Swimming through Calgary’s lit scene this month
A deep blue pool of local literature beckons this month bobbing with countless authors and their new books. It’s a foamy fray like peak time at the local leisure centre so take a deep breath and dive in.
The University of Calgary English grad students’ Free Exchange Conference is coming up in March but first there’s The Free X Ain’t Free a party to help foot conference bills. The event stars DJs Chris B and Arlen as well as live music by The Ogden Owls — an indie folk act featuring poet ryan fitzpatrick. Fortunately his music sounds happier (and therefore more danceable) than his poem (see below) would have you believe. Admission is by donation at 8 p.m. on Saturday February 13 at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre.
Pages is always working hard to bring lots of great literary events to Calgary and this month is no exception. Co-presented by filling Station magazine the first event features Montreal poet Sarah Dowling reading from her latest book Security Posture and former Calgarian Larissa Lai reading from her first full-length book of poetry Automaton Biographies on Wednesday February 17 7:30 p.m. at Pages Books on Kensington.
Next set up by Pages but presented at the W.R. Castell Central Library is Olive Senor reading from her latest collection Arrival of the Snake-Woman and Other Stories as part of Black History Month on Thursday February 18 11:30 a.m. Senor also reads on Saturday February 20 2 p.m. at the Shawnessy Library.
Lastly is the launch of Linda Kupecek’s first book in the Lulu Malone mystery series Deadly Dues . Not exactly literary as far as some are concerned but let’s let this one slide; who doesn’t love a good mystery? Thursday February 18 7:30 p.m. Pages Books on Kensington.
The In(ter)ventions Conference at The Banff Centre for the Arts features several of the most innovative award-winning literary writers in digital formal performative and collaborative realms. Three main events ($10 each) make up the conference: The Showtime Kickstart Reading Performance on Thursday February 18 at 9 p.m. features Nick Montfort Daphne Marlatt and Chris Funkhouser; Showtime Two Reading Performance showcases authors Lance Olsen Erin Mouré and JR Carpenter on Friday February 19 at 8 p.m.; Showtime Three Reading Performance features Fred Wah Charles Bernstein and Kate Pullinger on Saturday February 20 at 8 p.m.
Celebrate Chinese New Year at the library with a story time reading of Mei-Mei’s Dream . It’s written and performed by award-winning poet and playwright Dale Lee Kwong and narrated by local actor and broadcaster Barb Mitchell . At the Crowfoot Library on Saturday February 20 at noon and at the Country Hills Library on Sunday February 21 at 2 p.m.
Look for a new Lit city every second Thursday of each month. Send literary events info to litcity.ffwd @gmail.com . Also don’t forget to check literary event listings toward the back of this paper.
I Want To Break Things
by ryan fitzpatrick
A closed door is like music to me. I tense up to
hold my machine against another machine. It’s
not my face that breaks. My apartment is in my
name only. I’m clearly not the one that’s inferior.
Teeth scatter into their molecular components on
to the curb and I think of proper ways to curb any
advances. I try to organize the subconscious into
a space that makes sense. I just want to be okay.
Wires knot into budget categories. I notch handles
into a vintage flag. When I say space I mean it. I
want normal vomit. A hard acid over my eyes. A
phantom crowd panic. I nail plywood over the hole.
