Upcoming Anthology Publications

article posted 23 days ago

Two anthologies from Lethe Press in New Jersey will feature stories from At the Bottom of the Sky by yours truly – Wilde Stories and Best Gay Stories 2008. Check them out because my work is in some very fine company.

I’ve also got a short piece on my first encounter with Claude Cahun forthcoming in the U of Wisconsin Press’ anthology, Diva Complex, which is scheduled for 2009, so more on that as the date draws nearer.

Toronto Appearance Coming Up

article posted 37 days ago

I’ll be in Toronto for the Writing Outside the Margins fest on August 24th. The event takes place on Church Street in the Village and the lineup includes a whole whack of extremely cool writers.

Last year they packed in thousands of visitors. So cross you fingers for some decent weather and check it out!

So What's this Art Thing All About Anyway...

article posted 48 days ago

Liam Durcan has an interesting piece about what exactly fiction is good for. It’s an interesting article, and even if the argument is about just one of the things reading a novel or a story does for ya… it doesn’t hurt to point it out…

At the Bottom of the Sky Nominated for the Relit Award

article posted 63 days ago

My book of short stories At the Bottom of the Sky has been nominated for the Relit Award.

Check out this link for the longlists in all the categories.

Books... More Books... and then Some Reading

article posted 96 days ago

Luc Sante pens a piece about that certain fondness for books that takes on a touch of the compulsive which you may want to have a look at.

Having this particular mania myself I enjoyed his observations, particularly the suggestion that the juxtaposition of various titles and subjects when one runs one’s eye over bookshelves can spark new ideas and connections.

Admit it… you’ve gotten material that way, right? It can’t just be me…

Academics and the Regulatory Agenda

article posted 96 days ago

A new set of regulations/guidelines concerning Canadian Studies funding comes down from the current government here in Canada… One that seem a little too overly-directive to ensure real academic freedom.
Not surprisingly, The Writers’ Union has some pointed questions.
Here’s a story about it in the Globe.

QWF reads... a little

article posted 97 days ago

I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but last night was the QWF’s schmooze event, “QWF reads… a little,” in which two panels of prominent Quebec authors defended their individual choices for an especially fab poem or short story from hereabouts. (Not one of their own, of course.)

Well, yours truly was one of the selected prose authors and the always-fabulous Tess Fragoulis gave a spirited and pretty darn interesting defense of my story “Cerberus” from At the Bottom of the Sky. It is always so interesting to hear what other folks have to say about one’s work, and this was a really cool opportunity in that respect. It was also a fun night out. The QWF’s events seem to get bettter and better.

If you attended, I hope you had a good time. If you didn’t… keep an eye out for the next event.

Hope to see you there.

SOLD! It's done.... sigh

article posted 109 days ago

Well, it finally happened, the manuscript of Breton’s Manifesto went under the hammer and was sold.
Depressing, disturbing… yes.

Madder Love is Off the Press

article posted 135 days ago

It’s official! Madder Love: Queer Men and the Precincts of Surrealism is now loose in the world!

The book exists and will soon be available through all the usual channels. Among the first hype-ings of the volume… I’ll be at the Saints & Sinners Festival in early May. Stay tuned.

A Crisis in Punctuation

article posted 156 days ago

On no! Reports of the imminent death of the semicolon…

I sure hope these are greatly exaggerated, because I rather like the exotic little creature.