By: Deanna McFadden
September 2008
Some people look to the change in the air or the colour of the leaves to signal the change from summer to fall. For those of us in publishing, it's the moment the first big book goes on sale that announces the arrival of autumn. We mark the season by a series of firsts: first book to hit the bestseller list, first big event of the season, first author to go on tour -- all these moments announce the arrival of the year's biggest literary season.
 People mark all kinds of "firsts" in their lives, from a special first kiss to your first love, your first job, a first baby, a first marriage, and writers are no different. They mark their own successes by their first words in print, their first book, and, what's even more special, their first book launch. For writer Rebecca Rosenblum, whose book of short stories, Once, will be published by Biblioasis this fall, it's also a season of beginnings, a season of firsts, if you will.
Rosenblum's first official book launch is being hosted by This is Not a Reading Series on September 15th at 7:00pm at the Gladstone Hotel. As the recipient of the Metcalf-Rooke Award for the very collection being launched, Rosenblum will be on hand to both collect the award and enjoy the publication of her book. She was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about all of her first experiences (and more!).
Deanna McFadden: What has the process of publishing your first book of short stories been like?
Rebecca Rosenblum: Stressful, but actually I think pretty ideal, considering how I work and how these things usually go. I had a lot of support and encouragement from editor John Metcalf as I (re)wrote during the last six months. I also got to work directly with publisher Dan Wells on the proofs and cover, and suggest the cover art I wanted (by Marta Chudolinska). When you compare that to the lonely artist-in-the-garret stereotype, I had a lot more fun.
DM: Are you at all nervous about the launch?
RR: Terrified, but also very excited. I am looking forward to celebrating with a lot of people who have been so supportive of my work, and who helped make it better. Because the launch is part of This Is Not A Reading Series, I obviously won't be reading. I think the evening will consist of John Metcalf and Leon Rooke talking about writing, as well as maybe a little Powerpoint presentation from me about the process. And then a lot of drinking and talking afterwards, of course.
DM: What was your very first memory that involved writing? RR: When I was quite young, I used to watch the news every night with my family. In my little red journal with the lock, I would write poems about news stories. I was really worried about violence in Lebanon and Ireland, and later the first Gulf War. These days, I don't have a functioning TV, so I don't watch the news. Not sure if that's been better or worse for the writing.
DM: Who were the writers that most influenced your own craft?
RR: I think the first few writers I truly loved when I was in my early teens became the bedrock of how I think that's how good writing is supposed to be. Later, I read everybody, but when I panic, I always come back to J.D. Salinger, John Updike, Francesca Lia Block, and Ernest Hemingway.
DM: What are you reading right now?
RR: The Collected Short Stories of Isaac Babel and Split Images by Elmore Leonard. I don't usually read two books at once, but I'm finding the Babel stories wrenching enough to require breaking up. Not that the Leonard novel is terribly sunshiny, either. It's all a bit intense around here, these days.
I, of course, intend to raise a glass of wine or a pint of beer to toast this writer's firsts -- and am looking forward to the heated conversation between Leon Rooke, John Metcalfe and Rosenblum, a burgeoning star of the Can Lit scene.
Other literary highlights for the month include: Giller-prize winning David Bergen (with Margaret Visser, Benjamin Mee and Stephen Baker) at Ben McNally's Books and Brunch on September 14th, Ronald Wright at the U of T Reading Series on September 4th, and, for those of you willing to hop in the car and accumulate some kilometers on your carbon footprint, the Eden Mills Writers' Festival.
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