We’re reading out loud at CJ’s Café

Wednesday, April 7
6:30 p.m.
CJ's Café in Bronte
2416 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville
(On the south side of Lakeshore, just east of Bronte Rd, next to Lick’s ice cream - map here)

Participants in Brian Henry's Intermediate Creative Writing course will be reading aloud from their work. Come and be blown away! We’ll have a line-up of the most amazing emerging writers west of Toronto, and they’ll be reading some of the best work you’ll hear this year. Don’t miss it!

Meanwhile, be sure to check out all the other great stuff going on at CJ’s, home of the best lattes in North America. See here.

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

“Writing and Revising,” Saturday, June 5, Burlington

Writing and Revising

Saturday, June 5

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

New venue: St. Christopher’s Anglican Church,

662 Guelph Line, Burlington (South of Fairview, just north of Woodward. Map here.)

If you want to refine your story-writing skills and cut the time you will need to spend editing, this workshop is for you. You'll learn how to step back from a manuscript in order to find – and fix – flaws in your plot, structure, characterization and style. You'll learn how to rethink, rework and rewrite so that your manuscript will live up to your vision.

Special option: Participants are invited to bring a piece of their own writing (though you don’t have to!) If you do bring a piece, bring 3 copies of something short (1,500 words absolute maximum, though 800 words or fewer is better).

Fee: $42.86 plus gst = $45
This is a small space, so pay in advance to ensure a spot.
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.

Stories wanted: "How to expect what you're not expecting."

Stories are being sought for an anthology, "How to expect what you're not expecting." Seeks narrative non-fiction, lyric essays, and experiments that reflect personal experience of miscarriage or stillbirth, or anything else unexpected.

Deadline: May 31, 2010.

Submissions and queries: howtoexpect@gmail.com

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

Four poems for children by Kim McDonald

Fetch

I’ve tried throwing my tennis ball

I’ve tried tossing a stick

He sits, he stays, he shakes a paw

But he just won’t do this trick

Oh, he chases after it all right

And he pounces in attack

He even puts it in his mouth

But he won’t bring the darn thing back

With wagging tail he looks at me

And tilts his head as doggies do

He’s trying hard to understand

But this game is still too new

“Come,” I say to encourage him

“Bring it back,” I say to Ralph
But he just sits and shakes his head
He’d rather keep it for himself!

Alphabet Blocks

Baby plays with alphabet blocks
Those old wooden with As, Bs, and Ds
That are stacked on some Is, Ts, and Es
And L, M, N, Os
And P, Q, R, S-es
And W, Vs
And Z, Ys and X-es
Oh I know there’s a few I forgot
And a few out of order as well
But who really cares and who’s going to tell
The baby who can’t even spell

Polka Dot Puppy

My polka dot puppy

Is as cute as he can be

I think he’s pretty special

And I know that he loves me

How could we go wrong

With a name like Dot or Spot?

He would come on our command

(Some dogs are smart and some are not)

But the truth is if he runs away

We’ll all be very sad

He won’t know that we’re calling HIM
Because my sister named him ‘Plaid’


Finger Paint

I have three bright colours
Yellow, Red and Blue
And I have a pretty smock
And lots of paper too.

Mother bought me finger paints

‘Cause she has things to do.

I guess I’ll entertain myself

By trying something new.

It didn’t come with brushes

You just stick your hands right in.

I rolled up my shirt sleeves first

So there’s nothing there but skin

The red was kind of bright

So I mixed it with some blue

And now my painted picture

Has some purple in it too.

When I spilled a little yellow

It turned my blue to green

And yellow mixed with red

Is as orange as I have seen.

My fingers slide across the page

Making lines and squiggles.

I love the slimy way it feels

It’s giving me the giggles.

And because I kept on giggling

And having so much fun
I lost my concentration
And now look what I’ve done.

My fingers kept on sliding
Moving fast and free
And now the kitchen tablecloth
Is artwork done by me.


Kim McDonald lives in Brampton, Ontario, with her husband, two children and loveable but stubborn Boxer Lab. A career banker, she will soon be celebrating her 20th anniversary in the Financial Industry. Inspired as a child by the poems of Shel Silverstein, she is rediscovering her love of poetry and the lighter side of life.


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

New agent seeks children's lit, pop culture, humor, memoir, etc

Shelf Life literary agency
(located somewhere in the New York area)
http://www.shelflifelit.com/

Shelf Life is a new boutique (that means small) literary agency specializing in pop culture, humor, narrative non-fiction, memoir, and children's books.

The agency's founder Marissa Walsh began her publishing career at Nan A. Talese/Doubleday and at the Ellen Levine Literary Agency. She was an editor at Delacorte Press/Random House Children's Books for seven years and is the author of the comic memoir Girl with Glasses: My Optic History (Simon Spotlight Entertainment) and the YA novel A Field Guide to High School (Delacorte Press/Random House Children's Books).

As a new agent, Marissa needs authors to represent!

Concerning picture books, she is looking for younger books with very little text (800 words or fewer). Include the manuscript in the body of your query e-mail.
For middle grade books and young adult, no paranormal please. She prefers contemporary stories. Include the first chapter in the body of your query e-mail.

If your book project falls into one of the Shelf Life categories (pop culture, humor, narrative non-fiction, memoir, or children's book), query Marissa at bemyagent@shelflifelit.com
But first, check out her "How to query" guidelines at her website: http://www.shelflifelit.com/

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.

“Writing and Revising,” Sunday, May 30, Sudbury

Writing and Revising
Sunday, May 30
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sudbury YMCA, in the ParkSide Centre
140 Durham Street, Sudbury (Map here.)

If you want to refine your story-writing skills and cut the time you will need to spend editing, this workshop is for you. You'll learn how to step back from a manuscript in order to find – and fix – flaws in your plot, structure, characterization and style. You'll learn how to rethink, rework and rewrite so that your manuscript will live up to your vision.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor an creative writing instructor for more than 25 years.  He has helped many of his students get published.

Special Option: Participants are invited to bring a piece of their own writing (though you don’t have to!) If you do bring a piece, bring 3 copies of something short (1,500 words absolute maximum, though 800 words or fewer is better).

Fee: $39.05 plus gst = $41 paid in advance
or $42.86 plus gst = $45 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.

Arts Hamilton Short Story Contest: Creative Keyboards

Deadline for entries: May 15
Stories must not exceed 2,000 words
Entry Fee: $15 or $25 for two stories
Prizes: $250; $100; $50
The top three stories will be presented at LiT LiVe.
(LiT LiVe readings are held on the first Sunday of the month at The Sky Dragon Centre, 27 King William Street, Hamilton. Start Time: 7:30 p.m.)
Download a submission form here.
And please mail or deliver entries to:

Arts Hamilton
279 King Street East
Hamilton, ON. L8N 1B9

Complete contest rules here: http://www.artshamilton.ca/index.html

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.

Great Plains Publications

345 – 955 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB, R3G 0P9
http://www.greatplains.mb.ca/wordpress/

Great Plains is a small independent publisher with three imprints:

Great Plains Teen Fiction is currently seeking contemporary and historical fiction from Canadian authors for readers age 14-18. Stories can be set anywhere, though we prefer them to be set on this world, present or past. If you are a previously published author you may query by email with a synopsis of your story, a short bio, and your previous publications. If you are an emerging author please send by standard mail a cover letter, synopsis, and the first one to three chapters of your book. Clearly state in your cover letter what genre, if any, your book falls into. Do not, however, say it is a “comedy/coming-of-age-mystery/slasher/romance/buddy story.”

Enfield & Wizenty is a literary imprint seeking original novels and short story collections by Canadian writers at all career stages. Before submitting a manuscript to us, consult our backlist to decide if your work is likely to fit into our publishing program. You may query by email or mail. We do not accept email submissions except by invitation. When submitting by mail, send a synopsis along with a sample chapter (from a novel), or one short story. Please include a covering letter that summarizes your professional writing credentials. If you are submitting a short fiction manuscript, you should have published a number of the stories in nationally recognized literary magazines; otherwise we are unlikely to seriously consider publishing your book.

Great Plains Publications is a non-fiction publisher specializing in Prairie history and biography, publishing books that are written by Prairie authors (Note: our other imprints are open to authors from across Canada).

Complete submission guidelines here: http://www.greatplains.mb.ca/wordpress/?page_id=11

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.

Prana Coffee presents an evening of prose and poetry

Tuesday, March 23
6:30 PM
4158 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke
(A few hundred yards east of Mississauga.  Map here.)

Featured authors: Patricia Faithful, Donna Kirk, Susan James, Brandon Pitts, Alison Bruce, Karin Weber, Elizabeth Copeland, Kimberly Scutt and Elizabeth McGregor.

“Writing and Revising,” Saturday, May 29, Barrie

Writing and Revising
Saturday, May 29
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Community Room in Zehrs, 472 Bayfield Street, Barrie
(Next to Wal-Mart, across from Georgian Mall)

If you want to refine your story-telling skills and cut the time you will need to spend editing, this workshop is for you. You'll learn how to step back from a manuscript in order to find – and fix – flaws in your plot, structure, characterization and style. You'll learn how to rethink, rework and rewrite so that your manuscript will live up to your vision.

Special Option: Participants are invited to bring a piece of their own writing (though you don’t have to!) If you do bring a piece, bring 3 copies of something short (1,500 words absolute maximum, though 800 words or fewer is better).

Fee: $39.05 plus gst = $41 paid in advance
or $42.86 plus gst = $45 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 Malahat Review's upcoming contests & submission information

Hello, Brian.
I hope that you can include the following information in your newsletter and blog about some of The Malahat Review's upcoming contests. Note: we've changed the prize amounts for some of our contests, so if you already have our information, it may need to be updated.

The Malahat Review Far Horizons Award for Poetry
Deadline: May 1, 2010
$500 Prize (plus $20/page upon publication)
Authors who have not yet had their poetry published in book format (a book of 48 pages or more) can submit up to three poems per entry, max. 60 lines each.
Fees: $25 CAD for Canadians, $30 USD for US entries, $35 USD for entries from elsewhere
For more information, see here.
Enquiries: malahat@uvic.ca

The Malahat Review Creative Non-Fiction Prize
Deadline: August 1, 2010
$1000 Prize
Submit one work of creative non-fiction between 2000 and 3000 words in length. No restrictions as to subject matter or approach apply. For example, personal essay, memoir, cultural criticism, nature writing, or literary journalism.
Fees: $35 CAD for Canadians, $40 USD for US entries, $45 USD for entries from elsewhere
For more information: http://www.malahatreview.ca/creative_non-fiction_prize/info.html
Enquiries: malahat@uvic.ca

The Malahat Review Open Season Awards
Deadline: November 1, 2010
$1000 Prize in each of three categories
Submit work in any of our three marquee genres: poetry, short fiction, or creative non-fiction. Poetry: up to three poems per entry (max. 100 lines each); Short Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction: one piece (max 2500 words)
Fees: $35 CAD for Canadians, $40 USD for US entries, $45 USD for entries from elsewhere
For more information: http://www.malahatreview.ca/open_season/info.html
Enquiries: malahat@uvic.ca

Thank you very much,

Susan Sanford Blades

The Malahat Review

www.malahatreview.ca

More about the Malahat Review:

Established in 1967 and published out of the University of Victoria, The Malahat Review is Canada's most prestigious literary journal. It publishes poetry, short fiction, and creative non-fiction by new and established writers from Canada and abroad as well as reviews of Canadian books.

Unlike with contests, it doesn't cost anything to simply submit your work to Malahat.  Unsolicited poetry submissions should consist of five to ten poems on any subject and in any style. The magazine will often accept several poems by the same author; therefore, please do not limit your submission to a single poem.

Unsolicited submissions of short fiction may range in length from 1,200 to 8,000 words.

Unsolicited submissions of creative non-fiction may range in length from 1,000 to 3,500 words. No restrictions as to subject matter or approach apply. For example, a submission may be personal essay, memoir, cultural criticism, nature writing, or literary journalism.

Complete guidelines here: http://www.malahatreview.ca/submission_guidelines.html

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.

Sherri Vanderveen joins the Helen Heller Agency

The Helen Heller Agency
253 Eglinton Ave W. Suite 202
Toronto, ON  M4R 1B1
http://www.helenhelleragency.com/

The Helen Heller Agency represents commercial and literary adult fiction and non-fiction and some young adult fiction. The agency does not handle screenplays, poetry, or books for young children.

Sherri Vanderveen has just joined the Helen Heller Agency and will specialize in representing literary fiction. Previously, Sherri has been on the the other side of the agent-author relationship, with Helen representing Sherri’s two novels: Absent and Belle Falls. Sherri has also published short fiction in several Canadian literary journals. Sherri was born in Hamilton, Ontario, and currently lives in Toronto with her husband and two small children. Check out her website here: http://www.sherrivanderveen.com/Home.html

Like all newly minted agents, Sherri needs some fabulous authors to represent.  She will have an agency email address sometime in the next week or so, but for the time being you can query her at: sv@sherrivanderveen.com

Sarah Heller represents an internationally bestselling list, specializing in first fiction (for all you new authors out there!). She focuses on high end commercial adult and YA fiction.
Query her at: sarah@helenhelleragency.com

Helen Heller represents an award winning and internationally bestselling list, including New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong, who was introduced to Helen by Brian Henry.

Helen accepts commercial and literary fiction, specializing in crime fiction. Her career in publishing began in London, England where she worked for Cassell & Co. After immigrating to Canada, she was Senior Editor for Avon Books and Editor-in-Chief for Fitzhenry & Whiteside. She founded the Helen Heller Literary Agency in 1988.
Query her at: helen@helenhelleragency.com

Daphne Hart represents an award winning list specializing in non-fiction. Her clients include journalists, professionals and authors of literary non-fiction. Before entering the literary field she was an art director and graphic designer in the corporate sector. Ms. Hart studied at the University of Toronto and the Central School of Art and Design in London, England. Phone inquiries can be made at (416) 489 1149.
Query her at: daphne.hart@sympatico.ca

Submissions: If you think your project is right for this agency, please write or email a query, including a brief synopsis of your project and relevant credentials if applicable.
The agency will respond only to those queries they consider to be potentially suitable.

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.

"Still Alice" by Lisa Genova, reviewed by Karen Gansel

Pocket Books, New York, January 2009
I read this book with some trepidation since several of my friends in the over sixty age group warned me that they had avoided it because of their fears about Alzheimer’s disease. However, once I started to read it I was hooked by the courage with which the protagonist, Alice Howland, faces her destiny. Alice is a Harvard professor who at age fifty begins to experience forgetfulness and disorientation, which leads to her diagnosis.

Alice shares her initial fears and the techniques she uses, with the support of her family, to maintain as normal a life as possible. She is even able to introduce some humour about her situation, such as the time she searches the entire house in vain for her Blackberry. In frustration, she finally gives up. Weeks later when taking out a package of frozen food for dinner she finds her Blackberry in the freezer.

The shift in her relationships with her husband and three adult children as the disease progresses clearly shows how different people cope differently with the tragedy. The detailed attention to how Alice copes day to day, and the author’s depiction of the emotional impact that losing her abilities but not herself has on Alice make this a book that I strongly recommend.

*

Karen Gansel has lived her life committed to achievement, tolerance, harmony and collaboration with others who have similar values. That’s reflected in her novels and short stories about the experience of constant change in people’s lives. Having been writing since 2004, she's completed drafts of two manuscripts and numerous short stories. She has improved her skills through two creative writing courses and membership in three different writers groups. Currently she is the Coordinator for the Fiction Writers Group for the Canadian Authors Association, Niagara Branch. She has previously published in The Globe and Mail and a few community newspapers.

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

ECW Press

2120 Queen Street East

Suite 200

Toronto, Ontario

M4E 1E2

http://www.ecwpress.com/

ECW is headed up by co-publishers David Caron and Jack David. Some Quick Brown Fox readers will have met Jack, as he was one of the panelists at my “From the Horse’s Mouth” seminar at Ryerson in 2009.

ECW publishes about 50 new books each year, and to date has published close to 1,000 books which are distributed throughout the English-speaking world and translated into dozens of languages. ECW mainly publishes non-fiction, including pop-culture and political analysis, sports books, biography, and travel guides.  ECW has also been publishing about 4 to 8 books of poetry and fiction yearly.

Many of ECW’s fiction releases are mysteries or crime fiction. For example, out of 18 upcoming releases, there are 12 non-fiction titles, 1 book of poetry, 1 work of general fiction and 4 crime/mystery novels. Among its many fine mystery writers, ECW publishes Ross Pennie, who will be the guest speaker at the Writing Your Life workshops in Guelph on March 27, in Toronto on April 10, and in Brampton on June 19. (For the Brampton workshop, email me for details: brianhenry@sympatico.ca)

Submissions: For non-fiction, ECW accepts proposals from anywhere, but for poetry and fiction, it publish Canadian authors only. As with most independent publishers, you do not need an agent to submit to ECW.

With your submission, please include:
A cover letter explaining who you are, what your book is about, and why you think it’s a good fit with ECW.
A brief bio and publication history.
A sample of the manuscript. For poetry, 10-15 pages. For fiction and non-fiction, 15-25 pages.
For fiction and non-fiction, please include a double-spaced synopsis of the work. You may also include a table of contents for non-fiction.
For non-fiction, please also include a suggested marketing plan (i.e., who will buy your book?).

Send your submission to:
Jack David, Publisher, for business, sports, mysteries, true crime, biography
Jennifer Hale, Senior Editor, for pop culture, fiction (e.g., Fruit, Showbiz, Shelf Monkey), creative non-fiction
Michael Holmes, Senior Editor, a misFit book (that's the name of his imprint within ECW)  for literary fiction (e.g., Joyland, Brother Dumb), poetry, and wrestling books
David Caron, Co-Publisher, for sci-fi/fantasy, graphic novels, history, and corporate books

Full submission guidelines here: http://www.ecwpress.com/ecw/submissions

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

“How to Get Published,” Saturday, May 15, Hamilton

An editor and a literary agent tell all
Saturday, May 15
10:30 a.m. - 4: 30 p.m.
Note: I’ve changed the venue for this workshop. We’re now at:

BizClip, 3rd floor community room
327 King Street East, Hamilton. Map here.

If you've ever dreamed of becoming a published author, this workshop 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 teacher for more than 25 years. He has helped many of students get published.

Guest speaker Alisha Sevigny is an associate agent at The Rights Factory and is actively seeking authors to represent. 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.”

As she is a new agent, most of Alisha's clients are debut authors. They include fiction writer Susan Glickman whose first novel, The Violin Lover, won the Canadian Jewish Book Award for Fiction and was listed by The National Post as one of the best books of 2006.  She also represents non-fiction author holistic beauty guru Kristen Ma’s prescriptive non-fiction book, Beauty, Pure and Simple, and The Next Eco-Warriors: The 21st Century Battle to Save the Planet by Emily Hunter.

More about The Rights Factory here and here. 

Fee: $42.86 plus gst = $45
To reserve a spot now, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

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

"In Hollywood," by William Henry, age 7, and his dad

Here’s the truth: Dads do all the best stuff with you. Last time we went on vacation, Dad took me and my plush toy Movie to see Spiderman 3. Ha! My sister Alice had to go the National Gallery with Mom.

Spiderman 3 is super cool and ultraviolent. Plus it turns out Peter Parker can dance! You can’t see Spiderman 3 at the movie theatres anymore, but you should get it on DVD – only not from the library. DVDs from the library always get stuck just as Spiderman knocks Harry Osbourne off his goblin flyer.

Only – so sad I was crying! - we forgot Movie at the theatre! My old babysitter Rachelle had to get him when she was in Ottawa and give him back to me at her wedding, which was pretty cool. Turns out Rachelle can dance, too.

This year when we went to Hollywood on vacation, Alice had to go to Universal Studios, where they have rides so scary, they can kill you! But Dad took me and Movie to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Ha!

It was showing at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, which Dad says is the most famous movie theatre in the world, built back in the olden days when movies mattered. Outside Grauman’s, movie stars have signed their names and put their footprints in the cement – which I thought you weren’t supposed to do.

Dad looked for Danny Kay’s signature because he was Mom’s great uncle or something. I looked for Spiderman’s signature. Only we didn’t find either.

Out on the sidewalk, more famous people have stars in the cement, but just their names printed, not their real signatures. Lots of people were crowded around Michael Jackson’s star and it had all flowers and teddy bears and stuff piled up beside it.

Dad said Michael Jackson was the biggest story of the summer and that a million words have been written about him. But you don’t have to read any of them, because here’s the truth: Michael Jackson was a singer who died.

Everyone was taking turns crouching beside Michael Jackson’s star and taking pictures of each other. Did I want my picture taken with Michael Jackson? Dad asked.

“No way!” I said. “That’s just weird.”

I loved the inside of Grauman’s Theatre. At the concession stand – always my favourite place in a theatre – they had Sour Drops and Icees (which are like Slushies, except American), plus popcorn of course. Dad bought us $100 of junk food. That’s why it’s more fun to go with Dad than Mom.

Where you watch the movies is huge, like a church for dinosaurs. I could have zoomed my radio-controlled plane all over that place and hardly crashed into anything. Plus, ‘cause almost no one else was there, we got to sit in the back row that’s usually just for people who can’t walk.

But then they started showing the ads. Yow! It was so loud it hurt my ears, and we had to run out to the lobby before I got permanent damage.

The usher promised me it would be quieter when the movie started.

Well it was, and here’s how the movie goes: The evil wizards make black clouds come down from the sky and they twist up a bridge that all these people are walking across. The people start screaming because they’re going to die, and Spiderman doesn’t come to save them. I don’t know what happened next, because that’s when I screamed and we left.

Twelve-year-olds might like that movie.

We got our money back and went across the street to El Capitan Theatre, where they were showing G-Force. Dad says El Capitan is another famous theatre from the olden days before even Grandma was born.
Only too bad, we didn’t get to go to the concession stand because Dad convinced the manager to let us bring in our snacks from Grauman’s.

G-Force is the best movie ever. Plus it’s in 3-D! It’s ultraviolent and super funny. Juarez – she’s a guinea pig and a superspy? – she tells this little girl: “You put a bow on me, you going to lose a finger.”

At home, I say to Alice: “You bug me, you going to lose a finger. You mess with my plush toys, you lose two.” Then I laugh and laugh!

Oh, but disaster! We forgot Movie again, and we flew all the way back to Toronto without him!

“Don’t worry,” Dad said. “You’ve got family.”

And here’s the truth – my Los Angeles cousins drove up to Hollywood and rescued Movie, and they’re going to Fed-Ex him home tomorrow.

*

Note: Photos enlarge when clicked.

William Henry is in grade 2.  His dad, Brian Henry, teaches creative writing.

Don Fehr joins Trident Media Group - update

I recently posted about Don Fehr and Stephaine Maclean joining Trident (here).  At the time, there weren't any details about what Don would be representing or even a confirmed email address for him.  Now there is:

Don Fehr comes to Trident as a 20-year publishing veteran in editorial and various executive level publishing positions. He has held senior level editorial jobs at Atheneum, Addison-Wesley, Viking Penguin, Basic Books, and was the Publisher of Smithsonian Books/HarperCollins. Don had published over a dozen New York Times Bestsellers and his authors and books have won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the P.E.N. Faulkner Award, and The L.A. Times Book Award among others. He holds degrees from Gordon College and Harvard University.

He is seeking: new literary and commercial novelists, narrative nonfiction, memoirs, biography, travel, as well as science/medical/health related titles. And since he reads alongside is ten-year-old daughter, he has also developed an interest in young adult authors.

Query first. Please send manuscripts or proposals only upon request.
Email: dfehr@tridentmediagroup.com
Full submission guidelines here: http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/submissions.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 Hamilton on May 15. Email for details: brianhenry@sympatico.ca  

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

"How to Get Published," Friday, April 23, Moncton, New Brunswick

The Frye Festival and PWAC present...

“How to Get Published”

Friday, April 23

9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

City Grill, 2nd floor, 130 Westmorland Street Moncton, NB (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.

The Frye Festival brings the best local, national and international authors, poets, playwrights, graphic novelists, spoken word artists and storytellers to Moncton, New Brunswick for a bilingual Festival. This year, the Festival runs April 19 to 25. More here.

Seminar fee: $55 for the general public, or $50 for members of the Periodicl Writers Association of Canada (PWAC)
Register for all Frye Festival events through the Moncton Coliseum box office: here.

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

The Writers' Union of Canada Writing For Children Competition

In my opinion, everyone trying to write picture books should enter this contest.  Usually, there are about ten finalists and the Writers' Union presents them all to a few children's book publishers as the best new children's writing in Canada.

Best of luck,

- Brian

Contest details:
First place: $1,500
In addition, the winner and all the finalists will be submitted to three publishers of children's books.
Deadline: Postmarked April 24
Entry Fee: $15 fee per entry.
Eligibility:  This contest is open to Canadian citizens or landed immigrants who have not been published in book format, in any genre, and who do not have a contract with a book publisher. Entries must be written in the English language, not previously published, and within the word limit of 1,500. Please do not send illustrations or entries with only a few sentences per page.

How To Submit Entries:
Typed, double-spaced and numbered on 8.5 x 11 paper, not stapled. Submissions on computer disk or faxes won’t be accepted.
Include a separate cover letter with full name, address, phone number, and number of pages of entry. Please type name of entrant and title of entry on each numbered page.
Make cheque or money order payable to The Writers' Union of Canada. Multiple entries can be submitted together and fees can be added and paid with one cheque or money order.
Mail to: WFC Competition, 90 Richmond Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5C 1P1.
Results will be posted at www.writersunion.ca
Contest web page: http://www.writersunion.ca/cn_writeforchildren.asp

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

Seven markets for mystery writers

The New Mystery Reader is an on-line magazine dedicated to the mystery genre, and it's a great place to get some of your first pieces publishes.  New Mystery Reader welcomes submissions for articles, reviews, recommendations, and author profiles:

For book reviews and summaries: We are looking for talented individuals to write reviews and summaries on a regular basis of new and future mystery releases for our new mystery magazine. If you are interested, please send sample reviews/summaries to editor@newmysteryreader.com

Short Story Submissions: We welcome your short stories at New Mystery Reader magazine! Please send email of interest before submitting full story. Only stories under 2,500 words will be accepted. At this time, we do not offer financial compensation, but one never knows what the future holds!

For article submissions: Please email all query letters to editor@newmysteryreader.com
Include nature of article, intended length, or in the case of book reviews and summaries, please send the entire article. Please note in your subject line "Article Query" to ensure reading by our editor.

We are currently most interested in popular series discussions, author profiles, general mystery interest articles, and true crime stories.

Regards,
Stephanie Padilla, Editor, New Mystery Reader
http://www.newmysteryreader.com/

Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine welcomes submissions from both new and established writers. We publish every kind of mystery short story: the psychological suspense tale, the deductive puzzle, the private eye case – the gamut of crime and detection from the realistic (including the policeman's lot and stories of police procedure) to the more imaginative (including "locked rooms" and "impossible crimes"). We need hard-boiled stories as well as "cozies," but we are not interested in explicit sex or violence. We do not want true detective or crime stories.

Ellery Queen uses stories of almost every length, but 2,500-8,000 words is the preferred range. We occasionally use stories of up to 12,000 words and also consider shorter stories, including minute mysteries of as little as 250 words.

EQMM has been in continuous publication since 1941. From the beginning three general criteria have been employed in evaluating submissions: We look for strong writing, an original and exciting plot, and professional craftsmanship. Pays 5¢ to 8¢ a word.

Stories should be submitted by mail only. We are especially happy to review stories by authors who have never before published fiction professionally. First story submissions should be sent to the attention of
Department of First Stories
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
267 Broadway, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10007-2352
Full submission guidelines: http://www.themysteryplace.com/eqmm/guidelines/
Also see Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.

The Strand Magazine

In the summer of 1891, a new magazine called The Strand published two stories by a then unknown Scottish physician, Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring his ingnious detective, Sherlock Holmes. As Holmes' popularity grew, so did that of The Strand. In the years that followed The Strand featured the works of other mystery greats, such as Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham, W. Somerset Maugham, Graham Greene, P.G. Wodehouse, H.G. Wells, Aldous Huxley and many others. For sixty years The Strand was the most important magazine in the world for mystery fiction. Unfortunately, in 1950, economic difficulties in England caused a drop in circulation, which forced The Strand to stop publishing.

It would take nearly half a century for The Strand Magazine to once again appear on the scene, with a new editor and publisher, whose main goal it is to uphold the tradition of exceptional mystery fiction for which The Strand was known.
We are interested in mysteries, detective stories, tales of terror and the supernatural as well as short stories. Stories can be set in any time or place, provided they are well written, the plots interesting and well thought.
We are interested in stories of almost any length, but preferably the 2000-6000 word range. However, we may occasionally publish short shorts of 1000 words, and sometimes we may consider even a short novella. At the moment, our payment rate for stories is $25 – $150. No submissions accepted by e-mail. We purchase first North American serial rights.
We urge you to follow in the footsteps of the greatest writers of the 20th century by having your work published in The Strand Magazine.
P.O. Box 1418
Birmingham, MI 48012-1418
Full guidelines here: http://www.strandmag.com/htm/strandmag_guidelines.htm
Home: http://www.strandmag.com/

Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine publishes short stories, mystery fiction, illustrations, crime, suspense tales, cartoons and book reviews, and runs contests. Will consider stories 500 to 10,000 words – submit entire story. Pays $5 on publication.
Submission guidelines here.
Home: http://www.fmam.biz/

Crimespree Magazine accepts submissions only in Jan, March, May, July, Sept, and Nov. Stories should be related to crime fiction. Maximum 5000 words. Non-paying.
Submission guidelines here.
Home: http://www.crimespreemag.com/

Mystical E is an on-line mystery magazine that accepts stories of all lengths, from 500 words to 40,000 or more. Non-paying.
Submissions guidelines here. 
Home: http://www.mystericale.com/ 

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