The Draught: What's On Tap at Biblioasis

As some of you have already heard, Biblioasis is—along with buying a new building—launching a new newsletter. A sister publication to Thirsty, slightly less frequent but decidedly more regular, The Draught will bring you the latest BiblioBabble on a monthly basis. Want a tidy summary of events near you? Poems and short fiction excerpts? Special deals? Secret previews of forthcoming works? Then subscribe, my friends! Subscribe!

Apart from general press news and event information, The Draught will feature The 30% Shelf, a special online discount for subscribers when they purchase our title-of-the-month through the Biblioasis website. (This month's 30%-off title is About Love: Three Stories by Anton Chekhov, as translated by David Helwig and designed/illustrated by Seth.) There's the sweet sweet liquor of exclusive Draught content. And last but not least, as a very special first-time welcome to the thing, all new subscribers will receive either:

a) a complimentary copy of Canadian Notes and Queries issue 85, or 

b) a 1-issue extension of your CNQ subscription!

Instructions:

If you would like to subscribe to The Draught, please send me an email with the following subject header:

THE DRAUGHT—SUBSCRIBE 

To receive your complimentary copy of CNQ please include your address and telephone number.

Yup. Awesome. We're looking forward to hearing from you. And to seeing you, if you're in Ottawa or Montreal, at one of our two big launches week (harp harp!): Nadine McInnis at Collected Works this Wednesday, with CP Boyko and Norm Sibum opening; and Norm Sibum this Thursday at Burritoville, presented in conjunction with Argo Books! 

Best Canadian Essays

The first volume in Tightrope's Best Canadian Essays launches in Toronto this evening at Revival (783 College St.) at 7 pm. CNQ: Canadian Notes & Queries has contributed two essays to the collection, the only publication, other than the Walrus, to be granted multiple slots. Not bad for a journal the Department of Canadian Heritage will stop funding next year because we do not fit their definition of cultural relevance (ie: our circulation numbers are no match for Chatelaine's or, even, the Walrus's). Fuck 'em.

Kamal Al-Solaylee's essay on Theatre, and Nathan Whitlock's essay on Fiction, both from issue 75, are included in the compilation, alongside work from Katherine Ashenburg, Kris Demeanor, Jessa Gamble, Nicholas Hune-Brown, Chris Koentges, Anita Lahey, Alison Lee, Nick Mount, Denis Seguin, ChrisTurner, Lori Theresa Waller and Chris Wood.

I should say, I am quite excited by, and envious of, Tightrope's vision in putting together this and other 'Best Of' anthologies. I'd thought of doing something similar, and never got around to it, daunted by the task. I think they should be congratulated, as these volumes fill much needed voids, and have been handled in a very prefessional and engaging fashion. I'll be picking up a copy and urge you handful of Thirsty readers to do the same. These are publications we should support in any way possible.

Jailbreaks: 99 Canandian Sonnets

Pulled my own version of There and Back Again last night as I headed up the 401 for the Toronto launch of the Zach Wells edited Jailbreaks: 99 Canadian Sonnets. As boring as the 401 between Windsor and Toronto may be, one is quite thankful for it at 4 AM. Too tired to do so tonight, but I should be able to post a fair number of photographs tomorrow. It was an excellent event, with some very fine readings.

In the meantime, Nathan Whitlock has posted an interview with Zach about the anthology on Open Book Toronto that can be found here:

www.openbooktoronto.com/nwhitlock/blog/interview_with_zachariah_wells_jailbreaks_99_canadian_sonnets

And Alex Good has reviewed the anthology in his usual thoughtful fashion on his website, which can be found here:

www.goodreports.net/reviews/jailbreaks.htm

A brief excerpt:

"It's refreshing to see an editor so engaged with his material. And while there are omissions and inclusions individual readers may disagree with, the result is a collection that successfully showcases remarkable variety within its narrow room."

Speaking of Alex Good, he's getting a lot of attention and praise for his fine, sharp and straight-talking piece Looking Backward, in the current edition of CNQ, seemingly on newstands everywhere. Quillblog, Bookninja, and That Shakespherian Rag, among others, are all atwitter. Though I think Susan Glickman put it best: "Alex Good is great!"

If you are unwilling to part with $7.95, you can read Good's essay for FREE -- a CNQ public service -- here:

www.notesandqueries.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=48