Category Archives: Shebeen Club

Blogging for Writers: a reading list

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Shakespeare blogging

Shakespeare blogging

I’m only putting this down/posting it up while I think of it so I don’t lose it: it’s the reference list I used to create Blogging for Writers, also known as Blogging As Writer’s Practice. Feel free to read them all yourself, but then feel guilty enough to register for the class anyway.

For Journaling:

  • Room to Write: Daily Invitations to a Writer’s Life by Bonni Goldberg
  • The New Diary: How to Use a Journal for Self-Guidance and Expanded Creativity by Tristine Rainer
  • Life’s Companion: Journal Writing as a Spiritual Quest by Christina Baldwin
  • Word Play, Word Power: A Woman’s Personal Growth Workbook by Kimberley Snow

For Writing Exercises and Education:

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September Meeting: Survival, Thrival, Arrival

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Kathrin Lake, author of Survival to Thrival

Kathrin Lake, author of Survival to Thrival

Who? The Shebeen Club presents independent author Kathrin Lake

What? Survival, Thrival, Arrival: work/life balance for writeaholics

When? 7-10pm (note new time) Monday, September 21st

Where? The Shebeen, behind the Irish Heather, 210 Carrall Street

Why? Because Kathrin has lived the struggling writer reality and come out on top, and it’s always a good idea to learn from the best!

How? Much? $20 new pricing reflects some new options and offerings. Cash is king, baby.

I met Kathrin something like a decade ago at the Surrey International Writer’s Conference, where we bonded over Harvey Wallbangers and Mae West quotations. Back then I knew she was smart, knew she was funny, knew she was determined, but I didn’t know just how successful she would ultimately become (or I would have let her pay for the drinks). The Shebeen Club is very pleased to invite Kathrin to speak about her journey as a writer and independently-published author of From Survival to Thrival: how to catch the boat to your successful, thriving life, and to pick up whatever tips we can about staying as sane as her while juggling professional priorites, staying true to ourselves as writers, and trying to keep the wolf (or at least the urban coyote) from the door.

Bring: a notebook, a pen, a backup pen (you should know this by now!) and a stock of your very best Mae West stories. It’s going to be a fun night as well as a learning experience.

Surrey Writers’ School at the Shebeen Club Monday

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Surrey Writers School

Who: The Shebeen Club and the Surrey Writers’ School

What: $15 gets you dinner and a drink (cash, plzthxkbai) with the finest of Literati

When: 6-9pm Monday, August 17th

Where: The Shebeen, Behind the Irish Heather in Gastown, 210 Carrall Street

Why: not? It’s a great new school run by actual, talented local writers, and it’s a Monday. What the hell else have you got going that night?

With great pleasure the Shebeen Club will be hosting an informative, educational, and slightly decadent (think Dorian Gray as an academic advisor) evening with Lois Peterson, co-founder and coordinator of the brand-new Surrey Writers’ School.

Surrey School District’s recent announcement that it had axed the Surrey Creative Writing Diploma Program left scores of South Fraser region writers without accessible writing classes.

The Surrey Writers’ School (SWS) was created by Surrey writers / teachers Lois Peterson, Ed Griffin and Doug Brunt to replace the now deceased Diploma Program. “Surrey’s writing program acquired a strong following over the past 16 years,” says SWS Coordinator Lois Peterson. “We know there are people out there wanting to learn skills to write for publication and their own personal satisfaction. ”

Rising like a Phoenix from the ashes (only of course not so cliched) of the Continuing Education Program, the Surrey Writers School aims to serve interested, active writers of the Lower Mainland. We hope you’ll come help us celebrate the birth of this newest edition to the literary scene in BC.

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3 Day Novel Contest Writer’s Retreat

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3 Day Novel Contest Writer's Retreat on Beautiful Bowen Island

From a bright-eyed Friday, September 4th through to a groggy, shaken Tuesday the 8th morning, we’ll be closeting ourselves away in a secluded resort doing nothing but writing. The goal: to create a novel from start to finish in three straight days.

Every year the 3 Day Novel Contest comes around, and every year, something gets in the way. The purpose of this retreat is to ensure that over those three caffeine and stress-packed days, you have nothing else to do but write. And maybe slam some energy drinks.

You can also join this event on Facebook and you can join the Shebeen Club itself there as well.

Host:
Start Time:
Friday, 04 September 2009 at 17:00
End Time:
Tuesday, 08 September 2009 at 11:00
Location:
a resort within an easy ferry ride/drive of Vancouver
Town/City:
Beautiful BC
Phone: 778-235-0592 but email instead, PLEASE
Email:
lorraine.murphy at gmail.com

Reflections on Bowen Island, by Kris Krug

Reflections on Bowen Island, by Kris Krug

Meals, shelter, companionship and isolation as you choose: all are included in the price. We’re still in negotiations, but at this point it looks like the four days (checkout 11am Tuesday) will run us about $800, including your 3 Day Novel Contest registration fee of $50.

There is an absolute maximum of 20 attendees, so express your interest sooner rather than later.

Obviously, we’ve yet to lock all the deets down, so consider this a preliminary announcement and we’ll consider your ATTENDING/MAYBE/NOPE RSVP to be equally tentative until everything is ready for launch. We’ll contact everyone then with the official registration link, where you’ll be able to make your reservation via debit, paypal, or credit card. For now, just drop a comment or email to let us know you’re interested and we’ll keep you informed.

Oh, and by the way, we’re not officially affiliated with the 3 Day Novel Contest, although they have given us their blessing; we’re just big fans who’ve been thinking about doing this for years.

Bowen Bay by KK

Bowen Bay by KK

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Shebeen Club: Launching an Independent Publishing House: Fab or Folly?

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Post number two on the new Shebeen Club Blog. I really MUST import the archives, mustn’t I?
Since from day to day it looks like I will/won’t be in town for the Shebeen Club meeting on June the 15th, I’ve asked Ian Alexander Martin to take over in my stead. Naturally, should I be in town on the evening in question, I’ll expect him to give up the scepter of leadership but retain all obligations to inform and/or entertain people.
Atomic Fez

Atomic Fez

  • What: Launching an Independent Publishing House: Fab or Folly?
  • Who: The Shebeen Club and Atomic Fez Publishing
  • When: Monday, June 15TH, 6:00–9:00 pm
  • Where: The Shebeen, behind the Irish Heather, 212 Carrall Street in Gastown
  • Details: $15 cash only, includes dinner and one drink (pint). No minors, please.
  • Blather: follows

MEET THE NAÏVE PROPRIETOR

The proprietor of Atomic Fez Publishing will engage the public in an all singing, all dancing event at The Shebeen Whisky House behind the Irish Heather Gastro-Pub in Vancouver’s Gastown district.

Ian Alexander Martin is expected to discuss his reasoning behind beginning a Small Press Publishing house in these days of financial turmoil which have seen several international houses drastically scale back their structures, frequently closing sub-imprints and selling off their intellectual assets like so much scrap iron. Likewise, when even local publisher Raincoast Books scales downsize their operation following the completion of the ‘Harry Potter…’ series, is there any point in trying to enter the market?

Additional topics will include:

  • why be a small-press publisher if you’re not also a writer?
  • what sort of books does Atomic Fez select?
  • the answer to the question “dead tree books or electronic books” is “YES!”
  • whither the future of independent bookshop?
  • why can’t people buy any small-press books at Chapters or Smith’s
  • why shouldn’t authors just self-publish and go straight to the readers and their money?
  • just how insane are you?

Come and hear a 20-minute talk about what Mr. Martin’s approaches are, and what he thinks the state of publishing is today. A question and answer session with follow the presentation after a short break.

Ian Alexander Martin

Ian Alexander Martin

ABOUT THE NAÏVE PROPRIETOR

For three years Ian Alexander Martin was a Director in Humdrumming, Limited—a very tiny publishing company registered in England & Wales—during the last ten months of which was acting as President and C.E.O., Managing and Editorial Director, plus also being responsible for the contracting, editing, typesetting, publishing, and marketing of twenty different titles. Meanwhile, Humdrumming continually earned the respect and admiration of writers and readers alike, as well as seven ‘short-list’ nominations from the prestigious British Fantasy Society’s annual awards (and more to come in a few months).

In addition to the above, Mr. Martin has previously been an arts journalist; editor; professional photographer; photo-finishing store owner; web-site designer and consultant; theatre actor and director, as well as being the Founding Editor and Publisher of the theatre web-zine The Boards. If you had told him at the turn of the millennium that he would have accomplished these things, he would have laughed so hard he would have been physically ill at your feet.

He lives in Burnaby with his wife and two cats, all three of whom frequently succeed in dragging him kicking and screaming from the computer keyboard.

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