Hamilton's Literary Festival

Hamilton's fifth GritLIT takes place April 2 - 5. A popular cultural festival of authors' readings, workshops for aspiring authors, poetry contest. Designed to promote local writers along with well-known Canadian authors.
An evening of poetry readings, April 2, 7:30 p.m. at the Hamilton Art Gallery. An evening of fiction readings, 7:30 p.m., April 3.
The event takes its name from the fact that Hamilton is often thought of as a gritty city. www.gritlit.ca

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." ~ Albert Einstein

"The Very Finest Books on Canadian History"

For a rare and fascinating insight into the life of a successful writer, follow Cheryl MacDonald's blog at heronwoodandhistory.blogspot.com or simply click on the Follower link.

Canadian Authors' Reading Series

Award-winning DONNA MORRISSEY is guest at The Roselawn Theatre, Port Colbourne, Ontario, on Tuesday March 24th. Author of three novels, including "What They Wanted" and "Kit's Law," lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. For further information, please call Wm. Thomas' Writing Services 905-834-0898.

Legendary Canadian Ladies

WRITER, HISTORIAN Cheryl MacDonald will talk about well-known and other not-so-well-known legendary women, Thursday April 16 at 1:00 p.m. at the Wilson MacDonald Museum in Cheapside. Cheryl's presentations are always informative and never dull. Included in her April event are Abigail Becker, Mary Sitts, Helen Kinnear and Laura Secord. Admissions is $5 with ample time for visiting and touring the museum. Coffee House Programme Wilson MacDonald Museum.

Toronto 175 Years Old

1793 Lt. Gov. John Graves Simcoe, Upper Canada's first lieutenant-governor, moved his capital from Newark -- Niagara-on-the-Lake -- believing new town of York could be better defended. York named for Prince Frederick, Duke of York, King George 111's second son. Begun in 1795, 56-km Yonge St.was considered to be the world's longest street. March 6, 1834, York incorporated as City of Toronto.
Canada's first stamp, featuring a beaver, was designed on a napkin at a Yonge St. restaurant by railroad engineer Sanford Fleming in 1851. Muddy marshes and creeks S. of Bloor St. resulted in the town of York becoming known as "Muddy York." Source: Toronto Sun

A Writer on Writing

"Always, I am amazed at what we tell, how much faith we put in it.
Never really knowing who is listening,how they're going to take it, where."
~ Bronwen Wallace, Canadian Poet

"Obama Please Invade Canada"

Words of talented humourist, William Thomas. Hilarious, yes. Serious, likely.
Stunning portraits of the various teams assembled by the U.S. Administration adorn sixteen pages in the March issue of Vanity Fair. From the Green Team to the Cabinet. The Economy Team to the Logistics Team. The Brain-Trust Team to the News-Tracking Team. The First Lady's Team, Domestic Policy, Communications ~ even the so-called Boosters, Caroline and Ted Kennedy.

What strikes the reader is the mixture of youth, enthusiasm, energy, vitality, age, wisdom and experience evident in the faces of this "Brave New World." Yes, please invade Canada!

Novels as a "Social Glue"

Is it possible that contemporary novels influence society in a way that we resist impulses and behave in a way that benefits society? A study at the university of Missouri, St. Louis, took a look at storytelling across time and cultures. The conclusion is that "the basic opposition between communitarianism and dominance behaviour is a universal theme" and that our judgement of characters to be either good or bad has a bearing on human adaptation. "Novels have a function that continues to contribute to the quality and structure of group life." Source: New Scientist, Jan. 23, 2009