fiction

fiction section editor:
Hal Niedzviecki

Hal Niedzviecki is a writer, culture commentator and editor. He's also the co-founder of Broken Pencil. He is the author of a bunch of books that you can read about at Smellit.ca.

current short list:

online fiction editor:
Richard Rosenbaum

Richard Rosenbaum is sort of a writer from Toronto, Associate Fiction Editor and Online Fiction Editor for Broken Pencil. His interests include: dark clothing; semi-aquatic creatures (penguins, polar bears, turtles, etc); kosher sushi; objective morality/aesthetics; and being unconscious.

current short list:

Material Projections: installations in audio/sculpture/video/photography
MATERIAL PROJECTIONS Installations in Audio / Sculpture / Video / Photography March 1 to 14, 2008 WHIPPERSNAPPER GALLERY 587A College Street, Toronto Opening Reception: Thursday, March 6, 2008, 7pm-1am CHARLES TAYLOR Through various media, Charles' work is an attempt to unify the bestial, the rational, and the angelic in the human. In his installation for Material Projections, sounds of the artist's breathing are layered to create a rhythmic soundscape which contrasts with a dreamy video loop. BARBARA GOSS Barbara is an installation artist interested in the spaces created by the objects within them. Her current work addresses the spaces implied by the intersection of straight lines and curves. The human body's interaction with such spaces creates a longing for the whirling movement of the circle. This series was inspired by the round walls of a Mongolian ger (yurt). LEIGH NUNAN Leigh is a filmmaker and video artist. In this video installation she explores th...
march 5, 2008 Read more.

Pages Books and Mags new website
Hey everyone our good friends at Toronto's Pages Books and Mags (long time supporters of broken pencil and small press publishing)have launched a new website. Check it out! There's a feature on Beth Follett, reading lists and even an interview about magazine publishing with yours truly...
february 25, 2008 Read more.

Indie Writers Deathmatch: Semi-Finals Begin!
Only the strongest are surviving here at the Indie Writers Deathmatch; four stories have been eliminated, and four remain. Now the winners of the first rounds go head-to-head. Check out the contest, and help decide who progresses to the finals.
february 25, 2008 Read more.

Indie Writers Deathmatch - Round 4!
The last two contestants are duking it out in the Online Arena -- the winner goes on to the semi-finals! It's your last chance to decide who won't make it through the qualifying round, so make it count. Vote! Comment!
february 18, 2008 Read more.

Indie Writers Deathmatch - Round 3!
Round 3 of the Indie Writers Deathmatch is in full swing, and it's CLOSE! Read the stories and have your say today.
february 13, 2008 Read more.

Indie Writers Deathmatch - Round 2!
Round One is over, and blood was spilled. Congratulations to Emma Healey, whose story, "Last Winter Here" progresses to the next stage of competition. This week, two new stories battle it out -- read and have your say, and vote as many times as you want. The competition is still just beginning! Don't miss it.
february 4, 2008 Read more.

Paper is Boring. Comics are Awesome.
It's not that it's impossible to become successful doing indie comics. In 1977, Kitchener, Ontario’s Dave Sim started self-publishing a comic called Cerebus, starring an anthropomorphic aardvark that was primarily a parody of Conan the Barbarian. It ended up being the longest-running independent comic ever, going for 300 issues and 25 years, and dealing with topics as diverse as politics, religion, art and gender issues. In 1984, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird borrowed money from relatives to print 3,000 copies of a comic they wrote and drew called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; by the mid-nineties, the Turtles were ubiquitous, and their creators were billionaires. But these are the exceptions. The vast majority of independent comics over the years have been unprofessional affairs that never achieved what would be considered mainstream success. They've been written, drawn and published cheaply—either printed by vanity presses or personally photocopied by the creators—and distributed ...
january312008 Read more.

Indie Writers Deathmatch begins!
Broken Pencil's first annual short story contest, the Indie Writers Deathmatch, has finally begun! Our first two competitors' stories are already on the attack -- check them out yourself, vote for your favourite, and leave a comment!
january 28th, 2008 Read more.

New Online Fiction Exclusive
We're proud to announce the launch of Broken Pencil's NEW Online Fiction section -- in addition to posting stories that appear in the print mag, we're going to start putting up ONLINE EXCLUSIVES, stories unique to the BP website. Including bonus podcasts of the stories, read by the author, and the chance for readers to contact the writers directly -- we're excited about the new section and we hope it'll be a big success, and a chance for even more great indie writers to reach an audience as wide as the web. Check it out!
december 23, 2007 Read more.

Montreal Super 8 Film Fest
hey if anyone is in montreal it's the 5th annual montreal Super 8 Film Festival tonight and the theme is revenge. Start Time: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at 7:30pm End Time: Thursday, December 20, 2007 at 12:30am Location: Sala Rosa, 4848 Saint-Laurent, City/Town: Montreal, QC
dec 19, 2007 Read more.

Indie Writers Deatmatch
Just a reminder: time is running out to enter Broken Pencil's short story contest -- the Indie Writers Deathmatch! So finish polishing your prose, because you've only got until December 31st to submit your story. And remember, your $20 entry fee also gets you a one-year subscription to BP, as well as a chance to win fabulous prizes and eternal infamy!
december 18, 2007 Read more.

Pilot Pocket Book Launch
hey everyone...the nicely put together and good to read new litmag on the block Pilot is launching their 3rd issue. check it out or pick it up. hal. Hello dear friend of Pilot, Oh Happy Day! Pilot Pocket Book 3 is at the printer’s shop and we have set a date for the launch. Celebrate with us at the Savannah Room on December 9th at 5pm. The Savannah Room is at 294 College Street, west of Spadina Avenue.At our party you can expect some fine reading, books to be bought, food and drink to be consumed, and our second silent auction of art from some of the talented artists who contributed to our book.
dec 3, 2007 Read more.

Taddle Creek 10 year anniversary launch party and issue
Taddle Creek will, of course, be celebrating its anniversary in style—and you’re invited. Please join Taddle Creek on Wednesday, November 28th, at the Gladstone Hotel ballroom, 1214 Queen Street West, starting at 8 p.m. Ever-so-brief readings will be performed by Gary Barwin, Chris Chambers, Dani Couture, Patrick Rawley, and David Whitton, with music by the Eradicators. There will also be door prizes, and maybe cake. Admission, as always, is free, free, free.
november 26, 2007 Read more.

Expozine: Montreal zine and small press fair
hi everyone, broken pencil is a sponsor and will have a table at montreal's expozine, coming up this saturday and sunday. drop by and say hi to us and check out expozine. ANNOUNCING EXPOZINE 2007, MONTREAL’S SIXTH ANNUAL SMALL PRESS, COMIC AND ZINE FAIR! Expozine, Montreal’s annual small press, comic and zine fair, will take place on Saturday, November 24 and Sunday, November 25, 2007, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 5035 St-Dominique (Église Saint-Enfant Jésus, between St-Joseph and Laurier, near Laurier Métro) Free admission. This incredible event brings together over 250 creators of all kinds of printed matter – from books to zines to visual art and comics – in both English and French. In the past six years, Expozine has become one of North America's largest small press fairs, attracting thousands of visitors as well as exhibitors from as far afield as Chicago, Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City! It is one of the city's cultural success stories, and due to its ever-increasing gr...
nov 20, 2007 Read more.

Lorenz Peter Book Launch
Hey everyone, the very funny and enigmatic Lorenz Peter is launching an anthology of his 15 years as a comic artist tomorrow night (wed. night). check it out or pick up the book. see info below. You are cordially invited to attend the Toronto release party for L o r e n z P e t e r ' s S I D E E F F E C T ( P e d l a r P r e s s ) a selection of fifteen years of comics-making WEDNESDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2007 6:30 to 8:00pm Katharine Mulherine Contemporary Art Projects 1080 Queen Street West free & open to th public Tel: 416 534 2011
nov 20, 2007 Read more.

Writing Down the City and Celebrating Zines: Hal at the Library
hey, wanted to let everyone know that i've got 2 interesting gigs upcoming at the toronto public library as part of my current position as TPL writer in residence. Friday Nov 2nd 3:30 pm - Alternative Tour of the Toronto Reference Library Tuesday Nov 6th at 7pm - Writing Down the City: a panel discussion about how literature is or can shape the city with Cordelia Strube, Rinaldo Walcott, and Alana Wilcox. (held at the North York Public Library) scroll down for more description of both these events. so, first off, friday nov. 2nd. i'll be leading a tour of the broken pencil zine collection at the toronto public library. event runs 3:30 to 4:30 and we'll be talking zines, access to information, the lie of underground culture and more. it's free and part of the reference library's anniversary celebration. then on tuesday nov. 6th i'm leading a panel discussion called Writing Down the City which is to be held at the North York Central Library. also a free event running from...
nov. 1, 2007 Read more.

Canzine: The Festival of Zine Culture in Toronto this weekend
200 zines on display, all day murder mystery, campfire ghost stories and more! click on canzine on the main bp page to see the complete lineup. broken pencil magazine presents... Hotel Canzine Canada's Largest Zine Fair and Festival of Alternative Culture Fear the INDIE HORROR! Sunday, October 28th, 2007 1pm-7 pm The Gladstone Hotel Downtown Toronto, 1214 Queen St. West (Queen just East of Dufferin) $5 admission comes with a free copy of the Horror issue of Broken Pencil Magazine
october 24, 2007 Read more.

Hal Online next week as part of Annick Press LiveLibrary Program
Hi everyone. Next week I'll be taking part in the Annick LIVEbrary, an exciting, free online classroom for middle and junior high students. We'll be doing a 4 day lesson plan based on my book The Big Book of Pop Culture, A How-To Guide for Young Artists. The LIVEbrary is an innovative program that brings together well-known authors, experts, students, and teachers as they discuss curriulum-related books in a secure online environment. What happens is that there is a lesson plan you follow (downloadable from the annick site) online blog chat with me, and a live skype chat with me. Go to annickpress.com and click on livelibrary to find out more and sign up. This program is for kids who are home schooling, kids in school who want to get their class doing this or want to do this on their own or as a special project. Ask your teacher or your librarian if you want to do this at school. Teachers, check it out and let your kids know! Any questions, go to the Annick site and you will find ans...
october 24, 2007 Read more.

Louis Rastelli of Fish Piss launches novel
hi everyone, long time zine creator and co-founder of Montreal's expozine is launching his first novel tomorrow night, a gritty novel about life and death amidst Montreal's indie music scene. If you are in Montreal, check it out, otherwise look out for the book. Louis Rastelli launches A Fine Ending Tuesday 6:00pm - 11:00pm Casa del Popolo 4873 St. Laurent Montreal, QC The launch of Louis' first novel, 330 pages with 16 illustrations by Jean-Pierre Chansigaud. Set in the 1990s Montreal music scene, the book swings from casual debauchery to sudden life-death dramas, contrasting the cynicism of its twenty-something characters (and the 90s in general) with the harsh reality checks life always throws at us. Free admission, with the book available at a discount. The author will make a presentation at 9 p.m.
october 22, 2007 Read more.

Indie Writers Deathmatch!
hink you're the best writer in Indietown? Prove it! Since 1995, Broken Pencil Magazine has published some of the edgiest and most dangerous fiction from writers across Canada and throughout the world. Now, BP is holding its first short story contest: The Indie Writer's Deathmatch - the ultimate fiction contest where the most hardcore stories are pitted against each other in a fight to the finish. Eight stories will face off in our online arena, but only one will emerge victorious. When the dust settles, the bruised but triumphant writer will have his or her story published in Broken Pencil's upcoming Fiction Issue, will receive books from some of Canada's most groundbreaking small presses, a Broken Pencil prize pack, and some money too. Will it be yours? Enter now and kick some indie lit ass. Everything you need to know is at broken! pencil.com/deathmatch.
october 17, 2007 Read more.