Crazy / Mad in the Media

I am tremendously grateful for the bits of media interest and promo Crazy / Mad has received so far, and am reveling in it all while it lasts! 

I was on CBC's All in a Day at the end of March, alongside absolutely brilliant writer, poet and literary organizer Amanda Earl, in advance of both our Ottawa VERSefest readings. Host Alan Neal was delightful, as ever, and asked compelling questions about trauma and writing about health and madness. The experience did remind me to always check the news before any interview, no matter how niche you think your topic is, as Alan's question about the Kate Middleton news of the day came as, well, news to me!

I also started April with the honour of being first out of the gate for All Lit Up's There's a Poem for That series for Poetry Month 2024, with my poem "Slippery slope thinking," and answers to some fascinating questions about poetry, writing and reading.

Next up for me are some readings, including at Glad Day Bookshop in Toronto Wednesday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. for the Brockton Writers Series. This week, the Series also featured me on their blog, where I talked about the human connection factor in poetry (and why AI will never actually be a poet).

I am also unendingly grateful to the amazing American author and editor Jerry Wheeler for including Crazy / Mad in Out in Print's Spring Poetry Roundup. I love Jerry's work, and how much he promotes and supports other writers. I also hope some new readers find my own poems via the roundup. Either way, I encourage you to explore and follow Out in Print, as Jerry features great LGBTQIA+ work throughout the year.

Another Dysfunctional Cancer Poem Anthology

Some of you know that my mom died last year of cancer of the esophagus. But, she was far from the only person I know who has had cancer. Given its prevalence as a world health epidemic, and leading cause of death, I'm certain that, if you are reading this, no matter where you are, you know someone who has, or has had, cancer, too. Or maybe you have had to face it yourself.

The amazing and kind writer and editor Priscila Uppal, who passed away earlier this year after her own extended battle with cancer, wanted to create an anthology of poetry related to cancer and those it affects. She and fellow author and editor Meaghan Strimas reached out for poems last year.

The resulting collection, Another Dysfunctional Cancer Poem Anthology, becomes available this month. It includes poetry by dozens of emerging and established poets, including myself and my partner, James K Moran, as well as writers such as Zoe Whittall, Canisia Lubrin, Bardia Sinaee, rob mclennan and Susan McMaster.

The book launches at a reading and memorial service for Priscila in Toronto, November 8:

An additional launch will take place in Ottawa on Wednesday, November 21, 7 p.m., at Bar Robo, as part of the Sawdust Reading Series, with James K Moran generously donating his featured reading spot to help support the anthology. The event will include readings by several of the anthology's poets hailing from the Ottawa-to-Montreal region, myself among them.

Priscila wrote, in her original emails to me and other potential supporters for and contributors to the project, that she hoped poetry could be applied to help others, including those who struggle to support people with cancer, either as part of their work or as part of caring for parents, partners, children, friends or other loved ones.

Priscila originally envisioned not just that poems by published poets could provide a source of support, empathy and personal insights, but that the project as a whole would encourage people, including those who may never before have thought of reading or writing poetry, to discover it as a way of expressing some of the many thoughts and emotions that come with living with cancer and its effects.

I'm looking forward to reading the anthology, and I hope Priscila's vision becomes a reality for those who could very much use poetry in their lives.