The M Word has arrived!

My copy of The M Word arrived earlier this week. I was getting pouty because according to social media, all the other contributors had received their copies the previous week. (Yes, Canada is a large country, but I'm fairly impatient when it comes to mail regardless.)

I've decided that I'm not going to read it cover-to-cover, but flip around and read what speaks to me. I'm reading another collection of essays right now, so I'm going to go back and forth between both books as not to burn myself out on motherhood. So far, I've read the essays of Heather Birrell and Carrie Snyder, both of which are excellent. I really wish our country was smaller, as I'd love to sit down with these two women over beers one night and talk about their essays. So much of what they wrote spoke to me, seemed similar to my own experiences. I hope their contributions are an indication to the quality of the rest of the anthology, because if so, it promises to be stellar.

If you're on GoodReads and would like to enter the draw for your own copy, follow the links.

Giveaway winner!

Micheal Laverty, you have won a copy of Glossolalia!

Thanks to those who entered and helped spread the work.

Poetry! Poetry! Poetry!

Why yes, it's April, which means it's National Poetry Month both in Canada and the USA. It's the time of year where bookish folk remember the often overlooked, sometimes derided, genre, pull up their literary socks, and give it the ole college try of celebrating, and perhaps even reading, poetry. Thank goodness it's a short month.

It's also the time of year when poets try so very hard to have their work read by others. I'm as guilty as the rest, of course. There are so very many poets, and it's so hard to get even poets to read poetry at a consistent pace, let alone those wonderfully bookish people who devour novels like I do tea.

In celebration of Poetry Month, many literary blogs and sites are highlighting poetry in some way. Two places that have my attention are The Rusty Toque's collaborative poem and Literary Press Group 's "CoCoPoPro" aka Coast-to-Coast Poetry Project. And to be completely self-serving, you can see my contribution here.

If you want to go a bit deeper, my I suggest the always fantastic Jacket2 who recently posted North of Invention. I'm slowly going through each section. And I recently came upon Jennica Harper's The Sally Draper Poems. I was lucky to read early drafts of these, and am so happy to see them together like this.

So tell me, how are you celebrating National Poetry Month?

p.s. My giveaway for Glossolalia wraps up at the end of the month. So far only one person has entered the one on my blog. (Should I be embarrassed by this? I'm trying not be as the GoodReads number is higher than I expected. ) Follow this link and comment for your chance to receive a copy of your own. Your odds are good!

Giveaway!

Who doesn't love a giveaway? Fools, I tell you!

Quite quietly a couple weeks ago I started a giveaway for Glossolalia over at GoodReads. My publisher, Anvil, generously has offered three copies of the book to be given away. I believe this is the first time they've done a giveaway through GoodReads, so my wives are the Guinea pigs. I haven't mentioned the giveaway on social media yet and there are already 105 people entered to win. This is crazy to me. (I hope they realize it's poetry....)

Are you on GoodReads? If so, please be my friend. I love looking through other people's bookshelves and comparing them. I've added many books to my queue this way.

Are you not on GoodReads, but still want a chance to win a copy of Glossolalia? Comment on this post with a way for me to reach you (a link to your blog, you email address, your twitter handle, anything!) and tell me the last great book you've read and I'll put your name in the hat.

Both giveaways end on April 30. You can enter both, too, if you'd like to increase your chances. No extra ballots if you tweet or FB this, but I wouldn't dissuade you from doing so either.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Glossolalia

by Marita Dachsel

Giveaway ends April 30, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

two things this tuesday

First up, the lovely Sara O'Leary is hosting a giveaway over at her blog. The lucky winner will get Caroline Adderson's Middle of Nowhere.

Secondly, you may recall that I was asked to be part of a discussion regarding a new artist's retreat/residency earlier this month. I have been asked to ask you what your thoughts are on childcare at the residency. How much would you pay and for what? What would be reasonable for a few hours a day, or all day, for one child or a few? Think about your own situation and comment below. I know that I'm just thrilled that there will be a residency that will be child-friendly.

A little bit of movement

One thing I've been wanting to do for the last few years was take up running. I've had a lot of excuses to not start, some better than others (being pregnant, Edmonton winters, embarrassed to exercise in public, not knowing what I was doing), but this year was going to be the year (which partly went into my choice for acceleration). I wanted it and, more importantly, I knew I could do it. So when my sister told me she signed up for an introductory run clinic that also included a voucher for a new pair of shoes, I knew I had to follow her lead.

Last night was our first class and it was great. Only fifteen of us and, as a group, there is a wide spectrum of running experience. We did our first run last night. Very basic--one minute run, one minute walk, eight times--but it was so good. We were in the rain along the seawall and I was so happy. Really, really happy. I hope this joy stays with me as the runs get more challenging. (And I hope my ankles don't always hurt the day after. Any advice on that front?)

*

Have you put your name in the virtual hat for the give-away over at Canlit Mama? Deadline is tomorrow.

Housekeeping

As you've noticed, I've been on a break. A fabulous, productive break. Spent five weeks working madly on poetry at the Banff Centre Writing Studio. It was one of those experiences that I know I will look back on and see as a turning point in my life. I worked harder and better than I ever had before and met some absolutely amazing people, some of whom I know will be a part of my life for a very long time. Once I returned I taught a weekend class at Women's Words. And now here I am, catching up on life.

First up, I wanted to let you know that the interviews will be resuming shortly, either this weekend or next. I have some fabulous women lined up--you'll have to check back to see who!

For my little chapbook giveaway, I finally drew names and the charming Brenda Schmidt will be receiving her copy in the mail sometime during the next fortnight. For those who are in Edmonton and would like to hear me read from it (and perhaps purchase their own copy), please come to the launch at Hulbert's on Sunday June 21, from 3-5.

In other news, remember my excitement about the film Who Does She Think She Is?? Well, it's finally coming to the Metro in Edmonton next weekend. Obviously, I was going to go to it, but what's even more thrilling (for me anyway), is that I have been asked to sit on a panel discussion after the Saturday matinee (1:00pm) viewing. If you're in Edmonton this weekend and at all interested in seeing this film, please do. And if you make it to the screening with the panel, please stop by and say hello.

And finally, Lisa Martin-DeMoor, a fabulous local poet, mother and reader of this blog (*wave*) is putting together what seems to me to be a much-needed and important anthology. She's put out a call for submissions and queries and I've posted it below.

Happy Poetry Month!

Yeah, I know, it's over today. Like everything, I'm coming late to the party.

It was a busy month for me, with my husband working long, long hours for the first two weeks, then a trip to Vancouver, then the Po Fest, and now I'm in Banff. To write. Alone.

I now have time (time!) to do things like enjoy the fabulous archive of over thirty poets reading at Seen Reading and I've also began to read some of the interviews with poets over at the National Post blog.

I'm also excited about diving into all the poetry books I bought over the last month. (If you're interested, you can see the list here.)

On the mom-side of life, I have been asked to contribute to a new blog for Canadian mothers. My second post, a short one about poetry for children, can be found here.

I'm now four days in to Banff, four days away from my boys. It's hard, but it has also been freeing in a way I find unsettling. I won't go into it now, but I'm sure any of you readers who are both mothers and writers can understand. Kevin will be bringing them to Banff on Mother's Day and we will be together as a family for the week.

In celebration of that day, I'm going to have a small give-away. I have briefly mentioned before that I am having a new chapbook published. If you'd like your very own copy, please leave a comment on this post and tell me something, anything to do with motherhood and writing--your favourite writing mama, a quote from one of the interviews, a poem about creativity, anything. Comments will close at midnight on Mother's Day and I'll draw the name later in the week. The chapbooks are very beautiful and are a limited edition of 100, all handsigned and numbered by moi.