some author activity: Archer, McFadden, Adams + Flemmer,

Sacha Archer recently posted the audio of his reading of his above/ground press chapbook, upROUTE; there's a very nice article on the late David W. McFadden in the Globe & Mail; Carrie Olivia Adams is interviewed on editing over at the Chicago Review of Books; and Kyle Flemmer has new work up at h&.

David W. McFadden : October 11, 1940 – June 6, 2018

Condolences to his family, and his extensive network of friends, publishers and admirers. We shall miss him.

some author activity: Hall, Anstee, Schmaltz, Barwin + McFadden,

Phil Hall has a new poem up at Halibut; Cameron Anstee is interviewed over at poetry mini interviews; Eric Schmaltz has some new collaborations up at h&; and Gary Barwin wrote a lovely response to David W. McFadden, via Coach House Books.

Missing Jacket magazine, writing & visual art, bibliography: 1996-1997

Given my recent post detailing the bibliography of STANZAS magazine, I thought it might be interesting to go through another one of my late projects through above/ground press, the lamented Missing Jacket. Throughout the 1990s, I noticed how far apart the different artistic communities within Ottawa were, but for occasional individuals such as Dennis Tourbin and Michael Dennis that existed as a link between artistic groups. There was so much activity that wasn’t interacting, and artistic practices that somehow kept up barriers between them. There were stories of the late 1980s at Gallery 101, when Dennis Tourbin ran it, with literary events beside shows of artwork (back when Rob Manery and Louis Cabri ran The Transparency Machine events there).

I had spent a couple of years prior hanging around the Enriched Bread Studios and Gallery 101, as well as with artists Diane Woodward and David Cation, and wanted to attempt a magazine of writing and visual art through the City of Ottawa. We held the first issue launch at Enriched Bread, with artwork from all of the artists featured in the issue, and readings from a variety of contributors.

Had I had more resources (and perhaps wasn’t doing the entire journal by myself), perhaps it might have been able to continue, and the weight of which might not have simply collapsed. Almost exclusively run by myself, I was fortunate enough to have various authors and artists contribute enormously, whether their own work or via interviews, and former Montreal writer and ga press co-editor/publisher Colin Christie even designed the last couple of issues (before it all fell apart).

If anyone is interested, I still have mounds of copies sitting around the house. I would like to think that there is some interesting material within. Perhaps, even, a little portrait of the late 1990s arts community in Ottawa.

Where did the title come from? We had a little gathering in the apartment Tamara Fairchild and I once shared, and Brian Hill, co-editor of Ink magazine, had left his jacket behind; I misunderstood the phone message when Tamara informed: “Brian from missing jacket called.” I thought it was a magazine that already existed. When I realized it wasn’t, well…

Missing Jacket magazine, writing & visual art, #1. 500 copies, January 1996. edited by rob mclennan. poetry by Robin Hannah, David O'Meara, Lorraine Gamble. fiction by Catherine Jenkins. interviews with David W. McFadden (by David Collins), Daniel Nadezhdin (by Tamara Fairchild) and Dennis Tourbin (by michael dennis). artistic statements by Eliza Griffiths, Jonathan Brownz and Angela McFall. Notes from the Bleeding Edge by James Spyker. Ottawa Boy cartoon by Greg Kerr. ISSN# 1203-5076. cover price $3. 8 1/2" x 11". 38 pages.

Missing Jacket #2, spring, March 1996. poetry by Tamara Fairchild, David Collins, John Barton and Sean Johnston. fiction by David Scrimshaw and Dayv James-French. interviews with Ken Norris (part I, by rob mclennan), Mary Borsky (by rob mclennan) and Marie-Jeanne Musiol (by Cindy Stelmackowich). artistic statements by Valerie Roos-Linse, Adrian Gollner and Anna Kempffer-Paul. Notes from the Bleeding Edge by James Spyker and Ottawa Boy cartoon by Greg Kerr. blah blah editorial blah blah blah by rob mclennan. ISSN# 1203-5076. cover price, $3.50. 40 pages.

Missing Jacket #3, summer, August 9, 1996. poetry by Stephanie Bolster, Joe Blades, Nadine McInnis & Jim Larwill. fiction by Douglas Ord. interviews with Ken Norris (part II, by rob mclennan), Joe Blades (by rob mclennan) & Diane Woodward (by David Collins). artistic statements by Maria Shin, Barbara Gamble and David Cation. Notes from the Bleeding Edge by James Spyker and Ottawa Boy cartoon by Greg Kerr. blah blah editorial blah blah blah by rob mclennan. ISSN#1203-5076. cover price, $3.50. 44 pages.

Missing Jacket #4, fall, October 1996. poetry by Clare Latremouille, Una McDonnell, Michael Holmes (from 21 Hotels) and Karen Massey. fiction by Douglas Ord and Stan Rogal. interviews with Eliza Griffiths (by David Collins), Judith Fitzgerald (by rob mclennan) and Greg Kerr (by rob mclennan). artistic statements by Eric Walker, Marcia Lea and Doug Van Rosen. project pages by Mark Marsters. Notes from the Bleeding Edge by James Spyker and Ottawa Boy cartoon by Greg Kerr. blah blah editorial blah blah blah by rob mclennan. layout by Colin Christie. ISSN# 1203-5076. cover price, $3.50. 42 pages (including inside cover).

Missing Jacket #5, spring, April 1997. poetry by R.M. Vaughan, Michelle Desberats Fels, Ian Whistle and Rob Manery. fiction by Death Waits and Elizabeth Hay. interviews with Christian Bok (by Tricia Postle), John Moffat (by David Collins) and Patrick Kavanagh (by David Scrimshaw). artistic statements by Lesya Granger, Christopher Lea Dunning and Bhat Boy (the artist formerly known as Ian Van Lock). project pages by Adrian Gollner. Notes from the Bleeding Edge by James Spyker and Ottawa Boy cartoon by Greg Kerr. blah blah editorial blah blah blah by rob mclennan. layout by Colin Christie. ISSN# 1203-5076. cover price, $4.00. 48 pages (includes whole cover).

the chaudiere books 2014 (our rebuilding year) indiegogo campaign!

In case you weren't aware, Chaudiere Books exists as the trade extension of above/ground press (given that both are edited/published by myself), and we're in the midst of a big Indiegogo Campagin as part of our rebuilding year. Rebuilding, re-structuring and renewing the press since last summer, when Christine McNair became the other half of the press, we're two titles into our renewal (the Ground Rules anthology, and my recent collection of short fiction), with three more this fall: a second Chaudiere poetry title by Ottawa poet Monty Reid as well as first trade poetry collections by Ottawa poets Amanda Earl and Roland Prevost (all three have had multiple publications over the years through above/ground press), with a first title by Kemptville poet Chris Turnbull due out sometime in 2015. 

If and when you are able, go through the incredible list of perks by a variety of Chaudiere Books authors, including the recent documentary on John Newlove, signed first editions of David W. McFadden titles, and subscription packages, including a joint above/ground and Chaudiere package.

some author activity: Schapira, Hancock, Abel, McFadden + Reed,

Kate Schapira has a new essay in the "On Writing" series over at the ottawa poetry newsletter; Brecken Hancock responds to Open Book: Ontario's "dirty dozen" questionnaire; there's a new interview with Jordan Abel at Weird Canada; David W. McFadden writes on being diagnosed with Alzheimer's for Toronto Life; and Marthe Reed reviews Eye of Witness: A Jerome Rothenberg Reader over at Jacket2.

some author activity: McFadden, Earl, Christie, Massey, Robertson + Armantrout,

Rusty Priske posted a lovely response to David W. McFadden's recent Ottawa appearance at VERSeFest (which was incredible, by the way); Amanda Earl has some visual work published over in the UK; Jason Christie has some new work up in the fourth issue of N/A; Karen Massey has an erasure poem posted online at Silver Birch Press; Lisa Robertson interviews Etel Adnan for BOMB Magazine; and there is an interview with Rae Armantrout over at the Writeliving's blog.

VERSeFest 2014: Earl, Brockwell, Hawkins, Irwin + McFadden,

above/ground press authors Amanda Earl, Stephen Brockwell, William Hawkins, Marilyn Irwin (as part of The Factory Reading Series) and David W. McFadden will all be performing this year for the fourth annual VERSeFest in Ottawa, running from March 25 to 30. For a full schedule of authors and events, as well as ticket information, check out their website.

David W. McFadden wins the 2013 Griffin Poetry Prize!

Last night, Christine McNair and I were fortunate enough to witness Toronto poet David W. McFadden [photo by Christine McNair of rob mclennan, David W. McFadden and David O'Meara] win the 2013 Griffin Poetry Prize for his poetry collection, What's the Score? (Toronto ON: Mansfield Press, 2012). Congratulations to David, editor Stuart Ross, and publisher Denis de Klerck! 

above/ground press has been fortunate enough to publish three of his poetry chapbooks over the years -- The Death of Greg Curnoe (1995), Last Chance to Hit Balls (Six Tanka and Six Haiki) (as Genmai, 1996), and A Little Kindness (starring Jean and Jane (2002). He was also good enough to contribute "THREE DUBIOUS SONNETS" to the "Tuesday Poem" feature over at the dusie blog.

some author activity: Maguire, Earl, Graham, Abel, mclennan + McFadden,

Shannon Maguire answers some questions over at Open Book: Toronto; Amanda Earl discusses the narrative in poetry; Lea Graham discusses place in poetry over at the Atticus Review, introducing readers to the work of poets Michael Anania and Joseph Harrington; Jordan Abel has started blogging for The Capilano Review; rob mclennan has a new poem up at The Wonder Book, as selected by guest-editor Andrew Burke; and Griffin-nominee David W. McFadden graces the dusie Tuesday poem series with "three dubious sonnets."