Editor’s Notes

Happy 2014, dear readers.

We're starting the year off with five poems and Sylvia Adams' review of Ronnie R. Brown's latest book, Un-Deferred: A Draft Dodger's Wife Remembers. I hope you'll enjoy. If you're a current or former Ottawa resident, student or worker, please send us poems. Deadlines are the 15th of each month for the next month and we pay an honorarium.

The holidays were quiet for literary and spoken word activity but the year is heating up already. The A B Series opens the season with the Ottawa launch of Arc Poetry Editor Shane Rhodes latest book, X. The recently launched Railroad Poetry Series has its opener this week also. Capital Slam begins its winter season with feature Britta B. The Dusty Owl has the funny and charming local fiction writer and poet Christian McPherson and the Ottawa Youth Poetry Slam will feature D-Lightfull. A new slam is in town, the New Shirt Slam. Urban Legends welcomes back Daniel Mark Patterson. The latest issue of Ottawater.com will launch with a reading at the Carleton Tavern and the Factory Reading Series begins its new season in February. The annual Human Library at the Ottawa Public Library happens at the end of January. Also literary and spoken word radio shows continue their weekly interviews with local writers and spoken word artists. Tree has its new winter season on line and it is packed with great features and workshops. I urge you to take a look at the calendar. 2014 will be a year of lively literary splendour.

Thanks to this month's selectors:

Fiona Mitchell
Pamela Mosher
Kemisha Newman
Catina Noble
Claudia Coutu Radmore
Sarah-Grace Ross
Carol A. Stephen
JC Sulzenko

If you have questions, comments, suggestions or a bouquet of purple tulips to offer, please e-mail me at amanda@bywords.ca

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Thanks for reading!

Amanda Earl