UpStart Press

just in time for christmas!

2011-11-21T07:45:00.000-08:00

A stocking stuffer for the writer in your life!

Writing Lessons, Ten Tales of Suspect Instruction by Peter Darbyshire, author of Please and The Warhol Gang.

Art and design by the other half of UpStart Press, Darryl Joel Berger.
You can find copies for sale at Novel Idea, in downtown Kingston, or here.

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Uncommon Magic for Your Book Club!

2011-10-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

Nearly thirty years ago, Bronwen Wallace wrote of the common magic that makes up our lives, of the “sudden miracles, that breathe there.”

Since 1981, the writing group that Bronwen Wallace began at St. Lawrence College has been breathing into the lives of its members, breathing into writing, making little miracles.

Bronwen wrote about the common magic that made everyday life happen. But a writing group lasting for thirty years—even for thirty weeks—is not so common. In fact, it is a rarity.

For three decades, this group has supported old pros and those still learning their craft. It has given voice to writers without an audience. It has given the solitary, community. This anthology—a reflection of thirty years of writing from a diverse, ever-changing group of writers—is a testament to its legacy and evidence of magic. Uncommon magic.

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There is a natural relationship between writing groups and book clubs. Both love the written word. Both bring process and experience out of solitude and into community. Both find intellectual and spiritual delight in sharing the creative experience. Many book club members write. All writing group members read.

Uncommon Magic offers your book club the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the creative process of writers—often writers living in your own community—and to explore the relationship between writers, readers, and even ourselves as both.

“Questions for Book Clubs” provided with book club set orders.

217 pages | paperback | $25 | ISBN 978-0-9783774-4-1

Discounts available for orders of ten copies or more

Check with your local library for book club sets

It's real, and it's for sale!

2011-09-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

Uncommon Magic: Thirty Years of Writing from the Ban Righ Writers Group officially became a real book last night at its launch. It could be yours for $25.

Please visit Novel Idea in downtown Kingston or click here.

You're invited! (Yes, YOU!)

2011-09-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

In Stores Now!

2011-09-02T05:18:00.000-07:00

A whole new concept for IIKT--a workbook rather than a book-book. Spiral binding so students can lay it flat while they read or work from it, questions at the end of each section with space for notes, making it all the easier for me to work it into the lesson plan this semester.

Available exclusively at the SLC bookstore.

Uncommon Magic has a launch date!

2011-06-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

It's official! Uncommon Magic will be launched at the 2011 Kingston WritersFest, Saturday, September 24.

The events listing will read:

"Join the current members of the Ban Righ Writers Group for readings to celebrate the launch of Uncommon Magic: Thirty Years of Writing from the Ban Righ Writers Group, published by UpStart Press in honour of Kingston’s longest-running writing group, started by Bronwen Wallace in 1981."

When it rains...

2011-05-27T06:21:00.000-07:00

The latest from UpStart Press...the ink is still wet on a contract with Melanie Dugan. Not much to report yet, but watch this space for covers, dates, and more!

Writing Lessons

2011-05-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

Darryl has been working on covers for a sweet little chapbook of short stories by Peter Darbyshire, something we're pretty excited about.

Thoughts?

"Uncommon Magic" Cover Ideas

2010-11-29T15:53:00.000-08:00

Some serious, grown-up covers:

"Colour," I screamed. "I want colour!"

And then I said, "I like mustard." And I got mustard.

Thoughts, opinions, ideas?

Too many projects!

2010-11-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

What started as one publishing project has grown into THREE.

1) Uncommon Magic: Thirty Years of Writing from the Ban Righ Writers Group.

We have a snazzy title, borrowing heavily from Bronwen Wallace's Common Magic, we have all our submissions, and a whack of contracts have been sent out to the writers involved. Darryl has some fantastic ideas for covers (that I can't wait to see) and I am gearing up to ask a very special someone to write a foreword (but she doesn't know it yet!).

2) Writing Lessons.

Last spring, Peter Darbyshire and I were Facebooking about his clever blog series in the Toronto Star. Overexcited and overcommiting (as per usual), I pitched Peter the idea of reproducing the series as a cool little chapbook. I was thrilled when he said yes. That contract is signed and Darryl has another to-do item on his list.

3) Lessons Learned.

A couple of years ago, a colleague and I pitched an idea to no one in particular, but we liked it and decided to run with it. We collected stories from college teachers about moments in teaching--moments that they don't tell you about in training and orientation--that make all the difference.We don't have enough material for a full-fledged book, so it, too, will be a chapbook. A student (who happens to also be a graphic designer) will do the cover and layout, and it will be launched in time for the orientation of new college teachers this spring.

Letting others do the work

2010-03-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

It has been a challenge to let some things pass into the control of others while I spend my time being controlled by Oona.

One important project I had to release my vise-grip on was another UpStart Press publishing project, the ongoing student-driven If I Knew Then...St Lawrence College Students Interview Business Professionals. What started out as a way for me to prove to my students how important and valuable their work was has turned into a college-funded, annually published textbook, required reading for first-year business students. I have always had a student volunteer to act as project manager to help make it happen, but this year, I applied for and received funding to hire a project manager to not only organize submissions, the editorial board, book launch, and so on, but to act as editor. I handed everything over to her. And walked away.

Last night, I left Oona with friends for the evening for the first time so Darryl and I could go out "on a date," and leaving the book with a new editor/project manager sort of felt the same.

This week, the files for the book cover and layout landed in my mailbox. About six weeks ahead of schedule. Which is also about four months earlier than I ever managed to get everything ready.

It looks awesome.

The interior is even better.

Not only has Ashley managed to get everything done on time (actually early) and with almost no information or guidance from me, she has done it without breaking a sweat and has also created a manual for future editors and project managers.

She graduates this spring and, through the grapevine, I have heard that she already has multiple job offers. Whoever gets her is very, very lucky.

Just a bunch of kooky kids

2010-03-24T04:33:00.000-07:00

An interpretation, by current writing group member Leah Murray, of the writing group and its members. (Click to enlarge.)

It's pretty accurate, except that I suggested Leah glue macaroni AND glitter to her work. I was thinking of a multi-media experience.

What if you throw a party and no one shows up?

2010-03-18T15:34:00.001-07:00

Or how about if you send out a call for submissions and no one answers?

Work for the anthology has been on the back burner lately, while I struggle valiantly with my Master's thesis and my now five-month-old daughter, Oona. One of these two things is delightful; the other is a great big drag that I wish was over.

For those of you who eat this stuff up, here's a taste of the little delight in my life:

And for those of you who either know what it feels like to write a thesis or for those of you who are thinking about starting one, here's a little something my husband (the other half of UpStart Press) whipped up one day to cheer me:

At least it gave my thesis advisor a chuckle.

With a mid-April deadline for submissions, there hasn't been much for me to do but wait. So I have been waiting, pushing down my "no one will come to my party" fears as much as possible. Imagine my delight when the submissions started trickling in last week. As did the casual inquiries ("When was that deadline again?") and earnest promises to "get something in soon."

I bumped into Elizabeth Greene downtown today. She was toting home an enormous and heavy-looking bag full of books, contest entries, and she had an afternoon of reading and sore arms ahead of her. She promised to get something in to me "soon" and asked how things were going. I told her my only lament so far was that I wasn't able to find Judith Pond. Google, Facebook and all email inquiries had led nowhere. "Leave it with me," said Elizabeth. Two hours later I was reading a very enthusiastic email from Judith herself. Elizabeth Greene is the bomb.

The deadline for submissions is April 15, and my fears are fading away. It's going to be a great party!

Inspired by Persistence

2010-01-05T10:36:00.001-08:00

This week, I will be sending out the call for submissions to all current and former Ban Righ Writing Group members. (That is, all the current members and all the former members that I can find! I am open to suggestions of former members that I may have missed.) I emailed a few former members before the holidays and all responded with support and enthusiasm, but I realize that there be some confusion as to what, exactly, UpStart Press is looking for.

So here is my attempt to explain it.

Like most projects, this one started as a flash of inspiration. I was walking through the cafeteria at work one day last winter and I felt, as I often do, pretty happy about my situation. I am one of those lucky souls who loves her job and her employer and I am very cheerfully and annoyingly proud to be a part of St Lawrence College and want to do everything I can to let it know how much I love it. (Let me temper this by letting you know I have worked for a few organizations I would happily watch burn to the ground and I spent nine months working for someone that would make Miranda Priestly look like an amateur. Perhaps some of my love for the college is in reaction to all the years I had to wait for something so good.)

Here's Miranda:

Coincidentally, I was also looking forward to my writing group meeting that evening--the group that gave me confidence in my writing, the motivation to get it published, and an introduction to my husband (and the other half of UpStart Press).

From there, things snowballed. You see, this writing group began as a creative writing course, taught by Bronwen Wallace, at St Lawrence College. It has lasted longer than any writing group I've heard of (most of my friends and acquaintances lament that their group only lasted a few months). It has spawned an impressive list of published and award-winning writers (as you will see when the book comes out).

This group is a testament to St Lawrence College and all it does for its community (and beyond), to the legacy of Bronwen Wallace as a mentor and teacher, to the generosity of all writers to each other, and to one of the finest qualities a person can have, persistence.

So, to all current and former members of the Ban Righ Writing Group, I ask you:

What has the Ban Righ Writing Group given you? Can you find some writing that represents that?

And if none of this makes any sense to you (or just need more to go on), please comment here or reply to my call for submissions and ask!

Finding Our Feet

2009-12-17T10:59:00.001-08:00

In a fit of enthusiasm mid-Publishing Certificate, I started UpStart Press as a one-woman show before I had even met my future husband (who, luckily enough, turned out to be a writer and graphic designer who designed, of all things, books!), and now it has become a partnership, and best of all, a partnership with a vision.

More about us and UpStart Press.

UpStart did enjoy a brief but frustrating stint as a vanity press. The least said about this, the better. This video might give you an idea of how it felt.

And UpStart serves If I Knew Then very well as its publisher, but vanity publishing and business textbooks isn`t what UpStart is really all about.

What it is really about is a project that is just starting now--an anthology of writing by members of what has to be the longest-running writing group in history. The Ban Righ Writing Group formed from a creative writing course that Bronwen Wallace was teaching in the early 80s. When the course ended, the group continued to meet in Bronwen's home. Eventually the group moved to Queen's campus, where it still meets weekly. Some members pop in and out; some stay for years. And one has even stayed since the very beginning, making her the Ken Barlow of Bauder Lane.

Many of the members publish widely and have built up excellent reputations, and still the little group soldiers on, meeting rain or shine, writer's block or not, without any recognition or attention.

Which is all about to change because UpStart Press has found its "project"--an anthology of fiction, poetry, and memoir and a testament to thirty years of dogged hard work, Bronwen's inspirational influence on other writers, and a stellar example of community.

Feelers are being sent out, an editing/production schedule is being drafted, and costs are being considered. Stay tuned.

What is UpStart Press?

2009-12-17T09:44:00.000-08:00

Upstart Press is based in Kingston, Ontario, and was founded by Christina Decarie, writer and editor, and DJ Berger, writer, artist, and graphic designer, as a way to combine their skills and passions to further their love of the art and writing communities in Kingston.

Among other projects, it publishes annually If I Knew Then: St Lawrence College Students Interview Business Professionals, a collection of interviews and essays used as a business communications textbook.

Christina Decarie is a freelance writer and editor, contributing regularly to Shameless Magazine, Quill & Quire, and Profile Kingston. Her fiction and other writing have appeared in Pottersfield Portfolio, Antigonish Review, The Puritan, All Rights Reserved (and other journals), and the anthologies Writing on the Edge (Siren Song Publishing) and Lake Effect (Artful Codger Press). Her chapbook, Nemesis Girls, is published by Black Bile Press.

DJ Berger is a graphic designer, artist and writer in Kingston, Ontario. His work has appeared in Prairie Fire, The Windsor Review, Geist, Subterrain, The Fiddlehead, Queen Street Quarterly, The New Quarterly, Event and others. The unpublished manuscript for his short-story collection - called Punishing Ugly Children - won the 2007 David Adams Richards Prize. This same manuscript will be published by Killick Press in fall 2010. His short story Scissors was a finalist in the 2007 Commonwealth Short Story Competition. His work and thoughts can be found at www.red-handed.blogspot.com.