Category Archives: Book Launches

Leo Brent Robillard: A Poetic Apprenticeship

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Brent Robillard

A Poetic Apprenticeship

I cut my teeth on poetry. Sitting in the silent lobby of the MacDonald Building on Slater Street in Ottawa, ostensibly watching over the midnight mortuary as an agent for Metropole security, I penned my first published poem. I was nineteen. Box 77 was the name of the literary journal which would eventually accept it – a saddle-stapled, photocopied chapbook printed by the English Literature Society of Carleton University. I have a copy of it still.

A year later, I joined the editorial board and eventually went on to edit three issues, before graduating with a degree in English literature. I had by then moved on to the Jackson building on Bank Street, scribbling ambitiously into notebooks; firing missives off into the literary hives of small press Canada. I became a regular at TREE and Sasquatch (both long-time Ottawa reading series), and a frequent supporter of the Dusty Owl, which operated out of the musty annals of Café Wim on Sussex. May it Rest in Peace.

I rubbed elbows with the founding members of the nascent omni-gothic-neofuturists: Sean Johnston, Michelle Desbarats, Jim Larwill, Craig Carpenter, and Malcolm Todd. I still call the poetry guru, rob mclennan, a friend.

And then slowly, amidst the reams of rejection letters, my own work began to appear in some of Canada’s best journals – Queen’s Quarterly, Grain, The Fiddlehead, Prairie Fire, CV2.

I launched the Backwater Review in 1994. Like these other journals, it offered a mix of poetry and prose. Publishers from across Canada sent us books to review. I wrote fervent editorials. To my eternal surprise, we had the opportunity to publish poems from the likes of Tim Bowling, Stephanie Bolster, D.C. Reid, and John B. Lee. It was a great run while it lasted.

A few years later I published my first novel with Turnstone Press. And then I published two more. My fourth, most recent novel, The Road to Atlantis, was released this week. It would seem that the last two decades of my life have been full of fiction, if you will.

Or have they?

The Globe & Mail said my first novel, Leaving Wyoming, was “a case of the word transcending a 1, 000 pictures.” They said Houdini’s Shadow achieved “a keen-edged grace that is almost mesmerizing.” And The Winnipeg Free Press said that Drift left “a strong sensory impression.”

Perhaps in some ways, I have never left poetry at all. For what is poetry but that aesthetic intensity that comes from wielding language for purposes beyond the semantic?

An early review of The Road to Atlantis in Quill & Quire called the prose “surgically precise.” And somehow, if you punch my name into Google, the search engine will announce emphatically: “Leo Brent Robillard, poet.”

Is it possible that the algorithms see through me, after all? It’s tough to argue with Google. I take it as a compliment.

— Leo Brent Robillard

 

AtlantisFNLweb

ISBN: 9780888015556 Turnstone Press

Synopsis, The Road to Atlantis, Turnstone Press ISBN: 9780888015556

Following the coast on their summer vacation, the Henrys stop at the beach to break up the monotony of their road trip. Matty and Nat build castles in the sand as Anne and David take turns minding the children. A moment of distraction, a blink of the eye, and the life they know is swept away forever.

Like shipwrecks lost at sea, each member of the family sinks under the weight of their shared tragedy. All seems lost but life is long. There are many ways to heal a wound, there are many ways to form a family, and as the Henrys discover, there are many roads to Atlantis.

 

Leo Brent Robillard is an award-winning author and educator. His novels include Leaving Wyoming, which was listed in Bartley’s Top Five in the Globe and Mail for Best First Fiction; Houdini’s Shadow, which was translated into Spanish; and, most recently, Drift. In 2011, he received the Premier’s Award for Teacher of the Year. He lives in Eastern Ontario with his wife and two children.

CAA-NCR BIWEEKLY LITERARY NOTICES SEPT. 14 TO 27, 2015

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION BRANCH (NCR)

Parliament Hill in Ot...

Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. ( Wikipedia)

 

Bi-Weekly Notices for the two weeks: Sept. 14 to Sept. 27, 2015

MEETINGS

TOPIC: A BEETHOVEN-LOVER’S GUIDE TO WRITING WITH PASSION

 Note: Due to renovations being undertaken at Mcnabb, we had to bump the normal meeting date to the 22nd of the month. Hope to see you then!

 PRESENTER: Dr. Francois Mai   DATE: Tuesday, September 22, 2015 TIME: 7:00 – 9:00 pm

LOCATION: McNabb Recreation Centre, 180 Percy St. east of Bronson Ave.

 Dr. Mai’s presentation is based on his book Diagnosing Genius: The Life and Death of Beethoven (McGill-Queen’s UP 2007). Beethoven’s passionate nature was wonderfully reflected in his music and, through narration of some of Beethoven’s life experiences and playing recordings of selections of his music, the presentation will illustrate how Beethoven expressed those emotion in his music. Dr. Mai will recount stories about Beethoven or read extracts from his book and then play a selected piece of Beethoven’s music that expresses the emotion or feeling that goes with the story described, and discuss how he was able to translate that into the written word.

BIO: Dr. François Mai is a medical graduate of the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He obtained specialty qualifications in General Medicine and Psychiatry in Great Britain and spent most of his working life as an academic psychiatrist. Music has also been his passion, in particular the music of Beethoven. A competent amateur pianist, in the 1990’s he produced two CD recordings were used to raise funds for the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario. (His late brother David suffered from schizophrenia.) In 2007 McGill-Queen’s University Press published his book “Diagnosing Genius: The Life and Death of Beethoven” which describes the many medical and psychiatric problems Beethoven experienced, and the effects they had on his creativity. Dr. Mai’s website link is: www.francoismai.com. 

MEMBER NEWS:

 CAA-NCR MEMBER, Nerys Perry at OIW September meeting

Date: Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. LOCATION: Good Companions Seniors Centre, 670 Albert St. Ottawa

Nerys Perry, author of “Man and Other Natural Disasters” will present Story Management – Getting it down and getting it done, on Thursday, September 24th. Meeting starts at 6:30 pm for socializing, coffee and nibbles, presentation at 7:00 pm. Members free, guests $10, discountable on purchase of a year’s membership.

 CAA-NCR MEMBER, JC Sulzenko to curate The Glebe Report’s “Poetry Corner”

 The Glebe Report monthly community newspaper will publish poems four times a year, beginning fall 2015. The feature, “Poetry Quarter”, will be curated by JC Sulzenko, Glebe poet, author and educator. They’d like submissions of poetry from: adults, teens 14 to 17 (high school students), or children 9 to 13 (about grades 4 to 8). We are open broadly to submissions from poets who live, work, study or volunteer in the Glebe or its close neighbouring communities. We are looking for poems with qualities that reflect the people in the Glebe, their sensibilities and their lives –– poetry of any kind, on any topic (within the bounds of public discourse). Poems should be original work, unpublished previously in any medium, and not exceed 30 lines in length. Email submissions to editor@glebereport.ca . Up to 7 poems at a time as a WORD .doc or .docx attachment. Include your contact information. http://www.glebereport.ca/2015/08/glebe-report-poetry-quarter/

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:

 GRANT-WRITING WORKSHOP FOR QUEBEC ARTISTS & WRITERS

 DATE: Friday, Sept. 18 1:00 – 4:45pm
LOCATION; La Fab – Arts, Culture and Heritage Centre of Chelsea, 212 Old Chelsea Road, Chelsea
ELAN is pleased to present a series of grantwriting workshops and networking events for artists throughout Quebec this fall. Our aim is to provide English-speaking artists of all disciplines, at all stages of their careers, with the information, tools, and resources to create and deliver the most impactful and persuasive grants possible.

The 4-hour afternoon session is a comprehensive, hands-on workshop, designed to guide you and/or your organization to formulate clear, concise and compelling grants to maximize your chances of success. Learn how to structure and write a grant that will present your artistic project in the strongest light to potential funders. Clarify the articulation of your artistic vision, increase your understanding of what is required to help a grant application succeed, and learn about the resources available to help you reach your goals. Hands-on exercises using your own project will allow you to hone your grantwriting skills as they relate to your specific needs. We will also review past successful grant applications to the Canada Council for the Arts, CALQ and foundations. A resource package will be provided to participants. MORE INFO

ALGONQUIN COLLEGE SCRIPTWRITING PROGRAM 

English: Taken by SimonP

(Wikipedia)

 Algonquin’s graduate certificate Scriptwriting program still has some places available for this September. This exciting, 8-month program will teach you to write fantastic features, short films, television, play and digital media scripts.  All our courses are taught by professionals who are working writers, actors, directors and more. You’ll learn how the media and film industries work, how to flourish as a freelance writer, and how to pitch, network, and promote yourself.

You’ll have the opportunity to pitch your original TV series and feature film to top players in Toronto; all the major broadcasters, HBO/The Movie Network, EOne TV, Comedy, Space, DHX Media – and important film producers, distributors and screenwriters. Part of your one-act play will be read by professional actors in front of a paying audience in our Hothouse Play Reading Series.

In your field placement, you’ll get invaluable on-set and/or production experience that might land you a paying job after graduation. Besides the people you meet on your placement, you’ll personally meet most of the major forces in Ottawa film, television and new media when they come to visit our class. More info: contact Lynn Tarzwell at tarzwel@algonquincollege.com and/or check out our site at http://www3.algonquincollege.com/mediaanddesign/program/scriptwriting/ our FAQs:
http://www3.algonquincollege.com/mediaanddesign/program/scriptwriting/faqs/

OTTAWA SUBMISSION CALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

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         

 RESOURCES FOR SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITIES                 

 A list of UK submission calls/contests:

http://greyhenpress.com/index.php?id=1

http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/index.htm

http://www.flarestackpoets.co.uk/

http://www.goblinfruit.net/

http://www.bridportprize.org.uk/

http://www.mslexia.co.uk/index.php 

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/

 OUT AND ABOUT IN SEPTEMBER

 POETRY READINGS ABOUT TOWN

 Sept 16 – 7 pm, The Sawdust Reading Series Anniversary Showcase, Pour Boy, 495 Somerset St. W. Ottawa featuring Vivian Vivassis & Kiera Sandrock   MORE INFO

 Tuesday, Sept. 22 Tree Reading Series, Black Squirrel Books, 1073 Bank St. treereadingserieslogo

 Friday, Sept. 25 The Factory Reading Series, The Carleton Tavern, 223 Armstrong Street (at Parkdale; upstairs) doors 7pm; reading 7:30pm, presents: Ryan Pratt (Hamilton), Roland Prevost (Ottawa) Cameron Anstee (Ottawa) + Monty Reid (Ottawa) MORE INFO

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL WRITERS FESTIVAL EVENTS writers festival logo

 Saturday Sept. 19 7:00pm • Centretown United Church • 507 Bank St., Power in the Blood:  A Conversation with Buffy Sainte-Marie

Thursday Sept. 24 5:30pm • Metropolitain • 700 Sussex Drive Book Launch: You Will Wear a White Shirt with Senator Nick Sibbeston

 Wednesday Sept. 30 7:00pm • Centretown United Church • 507 Bank St., Unaccountable with Kevin Page

 More info and later events: http://www.writersfestival.org/events

LEO BRENT ROBILLARD, GUEST HOSTS ON QUILLFYRE MONDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

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I am really pleased to have the opportunity to host a blog appearance by Leo Brent Brent RobillardRobillard. Back in 2006, after 25 years without writing, I suddenly found the poetry returning. I’d never thought of myself as a writer, and even though it was most often poems that I wrote, I certainly never called myself a poet!

But that all changed when I took a chance on a poetry workshop Canadian Authors Association offered in Ottawa, presented by Leo Brent Robillard.  During a short exercise we were to come up with a line and I wrote something about crows and glossy green garbage bags.  Brent wanted to steal it.  My line?  Really? An odd image to start my poetic journey but it was enough. I was going to become a poet.  And I did. And for that, I owe Brent a very big thank you.

On Monday, September 14, 2015, Brent kicks off a 14-day blog tour, starting with his post right here on Quillfyre, as he launches his newest novel, The Road to Atlantis, from Turnstone Press.  Please join us!
AtlantisFNLweb

Leo Brent Robillard is an award-winning author and educator. His novels include Leaving Wyoming, which was listed in Bartley’s Top Five in the Globe and Mail for Best First Fiction; Houdini’s Shadow, which was translated into Spanish; and, most recently, Drift. In 2011, he received the Premier’s Award for Teacher of the Year. He lives in Eastern Ontario with his wife and two children.

CAA-NCR LITERARY NOTICES FOR THE TWO WEEKS ENDING SEPT. 13, 2015

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION BRANCH (NCR)

parliament hill ottawa

Bi-Weekly Notices for the two weeks: Aug. 31 to Sept.13, 2015

 WRITING CIRCLES

 Writing Circles: Improve Your Writing

 Participate in a CAA–NCR writing circle, have your writing validated and improved by other supportive writers—it’s a lot of fun. Participation is FREE, to members. The cost is $75.00 per year for non-members. Members may join more than one writing circle.

Current Writing Circles (as of 2015):

  • Centrepointe Circle: Chapters, Pinecrest Mall (evening)
  • Downtown Circle: McNabb Community Centre, 180 Percy Street (the second Tuesday evening of the month just prior to the CAA monthly meeting)
  • West-end Circle: St. Martin de Porres Church, Old Richmond Road, Bells Corners (the afternoon of the fourth Monday of the month)

We have a Saturday morning, McNabb Recreation Centre writing circle coming soon. For more information or to join the writing circle, please contact Sharyn Heagle.

MEETINGS

TOPIC: A BEETHOVEN-LOVER’S GUIDE TO WRITING WITH PASSION

 Note: Due to renovations being undertaken at Mcnabb, we had to bump the normal meeting date to the 22nd of the month. Hope to see you then!

PRESENTER: Dr. Francois Mai   DATE: Tues. Sept. 22, 2015 TIME: 7:00–9:00 pm LOCATION: McNabb Recreation Centre, 180 Percy St. east of Bronson Ave.

 Dr. Mai’s presentation is based on his book Diagnosing Genius: The Life and Death of Beethoven (McGill-Queen’s UP 2007). Beethoven’s passionate nature was wonderfully reflected in his music and, through narration of some of Beethoven’s life experiences and playing recordings of selections of his music, the presentation will illustrate how Beethoven expressed those emotion in his music. Dr. Mai will recount stories about Beethoven or read extracts from his book and then play a selected piece of Beethoven’s music that expresses the emotion or feeling that goes with the story described, and discuss how he was able to translate that into the written word.

BIO: Dr. François Mai is a medical graduate of the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He obtained specialty qualifications in General Medicine and Psychiatry in Great Britain and spent most of his working life as an academic psychiatrist. Music has also been his passion, in particular the music of Beethoven. A competent amateur pianist, in the 1990’s he produced two CD recordings were used to raise funds for the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario. (His late brother David suffered from schizophrenia.) In 2007 McGill-Queen’s University Press published his book “Diagnosing Genius: The Life and Death of Beethoven” which describes the many medical and psychiatric problems Beethoven experienced, and the effects they had on his creativity. Dr. Mai’s website link is: www.francoismai.com. 

MEMBER NEWS:

 CAA-NCR MEMBER, Nerys Perry at OIW September meeting

Date: Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. LOCATION: Good Companions Seniors Centre, 670 Albert St. Ottawa

Nerys Perry, author of “Man and Other Natural Disasters” will present Story Management – Getting it down and getting it done, on Thursday, September 24th. Meeting starts at 6:30 pm for socializing, coffee and nibbles, presentation at 7:00 pm. Members free, guests $10, discountable on purchase of a year’s membership.

 CAA-NCR MEMBER, JC Sulzenko to curate The Glebe Report’s “Poetry Corner”

 The Glebe Report monthly community newspaper will publish poems four times a year, beginning fall 2015. The feature, “Poetry Quarter”, will be curated by JC Sulzenko, Glebe poet, author and educator. They’d like submissions of poetry from: adults, teens 14 to 17 (high school students), or children 9 to 13 (about grades 4 to 8). We are open broadly to submissions from poets who live, work, study or volunteer in the Glebe or its close neighbouring communities. We are looking for poems with qualities that reflect the people in the Glebe, their sensibilities and their lives –– poetry of any kind, on any topic (within the bounds of public discourse). Poems should be original work, unpublished previously in any medium, and not exceed 30 lines in length. Email submissions to editor@glebereport.ca . Up to 7 poems at a time as a WORD .doc or .docx attachment. Include your contact information.

 UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:

 ALGONQUIN COLLEGE SCRIPTWRITING PROGRAM

English: Taken by SimonP

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 Algonquin’s graduate certificate Scriptwriting program still has some places available for this September. This exciting, 8-month program will teach you to write fantastic features, short films, television, play and digital media scripts.  All our courses are taught by professionals who are working writers, actors, directors and more. You’ll learn how the media and film industries work, how to flourish as a freelance writer, and how to pitch, network, and promote yourself.

You’ll have the opportunity to pitch your original TV series and feature film to top players in Toronto; all the major broadcasters, HBO/The Movie Network, EOne TV, Comedy, Space, DHX Media – and important film producers, distributors and screenwriters. Part of your one-act play will be read by professional actors in front of a paying audience in our Hothouse Play Reading Series.

In your field placement, you’ll get invaluable on-set and/or production experience that might land you a paying job after graduation. Besides the people you meet on your placement, you’ll personally meet most of the major forces in Ottawa film, television and new media when they come to visit our class.

More info: contact Lynn Tarzwell at tarzwel@algonquincollege.com and/or check out our site at http://www3.algonquincollege.com/mediaanddesign/program/scriptwriting/ our FAQs: http://www3.algonquincollege.com/mediaanddesign/program/scriptwriting/faqs/

OTTAWA SUBMISSION CALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

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            

RESOURCES FOR SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITIES                 

A list of UK submission calls/contests:

http://greyhenpress.com/index.php?id=1

http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/index.htm

http://www.flarestackpoets.co.uk/

http://www.goblinfruit.net/

http://www.bridportprize.org.uk/

http://www.mslexia.co.uk/index.php 

 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/

 OUT AND ABOUT IN SEPTEMBER

 Ottawa International Writers Festival events  writers festival logo

  •  Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 7 pm Centretown United Church, 507 Bank St. Ottawa, John Ibbitson on Stephen Harper, hosted by Andrew Cohen
  • Thursday, Sept. 10 at 5 pm, all Perth Bookstores, Perth 2nd Annual Writing Competition
  • Thursday, Sept. 10, 7:00 pm • Canadian War Museum • 1 Vimy Place, Book Launch: Unflinching, The Making of a Canadian Sniper, with Jody Mitic

 More info and later events: http://www.writersfestival.org/events

TREE READING SERIES PRESENTS A.F. MORITZ – FIRST EVENT OF THE SEASON

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015  8 p.m. Featured Reader and Open Mic
Location: Black Squirrel Books, 1073 Bank St. Ottawa

A. F. Moritz’s new book is a long poem, Sequence (House of Anansi Press). His poetry has received various notices, including the Award in Literature of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Griffin Poetry Prize, the Bess Hokin Prize of Poetry magazine, the Ingram Merrill Fellowship, the ReLit Award, the Raymond Souster Award of the League of Canadian Poets. Three of his books have been finalists for the Governor General’s Award. His poems have appeared frequently in Poetry, Hudson Review, Malahat Review, The Fiddlehead, Southwest Review, Hudson Review, American Poetry Review, Paris Review, etc.

More info at Tree Reading Series http://www.treereadingseries.ca/

 Eden Mills Writers’ Festival, Thurs. Sept. 10 through Sunday, Sept. 13, Eden Mills, Ontario

 Festival organizers are buzzing with excitement and anticipation over our 2015 line-up. They’ve assembled an eclectic group of critically acclaimed authors representing a range of literary genres from fiction, poetry and non-fiction to memoirs and thrillers. With adult, teen and children’s programming, the entire family’s imaginations will be unleashed. More info: http://www.edenmillswritersfestival.ca/2015/