Souvankham Thammavongsa

Hey all!

Some personal updates you didn’t ask for, to kick off this week’s post.

First, had a fantastic event with Aleksandar Hemon last night here in Hamilton. Any gig where a/ my voice doesn’t give out b/ I get paid c/ I get to talk to an amazing author d/ I get to see friends e/ I get a tote gift bag and f/ the publisher of Penguin Canada gives me her personal copy of the author’s book…well…that’s a good gig.

Second, re: the voice comment, I apologize if I sound strained on any upcoming programs. Eight months, several doctors, a speech therapist and several scopes later, and no one is any wiser as to why my larynx gives out so easily. Hopefully I fake it well enough. I am headed to two separate voice clinics this summer…someone will surely know what’s what.

Third, I am excited to say that my new novel (with the tentative and probably brief working title of A Matter of Water) is finally close to what I’ll call “a first complete draft.” Parts of this have been rewritten and edited a half-dozen times, and they shine; parts are just freshly written, rough and fairly terrible. However, within the week I will have a MS that actually tells the entire story tip to tail. So. That’s exciting.

Finally, the show! The last (for now) of the run of poetry I read back in the spring. We talk to Souvankham Thammavongsa about her recent collection Cluster, and to Kaie Kellough about his own collection, Magnetic Equator. Both wonderful works. I’ll stop here and let you listen. Enjoy!