Past Events and Workshops
An Archive
This an archive listing of Branch events and workshops. Please see Upcoming Events and Workshops for the most recent information.
Note: Dates and information were accurate at the time of the original meeting, but may no longer be accurate or available.
June 19, 2008
Annual General Meeting
Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on June 19 will take place from 8:15 to 9:00 p.m. at our usual location, Room 200, Northern District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd.
From 7:00 to 8:15, our members are invited to read (up to ten minutes each) from their works. Please to place your name on the list of readers (if you have not done so already).
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.
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.
June 21, 2007
AGM/Elections and Member readings
The third annual general meeting (AGM) and elections of the Toronto branch of the CAA will be held on June 21, 2007 in Room 200, Northern District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd. between 7-9 p.m.
After the AGM, members will read from their stories, poems, novels or work in progress.
May 17, 2007
Memories into Story: An Introduction to Memoir Writing
Everyone’s life is made up of stories, and yours are really good ones—ones you believe deserve to be in print. But where do you begin? How do you shake your hidden memories loose, organize them, find a structure for your memoir, decide on your theme, voice and tone? Through exercises we'll explore easy and fun ways to tap into your mental attic full of treasures, as well as examine how fictional techniques function in literary memoir. We'll also discuss issues inherent to the genre, including the sticky one of truth, and how to write through the “hard stuff.”
Whether you're writing for family and friends, or to reach a wider audience, this workshop will inspire you. It's never too early to start your memoir.
Presenter:
Allyson Latta, a freelance editor of literary fiction and non-fiction, has contributed to hundreds of titles, including many memoirs and journals, written by award-winning authors both in Canada and abroad. She teaches a popular online memoir writing course for Ryerson University's Senior Centre, and has facilitated workshops for libraries, writing and editing classes, independent writing groups and elementary school students.
Allyson is a graduate of Carleton University's School of Journalism and has been a newspaper reporter, magazine features writer and film reviewer. Among her most recent editorial projects is A Memoir of Friendship, the letters between Carol Shields and Blanche Howard, and an upcoming memoir by the wife of former prime minister of Jamaica, Michael Manley.
April 19, 2007
Stuck in the Middle
What To Do When Your Novel Loses Steam in the Middle
Novels can start with a bang and you think you are off to the races – climax is riveting and even the ending may be working out – if you have managed to get that far. But what about the middle? Sometimes the middle stalls – the plot may be losing steam, the characters may want to curl up and take a nap and your creative juices seem to have left for Mars – permanently. What's a writer to do?
In this seminar we will look briefly at the components of a novel, then in more detail at the middle part and how to get over the stalled hump that can occur. In a combination of lecture and exercises, we will explore what can cause the mid-novel stall and some techniques to get over it. We will also do an exercise to help overcome writer's block – often at the root of this problem. Bring pens, pencils, writing paper, or laptop and questions about your novel stuck in the middle.
Presenter:
Sharon Crawford is a writer and editor who makes words sparkle. Her articles and book reviews have appeared in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Toronto Life, Quill & Quire, The Country Connection and CheckUP Magazine and her short stories in the Wordscape Anthologies. Sharon edits novels and short stories, was Writer in Residence for the CAA Toronto Branch (2001 to 2003), taught Copyediting at George Brown College, and runs the East End Writers' Group.
She is a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada, Crime Writers of Canada and the Editors' Association of Canada. Currently, she is writing a creative non-fiction/memoir and short stories featuring fraternal twin private investigators.
March 15, 2007
The Nuts and Bolts of Fiction Writing
Presenter:
Richard Scarsbrook will discuss aspects of getting fiction into print, from editing and revising, to web and print resources, to submitting to the magazines and book publishers.
Bio:
Richard Scarsbrook is a Toronto-based author. His fiction and poetry have been widely published in magazines and journals, and have won several prizes and awards. His first novel, Cheeseburger Subversive (Thistledown Press, 2003), was short-listed for the CLA Book of the Year Award, the OLA White Pine Award, and the Stellar Book Award. His two new fiction releases are Featherless Bipeds (Thistledown Press, 2006), the eagerly anticipated sequel to Cheeseburger Subversive, and Destiny's Telescope (Turnstone Press, 2006), a collection of literary short stories. Richard teaches creative writing courses at George Brown College and Humber College, as well as singing and playing the drums in a couple of bands.
February 15, 2007
Workshop: Avoiding Agent Angst—The Dos and Don'ts of Getting–and Keeping–an Agent
Presenter:
Eve Silver, author of gothic historical novels.
The Workshop:
Her workshop will cover the following areas:
First contact:
- Research
- Communication: e-mail vs. snail mail
- Get the basics right: spelling, grammar, punctuation
- Formal first
- The reality of an agent's day—there really are fires to put out
- Personalized approach
- Pitch your book, and yourself
- Know your target market
- Know when to follow up
Signing with an agent:
- Written vs. verbal contract
- "in-perpetuity" clause
- how fast will the book sell?
- A question of trust
- Need to know basis—how much is too much?
Goal Setting:
- Set and revise—as your career progresses, your goals change
- Agents sell, publishing houses buy—have realistic expectations
- Get with the program—jump on opportunities that come your way
Communication is key:
- Telephone vs. email
- Agenting is a business
- Don't step on your agent's toes…you'll cut yourself off at the knees: let your agent negotiate with your editor
- Talk about concerns as they arise—a festering wound can be lethal
- Agent as intermediary
Bio:
Eve Silver writes gothic historicals for Kensington's Zebra imprint, dark paranormals for Warner Books, and futuristics for Dorchester Publishing. An instructor of human anatomy and microbiology, she holds two post-secondary degrees. Eve lives with her husband, two sons, an energetic Airedale terrier and an enormous rabbit.
Contact Eve through her Website at www.evesilver.net.
January 18, 2007
Coach House Books
Presenters:
Our January speakers will be Alana Wilcox, senior editor of Coach House Books and Luciana Ricciutelli, editor-in-chief at Inanna Publications and Education Inc. Luciana is one of the contributors to the anthology Mama Mia: Good Italian Girls Talk Back.
Bios:
Alana Wilcox is the Senior Editor of Coach House Books. She is currently the Chair of the Literary Press Group, an association of fifty literary presses across Canada. A former literary editor at This magazine, Alana has worked as a freelance writer and editor and served on many writing and publishing juries. She is also the author of a novel, A Grammar of Endings, published by The Mercury Press.
Luciana Ricciutelli has been editor-in-chief at Inanna Publications and Education Inc. since 1992, as well as the editor of Inanna's highly regarded feminist academic journal, Canadian Woman Studies/les cahiers de la femme. She is a co-editor of a collection of essays, Feminist Politics, Activism and Vision: Local and Global Challenges, which was co-published by Zed Books in the UK in 2004.
The Focus:
The focus of her talk will be on the kind of publishing they do and the submission process.
Dec. 21, 2006
Member Readings
Our member, Anand Mahadevan will read from his debut novel Strike that was launched on Nov. 5 by TSAR publisher.
E-mail the president, if members wish to read from their published books or works in progress (about 10 minutes each).
After the readings, the group will head down to the pub in the basement of the library building for some Christmas cheer.
No admission fee for this event. Everyone is welcome.
Nov. 25, 2006
Crafting the Short Story: Workshop with Sharon Crawford.
What makes a good short story? Plot? Character? Or both? Whose point of view do you use? Do you need dialogue or will narrative only work? What about setting? Style? Voice? Length? Beginning?
Learn how to blend these ingredients to write a short story that sparkles. In this hands-on workshop, participants will take a story idea and follow it through with practical writing exercises. You won't have a complete short story, but you will have the basic techniques and the inspiration to write one.
We will also discuss writing contests and other markets. November 25, 2006, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room 200, Northern District Public Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd. (Yonge and Eglinton), Toronto, Ontario.
Registration and Fee:
Cost is $30 (free to CAA members). Contact Jake Hogeterp to register.
Presenter:
Sharon Crawford is a writer and editor who makes words sparkle. Her articles and book reviews have appeared in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Toronto Life, Quill & Quire, The Country Connection and CheckUP Magazine and her short stories in the Wordscape Anthologies. Sharon edits novels and short stories, was Writer in Residence for the CAA Toronto Branch (2001 to 2003), taught Copyediting at George Brown College, and runs the East End Writers' Group.
She is a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada, Crime Writers of Canada and the Editors' Association of Canada. Currently, she is writing a creative non-fiction/memoir and short stories featuring fraternal twin private investigators.
Nov. 16, 2006
Launch of Anthology: Stumbling Through Darkness.
The anthology of the CAA-Toronto Branch will be launched at the Northern District Library, Room 200, at 7 p.m.. on Nov. 16, 2006. Contributors and their family and friends are invited to attend.
There is no admission fee.
Edeet Ravel, prize-winning novelist, will preside at the launch ceremony.
Published by the Wingate Press, the anthology contains works of poetry, short fiction and non-fiction by our branch members. Stacey Newman, the publisher, is now a member of our branch.
Details of the content are given in the anthology section of this website.
About Edeet Ravel:
Edeet Ravel was born on a kibbutz near the Lebanese border (Sasa, formerly Sa'asa, a Palestinian village) and lived there until she was seven. Her parents then left for Montreal, their place of birth, and she returned to Jerusalem at age 18 to do a BA and MA in English Literature.
After five years of studies Ravel moved back to Canada, where she completed an MA and PhD in Jewish Studies at McGill, in Biblical Exegesis, and an MA in Creative Writing at Concordia University. She taught for two decades (Holocaust Studies, Hebrew Literature and Biblical Exegesis at McGill, Creative Writing at Concordia University, and English Literature at John Abbott College).
Ravel has a daughter, Larissa, who is nineteen, and they now live in Guelph, Ontario.
Her Fiction:
Lovers A Midrash
Winner of the Norma Epstein National Fiction Award.
Ten Thousand Lovers
Finalist for Governor General's Award; finalist for Koret Jewish Book Award; finalist for Quebec Writers Federation Award; Quill and Quire, five best books of the year; Hadassah WZO, top five recommended novels of the year; Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award Shortlist.
Look For Me
Winner of the Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction.
A Wall Of Light
Finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Canada/Caribbean Commonwealth Prize; Winner of the Canadian Jewish Book Award.
Oct. 19, 2006
Dundurn Press
Presenter:
Michael Carroll, editorial director at The Dundurn Group in Toronto, will address our October meeting.
Bio:
Michael was previously the publisher at Beach Holme Publishing in Vancouver from 1999 to 2005. Before that he was managing editor at Raincoast Books, Vancouver and senior editor at Stoddart Publishing and House of Anansi Press, Toronto. He has edited and acquired books in most genres, including business, politics, history, sociology, cultural studies, biographies/memoirs, environmentalism, nature and outdoors, adult and young adult fiction, children's picture books, poetry, travel literature and guides, music, art and architecture, environmentalism, cookery, fitness, health, self-help, and sports.
As a writer, he has written numerous features and reviews on jazz, rock, and folk music, as well as on film, art, theatre, sports, and books for publications such as the Georgia Straight, the Globe and Mail, the Vancouver Sun, and Vancouver magazine. He has also published short stories in literary journals such as The New Quarterly, the University of Windsor Review, and the University of Toronto Review. In 1984 he won First Prize in the University of Toronto's Hart House Short Fiction Competition. His mystery novel, Dead False, was published by Mercury Press in 1998, and in 2001 he published The Concise Encyclopedia of Hockey with Douglas & McIntyre (Greystone Books)
About Dundurn Press
The Dundurn Group was founded by J. Kirk Howard in Toronto in 1972 and next year will celebrate its thirty-fifth anniversary. Dundurn publishes a wide range of books under various imprints: Sandcastle (junior children's fiction), Boardwalk (teen fiction), Simon & Pierre (adult literary fiction), Castle Street Mysteries (adult mystery novels), and Hounslow (paranormal, true crime, regional history, trivia). Dundurn is also a noted publisher of Canadian general and military history and books about politics, currents affairs, art, architecture, biography, and travel.
Sept. 24, 2006
Word on the Street
The CAA Toronto Branch will have a booth at the annual Word on the Street festival on Sunday, September 24 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Queens Park Crescent.
CAA Booth Location
Our booth, Canadian Authors Association, will be in the Writers Block section, #WB-14, just north of Wellesley St. West and St. Joseph St. on Queens Park Crescent East.
Please Stop By
Members of our executive will be on hand to answer questions about the CAA. Books by members will be on sale as well as giveaways of past CAA anthologies.
You are invited to visit and say hello.
Sept. 21, 2006
Contracts, Copyright, Contempt and Calumny: Legal Dos and Don'ts of the Writing Life.
Presenter:
Jeffrey Miller, lawyer, writer, translator, and a musician. His current legal practice focuses on clients in the arts and entertainment communities.
Bio:
Jeffrey Miller is a writer, translator, lawyer, and musician. His most recent books include Murder's Out of Tune and Murder at Osgoode Hall (the first two novels in a comic courtroom mystery series narrated by Amicus the cat), as well as Ardor in the Court: Sex and the Law and the essay collection Where There's Life There's Lawsuits, a finalist for the Arthur Ellis non-fiction award, 2004. For 23 years, he has been a columnist with the Lawyers Weekly and acts as legal counsel to Crime Writers of Canada.
He originally practised law on Bay Street, specializing in media law, libel, and commercial litigation. During law school, he worked with the chief judge of the criminal division of the Ontario Provincial Court and for the Special Prosecutions and Criminal Appeals division of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General. His current practice focuses on clients in the arts and entertainment communities.
His writing has been described as "Mark Twain meets Rumpole of the Bailey." He is also a passionate student and player of traditional music, especially Irish traditional and klezmer musics, and is the semi-official musical director for the band, Celtic Schmeltic.
June 15, 2006
AGM/Elections and Member Readings
The second annual general meeting (AGM) of the re-launched Toronto branch of the CAA Toronto Branch will be held on June 15, 2006 in Room 200, Northern District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd. between 7-9 p.m. to transact the following business:
- To adopt the minutes of the AGM held on June 16, 2005.
- To consider matters arising from the said minutes.
- To present financial statements from June 1, 2005 to June 1, 2006.
- Discussion and adoption of the financial statements.
- Election of a new board of directors for 2006-2007.
- Any other business.
- Adjournment.
Members are encouraged to serve on the board and get acquainted with the work of the CAA, both at the branch and national levels. Nominations can be made from the floor on the day of the meeting, as well as sent in by email to the president.
After the meeting and elections, members who did not get a chance last December to read their stories from the anthology will be able to read this time. Please let Ben Antao know if you wish to read at this meeting. After the readings we shall head down to the Manchester Arms for celebration of another year of completion of our re-launched branch.
May 18, 2006
How to Write a Good Crime Novel? Learn from Crime Author Rick Blechta
Rick Blechta is a musician first, a writer second. When he combines the two, he produces magic with an intense, suspenseful story that will not let you go. His novel Cemetery of the Nameless is hard to put down, according to the Globe & Mail.
Rick has been very active in the CWC, holding virtually every executive position. He is currently the President of CWC. He also twice edited the organization's directory of members works, In Cold Blood, handled all production duties for the CWC's infamous cookbook Dishes to Die For, 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.
April 20, 2006
Humour Writing: Tips from Ian Darling, editorial writer for the Kitchener Record, and author of Go Ask Dad: Fathers are Nice Guys
Mr. Darling started writing this book because he had a little experience being an overworked, under-rated Dad. He has appeared on TV and radio programs, including Canada AM and Breakfast TV.
March 16, 2006
What makes a crime story successful? Learn from Crime Author, Dennis Richard Murphy.
Dennis Murphy is an award-winning film maker as well as a writer, director and producer. In addition, he has become Canada's pre-eminent crime fiction short story writer. His Dead in the Water, the deathbed confession of the man who killed artist Tom Thomson, won the Bloody Words crime writers' conference "Bony Pete" award and was shortlisted for the Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Award.
February 16, 2006
Get Writing Tips from Director of Humber School for Writers—Antanas Sileika
Antanas Sileika is a writer and artistic director of the Humber School for Writers. His Woman in Bronze (Random House, 2004) was listed as a Globe best book, and his Buying on Time (Porcupine's Quill, 1997) was shortlisted for the Leacock and City of Toronto awards. In addition to writing fiction, he writes for magazines and is a freelance broadcaster and winner of a National Magazine Award.
January 19, 2006
Experience Freefall Writing with Author Barbara Turner-Vesselago
Speaker Barbara's novel, No News but Kindness, was chosen as a finalist for the 2001 Chapters/Robertson Davies Book Prize. She is also the author of Freefall: Writing Without a Parachute (The Writing Space, 1996) and author/editor of Skelton at Sixty (The Porcupine's Quill, 1986). In 1995, she was chosen as one of six "Voices of the Nineties" to lecture on creativity at the University of Western Australia.
FREEFALL is a method some writers discover spontaneously, but many have to (re)learn: the technique of writing from the larger Self, beyond reach of the ego and its censors.
For more information on this speaker, visit her Website at www.freefallwriting.com.
June 16, 2005
Carolyn Weaver host of the hit television program, Fine Print and AGM/Election
Carolyn Weaver is the producer and host of four book television programs. She launched Fine Print, a book club format show, in 2001 and followed this up with BioLibrary and Tech Books. This Spring she launched her fourth series called Weaver which is an hour show that is subject driven but includes a book anchor. The shows air on the following channels: Book Television, Rogers, Biography Channel, Canadian Learning Television, Court TV, Tech TV, MSNBC and OMNI Television. She has also launched Fine Print magazine which is going to be Website-driven in its revised format.
For more information on Carolyn, visit www.fineprintonline.com.
May 19, 2005
Deep Genre: Taking the Thriller Beyond Cheap Thrills with author Barbara Kyle
Barbara Kyle is the best selling author of five thriller novels published by Penguin USA and Warner Books, New York. She writes under her own name and also under the pen name "Stephen Kyle."
Her Stephen Kyle novel, Beyond Recall, has sold over 110,000 copies in paperback so Barbara knows about writing thrillers that sell. In her books, the thriller is more than high stakes and countdowns, it's a means to carry serious issues to the widest possible audience. In Beyond Recall, environmental degradation exacerbated by overpopulation. In After Shock, it's the abuse of science by the American military-industrial complex. In The Experiment, it's our god-like powers of biotechnology. And always, Barbara's characters, confronting moral conflicts, are people to care deeply about.
Do readers want high message mixed with thrills? Do publishers "get it?" Hear Barbara talk about the challenges and rewards of writing the Thriller. For more information on this speaker, visit her Website, www.barbarakyle.com.
April 21 , 2005
Thinking about Thinking Workshop with David Hardy
Writers reply more on thinking than most people, yet how much do you know about how you about how you think. This "heads-on" workshop covers creativity, the seven levels of change, and dealing with negativity.
David Hardy has ten years experience in Creativity/Innovation within the corporate environment and currently runs a Business Creativity and Employee Involvement department within BMO. He has a BA in psychology and sociology.
March 17, 2005
Writing Memoirs with author Edward Payne and Publisher's Visit
Come and listen to memoir writer Edward Payne as he shares his secrets to memoir writing, stories from his travels, and tips on getting published. Payne's humorous speaking style and interesting storytelling is sure to make this a night to remember. His memoir, entitled The Apricot Blooms in the Desert, was released December 2004.
Also visiting on March 17 is Stephen Newman of Wingate Press. Located in Stratford, Wingate Press publishes poetry, short stories, novels and memoirs. They pride themselves in finding writers who have produced extraordinary works, or even just ordinary works done very very well. Publishing seven books annually, they are in business to keep Canadian writers in business. Many of you want to know what it takes to be noticed in the 'slush' pile. This is your opportunity to ask a publisher directly.
February 17, 2005
The Editorial Process with author Wendy Thomas
This month, Wendy Thomas, published author of The Ontario Gardener's Resource Guide, three of the six books in the President's Choice Garden Guide Series (Care, Containers, and Bulbs) and co-author of Plantings will discuss the editorial process. Whether you have questions about how much control you have when your book is edited or whether you are considering working as a freelance editor, Wendy is the person to ask. In addition to being a published author, she also works as a freelance editor and has edited novels by Farley Mowat amongst others.
Mini Seminar: Self Editing presented by Ben Antao
Writing the first draft is the easy part. The next step is polishing your work until it is ready to go out to the publisher. But how do you know what to cut? Where do you start? What questions should you ask yourself? How do you know when your work is ready?
Ben Antao, author of Goa: A Rediscovery and president of the CAA Toronto Branch will discuss these questions in a mini-seminar.
January 20, 2005
Breaking the Logjam (an Interactive Seminar) with author Anne Toner Fung
Even the most prolific writers hit a block sometimes. Attend this workshop and participate in a variety of activities and exercises designed to activate your creative right brain, breaking through the logjam so your ideas and words can flow to paper. Join Anne Toner Fung, author of Choose Well, in this interactive seminar and get your creative juices going.
December 16, 2004
Member Open Mike
Our December 16 meeting features readings by members for the first two hours. Members will read for 10 minutes from their work (poetry, short story, article, memoir, or a scene from a novel or play). This will be done on a first-come first-served basis.
November 18, 2004
The Art of Storytelling with author David Silverberg
David Silverberg is founder and director of Suburban Spoken Word, a monthly reading series in north Toronto. He is also a performance poet and has read at the Art Bar Reading Series, Cryptic Chatters, We Still Got Words, Nik Beat's Words and Music and the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts. He is a full-time freelance journalist and has been published in Descant, Toronto Star, Quill & Quire, eye Weekly, Digital Journal, Saturday Night and Canadian Jewish News.
Mini Seminar: Writing Tips: What makes Writing Interesting presented by Ben Antao
Ben Antao is a veteran journalist and writer, having worked for major newspapers in India, U.S., and Canada, including The Globe and Mail in Toronto. He switched to a teaching career in 1976 and retired from teaching in 1998, after teaching English literature and creative writing in a Toronto high school. In 1990 he published Images of Goa, a memoir of his growing up in Goa, India. Recently, his second book, Goa a Rediscovery, an illustrated travelogue, was published in Goa. He's written short stories, novels, a play, and poetry.
October 21, 2004
Panel Discussion: Self Publishing
Richard Grove of Hidden Brook Press will discuss "Who should self-publish?"
Richard M. Grove, otherwise known to friends by his nickname, Tai, born in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1953, is now a Toronto artist, writer, photographer and publisher, father of two daughters and married to Kim. He edits and publishes poetry through his company Hidden Brook Press). Richard is the President of the Canada Cuba Literary Alliance as well as the President of the Brighton Quinte and Area Writers Group.
Gilbert Khoury will address the pros and cons of self-publishing.
Gilbert Khoury, CTM, is a professional management consultant. He has assisted major Fortune 500 firms in launching products and services successfully within a full range of industries—from finance to telecommunications. He is also a speaker, author, and a consultant. His book Bring It On! An Entrepreneur's Approach to Implementing New Products or Services Effectively is available both in book and in digital format as an e-book.
For more information, visit his Website, www.gilbertk.com.
Tracy Repchuk will discuss the marketing side of self-publishing.
Tracy is the president and founder of the Canadian Federation of Poets, Editor of Poetry Canada magazine, and author of The Poetry of Business, a book which she has toured and promoted in Canada and the US at Chapters, Indigo and Barnes and Noble. She is also the president of InnerSurf Publishing, a publishing company which represents her, as well as four other authors and growing. An entrepreneur for almost 20 years, she provides guidance, advice and serves as a role model for following your dreams.
Upcoming Meetings and Workshops
Go to the upcoming meetings and workshops listing of events for the current year.
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Updated: June 13, 2008