Love letters (where your fellow writers are getting published) & Writer to Writer

Jessica Faust, owner of
BookEnds literary agency

Hi, Brian.

I have two agents who've requested my manuscript; one from Fine Print and one from Bookends (Bookends is famous for representing cozy mysteries). They both loved the first three chapters, and the agent from Fine Print awarded me winner in the Unsinkable Molly contest, so we'll see.

Arlene

If you want help finding an agent, come to my “How to Get Published” workshop on May 4 in Barrie. Details here.

Hi, Brian.
Just wanted to share with you that my story "1948" just got published in subTerrain magazine (vol. 63). I'm thrilled (needless to say)! It was an honourable mention in the Lush Triumphant Writer's contest.
Thank you for support - it's been a while - hope to see you sometime soon!
Natalia Buchok

For information about the Lush Triumphant contest and about submitting to subTerrain, see here.

Hi, Brian.

I have some news. I poem of mine "Fallow God," will be published in the upcoming Green Man Anthology, published by Edge. More details are on my blog: Maajawentz.com.

Take care and I hope to see you again when you are in Toronto.

Many thanks,

Maaja Wentz

For information on submitting to EDGE science fiction and fantasy publisher, see here.

Hi, Brian.
I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to run your newsletter.. My work has won second place in the 2012 Elora Writers' Festival, first in the "Lest We Forget" category of the 2012 Canadian Stories Competition, and just today my micro fiction, "Baggage," has been accepted in the next issue of HelloHorror.

There may have been others – last year was incredible – but those are the ones that stick in my mind. I wouldn't have been aware of any of them if it wasn't for your newsletter. So thank you, sir ... and I'll even append that: thank you 'very much.
Chuck Lovatt
Carroll, Manitoba

For information about submitting to Canadian Stories and about the Canadian Stories Competition, see here.

For information about submitting to HelloHorror (and also about the Brucedale Press Acrostic Contest and Beladonna Publishing) see here.

The Elora’s Writers’ Festival is taking a break from running a contest this year, but they’ve promised to renew their contest for 2014.

Writer to Writer:

Every Book Needs a Cover!

Cover by Susan Krupp

There's something special about collaborating with a writer.

For awhile now I've been doing just this and each project has been a remarkable journey. 

I'm a freelance artist living in Northern Ontario and seem to click with the creative writing process in that with a brief synopsis I've somehow hit the nail on the head with a visual representation of a writers intent.  I absolutely love creating book jackets!  With the online market being so rich in diversity and competition – I'm hoping to create a bit of a niche for helping those budding and aspiring writers in offering my services. 

My rate is $150.00 CAD per cover and the image becomes yours exclusively. 

If you'd like to discuss a jacket design – I'm readily available, flexible and eager! 

Thanks!

Susan Krupp

susaruby@sympatico.ca 

www.yuneekpix.com

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

Short story collection by Jean Rae Baxter to be published in Israel

Hello, Brian.

I don't recall if I ever told you, but Merenga Publishers of Tel Aviv will be bringing out a Hebrew translation of some of my short stories in May 2013. The publisher, Milcah Klein, has selected stories with a female protagonist from my collections, Twist of Malice and Scattered Light.

The book launch will be in Tel Aviv on May 26 or 27. The publisher is still mulling over a title, so of course the cover isn't ready, although the cover art has been selected. It's by the well-known Israeli artist Malka Inbal.

I'm leaving for Tel Aviv on May 21 and (besides going to my launch) will be visiting Jerusalem and Massada and Galilee. Very exciting.

My (Jewish) granddaughter Naomi is coming, too. She’s in her final year of Arts at Dalhousie Univiersity in Halifax. She has great talent as an artist and poet. I'm confident, you'll be hearing about her someday.

All the best,

Jean Rae Baxter

Jean Rae Baxter will be our guest speaker at the Writing Great Characters workshop on april 27 in Mississauga. Details here.

See my full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Kingston, Peterborough, Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Georgetown, Milton, Oakville, Burlington, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Dundas, Kitchener, Guelph, London, Woodstock, Orangeville, Newmarket, Barrie, Orillia, Gravenhurst, Sudbury, Muskoka, Peel, Halton, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

subTerrain Lush Triumphant Literary Awards for fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction

sub-TERRAIN Magazine

P.O. Box 3008, MPO

Vancouver, BC V6B 3X5

http://subterrain.ca/

subTerrain is published three times a year from the magazine’s offices just off of Main Street in Vancouver. subTerrain strives to produce a stimulating fusion of fiction, poetry, photography and graphic illustration from Canadian, U.S. & International writers and artists.

The annual Lush Triumphant Literary Awards

Three cash prizes in three categories:

Fiction: Maximum 3,000 words (no specific theme, the editors simply want to be amazed!)

Poetry: A suite of five related poems (maximum 15 pages)

Creative nonfiction: Based on fact, adorned with fiction. Maximum 4,000 words.

Deadline: postmarked May 15th – or submit online

The winning entries in each category will receive a $750 cash prize (plus payment for publication) and will be published in subTerrain’s Winter issue. First runner-up in each category will receive a $250 cash prize and be published in the Spring issue of the following year.

Entry fee: $27.50 per entry. Entry includes a one-year subscription to subTerrain

Full contest details and on-line submission form here.

Regular submissions:

subTerrain seeks fiction (3,000 words maximum, but 2,000 is better, creative nonfiction (4,000 words maximum), and commentary – social or otherwise (4,000 words maximum). subTerrain accepts poetry only if its specifically related to an issue’s theme.

Most issues of subTerrain are themed, but all issues also accept unthemed material and the the summer 2013 issue has not theme. The deadline for submissions to the summer issue is May 15.

The theme for the fall, 2013 issue is still to be announced. The deadline will be September 15. The theme for the spring 2013 issue (deadline February 15) was Heat – political, sexual, economic, environmental 

When submitting writing or imagery, please identify on the envelope the theme issue for which you're submitting. Feel free to interpret these themes in unique and unusual ways. 

Full submission guidelines here.

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

New Canadian literary agent: Children's author & editor Harry Endrulat

Harry Endrulat has joined The Rights Factory as an associate agent. He has worked in children’s publishing for many years and is the author of the children’s book, A bear in War. 

Harry has also written numerous books for the Max & Ruby series (based on the popular show on Treehouse TV, which is based on the books by Rosemary Wells). As an editor, Harry has worked almost twenty years as both an in-house and freelance editor, for Fenn/Tundra, Harper Canada and Penguin Canada.

His email hasn’t yet been posted, but you can expect to reach him at: Harry@therightsfactory.com  

Or you can query him through The Rights Factory’s submission page here.

Associate agent Olga Filina is another newcomer at The Rights Factory. A graduate of Humber’s Creative Book Publishing Program, Olga spent over a decade as a sales manager and book buyer for both national and independent book store chains and two years as a literary assistant at The Cooke Agency.

While Olga will read anything that may set her book clubs on fire, she gravitates towards commercial and historical fiction, great genre fiction in the area of romance and mystery, nonfiction in the field of business, wellness, lifestyle and memoir and young adult and middle grade novels with memorable characters. In her spare time, Olga sits on library boards, organizes literary festivals and runs more book clubs than she can count.

Query Olga at: Olga@therightsfactory.com

Olga will be the guest speaker at the "How to Get Published" workshop, Saturday, May 4, in Barrie. Details here.

Read about other agents at The Rights Factory who are looking for authors here.

Brian Henry will lead a "Writing for Children and for Young Adults" workshop in Guelph on April 13 (see here). Also, he’ll lead a "How to Get Published” workshop on Saturday, May 4, in Barrie (see here). To register, mail brianhenry@sympatico.ca

However, before you submit, though, the best way to get your manuscript into shape is with a weekly course. This summer, Brian will be leading Intensive Creative Writing courses on Tuesday afternoons in Burlington (details here) and on Thursday evenings in Mississauga (details here). 
To register, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Also, he’ll be leading Writing True Stories classes on Monday mornings in Mississauga (see here), and he'll lead a Welcome to Creative Writing course on Tuesday afternoons in Burlington (see here). 

To register, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

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

Black Moss Press

Black Moss Press

2450 Byng Road

Windsor, ON  N8W 3E8

http://blackmosspress.com/

Since it was founded in 1969, Black Moss Press has built a national reputation for its contribution to Canadian Literature, especially with poetry. Black Moss has published more than 400 books and introduced more than 100 new authors. Black Moss has a special role in promoting literature in southwestern Ontario.

Submissions: Please mail a one-page outline and the first two chapters of the manuscript (to a maximum of 15 pages). Also include, a short biography including your citizenship and place of residence, a list of previously published work, why you believe your manuscript is important, what you would do to help promoted your work and where you believe it would sell. Full submission guidelines here.

Brian Henry will lead a "How to Get Published” workshop on Saturday, May 4, in Barrie (see here).  To register, mail brianhenry@sympatico.ca

However, before you submit, though, the best way to get your manuscript into shape is with a weekly course. Brian will be leading Next Step in Creative Writing classes on Thursday afternoons in Mississauga (see here) and Thursday evenings in Georgetown (see here). To register, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Also, he’ll be leading Life Stories classes on Monday mornings in Mississauga (see here) and Monday afternoons in Brampton (see here and scroll down), and he'll lead a Welcome to Creative Writing course on Tuesday afternoons in Burlington (see here). 

To register, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

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

New food-based magazine wants fiction, prose, poetry & drawings; Ruminate calls for entries for its poetry contest

Ruminate (U) is a quarterly magazine of short stories, poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art that resonates with the complexity of the Christian faith. Ruminate invites entries for their sixth annual Janet B. McCabe Poetry Prize. First prize: $1,500 and publication in the Fall 2013 Issue. Entry fee: US$18 (includes copy of the Fall 2013 Issue.

Deadline: May 1, 2013. Guidelines here. 

New food-based magazine Toast Point Press Canada (website under construction) seeks submissions for its inaugural issue (June 2013). Looking for short fiction and prose (2500 words max.), poetry, drawings, and photography. Prefers the witty, thoughtful, unique, and engaging.

Deadline: May 31, 2013.  

Please send your submission in the body of an email to: submissions@toastpointpress.com

 Submit art and/or photography as an attachment to: submissions@toastpointpress.com

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

"Joseph Anton" by Salman Rushdie, reviewed by Ken O’Connor

I went to hear Salman Rushdie speak in Hamilton, Ontario. Besides having heard he’s a great writer, I particularly wanted to know how he stood up to Ayatollah Khomeini’s 1989 fatwa calling for his death.

The price of admission ($45.00) included a signed copy (no personal dedications allowed) of his book Joseph Anton (2012). Mr. Rushdie is a very knowledgeable, personable man whose sense of humor pervades his character and characters. 

I had not read anything of his, nor had I seen the book or the movie Midnight’s Children, for which he wrote the screenplay and narrated the story. I did see the movie after seeing Rushdie and reading Joseph Anton, which in my opinion is an extraordinary book. 

At the event in Hamilton, Mr. Rushdie started by reading from his book. Not good. I can do that myself, at my own pace, in a relaxed atmosphere, with dictionaries for company. My mind paints better pictures and gives me the pleasure of cursing when appropriate as I sip my jungle juice. No matter how good the reading, usually something doesn’t click the same as reading it. Plus, the sound system had a mind of its own and made the place feel like amateur night in the school gym.

I wanted to hear the author’s words for me, the audience. Talk to me, Mr. Author, with your welcome gems of wisdom, insights, and humor. I went to a lot of trouble to be in your presence. No such luck.

The moderator for the evening, an excellent choice, was Charles Foran, author of a biography of Mordecai Richler, Mordecai: the Life and Times, and much more. The talk between the two authors was most enjoyable. However, only four or five (excellent) questions were answered before we were shoved out the exit. We were told there were many more written questions, but goodbye. I was disappointed.

And we were discouraged from talking to Rushdie. For security? In case we took too long?  

Was I expecting too much? I thought we deserved more.

Thank goodness my reading of Joseph Anton overshadowed its presentation.  

Joseph Anton is a pseudonym for Salman Rushdie. It is a memoir. Rushdie chose to change his name for awhile due to the need for security. Following the writing of The Satanic Verses, many people in various parts of the world were killed or harmed by others who do not want free speech. We find out who, where, and why.

We also discover the normal lies, fears, hardships, and craziness of the writing business. This book would help new writers find out a lot about the realities of the writing game.  

As for the book, since Anton is Rushdie, he decided to write about himself in the third person as “he.” So we have a memoir without “I” and mostly without a name at all.  For example, a sentence “They slept as far apart as they could…” really means Rushdie and a woman. How would you like to read the whole book like that? Unique, perhaps, at least for me. But I found it disturbing.

Also, there are long paragraphs of seven or so conversations (as on page 215) that could have been more clearly laid out in separate paragraphs. This would have added many more pages to the 640 already in the book, far too many for those of us who prefer less unnecessary detail.

He names names and repeats opinions endlessly. He describes details of travels I don’t care about, with descriptions I skipped over to get to the meat of his text. Rushdie’s daily habits of writing notes, along with a prodigious memory, and a satisfying sense of humor…do serve him well, though.

Rushdie mentions at the end of the book that some names were changed. I don’t know which ones, so I don’t know if a particular lover’s name is real. He had an affair while having difficulties with a regular partner. He says he knew his notes would be read by his partner. I suggest his written description of that particular affair lacked discretion.

Rushdie has won many awards, deservedly so. The writing in Joseph Anton is exceptional, an example for all of us.

This is a book that will sell many fiction and non-fiction books by Rushdie. He writes extensively about the where, why, and how he did his work. Despite hardships few of us would ever have in our own lives, he accomplished extraordinary successes.

If any of you ask, “How can I write with all that’s going on in my life? I suggest that after reading Rushdie you’ll have no excuses. The man is a hero. His fight for freedom surpasses most of those I know of. His judgment wavers only a few times; however, he admits where he went wrong in some cases, and explains how he sometimes recovered.

His comments on world events, fights with his home country (the UK), experiences in America, family relationships, his quest for acceptance in India – all make for exciting reading. I doubt a writer has ever moved from one location to another as many times as Rushdie.

I also doubt very many writers had to make such tough decisions:  He had to decide whether he is responsible for bombs that follow his writing. And whether or not to continue writing, knowing the possible deadly consequences. Other writers would have shied away from fears such as being killed, having no friends, no publishers, and many more. 

He wears a bulletproof vest. He sometimes drives a car with bulletproof doors so heavy that a passenger can hardly close them. He describes what happens when he has a car accident. He has to hide when an ordinary delivery man or repair man comes to the door. Only the police can open his mail. He gives us a great sense of what it all means. I laughed, I felt sad.

One of the biggest questions is how can he carry on a normal life? What will happen to love of family? Who will stay with him under the circumstances? In other words, how can he get through life doing what we want under the most extreme conditions?

This is the accomplishment of Joseph Anton:  It demonstrates that the human spirit lives no matter what.

We owe you, Salman Rushdie. 

Ken O’Connor graduated from Ryerson in Toronto. He worked in radio and television before becoming a copywriter. He had his own advertising agency in the pharmaceutical field. As a director, editor, and photographer he produced over one hundred short films. He now writes fiction, non-fiction, films, humor, and book reviews. His review of Joseph Anton is specifically intended for writers.

Quick Brown Fox welcomes book reviews and other book related pieces. I also welcomes reviews of plays, movies, restaurants and anything else that catches your fancy. Reviews may be straight up or tongue in cheek. You might review restaurants you can’t afford, based on what you see peering through the window. Or you might review the patrons of some event, rather than the event itself. Or you might otherwise use your imagination to get up to some mischief. Please keep reviews short and as free of long paragraphs, clumsy prose and grammatical mistakes as possible. Email your review to me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

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

“First Taste,” a short story by Margo Karolyi

Gabor rolled up onto the tips of his toes and placed the cold glass bottle on the counter in front of him. Keeping his eyes lowered to avoid the fierce glare of Mr. Bishop the shop keeper, he slipped his right hand into his pants pocket. He could feel the rough stitching along the seam where his mother had patched the hole that had worn through the thin cotton, and prayed silently that she’d sewn it all the way to the bottom. 

His hand moved past the piece of string with the brass house key attached to it, the pencil stub and mauled eraser he’d snitched from his fourth grade classroom, and the tiny balls of lint that seemed to accumulate despite the fact that he emptied his pockets thoroughly each week before his mother did the wash. He dug down, anxiously seeking the tiny coin he’d tucked in the deepest corner of his pocket earlier that morning.

When he finally touched the thin edge of the dime, he pinched it tightly between his thumb and index finger and pulled it slowly out of his pocket.  His hand was shaking as he placed it on the counter beside the bottle. Would Mr. Bishop notice? Would he ask where Gabor had gotten the dime?  Would he question why he was spending money so foolishly?

Two dimes would buy a loaf of bread; five a carton of milk or a dozen eggs.  Gabor’s father barely earned enough to buy basic groceries for the family – there was never any extra for things like the pop and potato chips and chocolate bars his classmates enjoyed every day at recess.

So Gabor had taken matters into his own hands and stolen a dime from the wooden bowl of loose change his father kept on his dresser. If his father discovered the missing coin, there would be hell to pay.  But Gabor had taken the risk, and it was too late to turn back now.

When Mr. Bishop didn’t immediately pick up the dime, Gabor cautiously lifted his gaze. The old shopkeeper was watching him suspiciously, his dark eyes narrow under thick grey brows.  He lifted the coin off the counter, turned it over in his hand and examined it as if he suspected it wasn’t real.

“This your allowance?” he asked.

Gabor nodded. He’d never gotten an allowance in his life, but he knew what it was.

Mr. Bishop glanced over at the bottle Gabor had taken out of the cooler. Tiny rivulets of sweat were running down over its graceful curves, pooling on the counter.

 “You usually come in here to get bread or milk for your mam,” Mr. Bishop said, leaning in just far enough that Gabor had to resist the urge to take a step backwards.  

“You never buy nothing for yourself,” the man added. He inclined his head towards the bottle. “You sure you wanna spend this dime on that Coke?”

Gabor didn’t answer. He understood English well enough, but even after six months of living in Sas-cat-chew-won – the strangest name for a place he’d ever heard – he hadn’t quite mastered the speaking of it. Besides, he didn’t want to explain to this old Canadian that in his country – in Hungary – only the very wealthiest people enjoyed luxuries like Coca Cola.

The rest of the population could barely afford bread and eggs and cold meat and fish with the heads still on them.  His parents had said life would be better in Canada. So they’d packed up what little they had and come to this strange place of open skies and flat prairies and low lying towns.  

But it hadn’t been better, at least not so far. The house they lived in was old and desolate and drafty, Gabor had to walk two miles to school – where the other kids teased him about his broken English and his strange clothes – and his father worked too hard to make too little money.  

It wasn’t until Gabor had spotted the bottles of Coca Cola lined up in Mr. Bishop’s cooler that he’d considered the idea that Canada might not be as bad as he’d thought.

“Cat got your tongue, boy?” Mr. Bishop barked. Lost in his thoughts, Gabor jumped. He had no idea how or why a cat would have his tongue – or maybe that wasn’t what Mr. Bishop really meant – but he quickly shook his head back and forth.

Mr. Bishop’s eyes narrowed again. “You do something wrong, boy?” he asked.

Gabor shook his head more briskly. “Nem,” he murmured, quickly switching to the English word, “No.”

Mr. Bishop continued to glare at him. He tapped the dime he still held in his fingers on the top of the counter. “Empty your pockets,” he commanded. “I want to make sure you haven’t stolen anything.”

Without a word, Gabor removed the house key on the string, the pencil and the eraser from his pocket and placed them on the counter. From the other one he withdrew the rag his mother had given him for blowing his nose and a broken pocket knife he’d found at the side of the road. He put them beside the other items and dropped his hands back to his sides. He rubbed them up and down against his pant legs to wipe away the dampness that had formed on his palms.

Mr. Bishop regarded the small pile of Gabor’s meager possessions, but didn’t touch it. “That it?”

Gabor swallowed hard and nodded. Back home people got shot for stealing from shops, even when it couldn’t be proved. He didn’t think they did that here in Canada, but surely some form of punishment was meted out to thieves, or suspected thieves – even if they were only eight years old.

After what seemed like an eternity to Gabor, Mr. Bishop turned his attention to the cash register. He pressed a button, then another. The register dinged as the drawer opened.

“Okay,” he said, dropping the dime into one of the slots in the drawer. “Take your Coke and get outta here.” 

As quickly as he could, Gabor stuffed his things back in his pockets, lifted the bottle from the counter, and backed towards the door.  Mr. Bishop was watching him again. He didn’t take his eyes off Gabor until he’d closed the squeaky screen door behind him.

Outside, Gabor tucked the top of the bottle under the opener that was screwed to the wall and popped off the cap. He caught it and placed it gingerly in his pocket – a souvenir he knew he’d keep for a very long time.

He moved around to the side of the building, leaned back against the rough clapboard wall, and slid down to sit on the dusty ground.  Then, finally, with the fear passed and sweet anticipation running through him, Gabor lifted the bottle to his lips and took his very first sip of ice-cold Coca Cola.

Margo Karolyi is a full time author who lives in Burlington, Ontario. A retired college professor, Margo writes contemporary romance novels, historic romantic novellas, short stories of all types, and the occasional poem. She also blogs about the ups and down of life on The Other Side of 55 here. 

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