July 28th, 2012

Readings and Writing, Past and Future

I’m thinking it’s going to be a European summer on Rose-coloured–ie., nothing much will get accomplished in August. But here are some snaps from a reading that took place in July, and a small list below of things up coming once unproductive August is over.

Fred Addis, Leacock Festival organizer and warm-hearted host (and BBQ master) kicking off the Happy Hour.

Me, reading at the Leacock Festival’s Happy Hour last weekend.

The wonderful Ken Babstock, whose reading from *Methodist Hatchet* was genuinely as thoughtful as this photo looks.

Mark Kingwell, the guiding force behind Happy Hour, reading an essay about poetry and suicide that was far more inspiring than you might think.

The Happy Hour was a really great event, and I’m only sorry that we couldn’t have stayed longer to see more Leacock Festival readings. And Orillia–so gorgeous! I went in a lake!!

Ok, onwards–in the fall I’ll have a couple new stories out and do a couple fun readings, so here’s where to go if you miss me:

My story, “Everyone Likes a Little Guy” will be in the September issue of The Rusty Toque.

My story, “The House that Modern Art Built” will be in the fall issue of PRISM international.

I’ll be doing a reading or two at the Vancouver International Writers’ Festival October 16-21 (exact dates and times to come)

I’ll be doing a reading and Q&A at the Carlingwood Library in Ottawa on Saturday November 24, 2-3 pm.

So there’s some stuff for me to look forward to, and hopefully some of you guys, too. And of course I’m open to adding to this slate, if opportunities come along!!

April 1st, 2012

Maritime University Tour with Amy Jones

…was so fun! As the last major block of touring I’ll do for *The Big Dream* (there are still some one-offs to come this spring/summer [and maybe fall]), it was so delightful to have lovely venues, warm hosts, engaged audiences, and a stellar reading companion (basically constant companion). Here are some of the highlights:

The Halifax waterfront--a bit chilly, still lovely.

Amy at the Waterfront--also looking a bit chilly, but entirely lovely.

Post-St. Mary's reading, at the Bistro, with Alexander MacLeod, Amy, Zach Wells, me, and Brian Bartlett

This is one of Amy's mom's THREE cats, Ben. It is a very happy household.

Professor Wanda Campbell starting off the readings at Acadia University.

Amy, batting cleanup at Acadia.

The whole gang from the University of New Brunswick creative-writing team had dinner with us. So friendly!

Me, doing air-quotes, at the UNB reading.

May 3rd, 2011

Good stuff

While I continue to try to sort myself out on writing new work, some of the older stuff is getting published. The new issue of Prairie Fire arrived today, containing my short story, “Dream Big.” And at long last, coming soon to an online ordering system near you, The Milan Review has my story “Dykadelic.”

You also might be wondering which picture finally got chosen for the book jacket of *The Big Dream.* It’s this one:

It got the second-most votes, but it has the advantages of a) being very clear that it’s on a bus and b) showing my characteristic Rebecca-chin-tilt.

The image with the most votes, by a good margin, actually, was this one:

That will one will definitely come in handy for various other publications and publicity materials where my head won’t look teeny-tiny in the midst of all that red.

The photographer Dave Kemp, who took all these shots, actually prepped a third one for print/web use, this one:

Because it’s just a classy, straight-ahead portrait.

So I feel I’m pretty well-equipped to face the world, photographically, anyway.

April 25th, 2011

Just wanted to mention

…that my article on advice columns (one of my favourite things) is in the April Issue of Aggregation Magazine.

Also, thanks to all who voted on my author photo–much appreciated! If you haven’t yet but still want to, please view the photos and post your favourite in the comments on that post by noonish tomorrow, at which point I hope to wrap things up. Interestingly: *all* of the photos have a reasonable number of votes.

Ok, that’s it for now!

April 21st, 2011

Rebecca’s author photo–you can vote!

So sometimes being a writer in my own little way is pretty much the best thing on earth, because it gives me license to do strange projects in the name of art, and to enlist others. Last weekend, I got to do my dream photo-shoot, which was me on a bus, being semi-serious, semi-goofball. Thanks–so much–to Dave Kemp for humouring me in this endeavour. It was as fun as I thought it would be–maybe more.

Here (below) are the links to my top 5 pictures (selected with J and the photographer’s help). What is your favourite? I can actually keep two, to use in different situations if I want, so it’s ok if you declare a tie:

Selection 1
Selection 2
Selection 3
Selection 4
Selection 5

April 12th, 2010

Bits and Bobs

The always wondrous Kerry Clare has found another of her own kind, ie., another fascinatingly bookish Kerry! This one is poet Kerry Ryan, and their interview together is really insightful. A small example:

“KR: Well, domestic subjects are easy to come by; we’re constantly surrounded by them. But that doesn’t make it easy fruit to reach — there’s always the challenge of finding the aspects of everyday experiences or objects (especially the ones everyone is familiar with) worth the attention of a poem.”

I don’t look at a lot of photo blogs because, well, I don’t have much technical insight into photography, and to just look at image after image, day after day, on a strictly “That’s so awesome!” level, I must agree with the photographer pretty closely on the definition of awesome. I agree *very* closely with Brooklyn Codger about awesomeness–check this out, and tell me if you are surprised that her real name turns out to be Rebecca. Her posts are generally one (or more) of my favourite things: 1) things found on the ground, 2) cats, 3) food, 4) books (quite often, 1 and 4 combine), 5) cityscapes, 6) craft projects (ok, I don’t get much out of crafts, but BC is so charming I go with it). Now go look at the whole blog and see if you agree about the awesomeness.

You can read a little interview with me over on the Now Hear This blog, posted in anticipation of my reading for them, next Wednesday at 7pm at the Free Times Cafe. It’s been ages since I’ve done a reading in town, leastwise one that was public, so I’m really excited (ok, I’m always excited about readings). What to read, what to read…
RR

July 31st, 2009

More good stuff

This week is full of good things I can recommend in a quick list, which is good because this week is also scant on time for me to write longer blog posts. So enjoy the fruits of others’ labours:

Annabel Lyon does 12 or 20 with rob mclennan (have I mentioned recently how much I love this series?)

The Hart House Players’ outdoor production of Romeo & Juliet runs until Saturday and is highly highly recommended. The spot on Philospher’s Walk is beautiful and even you know the Walk, you probably haven’t been there before (I hadn’t–there’s a grassy park on top of flight of cement stairs!) Also, and most importantly, the cast as amazing, free and relaxed and passionate, which is how I like to see Shakespeare. They play the characters young and silly and bawdy, and Mercutio and Benvolio’s banter is an especial delight. Another highlight is Juliet, a role that often gets played as a pretty hysteric. Here, Cosette Derome makes the 13-year-old lover human and funny in her giggly ardour, and later in her wretched but wry sorrow. When I looked up Derome in the program, I was surprised-but-not-really to find she’d been in my favourite play of the summer, 36 Little Plays about Hopeless Girls. I wonder what else she’s going to be in…whatever it is, I’d watch it!

Steven W. Beattie‘s desk is now viewable on Desk Space. I also love this series a lot; there are no bounds to my nosiness about fellow writers!

And finally, a while back I talked books and bars with Ian Daffern at the Victory Cafe and Dave Kemp photographed the proceedings. The result is a slideshow feature at Open Book Toronto called Open Bar. I think it’s pretty cool.

Ok, now I’m outie for the holiday. Happy Civ–I promise to write something with real paragraphs next week!

Stay with me / go places
RR

March 22nd, 2009

Elsewheres

I’ve been posting elsewhere again, Writers Writing Blogs and This is a call, both at Thirsty. You are encouraged to read, and, if so inclined, answer the call!!

But I never answered his letter
RR

August 27th, 2008

Everybody blog!

At That Shakespeherian Rag, Nigel Beale refuses the Salon de Refuses, and at Thirsty, Dan Wells refuses back. Intersection is blogging again, but I just found out. My Tragic Right Hip has been blogging for a while, but I just discovered her existence and coolness.

My friend C. has no personal internet presence sadly, but does have a very cool iPhone. I have nothing new to say about anything, but I was happier about being photographed with an iPhone than this photograph would lead you to believe. On the positive side, I no longer hate my hair. On the negative side, my horoscope continues to advise patience. Hence the eye-roll?

Does he get lost / hey what are you reading?
RR

August 12th, 2008

Mayumi

So, yes, I did it: I bought a digital camera. It doesn’t usually take this much Sturm und Drang to buy a camera (or a house) but I have a tough time with electronics. Thanks to all who supported me in my invented problem, and thanks especially to the subject of my first digital photo, beautiful Afshan in the unbeautiful rain:

The other major event of the weekend was a haircut that reduced my attractively uninteresting (boringly benign?) shoulder length curls into the Emo-Boy Special–a jaw-length tangle that flips over my entire face the moment I nod. Leaning forward, I could be in My Chemical Romance. *You* try to guess the difference:

See, impossible to tell who’s who!!

Look forward to more amusing guessing games of this nature with the help of Mayumi. Mayumi is the camera–I name my appliances to make them seem less threatening, and this camera is of Japanese parentage.

My heart is far away / tell me what to say
RR