May 5, 2022
New article out, and it’s out of my comfort zone and into the water. What, you ask? Invasive species. Why? They’re transforming the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence ecosystem, decimating some native fish populations and fisheries, and causing millions in damages each year. Climate change will only speed up this destructive trend. Click here to read my latest story in Canadian Geographic.
Dec 15, 2021
Got my contributor’s copy of The Antigonish Review featuring my short story “Offerings.” Giving one’s blood, marrow, and cells. To what extent do we owe our bodies to each other as fellow human beings? Read and share your take! Click here to get your copy.
Nov 12, 2021
Latest article in the Rover. About what you demand to know? The replacement of the Ethics and Religious Culture program with the CAQ’s Quebec Citizenship and Culture. What does this mean? Click here to find out.
Oct 28, 2021
Latest article out in the Rover. The subject? Gun control in post-election Canada. Yes, I know, a light subject…Click here to read it.
Oct 27, 2021
Awesome update. My story “Sugarland” has made the CVC10 shortlist! Will be published in the anthology and still in the running for the prize. Best of all, it will be read by the one and only Joyce Carol Oates!
Oct 23, 2021
Exciting news. My weird short story “Sugarland” has been longlisted for Exile Writers‘ CVC10 competition. Shortlist and a chance to win 10 grand to come. This is a big one. Wish me luck.
October 4, 2021
Delighted to report that my short story, “Offerings,” will feature in the next issue of The Antigonish Review.
Sep 28, 2021
Latest article in Ricochet fresh off the virtual press! Collaborative effort with the one and only Chris Curtis Inuit mothers told not to speak their own language. Does this look like Truth & Reconciliation to you? Click here to read.
September 1 , 2021
Super excited about this piece. I had the immense pleasure of writing for my favourite indie journo newsletter, The Rover with Christopher Curtis. In Friday Prayers in Papineau I take a look at how the Muslims in Trudeau’s riding feel about none of the federal party leaders taking a strong stance (or a stance at all, BQ is a different animal) on Bill 21 this election.
In other news, the weeks are flying by. Was there a summer? Did people enjoy the sun (and insane heat wave ravaging planet Earth?)
August 3, 2021
Jesus! This guy has been busy. Not much time to put pen to paper these days when it comes to fiction. As for journalism, working on a story for Maisonneuve and another for Canadian Geographic. In other news, I’ve been writing regularly for the 1019 Report and Park-Extension News. End of report. Go back to work!
June 17, 2021
New article out in the National Observer. Mental health services are failing us. Inefficient, costly, out of reach. Click here to read my piece.
June 14, 2021
Finally got my copy of Chronicling the Days. Glad to be printed alongside so many awesome Montreal writers. Thanks Quebec Writers’ Federation and Guernica Editions for putting this together.
May 6, 2021
Featured on CBC Daybreak Montreal this morning to talk about Novel Connections, my audio documentary about how the Montreal writing community has been affected by and has adapted to the pandemic. Click here to listen to the documentary. Click here to listen to the CBC segment. Thank you Nantali Indongo for the interview, Barry Lazar for the wisdom, and of course, all who participated in the documentary itself.
May 5, 2021
Tune in to 88.5 CBC Daybreak at 6:40 tomorrow morning. I will be talking to Nantali Indongo about my audio documentary, Novel Connections. For the past few months, I’ve interviewed different writers and people involved in the Montreal writing community. Tune in to see what it’s all about.
April 21, 2021
And it’s over! I just completed a degree in journalism. What does the future hold? God knows (wait, is there a God?)
April 8, 2021
Chronicling the Days comes out on April 29. Click here to order your copy straight from Guernica Editions. And here to read about the online launch event hosted by the QWF via Blue Metropolis.
April 7, 2021
If you're down for some readings about writing during apocalypse-19, register for this event tomorrow hosted by the Atwater Library. I'll be reading alongside some great MTL writers. We will be reading our pieces from the upcoming anthology "Chronicling the Days." Register through the Facebook.
April 6, 2021
This is a bit late, but the Broken Pencil Illustrator’s Deathmatch is over. The champ is Gladys Lou. It was beyond cool to see all the artists interpret my story, “Conspiracy,” in comic form. Click here to read the story yourself.
Jan 20, 2021
Should journalists use the darknet to protect their sources and themselves? Click here to read my op-ed in Ricochet Media.
Jan 11, 2021
I am starting an internship at the Canadian Association of Journalists this week. My main task will be to work on the freedom of information campaign. CAJ protects journalists and journalism in Canada, so I am pleased to contribute to their good work. A new chapter in the journalism journey.
Jan 4, 2021
Want to see what a “typical” writing day is like? Check on my post on Rob McLennan’s my (small press) writing day blog.
December 9, 2020
Delighted to share that my non-fiction short story, “The Steal,” will be appearing in CNQ.
November 27, 2020
Honoured to have my short essay about writing during the pandemic featured among the work of so many great Montreal writers in this collection. Thanks Quebec Writers’ Federation and Guernica Editions for putting this together. “Chronicling the Days” comes out in April!
November 23, 2020
Join Broken Pencil and I on November 24 on Instagram live from 8-9 pm as we discuss the illustrators Deathmatch. Artists will be illustrating each section of my story “Conspiracy.” Epic art battle to come on social media I pretend to understand (What’s Instagram live exactly?) Who knows what will happen?
November 19, 2020
I featured on Global News Montreal to talk about being an online student in the era of COVID. Click here to see if I embarrassed myself.
September 22, 2020
Cool, unexpected news! My story, “Conspiracy,” will be published in Broken Pencil and entered in the 2020 Illustrator’s Deathmatch. Every week a new illustrator will illustrate a segment of my story and online voters will decide which story survives the epic battle.
September 8, 2020
My article about Argo Bookstore adapting to the pandemic is out. Click here to read it.
September 3, 2020
I’ll be on CJAD later this morning on the Andrew Carter show to discuss the Montreal Gazette op-ed. Stay tuned to 800AM.
September 1, 2020
“We’ve got a teacher dropout problem,” my op-ed in the Montreal Gazette about why I left my job as a high school teacher, is now online. Read and find out why I quit.
June 25, 2020
Officially started journalism school. I will resurface in late August (or so I think!)
June 22, 2020
Check out my essay A Body Divided published in QWF Writes.
June 9, 2020
Pleased to share that my story, “Phoebe’s Five-Finger Revolt,” has been shortlisted for Freefall’s 2019 Prose and Poetry Contest!
June 2, 2020
My essay, “A Body Divided,” will be featured in QWF writes. Look for it in mid-June!
March 19, 2020
Quarantine. Lockdown. Dystopia.
March 10, 2020
Good news! My story, “Mila,” will be featured in the next issue of The Antigonish Review.
March 6, 2020
Glad to say that my story, “Square One,” will be appearing in The White Wall Review later this month.
February 7, 2020
Come check out next week’s reading at the newly opened Saga bookstore! I’ll be reading along with some other fine folks. Theme is erotica so you know it’s going to be stimulating. (Word play intended)
January 25, 2020
The latest issue of Geist is out. Grab a copy and read my nonfiction piece, “Last Laughs.”
December 21, 2019
Happy holidays! My CBC piece about the Jean-Talon Market is out on this first official day of winter.
December 6, 2019
My CBC nonfiction piece about the Jean-Talon Market will be out next week.
October 28, 2019
The QWF gala is one week (and a few hours) from today. I was selected as a finalist for the CBC writer in residence. The winner will be revealed on November 5th at the gala. Stay tuned.
October 8, 2019
Click here to get a copy of Broken Pencil issue # 85 and read my story, “Sick.”
October 2, 2019
Just got my copy of Event’s latest issue in the mail. Click here to get your copy of the Speculative Writing Contest issue and read my award-winning story.
September 22, 2019
Check out my story, “The Space Between the Walls,” in the latest issue of Freefall. This story was shortlisted for the Prose and Poetry Contest.
August 9, 2019
Great event yesterday at Argo Bookstore.
July 22, 2019
I will be reading alongside these wonderful writers at Argo. Come check it out!
Argo Reading Series Thursday, August 8, 2019
Devon Gallant, Ilona Martonfi, Joe Bongiorno, Carolyne Van Der Meer, Mike Di Sclafani, Maria Caltabiano, Brian Campbell (music), Ian Cibula, Matthew Rettino, Willow Loveday Little, Mark Paterson
Artistic Director Ilona Martonfi ilona.martonfi@sympatico.ca
Argo Bookshop 1915 Ste. Catherine St. West
https://www.argobookshop.ca/ Hosted with Moti Lieberman
7-9 pm at the door $6
June 27, 2019
Happy to announce that Out of Focus has won Event’s Speculative Writing Contest. The story also serves as the first chapter of my novel-in-progress. Stay tuned!
June 20, 2019
My story “Out of Focus” has been shortlisted for Event Magazine’s 2019 Speculative Fiction Contest.
May 12, 2019
Not enough fiction about drug smuggling ex-wrestlers out there, you say? Read “Babyface Rafferty” in Intrinsick Magazine.
May 4, 2019
Check out my story, “In a Little Room Without Windows,” in Terse Journal.
March 22, 2019
Great news! My story “The Space Between the Walls” has been shortlisted for Freefall Magazine‘s annual Prose & Poetry contest.
March 19, 2019
I will be reading tonight at the Visual Arts Centre in Westmount along with some very fine writers. Come check it out.
December 9, 2018
Glad to hear that my story “Mud” will be appearing in Montreal Writes.
Joe Bongiorno 