picks

Frames of Writing: Toronto Comic Arts Festival

It’s that time of the year again. TCAF will be starting Friday evening and running through the weekend with graphic novels and artistry in hand. For all readers that haven’t yet experienced the thrill of meeting your favourite artist or writer should attend. Whether your focus is comics, manga, or graphic novels, there is a long lineup of writer’s panels awaiting your intrigue. Even if you haven’t been exposed to the medium, this event is a large splash of international cultures joined for your enjoyment.

When: May 10, 2013; from 7:30 pm-9:30 pm May 11, 2013; from 9:00 am-5:00 pm
May 12, 2013; from 11:00 am-5:00 pm
Where: Toronto Reference Library: Bram & Bluma Appel Salon; 789 Yonge Street
For more info: Visit torontocomics.com

Hungry Words: Library Food Wanted for New Canadian Journal

Beer and Butter Tarts is a new quarterly Canadian food journal coming December 2013, and they want writing to help them with their launch. As if many aspiring writers needed a better reason to gobble up a delectable spring tart, pilaf, or pasta dish. Am I making you hungry? Fantastic! French Toast. Start bringing your writing journal to the dinner table and you will quite literally be feeding yourself inspiration.

Short fiction, essays and profiles, artwork, comics and food photography are all accepted. It is also preferred that the writing has a Canadian twist. Twist of lemon. There’s one rule: NO RECIPES. So get off your computer and eat. Eat and write. Write about poached eggs, cinnamon muffins, even the horrid image of dropping a chocolate cake when you were six as you tried to hover it out of the fridge. Well, that’s more of a personal anecdote resonating in my mind. This is great exposure

When: June 30, 2013
Submit to: contact@stainedpagespress.com
For more info: Click here for more information on what styles are and are NOT accepted

Casual Conferences: A Guide to Self-Publishing (Rush Order)

No stress, no formality, just gain further knowledge in the ever-changing world of self-publishing. Like past events that dealt with self-publishing, bring a notepad and pencil (not to mention a flurry of questions) to be brought to the table. PhD Candidate and self-published writer Raymond Samuels is offering his insight to all aspiring writers, and it’s completely free! Free knowledge! Free insider info! There are only benefitting results to gain by attending.

When: April 25, 2013; from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
Where:Barbara Frum TPL branch: 3rd Floor Auditorium; 20 Covington Road
For more info: Call (416) 385-5440

Poet’s Spotlight: An Evening of Poetry with Honey Novick and Bill Bissett

It’s April! Do you know what that means? Yes, random thralls of a snowy depravity over the sky from time-to-time. But more importantly, it’s National Poetry Month! Join in the excitement with fellow poetry enthusiasts who will be listening to an interactive and festive poetry reading in the month’s end. Honey Novick and Bill Bissett will be making a stop to the library stage as they “party hard” with their verses. This will be the best concert to close down the final days of April.

When: April 29, 2013; from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
Where: Lillian H. Smith TPL branch; 239 College Street

Poetic Gathering: Impossible Arts: Sound Poets Circle

Impossible Arts is a Toronto-based non-profit organization that supports the artistic and leadership abilities of everyone that they come into contact with. They are now holding a spoken word, hip-hop, and performance poetry workshop for youth ages 16-29. And it’s free! I always feel I need to emphasize that. Regardless, this is a three-month workshop that will aid in the formation and presentation of your poetry, run by artists Rosina Kazi, Mindbender Supreme, The Grimace, and producer Nicholas Murray. You will be walking away with a refined understanding and experience of the writing form, not to mention an MP3 of your presented work. Again, space is limited!

When: March 11—May 27, 2013; every Monday evening
Register: Either email soundpoetscircle@impossiblearts.ca or call 416-779-1448
For more info: Visit here

A Numbered Method: Ten Steps to Crafting the Novel

The time to begin the countdown is now. Through a ten step lesson, Bianca Lakoseljac, author of Bridge in the Rain and Summer of the Dancing Bear, will be hosting a 90-minute lecture that highlights the methodology of writing your own novel. Think back to all those old story ideas you ever jotted down in your moleskin notebook, because they are all golden. Bianca has an honours BA and an MA in English Literature from York University, and has also taught at Ryerson University and Humber College. She is a renowned writer, and her advice is as precious as a pearl to a clam. So hurry! Space is limited!

When: March 14; from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm
Where: Brentwood TPL branch: Program room; 36 Brentwood Road North
Register: Call 416-394-5240

Calling All Writers: Shorthand Online Zine

Calling all writers. Calling all writers. Come in writers! I think it’s about time that we join hands of the sort and secure some foundation in the online publishing world. Shorthand’s the name, and publishing the works of brilliant young writers is the game. You can get your work published for free, and all you have to do is find one or two of your best poems or work of fiction, and refine them to the shining gems that they can be.

When: Submit whenever you feel the winds of editing have chiselled the roughness out of your work. However, when you do submit it will affect which issue your work may be accepted into.