Friday Special Blend
Friday September 13th, 2024 with Susan Johnston - Micah Petti
David O'Meara's Chandelier, Synapcity's Pulses, and queer storytelling with Jeffrey Canton

This week we interview David O’Meara, Nick Harrison, and Jeffrey Canton! First up, Susan interviews author and now Ottawa Poet Laureate David O'Meara about his novel, Chandelier. About David: David O’Meara is the award-winning author of five collections of poetry, most recently Masses On Radar (Coach House Books). His books have been shortlisted for the Gerald Lampert Award, the ReLit Award, the Trillium Book Award and the K.M. Hunter Award, and have won the Archibald Lampman Award four times. His poetry has been nominated for a National Magazine Award, quoted in a Tragically Hip song and used as libretto for a pastoral cantata for unaccompanied chorus, written by composer Scott Tresham. He is the director of the Plan 99 Reading Series and he was the founding Artistic Director for the VERSeFest Poetry Festival. He lives in Ottawa. The story: Following a modern family’s dysfunction, Chandelier is a three-part portrait of a young adult and her divorced parents as they navigate profound loss and disappointment and the crux between despair and optimism. The book launch takes place Wednesday September 18 at the Rainbow Bistro. Next up, Susan and Micah speak with Synapcity's Nick Harrison, about Pulses, launching next week. Taking place at locations across Ottawa, these weekly sessions will create community dialogue on critical issues facing our city. Each session will be guided by a trained facilitator. Come be a part of conversations that matter this fall. The sessions are in partnership with the Ottawa Public Library. More information is available here: https://synapcity.ca/upcoming-events/ In our last half-hour, Susan and Micah speak with storyteller Jeffrey Canton about story as personal healing, the power of personal narratives, and his upcoming workshops at Kind Space (September 18 and 20) plus concert, featuring six local storytellers, at the DARC Microcinema next Thursday, September 19. More information available here: https://artscourt.ca/events/stories-for-healing