Wow. I’ve been MIA in so many areas of my life, and certainly the areas relating to Descant - my apologies! I started a new full-time gig working as Promotions and Marketing Manager for Between the Lines Press ,so my off-time has been limited. If you think I’ve ignored you, you should see my kitchen. But here are some things to report:

* I launched my first novel called Bottle Rocket Hearts this week in Toronto as part of This is Not a Reading Series. If I can figure out how to, I’ll include my video trailer below. I also recieved a favourable reviewed in the Toronto Star (“lively & winsome” + “coupland-esque” even:), and Now gave me four Ns and a rave. I’ve made a hundred photocopies of it, which I’ll be using to wallpaper my kitchen.

* I’ve attended some great literary events, namely the launch of Thea Lim’s first novel (with the new and exciting literary press Invisible Publishing) titled The Same Woman. It explores women’s relationships and how they can be affected by our culture, whether for better or for worse. Thea was a charming and delightful reader, and the Toronto Women’s Bookstore sold out of copies in no time. I can’t wait to have the time to read it.
* I’m rounding up my “stage” ( a Quebec-ism, too tired to remember the english word - short-term job? contract?) at Notre Dame Academy, where I’ve been teaching creative writing to three high school classes every Monday since February as part of Descant’s Writers in the Schools Program. They’re a really bright bunch of girls, and I’m encouraging them to submit work to SWAT’s anthology of student work. I certainly hope they do.
* As usual I’ve received my fair share of review copies this spring and am very excited to read both Nairne Holtz’s lesbian mystery novel and Anne Stone’s new novel. I’ve already skimmed Emily Holton’s graphic novel and thought, once again, about wallpapering my house with it.

Julie Wilson, of SeenReading fame, is starting an ambitious new project that has to do with barns, story-telling, touring and literature. She’s a real idea machine, and I wonder if she’s an aquarius. That would explain a lot.