Episode 10 – The Small Machine Talks

The Small Machine Talks, Episode 10

a.m. kozak, Amanda Earl

Recorded February 5, 2017

with special guest, Ian Martin

Recent Events

We discuss events that happened in January, the pleasures of sitting together at the cool table and a.m. kozak’s reading in Montreal at Bad Nudes, cheap Quebec beer, dive bars, free popcorn for dinner, and his conceptual percussion performance in the Chickpeas acoustic cover band, how he manages to be in two places at once, the joys of hearing beat boxing. We talk about how long the In/Words open mic lasted, Sarah MacDonell’s excellent reading and the big crowd at the Clocktower Pub, standing room only. Amanda has problems with prepositions. Ian waxes his turtle. We groan over the creepy and effective imagery in Monty Reid’s manuscript in progress, “Host,” which he read from at the Ottawater launch. Ian speaks briefly of Winterlude, the ice sculptures, the taffy, the acceptable weather. We bemoan the lack of poetry at Winterlude and Amanda mentions that there will be spoken word at Porchfest in the fall.

Events Wish List

Amanda wishes she could attend the AWP conference in Washington, DC. We establish that Dylanology is not about all the Dylans.

Upcoming Events

We talk about upcoming events in Montreal, Toronto, London, Oakville, Ottawa, Windsor. We’re pleased that the Art House Café is opening soon. Amanda is frustrated by the shortage of Timbits. We’re intrigued by Occult Poetics, a two-day event happening in Montreal. a.m. kozak talks about how swanky Bar Robo is. We mention that February is Black History Month. We will learn whether a.m. kozak will make it out of the ice caves whilst he’s in Iceland during Reading Week.

Current Reads

We talk about the Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milos Kundera, Ariel by Sylvia Plath, Bluets by Maggie Nelson, Sarah MacDonell’s the Lithium Body, Chris Johnson’s Listen Partisan. Ian also mentions a few PDFs, including “Girl Detective & the Mystery of the Sap-Stained Skirt” by Porpentine; “Date A Boy Who Travels” by J Bearhat. We discuss reading things on screen vs on the printed page. Amanda talks about the Twitter #95books hashtag.

Internet Stuff

We talk about podcasts: First Words with JC Bouchard, the first episode with William Kemp and Nicole Brewer, the second with Julie Mannell. Amanda also mentions the Basement Review with Damien Rogers and Jason Collett.

We discuss the new site, Many Gendered Mothers and the essays that have appeared so far.

Calls for Submission and Contests

Amanda lists a bunch of them. Links within.

Stay tuned for our interview with Ian Martin to be posted in a few weeks.

Slackline

Pace

Facilitate

Tree

Jennifer Pederson

In/Words

Ottawater

Monty