Elgin Street, downtown Ottawa, credit: Wikipedia
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION BRANCH (NCR)
Bi-Weekly Notices for the two weeks: Oct. 26 to Nov. 8, 2015
Need more information on CAA-NCR? Visit us at http://canadianauthors.org/nationalcapitalregion/
TO ALL READERS: Please send all submissions & event notices to Carol Stephen at cstephen0@gmail.com
CAA WRITING CIRCLES (WCS) HAVE STARTED FOR THE 2015-16 SEASON
The Circle at McNabb Community Center (Percy Street just north of Gladstone) held its first meeting on Tuesday, October 13th at 6:00 in the meeting room, and we have space for a couple of new members. This is an opportunity to receive feedback from a knowledgeable group of writers; many participants have published the very material critiqued in their circle.
Participation is FREE to CAA members. Non-CAA-members may join for $75 for the year. For more information or to join a writing circle, please contact the Coordinator.
MEETINGS
NOVEMBER MEETING
TOPIC: TAPPING YOUR INNATE CREATIVITY
PRESENTER: Bobbi Florio Graham
DATE: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 TIME: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
LOCATION: McNabb Recreation Centre, 180 Percy St. east of Bronson Ave.
One of Barbara Florio Graham’s most popular workshops has been Tapping Your Innate Creativity, which she has taught to national organizations and corporations across Canada, in the U.S. and abroad. It is now offered as an online tutorial. Barbara will give a small sample in her presentation to CAA, and explain how to use many of these principles to improve our creative writing.
BIO: Barbara Florio Graham has won awards for fiction, non-fiction, humour and poetry, and has written for magazines and newspapers across North America. The author of three books, Five Fast Steps to Better Writing, Five Fast Steps to Low-Cost Publicity, and Mewsings/Musings, she served as Managing Editor for Prose to Go: Tales from a Private List. A popular mentor and publishing consultant, Bobbi’s website contains a wealth of free information. Go to: http://SimonTeakettle.com
29TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CAPITAL WRITING CONTEST
Short Story • Poetry $300 • $200 • $100 NEW! Open to all residents of Ontario and Quebec. NEW!
- Short Story, max. 2500 words. Poetry (not Haiku), max. 60 lines including title & blank lines.
- Must be the original, unpublished work of the entrant.
- In English, typed, double-spaced (but not for poems), on 8 1/2 × 11″ paper, one side only, page-numbered consecutively on bottom right of pages. No extra-large type, please! Indicate category and title on top left corner of every page.
- Contest is blind judged which means the Contest Coordinator will assign a number to your entry that will correspond to what she sends off to the judge. (Don’t put your name on it anywhere!)
- Don’t forget to include your entry fee.*
- Please understand that we can’t acknowledge receipt or return your entries.
- CAA–NCR reserves the right to withhold any prize should entries fail to meet expected standards.
- We will need a separate page with your information on it: category, story/poem title, name, address, phone number, e-mail address. Cheques payable to Canadian Authors Association–NCR.
I’m in! How do I do this?
Entry fees* are $15 per story; $15 for up to three (3) poems. Poems will be judged individually.
MAIL ENTRIES TO: CAA National Capital Writing Contest, 163 Bell St., N., Box 57081, Ottawa ON K1R 7E1. Attention: Sherrill Wark
Awards Night
Ottawa Public Library Main Branch, Bemi & Associates Architects (credit: Wikipedia)
We hope that all finalists and their friends and families will attend the always-exciting Awards Night, Tuesday, May 10, 2016, 7 PM, AUDITORIUM, MAIN BRANCH, OTTAWA PUBLIC LIBRARY. Finalists may be invited to read their entries.
Winning entries will be published in CAA–NCR’s e-mag Byline. (Copyright will remain with you.)
Deadline: Midnight FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016. (Get it postmarked if you’re close).
QUESTIONS? Contact Sherrill Wark, Coordinator, NCWC at ncwc@crowecreations.ca
____
*“One Free Entry” for CAA–NCR members no longer available.
CAA NATIONAL NEWS:
UPCOMING WEBINARS THIS FALL
Self-Editing 101: Taking your manuscript to the next stage
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 7:00–8:30 pm EDT
Presenter: Anita Purcell, Executive Director, Canadian Authors
No matter how wonderful your first draft seems, it is no more than a work-in-progress full of plot holes, gaps in logic, and character inconsistencies. Yes, traditional publishers have their own editors and proofreaders—but to be even considered for publication, your manuscript must be better than thousands of other submissions. And if you’re self-publishing, you’ll need to stand out among an ever-growing number of competitors with crisp, clean, and professional writing. During this session you’ll learn about the 3-tier editing process that will save your sanity as well as your muse. Register Today!
Launch Your Book Successfully
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 7:00–8:30 pm EDT
Presenter: Brian Jud, Executive Director, APSS USA
Did you know you can start marketing your book long before it launches? In this webinar you’ll be shown creative, yet practical tactics to increase your book’s chances of success before you publish and after it goes on sale. Early in the publishing phase, you can begin arranging sponsorships and media events, generating pre-publication sales, preparing your title for reviews and awards, building your prospect list, and more. Once your book is available for sale, the stage of perpetual promotion begins. Brian will show you innovative, low-cost, and proven marketing actions you can immediately take to sell more books. Register Today!
Worldbuilding for Writers
Date: Wednesday, December 9, 7:00–8:30 pm EDT
Presenter: Sandra Stewart, author
Are you working on a story that just doesn’t feel full enough? Award-winning author Sandra Stewart will show you how to bring depth to your story by answering questions on culture, science and technology, economics, and more. Whether the world you’re writing about is real or imagined, you’ll learn how to make it come to life and fully engage your audience. Register Today!
OTTAWA SUBMISSION CALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES
RESOURCES FOR SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITIES
MALAHAT REVIEW OPEN SEASON AWARDS 2016 deadline for the 2016 Open Season Awards is November 1, 2015. http://www.malahatreview.ca/contests/open_season/info.html- Additional links to contests and submission calls visit Canadian Authors National Capital Region website here: http://canadianauthors.org/nationalcapitalregion/contests/writing-contests-calls-for-submission/
BYWORDS.CA SUBMISSION CALL
DEADLINE: The 15th of every month for the following month’s issue
Bywords.ca considers previously unpublished poetry from emerging and established poets for our online monthly magazine. We consider work by current and former residents, students and workers of Ottawa. We also publish poems by contributors to our predecessor, the Bywords Monthly Magazine. FOR SUBMISSION INFORMATION VISIT www.bywords.ca and click on Guidelines. Amanda Earl, Managing Editor. Check out Bywords.ca’s literary events calendar here: http://www.bywords.ca/calendar/index.php with up-to-date info on NCR readings, book signings, writers’ circles, literary festivals, spoken word showcases & slams. Event submissions can be sent to events@bywords.ca
OUT AND ABOUT IN TOWN
MEETINGS, BOOK LAUNCHES AND POETRY READINGS ABOUT TOWN
- Monday Oct. 26, 6:30 pm. Media Club of Ottawa. Ottawa City Hall. Light meal. Journalism students – free; Media Club, CAJ members – $15; others -$25; coffee only $10. RSVP 613-521-4855. Topic: Research Tips for Writers. Presenter – Kirsten Smith, former librarian and news researcher for a national media organization, now runs her own business providing research services for a variety of clients. Evening includes presentation of annual Margaret Graham Awards to journalism students
- Tuesday, October 27 – 8 pm Tree Reading Series, Black Squirrel Books, 1073 Bank Street. Emily Pohl-Weary and Mark Frutkin. Workshop 6:45 Pm With David Currie treereadingseries.ca\
- The Factory Reading Series pre-small press book fair reading, November 6, 2015: Noble, Casteels, Farley, McPherson + Christie, Carleton Tavern, 223 Armstrong St. Ottawa. https://www.facebook.com/events/930306050374398/
SMALL PRESS BOOK FAIR SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 2015 FALL EDITION
LOCATION: Room 203, Jack Purcell Community Centre (on Elgin, at 320 Jack Purcell Lane)
NOON TO 5PM (OPENS AT 11:00 FOR EXHIBITORS)
Admission free to the public. $20 for exhibitors, full tables, $10 for half-tables (payable to rob mclennan, c/o 2423 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa ON K1H 7M9; paypal options also available) More info: http://www.smallpressbookfair.blogspot.ca/2015/08/the-ottawa-small-press-fair-fall-2015.html
OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL WRITERS FESTIVAL EVENTS
DAILY: 5:30pm • Festival Café in Christ Church • 414 Sparks St. Food Service in the Festival Café Info & Tickets
Monday Oct 26
- 12:00pm • Christ Church Cathedral • 414 Sparks St. A Writing Life: One on One with George Bowering Info & Tickets
- 6:30pm • Christ Church Cathedral • 414 Sparks St. The Dorito Effect with Mark Schatzker Info & Tickets
- 6:30pm • Maxwell’s • 340 Elgin Street Bywords 2015 John Newlove Poetry Award Ceremony and Reading Info & Tickets
- 8:30pm • Maxwell’s • 340 Elgin Street ARC Poetry Spoken Word Celebration with Tanya Evanson,
Cat Kidd, Ian Keteku and Kevin Matthews Info & Tickets - 8:30pm • Christ Church Cathedral • 414 Sparks St. Only Interpretations with AJ Somerset and Camilla Gibb Info & Tickets
Tuesday Oct 27
- 12:00pm • Christ Church Cathedral • 414 Sparks St. Child Soldier with Jessica Dee Humphreys and Michel Chikwanine Info & Tickets
- 6:30pm • Christ Church Cathedral • 414 Sparks St. The Reason You Walk with Wab Kinew Info & Tickets
- 8:30pm • Christ Church Cathedral • 414 Sparks St. Sweet Emotion with Nino Ricci, David Constantine
and Terry Fallis Info & Tickets - Wednesday Oct 28
- 6:30pm • Centretown United Church • 507 Bank St. In Flanders Fields with Tim Cook, Mary Janigan and Roméo Dallaire Info & Tickets
- 8:30pm • Centretown United Church • 507 Bank St. Don’t Panic: ISIS, Terror and Today’s Middle East with Gwynne Dyer Info & Tickets
More info and later events: http://www.writersfestival.org/events
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