https://riverhalen.net River Halen Tue, 13 Sep 2022 18:39:07 +0000 https://riverhalen.net en https://riverhalen.net/Dream-Rooms Mon, 05 Sep 2022 19:55:48 +0000 River Halen https://riverhalen.net/Dream-Rooms Dream Rooms <img width="470" height="720" width_o="470" height_o="720" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c1d783ea6d67110afc9e88eebd528505fc430ffc65e6facc751d7853615b0be1/Dream-Rooms-Book-Cover.jpg" data-mid="152855274" border="0" data-scale="49" data-no-zoom src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/470/i/c1d783ea6d67110afc9e88eebd528505fc430ffc65e6facc751d7853615b0be1/Dream-Rooms-Book-Cover.jpg" /> Bookhug Press, Fall 2022. Order Here Praise for Dream Rooms “These pages are like the best conversations I have had with poets, relentlessly pushing through the mystery together. There is no choice but to learn a new way to hold what we think we know or drop it on the ground. ‘When you hurt one of us you hurt us all,’ writes River Halen in a book I would buy for you if I knew you, driven to share this brilliant conversation.” —CAConrad “Can a book deflect predators?&nbsp; Is the book the place where the body can take a new posture, training itself to become a gentleman, an atmosphere, a counter-product, a galaxy?&nbsp; “There is no limit to how much you can learn about electricity” is one of the many sentences or lines in Dream Rooms that both absorbed and emitted attention, the strong and sometimes overwhelming energy that accompanies what the writer calls emergence. &nbsp;‘Nothing alive belongs to anyone.’ &nbsp;Yes.” —Bhanu Kapil “A quick-witted, momentum-filled, tender rebellion of a book.” —Chase Joynt“Unique and mesmerizing”—Bay Area Reporter “One of this book’s many major achievements is its delightful continual configuration of everyday objects (wearing fuzzy white socks so ailing bunny feels at home; a broken razor leaving one very hairy leg shaved, one not) into a procedural for unbounded being. A voice moves from rental room to room, unspooling a life lived with divinely smudged or entangled boundaries between human and animal, between friendship&nbsp; and love, between prescribed and transitioning gender. Dream Rooms is a marvellous confection of the author’s definition of “revolution”—a series of small, courageous, flawed attempts to risk everything. —Gail Scott https://riverhalen.net/About Thu, 01 Sep 2022 22:30:29 +0000 River Halen https://riverhalen.net/About About River Halen is an award-winning, transgender writer of Catalan and Danish descent living in Tio’tia:ke/Mooniyang/Montreal. Their poems and essays dealing with relation, ecology, transformation, and sexuality have been published widely in Canada, as well as in the U.S., Australia, and in translation in Japan. Their first book, Match, was shortlisted for the Trillium Book Award for Poetry, and t heir most recent book, Dream Rooms, a collection of essays and poems, was shortlisted for the A.M. Klein Prize and selected by Renee Gladman for Artforum Magazine as a top-ten pick of the year. River has been a full-time freelance arts worker since 2011, editing fiction, non-fiction, and poetry for large and small presses. They are an acquiring editor for Brick Books and have taught sessionally in the Toronto Metropolitan University publishing program. ︎ &nbsp;click here for contact. https://riverhalen.net/Other-Publications Thu, 01 Sep 2022 22:31:12 +0000 River Halen https://riverhalen.net/Other-Publications Other Publications excerpt from Thunderhead —fiction published in Capilano Review Spring 2024 The Enemy —poem published in Arc 94 Polymorphous Per Verse Issue (2021) and in Best Canadian Poetry 2022 Subjects on Which My Love Doll Could Conceivably Have Opinions —poem published in Lemon Hound Anthology (2019) I Looked for the Exit, Found a Sleeve—chapbook published by Skyebound press (2018) Speech —poem published in Malahat Review 205 (2018); winner of the PK Page Founders’ Prize Six Boxes—essay published in Capilano Review 3.36&nbsp;(2018) and in Best Canadian Essays 2019 Some Animals and Their Housing Situations —story published in Monkey Business vol. 7 (2017) and as a chapbook by The Elephants press Self Love—poem published in Toronto Review of Books (2017) Reason —poem published in The Elephants (2017) Horseplay: Some Poses in Search of Love —essay published in Brick 97 (2016) and in Monkey vol. 14, translated to Japanese by Motoyuki Shibata &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; American Dream Versus Russian Doll —poem published in This magazine (2016); shortlisted for a National Magazine Award Here Come the Waterworks —chapbook published by Bookhug press (2015) Microphone Lessons for Poets —chapbook published by Bookhug press (2015) Match —book published by Coach House Press (2011); shortlisted for the Trillium Book Award for Poetry, longlisted for the Re-Lit Award https://riverhalen.net/Performances Thu, 01 Sep 2022 22:31:18 +0000 River Halen https://riverhalen.net/Performances Performances Arc 94, The Polymorphous per Verse issue launchJune 16, 2021 I read my poem “The Enemy” at an event that also features Cameron Awkward-Rich, CAConrad, Jiaqing Wilson-Yang and SJ Sindu. Hosted by Trish Salah and Ali Blythe. My reading begins at 3:40. Mile End Poets’ Festival Nov. 22, 2018Flamenco dancer Katherine McLeod choreographed and performed a dance to accompany my long poem “I looked for the exit, found a sleeve,” punctuating its soundscape with footwork and other effects.&nbsp; Published in my book Dream Rooms, “I looked for the exit” was originally written as an incantation/ritual/tantrum for coming into trans identity. In it, a clothes moth infestation provides an opening to think more expansively about gender, ecology, accountability, and the universe. Katherine and I subsequently performed the piece at La Vitrola on March 17, 2019, at an event that also featured readings by Nadia Chaney and Marcela Huerta, among other performers. <img width="1680" height="1120" width_o="1680" height_o="1120" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3f8477fb801bc921f1cc991b8a5db367548dcd846ae3b1333321efaf56feeabe/Helen-Guri-by-Michael-Kovacs-1.jpg" data-mid="151880875" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3f8477fb801bc921f1cc991b8a5db367548dcd846ae3b1333321efaf56feeabe/Helen-Guri-by-Michael-Kovacs-1.jpg" /> <img width="1120" height="1680" width_o="1120" height_o="1680" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/fe30a3520a9954d667c2c85679082c754d1b393af798e222d901be86345e9bee/Katherine-McLeod---photo-by-Michael-Kovacs.jpg" data-mid="151880877" border="0" alt="Performance at Mile End Photo Festival, 2018. Photos by Michael Kovacs" data-caption="Performance at Mile End Photo Festival, 2018. Photos by Michael Kovacs" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/fe30a3520a9954d667c2c85679082c754d1b393af798e222d901be86345e9bee/Katherine-McLeod---photo-by-Michael-Kovacs.jpg" /> <img width="1680" height="1120" width_o="1680" height_o="1120" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3116ce5c76c70e0a302c33268b01facde4a5e073ffa7d773aa056c4079e61149/Katherine-McLeod---Final---photo-by-Michael-Kovacs.jpg" data-mid="151880876" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3116ce5c76c70e0a302c33268b01facde4a5e073ffa7d773aa056c4079e61149/Katherine-McLeod---Final---photo-by-Michael-Kovacs.jpg" /> Some other past performancesBGSQD (New York), Words and Music (Montreal),&nbsp;Knife Fork Book (Toronto),&nbsp;Wolfe Island literary festival (Kingston, Ontario), Tree reading series (Ottawa), the Box Salon (Toronto), International Festival of Authors (Toronto), Atwater Poetry Series (Montreal), Vancouver 125 Poetry Conference, Caesura (Edinburgh), a house reading curated by Corina Copp (Brooklyn), Fish Quill Poetry Boat tour (eight readings along the Grand River in Ontario, with travel by canoe) https://riverhalen.net/Awards-Press Thu, 01 Sep 2022 22:31:25 +0000 River Halen https://riverhalen.net/Awards-Press Awards &amp; Press Awards Elgin Award —nominated, 2024 A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry —shortlisted, 2023 PK Page Founders’ Prize for Poetry —won (2018) National Magazine Award —shortlisted (2017) National Magazine Award—nominated by a publisher (2013) Rosemary Shipton Award for Excellence in Book Editing —won (2012) Trillium Book Award for Poetry —shortlisted (2012) ReLit Award—longlisted (2012) Press Artforum: Top Ten by Renee Gladman The Poetry Project: Review by Spencer Williams Montreal Review of Books: Review by Klara du Plessis Bay Area Reporter: Fall Books Preview Review by August Thompson Autostraddle: Rainbow Reading Autostraddle: Queer and Feminist Books Coming Your Way, Fall 2022 49th Shelf Most Anticipated: Our 2022 Fall Poetry Preview Bookhug Press Fall, 2022, Nonfiction Preview: Dream Rooms &nbsp; https://riverhalen.net/Work-Together Thu, 01 Sep 2022 22:31:31 +0000 River Halen https://riverhalen.net/Work-Together Work Together An award-winning editor with over a thirteen years of experience, I work with writers of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and other forms to hone their work for submission to a publisher or to ready it for self-publishing. I also work directly with presses to prepare work for print. My approach in all genres is to help writers understand their subject matter clearly in relation to the wider world and to push work to be at once courageous, accountable, relationally sophisticated, and alive for both the speaker and readers. I believe that creating honestly and with careful intention can change the world and that everyone is capable of this. I support writers fully in maintaining or establishing a clear separation between artistic practice (in which vulnerability is paramount) and professional strategy (in which getting funded, published, or otherwise externally recognized matters) and never allow the latter to be confused with the former in my editorial suggestions. I believe that the question of audience, when considered bravely, deliberately, and from a place of choice­—we choose who we are writing for and what we say to them—can be a powerful guide. A winner of the Rosemary Shipton Award for Excellence in Book Editing, I have edited fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for such major presses as HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, and Oxford University Press, as well as such acclaimed indie presses as Bookhug, Caitlin Press, and ECW, among many others. I’ve been an acquiring editor at Brick Books since 2017. I teach substantive editing in the Toronto Metropolitan University Publishing Program and was a juror for the Trillium Book Award for three years. Manuscripts I have edited have gone on to win or be shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award, the Pat Lowther Memorial Award, the Trillium Book Award, LAMBDA awards, the Raymond Souster Award, Indigenous Voices Awards, the First Nations Community READS Award, and the A.M. Klein Prize, among others. Examples of my editorial packages for individuals are below. If you are interested in working together on a writing project, learning more about my rates and services, or getting a customized quote, please contact me. Quick evaluation — short manuscript&nbsp; Send me up to 15 pages of poetry or 25 pages of prose. I’ll spend an hour reading it and taking notes, then we’ll do a one-hour Zoom call to discuss strengths and weaknesses of the work, possibilities for revision, and next steps. Great for grant, residency or program applications. $200 Quick evaluation — full-length manuscript Send me your book-length poetry, fiction, or nonfiction manuscript. I’ll spend up to three hours reading it and taking notes, then we’ll do a one-hour Zoom call to discuss strengths and weaknesses of the work, possibilities for revision, and next steps. $400 Manuscript evaluation and substantive edit — poetry Send me your book-length poetry manuscript. I’ll read it carefully and we’ll do a 30-minute Zoom call to clarify your aims and desires for editing. I’ll write you a letter with detailed feedback on the manuscript as a whole plus section-by-section notes. The letter will address things like stakes and impact, poem order, overall structure, language, imagery, rhythm, ethical considerations, readiness to publish, places to add or trim, and anything that came up in our call.&nbsp; Once you’ve had some time to sit with the feedback, we’ll do another 30-minute call to discuss revision strategy, next steps, and any lingering questions or concerns. Starting at $1,200 for 50-60 standard-format word processor pages Manuscript evaluation and substantive edit — fiction, memoir, or other nonfiction Send me your book-length prose manuscript. I’ll read it carefully and we’ll do a 30-minute Zoom call to clarify your aims and desires for editing. I’ll write you a letter with detailed feedback on the manuscript as a whole plus section-by-section notes. The letter will address things like structure, pacing, motifs, character development, balance of action and reflection, ethics and stakes, how to build themes effectively through the work and pull your readers in, plus anything that came up in our call. I will offer my honest assessment of the manuscript’s readiness to submit/query for publication as well as a clear roadmap to get it ready if it isn’t quite there yet. Once you’ve had some time to sit with the feedback, we’ll do a 30-minute call to discuss revision strategy and any lingering questions or concerns. Starting at $2000 for 50,000 words Please note: I do my best work on manuscripts that resonate with me, and therefore ask that you send me a copy of your manuscript before we confirm the booking. If I don’t think it’s a fit, I’ll try my best to direct you elsewhere. https://riverhalen.net/Footer-1 Tue, 13 Sep 2022 18:39:07 +0000 River Halen https://riverhalen.net/Footer-1 River Halenwriter and editor ︎ click here for email Instagram Header image by Tree Abraham Website redesign by Mutual Design