Can-Con 2025 notes

In Mid-October, we tabled at Can-Con, Ottawa's Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Convention at the Brook Street Hotel in Kanata with fab co-pilot AJ Dolman and fab Christian Baines, writer of urban queer paranormal novels, down from Toronto. Attending, tabling and sometimes paneling this con has been our little tradition for several years. We compare notes afterwards ovet supper, perhaps commiserating over a drink. Or four, depending on how things went.

I was selling my novel Town & Train and collection Fear Itself. Or, rather, trying to. Read on.

On the upside, we had some great chats. Looking atchoo', Christopher Shorewick, K. M. Greyburn, Derek Newman-Stille, Dwayne MacKinnon, of the Out Of The Basement Podcast, and the other James by our booth. Our table also talked to other writers and vendors and attended some interesting panels. Heck, I even chatted with a friendly spectacled attendee with the elfin ears at the giveaway table. She read an entire chapbook by Renaissance author R. Haven instead of taking it because it was the last copy. 

However, on the downside, book sales hit a record low, perhaps because of the con's move to Kanata, in Ottawa's far-flung west end.  Also, a noticeable absence was staple Can-Con shutterbug James Coughlan, a professional who volunteers his time each fall. 

As someone who pens hotror, fantasy, sci fi, lit, poetry and book reviews,  I find that the SFF set doesn't quite know how to handle talking with me beyond the niceties of attending a conference or quite what panels to invite me on, save the usual horror-themed and writers''group-themed ones. 

My usual trusty tactic, to redeem myself of the oil-and-water mix vibe of the con, is to pitch a particular publisher a project idea. Three times in a row (and two years running), I have successfully pitched projects. Not so, this time out. The publisher I usually talk to canceled its pitch sessions without explanation, save for a note on the sign-up sheet. I tried to sign up at the last minute with another publisher. However, the list was full. Although I added my name to the sign-up sheet in case of a cancellation, nobody cancelled. 

So, with my mood thus affected, the abysmal sales didn't help.  The lack of takers crushed the morale at the table, and our spirits. The lengthy daily commute was often over 30 minutes in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 417.

If the con returns to downtown, as has been the case for over a decade, we might reconsider attending. For now, though, our trio made the tough call afterwards. We will not be returning next fall. The cost of the booth, registering for the con (about $90 each for the weekend; panelists must, in fact, register), as well as gas and food expenses, all mean that attending this con, at least for us, has cons that far outweigh the pros. 

Reading with Amanda Earl & AJ Dolman at the Pump

Had a terrific reading with co-pilot AJ Dolman and Amanda Earl at the the Lieutenant's Pump in Ottawa this Sunday. Monsters abounded in our work—vampires, transphobic parents and shapeshifters, including my  longtime pal John Newman, whom I have had the pleasure to know since high school.

In "John Newman, you'll not catch me", he is pitted against a vile shapeshifter in a race through the forest to save the dreams of the residents of a sleepy small-town suburb. 

What an honour that Amanda made this happen.

Made possible by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Writers' Union of Canada.

Summer of the Event wraps up

So, that's a wrap on a phenomenal  Ottawa Capital Pride, and on our Summer of the Event for AJ n' me.

We made the rounds. Im late June, I read at the pre-Ottawa Small Press Fair. And in good company! Mahaila Smith, Manahil Bandukwala, Jay Millar, Pearl Pirie, yours truly and MA|DE (Jade Wallace and Mark Laliberte). It was a Ottawa pre-small press fair reading on Friday to a packed Anina's Café, organized by pal rob mcLennan. The next day, with Christian Baines, we sold books at the Ottawa Small Press Fair. 

We also boothed at Pride Toronto with Christian Baines, me, organizer-writer Dorianne Emerton, AJ, and JM Freeman, and sold Stevie Mikayne's books in absentia. I read with the same fine bunch at Super Bargain Cocktail Bar.

And, lest this modicum of fame should go to my head, I grappled with insomnia at both events.

A few weeks later, I shared a fine July 24 reading at Winnipeg's fine Raven's End: The Horror Book Shop, a fine new business that opened last fall.

That's me, SM Beiko, Keith Cadieux, and fab thoughtful host Susie Moloney talking writing craft—new projects; pandemic fiction ideas, parental fear and having writin' ideas. I said some stuff, which was hopefully coherent and thought-provoking, being off my game at the outset from the uber dropping me at bookstore owner Chelsea's place instead of the readong venue and pulked away wotj my side bag.

SM's a terrifically prolific writer, Keith has a bunch of dishes on the stove and Susie treated us to.a scene from her horror novel-in-progress. Trigger warnings abounded (or should have?) regarding teeth and even moths.

Luckily, though, my co-pilot AJ Dolman lent me reading glasses, answered the returning uber driver's fall for me, and got the bag back. The full audience was terrific, also bought books. My colleagues are very talented and superb readers. As I said, I bet  on winning horses.

On August 21, we held our first Queer Indy Authors reading at T's All Welcoming Pub, hosted by Eden Moore. It featured AJ Dolman, Natalie Hanna, Chris Johnson, Stevie Mikayne and yours truly. 

For the Pride Street Festival, we had the first Bi+ Canada booth, Canada's national, not-for-profit first bi-rights organization, having incorporated a month ago. A stunning 110 folks signed up for the bi-monthly newsletter.

With Pride's end, we have reached the end of our summer road. 

Here are pics from Capital Pride. That's AJ Dolman talking to her first peep for the brand-new B Canada booth.

There I am with Pride pals Emilie and Wanda. 

Here are pics from Capital Pride, including before shots of Bank Street. 

The Queers for Palestine march forced the parade to cancel. Pride continues to be a feisty ground of protest and free expression, where its roots run deep.

Our first demonstrations were in 1971. Too many police raids on Toronto bathhouses in the early eighties also became the tipping point for many Canadian queers who had enough persecution.

Now that is September, I have dteams, and writing projects, to attend to and need time to reflect and set to work.