When Mitch Findlay submitted this, his second outing with The Blasted Tree, he promised us two things: puppets and sex. Aptly titled, Wood is the darkly funny story of a songbook, a twisted fixation, and the... complicated relationship that follows. Come meet Charlie, Levy, and The Monster, three musical puppets from a beloved children's show who are sure to make a lasting impact on your life. Findlay's hardboiled style never fails to impress, especially when animating such playful subject matter. Read Wood online, then buy the chapbook from The Blasted Tree Store!
Adrien Smart - Interview and Exclusive Video
The Blasted Tree sat down with author and filmmaker Adrien Smart to talk life, loss, and the making of art. He's a multi-talented UVic student with an impressive array of compositional talents, from writing screenplays and short stories, to performing spoken word poetry and videography. Adrien incorporates his wide range of interests and passions into his craft, and while poetry may be the newest trick in his repertoire, he's clearly a natural. See for yourself in the exclusive video poem he's created for The Blasted Tree, WHITE KNUCKLES/RED TABLECLOTH, catch some of his wisdom on becoming a poet in the interview, and watch a few of his other creations using the link below.
WHITE KNUCKLES/RED TABLECLOTH + INTERVIEW
Featured Story - Your Own Devices by Ivan Fischer
An experimental piece of short fiction by Ivan Fischer, Your Own Devices confronts our over-dependence on smart phones. Whether it be forming a new relationship, catching up with old pals, or finding the way home, our actions are increasingly moderated by technology. Rather than making life better, smart phones may have some all-too-familiar negative consequences. Fischer asks, "What happens when the battery dies?"
READ YOUR OWN DEVICES
Your Own Devices is part of our ongoing Short(er) Fiction series. Volumes 1 and 2 can now be purchased from The Blasted Tree Store!
The Blasted Tree's Year One in Review
With The Blasted Tree's first year anniversary upon us already, we felt this would be a good opportunity to reflect on our journey so far, give thanks for all the fantastic support we've received, and take a quick look at what the future holds in store. The last year has been a whirlwind of activity, we've learned a lot about the contemporary landscape of editing and publishing in Canada, and there's tons more to look forward to, so let's dive straight into our...
YEAR ONE IN REVIEW
Featured Story - The Box by Michelle Browne
Working in an office can be deadly boring - the same menial tasks to complete day after day, the endless hum of fluorescent tube lighting, and the constant threat of a supervisor sticking their nose into the sacred space of your cubicle all lead to a week-long case of "the Mondays." But when an employee's mind starts to wander, worrisome thoughts can sneak in about the most innocuous of things. Michelle Browne's debut on The Blasted Tree tackles just such thoughts and will leave you squirming in your ergonomic desk chair. The Box is part of our ongoing Short(er) Fiction series, collecting the best Canadian short stories under 2,500 words!
READ THE BOX
Featured Author - Gabriel Wainio-Théberge
Every now and then we are fortunate enough to encounter a talent beyond our modest comprehension while remaining perfectly in tune with our commonly-held artistic sensibilities. Gabriel Wainio-Théberge is just such a talent. It was obvious during first year poetry class (a mere three years ago) that nobody possessed the depth of insight to adequately critique his work, and we've been playing catch-up with this jack-of-all-literary-trades ever since. Well, we've finally caught up with Gabriel and got our grubby, ink-bespeckled digits on three of his luminous gems, which we now happily pass along to you. Please enjoy NECROWMANCY, ALL DRESSED UP FOR A NAP, and PATAPHYSICAL PROOF OF MARCH, then check out his bio and blog for more!
VIEW GABRIEL'S PROFILE
Featured Poetry - Demon Hickeys by Mia Poirier
Weaving elements of humor, bitterness, and earnest personal history, Demon Hickeys is Sappho meets Punky Brewster, or a window into the complications and tribulations of growing up and discovering one’s sexuality. Mia Poirier inserts herself unflinchingly into the LGBT literary community with this, her first poetry collection with The Blasted Tree. Inscribing her heart on the page, Poirier touches nimbly upon relationships, family, illness, coffee shops, and city life, illuminating the challenges of youth along the way. Her collection is available online and can be purchased from The Blasted Tree Store.
READ DEMON HICKEYS
Featured Story - Clarity in Darkness by Lambert Muir
Nowadays, deep space exploration rides a fine line between fiction and reality. New discoveries are made almost daily while technology rapidly catches up with the wildest imaginings of the most creative authors and futurologists. And yet, space exploration is not without its risks and consequences. Muir tackles this problem in his second contribution to our Short(er) Fiction series, offering a compelling vision of humanity found in the blackness of space. Clarity in Darkness, profound as it is brief, can be read using the link below, and don't forget to check out Short(er) Fiction Volumes 1 and 2 at The Blasted Tree Store!
READ CLARITY IN DARKNESS
Featured Story - Swimming Lessons by Andrea Bridgeman
Summer is finally here, and for many students and 20-somethings this means one thing only: it's time to party! These are the magic days of one's youth, that amorphous period of transition from the recklessness of our teenage years to the responsibility of adulthood. But sometimes, both in life and in social gatherings, it can feel as though you've been tossed right in the deep end and left to figure things out on your own. Swimming Lessons, our first chapbook-length short story of 2015, is more than just the tale of one such party - it's Bridgeman's ingenious metaphor for the tides of life rising up around you.
READ SWIMMING LESSONS
Featured Poetry - Chewing Around the Rind by Kaitlyn Perrin
The first of several new titles in our spring chapbook lineup, Chewing Around the Rind as a collection is both funny and thoughtful, concise and casual. These are poems rescued from an ivory tower and restored to their proper home, scrawled across a cocktail napkin. Reminiscent of a conversation over drinks, or perhaps around a campfire, Kaitlyn Perrin proves that the best kind of verse is often the most accessible. The collection can be read online using the link below and is now available for purchase from The Blasted Tree Store.