Western Standard goes online

Western Standard, the popular right-wing magazine that ceased publishing earlier this year, takes a go at online.

Alberta Magazines Conference Shaping Up Awesome

Yes, we know it's the holiday season, and all most people can think about is that, but for us AMPA folk, it's our big conference on March 6 & 7, 2008, that we're bubbling over about. We've secured an amazing speaker line-up, for sure one of our strongest to date.

For starters, Jason Brightman, director of web design for PC World and Macworld, will be our keynote speaker and give a hands-on workshop about strategies for taking your magazine online.
http://www.jasonbrightman.com/

He will be joined by Charlene Rooke, editor of Western Living magazine; Kim Machado, General Manager of CanadianBusiness.com; Mary Newberry, former manager editor for Descant magazine; Malcolm Brown, art director of Unlimited magazine; Glenn Mielke, art director for BlackFlash magazine; Kevin Menshik, director of the agency, Mediactive among others.

This will be all killer, no filler, for real.

More details soon. Must go check out the venue--which is the Red & White Club in Calgary by the way. Stay tuned.

Oilweek publisher JuneWarren merges with Glacier

News from Canadian Magazines Blog

Oilfield publishing merger inked as JuneWarren bought out by Glacier
Two major oil industry publishing groups are to be merged with the 100% purchase of the JuneWarren Publishing by GVIC Communications Corp. for an undisclosed combination of cash and shares.

(GVIC used to be called Glacier International Ventures Corporation; it is a former bottled water company that transformed itself into an information and communications company and it became a major media player with the acquisition of Hollinger's trade publishing division and many of its newspapers in the west). read more...

Black Friday

In the day known as "Black Friday" in America where cash registers go cha-ching and mobs hit the stores like there's no tomorrow (when there are, in fact, many tomorrows), AMPA wants to do its part in making your Christmas shopping experience a little less nightmarish.

Check out our free gift offer at: www.albertamagazines.com

Yes, we know everyone's vying for your hard-earned bucks, but magazines differ from most quickly forgotten or stored-away gifts. Shall I list the ways?

1) magazines keep giving, month after month (unlike the acquaintance who re-gifts their porcelain figurine...to you)

2) mags come straight to your doorstep (unless you live in the burbs like I do, in which case you'll likely have to walk a whole ten steps to your post box)

3) mags require you read, increasing your water-cooler material (fact: reading is good for you)

4) mags read great by a fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate. Yum! (the hot chocolate. we don't recommend you ingest the actual magazine)

So go ahead, start shopping. Your giftees will thank you for being so thoughtful!

You, in turn, can thank us.

Peace out,
-the AMPA team

NoD Magazine's first fundraiser fete

Hey kids, tomorrow is NoD's funding extravaganza. Listen to decorated readers, have a great time and support a good cause!

NoD is thrilled to announce its first fundraiser!
Help publish the University of Calgary's undergraduate magazine! NoD received an amazing response to its Fall 2007 call for submissions and Issue 7 promises to be a very solid issue. NoD now needs the funds to publish it! Come out to Weeds Café Thursday evening for an amazing set of readings, tasty coffee and tea, and prizes.

Featuring Readings by:
Jonathan Ball
derek beaulieu
Christian Bök
Felicia Pacentrilli
Sina Queyras
Jane Thompson

Event Details:

Thursday November 22, 2007

7pm to 10pm

Weeds Café 1903—20 Avenue NW

Calgary, AB
*Admission by Donation*

How to get to Weeds?

Take the C-train to Lions' Park Station; walk North along 19th Street and turn left onto 20th Ave. It is about 1 block down 20th ave (you'll pass the funny little Edelweiss building). It is a less than 10-minute walk from the Lions' Park station.

Contact: Bronwyn and Ian for more details - nodmagazine@gmail.com

Best Cover Winners

ASME, the American Society of Magazine Editors, has announced its 2007 Best Cover Winners. They are stunning to say the least. But don't take my word for it, have a gaze or three.

Thumbscrews Book Launch tomorrow

October 26, 2007
Thumbscrews Book Launch
Come help us launch Thumbscrews by Natalie Zina Walschots

Pages Books in Kensington, 1135 Kensington Road NW
October 26th at 7:30pm
Free and Open to the Public!

Thumbscrews is a poetic engagement with the aesthetics of sadomasochism and consensual pain. It employs the techniques of mannerist poetry to constrain language as ropes, cuffs, or shackles might be used to constrain the body. Each poem can be taken as a miniature sadomasochistic encounter where language is tied up, beaten, and twisted into submission. This book abuses language; language begs for it. Check http://www.albertamagazines.com/news_and_events/
for more details.
Hope to see you there!

How to Pitch Panel tonight

Read Alberta Magazines Month (RAMM) is winding down, so be sure to attend tonight's "How to Pitch" panel at Pages in Kensington, 1135 Kensington Road NW, Calgary starting at 7:30pm. There will be some nibbles, but that's not the only reason you should come...

If you're an aspiring writer, looking to actually make an income from your art, you'll want to learn the basics (as in how to write a focused pitch that actually gets noticed by editors). Three prominent Alberta editors will be doling out the wisdom for FREE, so there's really no reason not to attend. Unless of course, you like writing in obscurity....your call.

Presented in partnership with the Writers Guild of Alberta

PANELISTS:
- Jennifer Hamilton, Managing Editor, Avenue Calgary
- Andrew Mah, Editor, WHERE Calgary
- Peter Norman, Editor, Alberta Views

Edmonton antics and Calgary pics

So...the AMPA team just got back to Calgary from Edmonton, and boy was it a hoot. No literally. We got so many hoots from our Flippin' Sweet t-shirts that we were both flattered and a little creeped out at the amount of chest-ogling that occurred (I guess that's what happens when your slogan is smack across the chest area).

Nevertheless, it was a 'magical' time with many highlights, among them:

- a magazine display with free samples at the Edmonton Public Library that got absolutely devoured (in a good way of course)
- hearing journalist and Legacy writer Paula Simons read at Audrey's books
- Maria Dunn performing a set of gorgeous songs at Audrey's books (some of which are still stuck in my head...)
- having a rockstar editorial panel at Grant MacEwan college
- educating the public and hearing "I had no idea there were so many magazines in Alberta"
- dinner at Mikado (mmm..sea urchin)
- Edmonton's extremely easy to navigate thanks to the grid system

Amongst the lowlights:

- dinner at Glenn's Restaurant in Red Deer's gasoline alley (this was really the only low point of the trip)


And here are some photos from our Read Alberta Magazines Month launch at Art Central.


Spoonfed Soups doling out tasty hot goodness (from Avenue magazine)


Potter Greg McRitchie making it look easy (from AirdrieLIFE magazine)


The Lonely Hunters performing some charming tunes (from filling Station magazine)


Reader Felicia Pacentrilli (from Freefall magazine)


Lemon tarts from a Ladybug bakery


Global Television's Gord Gillies right before the event

AMPA at WordFest

You might think oooh, magazines, glamorous. But a quick glance at our office space below can assure you that there is plenty of grunt work and moving of heavy magazines. (gym pass? who needs one? just work in magazines)

WordFest is October 9-14, and there's a display of FREE Alberta magazine samples, courtesy of the over 50 magazine publishers in Alberta, outside the Vertigo theatre in Calgary tower. Pick a few up. Read and enjoy them. Then enter our Snap, Subscribe & Win! contest to win a trip to Jasper or Banff (thanks to Travel Alberta).

boxed in AMPA

Snap, Subscribe & Win! Contest

October is Read Alberta Magazines Month, and the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association in partnership with Travel Alberta, wants to celebrate by giving you a getaway.

You could win:
-A two-night bed & breakfast package at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge or a one-night room with breakfast package at The Fairmont Banff Springs.

It's easy.

TWO WAYS TO ENTER:

1. SNAP! - Just like a star? Take a photo of yourself enjoying your favourite participating Alberta magazine in your favourite place-whether it's at home or an Alberta destination. Be creative. We want to see shots of our magazines near and far! From Drumheller's Hoodoos to the Calgary Tower, from the oilsands of Fort McMurray to the Legislature in Edmonton. Show us where you read Alberta magazines, and check out your photos along with other entries in the photo gallery. Each photo submitted is a single entry to win.


2. SUBSCRIBE! - Triple your chances of winning! Subscribe, renew or buy a gift subscription to any participating Alberta magazine. It's almost the holidays. A perfect time to get a gift for a friend. Or get a gift for yourself. Get a few subscriptions and really increase your chances of winning. Get the idea?

Contest ends: November 15, 2007.

Read Alberta Magazines Month Launch Events!!

Come mix and mingle as AB magazines come to life, taking vivid content from the page and presenting it up close and personal as well as in an interactive and fun way for all of you to come experience.

This year we're kicking off Read Alberta Magazines Month with TWO launch events. The events are FREE and open to the public. Looking foward to seeing you there.

October is Read Alberta Magazines Month. Hurray!

Calgary Launch Event

Art Central, Calgary

100 - 7th Ave. SW

Thursday October 4, 2007
5 pm to 9pm

Featuring:
Reader Felicia Pacentrelli from Freefall magazine; Potter Greg McRitchie with a pottery wheel (remember the movie 'Ghost' anyone?) from Airdrie Life; Scott Henderson on piano and vocals, The Lonely Hunters, and scrumptious h'ors douvres. Check back here for more updates on performers.

Edmonton Launch Event

Audrey's Books, Edmonton
10702 Jasper Ave
Tuesday October 16, 2007
7 pm to 9 pm

Featuring:
Reader Paula Simons (Legacy magazine and Edmonton Journal columnist, journalist, writer, broadcaster)
Musical performance by: Maria Dunn

Hope to see you there!!

Word on the Street!

September 30, 2007

If you like reading, read this: September 30th is Word on the Street. Be one of 30,000 Calgarians to celebrate words with the rest of Canada. With events in Vancouver, Calgary, Kitchener, Toronto and Halifax, you should book it to the Calgary Farmer's Market from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm for the 10th Annual Word on the Street book and magazine fair.
There will be readings, discussions, sing-a-longs and workshops to satiate the book-lover in you, while promoting literacy and increasing awareness of Canadian authors (nationally, regionally and locally), publishers, literacy organizations and their resources.

Come visit the Magazines Canada/ AMPA booth at The Word on the Street in Calgary for free magazine samples and special subscription offers.

Find out more at www.thewordonthestreet.ca

Introducing....Alberta Magazines

The magazine world has finally blogged-on so to speak.

Click here often for mag-speak and updates on news, events, and other happenings.

Also, check out our website at www.albertamagazines.com for the unabridged version of all things magazines.