Apt. 9 is moving

Well, tomorrow will see the movement of Apt. 9 from its eponymous space, 328 Frank St. Apt. 9 Ottawa ON.

The press will relocate (along with all of our belongings) to 183 St. Andrew Ottawa ON. The move unfortunately overlaps with the summer edition of the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair which happens tomorrow at Jack Purcell from noon to 5:00pm. However, as was mentioned earlier, Justin Million and Peter Gibbon will be covering a table under the Apt. 9 name. Both have lots of interesting things going on of their own, so do ask them about readings and magazines.

New from Apt. 9 will be Landforms from Leigh Nash. I don’t have enough good things to say about this book. Leigh deserves every reader she can get, so do get your hands on it (and I don’t just say that because it is an Apt. 9 title). You’ll regret not buying it this fall when her first trade book hits the shelves.

To date, Apt. 9 has produced eight titles (starting in August 2009). Including some brief runs of reprints for various reasons, that totals 442 individual books stitched inside these walls (well, 442 if we only count those that saw the light of day). Every book has been designed, printed and bound from start to finish at this address. The name will, of course, continue, but the press will need to adapt to its new space.

The move has put projects on hold briefly, and they will likely remain that way through the new few weeks, but news and new books are on the way.

Enjoy the small press fair everyone.

Another Review!

Aaron Tucker, who was recently shortlisted for the bpNichol Chapbook Award for apartments (published by the excellent Emergency Response Unit), has just posted a review of Ben Ladouceur’s The Argossey over at The Agora Review. Thanks Aaron!

Leigh Nash, & other news

Lots has been happening, and I’ve been failing to update. So, here we go:

First, a new book is ready! Landforms from Leigh Nash is stitched and numbered. The book is a wonderful set of eleven concise poems that move across geography and human bodies in startling and surprising ways. Leigh is one-half of The Emergency Response Unit, one of the most exciting young chapbook presses in the country, and has her very first book with a spine forthcoming in the Fall from Mansfield, titled Goodbye, Ukulele. The book draws on poems from the full manuscript, so consider it your first chance to get your hands on this material.

In other first book news, Sandra Ridley is launching her collection Fallout (Hagios) on Saturday May 29th at The Manx in Ottawa. Sandra very generously published with Apt. 9 last fall in our first round of books, and the news of her first spined-book is very exciting. Go to the event and buy the book. See a recent interview with here. Her Apt. 9 chapbook Rest Cure also recently received two reviews: the first from Amanda Earl, and the second from Jamie Bradley. Thank you to both of them for taking the time to review a chapbook, such things are done far too rarely.

Apt. 9 was interviewed a couple times over the last few months. Ashly Dyck at the Leveller spoke with us here (p. 17), and rob mclennan gave us 12 (or 20) questions.

We’re still at work on the forthcoming William Hawkins project. However, it has since grown into two equally exciting projects. I’m going to withhold full details for the moment, but there will be some new (old) poems, as well as reprints of some of the legendary poster poems from the sixties. We’re planning a late summer/early fall release, so keep your ears peeled.

Apt. 9 will be at the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair on June 26th. However, I will not be present. Our table will be very ably manned by Justin Million and Peter Gibbon. Justin published with Apt. 9 last August, and Peter will be publishing in the near-future. Both are active in Ottawa’s small press community, and will surely have their own interesting items to get into your hands as well. We’ll have copies of Michael Blouin, Michael Dennis, Stuart Ross, and the aforementioned new book from Leigh Nash. If any of these are missing from your bookshelf, make a point of dropping by.

And that’s it. Hope to see everyone out at one reading or another.

Stuart Ross, TREE, & In/Words

Tomorrow night Apt. 9 has the privilege of releasing a book by Stuart Ross, a stalwart of Canada’s small press community. Stuart’s commitment to small press publishing over the last thirty years, his Proper Tales Press, his piles of little mags (most recently HARDSCRABBLE), and his dedication promoting others, blazed a trail that Apt. 9 hopes it can contribute to in the future. That he continues to support this world is evidenced by his willingness to publish with our modest operation.

In case that was too subtle: we’re thrilled and can’t wait for you to read the book.

I Have Come To Talk About Manners collects eighteen new poems from Ross, his first published set since Dead Cars In Managua (DC Books 2008).

The book will be on sale at the TREE Reading Series, where Stuart is reading with Ottawa’s Stephen Brockwell. There is a workshop beforehand, led by Terry Ann Carter. TREE Readings take place at Arts Courts (2 Daly Avenue), with a brief open-mic at 8:00, followed by the featured readers. Come out, listen, and buy some books (even if they aren’t from Apt. 9!).

It will also be your first chance to buy Michael Dennis’ how are you she innocently asked. $10.00 each, or both for $15.00.

And if you’re free Wednesday night, head over to the Clocktower for the In/Words Open-Mic. In/Words is a wonderful student community run out of Carleton University. This reading may be the final Open-Mic that the mag and chapbook press hosts, after four (five?) years. Hosted by Justin Million (of Guzzle fame), the readings are consistently engaging, and have a remarkable energy and vitality that sets them apart from others in the city. Don’t miss this (potentially) last chance to take part. There are usually piles of free chapbooks and mags, and you’re always encouraged to bring your own work to distribute.

Hope to see everyone tomorrow!

A Belated Happy New Year!

Big news developing in Apt. 9.

First, new books! Michael Dennis’ how are you she innocently asked is stitched and ready for your eyes. The book is comprised of poems and short short stories, all marked by Dennis’ characteristic lack of bullshit. Dennis’ sustained energy over his years of publishing is a real inspiration here at Apt. 9, and we’re honoured that he’s gotten on board. The cover features an original linocut, hand printed for each book.

A reading will be happening in the not too distant future, details forthcoming, by Michael Dennis and Michael Blouin to formally launch their two Apt. 9 titles. In the meantime, email Apt. 9 to get your hands on copies.

On the heels of Michael Dennis comes Stuart Ross, Apt. 9′s first non-Ottawa resident. Ross will be reading in Ottawa on February 23 at the Tree Reading Series. The new chapbook is being printed to coincide with the reading. Ross is a hero of the small press, and continues to show his enthusiastic support for the chapbook form.

Ashly Dyck of the Ottawa Arts Review recently interviewed Apt. 9, and the Q&A will be found in the March edition of The Leveller.

The summer will see the first non-fiction title, focused on the books of William Hawkins. Stay tuned for the details. We’re incredibly excited about the development of the book and can’t wait for everyone to be able to see it. It will be an important object in Hawkins’ catalogue, and a must-have for anyone interested in his work.

We’re looking for other non-fiction proposals. Read the submission guidelines and send something to us!

We would also like to develop a email list to send these sorts of updates out. If you’re like periodic news about Apt. 9 titles and writers, send your email to apt9press@gmail.com

Backlist still available:
TWO BOYS carrying a box through a field .going somewhere | Michael Blouin (fiction)
The Argossey | Ben Ladouceur (poetry)
Guzzles | Justin Million (poetry)

Cheers, and stay warm,
Cameron

Towards the Ottawa Small Press Fair…

First and foremost, we are thrilled to announce that the fifth Apt. 9 title, and the first one to be fiction, will come from Michael Blouin. Blouin’s excellent first novel Chase & Haven (Coach House) recently won the ReLit Award, and was shortlisted for the Amazon First Novel award. The chapbook will be excerpts from a completed, as yet unpublished second novel. If you read Chase & Haven, you’ll understand how exciting the prospect of a second novel from Blouin is (and if you haven’t read it, you should). Blouin is also the author of I’m not going to lie to you (Pedlar Press), a wonderful collection of poetry.The chapbook will be ready and available for the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair on November 28th. On a related note, Michael Blouin will be accepting his ReLit award TONIGHT at the Ottawa International Writer’s Festival. See writersfestival.org for more information.

Also for the fair, we’ve recently completed a small run of reprints of the first three titles (Monty Reid, Sandra Ridley and Justin Million). The second printing of each is an edition of 10 unnumbered  copies. So, if you missed getting your hands on one late this summer, you’ll have a second chance on November 28th. Ben Ladouceur’s The Argossey will also be available.

The press is also starting to make plans for 2010. One thing we hope to do is to expand into non-fiction titles. More specifically, Apt. 9 wants to engage with Ottawa’s literary history and is interested in producing chapbooks that deal with it, in a variety of forms (bibliographies, essays, interviews, collections of primary documents…). If you have a manuscript, or an idea for one, send us a brief abstract or proposal (250-500 words) and we will respond to you as quickly as time allows.

That’s it for now, see everyone soon!

Old Books Gone, New Books Arriving

Apt. 9 is, first of all, proud to announce that our first three poetry titles have now sold out! We’re absolutely stunned by the support we’ve received from the community in Ottawa and elsewhere, and can’t wait to get new titles into your hands. Thank you!

On a related note, a new title is ready for your hands! Ben Ladouceur’s The Argossey is printed, bound, and numbered. The book will be first available on September 30th at the In/Words open-mic at Woody’s (more concrete details forthcoming). Ben will be on hand to read, and might even sign the books if you ask nicely. He’ll also have in hand a second, beautiful new title, Alert, from Amanda Earl’s AngelHouse Press.  Ben is one of the most promising voices among younger Ottawa poets. Although he is leaving us for Europe temporarily, these two new titles will remind Ottawa why we’ve been lucky to have him, and why his return will be worth celebrating.

There are more announcements coming soon, stay posted.

Launch Night & Other News

So the launch was an overwhelming success. Apt. 9 cannot thank everyone who came out enough. It was fantastic to see so many people out supporting Justin, Sandra and Monty, as well as a fledgling small press. If you missed it you can see photos of the readers by Jenn Huzera here, and a photo of the bar during the reading by Charles Earl here. I couldn’t have hoped for a better launch, and can’t wait for the next event. There are remaining copies of each book, but very few.

In other news, new books are in the works and I cannot wait to get them into everyone’s hands. If all goes as planned, they’ll be on our table at the Fall edition of the Ottawa small press fair. We can announce that one of the books will be from Ben Ladouceur (soon to be a temporary Ottawa ex-pat). His book is called The Argossey. Ben is among the most exciting of the young poets writing in Ottawa at the moment, and Apt. 9 is thrilled to have such a wonderful manuscript of his in our hands.

We can also announce that the first Apt. 9 fiction title is in the works, though we’ll resist telling you who its from just yet. Stay tuned, you’ll want to get your hands on it.

As well, Apt. 9 now owns apt9press.ca, though the site is still hosted through wordpress for the time being. Thanks to Caitlin Anstee for that!

Thanks again, and see everyone soon!

First Books

Apt. 9 Press is proud to announce our first three titles:

Guzzles | Justin Million

Rest-Cure | Sandra Ridley

A Poem That Ends With Murder | Monty Reid

See Books for further information, and keep an eye on Events for an August launch.