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Violet Metropolis

Last fall I approached Blue Metropolis to see if they were interested in having me produce a special edition of the Violet Hour during their next literary festival.

Ever since I started the reading series, I’ve been seeking out such partnerships. I figured by holding one during the 2017 festival, I could amplify my reach while also taking advantage of any queer writers coming through Montreal. The arrangement would benefit Blue Met too – they’d get a cheeky off-site event that would attract a different crowd than they’re used to.

Well, not only did they want me to host a Violet Hour, they also asked if I’d be interested in programming a small LGBTQ series as well. Of course, I said yes.

I’ve always wanted a queer literary festival in Montreal. Several years ago, I went down to New Orleans with my friend Peter to attend Saints and Sinners. There I got to meet some wonderful new friends, as well as some of my literary heroes (Andrew Holleran, Felice Picano, Scott Heim), and came back with a renewed sense of purpose. And then, two years ago, when Toronto’s Glad Day Bookshop started up Naked Heart, I was ecstatic – but also jealous. What would it take for us to get one?

Now, with the help of Blue Metropolis (and the support of Never Apart), maybe that’s possible. With their assistance, I’ve been able to program four events for this year, bringing in people from across Canada as well as from the US and Scotland. There will be a one-on-one interview with a Canadian legend, an evening of readings and two panels on the role that the past plays in LGBTQ literature (one event in English and one in French).

In all, 15 queer writers will be involved in these events, and I look forward to provocative discussions about queer lit and culture. Hopefully, this is just the beginning.

Check the events page to see a list of LGBTQ events at this year’s festival, or check out the Blue Metropolis website.

Image by Alf Storm, courtesy of Creative Commons (www.flickr.com/photos/alf_bilder)

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