Upcoming shenanigans

Busy, busy summer. And moving into a busy fall.

Shelter Valley Folk Festival, Grafton
This weekend, September 4 to 6, I'll be part of the Artists' Village at The Shelter Valley Folk Festival in Grafton, just 15 minutes east of Cobourg, where I've lived since leaving Toronto. At my tent, I will be selling my own books, as well as a selection from Proper Tales, including my two new chapbooks, Grey Snotes and Cobourg Variations (expanded second edition), and Richard Huttel's first full-lengther, That Said. I will also offer the following: I will read a poem for visitors to my tent for free; I will write a personalized poem for $5; I will conduct a 20-minute poetry workshop for groups of 3 (minimum) by donation. The festival features an amazing lineup of musical acts, plus dancers, craftspeople, writers, and visual artists.

Art Bar Reading Series, Toronto
Then, on Tuesday, I head to Toronto, where I read at the Art Bar Reading Series on September 8, along with Joe Fiorito and Nancy Bullis. That happens at the Black Swan, 154 Danforth Avenue, 8 pm.

The eBar, Guelph
On October 7, I head to Guelph to read at the eBar in Guelph, just upstairs from the amazing Bookshelf, at 41 Quebec Street. The event will also be a launch for local writer Michael Kleiza. Happens at 7 pm.

Translating Horses Launch, Toronto
Back to Toronto on October 22, for the launch of the Baseline Press poetry anthology Translating Horses, edited by Jessica Hiemstra and Gillian Sze. I have a poem in the book. The launch happens at 6:30 pm at Supermarket, 268 Augusta Avenue.

The Other 23 & a Half Hours Launch, Cobourg
I don't have all the details for this one yet, but on October 23, I'll be taking part in the launch of Catherine Owen's The Other 23 & a Half Hours: Or Everything You Wanted to Know that Your MFA Didn’t Teach You, from Wolsak and Wynn. I contributed to the book, and at the launch I'll be doing short talks on small press and collaboration. I'm guessing this will happen at the Human Bean around 7 pm, but I'll let you know.

Ottawa International Writers' Festival
I've been invited back to my favourite writers' festival (well, it's tied with the Lucerne festival in New Denver) for October 25. I'll be reading poetry from A Hamburger in a Gallery, plus some new stuff, and I'll be joined by Nicholas Papaxanthos and Tara Azzopardi, whose brilliant poetry debuts — respectively Love Me Tender and Last Stop, Lonesome Town — will have just been released under my "a stuart ross imprint" from Mansfield Press. The where and the when will be forthcoming, but you can always check out the Ottawa International Writers' Festival website.

Ottawa Small Press Fair
Boing! Right back to Ottawa on November 7 for the Ottawa Small Press Fair, which is always a lot of fun, mostly because the Ottawa small pressers are such a wonderful and welcoming community. Goes from noon till 5 at the Jack Purcell Community Centre, 320 Jack Purcell Lane. I'll be doing a Stuart Ross/Proper Tales table, and maybe a Mansfield table too.

Indie Literary Market, Toronto
The Meet the Presses collective is gearing up for another Indie Literary Market at the Tranzac on November 21. I think it goes from 11:30 till 5. I'll be there with a Proper Tales/Stuart Ross table. The winner of the bpNichol Chapbook Award will be announced. There will be an amazing array of micropresses.

When I feel like a washed-up has-been, I remind myself that I'm a pretty busy washed-up has-been.

Over and out.