Another small press book fair come and gone, another Apt. 9 launch. It was a hectic weekend, from the pre-fair reading on Friday to the fair on Saturday to the post-fair reading on Monday, but at Apt. 9 we couldn’t have been any happier with how it all went. We bought some great books, sold some great books, got all sorts of people we love together in a room together three times in four days, and were finally able to get Jeff, Christine and Stephen’s new chapbooks into the hands of readers. A packed house in Raw Sugar on Monday night was dessert.

Amanda Earl and rob mclennan have done write-ups of what they picked up at the fair, including the Apt. 9 titles.

Jeff Blackman answered the “Writers as Readers” questionnaire at the always-fascinating Open Book: Ontario. Find out what his autobiography will be called someday, what makes him laugh, cry, and what he goes back to.

Apt. 9 also recently felt very privileged to answer some thoughtful and probing questions from Andrew Faulkner about ‘young’ people making chapbooks in Canada right now. Apt. 9 favourites Odourless Press and Ferno House were also in on it, represented by Bardia Sinaee and Mat Laporte. I had a great time answering these questions. Thanks, Andrew! And thanks, Open Book: Toronto!

In addition to having our usual table at the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair, we have just lined up a launch event for our three new titles: Monday 17 June 2013, Raw Sugar Cafe, Ottawa. Details on the poster below, and on Facebook here.

The new books are now listed on our website. They’ll be available for the first time at the Book Fair on Saturday June 15. Hope to see everyone out at both events!

Stephen Brockwell | Excerpts from Improbable Books

Christine McNair | pleasantries and other misdemeanours

Jeff Blackman | So Long As The People Are People

Apt. 9 favourite William Hawkins is being inducted into the VerseOttawa Hall of Honour as one of two inaugural inductees (Greg ‘Ritallin’ Frankson will also receive the honour). We’re absolutely thrilled. Poetry in Ottawa post-1960 is not the same without Bill Hawkins doing his thing, from the poster poems, to his long poems, his Ottawa Poems, his King Kong poems, his songwriting, his work organizing readings and music at Le Hibou, his appearances in print from Weed/Flower and Contact Press–Bill did it all in the sixties and seventies and we owe a great deal to him. Congratulations, Bill!

Apt. 9 was lucky enough to publish a long lost Hawkins sequence, Sweet & Sour Nothings, in October 2010. We’ll be reprinting the title, long since sold out, to mark the occasion. As we understand it, there will be an induction ceremony and a reading on March 17. We’ll be on hand with books, and we expect you to be there to celebrate Bill (as well as to support Versefest).

And speaking of supporting Versefest, have you donated to their Indiegogo campaign yet? There are some great perks, but more importantly you’ll be helping the festival to start off 2013 on solid footing.

We’re scheming new books for June. In the meantime, why not read this nice profile rob mclennan wrote of In/Words Magazine & Press that gives Apt. 9 more than a couple generous acknowledgements. Peter Gibbon added his two cents here.

See you in March!

 

Apt. 9 is busy scheming new books (and studying for a qualifying exam in book history) at the moment, but here are some links to help pass the time.

Apt. favourite Justin Million has a new poem up at another Apt. 9 favourite, Peter Gibbon’s Conduit Canada blog. Conduit has been running a new Sunday Canadian Poetry Round-up project for the last month. It’s a great initiative to keep track of, and one that we hope will continue.

rob mclennan put together an end-of-year list for branta focusing on Canadian poetry chapbooks of 2012. It’s a solid list, and one that makes me mourn how few of these presses I actually know anything substantial about. Apt. 9  is thrilled to see our two 2012 titles, Phil Hall’s A Rural Pen and Rachael Simpson’s Eiderdown, among such fine company. Thanks, rob!

The latest issue of ottawater went live earlier this month. It is being launch this coming Thursday. The issue has new work from a ton of great people, including Monty Reid and Ben Ladouceur whom Apt. 9 has had the joy of publishing, and a host of people we are desperate to publish (and in some cases will be publishing shortly). The launch is January 24 at the Carleton Tavern (233 Armstrong) at 7:30pm. These events can be counted on for a wide range of work from a wide range of poets. Be there.

Stay warm. Stay inside if you can. Take a nap. Read some poems!

Our launch on Saturday November 24 was a success beyond Apt. 9’s wildest dreams. Thank you to everyone who attended, thank you to Nadia and her inimitable Raw Sugar Cafe, and thank you to Claudia Coutu Radmore, Rachael Simpson, and Phil Hall for giving such wonderful readings. We were at standing room only, well over fifty people in the room. See the photos below by Jenn Huzera.

Believe it or not, the new books are completely sold out. Between the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair and the reading at Raw Sugar, Eiderdown and A Rural Pen are no longer available. Our apologies to those who missed out on the books, but Apt. 9 is also delighted by this. What a great problem to have!

Below you’ll find full audio from the reading in case you missed it for one reason or another. And did you hear Apt. 9 and the three poets interviewed by Susan Johnston on CKCU last Friday?

24 November 2012 | Introduction | Claudia Coutu Radmore | Rachael Simpson | Phil Hall and Closing Remarks

Apt. 9 has received some nice press recently in the build up to tomorrow’s reading and launch.

Susan Johnston was kind enough to host Phil Hall, Rachael Simpson, Claudia Coutu Radmore and myself on Friday Morning Special Blend this morning on CKCU 93.1. You can listen to the interview by clicking here (on the off chance that you weren’t up at 7:00am to listen!).

rob mclennan reviews the new books from Rachael Simpson and Phil Hall here.

And Pearl Pirie includes both books in her round up from the Ottawa small press book fair here.

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow afternoon for the launch. Don’t miss it!

With new books from Phil Hall and Rachael Simpson, Apt. 9 is gearing up for a very busy November. There are readings, interviews, and book fairs to keep track of. Here is what’s lined up so far:

November 14: Phil Hall gives the Inaugural Address in the Page Lectures at Queens University, Kingston

November 14: Rachael Simpson will be interviewed by Mitchell Caplan on Click Here, 5:00pm, CHUO 89.1FM

November 16: Rachael Simpson reads at the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair Pre-Fair Reading in a stellar lineup including  George Elliot Clarke, Michael Lithgow, Christian McPherson and David Blaikie, 7:00pm at the Carleton Tavern

November 17: Apt. 9 Press will be at the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair with both new books, and all available backlist titles, Noon to 5:00pm at the Jack Purcell Community Centre

November 23: Apt. 9 Press authors and publisher will be interview by Susan Johnston on Friday Morning Special Blend, 7:00am, CKCU 93.1FM

November 24: Phil Hall, Rachael Simpson, and Claudia Coutu Radmore read at the official book launch, 2:00pm at the always wonderful Raw Sugar Cafe

 

Apt. 9 Press congratulates Bardia Sinaee, who won the Walrus Poetry Prize Readers’ Choice Award last night. Kudos to The Walrus for setting up a readers’ choice award, and kudos to all of you fine people who voted.

We were lucky enough to publish a cool broadside by Bardia in June, a few short months before he left Ottawa to return to Toronto. And we are in no way surprised that he has managed to win a  significant award barely two months into his second tenure in (or around) Toronto. Heads up, GTA (but don’t forget, we were reading his poems here first!).