24 Apr, 2009

Shortlist reading for 2009 Aqua Books Lansdowne Prize for Poetry

On the evening of April 9th the four shortlisted poets for the 2009 Aqua Books Lansdowne Prize for Poetry read at Aqua Books. The shortlisted authors: Rosanna Deerchild, Laurent Poliquin, Kerry Ryan, and me.

Bookstore owner and host Kelly Hughes gave an entertaining rant about the merits of cake at Eat Bistro compared to the (in)famous Jeanne’s Bakery. I was one of four present who admitted to liking Jeanne’s fare. My guess is that some people were lying about their low-brow taste, since there were a couple of dozen people present and Jeanne’s is a Winnipeg institution.

The readings were fun. Kerry Ryan has taken up boxing and is writing poetry about it. Rosanna was funny as usual, and Charles Leblanc strongly encouraged Laurent to tell an amusing anecdote.

Fear Not has also been nominated for the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award along with some novelists whose names I can’t remember.