Editor’s Notes

Greetings readers,

This month's issue features work from four poets, both current residents and former Ottawa residents from BC to Quebec City. Also in the issue, we have a review by former Ottawa resident Peter Gibbon, who gives us a glimpse of an In/Words chapbook by Jesslyn Delia Smith. I am always pleased to see the number of submissions coming from former Ottawans. Ottawa is a wonderful city and it's heartening to see that those who leave it are still interested in taking part in related cultural activities. Hope you enjoy their work.

Unfortunately our reading on February 6 had to be postponed due to snafus with the venue. Thanks to all the readers, our musical guest and the audience, who came out. Since we couldn't hold our fund raiser for Cornerstone at this time, we will hold it at our May reading. Stay tuned for more details closer to the date. For those of you looking for the spring issue of the Bywords Quarterly Journal, it will soon be available at Mags n Fags, Mother Tongue Books, Patrick McGahren Books and Benjamin Books on Osgoode. You can also subscribe to the Bywords Quarterly Journal by clicking on the BQJ link on the site. Your annual subscription includes 4 issues of the BQJ plus the chapbook of the John Newlove Poetry Award recipient. This year's chapbook will be by Winter Fedyk.

There are lots of excellent literary events happening in Ottawa in the next few months. One of the highlights of the winter is the upcoming VERSeFest, taking place from March 8-13, 2011. Many of Ottawa's reading series have come together to offer literary enthusiasts a full week of poetic variety. Once the schedule is up, I'll add the events to the calendar.

Thanks to this month's selection committee:

Jamie Bradley
Gwen Guth
Megan McGrath
Christine McNair
Kemisha Newman
Claudia Coutu Radmore
Sarah-Grace Ross
Carol A. Stephen
JC Sulzenko

Thanks once more to those of you who have submitted. Remember to keep sending us poems and to encourage your friends who are current or former Ottawans to send us work. Include a short bio in the third person, your current address and an indication of your Ottawa connection. Eligible poems can be no more than 45 lines and 250 words.

If you'd like feedback on your work, you should check out the numerous poetry workshops and writing circles in Ottawa. You can find further information about workshops on our site in the news / workshops section and about free writing circles on the calendar.

Thanks to all the readers of Bywords.ca, and the subscribers to the Bywords Quarterly Journal.

If you have comments, suggestions or soothing unguents to offer, please e-mail me at amanda@bywords.ca.

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Amanda Earl