I had an amazing time in Calgary last weekend. It had been many years since I’d visited the city and it was so much fun to spend time there and soak up some Albertan sun (there’s plenty sun here right now on the west coast, too).
My thanks to Shelf Life Books for hosting the launch. What an amazing bookstore! Their poetry section is out of this world (read: big! varied!) , and the rest of the shelves are so well-curated, too.
Thank you to everyone who came out to be a part of our celebration! It was so fun to meet new friends and sign copies of the book. I also got to meet some friends in person with whom I’d previously exchanged emails, and I got to re-unite with some old friends, including writer and visual artist Chelsea Rushton. If you don’t know her work, you should absolutely check it out–it’s all gorgeous, suffused with an attentive love for the world.
Of course, I was excited to see Heidi Grogan and Nicole Boyce, both of whom have fantastic non-fiction in Boobs. They each read from their entertaining and moving stories–I read too–and then we were able to take part in an open discussion about breasts, what they mean, and how using humour can be helpful when telling stories about trauma. I’m super grateful to have these authors’ work in the book, and for the ongoing conversation about breasts and gender and identity.
Here’s a couple of snapshots of Nicole Boyce reading “A Site of Potential” and Heidi Grogan reading from “Mirror Mirror on the Wall.” And because I can’t help myself there’s a couple of photos of Boobs books looking particularly wonderful in their displays at Shelf Life (another shout-out to our publisher, Vici Johnstone, for her fantastic cover design!).
If you haven’t got your copy of Boobs yet, grab it up, and read the work of all the Calgary writers: Heidi, Nicole, and also Moni Brar, who unfortunately couldn’t join us for the launch. Calgary readers can catch-up with Moni Brar this Thursday, June 9 at Pages on Kensington as part of the Flyingwheel Reading Series, put on by Filling Station, where she’ll be reading her Boobs story, the incredibly moving “Berries.”
And then read all the rest of the stories and poems in the book: I’m so proud of the entire collection!
If you’re in the greater Vancouver area, join us for another celebration on June 18th at Trees Coffee on Ganville. And Toronto: look forward to the launch party at The Dora Keogh Pub on the 22nd! Full details about upcoming Boobs events can be found via the Caitlin Press website: Boobs, the Anthology: Canada Tour.
Ruth Daniell 