Pre-order your Blasted Tree T-shirt by Monday, Jan. 26th, and you could win an advance copy of our forthcoming poetry collection, These Are Fragments by Laura Dyer! To enter, Like our page on Facebook and private message us your size and color preference. Our shirts come in black or white, unisex size S - XL, and cost $20.00 + shipping. A winner will be picked on Tuesday, Jan. 27th, and announced on Facebook.
Featured Essay - Entheogens and the Mind of Society by James Jesso
When we asked James Jesso to write for us on the topic closest to his heart, we expected an essay defending the use of psychedelics from a highly-specialized perspective. Soon we received an essay much broader and more powerful in scope, and of interest to more than just the psychonauts among us. Entheogens and the Mind of Society cuts straight to the issues behind prohibition and the structures which prevent us from thinking for ourselves. At its core, this two-part treatise stands for freedom of the mind and the right to explore our inner topographies under the light of non-ordinary experience. Each part of the essay is available to read online, and you can purchase the essay in physical format from The Blasted Tree Store.
READ ENTHEOGENS AND THE MIND OF SOCIETY
Featured Story - Genesis: the Old-Fashioned Way by Soili Smith
After hearing Genesis: the Old-Fashioned Way at a reading a few months back, we fell in love - with Smith, whose vivacious stage-presence had the room in stitches, with this story, and somewhat surprisingly, with God. Turns out He's pretty easy to relate to, and when you hear the effort He put into the universe for us, well, you're sure to fall in love with Him too. The Blasted Tree is proud to feature God's true story of creation, Genesis: the Old-Fashioned Way, as told now by award-winning author Soili Smith. Prepare to meet your maker!
READ GENESIS: THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY
Featured Poem - Anachronism by Kaitlyn Perrin
Kaitlyn Perrin may be the newest contributing author at The Blasted Tree, yet her work already possesses the thoughtfulness of a seasoned poet. In anticipation of Kaitlyn's reading for our Launch Party this coming Thursday, we are proud to present "Anachronism" as this week's feature poem, a unique look at those things which don't belong and yet somehow manage to stick around.
READ ANACHRONISM
If you enjoy Kaitlyn's work (we know you will!), catch her performance this Thursday at Burritoville. More information about The Blasted Tree Launch Party can be found HERE.
Featured Poem - Conversation After Dinner... by Gavin Lytton
"Conversation After Dinner While I Do the Dishes (I Never Do the Dishes)" works with the juxtaposition of perspectives to open a window in a tense relationship. Lytton employs short, punctual lines to deliver a scene both claustrophobic and emotionally distant at the same time. Here is a tension many have experienced over a sink full of dishes - Lytton makes us wonder: "What constitutes broken?"
READ CONVERSATION AFTER DINNER...
Upcoming Launch Party and Reading - December 18th
With the press up and running, now is the time for a Launch Party! Celebrate with us in thanks to those who've helped make the collective possible while we break ground for the future. Join us upstairs at Burritoville [Montreal] for a night of readings, music, and libation, because what better way to kick off the holiday season than with beer, books and burritos?
FEATURING READINGS BY:
Jesse Anger - Kyle Flemmer
Bea Keeler - Kaitlyn Perrin
Ivan Fischer - Bükem Reitmayer
Doors open at 7, readings start around 8. We'll have copies of our first line of chapbooks for sale at Burritoville - support the authors by purchasing a copy of their work! You can check out our titles in advance HERE.
Grand Opening, New Poetry & More
Today is the Grand Opening of The Blasted Tree Store! Chapbooks are in from the printers and are available for purchase online. There are a limited number of first print books, so order now to secure a copy. Each chapbook is $5.00 + shipping, proceeds go to support the next generation of great Canadian authors and this independent press.
VISIT THE STORE
Not only is the store finally open, but Dorito Hangover, a collection of poetry by Kyle Flemmer, has been posted online and is available for purchase. Dorito Hangover is a collection of first poems composed throughout the last couple years, many of which have never before appeared in print. We are very excited to bring you fresh content from Canada's up-and-comers, stay tuned for new work, news, and contributors at The Blasted Tree!
Featured Letter - On State Surveillance by Kyle Flemmer
The first entry in The Blasted Tree's non-fiction initiative, Kyle Flemmer's letter On State Surveillance, written October 25th, 2014, is part of an ongoing dialogue about authoritarian systems of control and how they relate to the current political landscape in Canada. This letter responds to a friend's interest in the ideas raised by George Orwell's classic novel, 1984, and to the public lecture on state surveillance by Glenn Greenwald offered at Concordia University, October 24th.
READ ON STATE SURVEILLANCE
Featured Poem - Leaving by Ivan Fischer
"Leaving" is a melancholy examination by Blasted Tree poet Ivan Fischer of how we honor those who have left us behind. Should we do things the way they would have? What remains besides the impression of their habits? Maybe we can be haunted by their lingering advice: always prepare for company.
READ LEAVING
Featured Author - Olivia Alexander
Olivia Alexander is interested in the art of storytelling, and has been for a long time. For the author of newly minted SOCIAL HONESTY, fiction is about both escaping and exorcising the demons of our reality. In her youth, Olivia studied theatre and vocal music, feeding her passion for storytelling on the works of Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Joss Whedon, and Frank O’Hara, whose conversational walk-and-talk descriptions redefined her notion of poetry. She moved to Montreal in 2011 to study Creative Writing at Concordia University, hoping to pursue a career in the relatively new storytelling medium of video games. Olivia particularly enjoys writing multiple-choice conversations, allowing the reader to navigate and change the story with their various choices, and she feels video games can offer an excellent fusion between good dialogue and a compelling, ever-changing narrative. So far, Olivia has published two short stories on The Blasted Tree: SOCIAL HONESTY, part of our Short(er) Fiction series, and TO THE SPOT, soon be available for purchase in physical format from The Blasted Tree Store.
VIEW OLIVIA'S PROFILE