Events
Ottawa: All The Pretty Girls Launch
Sat May 3 2008
w/
Chandra Mayor
Jennifer Whiteford
Join us for the launch of Chandra's new book.
Venus Envy
320 Lisgar Ave
8:00pm - 10:00pm
What a great evening. More than 40 people showed up, and as always in Ottawa, listened attentively and were generally charming.
I read the blog post "Getting Serious," about how I was probably going to read a story I'd finished two hours before, and then read the story I'd finished two hours before. I was really happy with how it turned out and how I read it. After the story, I sent paper airplanes out into the audience as I read some dirty bits about fucking on airplanes.
Jennifer read selections from her new novel-in-progress: the prologue and another section where the heroine meets her father. She read bravely through a wicked cold.
Chandra was an unexpected pleasure. I hadn't had time to dip into her books, so had no idea really what to expect. The first two selections she read were crazy bleak, but the punchline to the last selection was a perfect counterbalance.
Ottawa: The Dollar Store
Sun Oct 7 2007
w/
Jonathan Messinger
Jennifer Whiteford
Straight from Chicago - no boring stories, and also, there's booze.
The Avant Garde Bar
135 1/2 Besserer St.
8:00pm - 11:00pm
A small crowd, mostly family and friends. It was Thanksgiving. I read a version of the "She's So Heavy" series. My mom was there. She almost cried while I was on stage, but we talked about that period in my life for the first time in years.
Ottawa: Write Here, Write Now: A Guide to Zines, Blogs and Self-Publishing
Sat Sep 22 2007
w/
Jennifer Whiteford
@Ladyfest Ottawa
12:30 to 1:30 pm
Jack Purcell Community Centre
Jennifer brought the gems of her zine collection to show off, and had some great handouts, particularly the one about the photocopier. We had a good crowd - about 12 ladies. Some were totally into the blogging info, others were all over the zine making. They went away happy.
Ottawa: Safe Sex in the City
Thurs Aug 30 2007
w/
a whole whack of people
For the raising of funds for Canadians For Choice.
8 pm to 11 pm
ArtsCourt Theatre
I loved the Capoeira dancers, and this was the first time I got to see the Hollowtip Hearts play. I read the piece "Going Down," originally from my blog. When I got off stage, Duff whispered to me -Funny, I just wrote the regulation about brining the Herpes virus into Canada. It made me laugh really hard.
Toronto: Julia Serano's Whipping Girl
Mon Aug 27 2007
w/
Julia Serano
Ryli Skelton
Toronto Women's Bookstore
73 Harbord St.
7 pm
FREE
Julia and I had a great drive in from Ottawa, and a nice tour around Kensington and delicious vegetarian food with brown rice and kale. We were both in love with the restaurant.
A huge crowd! Nearly 100 people? So many. We got there and had to fight through the crowd to get to the place. A few familiar faces: Debra Andersen, Chanelle Gallant, Sarah Leslie.
And did I mention? Ryli Skelton is knee-weak hot.
Ottawa: Julia Serano's Whipping Girl
Sun Aug 26 2007
w/
Julia Serano
Venus Envy
320 Lisgar St
FREE
I was as blown away by Julia as I expected to be. And I love me an Ottawa audience. I can't for the life of me remember what I read, but no one threw anything, so I figure it was okay.
Halifax: Turn It UP!
July 24, 2007
w/ Andrea Miller
Venus Envy
1598 Barrington St
PWYC
About a dozen people came to hear us. Andrea read from her story in Best Lesbian Erotica 2007: it was arch and entertaining.
Ottawa: WestFestLit
June 9, 2007
w/
Frances Itani!
Andy Brown!
Joanne Proulx!
Richmond & Golden, Main Stage
11 am
FREE
A small crowd on a bright sunny morning. It was hot, and I'd overdressed terribly. I was too shy to talk to Frances Itani, but had a nice chat with Joanne Proulx. I read the blog piece "I Used to Think You Were Hot, But Now I Know You" and some poems.
Ottawa: The Skin Beneath Launch
May 16, 2007
w/
Nairne Holtz
Jennifer Whiteford
Venus Envy
320 Lisgar St.
8 pm
FREE
This was the launch for Nairne's first novel - it's a lesbian mystery, and the part she read was great. Lots of people turned out to see us all. Don't remember what I read, but I do remember it was dirty.
Ottawa: The Ms Manners and Etiquette @ Florence Gardens
February 10, 2007
w/
Agile Like This
Florence and Bay
9:30 pm
PWYC
