Vallum magazine : Publishing in Canada: A Panel Discussion (archived,

In case anyone wanted to catch that publishing panel I was on, hosted by Vallum magazine, with other panelists Hazel and Jay MillAr, Dane Swan, Gail Scott, Ashley Obscura and Catherine Cormier-Larose, it is now very much online. See?

STANZAS magazine, bibliography: 1993-2006

Perhaps I should finally admit that my long poem magazine STANZAS is in the past tense. I’d long been hoping that the journal would make it to fifty issues, but that doesn’t seem to have happened. Although I haven’t given up the idea that I might produce one further, final issue as a trade anthology, keeping with the model the journal originally had of George Bowering’s twice a year IMAGO (1964-1974).

When I originally started above/ground press, I wanted to produce both magazine and chapbooks, and couldn’t imagine attempting to sell two different series; the idea was that if I had the journal as gratis, then it might help publicize the chapbooks, therefore the far larger print runs. I could mail a box of issues to anyone, anywhere (which happened far less than I would have liked, given the state of my finances) for distribution.

Over the past few months, thanks to our move last year into a house, I’ve been finally able to start digging through dozens of boxes, attempting to put together a single set of the whole run for possible inclusion as a perk for our big Chaudiere Books Indiegogo campaign (I’m hoping to add one or three items over the next week or so, to acknowledge the mid-way point of our current campaign). There are some issues I have a surprising number of copies of, still, and some that I have yet to locate. For the sake of interest, here is a rough bibliography of the entire run:

Volume 1, issue #1. edited by rob mclennan. 500 copies. November 1993. issue dedicated to George Bowering and IMAGO. “Garden I-V” and “Gardening Tips” by Clare Latremouille, “THE LAPIDARY 1-9” by Heather Ferguson (sic), “Where Once There Were 5 Million” by Joy Hewitt Mann, and “Brahms, 1993” for Henry Beissel by rob mclennan. distributed free. folded and stapled, 8 1/2 by 11. 12 pages.

Issue #2. 500 copies, January 1994. issue dedicated to Frank Zappa. “VIGIL” by Maggie Helwig. distributed free. 16 pages.

Issue #3. 500 copies, May 1994. issue dedicated to Roy Kiyooka. “DON JUAN ON HIS DEATHBED” by Henry Beissel. distributed free. 8 pages.

Issue #4. 500 copies, October 1994. “Sketches of Hands” by Shannon Cowan, “Forgotten Photographs” by Colin Morton, “hockey night in canada,” for patrick hunt, by michael dennis. distributed free. 16 pages.

Issue #5. larger print run, 750 copies, April 1995. Coast-to-coast issue. 650 sandstone covers for general distribution, 100 grey covers for the Spring Toronto Small Press Fair. “Echolocations” by Gil McElroy and “In Which Alice Meets Laura Palmer” by Stephanie Bolster. distributed free. 12 pages.

Issue #6. 750 copies, July/August 1995. issue gleefully dedicated to George Bowering’s IMAGO magazine from the 70’s. “stiltman” by C.J. Lockett, “love & the automatic bank teller” by Brian Burke. distributed free. 12 pages.

Issue #7. 750 copies, November 1995. “When” by rob mclennan & “REMEMBERING FRANK O'HARA” by Ken Norris. distributed free. 20 pages.

Issue #8. 750 copies, May 28, 1996. “The Big Fuck” by Judith Fitzgerald and “HOW TO SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME ALONE AND STILL WRITE CONVINCINGLY ABOUT SEX” by R.M. Vaughan. distributed free. 12 pages.

Issue #9. 750 copies, August 1, 1996. this issue mourns the loss of Coach House Press 1965-1996 and first saw light at the first National Conference of Canadian Small and Micro Presses in Sechelt, B.C., August 2-4, 1996. “MOUTH or PLACE NAMES” by Ian Whistle. His first solo publication. distributed free. 12 pages.

Issue #10. 750 copies, October 1996. “Crashing Out” by I.M. Wiley, a(n obvious) pseudonym from Winnipeg. the same piece (slightly altered) was also published at the same time under another name in Zygote magazine, Winnipeg. distributed free. 12 pages. 76.

Issue #11. 750 copies, February 1997. “Re: Crossing” by Colin Morton and “Ferries Taken” by Aidan Baker. distributed free. 12 pages.

Issue #12. 750 copies, April 1997. “BLONDES ON BIKES: 1-20” by George Bowering. distributed free. 28 pages.

Issue #13. 750 copies, June 1997. “inside     first floor         at the randomization factory” by meghan lynch (who later became Meghan Jackson). distributed free. 12 pages. cover image by Emily Whist.

Issue #14. 750 copies, September 1997. “A Medical History of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan” by Carla Milo (who later became Carla Barkman). distributed free. 16 pages.

Issue #15. 750 copies, March 1998. “last leaves II” by rob mclennan. distributed free. 12 pages.

Issue #16. 750 copies, April 1998. “POEM BOOOOOOOK” by Gerry Gilbert. cover photos by the author. distributed free. 28 pages.

Issue #17. 750 copies, May 1998. “from COAST ALL JOURN ALL” by Jay MillAr. published in Ottawa (at Carleton University and at Gallery 101) and Fredericton (at Gallery Connexion). distributed free. 16 pages. cover illustration by the author.

Issue #18. 750 copies, September 1998. “TWELVE POEMS FOR HUMAN BUTTERFLIES” by Greg Evason. distributed free. 16 pages. cover illustration, “The Sacral Butterfly,” by Nicholas Power.

Issue #19. 750 copies, February 1999. “t sea ache” by Joe Blades. distributed free. 20 pages.

Issue #20. 750 copies, May 1999. “Eulogistics” by Victor Coleman. released in Winnipeg, May 8, 1999. distributed free. 16 pages.

Issue #21. 750 copies, October 1999. “this evidence against you” by Natalie Hanna. distributed free. 24 pages.

Issue #22. 750 copies, January 2000. “an unnatural history of the sexes” by Anne Stone. originally appeared in the Contemporary Feminist Baroque issue of Tessera. distributed free. 12 pages.

Issue #23. 1000 copies, March 2000 date, although not published until April 9. “cooleys key” by rob mclennan. “renga” page originally appeared in mo’ gumbo. distributed free. 16 pages.

Issue #24. 750 copies, May 2000. “Aequanimitas” by Chris McCreary. sections originally appeared in Lost & Found Times, Rhizome and COMBO. distributed free. 20 pages.

Issue #25. July 2001. “further revisions” by ryan fitzpatrick. cover artwork by Emily Whist. 16 pages. $4.

Issue #26. 750 copies, March 2001. “SYNONYMS FOR FISH” by Gary Barwin. three poems, “SYNONYMS FOR FISH”, “CRUMB FALL” and “THE LOOKOUT MAN”. cover image by Joe Blades, signed “for mclennan, the only poet I know whose name is in magnetic poetry 8, 15 NOV 1998.” distributed free. 12 pages.

Issue #27. 750 copies, April 2001. “summations : travels through Italy” by Helen Zisimatos. two long poems, “rome” and “siena”. distributed free. 34 pages.

Issue #28. 750 copies, August 2001. “Strange Days” by Paul Hardacre. cover artwork collage by rob mclennan. distributed free. 16 pages.

Issue #29. 750 copies. “what exile   this” by nathalie stephens (now Nathanaël). distributed free. 28 pages.

Issue #30. 750 copies. “Continuations I-III” by Douglas Barbour and Sheila E. Murphy. distributed free. 24 pages.

Issue #31. 750 copies. “Meteor Showers” by Gil McElroy. distributed free. 16 pages.

Issue #32. 1000 copies, “irregular heartbeats” by rob mclennan. distributed free. 12 pages.

Issue #33. 1000 copies, “The Museum of Perception” by Lisa Samuels. subtitled “American takeover issue.” distributed free. 16 pages.

Issue #35. 1000 copies, “Highway 99” by Meredith Quartermain. subtitled “10th anniversary issue.” distributed free. 8 2 x 7. pages

Issue #36. 1000 copies, “all sets go” by Daniel f. Bradley. distributed free. 20 pages.

Issue #37. 1000 copies, “Americasual” by Rob Budde. distributed free. 20 pages

Issue #38. 1000 copies, “calcite gours 1-19” by derek beaulieu. distributed free.

Issue #39. 1000 copies, “Dream Songs” by J.L. Jacobs. distributed free.

Issue #40. 1000 copies, “the naked & the nude” by Rachel Zolf. distributed free. 20 pages.

Issue #41. 1300 copies, “ottawa poems (blue notes)” by rob mclennan. distributed free.

Issue #42. 1000 copies, “personal peripherals 1-30” by Jan Allen. distributed free.

Issue #43. 1000 copies, “more fun with ‘pataphysics” by Sharon Harris. distributed free.

Issue #44. 1000 copies, “THE CELEBRITY RAG; Opá” by Stan Rogal. March 2006. distributed free.

Issue #45 (mis-numbered on cover as #44). 1000 copies. April 2006. “two poems” by Dennis Cooley. distributed free.

some author activity: Earl, Greenstreet, Ackerson-Kiely, MillAr, Brockwell, Clarke + Higdon,

Amanda Earl reviews the recent Factory Reading Series event featuring Kate Greenstreet, DJ Dolack and Paige Ackerson-Kiely over at her blog; Jay MillAr has some new poems up at The Puritan; both Stephen Brockwell (poems) and George Elliott Clarke (reviews) have new work posted in issue #17 of Maple Tree Literary Supplement; and Hailey Higdon contributes an essay to the "On Writing" series over at the ottawa poetry newsletter.

some author activity: Folsom, hastain, MillAr, McCann, Barwin + Sand,

Eric Folsom provides a new essay in the "On Writing" series over at the ottawa poetry newsletter; j/j hastain is interviewed by Amanda Earl over at DevilHousePress; over at his blog, Jay MillAr posts a short essay on Toronto small press legend Crad Kilodney; we seem to have missed this new poem by Marcus McCann in the September 2013 issue of The Steel Chisel; Gary Barwin interviews Geof Huth over at Jacket2; and Kaia Sand has some new work and accompanying statement over at Everyday Genius.

some author activity: eckhoff, MacLeod, Christie, MillAr + McNair

kevin mcpherson eckhoff keeps posting over at Goodreads: Kathryn MacLeod has a new poem as part of the Tuesday poem series on the dusie blog; Jason Christie takes part in an impromptu residency in Vernon, British Columbia at the Mackie Lake House; Jay MillAr is interviewed over at The Toronto Quarterly; and Christine McNair answers the Poets in Profile questions over at Open Book: Ontario.

some author activity: Earl, mclennan, McNair, Sand, beaulieu, Betts, Barbour, Bowering, Christie, MillAr + fitzpatrik,

Amanda Earl has a piece, "Community," as the second of the "On Writing" series over at the ottawa poetry newsletter; rob mclennan + Christine McNair, as well as Amanda Earl + Sandra Ridley, have some collaborative work up in the first issue of Gritty Silk; Kaia Sand has a number of free audio downloads, here, including various readings and lectures; and derek beaulieu, Gregory Betts, Douglas Barbour, George Bowering, Jason Christie, Jay MillAr, ryan fitzpatrick and plenty of others are interviewed over at The Great Canadian Writer's Craft: High school students interview Canadian poets.

Some author activity: MillAr, Poe, Hancock, Lindner, Markotic + Paige

Jay MillAr has a new poem up at Stuart Ross' The Week Shall Inherit The Verse; Deborah Poe has two new poems up at Shampoo #40; Brecken Hancock interviews Sue Sinclair, CWILA Critic-in-Residence; Erik Lindner writes a column in Dutch on the Poetry International website referencing Nicole Markotic's use of the term "prairie poetry"; and Vermont's Times Argus has a short article on Abby Paige's upcoming one-woman show in Montpelier, Vermont.

some author activity: The Peter F Yacht Club, Martin, MillAr, mclennan, Markotic + Poe,

For the first time in years, we actually had a meeting of The Peter F Yacht Club! Pictured left to right are Pearl and Brian Pirie, Vivian Vavassis and Gwendolyn Guth, listening intently to an unseen (by the camera, at least) Laurie Fuhr; others in attendance included rob mclennan, Stephen Brockwell, Danica Brockwell and Christine McNair.

Camille Martin has a collage essay over at Talking Writing, and Jay MillAr is interviewed over at Canadian Poets Petting Cats; rob mclennan's "Daily Offerings: a note on 'Songs for little sleep,'" is now online at Branta, anticipating his newest trade poetry collection; Nicole Markotic has some new poems over at Numero Cinq, along with an afterward on her poems by Tammy Armstrong; and there's a new interview with Deborah Poe over at womens quarterly conversation.

Also, copies of Hugh Thomas and Michael Blouin/Elizabeth Rainer's bpNichol Chapbook Award shortlisted titles will be available at Toronto's Meet the Presses, as at the ottawa small press book fair on Saturday!

August's TRUCK: Rogal, Martin, Reid, Earl, MacLeod, McCann, McElroy, Anstee, Irwwin, MillAr, Jackson, McKinnon + mclennan,

I've been editing Halvard Johnson's TRUCK throughout August, and have included new poems by various above/ground press authors (the benefit of having produced so much, and for so long, it means a great many writers can be considered authors), including Stan Rogal, Camille Martin, Monty Reid, Amanda Earl, Kathryn MacLeod, Marcus McCann, Gil McElroy, Cameron Anstee, Marilyn Irwin, Jay MillAr, Meghan Jackson (who published a couple of above/ground press items under the name meghan lynch), George Bowering and Barry McKinnon, and forthcoming authors Lary Bremner and Jordan Abel, ending the month with a piece of my own, here. Check the entire month's worth, also featuring poems by nikki reimer, Daphne Marlatt, David McGimpsey, Kim Minkus and more.

And don't forget the 19th anniversary sale! only until September 15,

new from above/ground press: THE SHINY THINGS by Jay MillAr

THE SHINY THINGS
Jay MillAr
$4

SOMETHING’S HAPPENING HERE

With refreshments wine was usually served and sometimes stronger beverages, and it was not an uncommon sight to see men reeling through the streets and sometimes uproariously drunk at the close of the day.

DEADLY VISIBLE RAYS

In the late thirties there was some discussion relative to the introduction of gas.

published in Ottawa by above/ground press
April 2012
a/g subscribers receive a complimentary copy

Cover artwork by Mark Goldstein

Jay MillAr is a Toronto poet, editor, publisher, teacher and virtual bookseller. He is the author of several books, the most recent of which are the small blue (2008), esp : accumulation sonnets (2009) and Other Poems (2010). He is also the author of several privately published editions, such as Lack Lyrics, which tied to win the 2008 bpNichol Chapbook Award. MillAr is the shadowy figure behind BookThug, a publishing house dedicated to exploratory work by well-known and emerging North American writers, as well as Apollinaire's Bookshoppe, a virtual bookstore that specializes in the books that no one wants to buy. Currently Jay teaches creative writing and poetics at George Brown College and Toronto New School of Writing, where he is also the co-director.

This is Jay MillAr’s fourth above/ground press title, after “from COAST ALL JOURN ALL” (STANZAS magazine, volume 1, issue #17, 1998), LET'S CALL THESE POEMS ST. CLAIR AVENUE (2003) and the collaborative Hijinks: A Sequence from Double Helix (with Stephen Cain, 2003).

To order, send cheques (add $1 for postage; outside Canada, add $2) to: rob mclennan, 402 McLeod St #3, Ottawa ON K2P 1A6 or paypal at www.robmclennan.blogspot.com

Jay MillAr & Pearl Pirie, February 13th at the Carleton Tavern

lovingly hosted by rob mclennan
doors 7pm, reading 7:30pm
The Carleton Tavern (upstairs), 223 Armstrong (at Parkdale)
Friday, February 13, 2009

readings by:

Jay MillAr (Toronto)
& Pearl Pirie (Ottawa)

author bios:

Jay MillAr is a Toronto poet, editor, publisher, and virtual bookseller. He is the author of False Maps for Other Creatures (2005), Mycological Studies (2002), and The Ghosts of Jay MillAr (2000). His most recent collection is the small blue (Fall 2007). In 2006 he published Double Helix, a collaborative "novel" written with Stephen Cain. Millar is the shadowy figure behind BookThug, an independent publishing house dedicated to cutting edge work by well-known and emerging North American writers, as well as Apollinaire's Bookshoppe, a virtual bookstore that specializes in the books that no one wants to buy. A long-time fixture of the Toronto writing and publishing scene, Jay has participated in such diverse projects as the UNBC/Via Rail Poetry Train, The Scream in High Park, Test Readings Series and Influency: A Poetry Salon. He is also the co-editor(with Mark Truscott) of BafterC, a small magazine of contemporary writing. Currently Jay teaches creative writing at George Brown College.

Pearl Pirie's words are in blogs everywhere and on paper in gar, 1cent, Peter F Yacht Club and in chapbooks by pooka press, Amanda's Angelhouse Press and rob's above/ground.