Families and Friends, Fields and Streams: Alice Petersen in the Globe

Well, as we head into the salad days of summer, what better than to think back on the glories of spring? The Globe & Mail has run a delightful story-by-story summation of Alice Petersen's All the Voices Cry. My only beef (if beef you can call it—this may be the lean turkey slice of complaints) is how coyly it refuses to cough up a pull quote. I'm forced to give you a spackling of phrases. What does the Globe like about Alice? Her writing is: 

• sharp
• arresting
• carefully built
• nuanced, 
• and (my favourite), full of bursty "descriptive panache"! 

For those of you (like me) who are fans of this particular metaphor, the avocado-froggy innards got its props, as did the cows-as-vanilla-fudge (speaking of beef). Alice will also be touring with the fall contingent this season. Look out, Ontario! More on events in your neighbourhood very very shortly. And should you find yourself looking this holiday weekend for "an amiable reminder of both how unlikely and how seemingly inevitable each human life is," well, this is just to say that the Globe has a sharp arresting carefully built nuanced and bursty recommendation, just for you.

Vancouver IS Awesome

Morning, folks, and happy Wednesday, which feels like a Tuesday, which feels like the week is just starting. But lo, tomorrow be Thursday; Thursday be the day that AK is reading for the Vancouver Book Club; and the Vancouver Book Club be what prompted this lovely review on vancouverisawesome.com. Here's a taster:

Despite the heavy nature of the themes in her debut novel, Schofield infuses Our Woman with a winning combination of humour and practicality ... charm and wit make you cheer for Our Woman, regardless of how increasingly odd her behaviour or actions seem. We willingly stay by her side as she questions, experiments, and attempts to find her way through the twisty road she finds herself travelling.

There. Malarky is the VBC's summer selection and they'll be discussing the text/grilling AK with questions at the Prophouse Cafe, 7 PM, tomorrow. If you're in the neighbourhood do stop by. 

AK's also posted an interview for their "Read all Over" series, where she talks about Robert Walser and Helen Oyeyemi. Take a look!

Alex Boyd at Art Bar

To Bibliofans and PoetryFans in the Toronto Area: Alex Boyd will be reading at an Art Bar Poetry Series event near you! Tuesday August 7th, the second floor of Pauper's Pub, 539 Bloor West, come join Alex as he reads from The Least Important Man. Alex will be joined by Louise Bak, Kyle Buckley, and Shawna Dimitry. Evening starts at 8 PM. For more information about Canada's longest-running poetry-only reading series, take a look at their website (it's blue!)

Congratulations to Goran Simić, Winner of the CAA Poetry Award for 2012

Goran Simic

Winner of the Canadian Author's Association
Award for Poetry, 2012

Heartfelt congratulations from all of us at Biblioasis to Goran Simic, whose Sunrise in the Eyes of the Snowman was announced this week as the winner of the CAA Poetry Award for 2012. The cash value of the prize is $2000 and the recipient will be awarded with a silver medal.

Goran Simić was born in Bosnia in 1952 and has been living in Canada since 1996, mostly in Toronto. He has published eleven books of poetry, drama, and short fiction, including Immigrant Blues, From Sarajevo With Sorrow, Sunrise in the Eyes of the Snowman and Yesterday's People.

To read more about the CAA Awards, or about the other winners, please visit the CAA website.

"Sunrise in the Eyes of the Snowman"

Kiss me. Breathe into my mouth the way lovers do. 

Taste my neck before I melt down to my waist. 

Kiss me when only shiny flakes are left. 

When horoscopes start sounding like weather reports, 

when the radio announces short sleeves on spring uniforms, 

let me love myself hugging ice cubes in the bottom of your glass. 

Every morning gives birth to the night, 

the time when your guests come dressed in black. 

I repeat your words engraved on my wedding ring: 

flowers are replaceable and only flower pots remain. 

But will you love me, a swollen carrot 

and two charcoal eyes on the pavement 

in a cold puddle?