four wildly varying cultural backgrounds – Ukrainian, Chinese and Egyptian and, myself, South Asian – doesn’t bother any of us or make us feel uncomfortable with one another. In fact I find it exciting and spiritually uplifting to interact with others who look different from myself. At times, I wonder if I do not have a better vibe with these associates and feel closer to them than even my own family members.  Never mind our variations in facial features, color, religion, cultural beliefs and practices, race or even the way English is spoken etc.

As one who has had a peep into the world of psychology, I can say that psychological truths and factors governing human relations apply equally to everyone without exception, whatever culture or whichever region of the world one belongs to. The only requirement to be able to appreciate this is a willingness to see and understand things different from one’s own with an open mind.

On a lighter note, the numerous different ways the supposedly same language is spoken makes me wonder sometimes if all of us are speaking English at all. I am not saying this out of any prejudice; it’s just a statement borne out by reality - one that I find exciting and enjoyable. 

Sometimes, of course, it takes quite an effort to decipher what someone is saying, even if the ideas are quite straightforward, and for sure, I realize that I stand on the same footing myself. I am very conscious that one’s native tongue influences one’s accent and pronunciations while speaking another language. But after all, language is only a means to convey ideas, and if that purpose is served reasonably well, why bother about other insignificant variables; accents in particular?

Catching up again on my tennis club culture, let me say this: If a non-Canadian wants to understand the multicultural character of Canada, all he or she needs to do is visit our tennis club on any given summer evening when the majority of members congregate for a game of tennis, friendly chatter and banter. A representation of the multicultural ethos and unique values of Canada can be seen being practiced in our tennis court, with fraternal feelings running strong. Members stretch themselves to be appreciative of the culture of people different from their own without being condescending. Of course, they are all bound by the common thread of love for tennis and, even better, proud of their common identity as Canadian.


I think the best way to explain anything is through one’s own first hand experiences. So speaking a little about my own story and experiences after I migrated to Canada from India about a decade back would be in order. No change is absolutely easy to manage. The more drastic the change, the harder it is to face up to it with equanimity. So when someone tries to uproot the whole of his being and that of his close family members from one’s culture to something vastly different, it is bound to cause a flurry of disturbing emotions and psychological responses in ever many different ways.

This is so in spite of the best preparation. Fear of the unknown causes tremendous anxiety and, to be sure, is only one of the many factors causing great stress and perhaps distress at times.

I still remember the day when I first placed my foot on Toronto soil at Lester Pearson along with my wife and young son on the 1st August 2006, lugging ten big suitcases, and not a soul waiting expectantly for us at the airport. I knew no one in Toronto. The money we had on hand was substantial by Indian standards but hardly enough to survive for long in Canada. The fact that the responsibility was all mine and mine alone for the well-being of, not just myself, but my family members as well weighed heavily on me. Fortunately I did have a small dingy basement apartment in a far corner of the city rented y prior arrangement through the internet.

Now for someone like me who was very well settled professionally and personally and well provided for financially in my native land, choosing to migrate for reasons that may appear questionable or unwise to some, you would expect the initial experience to be really nerve-wracking. But let me assure you that it was far from being unpleasant. Canada, the country of immigrants, seemed to know all about my predicament and the struggle every new immigrant wages to settle down and find his or her feet.

I found Canada and whoever I had to interact with welcoming from the word go. Completing the initial formalities of getting a SIN card, opening of bank accounts, attending acclimatization training programs, attending job fairs, presenting myself for interviews, etc. – wherever I went or whatever I did, I realized that as long as I remained earnest in whatever I wanted to accomplish and strove sincerely, the society and system here would take care of the rest.

Certain environments encourage creativity and others discourage creativity. The Canadian environment, without a doubt, is one which reaches out to encourage creativity and enables newcomers to slide smoothly into the community and to identify with the larger society.

Lastly, I must say this: While every country on this planet may be able to claim with justification and pride that it is better than others on some count or the other, for me no nation comes even close to Canada on a variety of parameters, particularly on the inclusive nature of the society; the multicultural ethos and values; the egalitarian and sophisticated culture; in welcoming immigrants, refugees and the displaced from all parts of the world; and in much more – Canada is indeed in a league of its own

Shankar Swaminathan immigrated to Canada from India in August 2006 along with his wife and younger son. Besides being a HR and Training Consultant in India, Shankar was a freelance writer for over a couple of decades and a regular contributor to various national dailies in India. He also edited and regularly wrote for a monthly journal by name, Nandini Voice for the Deprived run by the nonprofit organization he was closely associated with. Presently Shankar is active as a freelance counselor and writer and has his Counseling website http://www.speakurmindcounseling.com/  

See Brian Henry’s schedule hereincluding writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Six literary agents who represent short story collections (and many other things: literary and commercial fiction, MG and YA fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, etc )

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Fill in your email in the box to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox. ~ Brian

It’s difficult finding agents who represent short story collections, because there’s not much money in short stories. But I’ve uncovered half a dozen agents who are seeking short stories and who are currently accepting submissions:

Chad Luibl of Janklow and Nesbit. This is a large firm with many well-known authors. Chad Luibl is an assistant there, very low on the totem pole. But that’s okay; it means he needs clients. 
He says: “I tend to lean more toward darker tales and gritty settings, culture-crossing perspectives, structures that are a bit experimental (see David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas), and always narratives with a strong emotional core. Having lived in Poland and Hungary, I have a niche-interest in books that feel Eastern European in voice/perspective (or explore post-Soviet and Cold War themes), and I find anything that deals with exile and expatriation immediately arresting.”
Specifically, he’s seeking : Commercial and literary fiction, horror, fantasy and, science fiction, crime fiction, mysteries, thrillers, LGBTQ, and military fiction. plus middle grade and young adult fiction. His favourite sub-genres: magical realism, military, southern literary, speculative fiction, and westerns.
In nonfiction, he’s looking for humor, LGBTQ, memoir, pop culture, sports, travel and true crime.
Query Chad at: cluibl@janklow.com
Include the word “Query” in the subject line. Send your query letter, a synopsis and the first fifty pages of your manuscript attached as a word document. 

Katie Grimm of Don Congdon Associates: This is a prominent well-established agency that’s been around since 1938. They represented Ray Bradbury (author of Farenheit 451 among other well-known science fiction books) and currently represent such well-known authors as David Sedaris (Theft by Finding) and Kathryn Stocket (The Help)
Katie joined Don Congdo Assoiciates in 2007. She represents literary fiction (be it voicey, historical, speculative, or mysterious), up-market women’s fiction, cohesive short story collections, and graphic novels.
The key is “cohesive” collections of stories – there needs to be something strong holding them together.
Katie says: “Most generally, I focus on adult literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, middle grade, and young adult fiction.  Across all genres and ages, I’ll always be interested in the darker and weirder side of the human condition as well as previously under- or misrepresented experiences and voices.”
Query Katie at: dca@doncongdon.com
Include the word “Query” and the agent’s full name in your subject heading. As always in a query, include a short description of your work and your relevant background information and must all fit easily on one page. Also paste the first story of your collection into the email. No attachments.
Full submission guidelines here.

Christopher Rhodes has been involved in the publishing business and agenting for years, but only recently joined The Stuart Agency. Prior to that, he was an agent at The James Fitzgerald Agency. Previous to that, he worked at The Carol Mann Agency and in the sales and marketing departments at Simon and Schuster.
Christopher specializes in literary fiction and nonfiction. He’s actively seeking queries in the following areas: literary fiction (including thriller and horror); connected stories/essays (humorous and serious); memoir; creative/narrative nonfiction; history; religion; pop culture; and art & design. 
“What would I dearly like to see right now?” says Christopher. “Horror. I really want to read and advocate for a smart and literary horror novel. I don’t get many submissions in this area.” 
You can read an interview with Christopher here.
Query Christopher at: christopher@stuartagency.com
For fiction, include the first 50 pages; for nonfiction, include a proposal. A Word document or a PDF is fine.

Waverly Place Literary Agency. This is a one-woman outfit for literary agent Debbie Carter. 
Update: Hey, Brian. As of fall 2018, I stopped working as a literary agent. I'll continue to read new writers of short fiction and talk it up with others I meet at NYC book events, but I'm not scouting for new talent. If you're a new writer, don't give up - keep going. Become a good public speaker and do something meaningful in media. Name recognition has a lot to do with getting published. 

Sarah Yake has been with Frances Collin Literary Agency since 2005 and handles foreign and subrights in addition to her own client list.
“A quirky, interesting voice is my number one consideration,” says Sarah. “I love a touch of humor, whether overt or sly. My reading tastes are wide-ranging and my goal is to keep building a similarly diverse, multi-genre list.”
Specifically, in fiction, she’s looking for action/adventure, commercial, fantasy, general fiction, historical, literary, science fiction, women’s fiction and short story collections.
She also seeks middle grade and young adult fiction.
In nonfiction, she’s looking for biography, history, LGBTQ, memoir, and pop culture.
See more at Manuscript Wish List here and at Publishers Marketplace here.
Query Sarah at: queries@francescollin.com
Paste the first five pages of your manuscript into the email. No attachments.
Full submission guidelines here.

Renée Zuckerbrot founded the Renée Zuckerbrot Literary Agency after working as an editor at Doubleday and Franklin Square Press/Harper’s Magazine. She is a member of the AAR and Authors Guild. She serves on PEN’s Membership Committee, and is a Board member of the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) and Slice Magazine. You can read an interview with Renée and her colleagues at Poets & Writers. See her top ten list of short stories at Storyville.
Authors represented by Renée have won or been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction, the PEN Jacqueline Bograd Weld Prize for Biography, the National Magazine Award, the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, the NYPL Young Lions Fiction Award, B&N’s Discover Great New Writers Award, the Story Prize, the PEN/O. Henry Prize, the Shirley Jackson Award, the Locus, the Hugo, the Nebula, the Pushcart, and others.
Renée’s own boutique agency, seems to be part of Massie & McQuilkin Literary Agency, which means she has the backing of a much larger agency.
Renée is seeking literary and commercial adult fiction and narrative nonfiction, with a particular focus on science, history, and popular culture.
Query Renée at: Submissions@rzagency.com
Include a synopsis of your project, your publication history (if any), a brief bio, and your contact information. Please also attach an excerpt, up to three sample chapters (or three short stories), as one Word document. The attachment should be paginated and double-spaced.


If you’re interested in and finding an agent or publisher (someday soon or down the road), check out upcoming How to Get Published workshops. See here (and scroll down). 

If you’re interested in Kid Lit, check out upcoming  Writing for Children and for Young Adults mini-conferences, workshops, and weekly classes here (and scroll down).

For a weekly writing classes, from introductory to intensive and including Writing Personal Stories and Writing Kid Lit, see here (and scroll down).

If you'd like to get away for a weekend to recharge your creative batteries, pick up great writing tips, and get a lot of writing done in idyllic surroundings, check out the details of upcoming writing retreats, here (and scroll down.)

For more details or to reserve a spot in any workshop, retreat, or weekly course, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Read reviews of Brian’s courses and workshops here.

See Brian’s complete current schedule here,  including writing workshops, weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Navigation tips: Always check out the labels underneath a post; they’ll lead you to various distinct collections of postings. Also, if you're searching for a literary agent who represents a particular type of book, check out this post.

Monday, June 26, 2017

Four paying markets for short stories, poetry, creative nonfiction and reviews

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Fill in your email in the box to the right under my bio and get each post delivered to your Inbox. Also, if you’re not yet on my newsletter, send me an email, including your locale, to: brianhenry@sympatico.ca ~ Brian

Crannóg is Ireland’s premiere fiction and poetry magazine. Cronnog’s mission is to publish the work of Irish writers alongside the best available worldwide. Pays: €50 per story, €30 per poem. 
Deadline: Submissions open July 1, close July 31, 2017.  Submission guidelines here.

Pantheon magazine publishes fiction and poetry inspired by the gods and goddesses. Pays 1 cent/word for fiction, $5 for poetry.
For the fall, they’re seeking pieces prompted by Tethys, Titaness of fresh water: Tethys is the Titan daughter of the sky and the earth, guardian of fresh water, mother of the river gods and sea nymphs.
“Tell us stories about rivers and inland seas, about water caverns–and those who protect them. Tell us about what happens to those who trespass against Tethys. We want to read about the delicate creatures blooming in rain puddles and about the dark awareness at the bottom of cenotes.
“Pantheon Magazine is interested in fresh, creative, and powerful fiction that grips us and doesn’t let us go. We like it quick and concise, dammit. Longer work is also considered, but brevity is appreciated. We have short attention spans. Please include a note as to how your story is inspired or relates to the theme/prompt you are submitting to. If you do not do this, we cannot guarantee your story will be read. A single sentence is sufficient.”
For poetry, Pantheon is “fond of form and very partial to poems that end in fireworks – literal, figurative this is open to interpretation. We want poems that dazzle, that leave us breathless, that explode with meaning and beauty.
“We’re primarily a fiction magazine, but as we are also music and movie lovers, we always welcome music, movie, and book reviews, so long as the music/movie/book you are reviewing is relatively new. Preferably within the past month or two. We’re a little more lenient with music and book reviews, as there’s so much good stuff out there that’s overlooked. Please follow the same formatting guidelines (more or less) as fiction submissions. Please keep reviews under 1000 words.
“Would you like to be our featured cover artist for one of our issues? Email a sample of you work to: PantheonMag@Gmail.com
“We’ll get back in touch.
“Every so often, we will do interviews with authors/musicians who we like. Feel free to email us if you are working on a project that you would like to chat with us about.
Deadline: July 31, 2017. Submission guidelines here.


Barking Sycamores is a literary journal entirely edited and operated by queer, neurodivergent people of color. Publishes Poetry, short fiction, hybrid genre, creative nonfiction, book reviews, and artwork submissions. They also welcome and publish essays about neurodivergence and the creation of literature. Payment not specified. 
Deadline: July 31, 2017. Submission guidelines here.


Room Family Secrets issue. All families have secrets. Rooted in guilt and shame, and passed on through the generations, these secrets can have unexpected reverberations in the present. We're seeking your best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. and
visual art that explores and exposes the dark and tangled secrets that haunt and shape family narratives. Room publishes original work by women, including trans persons, gender-variant and two-spirit women, and women of non-binary sexual orientations. Men not welcome.
Pays: $50 CAD for one page, $60 for two pages, $90 for three pages, $120 for four pages, $150 for five or more pages. 
Deadline: July 31, 2017. Submission guidelines here.


See Brian’s complete current schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Secrets of Writing a Page-turner, Saturday, Oct 28, in Caledon at the Bolton Library

Secrets of Writing a Page-turner
~ Techniques for making any story more compelling ~
Saturday, Oct 28, 2017
10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Albion-Bolton Branch, Caledon Public Library, 150 Queen Street South, Bolton, Ontario (Map here.)

Ever stayed up all night reading a book? In this workshop, you’ll learn you how to build that kind of tension.  And we'll help you put into practice the techniques professionals use – on every page and in every kind of story – to create drama and tension.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.

Fee:  43.36 + 13% hst =49 + $6 for pizza lunch = $55 paid in advance by mail or in person 
or 46.90 + 13% hst = 53 + $6 for pizza lunch = $59 if you wait to pay at the door

To pay in advance, make your cheque out to the Caledon Public Library and mail it to:
Attention:  Laura Nolloth, Caledon Public Library, Albion Bolton Branch, 150 Queen Street South, Bolton, ON, L7E 1E3
Or you can pay in advance in person at any Caledon Library branch. (Branch locations here.)
To reserve a spot now, email: programs@caledon.library.on.ca


See Brian’s complete current schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

“My Mother, A Mouse and the Love of Reading” by Paul Daniel

I can’t remember a time when there wasn’t reading material in my home. Growing up, we had a subscription to The Toronto Star. My brother read the comics page of the newspaper; my mother, who was losing her eyesight, used a magnifying glass to read the front section; and my father, for whom English was a second language, made a game effort to read the sports page.

My experience with reading started with one solitary moment. I remember it as vividly. I must have been around five or six. My mother took me to the Mississauga Central Library at Dundas and Confederation Parkway. Don’t look for it now.  The old Central Library was torn down more than 20 years ago. But when my mother took me there, the library was brand spanking new.

She took me to the children’s section on the main floor and made what appeared to be a random selection of books. Only one stood out: Anatole by Eve Titus. Published in 1956, the story is about a mouse named Anatole who lives in France. Trying to get cheese for his family, he discovers that humans hate mice.  How can this be? he wonders. He is a proud French mouse, determined to find a way to earn his keep and to do so with honour.

Anatole eventually becomes the official cheese taster at the Duval cheese factory, grading the quality of its products. All the while, people are wondering who this “Anatole” is. I’ll leave it at that. I don’t want to spoil the story for you. It’s really good.

The words were clear and concise. The pictures, while not bursting with colour, were vivid. Perhaps it was the minimal use of colour that made such an impact on me and has stayed with me ever since.My mother never took a course in child psychology but she would have made a fine teacher. I think one reason she picked that book for me had to do with cheese. Like a lot of kids that age, I gobbled up cheese as if it were candy. She must have figured that a book that contained cheese would obviously have some attraction for me. Then again, maybe she was just lucky.

Years later, I found an online used bookstore that was selling a discarded original edition of Anatole. I paid probably more than ten times its original price. It was worth every penny.

I have never stopped reading. I have always said reading is one of the few things in life at which I excel. If I’m in a line up, I’ll be reading a book. If I’m at a coffee shop, I’m reading a book or a magazine. On my daily commute to work and back (which works out to four hours), my nose is scraping away at a book.

For many people, social media is entertaining. But I equate social media with eating too many loaves of white bread. It’ll fill you up but too much of it is bad for you.

In an age when thoughts are reduced to 140 characters and simplistic emoticons, I think of the great gift that my mother, indeed my entire family, gave me without realizing it. Enjoying the written word never goes out of style and it never gets boring. It only gets better.

Paul Daniel is an audio producer at Accessible Media Inc., (AMI) in Toronto, Ontario. Writing and reading have always been his second and third passions following his first passion, his wife, Mary. He’s enjoyed being in Brian’s creative writing class. “Brian’s class has reminded me the pleasures and challenges of writing,” says Paul. “There’s never a dull moment.” 


See Brian Henry’s schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Friday, June 23, 2017

Four Agents at Stimola Literary Studio seek fiction for young people, picture books to new adult, plus parenting and lifestyle books and cookbooks

Apartment 1986 by Lisa Papademetriou,
represented by Stimola Literary
Stimola Literary Studio
308 Livingston Court
Edgewater, NJ 07020

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Fill in your email in the box to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox. ~ Brian

Stimola is a smaller agency, but all four of their agents are seeking authors. Specifically, they’re looking for picture books, novels and graphic novels, and in nonfiction, parenting books and cook books.

At present, they are most interested in:
  • Author/ illustrators
  • Great Read Aloud texts and ones that put a new spin on evergreen topics
  • Humorous middle grade, especially for boys
  • Spare of language/illustrated picture books for the very young
  • Middle grade/young adult mysteries with a fun “puzzling” dimension
  • Young adult novels: contemporary, fantasy, fantasy with historical underpinnings, mystery/thrillers
  • Multi-cultural middle or teen fantasy (African, eastern, middle eastern)
  • Magical Realism
  • Graphic novels for early, middle and YA
  • Picture book biography
  • Nonfiction, with crossover appeal in adult markets
  • And, just to keep things interesting… we are also looking to add to our growing list of parenting and cookbook titles with unique concepts and niche market appeal!

Allison Remcheck is the newest member of the team, and like all new agents, she needs authors. She is most interested in middle-grade and YA fiction

In particular she wants: fantasy grounded in reality with series potential; contemporary with a focus on current issues and diversity without being didactic; contemporary teen girl romance and coming of age; mystery and psychological thriller; and YA fiction with cross-over adult or new adult appeal.

She is also open to historical fiction, especially with a medieval or early 20th century backdrop. She is not not interested in high fantasy, paranormal, chapter books for younger readers, non-fiction picture books, or non-author/illustrator picture books.

Rosemary Stimola is most interested in author/illustrator picture books, middle grade fiction with series potential, and YA mystery/thrillers.


Erica Rand Silverman is primarily interested in books for and about children. She has worked with some of the most exciting new talent and treasured mainstays in the industry, as well as with the estates of our favorite classics. 

Erica represents picture books through young adult and the occasional adult nonfiction project in parenting, humor and wellness. 

She received her degree in Secondary English Education from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and a Master of Arts degree in Theater from Hunter College. Before joining the studio in 2016, she was an English and Theater Teacher and Dean at a NYC public high school and a Senior Literary Agent at Sterling Lord Literistic.  

Adriana Stimola wants your cookbooks and lifestyle projects! She’s interested in stories that celebrate food and culture and that aim to gather people in the kitchen and around tables; books that highlight mindful and modern approaches to life and parenthood. Adriana is also a photographer, content consultant, and writer. Check out her blog here

See Stimola's full submission guidelines and online submissions form here.

Brian Henry will lead “You can write great dialogue," workshops on Saturday, July 15, in Mississauga (see here) and Saturday, July 22, in London (see here).

And there are three weekly creative writing courses, introductory to advanced, starting soon:
Exploring Creative Writing, Tuesday afternoons, July 4 – August 22, in Burlington. See here.
Next Step in Creative Writing, Wednesday evenings, July 5 – August 23, in Burlington. See here.
Intensive Creative WritingWednesday afternoons, July 5 – August 23, in Burlington. See here.
      Details of all three courses  here.  

Brian Henry will lead a Writing for Children & for Young Adult workshop on Saturday, August 12, in Collingwood with literary agent Monica Pacheco (see here). 
In the fall, Brian will lead a weekly Writing Kid Lit class, Thursday mornings, Oct 5 – Nov 30, in Oakville, with guest authors Sylvia McNicoll and Jennifer Mook-Sang (see here).
Note: For updated listings of Writing for Children & for Young adult workshops and for weekly Kid lit classes, see here (and scroll down).

Join us for a Fall Colours Writing Retreat, at Arowhon Pines Resort in Algonquin Park, Friday, Sept 15 – Sunday, Sept 17 (see here).

Also, in the fall, Brian will lead a full range of courses, including (for the first time) a creative writing course in Toronto:
Author Sylvia McNicoll
Intensive Creative Writing, Monday mornings, Sept 25 – Dec 4, in Toronto. See here.
Next Step in Creative Writing, Tuesday afternoons Sept 19 – Nov 21, in Burlington.
Extreme Creative Writing, Wednesday afternoons,Sept 20 – Dec 6, in Burlington
Writing Personal Stories, Wednesday evenings, Sept 27 – Nov 15, in Burlington
Writing Kid Lit, Thursday mornings, Oct 5 – Nov 30, in Oakville, with guest authors Sylvia McNicoll and Jennifer Mook-Sang. See here.
Welcome to Creative Writing, Thursday afternoons, Sept 28 – Nov 30, in Burlington
Intensive Creative Writing, Thursday evenings, Sept 28 – Nov 30 in Georgetown. See here.

For more information or to reserve a spot in any workshop, retreat, or weekly course, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca
Read reviews of Brian’s courses and workshops here.

See Brian’s complete current schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.


Navigation tips: Always check out the labels underneath a post; they’ll lead you to various distinct collections of postings. Also, if you're searching for a literary agent who represents a particular type of book, check out this post.