Rebecca Rosenblum on Book Clubs

Here's an interesting post on book clubs from Rebecca Rosenblum's newly relocated (and sharply designed) blog.

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Two of Rebecca Rosenblum's short stories, "Christmas with My Mother" and "The Weatherboy," are available as digital downloads from Rattling Books, or can be purchased as part of the EarLit Shorts 4 anthology.

Steven Heighton on Doing Double Duty

Steven Heighton has written an interesting piece on being both a poet and a fiction writer for The National Post. Read it here.

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Steven Heighton's short story, "The Dead are More Visible," is available as a digital download from Rattling Books. It was published as part of the EarLit Shorts 3 anthology.

Atlantic Canada Reads

Salty Ink is running an Atlantic Canadian version of Canada Reads. It's called (drumroll, please) Atlantic Canada Reads. Natch.

There are six contenders, among them, Kenneth J. Harvey's Blackstrap Hawco, Lisa Moore's February, and Kathleen Winter's Annabel.

Visit the website to learn more and to cast your votes.

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Open, Lisa Moore's highly acclaimed collection of short stories, is available as an unabridge audio book from Rattling Books. The stories from Open can also be purchased as individual digital downloads.

Three of Kathleen Winter's short stories, "The Destination," "Sleep Little Baby," and "His Brown Face" are available as individual digital downloads from rattlingbooks.com, or as part of the EarLit Shorts 1 anthology of short fiction.

Michael Winter in The Walrus

The incomparable Walrus (see how they run like pigs from a gun) has published a new piece by Michael Winter, illustrated by Seth. It's an excerpt from Winter's upcoming book, The Death of Donna Whalen.

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The Big Why, Michael Winter's fictional treatment of artist Rockwell Kent's turbulent sojourn in Newfoundland, is available as an unabridged audiobook from Rattling Books.

Leslie Vryenhoek's Scrabble Lessons

This is something we should have drawn attention to a while ago, but didn't. Leslie Vryenhoek's Scrabble Lessons receives a nice little profile on the website of Salty Ink. Vryenhoek's collection is well worth reading, for anyone who appreciates the short story form--or, for that matter, for anyone who enjoys razor sharp writing.

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Two of Leslie Vryenhoek's stories, "All She Swallowed" and "Cycle" are available as digital downloads from Rattling Books. Both stories are also available as part of the EarLit Shorts 4 anthology of short fiction.

Jessica Grant Interviews

In case you haven't yet come across them, here are two interviews with Jessica Grant, author of the Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award-winning book, Come, Thou Tortoise.

The first interview is from the website of The National Post. Click here to read it. The second is from Salty Ink, a website dedicated to Atlantic Canadian writers and writing. Read it here.
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Jessica Grant's story, "The Princification Process," is available as a digital download from Rattling Books. It also appears in the anthology EarLit Shorts 3. Her short story collection, Making Light of Tragedy, is forthcoming in the fall of 2010 as a Rattling Books unabridged audiobook.

Jennifer Barrett – Solo Show

If you haven't already (and you happen to be in St. John's), drop down to the Leyton Gallery of Fine Art on Clift's-Baird's Cove to see a solo exhibition of artwork by Jennifer Barrett. Outdoorsy runs until June 20th, so there's still time to see her fabulously vibrant artwork.

Among other things, Jennifer is known for her devilishly funny cartoon strip, Werebears and Only Children, from the St. John's alternative newspaper The Scope.

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Jennifer Barrett is the creator of the audiobook-crazy razorbills that adorn Rattling Books' current catalogue of titles.

bpNichol Chapbook Award Shortlist

We're pleased to announce that Newfoundland poet Mark Callanan's Sea Legend, a chapbook of poems recently published by Frog Hollow Press, has been nominated for this year's bpNichol Chapbook Poetry Award.

The other nominees are Larissa Lai for Eggs in the Basement, Alisha Piercey for You have hair like flags, flags that point in many directions at once but cannot pinpoint land when lost at sea, and Aaron Tucker for Apartments.

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Mark Callanan is currently working with Rattling Books to develop its catalogue of poetry titles.

EarLit Shorts Audio Anthology Series Call for Submissions

EarLit Shorts, the signature audio short fiction anthology series from Rattling Books is calling for submissions.

Submission Deadline: August 15, 2010

Rattling Books is seeking previously unpublished short fiction for EarLit Shorts, a series of audio anthologies. Stories will be available on-line, singly or collectively, as digital downloads.

EarLit Shorts was launched in the fall of 2008 with works by Jessica Grant, Steven Heighton, Joel Thomas Hynes, Kathleen Winter, Russell Wangersky and many others. There are currently four anthologies available in the EarLit Shorts series. EarLit Shorts 5 and EarLit Shorts 6 are forthcoming in 2010.

To be eligible, submissions must

· be previously unpublished between the covers of a book (i.e. stories which have appeared in periodicals are eligible);

· be between 500 and 8,000 words in length.

There are two ways to submit:

Send previously unpublished stories and a cover letter to Rattling Books, General Delivery, Tors Cove, NL, Canada A0A 4A0.

Send your story or stories and a cover letter to earlit.submissions@gmail.com.

Entries must be postmarked on or before August 15, 2010.

Submissions will not be returned.

Stories included in the EarLit Shorts series are subject to a royalty based publishing contract.

Steven Heighton Interviewed in The Walrus

Rattling Books author Steven Heighton talks to The Walrus about his latest novel, Every Lost Country.

Heighton's story, "The Dead Are More Visible," is available from Rattling Books as part of the Earlit Shorts short fiction series.

Jessica Grant's "Come Thou Tortoise" wins 2009Amazon.ca First Novel Award

Jessica Grant takes Amazon First Novel prize

Mark Medley, National Post Published: Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Jessica Grant's Come, Thou Tortoise has been named the winner of the 2009 Amazon.caFirst Novel Award.

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=2958907#ixzz0mO2daaNQ

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You can download Jessica Grant reading her short story The Princification Process from rattlingbooks.com.

Poets Mark Callanan and Mary Dalton celebrate Seamus Heaney April 13, St. John's, NL

Celebrating Seamus Heaney (St. John’s): Celebrate the birthday of the greatest English language poet and Nobel prize winner Seamus Heaney with local poets Mary Dalton and Mark Callanan, and with Brid Falconer, a native of Ireland who is teaching Gaelic at Memorial University this year. Hosted by Michael Boyle. Tuesday, April 13 at 8 p.m., Coffee and Company, Water Street.

Read a short biography of Seamus Heaney.

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Merrybegot, a collection of poems by Mary Dalton read by Anita Best is available from Rattling Books.

Jessica Grant's Come, Thou Tortoise wins the Winterset Award

Hot on the heels of winning the Canada Also Reads award Jessica Grant has won the 2009 Winterset Award for her first novel Come, Thou Tortoise.

The Winterset Award celebrates excellence in Newfoundland and Labrador writing and comes with a cash prize of $5000. The two other finalists are Michael Crummey for Galore and Lisa Moore for February. They each received a prize of $1000.

Come, Thou Tortoise, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada of Toronto, was one of 32 works by Newfoundland and Labrador authors (either native-born or resident) submitted by publishers from across the country.

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You can hear Jessica Grant reading her story The Princification Process at rattlingbooks.com.

Delia and Phil, a new audio short story from Rattling Books by Chris Benjamin, read by Charlie Tomlinson

Delia and Phil
by Chris Benjamin

read by Charlie Tomlinson

Delia and Phil is the newest short fiction "single" digital download from Rattling Books. It is the penultimate story in the completion of EarLit Shorts 4, the next anthology of audio short stories in the EarLit Shorts series.

Chris Benjamin is a journalist and author presently based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His first novel, Drive-by Saviours, won the Percy Prize for best novel in the Atlantic Writing Competition.

New audio short fiction by Leslie Vryenhoek, read by Joel Thomas Hynes from the EarLit Shorts series

Cycle
by Leslie Vryenhoek

narrated by Joel Thomas Hynes
Cycle, by Leslie Vryenhoek is the latest short fiction "single" digital download to be released from the upcoming EarLit Shorts 4 anthology of short fiction from Rattling Books.Leslie Vryenhoek's debut book of short stories, Scrabble Lessons, was published in 2009 by Oolichan Books.

March Hare 2010 line up includes Anita Best, Michael Crummey, Joel Thomas Hynes and Ron Hynes

2010 Schedule

March Hare West

The Brass Taps (College St.), Toronto
Friday 5 March, 8:00 pm & Saturday 6 March, 2:00 pm
featuring Lloyd Bartlett, Michael Crummey, Antony Christie, Anthony Da Sa, Randall Maggs, Pamela Morgan, Sara Tilley, Ron Hynes (Friday only), Stephen Brunt (Friday only), Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall (Saturday only), Caroline Rowe (Saturday only).

East Hare

Masonic Lodge, St John’s
Wednesday, 10 March, 8:00 pm
featuring Jan Conn, Dermot Healy, Joel Hynes, Ron Hynes, Alayna Munce, Andreae Callanan, Randall Maggs, Ellen Power, Allan Ricketts, Kelly Russell.

Eric’s Time

Albatross Hotel, Gander
Thursday 11 March, 7:30 pm
featuring Gina Brown, Matthew Byrne, Jan Conn, Michael Crummey, Paul Dean, Stan Dragland, Dermot Healy, Joel Hynes, Ron Hynes, Alayna Munce, Steve Rowe, Kelly Russell, Gord Quinton, Sara Tilley, Eric West.

“A Swamp Tune in My Head”

The Glynmill Inn, Corner Brook
Friday 12 March, 8:00 pm
featuring The Byrnes, Michael Crummey, Tom Dawe, Stan Dragland, Gerry Squires, Ron Hynes, Pamela Morgan, Stephanie Payne, Larry Small, Gord Quinton, Sara Tilley, Des Walsh.

The Rocky Show

Fisherman’s Landing, Rocky Harbour
Friday 12 March, 8:00 pm
featuring Paul Barry, Anita Best, Paul Dean, Randall Maggs, Shirley Montague, Alayna Munce, Daniel Payne, Linda Slade, Baxter Wareham.

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

The Legion, Corner Brook
Saturday 13 March, 1:00 pm
featuring Elinor Benjamin, Daniel Payne, the Sir Wilfred Grenfell Acting Troupe.

The High School Show

The Tudor Room, Glynmill Inn, Corner Brook
Saturday, 13 March, 2:00 pm
Tara Manuel, Alayna Munce, 8 student artists.

Pittman’s Fancy

The Legion, Corner Brook
Saturday 13 March, 8:00 pm
featuring Anita Best, Allan Byrne, Matthew Byrne, Jan Conn, Paul Dean, Dermot Healy, Joel Hynes, Ron Hynes, Randall Maggs, Tara Manuel, Kelly Russell, Baxter Wareham, and the New Poet.

The Sunday Soiree

King Henry’s Pub, the Glynmill Inn, Corner Brook
Sunday, 14 March, 2:00 pm
Paul Barry, Anita Best, Allan Byrne, Joe Byrne, Matthew Byrne, Pat Byrne, Nadine Hollett, Ron Hynes, Pamela Morgan, Charlie Payne, Daniel Payne, Stephanie Payne, Gord Quinton, Kelly Russell, Linda Slade, Des Walsh, Don Walsh, Baxter Wareham.
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N.B. Anita Best, Michael Crummey, Joel Thomas Hynes and Ron Hynes are among the authors and performers available from Rattling Books, a small but fine audio publisher based in Newfoundland.

Fantasy Apparel by J.J. Steinfeld read by Charlie Tomlinson, the latest downloadable short fiction from Rattling Books

Fantasy Apparel
by J.J. Steinfeld

narrated by Charlie Tomlinson
Fantasy Apparel, by J.J. Steinfeld is the latest short fiction "single" digital download to be released from the upcoming EarLit Shorts 4 anthology of short fiction from Rattling Books.
Fiction writer, poet, and playwright J. J. Steinfeld lives hidden away on Prince Edward Island, where he is patiently waiting for Godot’s arrival and a phone call from Kafka.

Sherry White's film "Crackie" is a narrative feature at New York's Museum of Modern Art this month.

Telefilm and MoMA bring seventh Canadian Front to New York audiences

Mar 2, 2010 2:00:00 PM

MONTREAL, March 2 /CNW Telbec/ - The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, in association with Telefilm Canada, will present the seventh annual Canadian Front showcase from March 17 to March 22, 2010. The yearly survey of new Canadian cinema showcases eight films made over the last 18 months....

Narrative Feature

Crackie - Written and directed by Sherry White. With Mary Walsh, Meghan Greeley, Cheryl Wells, Joel Thomas Hynes, Kristin Booth. Mitsy, a teenager enduring a hardscrabble adolescence with her grandmother, discovers a dog she wants to love; contemplates sex with a local boy; and, despite her grandmother's wish never to see her own daughter again, hopes her estranged mother will return to Newfoundland. Be careful what you wish for. White's debut film sensitively illuminates the confusion of youth and the dramatic collision of three generations of women.

Read the whole article here.

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Lisa Moore writes an autobiographical reflection on grief for the Gaurdian

This week's Gaurdian features an autobiographical reflection on grief by Lisa Moore.

The Guardian, Saturday 27 February 2010

Lisa Moore's most recent book is February, published in Canada by House of Anansi Press.

Audio recordings of Moore's short fiction from the collection entitled Open can be downloaded from rattlingbooks.com.

Open by Lisa Moore included in Amazon.ca's Books of the Decade

Open

by Lisa Moore

among Amazon.ca's "The Books of the Decade: 2000-2009"

Lay your ears on the unabridged audio edition here.

Narrated by Lisa Moore, Holly Hogan and Mary Lewis.

New EarLit short fiction "single" by Michael Collins available as digital download from rattlingbooks.com

Slip

by Michael Collins

narrated by Joel Thomas Hynes
Slip, by Michael Collins, is the latest short fiction "single" digital download to be released from the upcoming EarLit Shorts 4 anthology of short fiction from Rattling Books.
Michael Collins is a native of Southeast Placentia, Newfoundland. He is the recent recipient of the Lawrence Jackson Memorial Award, for a book-length piece of "geographical philosophy".

New EarLit short fiction "single" by Rebecca Rosenblum available as a digital download from Rattling Books

Christmas With My Mother

by Rebecca Rosenblum

narrated by Janet Russell

A new short fiction digital download "single"
from Rattling Books.

New story by Robin McGrath available as an EarLit digital download from Rattling Books

The Birchy Maid by Robin McGrath

read by Anita Best

now available

as an EarLit mp3 digital download "single" from rattlingbooks.com

This new story by Robin McGrath is part of the upcoming EarLit 4 anthology of short fiction from Rattling Books.

Leslie Vryenhoek releases debut collection of short fiction

Scrabble Lessons

a collection of short fiction by Leslie Vryenhoek

published by the Canadian literary press Oolichan Books launched November 17, 2009 by the author in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Leslie Vryenhoek's work has won the Eden Mills Literary Festival competition, the Cahoots Fiction contest and the Dalton Camp Award, and placed in the Sheldon Currie Fiction Contest (The Antigonish Review) and This Magazine’s Great Canadian Literary Hunt.

All She Swallowed, one of the fifteen stories found in Scrabble Lessons is also available as an audio digital download read by the author, from Rattling Books.

Bella's Tree illustrations by Jirina Marton win Governor General's Award

Congratulations to Jirina Marton, winner of a Governor General's Literary Award for Illustration for Bella's Tree

Children’s Literature – Illustration
Jirina Marton, Colborne (Ontario), Bella’s Tree, text by Janet Russell.(Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)

Jirina Marton’s illustrations invite the reader to a winter landscape full of textures and subtle, earthy colour palettes. The Van Gogh-like interior and its warm tones create a holiday season mood that evokes an emotional response. The illustrations are well crafted and capture the imagination and humanity of the everyday lives they portray.

Janet Russell of Rattling Books publishes childrens Christmas story with Groundwood Books

Bella's Tree

By Janet Russell

Illustrated by Jirina Marton

published by Groundwood Books

is now available online from groundwoodbooks.com

Andy Jones gives first performance as MUN's new Writer in Residence on Oct 1

Andy Jones will give his first performance as writer-in-residence at Memorial University of Newfoundland on Oct. 1 at Petro Canada Hall at 8 p.m. Admission and parking is free.

On Nov. 23, he will give an afternoon workshop at the Holyrood Library, followed by an evening performance there; both events are free and open to the general public.

Seán Virgo reading at the Ship Inn, St. John's on Monday, Sept 28

WANL Monthly Reading Series featuring Seán Virgo (St. John's):

Monday, September 28th, at 7 p.m. at The Ship.

For more information, view WANL's readings & signings page. This reading is sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Bio below is from the WANL website.

Seán Virgo is a fiction writer, poet, playwright, actor, director, editor, and teacher. His most recent book is a collection of short stories, Begging Questions (Exile Editions, 2007). He has also published several collections of poetry, the most recent being Nonagaon Fugue (JackPine Press, 2006). He was a founder of TickleAce, Newfoundland and Labrador's first literary journal. His work has won various awards, including the CBC Competition (first prize for fiction, 1979); the BBC 3 Short Story Competition (first prize, 1980); and National Magazine Awards (first prizes for both Poetry [1979] and Fiction [1990]). He has just completed his term as the Haig-Brown Centenary writer-in-residence.

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Several short stories by Seán Virgo will appear in upcoming installments of EarLit Shorts, a series of audio short fiction anthologies edited by Susan Rendell and Janet Russell for Rattling Books.

Robin McGrath launches new novel The Winterhouse Sept 22 in St. John's Newfoundland

Book Launch

Robin McGrath launches new novel The Winterhouse, (Creative Book Publishing)

Bianca’s-Water St

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Tuesday September 22 from 6pm-8pm

Joel Thomas Hynes performs "Say Nothing Saw Wood" on stages in St. John's and Toronto

Joel Thomas Hynes will perform his dramatic monologue Say Nothing Saw Wood in St. John's and Toronto this summer.

St. John's, Newfoundland
July 17 - 19, 8 pm
Arts and Culture Centre Basement Theatre
Box Office phone: (709) 729-3900

Toronto, Ontario
August 7 - 12
Summerworks Theatre Festival
Factory Theatre Mainstage
125 Bathurst Street
Box Office phone: (416) 504-9971

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Say Nothing Saw Wood , written and performed by Joel Thomas Hynes is available in audio format as part of the EarLit Shorts series of short fiction anthologies from Rattling Books. It appears in EarLit Shorts 1 and is also available as a Short Fiction Single (mp3 digital download).