The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends

WordStage featuring the Quattro Books Writers

2011-12-01T14:52:00.003-05:00

Dooney's Cafe

(formerly Annex Live)

December 14, 2011

298 Brunswick Avenue (south of Bloor)

7:30 pm sharp

FEATURING:

Binnie Brennan’s short stories have appeared in a number of Canadian and American literary journals. Her best-selling novella Harbour View was shortlisted for an Atlantic Book Award, longlisted for the ReLit Award, and was co-winner of the 2009 Ken Klonsky Novella Contest. Binnie is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers and Queen’s University. Born in Toronto, Binnie lives in Halifax, where she is a violist with Symphony Nova Scotia. www.binniebrennan.com/

Carole Giangrande’s novella, A Gardener On The Moon, was co-winner of the 2010 Ken Klonsky Novella Contest, and is published by Quattro Books. She's the author of two novels (An Ordinary Star and A Forest Burning), a short story collection, Missing Persons), and two non-fiction books. She’s worked as a broadcast journalist for CBC Radio, and her fiction, articles and reviews have appeared in Canada’s major journals and newspapers. Between hosting the worldwide literary podcast Words to Go, and commenting as The Thoughtful Blogger, she’s found time to complete a new novella, Midsummer, from which she’ll read at WordStage. www.carolegiangrande.com/

Koom Kankesan was born in Sri Lanka. Canada is the fourth country that he and his family lived and is the one where they settled down. He's a proud Torontonian and has a background in English Literature and Film Studies. Suffering from premature old man syndrome, he's worked at a variety of ill-fitting jobs, most recently and most consistently as a high school English teacher, while trying to write on the side. His novella, The Panic Button, about a family living in Scarborough, has been praised by comic book visionary Alan Moore and largely ignored by everyone else. It has the somewhat dubious honour of being shortlisted for the Scarborough Book Award.

Paul Seesequasis is a writer and journalist. He was the founding editor of the award-winning 'Aboriginal Voices' magazine, and recipient of the Maclean-Hunter journalist award. His short stories and feature writing have been published in Canada and abroad. Tobacco Wars is his first novella.

Hosted by Maddy Curry and Sonia Di Placido. The fun keeps going - join the writers afterwards for the Quattro Christmas party!

A Place in the Spotlight

2011-10-20T22:31:00.002-04:00


NSNIG&F co-organizer, poet and the night's emcee Giovanna Riccio

Award winning poet Cathy Petch starts the evening

Writer Diane Bracuk read a piece on Warsaw

Writer Bianca Lakoseljac

Poet/Writer Liz Worth

NSNIG&F Co-organizer &
Writer Michelle Alfano

NSNIG Giovanna at rest

Darlene Madott, writer and NSNIG extraordinaire

Karen and Jane Somerville

Liz and friend

Francesca and Talia, friends of the NSNIG&F

NSNIG&F supporter
and Poet Valentino Assenza

October Reading

2011-10-15T16:23:00.000-04:00

Michelle Alfano is a co-organizer of the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends Reading Series and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her novella Made Up Of Arias (Blaurock Press) won the 2010 Bressani Prize for Short Fiction. Her short story “Opera”, on which her novella Made Up Of Arias is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in major literary publications. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia that will be featured on OMNI-TV. She is currently at work at a new novel entitled Vita’s Prospects.

Diane Bracuk is a freelance writer specializing in health and women's issues. Her fiction and poems have appeared in Canadian journals such as The Antigonish Review, TickleAce and Other Voices. In Great Britain, Diane’s work has been published in Image, Ireland's largest circulation woman's magazine, and You Magazine, part of the Saturday Supplement of England's Daily Mail.

Bianca Lakoseljac is the author of Bridge in the Rain, a collection of stories linked by an inscription on a bench in Toronto’s High Park; and Memoirs of a Praying Mantis, a collection of poetry. She has completed a novel, Summer of the Dancing Bear, which explores “the rite of passage” of a fourteen year old girl befriended by a Gypsy clan. Bianca holds a BA and MA in English from York University. She taught communication courses at Ryerson University and Humber College. She is Past President of the Canadian Authors Association, Toronto, and has served as judge for various literary contests. For more than half of her life, she’s been married to a man with an Italian background, and feels right at home among the not so NICE Italian girls. And it was only through a toss of a coin that her last name is Lakoseljac and not Maggiori.

Karen Mulhallen has just published her poetry book which begins on Toronto Island and moves to Turkey, Italy and then returns in the fourth section to the city of Toronto. The Pillow Books is an extended conversation with Sei Shonagon, a woman in the Japanese Court in the eleventh century. Although a pillow book might be understood as a secret document, by making such a text into a book the author tests the boundaries of secrecy in her search for an audience. It was Karen Mulhallen¹s fascination by this line between the public and the private and by the ways in which a distant culture seemed to be so close to our own that led her to write The Pillow Books.

Cathy Petch writes poetry, plays, articles, books and graffiti. She hosts the Plasticine Poetry Series in Toronto, which is now in it's fifth year. She is a member of the 2011 Toronto Poetry slam team. She has 3 chapbooks and has been published in magazine online and off. Having been raised Catholic, she loves the company of Italian girls and their not so nice ways.

Liz Worth is a Toronto-based writer. She is the author of Treat Me Like Dirt: An Oral History of Punk in Toronto and Beyond and a piece of surreal punk fiction called Eleven: Eleven. Amphetamine Heart is her first poetry collection.

And as emcee ...
Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy, immigrated to Canada when she was six years old and grew up in Toronto. She has a degree in philosophy from the University of Toronto. Over the years, her poems have appeared in newspapers, journals, magazines, and anthologies. She is the author of the chapbook Vittorio, published by Lyricalmyrical Press in July 2010. Her book of poems, Strong Bread, was published by Quattro Books in the spring of 2011 and launched in Montreal in April 2011 in Toronto in May 2011.

Premiere of Saturnia

2011-10-11T10:19:00.003-04:00

On the occasion of the 11th Annual Italian Language Week in the World, dedicated in 2011 to the celebration of 150th anniversary of Italy’s Unification, the Italian Cultural Institute presents the screening of the documentary SATURNIA, written, directed and produced by Ferdinando Dell'Omo and Lilia Topouzova.

SATURNIA

Written, Directed and Produced by Ferdinando Dell'Omo and Lilia Topouzova

Edited by Juan Baquero

Director of photography Maya Bankovic

Original Music by Ivo Paunov

Produced in Association with OMNI Television with

the support of The Mariano A. Elia Chair at York University

October 17, 2011

6:30 pm

Istituto Italiano di Cultura

496 Huron St.

Toronto

Free admission

416-921-3802 x 221

More than 50 years ago, over two hundred thousand Italians boarded the glorious transatlantic Saturnia embarking on a journey to American in search for a better future. The documentary Saturnia explores the lives of four of those immigrants. We follow the story of Michelle, an Italian-Canadian author from Toronto, writing a book about her father who left Sicily on the Saturnia. He died when she was sixteen and Michelle sets on a journey into the past to understand who he was by discovering where he came from. By following her research and creative process, we will enter the lives of three of Saturnia`s passengers: Rosa in Montreal, Silvano in Vancouver, and Antonio in Edmonton. Everyday people whose extraordinary stories move and inspire us.They will help us to reconstruct the immigration experience and the challenges that Italians faced during their trip across the ocean, and the ones that followed when they finally arrived in America. Step by step the movie recalls and reconstructs the transatlantic journey between Italy and Canada, but also the memories of small villages in post WWII Italy and the first years of adjustment in the new world.

Immigration is a complex and multilayered and making of a film about it mirrors the experience itself. In order to capture the essence of the Italian-Canadian immigration story, the documentary Saturnia relied on the collaboration of several key institutions and individuals. . The commissioning of the film and the commercial support, indispensable for its realization, was completed in association with OMNI Television. The academic research and scholarly perspective,crucial for the historical narrative ,was enabled by the Mariano A.Elia Chair at York University. Access to rare archival footage and still photographs which resurrected forgotten moments from a distant past was enabled by the Pier 21 Museum in Halifax and the Fondazione Ansaldo in Italy. The Genova-Liguria Film Commission and DocLab Productions Roma, allowed the shooting and production of Saturnia on Italian soil.

Ferdinando Dell’Omo is an Italian-Canadian documentary filmmaker and journalist. He has worked in the past on a series on ship travel and memory, entitled Navi della Memoria. His work has been broadcast both in Italy and Canada.

Lilia Topouzova is a historian and a documentary film-maker. A Ph.D. candidate at the History Department at the University of Toronto, her work explores the visual and textual representation of violence and its remembrance. She is the recipient of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant of Canada. She is the co-author of the award-winning documentary feature, The Mosquito Problem & Other Stories (dir. A. Paounov) which premiered at Cannes and TIFF in 2007 and won the human-rights award at the Sarajevo Film Festival.

For more info please go to: http://tinyurl.com/3mvzthv

Descant's Launch of the Sicily issue

2011-09-29T16:31:00.000-04:00

October 5, 2011, 7.00pm

Grano Restaurant

2035 Yonge St.

(three blocks north of Davisville)

Toronto

Come hear the Sicily issue's contributors of poetry and prose:

Valentino Assenza

Gil Fagiani

Darlene Madott

Gianna Patriarca

Doors opening at 7 p.m.

Arrive early to partake in the cash bar and the antipasti!

Issue in stores September 20, 2011

Grano Restaurant

2035 Yonge St.

(three blocks north of Davisville)

Toronto

October 5, 2011

7.00pm

Come hear the Sicily issue's contributors of poetry and prose:

Valentino Assenza

Gil Fagiani

Darlene Madott

Gianna Patriarca

Doors opening at 7 p.m.

Arrive early to partake in the cash bar and the antipasti!

Issue in stores September 20, 2011

2011-08-18T08:52:00.002-04:00

The Yellow Door
POETRY AND PROSE READING
3625 Aylmer, Montreal (between Pine & Prince Arthur)

Tel: 514-845-2600
Doors 7:00p Reading at 7.30p

$5 at the door
www.yellowdoor.org

Featuring:

Michelle Alfano

Co-organizer of the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Co-Editor with Descant. Bressani Prize winner for Made Up of Arias (Blaurock Press).

Ehab Lotayef

Author of the poetry book, To Love a Palestinian Woman, TSAR 2010. He writes in English & Arabic. www.lotayef.com

Niki Paquin

QWF Mentorship participant for non-fiction, 2008. She is working on a first book, So Close to the Sky: Journey with a Tibetan Family.

Jack Hannan

His most recent book of poetry, Some Frames, was published in April 2011 by Cormorant Books.

Catherine Chandler

Author of Lines of Flight & winner of the 2010 Howard Nemerov Award, employs form to investigate & communicate reality.

Ken Kalman

Poet, playwright & novelist. Author of Jesus Loves Me, a novel (Xlibris 2003); Short stories & poetry published in Canada and U.S.

Tom Fox

A classical singer with a rich bass voice. His repertoire includes operatic duets and solos in English, Italian, French, and Russian.

Ilona Martonfi,
Founder, Producer/Host

514-939-4173
ilona.martonfi@sympatico.ca

The NSNIG&F steam up the August night ...

2011-08-17T18:14:00.002-04:00


Elisabeth de Mariaffi, writer


Ayelet Tsabari, writer


K.D. Miller, author of Brown Dwarf


Poet Catherine Graham


Koom Kankesan, writer & provocateur

Giovanna Riccio, Poet & NSNIG&F Co-Organizer

Writer & Draft Reading Series Founder Maria Meindl

K.D. & friends

Emcee & NSNIG&F Co-Organizer Michelle Alfano

The lovely Ayelet & the slightly startled Michelle

Poet Sonia DiPlacido at the open mike

Poet Roger Knox at the open mike

Terri Favro, writer & great NSNIG&F supporter!

Poet & Quattro Books Co-Founder Luciano Iacobelli & Giovanna

Koom and friends

Sonia & Giovanna

Michelle & Luciano

An appreciative crowd at the Annex Live ...

The NSNIG&F get hot and steamy ...

2011-08-01T19:54:00.005-04:00

Celebrate our second anniversary by bringing a poem to share
at the open mike to be held after the readings.

Elisabeth de Mariaffi's work has been widely published in Canadian magazines, including The New Quarterly, The FIddlehead, This Magazine, Prairie Fire, and The Puritan, and is taught as part of the short story curriculum at the University of Waterloo. She is one of the wild minds behind Toronto Poetry Vendors, a new press that sells poetry broadsides from refurbished vending machines in the downtown area. Her poetry chapbook, Letter on St. Valentine's Day, was published last year by The Emergency Response Unit. Currently at work on a novel, Elisabeth lives in Little Portugal with two children and one maniac dog.

Catherine Graham is the author of four critically acclaimed poetry collections: The Watch (Abbey Press) and the poetry trilogy Pupa, The Red Element and Winterkill (Insomniac Press). She holds an M.A. in Creative Writing from Lancaster University (UK) and teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. Visit: www.catherinegraham.com

Koom Kankesan is a writer with a background in English Literature and Film Studies. He has written short stories and small anecdotal pieces for various journals, and has published film and book reviews with newspapers such as the Montreal Gazette. He is an unabashed fan of comic books and movies. The Panic Button is his first novella.

K.D. Miller, B.A, M.F.A., has published stories and essays in a variety of Canadian literary magazines. Her work has appeared in Best Canadian Stories – Oberon 2008 and 2009, in The Journey Prize Anthology, and has been broadcast by the CBC. She has published two collections of stories: A Litany in Time of Plague and Give Me Your Answer; an essay collection: Holy Writ; and a novel: Brown Dwarf. K.D. Miller is a teacher of writing courses and workshops, and is both a founding member and Editor of Red Claw Press. She lives in Toronto. Her website is: http://www.dawnwriter.com/.

Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy, immigrated to Canada when she was 6 years old and grew up in Toronto. She has a degree in philosophy from the University of Toronto. Over the years, her poems have appeared in newspapers, journals, magazines, and anthologies. She is the author of the chapbook Vittorio, published by Lyricalmyrical Press in July 2010. Her book of poems, Strong Bread, was published by Quattro Books in the spring of 2011 and launched in Montreal in April and in Toronto in May 2011.

Ayelet Tsabari is a two-time winner of Event’s Creative Non-Fiction Contest, and a first runner-up for Prism International Non-Fiction contest. Her fiction was published in Grain and Room, and her unpublished manuscript, You and What Army and Other True Stories was shortlisted to the First Book Competition by Anvil Press. She’s currently working on a collection of short fiction. She often dreams of warmer places.

And as emcee ...

Michelle Alfano is a co-organizer of the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends Reading Series and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her novella Made Up of Arias (Blaurock Press) won the 2010 Bressani Prize for Short Fiction. Her short story “Opera”, on which her novella Made Up Of Arias is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in major literary publications. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia that will be featured on OMNI-TV. She is currently at work at a new novel entitled Vita’s Prospects.

Jazz meets Poetry

2011-06-23T15:07:00.002-04:00

The Sicilian Jazz Project meets the Poets

Michael Occhipinti & The Sicilian Jazz Project

join forces with some of Toronto's most dynamic Italian-Canadian poets and spoken-word artists, including:

Domenico Capilongo

Gianna Patriarca

Luciano Iacobelli

Desi Di Nardo

Val Assenza

Giovanna Riccio

and Venus Gennaro whose CD of Sicilian poetry

features music by Dominic Mancuso

This unique evening of word and song will feature the SKP performing

its own JUNO-nominated repertoire, as well as joining forces with

the poets to create an improvised soundtrack.

For more info please go to:

http://www.lula.ca/Events/2011/june/Sicilian.html

Wednesday June 29th, 2011

Lula Lounge

1585 Dundas St. W., west of Dufferin

Tel. 416-588-0307

e-mail: info@lula.ca

The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls ask "What is a Man?"

2011-06-22T23:53:00.002-04:00

Emcee/co-organizer Giovanna Riccio ponders "What is a man?"


Poet Rocco de Giacomo


Rocco starts the reading off ...

Poet Jason Paradiso reading both poetry and prose


Poet and Quattro Books Partner Luciano Iacobelli


Writer/poet Pasha Malla

Pasha

Poet Sam Pupo

Poet Valentino Assenza

Poets Denis, Gianna and emcee/co-organizer Michelle Alfano

Enrica and Terry, colleagues and friends, part of Sam's entourage

Pasha Malla and friends including Jason & Kara Bristow

The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls

Let's Talk about Men ...

2011-06-01T08:16:00.048-04:00

Valentino Assenza has been a fixture in the Toronto poetry circle for over the last decade. His work has appeared in such anthologies such as Labour Of Love magazine, Looking Forward Looking Back (Lyricalmyrical Press), and Mic Check: An Anthology Of Canadian Spoken Word Artists (Quatro Books). Valentino has four chapbooks of poetry, most recently, Make Our Peace With Rattlesnakes (Lyricalmyrical Press. and is currently writing his first full length book of poetry and short stories. Valentino had the honour of representing Toronto being a part of the Toronto Poetry Slam team in 2009 and 2010, and respectively competing in the national poetry slams in Canada and the U.S. He sits on the committee that helps to run the ArtBar Poetry Series, the longest running poetry only series in Canada. He currently lives in Toronto, and is currently writing his first full length book of poetry and short stories.

Rocco de Giacomo is a widely published poet whose work has appeared in literary journals in Canada, Australia, England, Hong Kong and the US. His work has most recently been published in Existere and Contemporary Verse 2. Rocco’s poetry has also been featured on the CBC. He is the author of numerous chapbooks including, in 2008, Catching Dawn’s Breath. In 2009, his first full-length poetry collection, Ten Thousand Miles Between Us, was launched through Quattro Books. In 2010 Ten Thousand Miles was longlisted for the ReLit Poetry Award. In 2011, it was selected for Poetry NOW’s 3rd Annual Battle of the Bards. Rocco lives in Toronto where he writes and participates on the council for the Art Bar Poetry Series.

Luciano Iacobelli is the author of The Angel Notebook (Seraphim Editions, 2007), seven poetry chapbooks and two full length plays, The Porch and Byrdbrain. He is also the publisher, editor and designer of Lyricalmyrical Press. He is also a Partner in Quattro Books.

Pasha Malla is the author of The Withdrawal Method (stories), All Our Grandfathers Are Ghosts (poems), and the forthcoming Why We Fight ... > Quran Neck (transliterated World War II propaganda). His first novel, People Park, will be published in 2012.

Jason Paradiso is a technical writer by day and technically a writer by night. He is also an editor and a poet who considers himself some sort of an artist too. His name has been included in a number of mastheads and his work has appeared in multiple places including Carousel, Descant, Misunderstandings Magazine and the Lennox Contemporary Gallery.

Sam Pupo was born in Italy but came to Canada when he was three years old. He has been a high school English teacher for the TCDSB for over 20 years. He began writing poetry at 19 and have been very interested in it ever since. He says it is a pleasure making his public literary debut at this reading.

Launch of Strong Bread

2011-05-02T08:46:00.001-04:00

Quattro Books is publishing

Strong Bread

Giovanna Riccio's first full length book of poems

May 17, 2011

7:30 pm

SUPERMARKET

268 Augusta Ave.

(just south of College)

All featured writers/poets:

HEIDI GRECO: Shrinking Violets (Novella series)

Aside from the fact that she was born with bright orange hair, Reggie has always felt pretty ordinary. She works as a supermarket cashier, and her life as a single mother isn’t exactly what she’d wanted. But just when things start going the way she thinks they’re supposed to, she discovers that even that road isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Shrinking Violets is tautly written with enough surprises to keep the reader thoroughly engaged.

KOOM KANKESAN: The Panic Button (Novella series)

Thambi Navaratnam is a young Tamil living with his mother and brother in Scarborough. He wholeheartedly intends to avoid the fate of his brother: arranged marriage. But it’s all anyone can talk about. Marriage...marriage...marriage. To add fuel to the fire, his father, who has been separated from their family for more than twenty-five years, is finally escaping Sri Lanka and coming to Toronto. The problem: none of them know that Thambi has been seeing a white woman who wants nothing more than what she has. A first in Canadian fiction, The Panic Button is a heartfelt story, cut to the bone and told with verve, about the pains and pleasures of immigrant Tamil life.

GIOVANNA RICCIO: Strong Bread (Poetry series)

These elegantly crafted works of social and psychological realism, counterpointed with expressionistic and surrealist textures, employ a language teeming with images, ideas and rhythms. This versatile book of travel poems, portraits, a long dramatic monologue, epistolary, and catalogue pieces will leave the reader emotionally and intellectually gratified. “Emotional and graceful, the words dance and sing across the page.”

ROSEMARY AUBERT: Rough Wilderness: The Imaginary Love Poems of the Abbess Heloise

Rough Wilderness chronicles one of the most famous tales of love, betrayal, and redemption. Heloise and Abelard were medieval scholars whose taboo-breaking affair shocked clerics and fellow scholars and assured the star-crossed pair a place in history. These poems are contemporary in subject and tone, but also explore some of the more complex modes that have come down to us, including sonnets, pantoums, villanelles and others.

Genni Gunn at The Ossington

2011-05-01T08:09:00.002-04:00

Join Vancouver writer Genni Gunn, author of Solitaria at:

The Ossington

61 Ossington Avenue

May 2, 2011, 7pm

Featuring:

Charlene Diehl

Genni Gunn

Linda Leith

Patria Rivera

Hosted by: Cathy Petch

How to get there:

http://theossington.com/contact/

April is the Cruelest Month Launch

2011-04-28T23:50:00.000-04:00


Poet Elana Wolff begins the readings...


Elana

The writer Sheila Murray


Sheila

The writer and co-founder of the Draft Reading Series Maria Meindl

Maria


Giller Prize nominee Anthony De Sa

Anthony


Poet/teacher Terry Nolan with emcee Michelle Alfano

Terry Nolan


Friends of the NSNIG&F

Filmmaker Lorenzo Migliore

Sheila's entourage

Writer Michael Mitchell

The lovely Wendy Campbell


Friends of the NSNIG&F

April is the cruelest month...

2011-04-15T08:58:00.000-04:00

Elisabeth de Mariaffi’s short fiction and poetry have been published in many of Canada’s best literary magazines, including The New Quarterly, The FIddlehead, This Magazine, PRISM International, Prairie Fire, Descant, and CV2. She won the Lina Chartrand Award for Poetry in 2007 and her chapbook, Letter on St Valentine's Day, was published by The Emergency Response Unit in 2010. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph and her work is taught as part of the short story curriculum at the University of Waterloo. She lives in Toronto, where she is currently at work on a novel.

Anthony De Sa was born in 1966 and grew up in Toronto’s fledgling Portuguese community. His short fiction has been published in several international literary magazines. Barnacle Love is Anthony's first book and has garnered critical acclaim across Canada and the U.S.A. Barnacle Love was a finalist for Canada’s most prestigious Scotiabank Giller Prize and a finalist for The Toronto Book Award. His novel in progress, Carnival of Desire, will be set in 1977, the year a twelve-year-old shoeshine boy named Emanuel Jaques was brutally raped and murdered in Toronto. Anthony lives in Toronto with his wife and three boys.

Maria Meindl’s essays and fiction have appeared in journals including The Literary Review of Canada, Descant and Musicworks. She has made two series for CBC Radio’s Ideas: Parent Care, and Remembering Polio. She has two publications coming up soon: Outside the Box: the Life and Legacy of Writer Mona Gould, the Grandmother I Thought I Knew from McGill Queens University Press, and a story “The Last Judgment” from Found Press. http://www.bodylanguagejournal.wordpress.com/

Sheila Murray’s short fiction has been published in Descant, The Dalhousie Review, Exile, and is forthcoming in the Diaspora Dialogues anthology, TOK: Writing the New City. She has completed a collection of short stories, Upside Down, and a novel, Edward, supported by the Toronto Arts Council. Based in Toronto, Sheila writes about immigration and is a documentary filmmaker and sound editor.

Elana Wolff has taught English as a Second Language at York University and at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She currently divides her time between writing, editing, and facilitating therapeutic community art. Elana's poems have appeared in journals and anthologies in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K. Her third collection, You Speak to Me in Trees (Guernica, 2006), was awarded the 2008 F.G. Bressani Prize for Poetry. Her most recent book, Implicate Me (Guernica, 2010), is a collection of short essays on individual poems by Toronto-area poets; a new book of poems, Startled Night, is forthcoming this fall.

And as emcee...

Michelle Alfano is a co-organizer of the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends Reading Series and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her novella Made Up of Arias (Blaurock Press) won the 2010 Bressani Prize for Short Fiction. Her short story “Opera”, on which her novella Made Up Of Arias is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in major literary publications. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia which will be featured on OMNI-TV. She is currently at work at a new novel entitled Vita’s Prospects.

Launch of the Sweet Lemons 2 Anthology

2011-04-14T23:42:00.002-04:00

Sweet Lemons 2 Co-Editors Venera Fazio and Delia DeSantis


Delia DeSantis begins the readings...


The poet Domenic Capilongo


The poet Maria Scala


Venera Fazio

Venera and her cousin Venera

The poet Gianna Patriarca supporting friends and colleagues...

The writer Isabella Colalillo Katz

The poet Desi DiNardo

The writer Giovanna M.R. Capozzi

Our appreciative audience...

Writer and Quattro Books President John Calabro

The writer Bruna DiGiuseppe-Bertoni reading with a little help from Giovanna

The writer Darlene Madott

Emcee Michelle Alfano with Venera and Delia


The emcee's libation...

Sweet Lemons 2 Launch

2011-03-01T18:15:00.029-05:00

Launch of the anthology Sweet Lemons 2:
International Writings with a Sicilian Accent
edited by Venera Fazio and Delia DeSantis

Thursday April 14, 2011

7.30p

Annex Live

296 Brunswick Ave.

(south of Bloor)

Featuring poetry and prose by:

John Calabro, Domenic Capilongo,

Giovanna Capozzi, Delia De Santis, Bruna Di Giuseppe-Bertoni,

Desi Di Nardo, Venera Fazio, Isabella Katz, Darlene Madott,

Maria Scala and Michelle Alfano as emcee

John Calabro’s first novella, Bellecour, was published in 2005 by Guernica. LyricalMyrical published Calabro’s chapbook of short stories, Somewhere Else, in 2006. His short stories, essays and reviews have appeared in many journals. The Cousin his second novella was published in 2009 by Quattro Books. John Calabro is now president and publisher of Quattro Books and is working on another novella, The Innocence of an Imperfect Man, as well as a book of non-fiction on the novella.

Domenico Capilongo is a high school teacher from Toronto, ON. His first poetry collection, I thought elvis was italian, was published in 2008. His poetry has appeared in many literary magazines and he was short-listed for the gritLIT 2009 Poetry Contest. Quattro Books published hold the note, his new jazz-inspired collection, in 2010.

Giovanna M.R. Capozzi: I am 36 years old and a proud Italo-Canadian. I am an immigrant’s daughter who shares their story. I am the voice of Autism through my brother’s challenges. I am an educator who teaches reality with sweet and sour sarcasm. I am a wife who believes in commitment and vital compromise. I am a mother, taking all the qualities above to raise my sons, accepting that I will falter in the name of maternal instinct. I am a writer that takes all these roles and expresses the beautiful intricacies that come with them.

Delia De Santis’ short stories have appeared in literary magazines in Canada, United States, England, and Italy, and in several anthologies. She is co-editor of the anthologies Sweet Lemons (Legas, 2004), Writing Beyond History (Cusmano, 2006), Strange PeregrinationsSweet Lemons 2 (Legas, 2010). She is the author of the collection Fast Forward and Other Stories (Longbridge Books, 2008). (Frank Iacobucci Centre for Italian Canadian Studies, 2007).

Bruna Di Giuseppe-Bertoni was born in Italy and immigrated with her family to Canada in 1964. Her passions are painting and writing and she has won a number of literary awards for her poetry. She has published in Italian, the poetry collection Sentieri D'Italia. Her writing appears in a number of anthologies, including Writing Beyond History and Reflections on Culture.

Desi Di Nardo is the author of two books, The Plural of Some Things, and most recently, The Cure Is a Forest. Her work has been published in many Canadian and international journals and anthologies, performed at the National Arts Centre, featured on Toronto's transit system, and displayed in the Official Residences of Canada. She has worked as a writer-in-residence, literacy facilitator, and English professor. www.desidinardo.com

Venera Fazio was born in Sicily and now lives in Bright’s Grove, ON. She is co-editor of the anthologies Sweet Lemons: Writings with a Sicilian Accent (2004), Writing Beyond History (2006), Strange Peregrinations: Italian Canadian Literary Landscapes (2007) and Reflections on Culture: An Anthology of Creative and Critical Writing (2010). Her poetry and prose have appeared in literary magazines in Canada, the United Sates and Italy.

Isabella Colalillo Katz is a poet, writer/editor and holistic educator based in Toronto. Isabella is the author of two books of poetry, Tasting Fire (Guernica, l999), And Light Remains (Guernica, 2006) and has translated Elio Vittorini’s famous poetic novel Conversazione in Sicilia/Conversations in Sicily— portions of which have been published in the anthology, Sweet Lemons 2.

Darlene Madott is a lawyer and writer. Her publications include Joy, Joy, Why Do I Sing? (Women’s Press/Canadian Scholar’s Press, 2004), of which “Vivi’s Florentine Scarf” won the Paolucci Prize of the Italian-American Writers’ Association. The title story of Making Olives and Other Family Secrets (Longbridge Books, 2008) won the F.G. Bressani Literary Prize.

Maria Scala is a writer and editor living in Toronto with her husband, daughter, and son. Her poetry and non-fiction have appeared in various Canadian and international publications including Descant, Thunderclap! Magazine, mamazine.com, literarymama.com, PoetryReviews.ca, and Página/12. Between O and V, her poetry chapbook, was published in 2008 by Friday Circle (University of Ottawa.) Maria has poems forthcoming in Descant: Sicily, and French translations of her poems by Filippo Salvatore will appear in L'arbre à paroles: les deux Siciles. Her blog, "August Avenue", is found at mariascala.blogspot.com

And as emcee...

Michelle Alfano is a co-organizer of the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends Reading Series and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her novella Made Up of Arias (Blaurock Press) won the 2010 Bressani Prize for Short Fiction. Her short story “Opera”was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia which will be featured on OMNI-TV. She is currently at work at a new novel entitled Vita’s Prospects.

The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends Talk About Love and Desire...

2011-02-10T20:31:00.008-05:00


Emcee, poet & co-organizer Giovanna Riccio

Eufemia Fantettti kicks off the night's readings...

Eufemia and friends

Terry Nolan, poet

Terry


Nada Conic speaking delightfully in Latin & English.


Giovanna


Poet Patty Archer

Michelle Alfano, writer and co-organizer of the series

Nada

Samantha Bernstein, poet and memoirist

Terry and friends

Linda, friend of the NSNIG&F

Rob Fujimoto, Mimi Stellino and Jennifer Gedala

Patty Archer and friend

Sibs Rob Fujimoto an Tami Fujimoto

Giovanna and friend

An appreciative crowd

Just in time for Valentines Day...

2011-01-15T11:16:00.015-05:00

Patty Archer is a poet, editor and performer originally from Port Alberni, British Columbia. She has a Master's Degree in Creative Writing from Concordia University in Montreal and was previously a Descant co-editor for several years. She currently has two projects on the go-adapting her poetry chapbook The Whiskey-Haired Man for the stage, and a series of dramatic monologues entitled Fred and Elisabeth.

Samantha Bernstein is a PhD student in English at York University. She has recently completed a memoir, Here We Are Among the Living, and a poetry manuscript, Industrial Evolution. Her work has appeared in Exile, Books in Canada, Studio, The Fiddlehead, and the anthology TOK 3: Writing the New Toronto.

Nada Conic has had limited opportunity to act out her Latin literary tastes in her UofT Greek tragedy or myth classes or at her retreats and lectures on Christian mystics. Her translation of Bosnian war diaries wasn’t the place either. It was at her own recent wedding that she was finally discovered as a “Latin slam poet” and invited to this ideal venue by Giovanna Riccio.

Eufemia Fantetti recently returned to Ontario to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing at Guelph University. Her work has been published in the anthologies Contours, Contemporary Canada, eye wuz here and Beyond Crazy. As a playwright she wrote many shows that toured the Fringe Festival circuit including The Last Moon, The Waiting Room, It's All the Rage and My Own Private Etobicoke. She is currently working on a non-fiction collection.

Terry Nolan received his bachelor degree from the University of Toronto School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture in 1989. After working in the design field for half a decade, Terry switched gears and picked up his B.Ed. from Western University. Since 1994 Terry has been teaching Media Arts and Communications Technology to high school students. In recent years he has developed a passion for literature and is a newcomer to the poetry scene.

Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy and grew up in Toronto where she studied philosophy at the University of Toronto. Her poems have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers, including the Eyetalian, Poetry Canada Review, CV2, Tickleace, and Italian-Canadiana. Giovanna completed her first manuscript, Strong Bread, earlier this year and is in the process of getting it published. Her dramatic monologue, Vittorio, will be published by LyricalMyrical Press in the spring. She has recently retired from teaching and is working on a new book of poetry.

The 2010 Bressani Literary Prize, November 30, 2010

2010-12-02T22:49:00.011-05:00

The Italian Cultural Centre Society established the prize in 1986 during the celebrations for Vancouver’s Centennial and the launch of the First National Conference of Italian Canadian Writers. The Centre’s Board of Directors accepted a proposal put forth by a local committee led by C. Dino Minni and Anna Foschi Ciampolini for the creation of a literary prize aimed at honouring and promoting the literary work of Canadian writers of Italian origin or Italian descent. The Bressani Prize, held every two years and originally dedicated to Italian Canadian literature, was later opened to writers from other cultures but was then discontinued for a few years. In 2000, the Italian Cultural Centre’s new F. G. Bressani Committee restored the original intent and meaning of the Prize. The Prize is named after the Jesuit Father Francesco Giuseppe Bressani, an Italian missionary, born in Rome on May 6, 1612. The 2010 Edition of the Bressani Prize was organized by the Italian Cultural Centre in collaboration with Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Vancouver and Regione Lazio Cultural Society.

Anna Foschi, co-founder of the Bressani Literray Prize,

San Diego writer Pasquale Verdicchio

(the winner of the Bressani Prize for Poetry)

and il Consolato Generale d'Italia in Vancouver

Anna Foschi, Edmonton writer Caterina Edwards

(the winner of Bressani Prize for the category

"Emigration from Italy")

and il Consolato Generale d'Italia in Vancouver

Anna, Toronto writer Michelle Alfano

(Winner of the Bressani Prize for Short Fiction)

and il Consolato Generale d'Italia in Vancouver

Anna, Toronto writer Michael Mirolla

(Winner of the Bressani Prize for Long Fiction)

and il Consolato Generale d'Italia in Vancouver

Prize winners, jury judges, friends and colleagues.

All photos were taken by Giulio Recchioni of the Italian Cultural Centre.

2010-11-24T20:40:00.002-05:00

On the occasion of the award ceremony of the Bressani Prizes 2010 in Vancouver,

Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Vancouver
in collaboration with the
Italian Cultural Centre
Regione Lazio Cultural Society
presents

A Literary Evening with the
Winners of the Bressani Prize 2010

December 1st, 6:15 pm

Istituto Italiano di Cultura
500-510 West Hastings St.

Vancouver

The evening will feature readings in English by:

Michelle Alfano, Winner of the Bressani Prize for Short Fiction
with her novella Made Up Of Arias

Caterina Edwards, Winner of the Bressani Prize
for the category "Emigration from Italy"

with her memoir Finding Rosa

Michael Mirolla, Winner of the Bressani Prize for Fiction
for his novel Berlin

Pasquale Verdicchio, Winner of the Bressani Prize for Poetry
with his collection This Nothing’s Place

Guest author Genni Gunn will also be reading
from her latest novel, Solitaria
.
Admission is free, no pre-registration required

2010 F.G. Bressani Literary Prize:

2010-11-11T18:42:00.002-05:00

The Italian Cultural Centre is proud to announce the winning authors and works of the 2010 edition of the biennial F.G. Bressani Literary Prize:

Pasquale Verdicchio, This nothing’s Place
Category: POETRY

Michael Mirolla, Berlin
Category: FICTION

Michelle Alfano: Made Up of Arias
Category: SHORT FICTION

Caterina Edwards, Finding Rosa
Category EMIGRATION FROM ITALY

The winning authors will be presented with their awards on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 7:00pm in the museum the Italian Cultural Centre. A cocktail reception will follow the presentations. Professor Emerita at UBC Stefania Ciccone, Professor Emerita at SFU Grazia Merler, Italian Government Lettore at UBC, Dr. Mario Inglese, and former Director of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Margherita Repetto, acted as jury for the shortlisted candidates of the 2010 edition of the biennial F.G. Bressani Literary Prize.

The biennial F.G. Bressani Prize was instituted to stimulate and enhance the literary production of works by Canadian authors of Italian origin or ancestry to add to the richness of the Italian immigrant experience in Canada by celebrating its literary expression and to honour and reflect aspects of Italian heritage and culture within our ethno-culturally diverse society.

This edition was presented in collaboration with the Istituto Italiano di Cultural in Vancouver and the Regione Lazio Cultural Society of BC.

The Prize is named after the Jesuit priest, Father Francesco Giuseppe Bressani, (1612 -1672) the first Italian missionary to Canada, who wrote Breve Relatione, and who can be considered the precursor of Italian-Canadian writing.

October Reading

2010-10-21T19:16:00.004-04:00

The provocative poet Yvette Barnes doing her stuff...
and raising the temperature of the room.

Poet Josie DiSciascio-Andrews reads from

her first collection Sea Glass and other pieces

Sisters Patty DiSciascio and Josie.

NSNIG&F Co-organizer and poet Giovanna Riccio

reads from Vittorio, her first collection of poetry released this year

Darlene Madott, winner of the 2008 Bressani Prize, reads

from her fiction book Making Olives and Other Family Secrets.

The writer and poet Maria Pia Marchelletta,
a new friend, reads from her prose work.

Writer and columnist Diane Baker Mason
describing a sumptuous feast in her fiction...

As one friend observed, "The evening started with sex
and ended with food, how Italian is that!"

Emcee and NSNIG&F co-organizer Michelle Alfano (right) with Darlene.

Warren, friend of the NSNIG&F, and his friends...

Yvette Barnes, writer Terri Favro and playwright Sue Megson.

October Reading

2010-10-01T08:10:00.010-04:00

Diane Baker Mason is a novelist, columnist and poet, who daylights as a lawyer. She is the author of the novels Last Summer At Barebones and Men With Brooms, and a regular columnist and reviewer with the Women's Post and the Globe and Mail.

Yvette Barnes is renewing her connection to the genre of poetry. An accomplished writer, she often uses the form of poetry and cutting edge performance to share her message.She has performed at local events in 1999 – 2007 such as: Afrodisiac, Black Coffee, Brown Girls In Da’ Ring. She has performed internationally in Detroit, MI, - Word in Progress; Newark, NJ – Amiri Baraka’s Home Theatre; Ocho Rios, Jamaica – Irie FM radio, Host Muta Baruka.

Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews is a teacher and poet. She is a member of the League of Canadian Poets, the Canadian Federation of Poets and the Ontario Poetry Society. Josie has won several prizes for her work in both Italian and English. Her poetry in Italian won The Jury Prize at the Ottawa Italian Week Literary Contest in 2004, 2005 and 2006. She won first prize in the free verse competition of the Ontario Poetry Society's 2006 Winsome Words Anthology and first place in the Arborealis Poetry Prize for 2007. Josie is the author of "How the Italians Created Canada" a non-fiction book released in 2008 by Lone Pine Publishing.

Maria Pia Marchelletta is a teacher, artist, translator, poet and writer widely published internationally in several anthologies. Her most recent publications include Gatherer Streams Anthology (Hidden Brook Press) and Canadian Voices, Volume Two (Bookland Press, 2010). Maria won second prize for her short story Sentimenti che Furono in the National Ottawa Literary Festival, 2009. On International Women’s Day she was awarded a plaque by Comites for Women of Distinction. She chairs the Toronto Bayview Chapter and the Italo-Canadian Writers Chapters of the Canadian Federation of Poets. She is the Vice-President, Program Coordinator and Anthology coordinator for the Writers and Editors Network. Banacle of Enchantment and Sentieri dell’Anima are forthcoming, 2011.

Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy and immigrated to Canada when she was six years old. Her poems have appeared in newspapers, journals, magazines, and anthologies. She is the author of the chapbook Vittorio, published by Lyricalmyrical Press in July 2010. Her book of poems Strong Bread will be published by Quattro Books in the spring of 2011. Giovanna also organizes literary events in Toronto.

A Night of Humour with the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls

2010-08-19T22:57:00.001-04:00

Our emcee Giovanna Riccio, poet and co-organizer of the series at the Annex Live.

The comic Sandra Battaglini opens the evening with a killer set.

The poet Bruna DiGiuseppe-Bertoni with an explanation

of the Italian concept of "corni".

Guernica Publisher and fiction writer Michael Mirolla.

The poet David Silverberg opened the second set.

David and friends.

The fiction writer Terri Favro bringing some of her good energy to the evening in the second set.

Michelle Alfano, co-organizer of the series and reader that night,

with husband Rob Fujimoto and Terry Nolan.

Friend of the NSNIG&F Nigel Barnes, musician, and

his lovely daughter Samantha Barnes.

The writer Andrew Smith (right), author of Edith's War, and friend Mustapha (Mark) Forghani (left).

Rob, Terry and new friend Sam Pupo.

The poet Frank Giorno with Giovanna.

At far left Sue Megson and Maria Gould.

August Reading

2010-08-01T08:50:00.004-04:00

Michelle Alfano is a co-organizer of the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends Reading Series and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her short story “Opera”, on which her novella Made Up Of Arias (Blaurock Press) is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in major literary publications. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia which will be featured on OMNI-TV. She is currently at work at a new novel entitled Vita’s Prospects.

Sandra Battaglini is a dynamic, high-energy comedic actor, stand-up comedienne, clown and cabaret performer. Her mix of song, opera, contemporary pop, originally choreographed dance and theatrical clown has distinguished her as an innovative artist on the Toronto scene.

Bruna Di Giuseppe-Bertoni was born in Rome Italy. She immigrated with her family to Canada in 1964. Painting and creative writing has been a passion all her life and she has won literary awards for her poetry. She has published the poetry collection Sentieri D'Italia in Italian. Her poetry and writing is included in several anthologies Legacy 2 (Brookridge, 2001), Wordscape (MTB press, 2001), Italian Canadian Voices (Mosaic Press 2006), Writing beyond History (Cusmamo, 2006), Reflection on Culture and in other anthologies. One of her stories,“1001 stories of Italians in the world”, has been anthologized in a book printed in Italy in 2010.

Terri Favro’s writing springs from her identity as a first-generation Italian-Canadian who grew up consuming Catholic dogma, British fairytales, American game shows, Jell-O butterscotch pudding, her father’s grappa, her mother’s polenta, and the neighbours’ homemade vodka. Terri’s humour articles and fiction have been published in Prism, Riddle Fence, Geist, Accenti, Toro, www.facebook.com/l/427e6; Feathertale.com and More magazines, among others, and her work has been short listed three times for the CBC Literary Awards. She was recently selected as an emerging Toronto writer by Diaspora Dialogues and is currently working on a novel and collaborating on a series of online graphic stories.

Michael Mirolla's latest novel, a speculative fiction saga titled The Facility, is due out in late 2010. In a moment of temporary insanity, the Montreal-Toronto corridor writer, author of a half-dozen books of poetry and fiction, decided he needed his own publishing house and thus, along with another insanity plea partner, bought Guernica Editions. Their motto: "It's fun as long as the madness continues."

David Silverberg has been involved in Canada’s spoken word community since 2001. He founded Suburban Spoken Word in North York and then helped start Toronto Poetry Slam, where he currently serves as host and artistic director. He is part of the Toronto poetry troupe Last Call Poets (myspace.com/lastcallpoets), and his most recent book of poetry is Bags of Wires (LyricalMyrical). He has performed across Canada, including Calgary, Halifax, Vancouver, Ottawa, London and Montreal. He is the editor of Canada’s first spoken word anthology, Mic Check (Quattro Press). His favourite band, yet his most hated food, are Red Hot Chili Peppers.

And as emcee ...

Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy and grew up in Toronto where she studied philosophy at the University of Toronto. Her poems have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers, including the Eyetalian, Poetry Canada Review, CV2, Tickleace, and Italian-Canadiana. Giovanna completed her first manuscript, Strong Bread, earlier this year and is in the process of getting it published. Her dramatic monologue, Vittorio, will be published by LyricalMyrical Press in the spring. She has recently retired from teaching and is working on a new book of poetry.

Launch of Giovanna Riccio's Vittorio

2010-07-17T08:47:00.002-04:00

(Not So) Nice Italian Girl Giovanna Riccio launched her new book of poetry Vittorio at supermarket on July 13, 2010 ...

Luciano Iacobelli, publisher of Lyricalmyrical and emcee for the night.

Friend Diane Bracuk introduces Giovanna and Vittorio.

Poet Giovanna Riccio

Friend Damino Pietropaolo listens attentively to the reading.

Luciano Iacobelli manning the book table.

2010-06-25T08:57:00.001-04:00

Announcing the launch of

Vittorio
by Giovanna Riccio

A dramatic monologue poem

accompanied by epistolary and catalogue poems

Tuesday July 13th, 7pm

Supermarket

268 Augusta Avenue
Toronto

Tel. (416) 840-0501

Published by Lyricalmyrical

Italian Canadian Artists Showcase

2010-06-20T08:55:00.003-04:00

Thursday, June 24, 2010

7pm - 10 pm.
Live at the Annex Live

296 Brunswick Ave.

(south of Bloor St.)

Come celebrate the living arts with music, comedy, film, performance, poetry and visual art:

hosted by Gianna Patriarca, John Calabro and Luciano Iacobelli.
with the artists:

Michelle Alfano Valentino Assenza Sandra Battaglini Marco Bernardi

Marisa Buffone Julie Campagna Domenico Capilongo Raffaela Diana

Bruna Bertoni Di Giuseppe Sal Greco
Thomas Marchese Roberto Marra

Michael Mirolla Damiano Pietropaolo Vincenzo Pietropaolo

Gio Riccio John Romano Daniela Saioni

Special Guest: Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone

FREE EVENT

EVERYONE WELCOME

June Reading

2010-06-10T23:35:00.000-04:00

The evening of readings at Lola's Commissary on Juen 10th
began with the poet Beatriz Hausner reading

from her collection Sew Him Up

Beatriz is, among many other things,
also a Co-Founder of Quattro Books.

Writer Lina Medaglia organized the reading around the

theme of our fascination with dolls

Lina read from her novel The Demons of Aquilonia.

Diane Bracuk warding off the paparazzi during her reading.

Diane read from her widely published and
fascinating article on the revolutionary aspects of
Barbie in mainstream culture during the 1950s.

Red hot poet and NSNIG&F co-founder

Giovanna Riccio reading her suite of Barbie poems.

Giovanna's book of poetry Vittorio will be published

by LyricalMyrical this summer.

Michelle Alfano, NSNIG&F co-founder, served as emcee.
Poet Sonia DiPlacido is in the front row.

Musician Tom Garrett provided a wonderful interlude

before and after the readings and between sets.

All photographs taken by Reeves Miller.

The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls read poetry and prose about our fascination with dolls

2010-06-01T08:30:00.021-04:00

Diane Bracuk is a freelance writer specializing in health and women's issues. Her fiction and poems have appeared in Canadian journals such as The Antigonish Review, TickleAce and Other Voices. In Great Britain, Diane’s work has been published in Image, Ireland's largest circulation woman's magazine, and You Magazine, part of the Saturday Supplement of England's Daily Mail.

Beatriz Hausner’s poetry is rooted in the legacy of international surrealism, especially its Spanish American expression. Many of her translations have focused on the writers of that literature, including Rosamel del Valle, Enrique Molina, Olga Orozco, César Moro and the poets of Mandrágora, among others. Hausner has worked tirelessly to promote international literature in Canada, through her own translations, as well as her advocacy work (she was President of the Literary Translators' Association of Canada and is one the founders of the Banff International Literary Translation Centre). She is one of the publishers of Quattro Books. Her work has been published in Spanish, French and Portuguese translation. The Wardrobe Mistress was published in 2003. Sew Him Up is her latest poetry collection (2010). By day, Beatriz works as a librarian at the Toronto Public Library.

Lina Medaglia is a teacher, a peace activist, and a crisis counselor for abused women and children. Her writings have included a libretto for a three-hour feminist musical called Casanova, the lyrics for a progressive country album, and two albums of political rock. At the age of eleven, Lina immigrated with her family to Toronto, from a tiny mountain village in Calabria. Her first book, Demons of Aquilonia, is a fictional autobiography based on her family's struggles with 'passing,’ or reinventing identities for the purpose of survival and overcoming. Lina lives and works in Toronto with her family.

Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy and grew up in Toronto where she studied philosophy at the University of Toronto. Her poems have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers, including the Eyetalian, Poetry Canada Review, CV2, Tickleace, and Italian-Canadiana. Giovanna completed her first manuscript, Strong Bread, earlier this year and is in the process of getting it published. Her dramatic monologue, Vittorio, will be published by LyricalMyrical Press in the spring. She has recently retired from teaching and is working on a new book of poetry.

As emcee …
Michelle Alfano is a Toronto writer and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her short story “Opera”, on which her new novella Made Up Of Arias (Blaurock Press, 2008) is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in Canada in major literary publications, and has also appeared in the U.S. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the Saturnia, an immigrant ship which transported thousands of Italian-born immigrants to Canada in the 1950s and 60s and which will be featured on OMNI-TV. She is currently at work on a new novel entitled Vita's Pospects.

And music by ...
Tom Garrett has been performing at open stages in and around Toronto since moving to the city in 2003. His acoustic styling is reminiscent of James Taylor mixed with a touch of Springteen.

May 19th Reading

2010-05-20T00:26:00.013-04:00

And so it begins...our first reading at the Annex Live,

our seventh reading since August 2009

and the inception of the reading series.

Giovanna Riccio, our emcee, kicking off the proceedings.

Friend of the NSNIG Judy Lipp with the poets

Paul Zemokhol and Monika Rosas.

Poet Monika Rosas kicked off the readings as the first reader.

Emcee and poet Giovanna Riccio with the writer Kathleen Whelan.

The writer Erika DeVasconcelos, author of two books

Erika reading from a work-in-progress.

Erika with husband Nino Ricci.

Writer Andrew Smith, author of Edith's War, launched this spring.

Writer Noreen Shanahan

Friends of the NSNIG Andrew and Joe enjoying the reading.
Joe's parents and sisters came over on the Saturnia as well!
Please see below for more info.

Filmmaker Ferdinando Dell'Omo, one of the directors of the forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia, an immigrant ship which transported thousands of Italian-born immigrants to Canada in the 1950s and 60s
and which will be featured on OMNI-TV this year.

Michelle gets miked for filming during her reading.

Marilyn and daughter Marina. Marina will also be featured in the documentary Saturnia,

directed by Lilia Topouzova and Ferdinando Dell'Omo.
Intriguingly, our emcee Giovanna Riccio also arrived on the Saturnia.

The crew of the Saturnia film. They were filming Michelle as a participant in the film.

Michelle with the the lovely filmmaker Lily Topouzova and her partner Ferdinando.

Some backstage scenes ...

The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends tell you things they never told their mothers ...

2010-05-01T20:20:00.001-04:00

Michelle Alfano is a Toronto writer and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her short story “Opera”, on which her novella Made Up Of Arias (Blaurock Press, 2008) is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. She is currently at work on a new novel entitled Vita's Prospects. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia, an immigrant ship which transported thousands of Italian-born immigrants to Canada in the 1950s and 60s and which will be featured on OMNI-TV.

Erika de Vasconcelos is the author of two novels, My Darling Dead Ones and Between the Stillness and the Grove. Her work has been translated internationally. Erika's work has also appeared in various magazines, including Brick, Toronto Life, and House and Home. Erika is a regular faculty member of the Humber School for Writers. She has three children and lives in Toronto. She is currently working on her third novel.

mónica rosas is an educator/agitator/artist whose work aims to challenge and provoke community discussion on gender, the environment and the visible minority experience. A second-generation Colombian-Peruvian Canadian she has traveled and worked in Colombia, Cuba, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil and Toronto writing and teaching English and Drama. mónica is the author of Inside Out a collection of poetry published by Lyrical Myrical. She is the curator of Cha Cha, a yearly women's literary event in Toronto on the topic of sexuality and she is working on a novella entitled, Salt Water & Cinammon Skin with Tightrope Books. Visit her @ www.monicarosas.com

Noreen Shanahan's essays have appeared in the Globe & Mail, Toronto Life, Geist, Reader's Digest, and elsewhere. She is a regular writer of obituary essays in the Globe & Mail. She's currently shopping around a memoir on her life as housecleaner cum obituary writer. She also dabbles in poetry.

Andrew Smith's writing has been included in the Journey Prize Anthology, and has been shortlisted for the CBC Literary Awards. He has published two non-fiction books: Highlights, an illustrated history of cannabis (co-author) and Strangers in the Garden, the secret lives of our favorite flowers. His first novel, Edith’s War, was published by Axiom Publishing in March 2010.

Kathleen Whelan is a writer who lives in Toronto. Her fiction has been published in Taddle Creek, Sub Terrain, Other Voices and Broken Pencil. Kathleen's work has appeared in journals in New Zealand, Ireland and the US. Whelan is the narrator of the NFB documentary, Sabrina's Law. She recently completed a novel, Swimming on Ice.

And as emcee ...

Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy and grew up in Toronto where she studied philosophy at the University of Toronto. Her poems have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers, including the Eyetalian, Poetry Canada Review, CV2, Tickleace, and Italian-Canadiana. Giovanna completed her first manuscript, Strong Bread, earlier this year and is in the process of getting it published. Her dramatic monologue, Vittorio, will be published by LyricalMyrical Press in the spring. She has recently retired from teaching and is working on a new book of poetry.

The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls Celebrate Poetry Month at the Spadina Library

2010-04-16T12:57:00.003-04:00

(Left to right) Desi DiNardo, Dionne Brand, Gianna Patriarca,
Michelle Alfano and Giovanna Riccio.

It was a great surprise for us that Dionne, Toronto's Poet Laureate, dropped by to hear the reading!

Poets Desi, Gianna and Giovanna read to an enthusiastic crowd at the Spadina Library on April 15, 2010.

Poet Luciano Iacobelli who came to hear the reading.

Poet Giovanna Riccio with friend.

Poet Gianna Patriarca and admirers ...

Poets Desi Nardo and Roger Knox.

The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls celebrate Poetry Month

2010-04-01T15:47:00.011-04:00

Desi Di Nardo has had many publications in international journals and anthologies including The Literary Review of Canada, The Globe and Mail, Descant, and The National Post. Her work has been performed at the National Arts Centre, featured on Toronto's transit system, displayed in the Official Residences of Canada, and printed on Starbucks cups. Desi has worked as a literacy facilitator at the June Callwood Centre, English professor at George Brown College, and currently is the writer-in-residence at St. Joseph's College. She is the author of The Plural of Some Things published by Guernica Editions. Poems from her book have been translated and reviewed in La Rivista di Studi Italiani.

Gianna Patriarca, a graduate of York University was born in the region of Lazio, Italy and came to Canada as a child. Gianna has published six books of poetry and one children’s book. Her first collection Italian Women and Other Tragedies was runner-up to the Milton Acorn People’s Poetry Award and in 2009 was translated into Italian and launched at the university of Bologna and Naples. My Etruscan Face was short listed for the Bressani Literary Award in 2009. Her work has been extensively anthologized and has been adapted for Canada Stage theater and for CBC radio drama. Her work has been featured in numerous documentaries including Enigmatico, Pier 21, The Italian/Canadians and Three Women which will have its release on OMNI in 2010. Gianna’s books appear on the course list of Canadian, American and Italian universities. She is currently working on a new collection of poems entitled Too Much Love and continues to work on her novel The Sicilian’s Bride. She lives in Toronto.

Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy and grew up in Toronto where she studied philosophy at the University of Toronto. Her poems have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers, including the Eyetalian, Poetry Canada Review, CV2, Tickleace, and Italian-Canadiana. Giovanna completed her first manuscript, Strong Bread, earlier this year and is in the process of getting it published. Her dramatic monologue, Vittorio, will be published by LyricalMyrical Press in the spring. She has recently retired from teaching and is working on a new book of poetry.

And as emcee ...

Michelle Alfano is a Toronto writer and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her short story “Opera”, on which her new novella Made Up Of Arias (Blaurock Press, 2008) is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in Canada in major literary publications, and has also appeared in the U.S. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia, an immigrant ship which transported thousands of Italian-born immigrants to Canada in the 1950s and 60s and which will be featured on OMNI-TV.

The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls go to Montreal

2010-03-21T22:32:00.006-04:00

Lina Medaglia, author of The Demons of Aquilonia

Toronto poet Frank Giorno, author of Arrivederci! Plastic Covered Couch.

Montreal poet Mary Di Michele, author of ten books.

Accenti Editor-in-Chief and author of Almond Wine and Fertility Licia Canton

Montreal poet Ilona Martonfi.

Mike Pietracupa and Antoinette Pecora, generous friends to the NSNIG

Reeves Miller, Lina Medaglia's husband

Nadia Pecora and Joe, new friends

Lina

The appreciative crowd at the Arts Cafe, 201 Rue Fairmount, Montreal filled with family and friends

Mary reading a suite of poems on the filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini

Utterly Frank

Licia Canton is the author of Almond Wine and Fertility (2008), a collection of short stories for women and their men. She is also a literary critic, translator and the editor-in-chief of Accenti Magazine – for lovers of all things Italian. Her writing in English and Italian has appeared in numerous anthologies and journals. She has published four collections of creative and critical writing, including the soon-to be launched at Blue Metropolis Reflections on Culture. She holds a Ph.D. from Université de Montréal. She lives in St. Leonard with her husband and three children.

Poet, novelist and member of the renga group, Yoko’s Dogs, Mary di Michele is the author of ten books including a selected poems, Stranger in You, and the novel, Tenor of Love. She lives in Montreal where she teaches at Concordia University in the creative writing program.

Frank Giorno lives in Toronto and writes about health, environment, energy, sports and literature and other topics that arouses his curiosity. He is the author of two books of poetry: Elvis in America (2006) and Arrivederci! Plastic Covered Couch (2008) His poems have appeared Versifire, the magazine of the Ontario Poetry Society; Accenti Magazine; Garden Variety, a collection published by Quattro Books and in a collection of Italian-Canadian literature to be released at the Blue Metropolis Festival April 23, 2010. Frank is currently working on his third book of poems.

Ilona Martonfi's Blue Poppy, a first book of poems, was published with Coracle Press, 2009 which also published Coracle Press chapbook, Visiting the Ridge (2004). Martonfi’s poems have appeared in Vallum, Carte Blanche, Headlight Anthology, Accenti, Bibliosofia, (Italy), Arcade, Helios, Serai, Carve, Soliloquies, Fire With Water, Sun Through The Blinds: Montreal Haiku Today, Poets Against War, Poets Against War Canada, forthcoming in The Fiddlehead. Finalist 2007 Quebec Writing Competition. She published the story, “My Daughter, Marisa,” in CBC Story Anthology III, In Other Words: New English Writing from Quebec (Véhicule Press, 2008). Poet, editor, educator, creative writing teacher. Founder, producer/host of The Yellow Door and Visual Arts Centre Poetry and Prose Readings. Co-founder, producer/host of the annual Lovers & Others.

Lina Medaglia is a writer, a poet, and a lyricist for her partner, who, in her view, is a musical genius. Together, they have produced various works, including the libretto for a three-hour feminist musical called Casanova. At the age of eleven, Lina immigrated with her family to Toronto, from a tiny mountain village in Calabria. Her first book, Demons of Aquilonia, is a fictional autobiography based on her family's struggles with 'passing,’ the reinvention of one's identity for the purpose of survival and overcoming.

And as emcee ...
Michelle Alfano is a Toronto writer and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her short story “Opera”, on which her novella Made Up Of Arias (Blaurock Press, 2008) is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in Canada in major literary publications, and has also appeared in the U.S. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia, an immigrant ship which transported thousands of Italian-born immigrants to Canada in the 1950s and 60s and which will be featured on OMNI-TV.

Desire. Disenchantment. Disgrazia. The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends Talk about Love and Desire

2010-02-16T22:55:00.005-05:00

Our Top Girls: the writers Susan Swan and Deirdre Kelly.

The poet Sandra Di Zio.

The writer Chris Edwards and his partner Anne Wormsbecker.

The poet Matt Tierney and his partner Charmaine Lau.

The writer Cathy Marostica reading tonight for the first time.

Descant Co-Editor Katie Franklin who read from Chris Edwards' original work.

Susana Diaz and Thomas Tran, Friends of the NSNIG

The poet Gianna Patriarca and the writer Darlene Madott.

Friends Rona and Wendy Campbell.

The poet Jason Paradiso and Kara Bristow.

The filmmakers Ferdinando Dell'Omo and Lily Topouzova,

directors of the documentary Saturnia.

Descant Co-Editors Tina Francisco and Katie Franklin.

Friends of the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls

Co-organizer Michelle Alfano, framed by alcohol and books (as usual).

Michelle Alfano, who never remembers to include a photo of herself

so must steal a pic from another reading ...

this was a few days later on VDay at Sweet Tooth on the Danforth.

Desire. Disenchantment. Disgrazia.

2010-02-01T15:34:00.001-05:00

supermarket restaurant & bar

268 Augusta Ave. (south of College)

Thursday February 11, 2010

6.00 - 8.00pm

featuring

Poet Sandra Di Zio has enjoyed finding desire, disenchantment and disgrazia at many a literary and musical venue, hosting or reading at warm, noisy cafes, a tiny art gallery, the Drake Hotel, or local radio, where inspiration from other artists and friends have kept her writing, performing and occasionally publishing.

Chris Edwards is a freelance editor and writer with a background in magazine publishing. He'll be reading verse and prose selections from his as-yet unpublished manuscript. In the absence of books to sign, Chris will sign your hand. He only asks that you do not wash the hand for at least a week, in order to aid his networking efforts.

Katie Franklin, when not moonlighting as a librarian, is a PhD student in Humanities at York University. For the past three years she has also had the honour of being one of the co-editors at Descant Magazine. Her recent voice work has been featured in such productions as "Yelling At My Mom" and "Shooing Away My Cat."

Deirdre Kelly holds a master's degree in English from the University of Toronto. She was the award-winning dance critic for the Globe and Mail before becoming a fashion columnist in 2000, reporting from Paris and Milan. Now a features writer, she has written for Marie Claire, Vogue, and Elle. Paris Times Eight is her first book. She lives in Toronto.

Cathy Marostica is a Toronto writer who writes both poetry and prose. This event will be her first public reading.

Susan Swan’s critically acclaimed fiction has been published in twenty countries. Swan’s last novel, What Casanova Told Me, links two women from different centuries through a long-lost journal about travels with Casanova in the Mediterranean. What Casanova Told Me was a finalist for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (Canada and Caribbean Region). It was a Globe and Mail Best Book; a Calgary Herald Top 10; a Now (Toronto) Top 10; and a Sun Times (Owen Sound) Top 10.

Matthew Tierney's most recent poetry collection is The Hayflick Limit, which came out with Coach House Books in 2009. He has been published in journals and magazines across Canada. In 2005, he won 1st and 2nd place in This Magazine’s Great Canadian Literary Hunt. In 2006, he was a recipient of a K.M. Hunter Award. He lives in Toronto.

And as emcee:
Michelle Alfano is a Toronto writer and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her short story “Opera”, on which her novella Made Up Of Arias is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in Canada in major literary publications, and has also appeared in the U.S. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia, an immigrant ship which transported thousands of Italian-born immigrants to Canada and which will be featured on OMNI-TV.

Lina Medaglia's The Demons of Aquilonia

2010-01-26T18:54:00.000-05:00

My friend and colleague Lina Medaglia recently published a new book entitled The Demons of Aquilonia. Lina recently read with us at The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls & Friends reading at supermarket on January 19th, 2010. See the pics here.

Please view a intriguing video promo for the book here.

Scenes from a Reading on January 19th, 2010

2010-01-20T20:51:00.000-05:00

The poet Luciano Iacobelli, writer Lina Medaglia and John Calabro, Partner, Quattro Books

Anne Wormsbecker and Chris Edwards, friends of the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls

Giovanna Riccio, poet and co-organizer of the reading series (shown at podium and below)

Shown below ... Chris, Anne, Francesca, Diane, Lina, Reeves

Lina Medaglia and Reeves Miller

Poet Nyla Matuk

Poet Desi Di Nardo

Luciano Iacobelli

Nigel Barnes, musician and friend

Friends of the (Not So) Nice Italian Girls and Friends

Giovanna Riccio

Michelle Alfano, co-organizer and writer

Valentino Assenza, poet

Desi DiNardo

Special thanks to Mass Noce and Desi DiNardo (shown above) for the additional photos.

2010-01-15T22:08:00.000-05:00

Readers for January 19th, 2010 Event

2010-01-15T10:02:00.000-05:00

supermarket restaurant & bar

268 Augusta Ave. (south of College)

7.00pm

featuring

Valentino Assenza has been a published poet and spoken word artist for over the last decade. He has performed at many of the Toronto venues, and performed at many venues, and festivals across Canada. He has published four books of poetry, and is currently promoting his latest book published by Lyricalmyrical Press called Make Our Peace With Rattlesnakes.

Desi Di Nardo has had many publications in North American and international journals and anthologies. Her work has been performed at the National Arts Centre, featured in "Poetry on the Way" on Toronto's transit system, and displayed in the Official Residences of Canada. Desi's book of poetry is called The Plural of Some Things published by Guernica Editions. Desi's website is http://www.desidinardo.com/.

Luciano Iacobelli is a poet, playwright and visual artist. In 1986 his first play, The Porch, was staged in Toronto. In 2000 he founded Lyricalmyrical Press, a grass-roots publishing company specializing in handcrafted chapbooks. More than eighty books have appeared under this imprint, many by very young writers whose work he has nurtured throughout his career as a creative writing and literature teacher. Author of seven chapbooks, The Angel Notebook, his first full-length poetry collection, was published in March of 2007 by Seraphim Editions.

Nyla Matuk’s first book of poems, Oneiric, was published in 2009 by Frog Hollow Press. She has contributed journalism on architecture and literary topics as a freelancer to the Globe and Mail, and numerous magazines. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in the literary journals Event, Room of One's Own, Descant and twice in the Alphabet City anthologies.

Lina Medaglia is a teacher, a peace activist, and a crisis counselor for abused women and children. Her writings have included a libretto for a three-hour feminist musical called Casanova, the lyrics for a progressive country album, and two albums of political rock. At the age of eleven, Lina immigrated with her family to Toronto, from a tiny mountain village in Calabria. Her first book, Demons of Aquilonia, is a fictional autobiography based on her family's struggles with 'passing,’ or reinventing identities for the purpose of survival and overcoming. Lina lives and works in Toronto with her family.

Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy and grew up in Toronto where she studied philosophy at the University of Toronto. Her poems have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers, including the Eyetalian, Poetry Canada Review, CV2, Tickleace, and Italian-Canadiana. Giovanna completed her first manuscript, Strong Bread, earlier this year and is in the process of getting it published. Her dramatic monologue, Vittorio, will be published by Lyricalmyrical Press in the spring. She has recently retired from teaching and is working on a new book of poetry.

and as emcee:
Michelle Alfano is a Toronto writer and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her short story “Opera”, on which her new novella Made Up Of Arias (Blaurock Press, 2008) is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in Canada in major literary publications, and has also appeared in the U.S. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia, an immigrant ship which transported thousands of Italian-born immigrants to Canada in the 1950s and 60s and which will be featured on OMNI-TV. You may find her writing at alitchick.blogspot.com.

Readers for the October 27th, 2009 event:

2009-10-27T22:08:00.000-04:00

Michelle Alfano is a Co-Editor with the literary quarterly Descant. Her short story “Opera”, on which her new novella Made Up Of Arias is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in Canada in major literary publications, and has also appeared in the U.S. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia, an immigrant ship which transported thousands of Italian-born immigrants to Canada in the 1950s and 60s and which will be featured on OMNI-TV.

Diane Bracuk is a freelance writer specializing in health and women's issues. Her fiction and poems have appeared in Canadian journals such as The Antigonish Review, TickleAce and Other Voices. In Great Britain, Diane’s work has been published in Image, the largest selling woman's magazine in Ireland, and You Magazine, part of the Saturday Supplement of England's Daily Mail. She will be reading her short story "Shadow Self" which was recently published in Other Voices.

Rocco de Giacomo is a widely published poet whose work has most recently been accepted in the literary journals Vallum and The Carolina Quarterly and has recently appeared The Antigonish Review and Tower Poetry. On October 18th, 2009, his first full-length poetry collection, Ten Thousand Miles Between Us, was launched through Quattro Books. Also, his fifth and latest collection of poems, Catching Dawn’s Breath (LyricalMyrical Press, Toronto) was launched in March of 2008. Rocco has also been a regular contributor of personal essays to Toro Magazine. He is a member of the council for the Art Bar Poetry Series and a member of the bpNichol Coordinating Committee.

Sonia Di Placido is a graduate of the Ryerson Theatre School, Acting Program (1996). She has performed and worked as an actor, theatre director, drama coach, dramaturge and playwright, Canada, UK and Italy. She has worked for the Canadian Press, Toronto Life Magazine and Transcontinental Media Publishing. She holds a post-graduate certificate in Magazine Publishing from Ryerson University, 2003, an Honours BA in Humanities from York University, 2006. She published her first chapbook of poetry, Vulva Magic, (2004) with LyricalMyracle Press and a second chapbook of poems, Forest Primitive, (Aelous House, 2008). She is presently hard at work on her Master of Fine Art in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. She is the publicist for Canadian Scholars' Press/Sumach Press/Women's Press and Kellom Books. Sonia's website is http://www.diplacido.wordpress.com/.

Karen Mulhallen teaches in the English department at Ryerson University. She is an internationally acclaimed editor, and has published essays on the arts both in Canada and in the UK. For almost four decades she has edited the award-winning literary magazine Descant, and through the magazine and other anthologies has promoted the work of Canadian writers nationally and internationally. She has published ten books of poetry including her most recent book of poetry Acquainted with Absence.

Paul Zemokhol is a Toronto-based poet who has written two chapbooks: Apocrypha and No Hope, No Hope, No Tea, both from LyricalMyrical Press. His first full-length book, A River at Night, from Quattro Press, came out in May.

And as emcee:
Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy and grew up in Toronto where she studied philosophy at the University of Toronto. Her poems have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers, including the Eyetalian, Poetry Canada Review, CV2, Tickleace, and Italian-Canadiana. Giovanna completed her first manuscript, Strong Bread, earlier this year and is in the process of getting it published. Her dramatic monologue, Vittorio, will be published by Lyricalmyrical Press in the spring. She has recently retired from teaching and is working on a new book of poetry.

Readers for the August 6th, 2009 Event

2009-08-06T22:01:00.000-04:00

Michelle Alfano is a Toronto writer and a Co-Editor with Descant. Her short story “Opera”, on which her new novella Made Up Of Arias (Blaurock Press, 2008) is based, was a finalist for a Journey Prize anthology. Her fiction and non-fiction work has been widely published in Canada in major literary publications, and has also appeared in the U.S. She will be featured in a forthcoming documentary on the passengers, and the children of the passengers, of the Saturnia, an immigrant ship which transported thousands of Italian-born immigrants to Canada in the 1950s and 60s and which will be featured on OMNI-TV.

John Calabro was born in Sicily and lived in France from 1955 to 1966, at which point he came to Canada. Bellecour, published in 2005 by Guernica Editions was named by the Globe and Mail First Fiction Reviewer as one of the top 5 First Fiction in 2005. LyricalMyrical Press published Calabro’s collection of short stories, Somewhere Else, in October 2006. His short stories, essays and reviews have appeared in Italian Canadiana (University of Toronto), Strange Peregrination, Books in Canada and Italian Culture in the New Millennium. The Cousin, his second novella (published in 2009 by Quattro Books), was described by Quill and Quire as, “… the best written and the most successful at exploiting the form [of the novella]…” John Calabro is was one of the founding members of the reading series, Toronto WordStage (2005-2008), and is now a partner in the publishing house, Quattro Books, which specializes in novellas. He is working on his third novella, The Innocence of an Imperfect Man, and a non-fiction book on the history of the novella.

Domenico Capilongo lives with his family in Toronto. He teaches high school alternative education and karate. He has had work published in several literary magazines including Descant, The New Quarterly, Dreamcatcher and Geist. He won an Honourable Mention in the Toronto Star Poetry Contest 2004, was short-listed for both the Lichen Magazine “Tracking a Serial Poet” Contest 2006 and the gritLIT Poetry Contest 2009. His first book of poetry, I thought elvis was Italian, was well received and his second book of poetry will be out in the fall with Quattro Books.

Darlene Madott is a Toronto lawyer and writer. Prior to law, she worked at Saturday Night and Toronto Life magazines. Her call to the Bar in 1985 coincided with the publication of a collection of short stories, Bottled Roses, Oberon, 1985. A film script, Mazilli’s Shoes, was published by Guernica, in 1997, then Joy, Joy, Why Do I Sing? Women’s Press/Scholar’s Press, 2004. Included in that collection was “Vivi’s Florentine Scarf,” which won the 2002 Paolucci Prize of the Italian American Writer’s Association. Her most recent publication is Making Olives and Other Family Secrets, Longbridge Books, spring, 2008. The title story won the Bressani Literary Award, 2008. Darlene recently gave a reading in New York, at the John Calandra Institute, Queen’s College/CUNY, conference entitled “The Land of Our Return” (April, 2009). A mother of one son, she continues to write and practice, primarily in the area of matrimonial law.

Jason Paradiso is a poet and co-editor at Descant. Although he may not look Italian, it's hard to argue with a middle name like Eustacchio.

Gianna Patriarca was born in Italy in the central region of Lazio. Gianna came to Canada in 1960 as a child along with her mother and younger sister. She graduated with a degree in English Literature and Italian, and a B Ed. from York University and has taught for the Toronto Catholic School System. She has written and published numerous books of poetry and a book for children. Gianna has read her work in Canada, the USA and Italy including Yale University, Purdue, Calumet, New York, Patterson New Jersey and the University of Udine, Bologna and Naples, in Italy. Her work is extensively anthologized in many Canadian, American and Italian publications and has been adapted for both stage and radio dramas. Her award winning first book Italian Women and Other Tragedies was translated into Italian in 2009.

Giovanna Riccio was born in Calabria, Italy and grew up in Toronto where she studied philosophy at the University of Toronto. Her poems have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers, including the Eyetalian, Poetry Canada Review, CV2, Tickleace, and Italian-Canadiana. Giovanna completed her first manuscript, Strong Bread, earlier this year and is in the process of getting it published. Her dramatic monologue, Vittorio, will be published by Lyricalmyrical Press in the spring. She has recently retired from teaching and is working on a new book of poetry.