Exile Edtions paying for Steampunk, Essay Press wants essays, Vallum wants poetry, and Morel wants Southwest Ont writers

Canadian Steampunk stories wanted for anthology Clockwork Canada. Published by Exile Editions (Canada) in Spring 2016. Stories must be set in Canada, written by Canadian authors. Length: 2,000-8,000 words. Payment; $0.05/word. 

Deadline: April 30, 2015. Guidelines here. 

Dear Brian,

We are seeking innovative nonfiction writers to submit to our first Open Book Contest, and are hoping you might forward this call to your list-servs.

Thank you!

Aimee Harrison

essaypress.org 

​Essay Press Open Book Contest ~ submissions now open until April 1st 

Essay Press is now reading for its first open-book contest, to be judged by Essay author Kristin Prevallet. We particularly welcome book-length manuscripts that extend or challenge the formal range of nonfiction, including but not limited to: lyric essays and prose poems or poetics; experimental biography and autobiography; innovative approaches to journalism, experimental historiography, criticism, scholarship, and philosophy.

Simultaneous submissions, multiple submissions, collaborative manuscripts, digital and hybridized text/art manuscripts are all encouraged. Each completed submission will be considered with care by multiple readers. We will announce our contest winner in summer, and will publish the book by early 2016. We will consider all submitted manuscripts for additional publishing possibilities. 

For guidelines and to submit, as well as to browse our existing digital and print catalogs, visit essaypress.com

To contribute to live discussions and for updates, follow us on Facebook & Twitter. 

About Essay Press: Essay Press is dedicated to publishing artful, innovative and culturally relevant prose. We are looking for prose that has something to say, essays that both demand and deserve to stand alone.

Dear Brian, 

Vallum Magazine is currently promoting our Vallum Award for Poetry 2015 and we thought you and the Quick Brown Fox community would be interested to learn about it. We would greatly appreciate it if you would kindly share the news in the Writing Contests section of your website:

Vallum: Contemporary Poetry is now accepting original and previously unpublished submissions for the annual Vallum Award for Poetry 2015.

First Prize: $750, Second Prize: $250, plus publication in the magazine.

Deadline: July 15, 2015

Contest Judge: Stephanie Bolster

Entry Fee: $25 (includes a 1 year subscription to Vallum). Entries accepted by Paypal and by posted mail. For more information see here.

Vallum also accepts regular submissions Currently Vallum wants poetry that is funny, absurd, comedic, in its various and different forms. A little doggerel, light verse, limerick or rhymeall will work to create a kind of humour that will give us some respite from today's grime and grind. Deadline May 1. Guidelines here.

Some of the best poets in the world have graced the pages of Vallum. Game on!

Thank you,

Christina Higham

Hello, Brian.
I am launching a new web-based general interest publication that will be featuring many opportunities for Southwestern Ontario writers and was hoping you might be able to touch on it in your blog?
Regards,
Mary Baxter

Morelmag.ca, a new, web-based general interest magazine to serve Southwestern Ontario, is issuing its first call for poetry and fiction submissions.  Up to three poems by one poet and one work of fiction will be selected for publication on the website.

Authors must either come from Southwestern Ontario (defined here as any location west of Guelph) or be writing about a subject that directly reflects the region.

Payment for each category is $25.

The intake period for poetry is March 23 – April 6, 2015 for publication in mid-April 2015. Other poetry intake periods will be held in June, September and December of this year.

The intake period for fiction will run April 6 – 19, 2015 for publication in May 2015. Other fiction intake periods will take place in August, November of this year and February 2016.

For more information, visit the Morel website here. 

See Brian Henry’s schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

How to Build Your Story workshop, Saturday, April 25, in Thessalon

Stories in the North presents…

How to Build Your Story

Plotting novels & Writing short stories

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Registration and coffee: 9:30 a.m.

Workshop 10:00 a.m – 3:30 p.m.

Zion United Church, 224 Main Street, Thessalon, Ontario in Algoma (Across from the grocery store. Map here.)

This workshop will show you how writers plot a novel and will give you the best tips on writing short stories. We’ll also look at where to get your stories published and how to win contests. Best yet, you’ll see how to apply the story-building techniques you’ve learned to your own writing

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 Charlottetown. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.

Fee: $50, includes lunch

To reserve a spot now, email storiesinthenorth@gmail.com

To register: Simply reserve your spot via e-mail then pay us your registration fee on the day. 

See Brian’s full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Stouffville, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Kurestin Armada joins P.S. Literary agency, seeks new authors of upmarket & commercial fiction and nonfiction

Ella and the Balloons in the Sky
by Danny Appleby, illustrated by Lauren Pirie,
represented by P.S. Literary

P.S. Literary Agency

20033 – 520 Kerr Street
Oakville, Ontario
L6K 3C7 CANADA
http://www.psliterary.com/

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

The P.S. Literary Agency is a relative newcomer to the agenting world, having been established by Curtis Russell in 2005, so all its agents are actively looking for authors.  P.S. is located in Oakville (a suburb of Toronto) and represents literary and commercial fiction, Young Adult and Middle grade fiction and picture books, and nonfiction.

 "P.S. seeks to work with clients who are professional and committed to their goals. It is our desire to work with clients for the duration of their careers. In addition to contract negotiations, editorial and marketing guidance, our commitment extends to post-publication in pursuing foreign, audio, digital, TV/film and serial rights. Our team attends major national and international industry conferences and travels periodically to New York City to network with top editors."

Kurestin Armada has joined P.S. Literary Agency as associate agent, and like all new agents, she needs authors. Kurestin began her publishing career as an intern with Workman Publishing and spent time as an assistant at the Lofts Agency before joining P.S. Literary.

She holds a B.A. in English from Kenyon College and a publishing certificate from Columbia University. Kurestin is based in New York City.

Kurestin is actively acquiring Upmarket and Commercial Fiction, Magic Realism, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Alternative History, Historical Fiction LGBTQ (any genre), select Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Mystery, including mystery with element of science fiction or fantasy, and Romance. She has a particular affection for science fiction and fantasy, especially books that recognize and subvert typical tropes of genre fiction.

In nonfiction, Kuristin is looking for Design, Cooking, Pop Psychology, Humour, Narrative Nonfiction, Photography, and Pop Science.

Query Kurestin at: query@psliterary.com 
Query on. No attachments unless specifically requested.

The three other agents at P.S. Literary are also looking for authors:

Carly Watters ~  VP, Senior Literary Agent. 

Carly is actively looking for Literary and Commercial fiction, World literature, Women’s fiction, Literary thrillers, high concept Young Adult novels and Picture books, and up-market nonfiction in Health, Wellness, Pop science and Pop psychology.

Carly also represents select titles in North America for the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency. Carly did her MA in Publishing Studies at City University London in the UK where she worked in the publishing industry at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency, and Bloomsbury PLC before returning to Canada in 2010 to join the P.S Literary Agency. She blogs here.

Many readers will know what a treasure Carly is from when she’s been my guest speaker at “How to Get Published” workshops.

Maria Vicente ~ Associate Agent

Maria began her publishing career an intern with Bree Ogden at D4EO Literary Agency and then interned at P.S. Literary before joining the agency as an associate agent. Maria has a B.A. in English Lit from Carleton and a Bachelor of Education from Western. She blogs here.

Maria is actively looking for Literary and Commercial fiction, New Adult, high-concept Young Adult, Middle Grade, high-concept Picture Books, and nonfiction in the Pop Culture, Pop Psychology, Design and Lifestyle categories.

Maria was my guest speaker at a How to Get Published workshop Sunday, June 22, in Ottawa.

Curtis Russell ~ President & Principal Agent
Curtis began his publishing career nearly a decade ago as proprietor of a micro press. In 2005 he crossed to the other side of the desk and founded the P.S. Literary Agency. He has a wide-ranging and diverse client list, and is interested in discovering writers with unique ideas, no matter what the category.

Curtis is currently acquiring both fiction and nonfiction. In terms of fiction, he is seeking Literary, Commercial mainstream, Women's fiction, Romance, New Adult, Young Adult and Middle Grade novels, and Mysteries & Thrillers.

In terms of nonfiction, he is looking for Business, History, Politics, Current Affairs, Memoir, Health, Wellness, Sports, Humour, Pop science and Pop psychology.

Query any agent at P.S. Literary at: query@psliterary.com 
No attachments unless specifically requested.  Limit your query to one page and include...
Paragraph One – Introduction: Include the title and category of your work (i.e. fiction or nonfiction and topic), an estimated word count and a brief, general introduction. 
Paragraph Two – Mini-synopsis: A concise summary or overview of your work. 
Paragraph Three – Writer’s bio: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background (awards and affiliations, etc.). 

Full submission requirements here.

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

Martha Magor Webb

Brian Henry will lead "How to Get Published" workshops in Windsor on Sunday, May 31, with Martha Magor Webb of the Anne McDermid Agency (see here), and in Mississauga on Saturday, June 20, again with Martha Magor Webb (see here). 

Also, Brian will lead “Writing for Children & for Young Adults” with Anne Shone, Senior Editor at Scholastic Canada, on Saturday, May 2, in Oakville (see here).

For more information or to register for a workshop or class, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Other upcoming workshops, include  “How to Build Your Story,” Saturday, March 14 in Burlington (see here), Saturday, April 25, in Thessalon (details to come), Saturday, May 9 in London (here) and Saturday, May 30 in Guelph (here), and “Writing great characters & From fact to fiction,” Saturday, March 28 in Brampton (here), “Secrets of Writing a Page-turner,” Saturday, April 11, in Peterborough (here), and “Writing and Revising,” Sunday, April 12 in Ottawa (here).

Anne Shone

The spring session of Brian’s weekly creative writing courses begins in April See details of all five weekly courses for beginners to advanced writers here.

Exploring Creative Writing” will be offered Wednesday evenings in Burlington (see here), “Writing Personal Stories” on Tuesday afternoons in Mississauga (here), “The Next Step in Creative Writing” on Thursday afternoons in Mississauga (here) and on Thursday evenings in Georgetown (here) and “Intensive Creative Writing” on Wednesday afternoons in Burlington (here).

Read reviews of Brian’s courses and workshops here.

For more information or to reserve a spot, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

See Brian's full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

The Blind Man's Garden by Nadeem Aslam, reviewed by Karen MacDougall

The Blind Man’s Garden, Knopf (2013), 371 pages, Kindle $13.99, paperback $14.40, Amazon here.

Nadeem Aslam’s The Blind Man’s Garden is a novel that makes a commendable attempt to provide the Western World with insight into events that occurred in Pakistan and Afghanistan right after the 9/11 terror attacks in the US. 

With beautiful, highly descriptive prose, Aslam gives us a peek into what everyday life was like for the people of Pakistan at this time through the story of Rohan, a blind retired headmaster whose school has been taken over by militant fundamentalists. 

The book opens with Rohan accompanying his son Jeo, a third year medical student, and his best friend, Mikal – who emerges as the novel’s central character – from their small town Heer to Peshawar, a border town where hundreds of wounded from the Afghan war are treated. To Rohan’s surprise Jeo and Mikal actually cross over into Afghanistan, so that Jeo can treat casualties on the front lines. 

Jeo’s friend Mikal is captured by tribal warlords, handed over to the US military, then struggles to find his way back to the family to tell them what has happened to Jeo.

Holding no punches, Aslam gives an account of just how much the lives of the Pakistani people were affected by the events that took place on that September day, reminding us of the global impact of that tragedy, more strongly felt in that region and in more horrific ways than most of us in the West can imagine. And, sadly, all in the name of religion.

Nadeem Aslam

An informative and at times emotional read, I appreciated Aslam’s objectivity and the way he gives a historical backdrop to 9/11.  His main characters are moderate, open minded Pakistanis, accused by their more religiously zealous “brothers” of not being Islamic enough.

The different story lines are compelling and there was enough tension in each to keep me turning the pages.

This book was easily 4 out of 5 for me right up until about the last fifth, when Mikal’s actions take an incomprehensible turn. No sooner does he find his way out of the wilderness and back to the bosom of his family, who are in dire need of his protection, than he decides to abandon them to fulfill what I can only assume he sees as a life debt, agreeing to walk back into a situation that can only be likened to a pit full of scorpions and snakes, knowing full well the dangers.

Added to this was a dichotomy to Mikal’s character. At times he seems full of street smarts, able to navigate around a tense situation, while at others, he seemed incredibly naive, almost willfully placing himself in needless danger. As such, the tension becomes more of an irritant than a tingling excitement.

Though Aslam tries to couch Mikal’s behavior with high-minded philosophies of civility, magnanimity and reparation, it was a hard sell for me, perhaps not believing that enough time had passed for him to reach a place of forgiveness and understanding. Perhaps a quote from a character towards the end of the novel best sums up my inability to comprehend Mikal’s choices: “The Westerners are unknowable to us. The divide is too great, too final.”

In reverse, I don’t understand what it means to be Muslim, where the needs of the individual are suppressed in the name of a cause, in direct contrast to Western thinking where a person’s instinct for self-preservation is sometimes taken to ridiculous extremes.

The novel ended on a flat note of ambiguity, with enough unsaid to be another book in its own right. In summary, The Blind Man’s Garden is a compelling read for anyone who likes to understand both sides of any situation.

Quick Brown Fox wants your book reviews. Details here. Read how to write a book review here.

Karen MacDougall is a writer of historical fiction, with one novel completed and a second which is currently a work in progress. She has seen her work grow by leaps and bounds after networking made her aware of Brian’s classes and workshops. 

See Brian Henry’s schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Beta readers wanted for Young Adult novel

"Help! I need beta readers."

Hi, Brian!

I'm looking for people who write Young Adult and people who read Young Adult novels (anyone have teens who love to read?) to read the draft of my YA novel and give me feedback. I would be willing to do the same in return and something for the teen readers (not sure, to be negotiated!)

It's a coming of age story about a fifteen-year-old girl, Paige, who faces cyberbullying, misunderstandings, family & personal turmoil all in one vicious year of high school. A stranger from social media pops up out of nowhere, seemingly to lend support to Paige during this tumultuous time.

I would really appreciate it if you could post this request in your newsletter, Brian. I can be reached at lryan27@rogers.com 

As always, thank you for your guidance!

Lauren Ryan

See Brian Henry’s schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Intensive Creative Writing course, Thurs afternoons, April 23 – June 25, in Burlington

Intensive Creative Writing

10 weeks toward mastering your craft

Spring session

Thursday afternoons, 12:15 – 2:45 p.m.

April 23 – June 25, 2015

First readings emailed April 16

Appleby United Church, 4407 Spruce Avenue, Burlington, Ontario (Map here.)

Intensive Creative Writing isn't for beginners; it's for people who have been writing for a while or who have done a course or two before and are working on their own projects. Over the ten classes, you’ll be asked to bring in five pieces of your writing for detailed feedback. All your pieces may be from the same work, such as a novel in progress, or they may be stand alone pieces. You bring whatever you want to work on.

Besides critiquing pieces, the instructor will give short lectures addressing the needs of the group, and in addition to learning how to critique your own work and receiving constructive suggestions about your writing, you’ll discover that the greatest benefits come from seeing how your classmates approach and critique a piece of writing and how they write and re-write. This is a challenging course, but extremely rewarding.

Instructor 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 Charlottetown. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.

Note: Check out a review of the Intensive course here. More reviews here.
See details of all five courses, from introductory to advanced, starting this spring here.

Fee: 176.11 + 13% hst = 199.  Payment in advance by mail or Interac.

Note: Enrollment is strictly limited, and these courses fill up, so enroll early to avoid disappointment. 

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

See Brian’s full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Oakville, Orillia, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Stouffville, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.