All That Desire by Betsy Struthers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
BETSY STRUTHERS READS FROM ALL THAT DESIRE AT CAT SASS LITERARY NIGHTS
I invited Betsy Struthers to come and read at Cat Sass Literary Nights, the reading series I started in February 2012 with coffeehouse owner Casey Beecroft. Pat Lowther Award winner Struthers and I have been acquainted for decades but I did not know her well and enjoyed our opportunity to chat about readings, poetry, families and travel. I bought a signed copy of her new book All The Desire for my poet daughter, Rhysling nominee Kelly Pflug-Back, and read many of the poems before I gave it to her. I particularly enjoyed the forthrightness and honesty with which Struthers discusses menopause. Her candour made me realize how much this topic is still in the realm of messy female stuff best swept under the rug. Thankyou, Betsy! As a menopausal woman, I appreciate your refreshing forthrightness!
Writers we have hosted at Cat Sass include Anishnaabeg scholar Leanne Simpson, actor and novelist Kate Story, multi-award winning children’s science author Jan Thornhill, SK Dyment, Hilary Wear, Alderville First Nations historian Ruth Clarke, heritage sheep farmer Montana Jones and more. In 2012 we made maximum use of available funds from the National Public Readings Program of the Writers’ Union of Canada. I was happy to be be able to pay our amazing readers–it’s a little known fact that writers need to eat! We have just submitted the application for Canada Council funding to run the series again in 2013. I asked for funding to have Kate, Leanne, Betsy and some of the other amazing women back, and invited a few new folks as well. Mostly guys, in the interests of balance.
Here is an excerpt from an article in EMC (circ: 47,000) about the reading featuring Betsy, Jan and Montana:
Peterborough resident Betsy Struthers is the author of eight books of poetry, three novels and a collection of short fiction and was co-editor and contributor to Poets in the Classroom, an anthology of essays about teaching poetry.
Struthers, a past president of the League of Canadian Poets, won the 2004 Lowther Award for the best book of poetry by a Canadian woman and the 2010 gritLit prize. Her newest book of poetry is entitled All That Desire: New and Selected Poems.
The rest of the article can be read here:
http://www.emcnorthwest.ca/20120531/E…
EMC reporter Bill Freeman has been conducting wonderful interviews with coffeehouse owner and series co-organizer Casey Beecroft, as well as our authors. His talk with Betsy has been reposted on her publisher, Black Moss Press’s website.
Here’s a snippet of what Struthers had to say in the article:
“When you hear someone read their own work you get a depth that you don’t have when you just read it on the page,” she said. “Reading it on the page is important but when you hear the person read and talk to them about it is very fulfilling. I learn a lot when I listen.”
Read the full article here:
http://www.blackmosspress.com/?cat=145
The readings are always on the second Wednesday of the month from 7-9 pm and include an open mic portion after the featured readers. We have been graced by some wonderful songs and stories! The final readings of 2012 will take place on Wednesday October 10th and Wednesday December 12th. Authors TBA but they may include poet Lea Harper and novelist Michelle Berry.
If you happen to be driving on the Trans-Canada east of Peterborough, some (hopefully) rainy fall afternoon, stop in for a latte. The coffee, the atmosphere and the conversation are all exceptional! Cat Sass sells books and CDs by local and touring authors and musicians, as well as music and art supplies. Lessons and instrument repair are also available.