Call for submissions: The Right Eyed Deer seeks poetry, fiction and art

"Thistles in the Sandbox"
selections from the Write Idea's
 2nd annual Stirred Poet competition

Hi Brian,
Our writers forum – The Write Idea – and our magazine – The Right Eyed Deer – are looking for submissions of poetry, fiction and art.

The Write Idea is a global community with nominally a membership of 500 plus, though realistically we have a regular core of maybe 60 writers around the world.

We have a great selection of poets and take part in the IBPC competition every month - that's a competition between 19 poetry forums - and swept the board in last years 'Poem of the Year' contest with a solid 1-2-3.

We also have novelists, flash fiction and short fiction sectors that are pretty busy. It costs nothing to join, nothing to stay there. It is a supportive community of writers helping writers.

The Right Eyed Deer magazine is published approximately quarterly, offering its issues as a free PDF download or as a print magazine. Two Canadian fiction editors and two UK poetry editors give a reflection of the global reach and readership. A non-paying market, but listed on Duotrope and looking to grow. Seeks poetry, fiction, art and articles on writing for Issue 8.

Many thanks, Brian. Love your blog!
Best wishes,
Douglas Pugh

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

Death Plays Poker by Robin Spano, reviewed by Sherry Isaac

ECW Press, Oct 2011, trade paperback, 422 pages, $14.95

Every time you pick up a book by an author you’ve never read before, it’s a gamble, and gambling looms large in Death Plays Poker. The story plunges the reader, and the novel’s heroine, undercover cop Clare Vengel, into a poker tournament version of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Death Plays Poker is not an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Rather, Spano deals a quirky hand full of twists and turns and and larger than life characters.

From Montreal to Niagara Falls, Toronto to Vancouver, the Poker Choker’s victims have two things in common: they are all strangled in their hotel rooms, and each one is connected to the poker circuit.

As heroine Clare Vengel tries to prove her worth in her second undercover assignment, Amanda, Clare’s handler, tells her, “Real people are complex.” And so are Spano’s characters. Her full house cast could easily be the envy of any soap opera writer, but Spano is careful not to show any character’s hand. Any one of the poker-faced players could be the murderer.

Short, third-person chapters give insight to each character without weighing down the quick pace of the light mystery read. As the players turn over their cards it is easy to turn over the pages. However, there is a downside. While the shifts are easy to follow, with so many points of view on the table, some readers may find it difficult to connect with the main character.

Motorcycle loving, Bud-drinking Clare second-guesses each move she makes as she impersonates her cover character, trust fund heiress Tiffany James. More of a card-guppy than a shark, I could have shared in Clare’s anguish, but while Clare felt awkward and full of self-doubt parading in Dolce & Gabbana, Spano pulled me into the world of high stakes poker with ease.

Suspects are eliminated as they become victims of the Poker Choker, and the plot is complicated by rumors of cheating. Lovers fold, enemies cash out, and the deck is stacked against Clare. While players are counting chips, Clare counts on her wit, and the help of a sexy FBI agent, to bluff the murderer into showing his hand. When the chips are down, Clare raises the stakes. Using her brains and her body she goes all-in to keep her cover from being blown, and keep a killer from striking again.

Death Plays Poker is available at bookstores, through all the usual on-line venues. Buy it from Chapters for just $11.36 here. For information about submitting to ECW Press, see here.

Sherry Isaac has published several pieces in Quick Brown Fox. You can read one of her short stories here and a previous book review here. She’s also been published in The New Mystery Reader and in Canadian Voices, Volume One. Her short story, “The Forgetting,” placed first in the Alice Munro Contest in 2009. Her first short story collection, Storyteller, was released this summer.

Quick Brown Fox welcomes book reviews, interviews with authors and other book-related articles. Guidelines here.

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

Secrets of Writing a Page-turner workshop, Saturday, February 25, Orangeville

"Secrets of Writing a Page-turner"

~ 18 secrets from the pros ~

Saturday, February 25, 2012

10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Tweedsmuir Presbyterian Church
6 John Street, Orangeville, 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 teacher for more than 25 years. He teaches at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Moncton. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.

Fee: $38.94 + 13% hst = $44 paid in advance
or $42.48 + 13% hst = $48 if you wait to pay at the door
To reserve a spot now, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

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

Dorothy J McIntosh, author of Witch of Babylon, interviewed by Denise Willson

Recently, I had the pleasure of chatting with Dorothy (D.J.) McIntosh, author of acclaimed historical thriller, The Witch of Babylon (Penguin Canada). Not only is Dorothy the winner of several prestigious literary contests (the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Unpublished Crime Novel to name but one) she is a fabulous woman, full of spark.

As a writer, I was giddy with the prospect of having Dorothy’s undivided attention. I formulated questions that, for the most part, were on my list of unknowns. As a woman, I was intrigued by her prowess and proud of her success. She answered every question with great thought, fuelling my spirit and leaving me breathless for more.

Grab a tea and pull up a chair. You absolutely must join us….

Denise Willson: When I joined a critique group, the members decided in the first ten minutes that the one word to describe me was “determined.” If someone made a list of character traits that described you, what would they be and why?

Dorothy J McIntosh: “Persistent” and “dedicated.” I started writing The Witch of Babylon 11 years ago and stayed committed to seeing it through. Also, “imaginative” – for creating a fantastical world on paper.

DW: What inspired you to write The Witch of Babylon?

DJM: It’s important to care deeply for what you’re writing about. It will show in your writing if you don’t. I felt a fascination with the Middle East and a deep sense of injustice about the war in Iraq, especially regarding the lack of media attention on issues like the looting of museums and shooting of journalists. Of course, this passion had to be woven into a greater story.

DW: It took me a long time to stand up for myself, to confess that I was seriously writing a novel. When did you consider yourself a writer?

DJM: There was a period of time, when my editor was looking over manuscript changes, and I had time off from writing. I was free. Yet I felt like I needed to be writing, like writing had become something I had to do. I knew I was a writer then.

DW: Usually writers are avid readers. Are there books / authors that have influenced your writing?

DJM: I learn from reading. When I read a book I pay attention to how it’s written, how the dialogue flows, what I like and don’t like. I love lyrical, poetic writing, like the works of Cormack McCarthy, Jeff Long, and Ann Michaels. I like historicals, horror (not grizzly), and thrillers. I’m not fond of romance novels. Every few years I come across a book that wows me. Michael Kortya’s, The Ridge, is my latest gem.

DW: As writers, we have strengths and weaknesses, things that come easy and things we struggle with. What do you struggle with when writing, and what comes naturally?

DJM: First drafts are always the hardest for me; getting the words out, down on paper. I love the editing stage. I love adding rich descriptions, even though they’re not in vogue. Revising The Witch of Babylon took much more time than writing the first draft, but it was more fun. The first draft was taxing.

DW: A strong and unique narrative voice is what makes a story work for me. How did you go about developing or finding the narrative voice of your book?

DJM: The protagonist in The Witch of Babylon is male. His name is John Madison. His voice just came to me, fully formed and distinct. He isn’t like anyone I know yet he showed up in my imagination, whole. I didn’t need to think about voice, he already had one.

DW: Some new writers have the tendency to cripple themselves with revisions, rather than move forward. Do you have an inner editor and does she ever get in the way of writing?

DJM: Yes, I have an inner editor and she often gets in the way. But not in my writing, she gets in the way of my reading. Overuse of the word had, was, and unnecessary words drive me mad. A character acting in a credible way is important. If belief is stretched too far it’s a concern. For many years my world has revolved around revisions and so I see this in everything I read.

DW: Blogs are filled with advice for writers, some for planners and some for pantsers. Do you plan and plot before writing or do you develop as you go?

DJM: I’m a planner. Plot twists are hard to write and I have to put a lot of time into thinking them through. I write scene by scene plans, character profiles, etc. I also spend a vast amount of time researching. Considering the subject matter – ancient history, alchemy, Mesopotamian culture – The Witch of Babylon required detailed knowledge of prehistory, both science and folklore.

DW: I think, when one has finished editing one’s novel, there should be a gatekeeper with a sign that says, congratulations and welcome to Query Hell. What was your query experience like?

DJM: I didn’t query because I was a slush pile coward, fearing the manuscript would not be looked at. Instead I focused on literary contests. When The Witch of Babylon was shortlisted and honored, several agents approached me. The Witch of Babylon trilogy sold to Penguin and will be published in over 15 languages, and I’ve never written a query. Now, synopses, they’re a whole other beast…

DW: Are you part of a writing or critique group? What has your experience been in regards to critiques?

DJM: Yes, I am part of a group. I’ve had good experiences and I think these networks are worth forming, but the advice you receive from a critique group is very different from the advice you receive from industry professionals, such as agents and editors. That said, it’s important to be open to all critiques, no matter the source. And you must be willing to make changes.

DW: I find genre lines to be extremely blurry and The Witch of Babylon is a perfect example of a plot line that dabbles in several genres. How has this affected the marketing and publishing of the book, if at all?

DJM: I think crossing genres is a good thing. It expands your potential audience. I think Canadian literary writers (as opposed to commercial writers) have a better shot of getting published. There’s a worldwide following for Canadian literary writing, so these writers have an easier time finding agents, getting editorial assistance, and sourcing marketing (exposure) dollars. Most Canadian genre writers don’t do as well, financially, compared to U.S. genre writers, even though genre often beats literary in sales, particularly in the United States.

DW: No matter your background or experience, one plus one is always two. Publishing a blockbuster novel doesn’t seem to have a formula. Is there a method to your madness?

DJM: I wanted a major publisher. Although there are exceptions, an author needs a good literary agent to get a major publisher. There are lots of good manuscripts out there, but a unique premise has a better chance of selling. Manuscripts that follow a trend can also do well, as long as the trend hasn’t been saturated. You don’t need to be a literary genius, you just need to be a reasonable writer with a great story; a completed and polished story. The publisher’s willingness to promote your book also helps. And placement is important.

DW: There’s a lot to be said for the people involved in the publishing of a book. What valuable advice was given to you by industry folk and what piece of advice could you have done without?

DJM: The best advice given to me was regarding editing: where to end chapters, how to improve upon my protagonist. Agents and editors know what sells. I’ve never received criticism I could have done without; all advice is good advice.

DW: I understand you are currently working on book two in the series. How is this going for you?

DJM: I’m in first draft hell.

DW: What tidbits can you offer the beginner writer; knowledge you wish someone had told you when you were starting out?

DJM: Don’t set your sights too high. Trying to write a best seller is self defeating. Write the kind of book you’d enjoy reading, something you’re proud of. And when you’re done, appreciate how much work you’ve put into it.

I’d officially exceeded my caffeine level for the day, but after nearly four hours of enlightening conversation, I felt obliged to add to Dorothy’s list of character traits: "Brave" was the first that came to mind.

Now go buy The Witch of Babylon.

Denise Willson lives, works, and writes among Ontario’s escarpment country evergreens, has a talent for exaggeration, compulsively apologizes to road kill, and can parallel park like nobody’s business. She’s in search of an agent for her paranormal novel, A Keeper’s Truth.


Quick Brown Fox welcomes book reviews and other book-related articles. Guidelines here.


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

Love Letters

Brian,
I appreciate you mentioning my new book, Sable Island, on Quick Brown Fox.

Also, I’m working on a middle grade fiction novel called Camp Evil – that was the title you gave us for the writing exercise in the Children’s Writing workshop in Moncton.

I kept writing it, and while I was living in San Diego, I took a Middle Grade / Young Adult writing class at UCSD and continued. Almost finished now. It's not a scary book - I took it as a sarcastic title – a play on Camp Eve, about a girl sent to summer camp against her will.

Will keep you posted as it goes.
Wendy Kitts
For more on Wendy’s book, Sable Island: The Wandering Sandbar, see here. For upcoming book signings and presentations, see Wendy's website here.


Hi, Brian.
Just wanted to share a little article CBC News has done about me. Check it out here.
Sue Crossman
Author of Shades of Teale

Now this is what I call self-promotion. Well done, Sue! - Brian

Hi Brian,
The first review of my book, Canadians at War: A Guide to the Battlefields of World War I, will appear in The Great War Magazine, published in Yorkshire, England. I’ll forward the actual review when it’s published. You appear among the book’s acknowledgements, by the way.
Susan Evans Shaw

For more on Susan's book, Canadians at War, see here.



Hello Brian,
Congratulations on curing me of a creative writing block that lasted about 20 years! Who knew that by going to your last workshop in London in April (and my first writing workshop ever) I would be published for the first time less than six months later?

I'm so appreciative that you took the time to answer my questions at the session and gave me advice. You suggested the Jersey Devil Press "Brilliant Disguise" feature as a starting point and encouraged me to just write, write, write whenever I can find a spare minute. It seemed simple enough, so I've been trying.

It hasn't been easy, but here it is: You were right. “Coda,” the one short fiction piece that I have managed to finish and submit was accepted by Jersey Devil Press.

I'm so happy! A little validation goes a very long way in this case, and I can't thank you enough for your helping hand in it. I definitely have November 5th circled on my calendar for your "How to Make Yourself Write" seminar at the London Library, particularly since finding time remains such a challenge.

Thanks again,
Danielle Stewart

Read "Coda" here. For information about submitting to Jersey Devil, see here. I’ll be leading the “How to Make Yourself Write” workshop in London on Saturday, Nov 5, (details here) and in Kitchener on Sat, Nov 27 (details here).

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

The Sydney Taylor Manuscript Awards for Jewish fiction for young people

This free contest administered by the Association of Jewish Libraries was established by Ralph Taylor (husband of Sydney Taylor) to encourage aspiring authors of Jewish children's books. It was first awarded in 1985.

A cash award of $1,000 will be given for the best fiction manuscript appropriate for readers ages 8-11, written by an unpublished author. The book must be a work of fiction in English, with universal appeal of Jewish content for readers aged 8 to 11 years, both Jewish and non-Jewish. It should reveal positive aspects of Jewish life. Short stories are not acceptable.

While AJL cannot guarantee publication, the $1000 prize money has been an incentive for writers with varying experience to try their hands writing for this genre. The award carries prestige in the publishing world and several Sydney Taylor Manuscripts have subsequently been published.

Authors desiring to apply for The Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award should read the full rules and complete the application and release form.

Aileen Grossberg
204 Park Street
Montclair, NJ 07042-2903
USA

The deadline for submission of manuscripts is December 15. Complete rules and application and release forms here.

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

How to Build Your Story workshop, Saturday, March 31, Burlington, Ontario

Plotting novels and writing short stories
~ an editor & an author explain it all ~
Saturday, March 31, 2012
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Appleby United Church,  4407 Spruce Avenue, Burlington (Map here.)

This workshop will show you how writers plot a novel. You’ll also get the best tips on writing short stories, where to get them 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 teacher for more than 25 years. He teaches at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Moncton. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.

Guest speaker Lynda Simmons has published eight novels. Her most recent novels, Island Girl (2010) and Getting Rid of Rosie (2009), were published by Berkley Books, a Penguin USA imprint.

With books like Getting Rid of Rosie, Lynda has built a reputation for herself as an outstanding comic novelist. However, Island Girl represents a departure for Lynda in that it's a much more serious book.

Set on the Toronto Islands, the novel recounts the emotionally riveting story of a 55-year-old mother, Ruby Donaldson, who fights to reunite her family as she struggles with the diagnosis of early on-set Alzheimer's and her determination to control her own future.

Before going mainstream, Lynda served her apprenticeship as an author by writing six romance novels, published by Harlequin, Silhouette and Kensington. Lynda specializes in comic novels and her presentations are known for their humour. At the workshop, she'll share her insights into plotting novels and creating a character arc.

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

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

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

"My daughter is too young to be a cheerleader for Halloween, but don’t ask me why," by Jennifer Smith Gray

When I asked my four-year-old daughter what she wanted to be for Halloween this year, she said a cheerleader.
I don’t think so, I thought. But I said nothing, opting for the ignore it and it will go away routine.

It didn’t go away. I was pleased that she didn’t want to attempt the princess hat trick—she had been the cutest one around last year and the year before—but I knew she couldn’t be a cheerleader. I just wasn’t sure why she couldn’t be a cheerleader.

Desperate to nip this in the bud without too much fanfare, I started looking for alternatives that might catch her fancy. We already had a firefighter’s costume. Wouldn’t it be fun to wear that, sweetie? And there was the groovy girl costume, a remnant from my unsuccessful attempt to break the princess mold last year. That would be really unique, wouldn’t it, hon?

As we sat down for a family movie night, I thought that the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse had provided me a way out.

“Honey, what about Minnie Mouse or Daisy Duck? Either of those would be really cute for Halloween.”

She was interested. “They both wear high heels,” she said.

Yes, but you won’t be.

“And they’re both smart.”

Ahh, words to warm a mother’s heart. “Yes dear! They are both smart!”

It was settled then.

But it wasn’t settled. As we scrolled through the Web site with Disney costumes, there it was, right beside Minnie; a High School Musical cheerleader. I held my breath, feverishly clicked Back, and pointed out the robin sitting outside the kitchen window. But it was too late. She had noticed it too.

“Actually, Mom, I would like to be a cheerleader.”

Nope. Not going to happen. Again I ignored her and pointed out some other cute costumes. I even found myself pushing Cinderella and Ariel. Why not stick with what works? Anything but a cheerleader. Or Hannah Montana, I guess, but at least I can explain that one. I’ve nothing against Hannah. The show is entertaining and harmless. It’s the whole world of its young star, the hype, controversy, and gossip that I can easily justify not wanting to introduce my daughter to yet. But, I just don’t feel the same way about cheerleaders.

When I mentioned to my mother that her granddaughter was hoping to dress up as a cheerleader, she chimed in as expected, “Oh, she’s too young.”

My husband was in the dark about most of this, still suffering shock about the $75 price tag on the Minnie Mouse costume I was pushing like broccoli, reason having given way to my gut feeling.

I decided to go for the real test. I’d just ask him what he thought about the cheerleader idea. I figured he would say something along the lines of, “Cool, a cheerleader will be fun!” and “No, of course she’s not too young to be a cheerleader, don’t be such a prude.” I would relax, she would be a cheerleader, and we would all be happy.

Except my mother, but I had already formulated an argument for that discussion.

Cheerleaders are athletes. Why would it be appropriate for her to be a ballerina or a figure skate, or a soccer player but not a cheerleader? They wear short skirts, but so does Little Red Riding Hood, so do pixies and fairies.

You have to be much older to be a cheerleader. Well, you have to be much older to be a doctor or a chef—both universally accepted Halloween costumes for any child.

Is it because cheerleaders are perceived to be promiscuous, mean, or dumb? The movies certainly give that impression, but my daughter hasn’t seen those movies. How can I explain that she cannot be a cheerleader because some people think that cheerleaders are not nice, but at the same time teach her that cheerleaders are, in fact, nice? But then tell her she still can’t pretend to be one?

I played sports in high school. I had good friends who were cheerleaders. They were not promiscuous, mean, or dumb. They were dedicated and gregarious. Is my daughter too young to be dedicated and gregarious? I practiced and trained for my sports, stretched and warmed up, played in front of crowds, and represented the school at competitions.

My cheerleader friends practiced and trained, stretched and warmed up, performed in front of crowds, and represented the school at competitions. On top of that, they learned the ins and outs of every sport and kept the crowds engaged (no small feat at a school with a perpetually losing football team). I’d be thrilled if my daughter wanted to dress up as a point guard, a skip, or a shortstop. So why not a cheerleader?

“So, what do you think about our daughter being a cheerleader for Halloween?” I casually put it out there to my husband.

Pause.

“I don’t love the idea,” he finally said. “You won’t even find a costume in her size,” he added, unaware that I already had one stashed away in our closet, just in case I ignored my gut feeling. Or that in my online searches, as I hunted for any kind of written validation that a four-year-old was just too young to be a cheerleader for Halloween, I had discovered hundreds of cheerleader costumes for her age group and younger.

But, I had my answer. Guts had it over logic. My mother’s traditional gut, my own slightly-right-of-centre gut, and my husband’s nobody’s-going-to-tell-me-or-my-kid-what-we-can-wear gut all leaned the same way right off the bat. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut. Even if it means one more frilly gown for the cedar chest or a $75 mouse.

Fingers crossed that we can get through October 31st without my little princess (or mouse, or mermaid) encountering any four-year-old cheerleaders.

Jennifer Smith Gray is a graduate of the University of Waterloo's English - Rhetoric and Professional Writing program, and has extensive business and technical writing and editing experience. In recent years, she has been nurturing her inner creative writer, working on short stories, personal essays, and memoirs.

When she's not putting pen to paper, Jennifer enjoys exploring her East York neighbourhood with her husband and kids. Jennifer posts some writing here. You can read one of Jennifer's book reviews here.

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

You're invited to a book launch for Puzzle of Murders by Brandon Pitts

Hello to all my friends.
I am having a book launch for my novel, Puzzle of Murders
Sunday, November 6th
at 2:30 pm.
North York Central Library
Library Auditorium, 2nd Floor, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto

The publisher, Bookland Press, will be releasing two other books the same day by Fraser Sutherland and Marianna Paul. Refreshments will be served. If you can attend, please RSVP the publisher at booklandpress@rogers.com

Thank you very much and hope to see you there,
Brandon
http://brandonpitts.com/Brandon_Pitts.html  

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

“The Gift of the Game: A Father, A Son and the Wisdom of Hockey” by Tom Allen, reviewed by Reviewed by F.H. Lee

Random House, Toronto, October 2005, nonfiction, 256 pages

Having just poured through the fiction works of Steinbeck and Hemingway, in order of the year they were written (yes, just for fun!) I was looking for something quick and compelling, but personal to throw into the mix.

I picked up The Gift of the Game – rather dubiously, I confess. I am not a hockey fan (long story, my father's fault...), nor a non-fiction buff, so it was hard to bring myself to pick up the book. It was harder yet to put it down. One sitting. One read. Done!

Tom Allen is familiar to me from CBC Radio Two. As a broadcaster, storyteller, musician and father, he has a massive amount of knowledge about music and life experience, but it is his delivery – his story-telling – more than his wisdom or talent that drew me to this book.

I’m not going to compare Allen to Steinbeck, howeverrrrr I was struck by the way that both gentleman craft a story, deliver the bad news first, build up the emotion around the characters, and then lay the story humbly at the reader's feet for contemplation.

In the Gift of the Game, Allen uses his talents to show us how he and his son maintained and deepened their relationship through the break-up of his marriage and into his son’s teen years through their mutual love of hockey.

The separation of any couple with children is chaos. The concept of failed relationships can make you squirm if you are looking for lightweight words to fill a pocket of free time. Allen achieves the difficult task of forcing us to look past our pity by using humour to celebrate each small but riveting accomplishment.

I like to think that I understand hockey better now and the role it plays in Canadian relationships, male or female. A breath of fresh crisp exhilarating air!

Francine Lee can be found most days on a picnic with her 4 kids, combining her 4 most cherished things: travel, nature, food, books!

Quick Brown Fox welcomes book reviews, interviews with authors and other book-related articles. Guidelines here.


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

Katie Shea joins Donald Maass Literary Agency, seeks women's fiction, commercial-scale literary fiction, memoir, etc.

Donald Maass Literary Agency
Suite 801
121 West 27th Street
New York, NY 10001
http://www.maassagency.com/

The Donald Maass Literary Agency specializes in fiction. "All genres are welcome. We handle many authors of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, horror, romance, historical, literary and mainstream novels. mainly writing commercial fiction."

Do they work with previously unpublished writers? "Yes, all the time."

Katie Shea recently joined the Donald Maass Agency. She was previously an agent with the Caren Johnson Agency. She specializes in fiction and memoir, especially women’s fiction and commercial-scale literary fiction. She is also seeking memoir, narrative non-fiction, food, pop culture, health and lifestyle, and realistic YA. She is most interested in coming-of-age stories and stories of unique relationships. Some of her favorite authors include: Joan Didion, Mary Karr, Michael Cunningham, Alice Sebold, and Jean Kwok (Girl in Translation). She is a graduate of Marist College.

Query Katie at kshea@maassagency.com
Include a synopsis and the first five pages pasted into the body of the email, no attachments please.

More about the Donald Maass agency here. General submission guidelines here.

Brian Henry lead a "How to Get Published" workshop on December 3 in Oakville with guest Ali McDonald of The Rights Factory literary agency (see here). Also, Brian will lead a "Writing for Children and for Young Adults" workshop in St. Catharines on January 14, 2012 (see here).

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

Horseback on the Last Day of Summer, a true story by Brian Henry

I figured out my wife wasn’t enjoying herself when I heard her scream.

“Madame Trixie, do not panic,” our guide called out to her.

“Aiii!” my wife replied.

“Turn the horse back toward the trail,” our guide instructed, though in her Quebecois accent the ‘orse lost its “h,” much as my wife was losing her cool. “Pull the reins toward your left knee. Pull 'arder … 'arder!”

It was no good. Trixie — that was the horse’s name, not my wife’s — Trixie had spotted a shortcut back to the stables. Seeing a choice between spending the last day of August munching hay in her stall or clomping up Mont Tremblant with my beautiful wife swaying in the saddle, Trixie had chosen her belly over beauty and was voting with her hooves.

The other horses could only look on with envy.

“She won’t listen to me!” shouted my wife, who’s named Miriam, by the way.

At this point our son, William, seated astride his pony, called out: “Tell Trixie to turn back toward the trail this instant!”

“Yeah, Mom,” our daughter Leah agreed, “use your no-nonsense voice.”

“Use the reins,” our guide insisted.

Trixie paid no attention to any of them and continued to carry off my wife. In another moment they’d be lost behind the stand of pines that stood between us and the stables. Should I gallop off after her?

Perhaps not. My equestrian skills were limited to staying in the saddle while my horse, Monsieur le Boeuf, ambled along slowly — very slowly.

Fortunately, at that moment, guide number two giddy-upped out of his spot at the back of our column. He quickly pulled up beside Miriam, swung out of his saddle and captured Trixie by some of the gear attached to her head. The gear might be called a bridle, but — hey, don’t ask me.

Trixie promptly gave guide number two’s horse a kick.

“Aiii!” shouted Miriam as she bounced about on Trixie’s back.

“Give her a time out!” William shouted.

“Time to get moving,” our lead guide corrected. “Madame Trixie will follow.”

Leah’s and William’s horses promptly fell in line behind our guide. Monsieur le Boeuf eventually did, too. I don’t think he was a stubborn horse, just slow. Between my suggestion we go and Monsieur le Boeuf moving his hooves lay a five-second gap. That was good enough for me, but apparently not for our guide.

“Monsieur le Boeuf, you must keep your ‘orse moving. Madame Trixie will wander less if she has a tail to follow.”

“So it was your fault!” Miriam said, as Trixie resumed her place directly behind me.

“You okay?” I asked.

“No.”

I nodded. “It’s just another hour and half up the mountain and back,” I said, reassuringly I hoped.

Miriam didn’t say anything. Which I suppose was better than screaming.

As you might have guessed, it hadn’t been Miriam’s idea to go trail riding. Leah spotted the pamphlet in the foyer of our resort. Having read a library full of Pony Club books back in grade four, Leah immediately announced that going riding was her number one priority for our holiday.

“You mean like we actually get to sit on a horse?” William asked. “Cool!”

Cool indeed. We booked a trail ride for the next day.

When we arrived at the stables, we learned we would have two guides for the day — a woman in her late 20s who rode at the front of the line and did all the instructing — and a man in his forties who rode at the back and spoke little.

The man — guide number two — scooped up William without a word and plopped him in the saddle of a pony named Petite Prince, or Little Prince.

Prince appeared not to notice he had a rider, which was perfectly possible given that William weighed no more than a summer breeze.

Getting me on Monsieur le Boeuf was more of a production. “You must keep your weight as close to the ‘orse as you can,” our lead guide instructed me. “Monsieur le Boeuf, he is our largest ‘orse, but you…“ she gestured as if at a loss for the English words “…you are tres grand. If you lean back as you mount, you may injure the ‘orse.”

Then just to be sure I didn’t injure the ‘orse, both guides braced Monsieur le Boeuf as I mounted.

For his part, Monsieur le Boeuf let out a big horsey sigh and ambled over to the shade cast by the stable building. I suspected Monsieur le Boeuf wasn’t supposed to amble without my say so, but hey, I’ve always been open to good ideas, wherever they come from.

Miriam, Leah and three other women who had decided to go riding that afternoon mounted in a more conventional fashion. Then Miriam’s horse tried to bite her.

“Aiii!” Miriam screamed.

“Madame Trixie,” the guide called out, “keep your feet in the stirrups.”

“Who?” Miriam asked.

“Trixie — this is the name of your ‘orse,” the guide explained. “I call you by the name of your ‘orse.”

Miriam’s ‘orse made another attempt to bite her.

“No!” our guide said as Miriam again pulled her leg out of range. “You must keep both feet in the stirrups. Trixie is just snapping at flies. Her aim is good. She will not actually bite you, I think.”

“Look, Mom,” William said helpfully. “My horse is behaving himself.”

Prince swished his tail in agreement.

Trixie snapped at Miriam’s leg again.

“Aiii!”

“Let’s go,” said our guide. “Trixie will stop biting once she starts to move.

Fortunately she did.

Our guide rode half-turned around in her saddle so she could face us when she spoke. She sat like that for most of the afternoon, glancing ahead only occasionally. Apparently navigation was the horse’s job.

First we went to a fenced yard — a corral, it might be called. The guide instructed us in how to steer a horse, and we practiced by weaving in and out among a line of padded blue barrels set out around the corral.

Miriam had some trouble with Trixie, who kept turning too close to the barrels, apparently trying to brush Miriam out of the saddle.

For my part, I had no trouble steering Monsieur le Boeuf despite the absence of a steering wheel. Clearly, I was becoming some hotshot horseman.

“Hey, Dad, look. No hands!” William shouted. Then to be sure we could all see him, he stuck his arms straight up over his head and stood up in the stirrups. His pony continued to weave around the barrels without guidance.

“Monsieur Prince, sit please” our guide said. “And 'old onto your reins. Circus tricks we don’t learn until next week.”

Once we started our trek up the mountain, our daughter, Leah, proved to be the best rider. She urged her horse through puddles with no problem, while the rest of our horses walked daintily around them, regardless of what we might suggest.

Leah had only one difficult moment when her horse — Black Beauty — decided to stop and munch on the grass as we rode through a meadow. But with a firm tug on the reins, Leah was able to get Black Beauty back on track.

As for me, Monsieur le Boeuf continued to behave, so I rode well, with only a few words of encouragement from our guide.

“Monsieur le Boeuf,” she called out on our way up the mountain, “you must lean forward to ‘elp your ‘orse. Otherwise you will do it an injury.”

Then on the way down: “Monsieur le Boeuf, you must lean back! Otherwise, your ‘orse may fall and do itself an injury. And you could be ‘urt too, you know.”

But other than an excruciating cramp in my right leg, nothing further happened to mar a marvellous end of summer afternoon. We rode through pine woods, across meadows and amongst the dappled shade of maples, where a few leaves were already bleeding red.

Trixie settled down and even Miriam had a moment of pleasure as we passed a herd of deer grazing on the mountainside. They didn’t raise their white tails and run, even though we ambled by a stone’s throw away.

When we finally arrived back at the stable, only one guide braced Monsieur le Boeuf as I dismounted, but it did take both of them to haul me back on my feet after my legs gave way.

Ah well, at the resort, a soak in the hot tub would soothe my screaming muscles.

“Can we go again tomorrow?” Leah asked once we were in the car.

“No,” said Miriam.

“Can we have lessons when we get home to Toronto?”

Miriam sighed. “Sure, why not.”

Leah cheered. So did William. “That’s great!” he said. “And we can tell them we’ve already had our first lesson. Then we can go straight to learning circus tricks!”

Brian Henry publishes the Quick Brown Fox blog and has been an editor, writer and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. You can read more of Brian's stories here and here. The Last Day of Summer was originally published in CommuterLit here. You can find information on submitting to CommuterLit here.

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

The Next Step in Creative Writing course, Monday evenings, March 5 – June 3, in Georgetown, Ontario

The Next Step in Creative Writing
a 12-week course
First readings emailed Feb 27
Classes run March 5 – June 4, 2012
6:45 – 9:00 p.m.
Glen William's Town Hall
1 Prince Street, Georgetown (Map here.)

This course will challenge you to take a step up in your writing.  The format will be similar to the "Intermediate" and "Intensive" courses, but less demanding. Over the twelve weeks of classes, you’ll be asked to bring in just four 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 at the start of each class, addressing the needs of the group and will provide writing prompts for those looking for a project. But there won't be any in-class writing exercises; all writing will be done at home.

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 teacher for more than 25 years. He teaches at Ryerson University and has led writing workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Charlottetown. But his proudest boast is that he's helped many of his students get published.

Fee: $170.80 + hst = $193. Advance payment only.
Theses courses are very popular and may fill up fast, so enroll early to avoid disappointment.
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, Oakville, Burlington, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Dundas, Kitchener, Guelph, London, Woodstock, Orangeville, Barrie, Gravenhurst, Sudbury, Muskoka, Peel, Halton, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

The Family Dog 25th Annual Fiction Contest

The American Kennel Club sponsors this free contest. Submissions accepted April 15, 2011 – January 31, 2012. The entry may feature either pure bred or a mixed breed dog, but no talking dogs.

Maximum length 2,000 words. Prizes: $500, $250, $100 and publication in AKC Family Dog magazine (as space allows). Full contest rules here. 

Regular submissions to magazine:
Family Dog accepts stories from freelancers and pays $300 – $500 for feature stories of 1,000  – 3,000 words. Family Dog bills itself as a lifestyle magazine for people who consider their dog a part of the family and consider their dog's health, happiness, and well-being a priority.

The magaine includes how-to articles and inspiring and entertaining stories about our canine pals. Both how-to's, and feature articles should be written in an engaging and reader-friendly format.

More about The Family Dog here.  Query the editorial staff at: familydog@akc.org

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

Finalists for the Gevernor General's Literary Awards announced

It’s the beginning of prize season for Canadian literature. Last week the finalists for the Giller Prize were announced. (See here.) This week, it’s the finalists for the Governor General’s Awards.

I’m amazed how many of the fiction finalists are also up for the Giller. This may mean these books are so obviously brilliant that any idiot would include them in their list of best Canadian novels for the year.

Or it may mean the talent pool is so shallow that there’s not much to choose from. Or that a kind of group think has decided what a Canadian novel should look like and these are the ones that fit the definition. Or maybe it’s a combination of all of the above.

I’d welcome book reviews of any of these for Quick Brown Fox. (Guidelines here.)

Here are the nominees for the GGs …

For Fiction
• David Bezmozgis, Toronto, The Free World (HarperCollins Publishers; distributed by HarperCollins Canada) Also up for the Giller Prize

• Patrick deWitt, Portland, Oregon, [originally from Vancouver Island], The Sisters Brothers (House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada) Also up for the Giller Prize and for the Man Booker Prize (though it didn't win the Booker, which went to the British author, Julian Barnes for "The Sense of an Ending").

• Esi Edugyan, Victoria (British Columbia), Half-Blood Blues: A Novel (Thomas Allen Publishers; distributed by Thomas Allen & Son) Also up for the Giller Prize and for the Man Booker Prize

• Marina Endicott, Edmonton (Alberta), The Little Shadows (Doubleday Canada; distributed by Random House of Canada)

• Alexi Zentner, Ithaca (New York) [originally from Kitchener, Ontario], Touch (Alfred A. Knopf Canada; distributed by Random House of Canada)

Non-fiction
• Charles Foran, Peterborough (Ontario), Mordecai: The Life & Times (Alfred A. Knopf Canada; distributed by Random House of Canada ) Mordecai has already won the $60,000 Hilary Weston Writers' Trust of Canada Prize for Non-Fiction Read a review of Mordecai here.

• Nathan M. Greenfield, Ottawa (Ontario), The Damned: The Canadians at the Battle of Hong Kong and the POW Experience, 1941-45 (HarperCollins Publishers; distributed by HarperCollins Canada

• Richard Gwyn, Toronto, Nation Maker: Sir John A. Macdonald: His Life, Our Times, Volume Two: 1867-1891 (Random House Canada; distributed by Random House of Canada)

• J.J. Lee , New Westminster (British Columbia), The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit (McClelland & Stewart; distributed by Random House of Canada)

• Andrew Nikiforuk , Calgary (Alberta), Empire of the Beetle: How Human Folly and a Tiny Bug Are Killing North America’s Great Forests (Greystone Books, an imprint of D&M Publishers / David Suzuki Foundation; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)

Children’s Literature — Text
• Jan L. Coates, Wolfville (Nova Scotia), A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk (Red Deer Press; distributed by Fitzhenry & Whiteside)

• Deborah Ellis , Simcoe (Ontario), No Ordinary Day (Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)

• Christopher Moore, Toronto, From Then to Now: A Short History of the World (Tundra Books; distributed by Random House of Canada)

• Kenneth Oppel, Toronto, This Dark Endeavour (HarperCollins Publishers; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)

• Tim Wynne-Jones, Perth (Ontario), Blink & Caution (Candlewick Press; distributed by Random House of Canada)

Complete list, including best translation, best illustrations, French works, etc, here.

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

Literary Counsel literary agency seeks emerging writers, middle grade, YA, and adult fiction

"The Summer We Came to Life"
by Deborah Cloyed,
represented by Literary Counsel

"We want to help emerging writers, writers that perhaps wouldn’t be given a look by the more established, older agencies. We love first timers! Send us a manuscript with heart and we will do our best to help get that manuscript published, but please remember to read our guidelines.

"Our genres and specialties: General Fiction, Romance, Mystery/Crime, YA (Young Adult Novels), Picture Books, Middle Grade, and  Fantasy/Science Fiction, which must sincerely be unique. No vampires or werewolves.

"Agent Frances Black loves romance-based books and the quirkier the better. One of her all time favorite books is Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa. Somerset Maugham is also a favored author.

"'You, can smell and feel his words. Maugham’s innuendos about society, his plots and subplots and his portrayal of people can easily be observed today. One can glimpse his influences in current fiction and in original screenplays and, of course, in soap operas. His characters often take two steps forward only to fall three steps back. There’s intrigue, deceit, travel and adventure and of course there is mad love, just what books should offer.'

"Dot to Dot" a YA novel
by Kit Bakke, another author
represented by Literary Counsel

"Agent Jennifer Mishler is an avid reader and finds that books ought to be read with a good, hot cup of coffee in hand. To her, nothing is better than falling in love with strong characters and getting lost in an interesting plot.

"Jennifer enjoys reading all genres but her soft spot lies with historical-romance novels like The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly, and The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. Both novels have female characters who take action and don't need to be rescued by Prince Charming, which is what attracted Jennifer to the stories. Manuscripts/Books that span different times and places, and new worlds are also things that Jennifer enjoys reading.

"Jennifer grew up reading Brian Jacques' Redwall series and still hasn't given up her passion for Young Adult novels. She recently read Aimee Carter's The Goddess Test and found the plot to be unique and fresh.

"Query fblack@literarycounsel.com
Include a summary of your manuscript, a short biography introducing yourself, a way to contact you and please attach the first three chapters of your manuscript (Word or PDF). Please do not paste the chapters in the body of your email (it's difficult for us to read submissions this way!)"

Submissions page here. Literary Counsel home page here.

Brian Henry will be leading "How to Get Published" workshops on Saturday, October 22, in Elliot Lake (see here), on Sunday, Oct 23, in Sudbury (see here) and on December 3 in Oakville with guest Ali McDonald of The Rights Factory literary agency (see here).

Also, Brian will lead a "Writing for Children and for Young Adults" workshop in St. Catharines on January 14, 2012 (see here).

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

Call for submission for Lost in Thought, issue two

Hi, Brian.
I just wanted to thank you for blogging about issue #1 of Lost in Thought magazine. Your post helped drive a lot of submissions! The first issue was completed a few weeks ago. Check it out here.

Can you let your readers know that submissions are open for issue two? I'm open to any kind of writing: flash, poetry, short stories, true/mostly true stories, etc. But please get your pieces to me before the end of November. Guidelines here.

Thanks!
Kyle Schruder
http://www.lostinthoughtmag.com/

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

Writing Great Characters workshop, Saturday, February 4, Dundas, Ontario

How to find or create great characters
An editor & an author share all
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
St. Paul's United Church, 29 Park St. W, Dundas, Ontario (Dundas is officially part of Hamilton, but don't tell that to Dundasians. Map here.)
We're in the Parlour on the 2nd floor. If you come early, you can get breakfast on the main floor for about $7.

Whatever you're writing – fiction or nonfiction – readers will care about your story only if they care about your people. In this workshop, you'll learn techniques for creating fictional characters and depicting real people. You’ll learn how to breathe life into the page so that your characters start telling you how the story should go.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He teaches at Ryerson University and has led creative writing workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Charlottetown. But his proudest boast is that he's helped many of his students get published, including guest speaker Jean Rae Baxter…

Jean Rae Baxter has written six books. She's published two short story collections: A Twist of Malice and Scattered Light (Seraphim Press), two young adult historical novels, The Way Lies North and Broken Trail (Ronsdale Press), and a literary murder mystery, Looking for Cardenio (Seraphim). She has also contracted  a third young adult historical novel, Freedom Bound, which will be published in the spring of 2012. Two of the stories in Jean's first short story collection, A Twist of Malice, were started as exercises in Brian's workshops.

Fee: $38.94 + 13% hst = $44 paid in advance
or $42.48 + 13% hst = $48 if you wait to pay at the door
To reserve your spot, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca

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