The new Ottawa Fiction Writers Collection was launched last Thursday and Dan, along with a number of other local authors were there to lend their support.

The launch went very well … [T]he station (“A“ …) came down and did a small piece on the launch, but I was the focus … [I]t was a success … By the way, the poster looked great!  Thanks!  And there are now about 24 requests for the book through the library…

…And now there are 29!

Dan sent us some pics of the event:

Good job Dan!!

The following press release was sent out to Ottawa area media outlets including the Ottawa Citizen, the Ottawa Sun, CTV, and CBC Ottawa.

Library and Authors’ Association Team Up to Let Community Meet Local Authors

OTTAWA October 17, 2008 – In conjunction with the official launch of the newly-established Ottawa Fiction Authors Collection at the Ottawa Public Library (OPL), local authors will be on hand to meet and greet the public at the OPL this Thursday in a Showcase presented jointly by the OPL and the Canadian Authors Association (CAA).

Dan McNeil, one of the featured authors at the Showcase event, says he looks forward to opportunities such as this one. “I enjoy having a chance to meet people who have read my book. Writing and reading are usually such solitary activities, it’s great to have events like this to bring authors and people of the local community together.” Mr. McNeil’s novel, The Judas Apocalypse, has recently garnered rave reviews from hosts of both the A Channel’s Breakfast Television and Rogers Daytime.

Eighteen authors in all are to participate in this exciting event whose aim is to promote local arts and culture:

Barry Alder Chris McNaught
William Bezanson Dan McNeil
Jill Bobula Philip Nagy
Jennifer Cook Emily-Jane Hills Orford
Jean Mohsen Fahmy Esther Paul
Suzanne Glandon Francesca Piredda
George Laidlaw Maurice Richard
Michèle Matteau Gwen Smid
Patricia McCarthy JC Sulzenko

Those who have previously purchased books by these authors are encouraged to bring them to the Showcase to have them autographed.

This Showcase of local authors was made possible thanks to tireless volunteers from the CAA in partnership with the OPL. The Showcase will be held on Thursday, October 23 from 11:00 AM-1:30 PM, and from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM at the Reading Room area of the Main Branch of the OPL at 120 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa. The official Launch of the Ottawa Fiction Authors Collection will be held in the Auditorium of the OPL Main Branch at 7:00 PM that same evening. For more information visit http://www.canauthors-ottawa.org/booklaunch.shtml.