Vera Constantineau

At Chapters Indigo Sudbury

I’m pleased to announce that my latest chapbook of haiku and senryu , Laugh Lines and Other Wrinkles, is available now at chapters/Indigo Sudbury. This is my own photo of the cover, sad isn’t it? The actual book and cover is much prettier. Get your copy today 🙂

The Sudbury Writer’s Guild second annual bookfair rocked the Copper Cliff Park. This year offered many more authors than previously, a success for sure.

One would think there would be more than just a photo of me and my lovely assistant with my goods, but nope, apparently it was all about me. Actually, I didn’t take any photos, this one is courtesy of Joanne Renzoni.

Roger and Chris Nash have left Greater Sudbury for the climes of the west. Roger was the first poet laureate of our city. He set a high bar for those of us who followed in the laureate role. Chris and Roger are dear friends and will be missed, not only by me, but by the literary community of Greater Sudbury.

Poets Laureate, past and present gathered to wish them well.

Back Row: Kim Fahner Thomas Leduc Alex Tetreault

Front Row: Vera Constantineau Roger Nash Kyla Heyming

Missing from photo: Chloe La Duchesse Daniel Aubin

photo property of Thomas Leduc

Hard to believe that my memoir, Enlightened by Defilement, is every day creeping a little closer to its anniversary. I’ve had some very fun times with this book and the promotion of it. The launch at the Hilton on the Kingsway mid-April was everything I hoped it would be. I am still so gratified by the attendance, a full house!

I launched this book a second time, via Zoom, Internationally with Offa’s Press in Wolverhampton UK. I had a post launch/launch, reading and signing at the Copper Cliff Public Library, a signing at Chapters, attended the Sudbury Writers’ Guild’s first Roving Book Fair in Capreol, I sat in with Latitude 46 during Northern Lights Festival Boreal, presented during the Sudbury Arts Crawl at Books and Beans, hosted and read at an evening with Nancy Daoust and Tom Leduc at the Good Earth Cafe, I read during a TWUC open mic, was a presenter at the Northwords Inaugural Reading Festival in Kagawong on Manitoulin Island and I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed presenting and attending Wordstock Sudbury 2023. I can’t begin to recount the zooms I’ve been involved with. I guess you could say I’ve been busy with Enlightened this year, but hey, it’s my book baby and I’m devoted to it. The action isn’t over yet, On April 8th I will be sitting in with the book club gathering at Copper Cliff Library.

I am moved by the number of people who got in touch with me after reading my work, who took the time to write book reviews and post them online, or sent them to me directly.

I’d never have done any of this if not for Heather Campbell at Latitude 46 Publishing so I owe a debt of gratitude to her and her staff for being the guiding force.

If you’ve been meaning to read Enlightened by Defilement but haven’t for whatever reason, please do. It is available at Chapters in Sudbury, Allison the Bookman in North Bay, at Printshop Books in Little Current, or can be ordered at your favorite book stores anywhere.

Sorry this post is long, but a busy year won’t fit in a haiku.

Thanks again! Stay tuned.