Every cry in the vortex
Is the search for terra firmaEvery repetition the desire
For new earth, as it wereA firmer future, a newer here;
Sand castles that do not disappear– travel tips by Adebe DeRango-Adem
Yesterday I attended Inanna Publications Spring Book Launch No. 2. The event was to launch four books – all of which I would recommend:
- Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You by Donna Decker
A novel about the imagined lives of three women as they approach the date of the Montreal Massacre - Terra Incognita by Adebe DeRango-Adem
A collection of poems that “explore various racial discourses and interracial crossings buried in history’s grand narratives” - Moments of Joy by Cecilia Frey
A novel that explores how a dysfunctional family comes to terms with “the capricious workings of fate and the human heart” as the patriarch of a family dies of cancer - A Hero by Charlotte Mendel
A novel that entwines the stories of a state war with familial conflict
I must admit that I have never before felt like more of a country mouse than I did at the beginning of Wednesday evening. I left work early for the almost-two-hour drive to the city, tried my best to find parking, and then hunted up some dinner. I know all of this together doesn’t sound like it should be such an ordeal, but I was particularly mortified when I entered a small cafe and ordered “anything on the menu with meat,” only to be told I was in a vegan establishment (surrounded on all four corners by other vegan/vegetarian establishments) – a far cry from the selection of Swiss Chalet/Harveys/Pizza Hut that I am used to in my town. It’s not that I am opposed to vegan food – I quite enjoyed my vegan pizza – but it did hit home how out-of-my-element I was.
Let’s be honest – I’m a writer. My element is being alone, in a quiet room, with a notebook for company. I’m not always the best at meeting new people, networking, or being in social situations in general, which is maybe why it’s been so many months since the last book launch I attended. BUT… when the readings started…
I was enthralled. Taken in by the dry humour of Cecilia Frey, the passion of Charlotte Mendel, the intensity of Donna Decker, and sheer poetry of Adebe DeRango-Adem.
There’s something to say about getting out of your comfort zone, only to find it again. I might like being alone, but I also like to hear beautiful, beautiful writing just as much. I was able to find the latter at Inanna’s second book launch event. And, at the end of the night, I left feeling rejuvenated – the part of me that maybe doesn’t get out that often refreshed, ready to move about my day-to-day life again.
I left the event remembering that writing is my way of searching for terra firma – to find new earth. And sometimes, when I’m lucky, I do.
Delighted you were able to attend, Mia! Thank you so much for documenting your experience and supporting Inanna.