Editor’s Notes

Greetings Readers,

This month's poems travel the road of imagination, leading us from the mundane to the extraordinary. Our two poets are former Ottawan and active member of the creative community Kera Willis and Carleton University undergraduate Cassandra Nykyforak. Kera is now in BC and Cassandra is from Northern Ontario. In some ways you could say our October issue covers vast expanses of terrain. Adding to this coverage is rob mclennan's review of jumping in the asylum, a new poetry collection that takes us to internal landscapes of the mind and spirit by Patrick Friesen, an author who has lived in Manitoba and BC.

October is overflowing with literary activity, culminating in the Ottawa International Writers Festival at the end of month. As part of the festival is our annual celebration and memorial to the poetry of John Newlove on October 26. The evening's program includes readings by this year's award recipient and honourable mentions, the launch of rob mclennan's chapbook Miss Canada (international) and music by Neil Gerster. I hope you can join us.

Thanks to our selection committee:

Janie Beriault
Gwen Guth
Megan McGrath
Pamela Mosher
Kemisha Newman
Claudia Coutu Radmore
Sarah-Grace Ross
Carol A. Stephen
JC Sulzenko

If you have comments, suggestions, questions or a long ramble in the woods to offer, please e-mail me at amanda@bywords.ca

Stay warm and healthy as the nights grow cold, dear readers.

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Sincerely,

Amanda Earl