Victoria Dunn is the evil hive mind of local writers Victoria Higgins and Meghan Dunn.  Using this pen name, the duo jointly wrote Alice Hearts Welsh Zombies, a wacky novel published by The Workhorsery that is filled with zombies, bog snorkelling, and an organization called the Odyssey International’s Enforcement branch that fights the supernatural. In an act of magic, Apartment613 fused the two writers together to form their single, joint-persona. Below is a transcript of the email interview with Victoria Dunn, a mysterious creature who has her own Facebook page.  If you want to... | Continue reading article

Gerry Capelle has had an impressive career in animation, ranging from his work on the TV show Arthur, to previous assignments with such legendary publications as National Lampoon, Raw and Heavy Metal.  His long list of credits can be seen on IMDb, in addition to his design and storyboard work for commercials in the United Kingdom, New York City, Australia, Montreal and Toronto. Currently living in Perth, which is located about an hour south-west of the nation’s capital, the former longtime resident of Ottawa is now working on a new... | Continue reading article

Sometimes you read a book that is so good you just want to get up and applaud.  Other times a novel touches you so strongly that you are left speechless, unable to react.  The Son of a Certain Woman, the new novel by Newfoundland-born writer Wayne Johnston, somehow manages to accomplish both of these things at the same time. Local readers can hear Johnston speak about his great new work this coming Monday, September 30. The talk in the nation’s capital is a warm up to the 2013 fall session... | Continue reading article

On the surface, fifteen-year-old Grace is living a perfect teenage life.  Hired to work at the stables all summer to take care of her beloved horses, the Ottawa-resident has also caught the attention of Matt, a handsome co-worker. Behind this contented picture, however, Grace is struggling with an eating disorder that is starting to take over her life.  As she obsessively counts her caloric intake, she threatens to set in motion a serious of events that could have serious consequences. In her debut novel Objects in Mirror published by Red Deer Press, local writer... | Continue reading article

Today we continue our look at the amazing poetry scene in our region by profiling two excellent writers. Award winning poet Shane Rhodes is one of the most innovate wordsmiths in the National Capital Region.  In fact, his work is so cutting edge it completely redefines what a poem is. When one thinks of poetry one normally imagines a literary text.  While the words play rhythmic games and convey symbolic meanings, the form is usually constant: i.e. words arranged on a page from left to right, with the eyes of... | Continue reading article

Eric Darwin is one of the best reporters in Ottawa covering urban affairs.  Not bad for someone who does not call himself a  journalist, who is not part of the mainstream and alternative press, and who only launched his must-read blog West Side Action after retiring seven years ago. In today’s Internet age, news reporting is being radically redefined.  Twenty years ago, if you wanted to know about development projects in the National Capital Region or planning decisions at City Hall, a daily newspaper, local TV news show or a talk... | Continue reading article

Life during pregnancy and with a new baby can be wonderful – and overwhelming and isolating too. With her new book You’re Pregnant – Now What?, local blogger and author Katina Michelis gives a glimpse of what life during pregnancy is like, and what to expect with a newborn. “When I was pregnant with my first I had an idealized notion of pregnancy” says Michelis, a proud mother of two young girls.  However, after the first few idealized weeks passed, she realized that she was miserable. “Why does everybody else seem so... | Continue reading article

The phone call in 2008 may have been the worst moment in Nicholas Gagnier’s life.  At the time things were improving for the local poet, whose life was returning to relative normalcy after years of substance abuse, homelessness and depression. Then came the horrific news that his friend Michelle Vachon had committed suicide. “I will never forget that phone call,” writes Gagnier in the new poetry anthology Ground Zero.  “It will ring in my ears until the day I die.” Dealing with intense grief, and trying to understand a death that “perpetually haunts me”, the... | Continue reading article

In a previous post we profiled local writer Catherine Brunelle and her attempt to raise $3,000 to publish her debut novel The Adventures of Claire Never-Ending.  Incredibly, she smashed her fundraising goal in less than 24 hours, and has now collected more than double what she was originally hoping for.  We caught up with Catherine to discuss her Kickstarter campaign, her blog Bumpyboobs and her relationship with her readers.  Below is an email interview slightly edited for length and style. Apartment: 613 You met your Kickstarter funding goal in less than 24 hours.  How... | Continue reading article

What will it be this weekend, Ottawa? Burlesque? A crowd-sourced musical bike ride? Fashion? House of PainT kicked off last night, and goes on all weekend long to celebrate their 10th anniversary. If you haven’t caught their Bboy and Bgirl breakdancing competition in years past, be sure to head down under the bridge on Saturday afternoon. There’s also music, dance parties and of course, live urban art. Ottawa Fashion Week is also entering its 10th season, getting underway on Friday – and although the main event is the runway shows,... | Continue reading article