Upcoming Events and Workshops
Where We Meet
The CAA-Toronto Branch meetings are held in Room 200, Northern District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd (one block north of Eglinton Ave, west of Yonge St) 7-9 p.m. on every third Thursday of the month from September to June.
The library is on the subway line, Eglinton stop. Paid parking is available. The library's Website includes a map and other information.
Questions?
If you have questions about our events or workshops, please e-mail .
Events: Sorted by Date
Upcoming events are sorted chronologically by date. Archived events are sorted by reverse date order (oldest at the bottom).
Upcoming Meetings
May 15, 2008
Robert Morgan, Publisher, BookLand Press, Toronto
Robert will focus on current publishing trends, approaches to publishers, and the steps to a successful submission process.
Several authors published by BookLand Press are members of CAA.
BookLand Press is sponsoring the Annual Canadian Aid Literary Award Contest. The contest runs from May to September and the winning author receives a Trade Book Publishing Contract with BookLand Press.
June, July & August
There are no events held in the summer.
Past Meetings
Archived events are sorted by reverse date order (oldest at the bottom).
April 17, 2008
A Writer's Circle
Moderator: Jake Hogeterp
We would like to do something different for our April meeting. Instead of a speaker, we'll talk to each other-in the form of a Writers' Circle. Everyone will be asked to bring along one page of their own writing.
Here's how it will work:
- One page only, double-spaced, 12 point font. Time constraints mean strict compliance will be observed;
- Bring 15 copies for circulation to the group;
- Each piece will be read aloud by the author or author's chosen delegate;
- Each member of the circle will have an opportunity to comment on each piece (1-2 minutes).
This is a chance for everyone to bring their talents (hidden or otherwise) to the open and to the scrutiny of fellow writers, all of whom are dedicated to the promotion of writing, in all styles and genres, at its best.
For more information please . Please don't miss this opportunity to critique and be critiqued.
March 20, 2008
Paul Butler, A Novelist, Editor, Freelance Journalist
The presentation will focus on crafting the novel: weaving two stories and the process of plotting, time transitions, etc….
Presenter:
Paul's most recent historical novels, NaGeira (2006), published by Pennywell Books (Flanker Press), Easton's Gold (2005), and Easton (2004) are set in seventeenth century Newfoundland, England, and the Caribbean. They explore aspects of the New World's "pre-history" and speculate on the influences that may have gone into creating a sense of destiny in nascent New World societies. Originally from the UK, Paul settled in St John's in 1994, via an 18-month spell teaching English as a second language in Greece. He is married to the writer, Maura Hanrahan.
February 21, 2008
Hilary McMahon, a Literary Agent at Westwood Creative Artists Agency
Presenter:
Westwood Creative Artists is Canada's largest literary agency, representing more than 300 writers including Yann Martel, Barbara Gowdy and Rohinton Mistry. Agent Hilary McMahon has more than 70 clients on her roster, including Booker-longlisted fiction writers John Bemrose and Lewis DeSoto, bestselling young-adult writer Susan Juby, and children's author and illustrator Eric Hill, creator of the Spot series. Her non-fiction clients include John Lawrence Reynolds, Lisa Rochon and Maggie Siggins. Please see www.wcaltd.com for more information.
January 17, 2008
Anthony Dalton, Author and Public Speaker
Presenter:
Anthony Dalton is an author and public speaker. He writes non-fiction books, about the sea and about exploration. His illustrated non-fiction articles have been published in magazines and newspapers in twenty countries and nine languages. As a public speaker he has appeared at conventions, conferences and meetings across Canada and the USA. See www.anthonydalton.com for more information.
December 20, 2007
Member Readings
Literary readings by our members, followed by a social gathering.
E-mail , president, if members wish to read from their published books or works in progress (about 10 minutes each).
No admission fee for this event. Everyone is welcome.
November 17, 2007
Special Workshop on Crafting the Novel
"Plotting with Spontaneity" by Leo Brent Robillard
Brent will discuss his methods for plotting and managing the novel while maintaining room for spontaneity and fresh ideas that arrive while writing.
Location and Fee:
- Room 224BC, Northern District Library
- 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Non-members: $40.00
- Free to CAA Toronto members
- Contact to register.
Presenter:
Leo Brent Robillard is the author of two critically acclaimed novels, Leaving Wyoming and Houdini's Shadow. His writing has appeared in literary journals abroad, including CV2, Grain, The Fiddlehead; across Canada in Prairie Fire, and Verandah.
November 15, 2007
Leo Brent Robillard: The Writing Life
Presentation:
Brent will talk frankly about his experience writing, editing, and publishing in Canada's literary press over the last fifteen years.
Presenter:
Leo Brent Robillard is the author of two critically acclaimed novels, Leaving Wyoming and Houdini's Shadow. His writing has appeared in literary journals abroad, including CV2, Grain, The Fiddlehead; across Canada in Prairie Fire, and Verandah.
October 18, 2007
Albert Dumont, a Storyteller, a Poet, a Community Activist: Aboriginal Narrative
Presentation:
Albert Dumont's workshop will discuss the differences between mainstream and native narrative from a "traditional" perspective, and the techniques he uses to place himself in the world before assimilation. He will explain how he attempts to connect with his ancestors, capture their words to describe an experience, an event, or a dream, and write as if he speaking directly to them.
Presenter:
Albert Dumont is a poet, a storyteller, and a community activist who has been walking the "red road" for all of his 17 years of sobriety. He has published a book of short stories and poetry and two books of poetry. A number of native and non-native organizations have featured his work in their promotions, including the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health and the Native Veterans Association. Albert has dedicated his life to promoting Aboriginal spirituality and protecting the rights of Aboriginal peoples particularly those that affect the young of our community.
September 30, 2007
Word on the Street
The CAA Toronto Branch will have a booth at the annual Word on the Street festival on Sunday, September 30 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Queens Park.
CAA Booth Location
The Canadian Authors Association booth will be in the Writers Block section ( just north of St. Joseph St on Queens Park East.) The map of WOTS will be published in the Toronto Star sometime before Sept. 30.
Please Stop By
Members of our executive will be on hand to answer questions about the CAA.
You are invited to visit and say hello.
Members Invited to Join Us
Members, please join us and bring your published and self-published books for sale and signing. Please note: You will be responsible for your own sales transactions.
September 20, 2007
Larry Hoffman, Literary Agent, Authors' Marketing Services: How to hook a literary agent, get published, and become a success, not necessarily in this order
Presentation:
Please join us for our first fall meeting and welcome Larry Hoffman, a literary agent and the founder of Authors' Marketing Services Ltd in Toronto.
Presenter:
Rick Blechta has been a musician all his life, and it shows in his writing. He brings a musician's viewpoint to the thriller genre in much the same way Dick Francis brought the expert horseman's eye. The results are "most entertaining" to quote the Regina Leader Post. All of his novels have been praised for the "insider's knowledge of the music world" (Canadian Book Review Annual) which he injects into his plots. The Calgary Herald said in a review of his most recent novel, When Hell Freezes Over, "If this is the future of crime writing in Canada, it's a bright one indeed." His previous novel, Cemetery of the Nameless, was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Best Novel Award in 2006.
Rick has been very active in CWC, holding every executive position, including president for two terms, from 2005 to 2007. He also twice edited the organization's directory of members’ works, In Cold Blood; handled all production and design duties for CWC's infamous cookbooks, Dishes to Die For and Dishes to Die for…Again; and was co-editor of the newsletter, Fingerprints. In 2000, the CWC presented him with the Derrick Murdoch Award in recognition of his contributions to the organization.
Selected Bibliography:
- Knock on Wood. Toronto: Castlefield Press, 1992
- The Lark Ascending. Toronto: Castlefield Press, 1993
- Shooting Straight in the Dark. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2002
- Cemetery of the Nameless. Toronto: RendezVous Crime, 2005
- When Hell Freezes Over. Toronto: RendezVous Crime, 2006
- A Case of You. Toronto: RendezVous Crime, coming in spring of 2008
Awards:
- Winner, Crime Writers of Canada Derrick Murdoch Award, 2000
- Shortlisted, Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel, 2006, for Cemetery of the Nameless
Website:
Presenter: CANCELLED due to illness
Larry Hoffman, Literary Agent, Authors' Marketing Services.
Bio:
In Larry's words, here is the background to his agency:
Over the last almost thirty years, I have been privileged to represent such writers as Margeret Gibson, Doug Fetherling, John S. Crosbie, Janet Rosenstock, Dennis Adair, Dennis Jones, Martin Kendrick, the honourable David Kilgour, Robert S. Lavers, Dr. Evelyn K. Sommers, Dr. Mark Nagler, Dr. Gideon Koren, the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, Andy Higgins, Professor John Crispo, Vic Parsons, Victor Suthren, David Matas, Robert Matas and Dr. Rubin "Hurricane" Carter.
Since we began our agency in 1978, we have sold over 750 books to publishers around the world. At the same time, we have optioned the film rights to a number of the properties we represent. Most of our sales are in North America, where we have placed our authors with many of the biggest and best publishing houses. Among those houses are: Avon, Ballantine, Bantam, Berkley, Crown, Dell, Doubleday, Fawcett, Harlequin, Holt, Key-Porter, Lester Publishing, Little Brown, Macmillan, Morrow, New American Library, Penguin, Pocketbooks, Prentice-Hall, Random House, Simon & Schuster, St. Martin's, Zebra and many more. Through our network of international publishers and sub-agents, we have further enabled many of our authors to be published abroad. Among the countries in which they are published are: England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, Greece, Turkey and Israel.
I have been in the book business since 1961, starting in a small chain of book stores in New York City, later picking up a Master's degree in history from the University of Toronto which enabled me to get a job at Coles, where I became Director of Marketing. In 1978, I formed Authors' Marketing Services, a literary agency, and have been hard at work (more or less) ever since.
As information becomes available for the new year, the agenda and bios for meetings held in prior years are moved to the Past Events and Workshops page.
www.canauthorstoronto.org/events.html
Updated: April 17, 2008