Lots has been happening, and I’ve been failing to update. So, here we go:
First, a new book is ready! Landforms from Leigh Nash is stitched and numbered. The book is a wonderful set of eleven concise poems that move across geography and human bodies in startling and surprising ways. Leigh is one-half of The Emergency Response Unit, one of the most exciting young chapbook presses in the country, and has her very first book with a spine forthcoming in the Fall from Mansfield, titled Goodbye, Ukulele. The book draws on poems from the full manuscript, so consider it your first chance to get your hands on this material.
In other first book news, Sandra Ridley is launching her collection Fallout (Hagios) on Saturday May 29th at The Manx in Ottawa. Sandra very generously published with Apt. 9 last fall in our first round of books, and the news of her first spined-book is very exciting. Go to the event and buy the book. See a recent interview with here. Her Apt. 9 chapbook Rest Cure also recently received two reviews: the first from Amanda Earl, and the second from Jamie Bradley. Thank you to both of them for taking the time to review a chapbook, such things are done far too rarely.
Apt. 9 was interviewed a couple times over the last few months. Ashly Dyck at the Leveller spoke with us here (p. 17), and rob mclennan gave us 12 (or 20) questions.
We’re still at work on the forthcoming William Hawkins project. However, it has since grown into two equally exciting projects. I’m going to withhold full details for the moment, but there will be some new (old) poems, as well as reprints of some of the legendary poster poems from the sixties. We’re planning a late summer/early fall release, so keep your ears peeled.
Apt. 9 will be at the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair on June 26th. However, I will not be present. Our table will be very ably manned by Justin Million and Peter Gibbon. Justin published with Apt. 9 last August, and Peter will be publishing in the near-future. Both are active in Ottawa’s small press community, and will surely have their own interesting items to get into your hands as well. We’ll have copies of Michael Blouin, Michael Dennis, Stuart Ross, and the aforementioned new book from Leigh Nash. If any of these are missing from your bookshelf, make a point of dropping by.
And that’s it. Hope to see everyone out at one reading or another.