Category Archives: Conferences Unconferences Festivals Retreats

Special Story Writing Friends Needed!

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…and by “special” we mean exactly what you think we do.

The big bad grammar Nazi

The big bad grammar Nazi

This is the Craigslist Ad of the Week, from the Writing Opportunities section of the Victoria, BC Craigslist. Whether this is a greater opportunity for writing or for derision is an open question, but it won’t be after you read the full ad. Here’s a teeny teaser.

It’ll be like Xman meets Harry Potter. I’ve got so many stories inside me. & more manifest! This is your Door. Watch my YouTube videos?! I need to put out. Help!! <3

[What’s the old saying? Beware of shamans who want to put out for you?]

I’ve got a story about a couple that traveled to hold really special party’s wile racking up really dope radical siblings & social life. Sick connections as they traveled the lands of their world with objective & uncanny timing. Their target is to find & provide a four day super positive metamorphic catalystic work space for safe people who want to really activate their superpowers right away.

To hold this gathering, we find & rent someone’s house, but not a small one. Then make sure you have at least 27 people are coming to attend this fore day break through session. $20.oo a head at the least. What happens is; there’s several songs that are potent light spells. Filled with carefully worded positive & uplifting affirmations. Loads a inner self supportive collective consciousness. Reinforced with lyrics to conger energy’s of safe love & protection.

I can definitely see at least 27 people wanting to pay $20.oo a head at the least for “fore” days of this. Yew betcha. If, again, only for the comedy value.

You fast on Day Two, and on Day Three 80% of you get acid. The other 20% get the shaft, I suppose. He does want to put out. Well, it doesn’t say “acid” specifically. It says “A equally porssoned mixed halusigenic liquid supplement…to conger energy’s of safe love & protection.”

But not, apparently, grammar, spelling, or punctuation.

Please, please, can someone I know go to this and take notes?

h/t Steffani Cameron

VCon Debrief: the Shebeen Club for October 3

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VCon Poster

VCon Poster

Calling all SciFi fans… just a quick and dirty note to let you know our next Shebeen Club meeting will be this coming Monday, October 3, upstairs at the Revel Room, 238 Abbott Street just off Water in Gastown. Once again, they’re laying a special menu on for us as part of the meeting, for only $20: please pay your proprietor Ian Alexander Martin of Atomic Fez publishing. Dinner and a drink is included with your admission.

VCon, for those of you who live in the 17th Century, is the biggest event of the year for speculative fiction of all kinds. We’re hoping to coax a few special guests to overcome their shyness and share Monday with us. Given that the guests of VCon run the gamut from Larry Niven to, well, the Shebeen Club’s Fearless Leader, it’s guaranteed to be an entertaining and speculative indeed crew.

Please note: the Shebeen Club meeting is NOT officially a cosplay event. But discreet Spock ears are welcome.

6pm-9pm Monday, October 3 2011, Revel Room Upstairs lounge, 238 Abbott Street, Vancouver

$20 cash includes dinner, a drink, the VCon debrief, and our glamorous and scintillating company.

This is short notice, so while RSVPs are welcome, they’re not compulsory. Just show up with your smiling face and try not to wear a red shirt.

Jack Layton was afraid of NOTHING I tell you!

Jack Layton was afraid of NOTHING I tell you!

Fucking Writers’ Conferences: how do they work?

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This is our April topic. I can drop an F bomb in it because the speaker said it was okay, and that was because the speaker is me and I’m the one who puts the PRO in profanity, right? Damn straight.

This month we’re on the 4th Tuesday instead of the 3rd Monday, but oh well, a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds, eh? And we’ll be starting at 6pm instead of 7, and it’s all cash, $20 a head for the set meal. Everybody gets the earlybird price this month.

There’s been a bit of chaos around Shebeen Global HQ this month, but we’re finally organized. We’ll be in the Revel Room upstairs again, from 6-8 or so. This way you don’t have to grab a snack before the meeting!

I’ll be speaking about how to get the most from a writer’s conference, and having been on the board of a couple and an attendee and speaker at more than I can count without taking off my shoes, I have a lot to share. If you do too, we want to hear from you.

And don’t forget the Women&Words conference this coming Friday and Saturday. Guess who’ll be speaking there as well? [insert smiley of your choice, as I am far too bloody dignified to use them myself]

By the way, if you have a favorite conference, please do drop a link to them in the comments. The more the merrier, and it’d be great to do one grand roundup post of all the conferences within reach of BC.

Readings at the Utopia Festival!

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Utopia Festival: more than just dj's!

Utopia Festival: more than just dj's!

Got this via an email from Nikki Reimer, one from Sean Cranbury, two from W2, one from Irwin Oostindie, and four Facebook invitations. So, obviously, I HAVE to post it!

Along with the direct link to buy tickets.

Just a quick note to let you know about an amazing literary event next Saturday – Vancouver Women Read @ W2 Utopia Festival.

Curated by Nikki Reimer and Alex Leslie in conjunction with the W2 Real Vancouver Writers’ Series this is some real next level programming.

Nikki and Alex have curated 5 Vancouver writers whose performances will be punctuated by musical appearances by First Nations artists such as Tanya Tagaq, JB The First Lady and cello prodigy Cris Derkson.

AND – The keynote address will be given by international electroclash sensation Peaches.

Needless to say it’s going to be fairly incredible.

You can find more info about the event, how to buy tickets and the performers here – http://booksontheradio.ca/2011/02/25/w2-utopia-festival-vancouver-women-read-saturday-march-5-2011/

Any help that you can provide in terms of spreading the word to your friends or followers in the social media world is much appreciated.

The hashtag for the event is #W2Utopia.

Looking forward to this event and I hope to see you there.

Thanks,

Sean

—

Sean Cranbury – Executive Editor, Host, Regulator

Books on the Radio / Advent Book Blog / W2 Real Vancouver Writers’ Series / etc…

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Getting the Most from a Writer’s Retreat: our July meeting

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Yaddo, yo!

Yaddo, yo! Did I ever tell you about the time I got drunk with John Cheever's ghost?

Who: a panel of experts: Kathrin Lake, Sean Cranbury, and Tami Reilly

What: Getting the Most from a Writer’s Retreat

When: 7-9pm Monday, July 19th, 2010

Where: The Shebeen, behind the Irish Heather, 212 Carrall Street in Gastown

Why: to learn what to expect, how to prepare, and how to wring every precious drop of experience out of attending a writer’s retreat or conference. And also to enjoy some of the best literary company in Vangroover!

Details:  $20 includes dinner and a drink

Come out and join us and our panel of forward-thinking retreat specialists (not as much of a contradiction as you’d think) as they teach you their tips and tricks for getting the most out of a retreat with your fellow literati. This would be the place for me to mention that registration opens soon for our own Shebeen Club retreat for the 3-Day Novel Contest over the Labour Day long weekend, so I will indeed mention it. There: done!

Our panelists are:

Kathrin Lake: Kathrin is an award-wining playwright and teacher of writing. Her first non-fiction book is From Survival to Thrival, which has become the basis for a network of support groups for people dedicated to positive change. She is currently working on another non-fiction account about her experiences in Mexico and the town that she owns property and lives in with her partner for part of every Canadian winter. Kathrin is also a Certified Human Resources Professional in which training, speaking, and coaching are key components of her work, and has a history of collaborating with up and coming entrepreneurs to help them create a thriving organization that loves to work together. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers and has been a Toastmaster for over 10 years in various leadership roles.

Sean Cranbury: Sean Cranbury is a Vancouver writer, editor, broadcaster and social media consultant.  His radio show/blog, Books on the Radio, is broadcast on CJSF 90.1 FM.  He also writes for the Vancouver Biennale and the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative. Sean is co-creator of the ridiculously successful viral, community-based book recommendation site, the Advent Book Blog, and is also working on the real-time collaborative fiction experiment called Eyes of Vancouver.

Tami Reilly:  Tami is the president of the Association of Women Business owners, and has long experience in organizing retreats. Tami is also the founder of GO Get Organized, an award-winning office organization company. She started Get Organized because she believes that with effective office management and up-to-date cash management, entrepreneurs have a much higher level of success. Tami has spent the last seven years developing products and services that organize an entrepreneur´s office to work more effectively yet more simply.

7-7:30: mix and mingle
7:30-8: listen and learn
8-9: discuss and digest

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