Quebec Writers' Federation

Confabulation presents: Coincidence — Stories of happy accidents, remarkable connections and falling out of sync
2024-05-17 20:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | La Sala Rossa, 4848 St. Laurent Boulevard, Montreal, Quebec, H2T 2R5, Canada
Confabulation Montreal presents: “Coincidence — Stories of happy accidents, remarkable connections and falling out of sync.”
Friday May 17, 2024 @ 20h
La Sala Rossa 4848 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H2T 1R5

A Complete Read-Through of G
2024-05-18 14:30 - 17:00 | Articule, 6282 rue St-Hubert, Montreal, QC, H2S 2M2, Canada
G is a sound. Phonetically, it is represented as [χ]—and corresponds to خ in the Arabic alphabet—a guttural resonance shared between Afrikaans and Persian. Poets Klara du Plessis and Khashayar “Kess” Mohammadi composed G collaboratively as an act of hospitality into their languages and now they will read through the entire translingual collection, activating the playful linguistic connections and shifts. Join them for a matinee performance, Saturday, 18 May, at articule (6282 St-Hubert, Montreal). Doors open at 230pm and the reading starts at 3pm. Books will be available at a discounted rate.

Poetry Reading
2024-05-19 08:00 - 17:00, 2024-06-16 14:00 - 15:30 | Librairie Paragraphe Bookstore, 2220 McGill College Ave, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 3P9, Canada
Paragraphe Bookstore, 2220 McGill College will host Mary Dean Lee reading from her debut poetry collection, “TIDAL”, and Derek Webster from “NATIONAL ANIMAL”. They will also have a dialogue about the challenges of writing about strong emotions.

Music & Poetry with Melanie Power, Ranee Lee, and Svens Telemaque
2024-05-21 19:30 | QC
Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 7:30 pmPresbyterian College Chapel (3495 University St., McGill University, Montreal)

An evening of music and poetry with Melanie Power, Ranee Lee, and Svens Telemaque.

RANEE LEE is now celebrating over 40 years in Montreal, Quebec, where she enjoys a successful, multi-faceted career as one of Canada’s most popular jazz vocalists, an award-winning actress, a songwriter, and a proud author of children’s books. Ranee has recorded thirteen albums for Justin Time, a proud discography of acclaimed recordings that feature some of the finest jazz musicians of our time among its sidemen.

MELANIE POWER is the author of Full Moon of Afraid and Craving (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2022). Her work has appeared broadly in literary journals such as The Malahat Review, Arc Poetry Magazine, Poetry Ireland Review, Prairie Fire, Grain Magazine, Southword Journal, and elsewhere. Her poems have been shortlisted for the Montreal International Poetry Prize, Arc’s Poem of the Year Contest, as well as longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize. She is currently pursuing an interdisciplinary PhD in oral history and literature at Concordia University. Born and raised in Newfoundland, she now lives in Montreal (Tiohtià:ke).

SVENS TELEMAQUE is an activist, a spoken word artist, a prisoners’ right’s advocate and so much more. A man who had walked the side of life which could have endangered his well being, turned over a new leaf through poetry. Svens travels the world speaking at different engagements worldwide with his program Broken Crayons Still Colour.

For more information, email reception@pcmtl.ca

Headshot Clinic
2024-05-22 14:00 - 16:00 | Community Digital Arts Hub, 460 Saint-Catherine St W, Suite 511, Montreal, H3B 1A7, Canada
Interested in seeing what it takes to have a professional headshot done? The Community Digital Arts Hub has you covered. Take advantage of the Professional Headshot Clinic at the CDAH, and walk away with training in photography and lighting as well as a new headshot.

The first half-hour is a group workshop that includes guidance on perfecting your pose and expression for that killer headshot, learnings on lighting techniques that will make you look stunning, and invaluable insights into what makes a headshot truly stand out for your website or portfolio.

Afterwards, participants will receive at minimum one photo from their sitting, which will be edited by CDAH resident photographer Pantea Pezeshkan.

Don’t forget to bring two changes of outfits that represent your professional style!

Location: CDAH, 460 Sainte-Catherine West, Suite #511

Price: $30 (Regular), $20 (QWF Members), $15 (QWF Student Members)

Poetry Reading with Phil Hall and Mark Goldstein
2024-05-22 19:30 | The Word Bookstore, 469 Milton Street, Montreal, Quebec, H2X 1W3, Canada
Wednesday, May 22, 20247:30 pm ETThe Word Bookstore (469 rue Milton, Montreal)

The Word Bookstore is hosting an in-person event with Phil Hall and Mark Goldstein. Please join them as read from their new books with Beautiful Outlaw Press.

Headlight Anthology Issue 25: Launch and Readings
2024-05-23 19:00 | Librairie Pulp Books & Cafe, 3952 Wellington Street, Montreal, Quebec, H4G1V3, Canada
Thurs, May 23, 2024, 7:00 pm

Join the Headlight editorial team from Concordia’s graduate English department and fifteen incredible readers both from Concordia and from the broader Montreal literary community! Follow Headlight on Instagram for more info: @headlight_anthology

Festival Montréal Mystère / Montréal Mystery Festival
2024-05-24 16:00 - 2024-05-25 20:00 | Grande Bibliothèque de Montréal, 475 Boul. de Maisonneuve E., Montréal, Quebec, H2L 5C4, Canada
Welcome to the inaugural Montreal Mystery book festival in downtown Montreal, where the worlds of French and English literature meet. This event brings together English and French language writers for a weekend dedicated to the mystery and thriller genres. We’ll delve into intricate plots, intriguing characters, and the power of storytelling. Set against the vibrant backdrop of downtown Montreal, this festival celebrates the blend of languages, cultures, and the timeless appeal of mystery fiction.
Join us at the Grande Bibliothèque de Montréal on May 24-25, 2024 for your opportunity to hear and meet crime, mystery and thriller writers from Quebec, the rest of Canada and beyond!

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (Virtual)
2024-05-25 10:00 - 12:30 | Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
Saturday, May 25, 10:00 am–12:30 pmOnline via Zoom—RSVP below to receive the Zoom link

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Register below to do all that writing you’ve been meaning to do. Using the Pomodoro technique, participants write in 25-minute bursts, with 5-minute breaks in between.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

The Zoom link will be sent out a day or two before the session.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

10:00–10:25: Writing 110:25–10:30: Break10:30–10:55: Writing 210:55–11:00: Break11:00–11:25: Writing 311:25–11:30: Break11:30–11:55: Writing 411:55–12:00: Break12:00–12:25: Writing 5

To receive the Zoom link, RSVP below. You will receive the Zoom link a few days before the session.

Note: RSVPs for virtual Shut Up & Write! sessions close 24 hours before the session. If there is no option to RSVP, RSVPs are closed.

Summertime Singalong: A QWF Karaoke Schmoozer at the Community Digital Arts Hub
2024-05-29 17:00 - 19:00 | Community Digital Arts Hub, 460 Saint-Catherine St W, Suite 511, Montreal, H3B 1A7, Canada
Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 5:00–7:00 pm EDT

Join us for a schmoozing soiree welcoming the sunny season with QWF’s Summertime Singalong!

We’ll be hosting a 5 a 7 karaoke social event at the Community Digital Arts Hub on Wednesday, May 29. This is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow writers, showcase your vocal talents, and enjoy some summer-themed fun. Whether you have a heart-wrenching ballad, an upbeat dance song, or a fun ditty to the sun, we want to hear it!

We encourage everyone to come in their best summer attire — think bright colours, floral prints, and beach vibes! There will be book prizes for best performances, best dressed attendees, and others.

Bring your own beer, wine, or other drinks! Snacks will be served. This event is free and open to everyone, so bring your friends (and future fans). We are newcomer-friendly, and we’re excited to welcome you to this event.

We can’t wait to see (and hear) you there!

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Buddy System

If you are new to QWF and would like to have one of our members act as a buddy and introduce you to other people, please write to riley@qwf.org to request a buddy for this event.

Safer Spaces Policy

QWF is responsible for all the spaces and events that it organizes. No participant at a QWF event should be made to feel physically or psychologically unsafe, intimidated, or harassed. We will have an active listener at the event in case any untoward incident happens. Please read the full policy at this link.

Accessibility

CDAH is situated at suite 511, accessed by elevator. The doors for the front entrance, office spaces, and washrooms are not automatic. There are five steps, each 6 inches high, between the front entrance and elevators, with a handrail on the right side. A ramp is accessible by request, please contact info@cdahstudio.ca. For a more detailed accessibility overview, please review this document.

While not required, if you’re planning to attend, we ask that you fill out the RSVP below so we have an idea of how many people will be showing up.

Launch: I Will Get Off Of by Simina Banu & Good Want by Domenica Martinello
2024-05-29 19:00 | Bar le Ritz PDB, 179 Jean-Talon St. W., Montreal, Quebec, H2R 2X2, Canada
Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 7:00 pm ETBar le Ritz PDF (179 Jean-Talon St. W., Montreal)

Please join us for the launch of the new poetry collections Good Want by Domenica Martinello and I Will Get Off Of by Samina Banu.

There will be readings from Simina and Domenica as well as T. Liem and Gwen Aube.

Hosted by Tara McGowan-Ross..

Book sales from Drawn & Quarterly.

Presented by Coach House Books.

LE RITZ PDB IS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE, WITH A METAL RAMP ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT ENTRANCE. THE BAR IS LOCATED ON THE GROUND FLOOR, ITS ENTRY FACING DIRECTLY ONTO JEAN-TALON OUEST. WASHROOMS ARE ALSO WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE AND GENDER-NEUTRAL.

SpeakUp
2024-05-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Phoenix Books, 5928 Sherbrooke Street West, 5928 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC, H4A 1X7, Canada
SpeakUp​
The Montreal Inter-Active Poetry Exchange
Poets : Sierra Duffey, Martin Breul
​Join us at Phoenix Books in NDG (5928 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, Quebec H4A 1X7)
on Thursday, May 30 @ 7 PM
​for a poetry reading with a difference, AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
Each audience member receives a copy of the poems.
Each poet reads their poem, followed by a 15 to 20-minute discussion.
The poet reads their poem a final time.
​For more info or details contact us by
email MTLSpeakUp@gmail.com or on Facebook @MtlSpeakUp
GRATUITE
SpeakUp
L’Échange Interactif de Poésie de Montréal
Poètes :Sierra Duffey, Martin Breul
avec SpeakUp le public est engagé
Chaque membre de l’auditoire recevra une copie du poème.
Chaque poète lira leur poème, suivi d’une discussion de 15-20 minutes.
Le poète lira leur poème une dernière fois.

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
2024-05-31 12:30 - 15:00 | QWF Office, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3, Westmount, QC, H3Z 1X4, Canada
Friday, May 31, 12:30 pm–3:00 pmFree, In PersonQWF Office (Room 3, 1200 Atwater Ave., Westmount)

Register for the session by filling out the RSVP form below.

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Join us for an in-person Shut Up & Write session at the QWF office!

Do all that writing you’ve been meaning to do, and meet a few of your fellow QWF members. Using the Pomodoro technique, participants write in 25-minute bursts, with 5-minute breaks in between.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

12:30–12:55: Writing 112:55–1:00: Break1:00–1:25: Writing 21:25–1:30: Break1:30–1:55: Writing 31:55–2:00: Break2:00–2:25: Writing 42:25–2:30: Break2:30–2:55: Writing 5

To register, RSVP below.

Getting to the QWF Office

Our office is located on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre, in Room 3.

Address: 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3Westmount, QC H3Z 1X4

Closest Metro: Atwater Station

Closest Bus lines: 24, 63, 90, 104, 138, 144, 150

Accessibility:

The QWF Office is fully accessible by wheelchair from the side entrance on Tupper Street. Once inside, there is an elevator to the second floor, where the QWF office is.

Learn more about the office location and accessibility.

Lunch & Learn with carte blanche
2024-06-04 12:00 - 13:15 | Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
Tuesday, June 4, 12:00-1:30 pm ETOnline via ZoomFree, open to all (registration required)

Presenting carte blanche!

In this Lunch and Learn session, join Editor-in-Chief Greg Santos and Translation Editor Nicola Danby as they present an overview of carte blanche, QWF’s online literary magazine. Greg and Nicola will explain the submission, selection, editorial, and publication processes involved in running carte blanche. There will also be a dedicated Question and Answer period where attendees can ask questions about getting their work published in carte blanche, as well as the nitty-gritties of being part of this long-running institution.

The event will take place in time for the June 15 deadline of carte blanche‘s 49th Issue “Play.” If you intend to submit for that issue, or if you want to be armed with the knowledge of what editors are looking for in a submission, don’t miss out on this session!

Free and open to all.To get the Zoom link: Register by filling out the RSVP form below. After filling out the RSVP form, you will receive the Zoom link by email the day before the event or shortly before it begins. For problems RSVPing or getting the Zoom link, contact John Wickham at john@qwf.org.

This event will be recorded and published on QWF’s YouTube channel.

About carte blanche

carte blanche is a Quebec-based online literary magazine published by the Quebec Writers’ Federation. True to its slogan—“There’s more than one way to tell a story”—the magazine presents eclectic narratives in all forms and supports Canadian and international writers and artists, bringing communities of readers new stories and voices to help make sense of life and the world. They publish 3 issues a year and accept poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, photography, translation, and comics from Canadian and international artists with a focus on Quebec-based artists. Learn more at their website.

Note: RSVPs close one hour before the event begins. To request the Zoom link after RSVPs close, contact John Wickham at john@qwf.org.

Embodied Writing
2024-06-06 17:00 - 19:00 | Tiger Lotus Coop, 10 Des Pins West, Studio 414, Montreal, Quebec, H2W 1P9, Canada
Hello all,
I’m excited to be offering an Embodied Writing workshop at Tiger Lotus Coop in Montreal for the first time in many years. But this time, I’ll be integrating a brief Kundalini breathwork & meditation practice.
ABOUT ME:
I am a lifelong writer of many stripes – I have written poetry since childhood; for years I dabbled in journalism; I have explored worlds of creative nonfiction; I have collaborated with visual artists who seek to add words; I have made a living for 8+ years with copywriting & editing; I am a slowly emerging novelist; I have a shiny little MA in Creative Writing; and I worked on feminist & anti-racist social justice campaigns at the Centre for Gender Advocacy for a period of 6 years – an experience that deeply influenced the way I use words.
Aside from being a writer, I am also a Kundalini Yoga Teacher in training. I got into Kundalini as a way to heal from trauma and its many lifelong manifestations in my body, as well as to counteract being a writer who sits in one place too long and forgets to breathe.
***
Truth: writing happens in the body. The more you engage your senses, the stronger your words are. And whatever emotions you recall from your depths are deeply rooted – on a cellular level.
Getting out of our heads and into our bodies so that we can write with vital presence has the potential to be an empowering and healing act. Not to mention, if we choose to write for others to read, writing from the body helps to create real, meaningful, visceral connections.
Our practice will include a breathing exercise; some light stretches; a short discussion; 3-4 writing prompts designed to interrogate the relationship between body and language; the option to share with the group (or not); and a brief meditation.
There will also be tea. 🍵
If you’ve never done breathwork or meditated before, it really doesn’t matter. This workshop is for anyone open to enhancing and expanding their writing practice – as well as for non-writers simply interested in exploring.
When: Thursday June 6, 5-7pm
Where: 10 Ave. Des Pins Ouest, room 414
What to bring: your journal & pen (pens & paper will be available.
Cost: $30
*To reserve a spot, please email me: maya@khamalacopy.com
I look forward to exploring with you! 🙏🏾 ❤️

Black Youth Out Loud: Where They Stood
2024-06-06 19:00 - 20:30 | Adair Auditorium, Atwater Library, 4023 Tupper Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3Z 1T4, Canada
Join us for Black Youth Out Loud: Where They Stood. Three young writers—Amanda Asomani-Nyarko, Donna Fabiola Ingabire, and Jessica Williams-Daley—sit down with moderator Ayana Monuma to discuss their work in Where They Stood: The Evolution of the Black Anglo Community in Montreal (Linda Leith Publishing, 2023), an anthology produced by the Black Community Resource Centre detailing the cultural, political, and social history of Montreal’s Black Anglo community. A Q&A with the audience and a reception with refreshments will follow the discussion.

Donations will be accepted at the door.

To attend online, register to get the link to the Zoom Webinar. You do not need to register if you plan to attend in person.

GEt the Zoom link

The Panelists

Amanda Asomani-Nyarko is a Montreal-based communications agent, poet, and writer of Ghanaian and Jamaican descent. With a bachelor’s in English literature and a minor in law and society, as well as a post-graduate degree in public relations and communications management, she combines her passion for words with strategic expertise. Through her creative practice, Amanda is committed to inspiring connections and leaving a lasting impact. In addition to appearing in Where They Stood, her work has also appeared in Font magazine. Through her diverse background and creative expression, Amanda seeks to inspire connections and leave a lasting impact.

Donna Fabiola Ingabire is a Montreal-based feminist writer and policy analyst. Born in Rwanda and raised across Africa, her experiences as a refugee and immigrant drive her interest in uncovering stories of those pushed to the margins of society. With a background in Public Policy and International Affairs, she aims to amplify diverse voices in diplomacy and policymaking for more effective solutions, believing in centring marginalized perspectives. Fabiola is currently completing a master’s in Public Administration and International Affairs at ENAP, and holds a college diploma in Law, Society and Justice, as well as a double major in Political Science and Public Affairs and Policy Studies from Concordia University.

Jessica Williams-Daley is a second-year McGill University student majoring in psychology with a double minor in behavioural sciences and anthropology. She hopes to pursue a career in the mental health and criminology sector as a clinical or forensic psychologist. She is also a published poet and research author, most known for her chapter, “Silenced Voices: The Road Towards Recognition,” in Where They Stood. Jessica also has a diverse background of skills in the military, musicianship, education, child care, health, and the social services sector and prides themself on volunteering and disseminating the voices of those who are often silenced and unheard.

The Moderator

Ayana Monuma is a project coordinator at the Black Community Resource Centre (BCRC). She played a vital role in creating Where They Stood. Outside of the BCRC, Ayana is a full-time Concordia student completing a Bachelor’s in Child Studies. She aims to pursue a Master’s in Educational Technology the following year. Prideful of her Haitian heritage, her ultimate goal is to give back to Black students by equitably impacting the current pedagogical educational curriculum.

About Where They Stood

Produced by the Montreal-based Black Community Resource Centre (BCRC), Where They Stood: The Evolution of the Black Anglo Community in Montreal is a collaborative anthology detailing the history of Montreal’s Black Anglo population. Nine writers explore the rich histories of the immigrants, labourers, and activists who built the cultural, social, and political community that exists today, all while reimagining what possibilities may lie ahead. As a project of BCRC, the work was designed to strengthen community engagement and create an increased sense of belonging, all while educating audiences on a commonly untold history.

Attending in Person

The Adair Auditorium is located across from the QWF Office on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre.

Note: Because this event will take place after the library’s opening hours, the main entrance to the library will be closed. Please use the Tupper Street side entrance (4023 Tupper Street) to enter and exit.

Address: 4023 Tupper StreetWestmount, QC H3Z 1X4

Closest Metro: Atwater Station

Closest Bus lines: 24, 63, 90, 104, 138, 144, 150

Venue Accessibility

The Adair Auditorium is accessible via the library’s side entrance at 4023 Tupper Street. (The main entrance on Atwater will be closed after 6:00 pm.). There are two steps leading to the entrance and, once inside, 23 more steps up to the auditorium. A wheelchair-accessible back entrance can be reached from Tupper Street. To access it, follow the blue demarcation lines from the street sidewalk, then press the buzzer at the door. Once inside, there is an elevator to the top floor, where the auditorium is. For more information, including a video tour of the accessible entrance, visit our Accessibility Policy.

Attending Online

The event will be livestreamed on Zoom. Register to get the Zoom link. You do not have to register if you plan to attend in person.

GEt the Zoom link

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (Virtual)
2024-06-08 10:00 - 12:30, 2024-06-22 10:00 - 12:30 | Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
Saturday, June 22, 10:00 am–12:30 pmOnline via Zoom—RSVP below to receive the Zoom link

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Register below to do all that writing you’ve been meaning to do. Using the Pomodoro technique, participants write in 25-minute bursts, with 5-minute breaks in between.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

The Zoom link will be sent out a day or two before the session.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

10:00–10:25: Writing 110:25–10:30: Break10:30–10:55: Writing 210:55–11:00: Break11:00–11:25: Writing 311:25–11:30: Break11:30–11:55: Writing 411:55–12:00: Break12:00–12:25: Writing 5

To receive the Zoom link, RSVP below. You will receive the Zoom link a few days before the session.

Note: RSVPs for virtual Shut Up & Write! sessions close 24 hours before the session. If there is no option to RSVP, RSVPs are closed.

Pride Month Author Reading for Kids at Indigo Laval
2024-06-08 13:00 | Indigo, Laval, 900 Le Corbusier Boulevard, Laval, Quebec, H7N 0A9, Canada
Celebrate Pride Month with an author reading for kids
Picture Book: A Family is Love, And It’s Just Right For Us
Author: Jessie Hionis.
Place: Indigo Laval, 900 Le Corbusier Boulevard, Laval, H7N 0A9
Date: June 8th, 2024
Time: 1 PM

Poetry Evening: A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails by Halyna Kruk
2024-06-08 19:00 | Librairie Le Port de tête, 262 avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montreal, Quebec, H2T 1P6, Canada
Saturday, June 8, 20247:00 pm ETLe Port de tête (269 Mont-Royal Ave E, Montreal)In English and French

The renowned Ukrainian poet Halyna Kruk, shortlisted for the prestigious Griffin Poetry Prize, is coming to Montreal. Join us for an exclusive evening of poetry and conversation with Halyna on June 8, 2024, at Le Port de tête bookstore.

Halyna Kruk will present her latest poetry collection, A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails. Much of it was written after the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Yulia Ilchuk (Stanford University) and Amelia M. Glaser (University of California, San Diego) have beautifully translated the collection. The book is bilingual and contains both originally written Ukrainian poetry and English translations.

Join the poetry evening with Halyna Kruk, hear her powerful poetry, and participate in an autograph session where you can have the book or a souvenir poster signed by the poet.

RSVP on Facebook

2024 QWF Mentorship Reading
2024-06-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Bar La Marche à Côté, 5043 Saint Denis St, Montreal, Quebec, H2J 2L8, Canada
June 9, 2024, 2:00–4:00 pm ETBar La Marche à côté (5043 Saint-Denis St., Montreal)$10 ($5 for QWF members and students)Buy tickets on Eventbrite (or at the door)

Join us for the 2024 QWF Mentorship Reading!

For four months, seven emerging writers have worked to hone their craft through the QWF Mentorship Program. Each has received one-on-one guidance from a professional writing mentor to help them transition to the next stage of their careers. Now, their journey culminates in a public reading where each mentee will present an excerpt from their work in progress.

This year’s cohort features:

Raphaëlle Aubin, mentored by Su J. Sokol in FictionRiver Lee, mentored by Chris DiRaddo in FictionMegan Hunt, mentored by Alexandria Haber in PlaywritingEmily Gaudet, mentored by Sarah Wolfson in PoetrySantiago Eastman Herrera, mentored by Raquel Rivera in Young Adult Literature (Mairuth Sarsfield Mentorship)Robin Macdonald, mentored by Elise Moser in Non-FictionEmira Tufo, mentored by Daniel Allen Cox in Non-Fiction*

*Emira will not be able to join but has arranged for a friend to read her work on her behalf.

Buy your tickets now on Eventbrite. Tickets will also be available at the door by cash or e-transfer.

Open to the public, so invite your friends and family!

About the QWF Mentorship Program

The QWF Mentorships are designed to help promising emerging writers make the transition to the next stage of their careers. Over a period of four months, each mentee received one-on-one guidance and support from a professional writing mentor. Now, their journey culminates in a public reading where the mentees present an excerpt of their works-in-progress. Learn more about the QWF Mentorship Program.

Accessibility: The venue is situated on ground level with one step leading to the entrance. Should you require a ramp for accessibility, kindly notify us at least a few days prior to the event and we will arrange for one.

Buy Tickets

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Launch - Dear Haider by Lili Zeng
2024-06-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Librairie n’était-ce pas l’été, 6792 St Laurent, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Robin Philpot, publisher of Baraka Books, and Librairie n’était-ce pas l’été invite you to the launch of:
DEAR HAIDER
BY
LILI ZENG
“Lili Zeng’s slow-burn account of Liz’s summer student internship lays the foundation for a rollercoaster ride filled with often unexpected life adventures as Liz steps into a new chapter of her life. Zeng’s awe-inspiring debut novel is a fearless and courageous narrative of first love, loss, despair, and ultimately of hope and healing. Truly, a testament to the resilience and enduring faith of the human spirit!”
— Mary Anne Levasseur, caregiver and youth mental health advocate
The launch will be livestreamed. Write to info@barakabooks.com for the link.

Writing While Disabled: Making Spaces For Ourselves and Our Characters
2024-06-13 19:00 | Argo Bookshop, 1841A Ste-Catherine St. West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Thursday, June 13, 2024, 7:00–9:00 PMArgo Bookshop

Please join us as three disabled writers—Cait Gordon, Jason M. Harley, and Madona Skaff-Koren—converse about their process, their protagonists, their world-building, and how they make spaces both for their characters and themselves as creatives. Moderated by Su J Sokol, the discussion will be followed by a Q&A period and an opportunity to obtain signed copies of the authors’ works.

This event will take place in store at Argo Bookshop, which can be accessed by elevator. Masks are required. The event is free, but space is limited, so please RSVP on TicketSource.

About the Guests

Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian writer of speculative fiction that celebrates diversity. She is the author of the award-nominated, disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Her short stories featuring disabled and/or neurodivergent heroes appear in Spring into SciFi (2024), We Shall Be Monsters, Mighty: An Anthology of Disabled Superheroes, There’s No Place, and Stargazers: Microtales from the Cosmos. She has had poems published in Polar Borealis and Mollyhouse. Cait also twice joined Talia C. Johnson to co-edit the (award-nominated) Nothing Without Us and (award-winning) Nothing Without Us Too disability fiction anthologies.

Jason M. Harley is a queer, non-binary McGill University professor in the Faculty of Medicine and a Scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. Their comic book, Fake News and Dinosaurs, co-created with their husband and visual artist, Daniel Beaudin, has been featured on Global News TV and the Toronto Star. Their fiction is forthcoming from Baffling Magazine and has appeared in Tesseracts, Polar Borealis and elsewhere. They have served on panels for Chicon (WorldCon), World Fantasy, and Can-Con science fiction and fantasy conventions and are a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFFWA; Associate Member) and the Quebec Writers’ Federation.

Madona Skaff-Koren is the author of the Naya Investigates series, about a young woman disabled by multiple sclerosis, who turns sleuth to solve crimes. The character was inspired by her own MS diagnosis. The series so far includes Journey of a Thousand Steps (2015), and Death by Association (2020). Her stand alone novel, Shifting Trust (2021) is a science fiction thriller set twenty-five years into the future. She has several SF and mystery short stories appearing in various anthologies. Her essay on “Number One from Star Trek” is in the anthology, Women on Women in Trek (2024).

Su J Sokol (moderator) is a social rights activist and a writer of speculative and interstitial fiction. A former legal services lawyer from New York City, xe now makes Montréal xyr home. Sokol is the author of three novels: Cycling to Asylum (2014), which was long-listed for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, Run J Run (2019), and Zee (2020), a finalist for the Janet Savage Blachford Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Sokol’s short fiction and essays have appeared in various magazines and anthologies When xe is not writing, battling slumlords, bringing evil bureaucracies to their knees, and smashing borders, Sokol curates and participates in readings and literary events in Canada and abroad.

RSVP on FAcebook

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
2024-06-14 12:30 - 15:00 | QWF Office, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3, Westmount, QC, H3Z 1X4, Canada
Friday, June 14, 12:30 pm–3:00 pmFree, In PersonQWF Office (Room 3, 1200 Atwater Ave., Westmount)

Register for the session by filling out the RSVP form below.

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Join us for an in-person Shut Up & Write session at the QWF office!

Do all that writing you’ve been meaning to do, and meet a few of your fellow QWF members. Using the Pomodoro technique, participants write in 25-minute bursts, with 5-minute breaks in between.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

12:30–12:55: Writing 112:55–1:00: Break1:00–1:25: Writing 21:25–1:30: Break1:30–1:55: Writing 31:55–2:00: Break2:00–2:25: Writing 42:25–2:30: Break2:30–2:55: Writing 5

To register, RSVP below.

Getting to the QWF Office

Our office is located on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre, in Room 3.

Address: 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3Westmount, QC H3Z 1X4

Closest Metro: Atwater Station

Closest Bus lines: 24, 63, 90, 104, 138, 144, 150

Accessibility:

The QWF Office is fully accessible by wheelchair from the side entrance on Tupper Street. Once inside, there is an elevator to the second floor, where the QWF office is.

Learn more about the office location and accessibility.

Land-Based Writing and Creative Writing Pedagogy
2024-06-14 14:00 - 15:30 | QC
Friday, June 14, 2024, 2:00-3:30 pm ETLB 646 (Webster Library), Concordia University

Come to an Un-Conference Panel!

With Catherine Bush, Kit Dobson, and Julija Šukys.

This three-person panel/discussion will highlight insights and strategies from our explorations in land-based writing and teaching, using techniques including those of mapping, and sensory exploration, and outdoor learning. As writers, we endeavour to respond meaningfully to the climate and ecological crises, both in our work and in the classroom, and to move beyond the framing of dystopic narratives. We have also begun to teach creative writing in new ways.

Participants:

“Writing the Sensory.” Catherine Bush is the author of five novels, including the climate-themed novel Blaze Island (2020) and the forthcoming story collection Skin (2025). Currently the Writer-in-Residence Landhaus Fellow at the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society in Germany, she is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Guelph.

“Between Fiction and Non: Literary Approaches to Land.” Kit Dobson is a Professor in the Department of English at the University of Calgary. His previous book, Field Notes on Listening, was one of the CBC’s top nonfiction books of 2022, and he has just published his first novel, We Are Already Ghosts.

“Flipping the Map: Lessons in Place-Writing.” Julija Šukys is the author of three books (Silence is Death: The Life and Work of Tahar Djaout, Epistolophilia: Writing the Life of Ona Šimaitė, and Siberian Exile: Blood, War, and a Granddaughter’s Reckoning). Her current book project is called Stone, Paper, Petal: In the Campus Shooting Archives. She is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin.

El Ghourabaa Launch
2024-06-15 18:30 - 21:00 | Brique par Brique, 633 av. beaumont, Montreal, Quebec, H3N 1V7, Canada
El Ghourabaa, an Arab queer and trans anthology edited by Eli Tareq El Bechelany-Lynch and Samia Marshy, is being launched on June 15th @ 6:30PM at Brique par Brique in Park-Ex! Seven of our contributors will be reading excerpts of their pieces. There will be music, book signings, and free food & drinks! The event is free to attend, but we will be collecting donations for a fundraiser to support a Palestinian trans woman in crisis. More information on this fundraiser can be found in the “event website” section of this posting.

Bread and Stone book launch @ Counter-Congress 2024
2024-06-16 15:00 - 18:00 | Co-op Bar Milton Parc, 3714 Avenue du Parc at des Pins, Montréal, QC, Quebec, H2X 2J1, Canada
Join Black Rose Books for an afternoon of author talks and the book launch of our forthcoming title Bread and Stone by Allan Weiss, a gripping novel set amidst the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as part of Counter-Congress 2024.
ORDER OF EVENTS Come for the entire afternoon or just for the book launch. We’d love to see you!
3:00 pm: Prof. Marie Josée Lavalée of the Université de Montréal will discuss Different Shades of Red, a book dealing with the vast variety of socialist thought that exists and that has existed.
4:00 pm: Prof. Andras Gollner of Concordia University will give a talk on the current situation in Hungary and on the book The Forgotten Revolution, dealing with the Hungarian socialist revolution in 1919.
5:00 pm: Professor Allan Weiss of York University will launch Bread and Stone, a gripping novel set amidst the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike. Expect wine and cheese!
About Bread and Stone: William McLean is an Alberta farm boy seeking the work that he believes God has put him on Earth to do. Returning from World War I in a crisis of conscience, he finds his calling when he is drawn into Winnipeg’s labour movement by his army buddy Daniel Eckersley. As unrest mounts and the authorities respond with force, William finds himself in the midst of an upheaval that could mean freedom — or destitution — for all.
In Bread and Stone, Allan Weiss skillfully combines the story of one of the most dramatic real events in Canadian history, the Winnipeg General Strike, with the spiritual journey of a young man growing to understand who he is, who he is becoming, and what it is that he must do.
Allan Weiss is a Toronto fiction writer and Professor of English at York University. He was born in Montreal and moved to Toronto to pursue his doctoral studies after completing his BA and MA at Concordia University. He is the author of three story cycles: Living Room (2001), Making the Rounds (2016), and Telescope (2019). Other short stories, both realist and fantastic, have appeared in various anthologies and magazines, including Fiddlehead, Wascana Review, On Spec, and the Tesseracts anthology series. His latest story, “A Tartan of Many Colors,” was published recently in the anthology Other Covenants: Alternate Histories of the Jewish People.
FACEBOOK EVENT
https://www.facebook.com/share/w5PncSihKZzkGABh
ABOUT BLACK ROSE BOOKS’ COUNTER-CONGRESS 2024
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/counter-congress-2024-tickets-884288248957

TIDAL Book Launch
2024-06-19 14:00 - 15:00 | Montreal West Public Library, 45 Westminster Avenue South, Montreal West, Quebec, H4X 1Y6, Canada
The Montreal West Public Library will present Mary Dean Lee reading from her debut poetry collection, TIDAL.

Mary Dean Lee and Emily Tristan Jones - Poetry Reading
2024-06-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Librairie De Stiil Bookstore, 351 Duluth Ave E, Montreal, Quebec, H2W 1J3, Canada
De Stiil Bookstore presents Mary Dean Lee reading from her debut poetry collection, TIDAL and Emily Tristan Jones reading from her forthcoming collection, BUTTERCUP.
