Memoirist David Sedaris to sign at Toronto's Ben McNally Books, July 11

One of my favourite memoirists, David Sedaris, a man with an unerring talent for seeing the wacky humour in his own experiences and letting his readers in on it, will make a stop in Toronto this month to sign copies of his latest book. The following is from the Harbourfront Centre International Readings newsletter:

David Sedaris, When You Are Engulfed in Flames
Presented in partnership with Ben McNally Books and H.B. Fenn & Company

David Sedaris is the #1 bestselling author of Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Naked, Holidays on Ice and Barrel Fever. "David Sedaris's ability to transform the mortification of everyday life into wildly entertaining art," (Christian Science Monitor) is elevated to wilder and more entertaining heights than ever in this remarkable new book. When You Are Engulfed in Flames is Sedaris's sixth essay collection.

Sedaris signs copies of When You Are Engulfed in Flames at Ben McNally Books, 366 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, on Friday, July 11 at 8 p.m.

The Scribes of Uxbridge publish "In Lucy Maud's Style"

The Scribes of Uxbridge, a memoir writing group, has published a small chapbook titled In Lucy Maud's Style. The collected stories were written in the style of author L.M. Montgomery, who lived in the nearby hamlet of Leaskdale from 1911 to 1926, to commemorate Uxbridge's "100 Years of Anne." It was 100 years ago that Montgomery published Anne of Green Gables. Montgomery, who was born in P.E.I., wrote 11 of her 22 books while living in Leaskdale Manse. She moved in 1926 to Norval, where she lived for nine years before moving finally to Toronto. She died there in 1942.

In Lucy Maud's Style contains fourteen original stories, one of them by 90-year-old Scribes member Marion Owen. The Scribes (formerly called the Senior Scribes) was formed in 1989 by students who had taken a creative writing course at Trent University and felt inspired to continue meeting. With occasional changes in membership, they have been getting together to write twice a month ever since.

Heather Beveridge, a member of the Scribes, participated in more than one of my online workshops and invited me to speak to her group about memoir writing.

Ruth Zaryski Jackson's memoir appears in anthology "The Wisdom of Old Souls"

Ruth Zaryski Jackson is pleased to announce that her short memoir "Room in My Heart," about the woman Sadie who was like a grandmother to her, will appear in the anthology The Wisdom of Old Souls , published by Hidden Brook Press. Ruth is thrilled that the photo of herself with Sadie has been chosen to grace the book's cover (see above).

"Room in My Heart" is based on the first assignment Ruth wrote for one of my online workshops. She had to edit it to meet the word count required for the anthology. To her fellow workshoppers, Ruth says, "Thanks to each and every one of you for all your encouragement and support. It means everything."

If you would like to purchase a copy of this anthology through Ruth, the discounted price is $15 (including shipping). To order, contact her at RZaryskiJackson@gmail.com