Editor’s Notes

Greetings dear readers,

August's issue features poems of song and spirit by three women. I hope you enjoy their work.

This month the spoken word scene is on fire with the first ever YouthCanSlam Festival taking place at the University of Ottawa; a new series of music and spoken word, Cookies and Tea, hosted by Brandon Wint; Words to Live By; and the Capital Poetry Collective's final summer slam.

Celebrate Ottawa Pride 2014 by attending a number of GLBT readings and activities in the Capital, including Reading Out Loud, the Strip Spelling Bee, and Out Proud: Stories of Pride, Courage and Social Justice.

I recently participated in an online discussion where Ottawa artists were talking about whether or not it was necessary to leave Ottawa to practice their art. Looking at the full calendar of readings, signings, spoken word showcases, slams, zine and small press fairs, festivals, writers' circles, workshops and courses in the National Capital Region, it's clear that the literary and spoken word communities are thriving and that audiences are being offered a diversity of events to attend. Take a look at the events calendar to see what this city has to offer.

Thanks to our selection committee this month:

Beth Ann Hubbert
Pamela Mosher
Kemisha Newman
Claudia Coutu Radmore
Carol A. Stephen

And a big thank you to our readers, contributors and all those who have submitted poetry, event listings, notices of workshops and publishing news this month.

If you have comments, suggestions or a fly swatter to offer, please e-mail me at amanda@bywords.ca.

For regular event updates, please follow us on Twitter or join our FaceBook fan page.

Amanda Earl