Event Hosting and Planning

Hosting Hot-Sauced Words
 
If you need help organizing an event, or are looking for a funny, experienced host to handle the speaker role while you sit back and enjoy the festivities? Give me a call.
 
I have performed in front of live audiences and on radio for many years. I’m good on my feet, quick-witted and available at short notice.
 
In my previous career I enjoyed being involved in organizing conventions, golf tournaments and charity fund raisers at the corporate level.
 
All that connectivity and experience is available to ensure your event or special occasion runs like a well rehearsed stage play.
 
Call me if you need help.
 

CALL 416-435-7372

 

Monthly Events

 
Produce and host Hot-Sauced Words Poetry Performances
Capture HSW

Hot-Sauced Words is a monthly, interactive reading series that presents the finest page and stage poets on the scene. It is the most unique, audience-focused performance shows in Toronto.
 
 
(Now celebrating its 8th year at The Black Swan Tavern, Danforth and Broadview, Toronto. I take the show on the road to other cities in Ontario from time to time as well. If you or your local writing group would like me to come and host a HSW-style reading in your community, please invite me.)
 
Co-Host (w/Sue Reynolds) the Inkslingers FREE POETRY Workshop in Toronto.
Capture inkslingers

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2014

 
July 7th 2014: Hosted the WCDR Summer Slam auditions at The Bear in Pickering, Ontario.
 
June 20th 2014: Hosted the Agent Panel at the CAA CanWrite! Conference in Orillia.
Canwrite! is the annual conference sponsored by the Canadian Author’s Association. (June 18th – 22nd 2014)
 

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2013

Hosted the Writers’ Community of Durham Region monthly breakfast from 2011 to 2013
 
wcdr cvr 2012 Annual Report w

As the President of The Writers’ Community of Durham Region, I led a wonderful team of innovative and talented people who put on a professional, industry standard event every month at The Ajax Convention Centre.
 
Now in its 19th year, the WCDR shines as one of Canada’s most successful writing organizations. I was President from 2011 to 2013, and prior to that contributed four more years on other board positions. The best Canadian writers and major industry players topped the list of guest speakers.
 
From the WCDR website:
 
The WCDR encourages writers at all levels; offers opportunities for support, education and networking; and promotes the value of writers and writing.

 
July 8th 2013: Hosted the WCDR Summer Slam auditions at The Bear in Pickering, Ontario.
 

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CAA Conference Agent Panel w
 
June 14th – 16th 2013: Hosted the Agent Panel at the CAA CanWrite! Conference in Orillia. Canwrite! is the annual conference sponsored by the Canadian Author’s Association.
Hosted the Writing Contest Shortlist Announcements on June 14th.
Hosted the Luncheon Publisher Panel on June 14th.
Hosted the Luncheon Author Agent Panel on June 15th.
 
 
 
 
 
May 23rd 2013: Hosted the WCDR Booklaunch: Short fiction contest winners and Anthology (Amprosia) in Ajax, Ontario.
Amprosia Booklaunch
 

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Books and Brunch at Wooden Sticks w
 
 
Hosted and Moderated the Books and Brunch Author Interview Series, April 7th, at the Wooden Sticks Golf Club. Sponsored by Shelley MacBeth and Blue Heron Books.
 
I Interviewed Colin McAdam about his award winning novel, A Beautiful Truth, and Ania Szado about her novel, Studio St. Ex.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Co-Hosted the Scripts and Scores Fundraiser, May 12th, (with radio personality Brenda Amelard)and performed a set of my poetry in support of The Whistle Radio Station and Stouffville Public Library. Poets and musicians performed the entire afternoon.
Scripts and Scores
Whistle Radio Shelf Life
 
Co-Hosted the We All Love Kate Marshall Flaherty Party, June 22nd, at the Children’s Peace Theatre, Toronto.
 
Hosted the fourth WCDR Summer Slam Qualifier event, June 16th, an evening of competitive poetry at The Bear and Firkin bar in Pickering, Ontario.
 
May 5th 2013: Hosted the Lisa Llamarei Reflection of the Gods book launch at Mill Run Golf Club just outside of Uxbridge, Ontario.
 
Feb. 3rd 2013: Hosted the Depth and Breath booklaunch at Blue Heron Books.
 

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2012

Hosted three readings and the announcement of the contest finalists in fiction, non-fiction and poetry at the Canadian Authors Association (CAA) Annual Conference in May in Orillia, Ontario.
 
Chaired the Session 6 PANEL. Creative Writing Community and the Public Good, and presented my paper on The Role of the Community Based Writing Organization, May 10th – 13th, at the The Canadian Creative Writers and Writing Programs (CCWWP).
Other participants on the panel: Miranda Hill Reading Here: Building our National Literature with Project Bookmark Canada; and Thom Vernon Selling It: Creative Writing & the Pubic Good.
CCWWP group 2010 w 
Hosted the third WCDR Summer Slam Qualifier event, June 16th, an evening of competitive poetry in Whitby, Ontario.
 

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2011

2014-02-09-James at WCYR luncheon
 
 
 
 
 
Mentored the start ups of two writers’ communities in the spring, and continue to offer insight and advice.
Sue Reynolds and I are proud to have mentored the start ups of two Writers’ Communities modeled after the Writers’ Community of Durham Region (WCDR):
The Writers’ Community of Simcoe County (WCSC)
and The Writers’ Community of York Region (WCYR) in the Spring of 2011.
 
Hosted the second WCDR Summer Slam Qualifier event, June 16th, an evening of competitive poetry in Whitby, Ontario.

 

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2010

Hosted the Literacy in Durham 2nd Annual Coffee, Tea & Words Read-a-Thon om March 2nd.
This annual fundraiser raised money to support adult literacy programs in the Oshawa area.
Hosted the Wicked Words Prose Anthology booklaunch on May 17th at Asian Cuizine, Ajax, Ontario.
 
Hosted the inaugural WCDR Summer Slam Qualifier event, June 16th, an evening of competitive poetry at Chez Jazz in Whitby, Ontario.
 
Produced and hosted the Outdoor Poetry Slam at the Uxbridge Ontario Arts Festival on Sept. 25th.
 
Participated in Wordfest from Oct. 12th to 17th.
A writing conference hosted by the University of Calgary and The Banff Centre.
It culminated in the creation of The Canadian Creative Writers and Writing Programs (CCWWP).
 

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2009

byebyeBUSHBASH3webweb wCreator, organizer and co-host of the Bye Bye Bush Bash on Jan. 17th, uniting the four major poetry reading hosts in Toronto for an evening of varied poetry styles and comedy in celebration of the end of the George Bush Presidency.
Cohosts: David Silverberg (Toronto Poetry Slam), Edward Nixon (Livewords) and Yehuda Fisher.
 
Co-Hosted (with Sue Reynolds) the Stellar Literary Festival at Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens and Parkwood Estate on June 13th and 14th. This Two Day literary Festival featured writers from Eastern Ontario and The Canada-Cuba Literary Alliance.
 
Hosted Annabelle Murray’s She Takes What She Needs booklaunch on Nov 22nd at Harlows in Uxbridge, Ontario.
 

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2008

Event organizer and host of the summer Canada Cuba Literary Alliance Art and Lit-Fest on Aug. 23rd in Brighton, Ontario.
Hosted the CCLA LIT Fest dinner reading featuring John. B. Lee, Ruth E. Walker and Allan Briesmaster.
 
Designer and Contest administrator of the WCDR Poetry Chapbook Challenge.
 
Co-designer and administrator of Rock, Paper, Scissors, the WCDR poetry contest for children and youth.
 
Co-hosted (w/Sue Reynolds) The Wisdom of Old Souls” anthology booklaunch on Oct 29th at the Whitby Library.
 
Co-Hosted the Renaissance Conspiracy of Poets Anthology, OPUS 3 book launch on Dec 11th.
I also co-edited the anthology.
 
2008 12 Mike fraser booklaunch w2008 Mike Fraser Booklaunch w
Emceed the Bookland Press booklaunch evening on Dec. 20th at The Supermarket, in Toronto.
 
 
 
 
 
Michael Fraser, The Serenity of Stone; and Marianne Paul, Dead Girl Diaries.
 

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Previous Years

Creator, Producer and host of Hot-Sauced Words Poetry Performances series held monthly at It’s Not a Deli (at Queen and Ossington), later moved to the Black Swan Tavern in Toronto since 2006.
First reading was Thursday, March, 2006.
 
Hot-Sauced Words Poetry and Spoken Word Performances series also presented as a travelling forum to showcase local poets:
Uxbridge, Ontario:
Durham College, Oshawa, Ontario (5 times)
Brighton, Ontario.
 
Hosted and featured at the Toronto Artbar Tribute to Irving Layton in May, 2006.
Irving Layton mentored me in poetry in the early 70’s at York University.
 
Host of several other poetry and spoken word readings and events since 2005.
 

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