TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28

Hot Damn It’s A Queer Slam: Open mic poetry slam, with Kai Cheng Thom. Hosted by Charlie Petch. Buddies In Bad Times, 12 Alexander St., Toronto. 8 p.m. $7. queerslam.com

Kyo Maclear and David Waltner-Toews: Two books, two animals, two authors, and one conversation on the meaning of life, and sustaining life. With literary journalist Donna Bailey Nurse. Audience Q&A and book signing to follow. Toronto Public Library, Palmerston Branch, 560 Palmerston Ave., Toronto. 7 p.m. Free

Patrick Boyer: Launching the books Foreign Voices in the House and Forcing Choice. Carisse Studio Café, 274 Elgin Street, Ottawa. 5 p.m.
 Free

Shab-e She’r (Poetry Night) Fifth Anniversary: Toronto’s most diverse poetry reading and open mic series, with Jacob McArthur Mooney and Ifrah Hussain, and musicians Daniel Robinson and Yvonne Choi. Hosted by Bänoo Zan. Church of St. Stephen in-the-Fields, 365 College St., Toronto. 6:15 p.m. $5

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29

Kevin Hardcastle and John Irving: In conversation. Brigantine Room, Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W., Toronto. 7:30 p.m. $10

Taddle Creek: Taddle Creek magazine celebrates its 20th anniversary with The Taddle Creek Ninety-Minute Festival. With Chris Chambers, Quill & Quire’s Sue Carter and Brian Francis, Ethan Rilly, Sean Rogers, and Six Nations hip-hop artists 6BronxZoo. No One Writes to the Colonel, 460 College St., Toronto. 8 p.m. Free

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30

Janieta Eyre: Launching the book Incarnations. With R.M. Vaughan, Christian Bök, and David Dorenbaum. Creeds Coffee Bar, 390 Dupont St., Toronto. 7 p.m.

Lorna Poplak: Offering a presentation titled The Petticoat and the Noose: Hanging Women in Canada. Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St., Toronto. 7 p.m.
Free

Warren Kinsella: Signing the book Recipe for Hate. Octopus Books, 116 Third Ave., Ottawa. 4:30 p.m.
 Free

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1

Hamilton Arts & Letters: Launching its latest issue. With Gary Barwin, Jeffery Donaldson, Kaitlin Debicki, Klyde Broox, and Canisia Lubrin. Short centennial-era films by Bryce Kanbara and Jim Chambers, and a musical response to Alex Colville’s painting Horse and Train, composed by Dusty Micale. Art Gallery of Hamilton, 123 King St. W., Hamilton. 7 p.m. Free

Marja Perren: Signing her children’s book Dasha Saves the Day: At the Park. Chapters, Bayview Village Shopping Centre, 2901 Bayview Ave., Toronto. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free. DashaFlash.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2

Eric Zweig: Signing the book The Toronto Maple Leafs: The Complete Oral History. Booklore, 121 First St., Orangeville, Ont. 11 a.m. Free

Karen Kristjanson: Launching the book Co-Parenting from the Inside Out. Good Day Sunshine Café, 2950 King George Blvd., Surrey, B.C. 3 p.m.
 Free

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3

Draft Reading Series: With Vince Colistro, Christine Higdon, and Jess Taylor. Dock on Queen, 932 Queen St. E., Toronto. 3 p.m.

Guernica Winter Launch: Launching new books. Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., Toronto. 3:30 p.m. Free

In the Writers Studio: A panel discussion presented by Simcoe Street Books. With Martha Baillie, Melanie Mah, and Bianca Marais. Moderated by Dunedin Literary Festival director Simon Heath. Simcoe Street Theatre, 65 Simcoe St., Collington, Ont. 3 p.m. $15

Send listings for any Canadian literary events to [email protected]. Please include within the body of your email: name of event/featured author, a brief description, venue, street address, city, s tart time, cost of admission, and contact phone number or website. Q&Q is happy to list general information for literary festivals, but cannot list individual sessions. Events must be received by noon Thursday for the following week’s listings.