Here at PQL, we try to keep your enjoyment utmost in our minds when we compose our monthly newsletter. We’re not afraid to go for a cheap laugh, and October just offers so many opportunities to brandish a good pun in the name of promotion.

So this October, we here at The Porcupine’s Quill invite you to fall in love with a PQL book. Not doing it for you? What if we go a bit more risqué—fall into bed with a good book. No? Rake in a new read. Still no? How about a different tack—Thanksgiving is coming up. Why don’t you give thanks for our fabulous authors? Or if that doesn’t get you, we’ve got Halloween jokes. Something something something … ghostwriter!

So maybe puns aren’t our strong suit. But you know what is? Books. And we have those in abundance!

In abundance, like a veritable harvest cornucopia one might say. Boom. There it is.

What’s happening this month?

At PQL.

The presses are humming. September kept the shop hopping with printing, sewing and binding for Bitter Lake and The Wordless Leonard Cohen Songbook. October sees us moving on to Bruce McDougall’s book of short stories, Every Minute Is a Suicide. Plus, we’ve been kept on our toes by a number of upcoming events that we think you’ll love.

In Ontario.

This month, we have for you Torontonians not one, but TWO book launches—and one of them is a two-fer. On October 2nd, we’re launching George A. Walker’s The Wordless Leonard Cohen Songbook with help from out friends at the Craft Ontario Shop. Then, on October 21st, we have the pleasure of launching Bruce McDougall’s book of short stories, Every Minute Is a Suicide. This is event also happens to double as the launch for Bruce’s book The Last Hockey Game, published by Goose Lane. All are welcome to join Bruce in celebration at the Dora Keogh Irish Pub on the Danforth.

If poetry’s more your style, join Bruce Meyer on October 21st at the Art Bar Poetry Series. You just might hear some delightful poetry from his book The Seasons.

The Fifth Annual James Reaney Memorial Lecture will be taking place on October 19 at Café 10 in Stratford. This year, PQL publisher Tim Inkster will be delivering an anecdotal bibliography of James Reaney’s career in print, including his student publications, his early editions including books like The Red Heart, and the 2010 PQL edition of the classic long poem, A Suit of Nettles.

George A. Walker’s prints from The Mysterious Death of Tom Thomson are on the move again, this time visiting the Algoma Fall Festival. Stop by to see the prints alongside an exhibition of paintings by members of the Group of Seven. Exhibition runs October 2 – 26.

In the East.

East coast lit fans should definitely head over to the Fog Lit Festival in Saint John, NB. Pigheaded Soul author Jason Guriel will be holding a poetry workshop and participating in a poetry slam over the course of the festival.

If you happen to find yourself in Fredericton, stop by the UNB Poetry Weekend, which will be featuring readings from our Essential Poets Series.

Out West.

Debut author Marika Deliyannides celebrates the launch of her book, Bitter Lake. The launch will take place at Teatro in Calgary.

Bob Bossin, author of the fabulous Davy the Punk is at it again! His acclaimed one-man musical show, Songs and Stories of Davy the Punk, will be in B.C. and Alberta over the next few weeks. Don’t miss readings from the book at various public libraries in the area as well. For more information, visit our events page.

In the World.

Thanksgiving, Halloween, Oktoberfest … ’nuff said.

As if we needed a reason, amirite?

From the porcupette’s corner.

What has this porcupette been up to this month? Well, aside from getting ebooks out to all of our various digital partners, I’ve been busy with lots of research on PQL books past—not to mention cyber-stalking learning about some truly impressive figures in international publishing. All of this is in preparation for a cold-sweat inducing event that has been affectionately described as speed dating for book rights. It’s things like this that remind me why I love the publishing biz.

There is a fine line between research and stalking. Or so I’m told. In this case maybe the mouse stalking the cat would be a more appropriate visual.

In other news, you talked and we listened. I’ve been hearing from some of you about some ideas to improve our newsletters and mailings, and I’m happy to report that we are now the proud owners of a mobile-friendly layout. We’re still working out the kinks, so if you have any troubles or if you’d like to suggest further improvements, drop me a line at pqlporcupettes@gmail.com.

Read on, Quill fans!

Steph