In January, ChiZine Publications (CZP) launched the Chiaroscuro Reading Series, offering monthly readings from authors of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, in the only Canadian, all-genre reading series. CZP Managing Editor and series coordinator Helen Marshall said “We want to provide a casual environment for fans of horror, science fiction and fantasy to discover new authors and meet with their favourites. There’s a huge amount of energy in the Toronto writing community, and we want to tap into that.”
The debut event featured Peter Watts, Caitlin Sweet, and Karin Lowachee reading to a crowd of over 50 people in the trendy Augusta House, which will be the permanent home of the Chiaroscuro Reading Series. Video coverage of the readings is available here.
The next event, on 8 February, will be focused on honouring Bakka Phoenix Books, a genre bookstore considered “something of a landmark in the Toronto spec fic literary scene,” according to CZP Co-Publisher Sandra Kasturi. This event will feature authors Robert J. Sawyer, Ed Greenwood, Michelle Sagara West, and Leah Bobet.
Talking about the future of the series, Marshall said “Our biggest focus is to promote a sense of community in an already volatile industry, and to encourage the next wave of writers and publishers. We run a program where students can sign up to meet the authors before the readings. The opportunity to interact with major players in the industry has always been a really important aspect of this venture.”
The series is based at the Augusta House, 152 Augusta Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1J2. For more information, see the series’ web page.