So many readings coming up! I have 6 readings in May, with more to come in June and July.
First up, I’m reading with two authors who both sound great. Greg Bechtel’s new book, Boundary Problems, is described as a work that “shatters the boundaries between speculative and literary fiction”. We are both launching our books (along with a guest reading by Governor General Literary Awards finalist Carrie Snyder) in Waterloo (a city located about 1.5 hours from Toronto):
Greg Bechtel, Tom Cho and Carrie Snyder in Waterloo
Tuesday 6 May, 7pm
Death Valley’s Little Brother
84 King Street North, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 2X4Greg Bechtel and Tom Cho will launch their new books at coffee shop Death Valley’s Little Brother, with a special guest reading by Carrie Snyder.
The shop will have an assortment of tempting drinks and snacks available for purchase: they “specialize in proper espresso, single malt whiskies and kick-ass baked goods with a peppering of agreeable playlists.” Words Worth Books will be there with (what else?) books.
Information on the writers and their books at the Facebook event page
The very next evening, I’m so pleased to be reading at Brockton Writers Series, an excellent bimonthly literary series in Toronto. I’ve attended as an audience member in the past and enjoyed it very much:
Brockton Writers Series: 07.05.14 (Toronto)
Wednesday May 7, 7pm
Full of Beans Coffee House & Roastery
1348 Dundas St. W., TorontoFeature readers:
Adam Abbas
Kate Cayley
Tom Cho
Amanda LeducPlus, come early — 6:30pm — for a special talk by Amanda: “From Couchsurfing to Cafés: The Magic of the DIY Book Tour”
Pay What You Can (suggested $3-$5). Q&A. Books and treats available for sale
Note: Although the venue is wheelchair accessible, washroom facilities are not
Many thanks to the Ontario Arts Council for their support
Information on the writers and their books at the Facebook event page
Then, 2 days later, I’m reading at a new series. It sounds great and I was so glad that I was asked to perform:
The ACROSS Series, No. 1 (Toronto)
Friday, May 9, 7:30- 10:00pm
St Stephen in-the-Fields Church, 103 Bellevue Ave, Toronto (at College Street)
$5-$10 at the door sliding scale
ACROSS is a new reading and performance series in Toronto that reaches from poetry communities outward to other genres and artforms, and proposes more intermingling of audiences, creative positions and social identities. Each evening presents 4-6 invited writers and artists whose work also enacts a poetics of reach. In particular, the series hopes to create some flux and simmer among writers, musicians, and intermedia artists interested in ideas of improvisation, site-specific performance, interdisciplinary form and collaboration. ACROSS is curated by Margaret Christakos and is co-presented by St Stephen in-the-Fields church, and its priest Maggie Helwig.
ACROSS no. 1 presents five fabulous writers:
Gary Barwin
Tom Cho
Beatriz Hausner
Kaie Kellough
Hoa NguyenAnimated by Margaret Christakos
Wheelchair accessible
Books and snacks
Information on the writers and their books at the Facebook event page
Then it’s time for me to go to Ottawa to read with Greg Bechtel once again! This time, we’ll be reading at Venus Envy, an education-oriented sex shop that sells sex toys and books, including books on sexual and gender identity:
Greg Bechtel and Tom Cho in Ottawa
Tom Cho and Greg Bechtel will launch their sexy new books at Venus Envy on May 15
Thursday 15 May. Doors open at 7pm, with readings to begin at 7:30pm
Venus Envy, 226 Bank St, Ottawa
Information on the writers and their books at the Facebook event page
Then I’m heading to Winnipeg, Manitoba, to give a reading at a cabaret event for the Writing Trans Genres conference (which I am looking forward to so very much. I’m so glad that I’m in Canada while it’s on!). This event is open to the public:
An Unbecoming Cabaret (Winnipeg)
Friday 23 May, 8pm-2am
The Pyramid Cabaret
176 Fort St, WinnipegWriting Trans Genres: Emergent Literatures and Criticism and QueerView present An UNBECOMING Cabaret
An extravaganza of performances by transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, and Two Spirit artists, from Winnipeg and afar.
MC’d by Mirha-Soleil Ross and Red Durkin
With performances by:
Cat Fitzpatrick
Janis Maudlin & Remy Robertson
Max Wolf Valerio
Micha Cárdenas
Morgan Sea
Samuel Ace
Sunny Drake
Tom ChoDoors at 8pm
Cabaret at 8:30pm
Followed by a dance party with QueerView DJs
Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Free entry for conference registrants
Advance tickets available at Rainbow Resource Centre, UWSA Info Booth, Into the Music, and McNally Robinson.
More information at the Facebook event page
And then to round things off, I’m reading in Vancouver for an event that’s part of Asian Heritage Month. It is still a rarity for me to be in a line-up that is comprised solely of people of colour, let alone people who are of Asian background. And this is one of the reasons why I want to move to Canada – to increase and broaden my access to new artistic opportunities, including ones like this:
Reading for Asian Heritage Month in Vancouver
Friday 30 May, 7-9pm
Pulpfiction Books
2422 Main Street, VancouverFeaturing:
Doretta Lau (How Does a Single Blade of Grass Thank the Sun?)
Tom Cho (Look Who’s Morphing)
Kevin Chong (Northern Dancer)
Nancy Lee (The Age)
There is plenty more news to tell, but blogging about 6 readings is enough for now, don’t you think?! This is a period of unprecedented activity for me and, in many ways, quite a different experience to the release of Look Who’s Morphing in Australia and New Zealand. Although I currently have no time to work on my novel and it is not an especially a restful time for me, it is also an exciting period that I am grateful to be experiencing. It’s all the better because I have such a supportive publisher too.
And, as I recently noted on Twitter:
Tom Cho 曹勵善 on X (formerly Twitter): “An older, wiser author has told me: “Relax. Enjoy the privilege of being listened to and meeting other writers.” She is right. / X”
An older, wiser author has told me: “Relax. Enjoy the privilege of being listened to and meeting other writers.” She is right.
