Another Dysfunctional Cancer Poem Anthology Successful Ottawa Launch

On November 21, I ran a very successful Ottawa launch at the Sawdust Reading Series of Another Dysfunctional Cancer Poem Anthology (from Mansfield Press) co-edited by Meaghan Strimas and the last Priscila Uppal.

I was lucky enough to appear on CBC Radio's All In a Day talking to host Alan Neal, earlier in the day, along with anthology co-editor Strimas, to give the launch an on-air boost. The interview's here but I also blogged about it briefly.

While I've had poems published in magazines and online and in chapbooks, etc., this is my first placement in a book-book. As well, this was the first time that my partner, writer and poet Anita Dolman, also saw a poem in print in the same book.

The reading on the cold winter night was was touching. We had a good crowd, of at least 50 attendees, at Bar Robo. Sawdust Reading Series director Jennifer Pederson was deferential, and extremely accommodating, as we had a couple of contributors with mobility issues. 

The vibe of the room was warm, between the short open mic, overseen by host and series assistant director Liam Burke, and the contributors and organizers all giving props to Meaghan Strimas, myself, Mansfield Press publisher and editor Denis De Klerck and Sawdust. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Denis, and commiserated with him that he should have taken the train instead of driving. He gave Anita and I a copy of Priscila's last poetry collection, for which I am very grateful.

I hadn't hosted in a while, so I only did the first set, while Jennifer did the second (my choice), but I was met with great enthusiasm, as I knew nearly every contributor there. That said, I availed of myself well, I thought, even thanking my ten-year-old son on the couch in front frow (his copy of the third installment of The Hunger Games trilogy in his lap). 

I even got to be the connection between many generations of poets, from the poets I booked for the Tree Reading Series from 1999 to 2005, and newer contributors, such as Rusty Priske, and walking events such our good friend rob mclennan and younger writers who are series regulars. For me, a highlight of the evening was passing Arc Poetry Magazine managing editor Chris Johnson immersed in a conversation with walking event rob mclennan in front of the bar, discussing Montreal-based poet Artie Gold.

Thank you, Jennifer Pederson and the The Sawdust Reading Series, for a smoothly and thoughtfully run show (now for just over four-and-a-half years, she told me!) and publisher Denis De Klerck of Mansfield Press for being gracious and Meaghan Strimas for all the coordination - in other words, for making it all happen. Thanks to my partner, the fine writer Anita Dolman for giving a shout-out as well for my sister Kim Moran MacIntosh, as I did in conversation with Alan Neal on CBC Radio's All in a Day. Thank you, the great audience in attendance and, of course, all the writers I have known from my event-running and, of course, my fellow contributors, for bringing light and community effort to darkness. So, yes, feeling gifted.