some photos from last night's above/ground press 19th anniversary reading/anniversary/launch,

A stellar evening last night at Overkill, a small lounge just underneath The Mercury Lounge in Ottawa's Byward Market. Have you ever seen such a lovely picture of chapbooks?

With some forty people in attendance, we launched new publications by Amanda Earl, Cameron Anstee (above), Marilyn Irwin (below) and Stephen Brockwell (below-er), and nineteen years of chapbook publishing, and all four authors gave amazing readings. I even managed to have copies of both of Amanda Earl's previous above/ground press items, as well as Stephen Brockwell's, yet couldn't manage to find copies of Marilyn Irwin's previous above/ground press item (she brought some of her own copies along).

Thanks to everyone who participated in the event, from the readers to audience to bartendress, to Christine McNair, willing to be the evening's door person and bookseller. The audience was filled with Ottawa writers, including various above/ground authors and non-authors alike: Christian McPherson, Michelle Desberats (Eve'n Adam), Brandon McNally, Pearl Pirie (oath in the boathouse), Monique Desnoyers, David Currie, Vivian Vavassis and Bardia Sinaee. 

By October, I'll be announcing the 2013 above/ground press subscriptions, and watch for readings coming up this fall, with possible appearances by George Elliott Clarke, Shannon Maguire and Fenn Stewart, and a late March, 2013 reading by American poet Deborah Poe. Just what might the 20th anniversary bring...?