A.M. Matte

Un lancement réussi pour Ce que l’on divulgue

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Le 7 décembre, je lançais mon recueil de nouvelles, Ce que l’on divulgue, au Salon du livre de Toronto.

Devant un public d’une vingtaine de personnes et accompagnée de l’auteur et animateur Gabriel Osson, j’ai discuté de ce qui a inspiré le livre, du processus que j’ai suivi pour le créer, et de projets futurs. J’ai ensuite lu un extrait de la nouvelle À l’air, qui conclut le recueil avec une aventure cocasse d’une sexagénaire libérée.

Je tiens à remercier les organisateurs du Salon qui m’ont si généreusement accueillie, Gabriel pour l’animation du lancement, Barbara-Audrey Bergeron pour la photographie et le public venu m’appuyer. Vos voeux chaleureux m’ont beaucoup encouragée.

Image rétroéclairée d'A.M. Matte en entrevue avec Gabriel Osson.
A.M. Matte en entrevue avec Gabriel Osson lors du lancement de Ce que l’on divulgue au Salon du livre de Toronto.
A.M. Matte, assise sur une scène à gauche de l'image, parle de ce qui a inspiré les nouvelles de Ce que l'on divulgue devant public au Salon du livre de Toronto.
A.M. Matte parle de ce qui a inspiré les nouvelles de Ce que l’on divulgue devant public au Salon du livre de Toronto.
A.M. Matte dédicaçant un exemplaire de Ce que l'on divulgue, à la couverture blanche, rouge et violet.
A.M. Matte dédicaçant un exemplaire de Ce que l’on divulgue.

Exchanging Notes – Alissa York at the Toronto Public Library

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Had a great time at the Toronto Public Library yesterday, where writer Alissa York was a guest of the Toronto Writers’ Co-operative, and interviewed by john miller.

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Ms. York talked about her childhood, the inspiration for her books, her writing routine, the importance of naming characters well (with which I agreed wholeheartedly) and the role of animals in her life and in her writing.

I was struck by Ms. York’s dedication to her writing and the thoroughness of her research (Ms. York’s books are quite research-heavy), and at how one tiny detail such as a discrepancy in the number of survivors of the 1857 Mountain Meadows massacre provided « just enough room » to allow her to write her novel Effigy.

It was an enlightening, entertaining and enjoyable evening. I wish I had taken notes beyond the few in my Twitter feed!

A.M. Matte and Alissa York standing side by side in an open space of the Toronto Public Library
A.M. Matte and Alissa York at the Toronto Public Library

Pigeons Go Wild – Book Launch

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What better spot than a wing place to launch a book boasting a pigeon on its cover?

On Wednesday, November 20th, 2013, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., please join me as I launch my short collection of stories, Where Pigeons Roost, at Wild Wing, 431 Yonge Street in Toronto, just south of College subway station.

Those attending the launch will get half price appetizers with the purchase of a drink, and a copy of the book for over 10% off the cover price.

See you there!

Cover of short story collection Where Pigeons Roost, featuring a photgraph of pigeons strutting about on a sunny pavement.
The cover of Where Pigeons Roost.

Public Reading – Update

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A chalkboald sign announcing the Who You Calling Crazy public reading

I would like to thank the lovely audience of the Who You Calling Crazy? reading last week. It was the success for which our writers’ group had hoped:

We performed our pieces brilliantly (if I do say so myself), were accompanied by great music, and collected 200$ for the Child Development Institute. We even got coverage in one of the local papers (in French), Le Métropolitain.

Our group will plan another public reading in 2014, and in the meantime, we will be working on new pieces of fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry.

A group photo of the reading authors and musician
The Who You Calling Crazy authors and musician:
l. to r.: Darren Elliot, Lisa Jackson, Simone Dalton, Angélique Jenney, A.M. Matte, Sophie Tolias, and Alex Normand

Upcoming Public Readings

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I confess: I’m one of those writers who loves to read her stuff out loud. Preferably when other people are around to listen, absorb, critique, discuss.

That’s why I’m very fortunate to have three opportunities to read excerpts of my short stories in the next few months.

On September 5, 2013, at 6:30 p.m., thanks to the Toronto Writers’ Cooperative, I get to read an excerpt of my short story Where Pigeons Roost at a literary event starring award-winning Canadian author Terry Fallis.

Then, on September 15, 2013, at 1:45 p.m., the Toronto Writers’ Cooperative is once again providing a reading opportunity, thanks to the launch of its Voices 2013 anthology, a perfect-bound anthology of co-op members’ work, in a range of genres.

Both events are held at the Elizabeth Beeton Auditorium on the first floor of the Toronto Reference Library, and are free.

Finally, on October 3, 2013, at 7:30 p.m., another conglomerate of writers will gather to share a range of work – from short fiction to creative non-fiction to poetry – under the theme Who You Calling Crazy? While this event, held at the Free Times Café in Toronto, is free of charge, donations to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health will be gladly accepted.

I’ve been practicing and timing (and even editing) the excerpts I plan to read, and am excited about these opportunities to share my writing live. If you happen to be in town, come on by and let me know what you think of my performance.

Exchanging Notes and A Reading in September

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I’m excited to be reading as part of the Toronto Writers’ Co-operative literary evening, called Exchanging Notes, next month. On September 5th, 2013, the TOWC has invited award-winning author (and my one-time mentor) Terry Fallis to chat at the Toronto Reference Library.

Prior to the interview with Terry, two TOWC members will read their work – yours truly is one of them. It all goes down at the Elizabeth Beeton Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. I’ll be reading an excerpt of my short story Where Pigeons Roost, about a woman who becomes obsessed with the underground game of pigeon-thwacking.

See you there!

Exchanging Notes: the interviews
with Terry Fallis
Host John Miller converses about the writer’s life and craft with Terry Fallis.  Terry is the author of The Best Laid Plans (Leacock Medal for Humour, 2008) and The High Road.  In 2011, The High Road won CBC Canada Reads as the “essential Canadian novel of the decade.”  TBLP is currently in development as a CBC-Television mini-series.  Terry’s continuing publisher, McClelland and Stewart, published Up and Down in 2011.  It debuted on the G&M bestsellers list.  Terry’s 4th novel, No Relation, will be published in May, 2014.  His 5th novel is currently underway.
Terry has extensive experience in provincial and federal politics, and communications consultation with the agency he co-founded, Thornley Fallis.
A.M. Matte and John Warren of the T.O. Writers’ Co-op will read from their work.

 

Exchanging Notes: the interviews
with Terry Fallis
6:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Elizabeth Beeton Auditorium
Toronto Reference Library
789 Yonge Street
Info: towc@live.com

Effeuilletage – succès du théâtre improvisé

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Le mois dernier, j’ai eu la chance de tenter une nouvelle expérience théâtrale, celle du théâtre improvisé. Inspirée par le projet Script Tease du National Theatre of the World, Productions Nemesis a proposé Effeuilletage, spectacle pendant lequel des improvisateurs aguerris ont dévoilé quatre courtes pièces de théâtre originales et éphémères dont ils ont pris connaissance en même temps que le public.

Retour sur le succès d’Effeuilletage dans Le métropolitain; sans oublier cet article de l’Express.

Merci à nos improvisateurs, à nos auteurs, et à toute l’équipe de production, sans passer sous silence notre commanditaire, le Centre francophone de Toronto.

Pour celles et ceux qui voudraient revivre l’expérience d’Effeuilletage, vous pouvez en voir des extraits sur YouTube ici, ici, et ici (effeuillage inclus); vous pouvez aller voir Script Tease en anglais; ou bien vous pouvez nous faire signe que vous avez hâte que l’on reprenne l’exercice – nous pourrions nous relancer en 2014!

Poetry Matters

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April is national poetry month and, this year, I am fortunate enough to have a poem featured in a new poetry anthology called Love Poems Deconstructed. It features about 20 poets from the Writers Unite online community.

The project, led by Jim Woods and Gabriel Gadfly, is described thusly:

« Writers Unite is an online writer’s group that conducts a weekly Twitter chat using the hashtag #writestuff. Recently, we decided that we wanted to release a small publication, and this free collection of poetry is the result.

Love Poems Deconstructed is a collection of poems about the variety of relationships our lives are filled with. It contains about romantic love, of course, but it also explores other kinds of love — the love of a tired mother conducting the day-to-day tasks necessary to care for her children, the love of a frightened grandmother trying to protect her grandkids from a threatening world, the admiration of a young person for the skilled artisan hands of an elder. It addresses love that is blissful and love that hurts. »

My poem « His Hands » features the young person and the artisan mentioned above.

You can download and read the free poetry ebook here.

Effeuilletage – Improvised Theatre, A Script Tease

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Improvised Theatre
Improvised Theatre

Bilingual theatre company Productions Nemesis, in collaboration with Les Improbables de Toronto, is presenting Effeuilletage, improvised theatre inspired by the National Theatre of the World‘s Script Tease project. Effeuilletage will present one-time-only theatre, during which seasoned improvisors will take on three-minute play openings and carry on in improv for another half-hour.

The playwrights offering parameters to the improvisors are Barbara-Audrey Bergeron, Pierre Beaudin, Michel Ouellette and myself.

Effeuilletage is being staged on April 12th and 19th at Toronto’s Tranzac Club (292 Brunswick Avenue). Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins shortly after. Tickets are $15 at the door and online. 

Effeuilletage – Pièces de théâtre de 3 minutes, improvisation de 30

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Théâtre improvisé: Dépouillement de courts textes de théâtre mis en vie par des improvisateurs aguerris
Théâtre improvisé: Dépouillement de courts textes de théâtre mis en vie par des improvisateurs aguerris

La troupe de théâtre Productions Nemesis, en collaboration avec Les Improbables de Toronto, présente, en avril, Effeuilletage, du théâtre improvisé durant lequel des improvisateurs aguerris monteront sur scène et dévoileront des courtes pièces de théâtre originales dont ils prendront connaissance en même temps que le public. Ils présentent ainsi des pièces éphémères de trente minutes dont seul le public du moment verra le résultat.

Les auteurs des débuts de pièces de théâtre qui serviront d’inspiration aux improvisateurs sont de la plume de Barbara-Audrey Bergeron, Pierre Beaudin, Michel Ouellette et moi-même.

Sans dévoiler ici d’indice sur le contenu des pièces de théâtre en question, je peux révéler que, jusqu’à présent, les pratiques d’Effeuilletage ont pondu un serveur de restaurant qui se faufile chez une cliente en grimpant la façade de son immeuble et un magicien en herbe qui utilise ses accessoires de scène pour faire faire de la thérapie à ses amis.

Effeuilletage sera présenté le 12 et le 19 avril au Club Tranzac (292, av. Brunswick à Toronto). Les portes ouvrent à 19h et le spectacle commence peu après. Billets à la porte et en ligne, 15 $.