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With live from PorkBelly, gifts from Strange Duck, and morale support from BookShorts, this years's holidya bash was everything we hoped for nd more. Saint Andre Vienna Lager provided welcome imbibables, Gladstone provided a warm and welcoming room, and our guests provided all the energy. Have a look at the video clip above for the original song performed by the band, with lyrics from the winners of our Blues Writing Contest, or take a look at the other masterful works of songwriting below.

Thanks for coming - was great to see you all :)
Judith Keenan, BookShorts
Irene Duma Strange Duck Media
Stuart, Paul, Marty, Chaz and Rebecca aka PorkBelly Futures

Comments and Feedback judith@bookshorts.com

Proceeds to support PEN Canada

THANK YOU GENEROUS GUESTS - WITH YOUR SUPPORT OF THE RAFFLE, WE HAVE RAISED $200 TO DONATE TO PEN CANADA!

HOW TO WRITE A VERSE FOR THE TWELVE BAR BLUES

The blues typically begins with a statement regarding history and/or emotional state:

I WOKE UP THIS MORNING, MY BABY HAD LEFT

This line is repeated for dramatic emphasis:

Finally there is a resolution or recapitulation, which ends with the apposite RHYME:

As you can see, upbeat sentiments are somewhat frowned upon, but we can make allowances given the time of year:

Good luck!!
PorkBelly Futures

THE ENTRIES

I left my baby, I left my baby cause he was bad.
I left my baby, I left my baby cause he was bad.
He went to another, he went to another and I was sad.

But we ain’t good together.
we ain’t good together
It’s true
And what he lost, what he lost
He don’t ever have a clue.

++++++

I went to bed last night
And all my dreams were a fright
Cause I had you on my mind
You know leaving me is such a crime
So come back to me – it will be alright
I’ll protect you from the bed bugs tonight.
So come back to me – it will be alright
I’ll protect you from the bed bugs tonight.

++++++

Title: 2007 Blues

My baby never left me, and I do not miss her, cause I never had none.
My stocks are a rising, but I can’t buy love, cause it ain’t for sale (not real love)
Mother I got those 2007 blues

I never lost my horse, cow, nor chicken, neither a pig, dog nor cat
Cause I never owned one
I travel the world round,
But I’ve experienced nothing to see (might as well be blind)
Preacher, I have those 2007 blues.

I never bought me a truck, nor a bike and I don’t need a road, cause I have no where to drive (and I take the TTC)
My tummy was never hungry, but I feel empty, cause I now have a belly
Janet, I have those 2007 blues.

- John Lee Rudy

++++++

Dear Mr. Santa, please send me a rocket sled!
Dear Mr. Santa, please send me a rocket sled!
Cause my girl’s in Montreal and soon she’ll be in bed!

++++++

I hurt her with my words but not my heart
I hurt her with my words but not my heart
She don’t know how I feel cause my heart can’t talk my heart can only love.

- Bitter Tonic

++++++

I opened my eyes, it was round about dark
There was guacamole on the bedpost and a breadknife through my heart.
My baby had done snuffed me, and, for all I knew, that was that.

She always said she loved me, she would love me til I died.
She found out I was faithless, she found out I had lied.
And took the sharpest object she could find, to shorten the terms of affection…
Yes, I was laid out on my side.

It’s not really fair, I know, she could have left me live
But life ain’t fair, no bowl of cherries, a never-ending sieve.
My baby couldn’t keep me, so she gave me a very terminal heave.

- Rudy Stussi

++++++

I looked out my back window, saw my baby in the yard
Oh, I looked out my back window, saw my baby in the yard
But I can’t feel blue the sun shining through and my baby working hard.

++++++

You’re a swine
Robbed me blind
Took my hand
I could barely stand

Why you took my money
But the blueS kept
me living honey

Don’t care much who the hell are you
You’re not true blue
So I’ll sing the blues

- Janet M.

++++++

You said you would meet me, we had a date
You said you would meet me, we had a date
Too maNy promises, this time its too late.

++++++

My baby done left me, left me here all alone
My baby done left me, left me here all alone
The days are getting shorter and I no longer have a home

++++++

Margaret send me water, the wells running dry
Margaret send me water, before your man does die
I’ve heard him cry … do do do do do do do

- Tom Sandler

++++++

Tried to marry my new baby but she met another guy
He sold her mom confetti at the Dollarama near Harbord High
I felt like going back to Moncton to reconnect with my ex-wife
But when I called her sis to get her number she said Tammy gone took her own life
Looks like Tammy feared the future and couldn’t make ends meet
Now I get to see my one and only baby as she’s resting in New Brunswick down about 6 feet.

++++++

Good love gone so bad hurt too much I just up and quit
Good love gone so bad hurt too much I just up and quit
Just brace myself for bad love now and the day I stumble into it

++++++

Woke up this morning, commuted down the hall
Woke up this morning, commuted down the hall
Still dressed in my PJs but got to take that call

I’m a lonely home office worker with bills to pay
When you write from the spare bedroom you just booze your life away

++++++

RUNNER UP 2

Well it’s coming on Christmas, got no place to go
Well it’s coming on Christmas, got no place to go
Got my ski’s on my shoulder, but what I ain’t got is snow

RUNNER UP 1

So I heard some good tunes at this big hotel
So I heard some good tunes at this big hotel
PorkBelly was the crazy name but they sure do play well

WINNER

Woke up this morning, my penis had shrunk
Woke up this morning, my penis had shrunk
Oh Lord have mercy, got nothing left to dunk

SEE THE SONG PERFORMED LIVE HERE

The evening’s beverage of choice sponsored by Saint Andre Lager

Saint Andre brand was founded to brew authentic European style beers, to bring some of Europe’s cultural brewing Heritage to Toronto. Saint Andre is a Vienna style lager, first brewed in that city in the 1830's. Vienna Lager has been developing a strong following for its multi European flavour, smooth finish and high drink ability. It is brewed locally at Cool Brewing in Brampton in small batches to ensure freshness with specialty malts imported from Belgium and Czech Saaz hops. “ … reddish hue, toasty aroma and nicely balanced body carrying notes of toasty, almost biscuity malt, gentle caramelly sweetness and drying, modestly bitter hops.”

Lots of goodies and prizes from generous supporters

F.L.A.G. Accessories; Strange Duck Media; BookShorts; Pork Belly Futures

Thanks to the generous publishers that have contributed the gift of literature

Raincoast Books / IPG
Winter Wood by Patrick McCabe –– Signed by the Author
Drina Bridge by Jim Bartley –– Signed by the Author
Empire of the Soul by Paul William Roberts
Walking After Midnight by Katy Hutchinson
The Sweet Edge by Alison Pick
The Magdalene Moment by Joanna Manning
So Many Ways to Begin by Jon McGregor –– Signed by the Author
Remainder by Tom McCarthy –– Signed by the Author

ECW Press
No-Limit Texas Hold’em: A Complete Guide by Angel Largay with BookShorts DVD

McClelland & Stewart
Archetypes by Mireille Silcoff, Illustrated by Kagan McLeod with BookShorts DVD

Random House of Canada
The Upside of Down by Thomas Homer-Dixon with BookShorts DVD
What Casanova Told Me by Susan Swan with BookShorts DVD
High: Confessions of a Pot Smuggler by Brian O'Dea
Midnight Hockey by Bill Gaston
Relative Stranger by Mary Loudon
The Risk of Darkess by Susan Hill
Two Time by Chris Knopf
Before I Wake by Robert Wiersema
The Custodian of Paradise by Wayne Johnston

Penguin Group (Canada)
The Fighter by Craig Davidson with BookShorts DVD

Thomas Allen Publishers
One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick with BookShorts DVD
A Quiet Courage with BookShorts DVD
My Heart is Africa with BookShorts DVD