Broken Keys Publishing's Blog, page 5

Anthology Submissions

Broken Keys Publishing will be accepting submissions for an upcoming anthology, showcasing local Ottawa literary talents, both amateur and established.We are proud to announce Nancy Laflamme will be on-board assisting with submission reviews as well as editor!The underlying theme must deal (directly or indirectly) with alternate universes (parallel universes). However, by NO means must these stories be science-fiction. Drama, historic, mystery, crime, thriller, horror, romance, fantasy, western, comedy, suspense, even poetry is a possibility (if done clever enough).Details and invitations will be announced soon.Submission date should begin October 1stFurther updates will be posted here.

Sun & Moon reviews

"This relatable work is a tumultuous river that runs through the hard times and quiet times that touch every life. It carries you from beginning to end and leaves you with the final line ‘Left in the wake of your absence, now winter’s descended.’ The curtain call to a wonderful work."A must read for poets and those poetic at heart. I look forward to reading more of Michel’s intriguing work."Jen Pretty, author. 2019 Faces of Ottawa Awards: Favourite Author Finalist~"The greeting card morality of the unthinking is precisely why books like Sun & Moon are cesarean born into a turbulent world. The poet is tasked with provoking emotional intelligence by awakening the sleepy conscience of a community that often confuses the demands of security with the desires of liberty.”Mark Antony Rossi, author of Strength to be Human podcast and book~"Sun & Moon explores emotional quandaries through an enigmatic lens. The sobriety of madness, the fretting away of the poet's sanity."It is fear and hope given voice in the same breath."'Seph Sayers,Blogger & book reviewer~"Raw emotion, secrets revealed, and powerful words weaved together in beautiful poetic form."Michelle Young, author of Salt & Light and Without FearSun & Moon will be available in ebook September 12thTo preorder please follow link.Print edition release to follow.

CPACT Awards Voting

code: vote1336 code: vote1251

CPACT Awards Nominations

Exciting news!Both myself and Broken Keys Publishing have been nominated for two CPACT Awards!Small Business Excellence (for Broken Keys Publishing)andEntertainment Excellence (Michel Weatherall, author)Voting continues until September 26th Send SMS to613-510-0197 or 514-360-5202Text code: Small Business Excellence, text: vote1336 Entertainment Excellence, text: vote1251Please vote. Your opinion matters!Thank you!Vote ~ Like ~ Share

CPACT Awards Nomination! Time to Vote!!

I am honoured to announce Broken Keys Publishing has not only been nominated by has made the final round of voting for the CPACT's Awards in the category of Small Business Excellence!!For futther information please visit their website here: https://www.cpact.ca/vote-now Your vote matters! Voting is easy! Simply text either 613-510-0197 or 514-360-5202 withvote1251It's as easy as that! One vote/text per phone number!

World Multicultural Festival Announcement

We at Broken Keys Publishing are proud to announce, our very own Michel Weatherall will be a judge at this Beauty Pageant!

The Byward Authors' Market, August 24th

Another wonderful and successful day at the Byward Authors' Market!!Never know who you'll meet at the ByWard Market!Friend, model and pageant queen, Trish Katt!Keep your eyes open! Both Trish Katt and myself will be involved in Gipsy Ghosh's upcoming World Multicultural event!! Stay tuned!

Strength To Be Human podcast: In Conversation with Michel Weatherall

September 9th8amLink will be posted on the Facebook event page.Podcast Strength to Be Human, with host Mark Antony Rossi: In conversation with Ottawa author Michel Weatherall and Mark Antony Rossi discuss publishing, self-publishing, printing, marketing, public exposure, the necessary of TV, radio, social media, branding, image and persona for authors. We will discuss all things literary, poetry and the soon to be released collection of poems, Sun & Moon.You can read excerpts from the upcoming collection of poems from Sun & Moon at Ariel Chart:The title piece, Sun & MoonandEleven's Silent Promise

Big-Box-Bookstores and the Future of Literature

I visited a Chapters I haven't been to in quite some time. (I won't specify which one as I believe I've been unofficially blacklisted, but I'll get to that later.)I was surprised. Disappointed actually.From a year ago it's local author section had been reduced from a full rack of shelves in prime real estate facing the adjoining Starbucks, to a single row on an obscure shelf tucked away off the main corridor, the majority of its space taken up by numerous copies of a single mediocre author's books. Wandering about the store, the fact did not miss my attention that, between the toys and Lego section and vast choice of children's clothing and knickknacks, it was easily in excess of 40% of the floor space. (Talk about the value of a bookstore's real estate.) Hardly a bookstore anymore. More of a.... I'm not sure what.It felt like the end of an era. My books haven't graced the shelves of this particular store in over 2 years. Where I had done book signings here usually twice a year, I haven't been able to secure a date for the past 2 years, regardless of easily 6 to 9 months notice.And this is the part I find interesting: I believe it might be over the issue of a particular opinion I hold. I have diplomatically voiced this opinion a few years ago on radio:It is my belief that larger Big-Box-Bookstores need to better support local authors - need to support literature at its grassroots level. To the retail chain that only promos and exclusively carries big names (at the expense of its local talent) have essential adopted a pirate's philosophy: "Take all you can. Give nothing back!"I believe the larger bookstores have a responsibility to promote and help out up-and-coming writers; that they have an obligation to invest at a grassroots level. ALL successfully authors have, at some point in their early careers, been “small and local.” An industry that picks and promotes only the big names exclusively for large profits will ultimately undermine and collapse the entire industry itself.I had a brief email exchange from the manager of this particular location. My lack of ability to secure a book signing event date, or even renew a consignment contract at this location, seems to coincidentally correspond with this very same time.In my documentation necessary for my nomination for the 2020-21 Parliamentary Poet Laureate, I cite this in my letter of intent should I actually be chosen for this position. I believe the retail literary landscape of Canada is on need of change.Let's not paint with a broad brush. My experiences with numerous other locations across the city have been nothing but supportive, receptive and encouraging. Scheduling book signing dates and consignment contracts have been easy.So, what are we seeing? Are we seeing the collapse of literature? Are we seeing the end of self-publishing and the indie-author? Are we seeing the small-mindedness of a single store manager? Or are we seeing the big-box-bookstores' loss of focus. Are we seeing the rise of the indie-author - and more importantly - a migration of the Canadian literary landscape?I believe Canada's literary landscape is changing, and we must rise to meet these changes.If you are a writer, an aspiring author, a reader, a publisher, or retail bookstore, these are questions that should be important to you.Where do you stand? What are you willing to do? What can we do?

2019 - What's Happened and Happenin'

January 15, 2019January 30, 2019January 25, 2019Feburary 23, 2019March 25, 2019March 25th was one busy day!!March 27, 2019March 30, 2019April 6, 2019April 8, 2019April 13, 2019April 27, 2019May 4, 2019May 18, 2019June 9, 2019June 22, 2019July 12, 2019July 27, 2019August 10, 2019August, 2019August 24, 2019September 7, 2019September 16, 2019October 19, 2019October, 2019Merrickville FairNovember 24, 2019Ottawa ChristmasCraft & Gift ShowNovember 30, 2019December, 20192018 Celtic Yule Psychic & Craft FairDecember, 2019Ugly Christmas Sweater Jam