Lisa Young

MY TYPICAL WRITING DAY? WELL, IT USUALLY STARTS IN THE MORNING But today it didn’t. And come to think of it – it is rare to get to the page every morning – but that is the aim. Before I run out of energy, time or inclination, I like to schedule writing time at the beginning of the day. But I had to go to an appointment this morning, so writing was delayed till the afternoon.  walking over slabs       of ice to our parked Yaris             city sparrows sing *** THERE IS SO MUCH HOPE NESTLED IN MY PLAN TO WRITE But when it finally comes down to putting pen to page – I’m already doubting how much can be done. I mean writing isn’t a linear journey. It’s not as if I can plan to write a poem in an afternoon – writing has a mind of its own – or at least poetry does. There seems to be a contradiction at work when it comes to putting aside time to write. Even a half hour dev...

Ten questions to keep in mind Choosing which Magazines to Submit to There are so many journals that it can be hard to choose. Here are some key questions to ask yourself to narrow them down: 1. What literary magazines do you like that match your writing style? It’s important to get a sense of the publications you’re going to submit to. Read a recent issue. You’ll have a better idea of what pieces you have that match the editorial aesthetic of the magazine and vice versa, not to mention that it’s worthwhile to read as much as you can in your genre.  2. Are you looking for a print magazine? An online magazine? Both? These days, writers are seeing the value of online magazines, which are readily accessible to readers. However, print magazines are still coveted by many writers, especially if they’re available in bookstores and newsstands. Some publications have their issues both online and in print—a decided advantage. Where would you ideally like to see you...

“ The truth, and the vulnerability of sharing it, is liberation. ” Robin Richardson is the author of two full-length collections of poetry, and is Editor-in-Chief at   Minola Review, a Journal of Women’s Arts & Letters .    Her work has been shortlisted for the Walrus Poetry Prize, CBC Poetry Award, Lemon Hound Poetry Prize, and ReLit Award and has won the John B. Santorini Award and the Joan T. Baldwin Award. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in many journals including POETRY , Tin House , Arc , The North American Review , and Hazlitt of Random House. She holds an MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College and BA in Design from OCAD University. Richardson’s latest collection, Sit How You Want , is forthcoming with V é hicule Press. She is represented by Samantha Haywood at Transatlantic Agency, who is working with her debut memoir this year.  A couple of weeks ago, Robin Ric...

In this  Hollywood , art is all "lies, connivance and darkness."   Kindle Edition (Biblioasis, 2016) Scrolling through the books on Biblioasis'  website ,  The Camera Always Lies , a novel by Hugh Hood, caught my eye. It's described as a story about " Hollywood politics and one woman’s struggle to survive them." I was intrigued, not only by the promise of an insider's view, but to boot, the main character is a woman. Sold. (Not to mention Hugh Hood's bio, which in itself is impressive.) I read the novel over two evenings and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Set in 1966-67, this is a very dark look at  Hollywood  filmmaking. Love and Art are all but extinguished in this Holly-land. The greed, lust and misogyny are palpable. Hugh Hood strikes the right balance by injecting humour into the mix. Even the truly "bad guys" are funny. And the overall statement Hood is making about art versus commercialism/careerism elevates ...

“I found myself in an Akashic Wood.”  Sonia Di Placido's poems, essays, and other writings have appeared in blogs, literary print and online journals such as   The Toronto Quarterly ,   Carousel ,   The Puritan ,   The White Wall Review   38,   Jacket2 , The California Journal of Women Writers , and the  Canthius Journal . Two anthologies worthy of mention:   Walk Myself Home, An Anthology of Violence Against Women   (Caitlin Press), and   The Poet to Poet Anthology (Guernica Editions). Sonia’s first full-length collection of poetry,   Exaltation in Cadmium Red , launched in 2012 with Guernica Editions. Her second book of poems with Guernica Editions is forthcoming in 2018. Sonia's also currently working on an epistolary series about poetry and writing.  Sonia's latest chapbook, The Akashic Wood ,  was published this past spring by LyricalMyrical Press. The opening quote by Emily Dickinson (from...

“ I didn’t have to challenge myself. Numerous challenges emerged on their own. ” BIOGRAPHICAL INFO: Michael Fraser has been published in numerous national and international anthologies and journals including:   Paris Atlantic ,   Arc , CV2 , and   The Caribbean Writer . He won   ARC ’s Reader’s Choice award for 2012, and was included in the Best Canadian Poetry in English 2013 . He won   FreeFall ’s  2014 and 2015 Poetry Contests. His latest book is   To Greet Yourself Arriving (Tightrope Books). He is the creator and former director of the Plasticine Poetry Series.  Michael’s second collection of poetry   To Greet Yourself Arriving   was recently published by Tightrope Books. As the title suggests, this collection explores self-awareness, fragmented selves, and the best self. Some of the poems are portraits of people who have accomplished rare achievements, such as Bob Marley, Joe Frazier, Maya Angelou and Barack Ob...