the ottawa small press book fair / june 6-7, 2014‏

this year's spring edition of the semi-annual ottawa small press book fair is shaping up to be one of the biggest ones yet. held on saturday, june 7, 2014 from noon to 5pm in room 203 of the jack purcell community centre (jack purcell lane, right by gilmour street on elgin), the fair contains the best of the small press in poetry, fiction, comic books and original artwork from publishers, presses and authors in and around ottawa, with exhibitors regularly attending from toronto, montreal, vancouver, the united states and beyond.

now in our twentieth year, some of the exhibitors at our spring fair include a number of regulars, as well as friendly faces we don't get to see as often, including: 40-Watt Spotlight, above/ground press, Ankle Bone Books, AngelHousePress, Apt. 9 Press, Arc Poetry Magazine, Cat & Bean Publishing, Black Radish Books, CC Brunelle, Martin Bueno, BuschekBooks, Bywords, Chaudiere Books, Editions du Rognon, Gesture Press, GiddyPigs, The Grunge Papers, Hark! A Raven Little Magazine, Hopelessly Heroic, In/Words magazine & press, Loose Cannon Press, Luis Lama, Mansfield Press, Mary Kritz, Christian McPherson, Nous-zot Press, Ottawa Arts Review, Passion: Poetry Magazine & Press, Pedlar Press, Phafours, Postscripts to Darkness, Proper Tales Press, Puddles of Sky Press, room 302 books, SABL Cartoon Creations, Salgood Sam, Silgerond Press, Sonderho Press, Superandom Comics, Tekst Editions,Trans-Verse Books and WILDWATERS PUBLISHING.

for further information on the ottawa small press book fair, check here:

http://www.smallpressbookfair.blogspot.ca/2014/02/the-ottawa-small-press-fair-spring-2014.html

and don't forget our pre-fair reading the night before, held at the carleton tavern in parkdale market! lovingly hosted by rob mclennan, the event features readings and launches by Marthe Reed, David Menear, Chris Eaton, Renée Sarojini Saklikar and Nicholas Power. for author bios, check here:

http://www.abovegroundpress.blogspot.ca/2014/05/the-factory-reading-series-pre-small.html

for further information on either event (or both), contact book fair organizer and co-founder rob mclennan at rob_mclennan@hotmail.com or 613 239 0337

The Ottawa Zine Off! (Summer 2014 Edition)

The 5th Ottawa Zine Off is 7pm June 22nd! Make a zine quick, bring copies to trade with others to Pressed at 7:00pm, meet people who don't suck, immeasurably improve your life. Invite cool people, because it'll probably be balls hot out!

You don't have to make a zine to participate... but wouldn't it be cool if you did?

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/710558582339143/
Ottawa Zines group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/382123018582469/

Here's all you ever wanted to know about this awesome night!

Question: What's a zine?
Answer: As wikipedia says, "a zine (pron.: /ˈziːn/ zeen; an abbreviation of fanzine, or magazine) is most commonly a small circulation self-published work of original and/or appropriated texts and images usually reproduced via photocopier". Really though, zines are a way of sharing stories, drawings, information, whatever you want with other individuals. Be creative!

Q: What's the Zine Off?
A: The Ottawa Zine-Off is a self-enforced communal deadline. Basically, participants have a little over a month to create a zine. (Most people procrastinate and do it in the last few days, natch) There is no penalty for not making one, but really, the fun in having the night is seeing how many awesome zinesters exist in Ottawa, so get working!

On Sunday June 22nd, those who have made a zine and anyone who would like to come check them out can come hang out at Pressed for a night of trading, reading and camaraderie. 15 - 25 copies is a good number!

Q: What can my zine be about?
A: Anything! Last time, we had zines featuring comix, poetry, stories, how to read tea leaves, psychologically-manipulative office furnishing tips, travelogues, self-care manuals, drawings...

Q: Who can participate?
A: Everyone! Invite your friends, neighbours, family, coworkers, mailperson, favorite barista, etc.

Q: Is there a cost?
A: No! The meetup event costs nothing, but feel free to support our hosts Pressed by buying a drink or delicious sandwich. Participants can ask for for a donation for their zine, but we encourage trading. At the last few zine offs, zinesters traded copies amongst themselves instead of exchanging money.

Q: Can I be fashionably late?
A: Sure, but there won't be any zines left to trade. We strongly recommend showing up at the listed start time, as seating is limited and people usually start trading long before we tell them they're allowed.

If you have any further questions, feel free to post them on the event wall. Poster is coming soon, and we'll make copies available for individuals who would like to promote the Zine-Off at their favourite hang out spots...

Now, MAKE A ZINE!

The NUB: Indie Arts Hub

The NUB: Indie Arts Hub is an app compatible with iPhone/iPad or Android that provides a stream of independent arts and culture content from across North America directly to readers five times per week. Think of it as a a mini-digest of diverse content from participating independent arts and culture magazines.

Each day, you will find in your phone a new column, poem, short story, interview, profile, book/zine review, comic or rant from one of five of North America’s best independent arts and culture magazines.

 

The Nub features content from Broken Pencil: The Magazine of Zine Culture and the Independent Arts; Geist magazine; Subterrain magazine; Matrix magazine; Taddle Creek magazine; and 49th Shelf.

Don't Miss a Thing - updated 5 days a week with work from Canada's best independent arts and culture magazines

 

It Happened Here First - stay up to date with cutting edge culture while you wait for the bus

 

Underground Fiction - the best in radical fiction with stories from Geist, SubTerrain, and Matrix Magazines

 

Best from the Small Press - book and zine reviews plus excerpts and interviews from Broken Pencil and 49th Shelf

 

Poke Your Mind - thought-provoking columns and opinion from underground culture mavens.

 

The Best in Independent Writing from Across Canada - new work from Geist, Broken Pencil, Matrix, 49th Shelf and SubTerrain.

Download Free for your iPhone/iPad or Android Device

Here are some useful links and twitter info: 

The Nub page on the BP website (links out to both iOS and Android versions): http://bit.ly/1i6iCEc

The Nub on iTunes (iOS): http://bit.ly/1i6iK6B

The Nub in Google Play store (Android): http://bit.ly/1i6j2ud

The Factory Reading Series pre-small press book fair reading, June 6, 2014: Reed, Menear, Eaton, Power + Saklikar

span-o (the small press action network - ottawa) presents:

The Factory Reading Series

pre-small press book fair reading

featuring readings by:

Marthe Reed (NY State)

David Menear (Toronto/Montreal)

Chris Eaton (Toronto) [pictured]

Nicholas Power (Toronto)

+ Renée Sarojini Saklikar (Vancouver)

lovingly hosted by rob mclennan

Friday, June 6, 2014;

doors 7pm; reading 7:30pm

The Carleton Tavern,

223 Armstrong Street (at Parkdale; upstairs)

as a preview for the following day’s ottawa small press book fair!

for bios and links check here