Vernon-raised poet and podcast host Jason Emde is on his way to Vernon from Gifu City, Japan, to read from his latest book, little bit die at Raku Rice and Noodle Bar on Thursday, Aug. 15. Joining him will be fellow Vernon writers Kerry Gilbert and Laisha Rosnau.
Guests may choose to gather early in the evening at Raku Rice and Noodle Bar to purchase and enjoy a meal or arrive at the 30th Avenue restaurant when the kitchen closes at 8 p.m. and the readings begin.
The evening promises to showcase the talent of all three writers.
Emde first published in Lee Shedden’s 'zine Paisley in the early 90s. These days he’s a lecturer at Gifu and Sugiyama universities in Japan, an undefeated amateur boxer, the creator and host of the Writers Read Their Early Shit podcast, the Gene to his brother's Ace in the legendary KISS tribute band Rock Bottom, as well as the author of My Hand's Tired & My Heart Aches, little bit die, and the forthcoming Infinite Path.
Gilbert is a poet and professor of Creative Writing at Okanagan College. She has published four books of poetry:(kerplnk): a verse novel of development (2005), Tight Wire (2016), Little Red (2019) and Lady Bird (2023). She has won the Gwendolyn MacEwen Poetry Award for Best Suite by an Emerging Writer and has been shortlisted for ReLit, for the Ralph Gustafson Prize for the Best Poem, for the Pacific Spirit Poetry Contest and for the Gwendolyn MacEwen Poetry for Best Suite by an Established Writer.
Rosnau is a poet, novelist, university lecturer, and the executive director of the Caetani Cultural Center. She lives with her family as resident caretakers of Bishop Wild Bird Sanctuary in Coldstream and is the author of the novels The Sudden Weight of Snow (McClelland & Stewart), Little Fortress (Wolsak & Wynn), and four critically acclaimed, award-winning collections of poetry.
Lee Shedden, Calgary musician and co-founder of Brindle and Glass publishing, is set to host the event. All four participants, along with organizer Hannah Calder were raised, in part, in Vernon, and have fond memories of discovering their artist-selves alongside one another in a town that they felt lacked the city energy they were taught to believe was essential to good art. Aptly, one of their hangouts was the Gallery pool hall, which now houses Raku.
The Gallery was a special place for Emde and features prominently in his memories of his friend Stan Czerwonka, who is the focus of little bit die.
“I used to work part-time at the Gallery while studying at OUC. It's fitting that I'll be reading poems about Stan in the very room where we spent so many hours together shooting pool, smoking cigarettes and talking endlessly about REM and KISS.”
Admission to the reading is free. Coming early for a meal (the Raku ramen is divine!). Buying a drink during the reading is encouraged — as is buying a book or two to support the featured writers.
