Category Archives: Vancouver

The Devil You Know

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The Devil You Know, by Jenn Farrell

The Devil You Know, by Jenn Farrell

Last Saturday I was at the Vancouver launch of Heather Haley’s newest book, Three Blocks West of Wonderland, which was quite the event: electronically modified cello sounds, cafe poetry from Acme to Waazuubee, and a reading by JennFarrell were all on the menu, not to mention the world premiere of two of Heather’s videopoems and enough of her great poetry readings to make an encore compulsory.

I’m a staunch Heather Haley fan, but I have to single out Jenn Farrell here, for two reasons: one, her reading was, as I said to her that night, “stone cold awesome,” and two, she’s having a book launch of her own this Thursday at the Railway Club and it features my favorite thing: fancy dress!

We hope to see you all the launch of Jenn Farrell’s new collection of short stories THE DEVIL YOU KNOW this Thursday at 7pm at the Railway Club (back room).

You are encouraged to don your most wicked attire (devil horns, pointed tails, fiery red). We’ll have some sinister sartorial supplies on hand to help you get in on the devil-y revelry.

Reading and signing by Jenn Farrell. Books available for $16 CDN (cash at event). You can also pick up a copy (or another copy) of Sugar Bush & Other Stories. Beautiful books, searing fiction, moderate evil!

Pass it on!

Thursday · 7:00pm – 11:00pm
Location The Railway Club (Back Room)*
579 Dunsmuir Street
Vancouver, BC

Full event details/RSVP here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=135556533131233&index=1

Be there or be a diagonally congruent rectangular object.

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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

Join us on Facebook: The Shebeen Club on Facebook

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Beach Reads: Shebeen Club June Meeting

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Beach Books

Beach Books

Join us and local authors as we confess our secret passion for Judith Krantz, our forbidden lust for Ken Follett, our unslakeable thirst for Josephine Hart and undead-themed updates of old Bronte Sisters novels.

Yes, it’s time for a party to celebrate our favorite Beach Reads!

Local authors are strongly encouraged to attend and proudly introduce us to any Beach Reads they’ve written, from thrillers to erotica. But I’m allergic to Open Mic Nights, so I doubt there will be many readings; I was traumatized by a wandering sestina artiste as a youngster and have never recovered.

Dress: beachy or bitchy, your choice!

As always, $20 buys you dinner and a drink and some of the finest literary company around! Choice of four entrees: entree salad, bangers and mash, fish and chips, or vegetarian pasta.

7-9pm Monday, June 21
The Shebeen
Behind the Irish Heather, 212 Carrall Street in Gastown
Vancouver

Reply on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1042494&id=1644422661#!/event.php?eid=112893928756768&ref=ts

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1042494&id=1644422661#!/group.php?gid=50587958868

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Philosopher’s Cafe May 31:Should literature be judged on its moral content?

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Immoral Books

Literary congress OH MY!

I got this in an email from Zahid Makdoom, the organizer of the Philosopher’s cafes. It starts at 7:30pm:

Many thinkers and writers have been persecuted for, or at least judged adversely, on the content of their reflections and writings and not on the beauty or strength of their craft. Are these judgments necessary to ensure social solidarity or are they corrosive to creative endeavors?

(Theresa’s, a worker-owned/operated eatery is very popular with weekend brunchers. It’s small oasis of peace and good food on the Commercial Drive. Although, Theresa’s is not open for dinner on Mondays and Tuesday but our ever-so-accommodating host Jeff has consented to open it tomorrow and he would serve his culinary delights prepared with organic ingredients. Please bring in cash in case you want to eat there, owned/operated by its workers Theresa’s dies not have ability to accept credit/debit cards. Theresa’s 1260 Commercial Drive, Vancouver BC V5L 3X4. It’s across from the Grandview Park between Williams and Charles Streets on eastside of the street, ample meter parking and some time limited free parking spots on the side streets).

As always, I am hopeful our engagement would reflect the fundamental creed of our Café: any idea worthy of conception, is worthy of reflection, of examination, of analysis, of critique (and of even being laughed at, poked at or mocked provided of course if we can manage to do it respectfully or as deliciously as the late George Carlin would do.)

Many thanks. See you tomorrow evening at the Theresa’s.

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Social Media for Writers Workshop for the Fed

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You can has a famus?

You can has a famus?

You want a famus? There’s one surefire way to develop your own public: get yourself on social media! On Saturday, June 19 I’ll be teaching a four-hour workshop on how writers specifically can use social media platforms like WordPress, Facebook, Stumbleupon, Twitter, Tumblr, and others to develop fans, followers, avid readers, and even a few enemies (you’re nobody till somebody hates you, darling!). This is a fundraiser for the Federation of BC Writers, and if you sign up as a member that day you’ll get $15 off membership AND save ten dollars on registration!

The specifics:

Social Media Self-Promotion for Writers

10am-2pm, Saturday, June 19

Boardroom, Alliance for Arts and Culture, #100 – 938 Howe St., Vancouver

$40 for Fed members, $50 for non-members

cheques to:
The Federation of BC Writers, PO Box 3887 Stn Terminal, Vancouver, V6B 3Z3
Payment must be received before the date of workshop
Receipts will be mailed
Register with The Fed office by phone: 604-683-2057 or by email: fedbcwriters at gmail dot com

Bring your laptop! This is a participatory course, and you will be working in various sites in the class; you can use a pseudonym if you like, but do register a new email for it in advance of the class.

This workshop is a hands-on, intensive introduction to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other popular social media platforms, all taught from a writer’s perspective. We will cover the etiquette unique to each platform and how it can work to a writer’s advantage, how to set up your profile with a professional tone, privacy concerns, how to promote your work and your persona via social media and how to separate the work and the personal in the intertwined world of social media. This course will make you aware of all your different social media options and give you some perspective to make an informed choice about your participation in the social media space. You’ll leave the class with an active Facebook Fan Page, a professional Twitter account, and a LinkedIn profile, and a good grounding on how to use each to promote yourself and your works in a powerful, professional and authentic way.

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