Catherine Owen
@cowenwriter
Poet, writer, maker of things. Author of seventeen collections of poetry and prose. Born and raised Vancouverite who now lives in Edmonton. Works as an editor and reviewer. Loves: books, cats, gardening, family, dark music and black coffee.
Hey #canlit. If you need an MS editor with a whack of experience, 17 books in 4 genres, with reasonable fees, please let me know. I also lead workshops and write reviews. Don't use the artificial thieves to edit or ever; support real writers always.
Yevgeni Zamyatin saw the Artificial Thieves approaching in 1924 in his novel, We. Why would you want your human intelligence and imagination gutted?
Re-found this quote by John Barton from the Best Canadian Poetry 2023. Yep, until 2017 artists who had worked hard and long were able to submit to the Established category. Now they wonder if, older and poorer, they should instead check the "disabled" box. #canlit #thecanadacouncilforthearts
So humans are continuing to ravage the planet while claiming nothing can be done about it. If we learned how to compassionately accept our own deaths would we be able to care more deeply, to make other choices, to stop?
My Monday face when I, a very-underemployed editor, read a book (good press, well-known editor) that has a typo on the first page and needed re-jigging, diction-wise, throughout (thus far). Textual errors jump out at me like this chalk drawing on the sidewalk ;) #canlit
Further Canadian fiction and non-fiction titles I am re-reading, having nil funds to purchase more at present. Ask me if you want a reasonably-priced book review or manuscript edit. I have decades of experience and have published 17 books myself :) #canlit
Just a few Canadian poetry or poetics books I'm rereading or beginning this morning. And if you are interested in poetry by Canadian women, you will find some titles here! Support your country's creations in whatever way you can all year long :) brilliantwomeninc.blogspot.com
One must always make time to lie down outside in summer with a good book.
I have now edited my upcoming Fall title roughly a thousand times and am aware that there will always be sentences that showcase my awkward personality a little too vividly. One hopes this is also called charm ;)
Could the librarian have been ANY ruder to this discarded book by Ashbery? Methinks there is a sub-text of loathing here as the book is in fact fresh and clean and fully contemporary. Nox, my poetry cat, is frankly appalled ;)
I give you the final No, Robot sonnet segment in full. Never relent to what thieves your human agency and spirit.
"I propose that we cast away their premonitions and gather in our own cozy and accurate living rooms to listen to valid human voices speaking or reciting... and we will laugh at the robots because they have not divested us of what matters" (pic: Sunday's Impromptu event at my home. We resist)
Two Edmontons: 1912 trolley on the 1905 bridge; homelessness in the doorway of a downtown art store.
I had a fantastic day at www.ualberta.ca/en/literatur... even if I had to hand make my own lanyard ;) renegade poet forever.
#canlit The cover for my fall release multi-genre memoir features art by Jenny Keith as dreamed by me and as designed by the inimitable team at #wolsakandwynn. After all this time, the anticipation of a book in the world never pales ;)
Where should my name go and in what font? I personally love the blue and yellow. So popping! Artwork by Jenny Keith. Multi-genre memoir due out from Wolsak & Wynn this fall.
Donating my bread settlement cash to buying more children's books for my little library. Saw a young boy yesterday clutching beloved reads to his chest after he picked some out and want to feel hope that he will be a forever reader. [Dad, a father who read to me, with the first book box he built]
Early promo copy material and the cover art by Jenny Keith for the Wolsak & Wynn fall release for my next book: Sixteen Homes, a hybrid-memoir.
Edmonton spring means you plant blooms in a fever of yes, finally and then watch the weather forecast say minuses, wind, possible snow and see all the beauty crushed once more. A cruel land, undoubtedly.
An inspiring collaboration on a year-end project with design student Kaelyn Andrews, who also interviewed and photographed dancers, visual artists, musicians and designers! She calls this work, "Without Art, Life is Boring." Yes, real human making always.
This is the tree I grew up with. She is actually three trees melded into one. We called them the cedar sisters. And now the world tree. She remains. May she always.