The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls go to Montreal

 

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

 

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.

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

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

 

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.

Readers for January 19th, 2010 Event

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.