Five Things Literary: Hamilton, with Noelle Allen

As part of our mapping of literary Ontario, we're highlighting five things about literary life in communities throughout the province. What do our cities, towns and villages have to offer writers, readers and the curious? Follow Five Things Literary to find out.

Today's feature on literary life in Hamilton was contributed by Noelle Allen, publisher of Wolsak and Wynn.

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1. gritLIT: Hamilton’s Literary Festival
• Now in its seventh year, gritLIT is a festival that loves to mix things up, in a literary way. It gives poets the star treatment, embraces emerging writers and programs decidedly urban topics. This year the festival will have both Kathleen and Michael Winter, along with local author Trevor Cole, on stage, as well as Tarek Fateh head-lining a non-fiction panel. The 2011 gritLIT festival will take place from April 7th to 11th.

 

2. Bryan Prince Bookseller
• Located in a beautiful store filled with carefully chosen books and run by knowledgeable staff, Bryan Prince Bookseller is probably one of the best independent bookstores in Ontario. The reading series the store runs brings some of Canada’s best authors through Hamilton and the bookstore is devoted to supporting local authors as well.

 

3. LiT LiVe and the Hamilton Poetry Centre
• LiT LiVe and the Hamilton Poetry Centre are two long-running series that constantly bring together touring and local authors in Hamilton. The 2011 season of LiT LiVe begins February 6th, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at the Skydragon Centre, 27 King William Street. The Hamilton Poetry Centre will host David O'Meara on February 17th at Bryan Prince Bookseller's.

 

4. Lawrence Hill
• Hamilton is happy to lay claim to award-winning author Lawrence Hill as a resident, though he is only one of several fine authors living in the city. Lawrence has been very active locally, supporting a variety of organizations, and was recently the McMaster University Writer-in-Residence. You'll find his latest fiction in the January/February 2011 edition of The Walrus magazine.

 

5. McMaster University's Writer-in-Residence Program
• Alternating between Canadian and international writers, the McMaster Writer-in-Residence program brings authors into Hamilton to work on their own writing and to meet with members of the community. This initiative supports writers financially and gives new writers a chance to work with experienced authors as their writing develops. Toronto playwright and filmmaker Colleen Murphy was the most recent writer to take up the post.
   

  
  

  Noelle Allen is the publisher of Wolsak and Wynn, a local literary press in Hamilton, and is the Chair of the Hamilton Literary Festival Board. She encourages all authors to consider relocating to Hamilton, not only for its beautiful, affordable houses, but also for the wonderful literary community.

  Would you like to contribute five things about literary life in your community? Send an email with your ideas to erin@openbookontario.com.