Two Poems by Robert Melançon

For the poetry-lovers out there, last weekend brought two pieces by Robert Melançon to readers of Maisonneuve. They're numbers 21 ("All the light is radiating from the lemons") and 25 ("We walk through streets we know"). If you click the link you get about 80% of them. Otherwise, plug plug plug plug, you can subscribe to the mag for $20/year. Enjoy.

The Citizen Aesthete: David Mason in the Post

Morning all, and happy Monday. Just a quick note for those of you who missed it this weekend: David Mason's The Pope's Bookbinder had a lovely write-up in this weekend's National Post. "The Pope’s Bookbinder strikes a fine balance between impressing with insider lore and welcoming the outsider," says Paul Franz: "The chatty digressions and omissions — sometimes hinting at truly salacious tales sealed up for the principals’ lifetimes — invite you to learn more."

And you're all officially invited to do so at any number of new and used/rare stores across the country. David's book is now available for sale both in person and online. And, of course, as Franz points out, they're for sale "at David Mason Books. Beware, though: collecting is habit-forming."

Caroline Adderson wins Gold Medal for Fiction at National Magazine Awards

Canadian Notes & Queries is very proud to announce that this year’s Gold Medal for Fiction at the National Magazine Awards went to Caroline Adderson for her story “Ellen-Celine, Celine-Ellen,” published in issue 86. The Silver Medal went to Patrick deWitt for “The Looking-Ahead Artist,” published in Brick; Lynn Coady also received honourable mention for “Dogs in Clothes” (Canadian Notes & Queries 85). CNQ was the only magazine to be recognized twice in the fiction category, while Caroline Adderson (who received further honourable mention for “I Feel Lousy,” published in Eighteen Bridges) was the only twice-recognized story writer.

The National Magazine Awards Foundation is a bilingual, not-for-profit institution whose mission is to recognize and promote excellence in the content and creation of Canadian print and digital publications through an annual program of awards and national publicity efforts. It presented the awards for its 36^th annual celebration at a gala in Toronto at The Carlu, hosted by Canadian actor Zaib Shaikh. Gold, Silver, and Honourable Mention awards were presented in 47 categories. This year the judges received over 2000 submissions from nearly 200 Canadian consumer magazines.

On behalf of Canadian Notes & Queries we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to all award recipients. For subscription rates and information about the magazine please contact Tara Murphy at tmurphy@biblioasis.com. 

The Dark Reality of Evacuation: Sonia Tilson in the Ottawa Citizen

Sonia Tilson and editor
John Metcalf, at the Plan 99
Reading Series last Saturday.

"Sonia Tilson has always been in the word business," begins the profile that ran yesterday in Sonia's hometown paper. Of The Monkey Puzzle Tree, Sonia's debut that launched a week ago at David O'Meara's Plan 99 Reading Series, the Citizen says: "[it's] no soft sell. It is a well-written, clear-eyed look at the evacuation of small children from British cities during the Second World War." For more on Sonia and her novel, check out the profile here. And remember, if you're by Books on Beechwood this afternoon, Sonia's signing books as we speak! She's there till 3. Happy Saturday, folks. 

Phil Hall and Jay MillAr in Windsor TONIGHT!

Remember when we told you to mark your calendars in ink? Well, today you should be reading in big bold letters PHIL HALL & JAY MILLaR AT BIBLIOASIS.

They've each released a new book of innovative and excellent poetry, and tonight we celebrate those books with good food, good company, and of course good readings.

The event starts at 7pm at the Biblioasis bookshop (1520 Wyandotte St. E., Windsor), so make sure to be there.

RSVP on Facebook here!