Re: Publication Launch Check-In | The Employee by Joshua Schwebel

Josh Schwebel <privatejosh@gmail.com> To: Camille-Zoé Valcourt-Synnott <██████████████████ >

Fri, Mar 14, 2025 at 7:02 AM

dear Camille,

sorry for the long delay, I hope you had a good winter!

The book has FINALLY printed!!! It's really hard to believe after all this time that we made it, but it's currently in shipment to me and Lauren....!

I have a few updates for you about launches, and hope it will be possible for you to attend, since it would be really valuable to include your voice in these presentations.

We are looking to launch in a few different places across Canada.

This is the plan for now, but there could be some changes as the pieces fall into place.

1. We're aiming to launch at the Libby Leshgold Read bookstore on June 5.

2. We're planning a launch at Art Metropole in Toronto on June 15.

3. We're planning a launch in Montreal tbd end of September / early October.

Unfortunately, communications with ARCA went terribly wrong, and it's not looking like they will include us in the conference. This is disappointing, and I can fill you in if you want more details (I'm assuming you do). If you're still going to be at ARCA however, I was thinking it might make sense for you to come to Toronto for the Art Met launch on the 15 of June. Is that feasible for you? I'm going to send an email to them asking for letters of support, and can ask for a letter for you as well that you can use if you still have the capacity to submit a CALQ grant. I'm also working on a draft text for travel funding that you can use all or part of if you want to lighten your workload. Hopefully between Lauren, you, and myself we can find a way to cover our costs.

Also! Please send me your mailing address so we can ship copies to you once they arrive.

If you're in the mood for a zoom, let's set something up. It's been too long!

warmly,

Josh

Camille-Zoé Valcourt-Synnott <██████████████████ >

Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 9:57 PM

Dear Josh,

It's so great to hear from you!
Sorry for taking too long to respond to these exciting news - I was in Drummondville last week to help Louis-Charles install his exhibition and then flew to Winnipeg on Monday for work.

That is such great news about the book!!!! I cannot wait t see it 🙂

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Noted for the dates of the launches. I don't think I would be able to make it to Vancouver since it's just before the ARCA conference, but i can definitely be there in Toronto on June 15 (with or without funding). I will try to work on a CALQ travel grant in the coming weeks, so yes please feel free to share a letter of support from Art Metropole.

Side note - I'm sure it's probably on your radar already and I'm guessing that Art Met will carry your book there - but there is also the Vancouver Art Book fair happening July 4-6 and the application to have a table is March 23rd. Maybe it's something you could be interested in rolling into the grant? just a thought.

I'm sorry to hear about ARCA - that's really too bad. Looking forward to hearing all the details about it soon when we catch up.

Things are pretty busy with work but if you are free on Sunday this week or next week, that could be a good time for me for a Zoom call.

Take care and talk soon,

xo

Camille

Josh Schwebel <privatejosh@gmail.com>

Sat, Mar 22, 2025 at 3:03 AM

Hi Camille,

Yes no problem, I realized you were in Drummondville!

The books are en route to Montreal as we write!!!

Let’s try to find time next Sunday? I look forward to hearing your updates.

Big hugs,

Josh

Josh Schwebel <privatejosh@gmail.com> To: Camille-Zoé Valcourt-Synnott <██████████████████ >, Lauren Wetmore <████████████████████████████████ >

Wed, Mar 26, 2025 at 4:22 AM

Hi Camille,

To follow up in more detail: no problem about the Vancouver launch! I didn’t really imagine that it would be possible for you to get to Vancouver, but rather saw that launch as a chance to include contributors already there, sorry I wasn’t more clear about that in my previous email. And yes, we had known about the Vancouver book fair, but the timing doesn’t work out for me or Lauren to be in Vancouver then.

But that’s fantastic news to hear that you’ll be able to attend the Toronto launch! I’m so glad that we’ll be about to speak about the project there together. It will be very meaningful to be able to do that. I’m sorry we can’t also have time together at ARCA, but yes, I can fill you in whenever you're ready :)

I’m attaching the letter of invitation from Art Met. Hopefully this will be of use to you to apply for funding from CALQ, but let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help your application.

If I have any luck with getting funding from CAC I'll let you know and we can try to make sure that everyone’s expenses are covered.

Apparently the books arrived in Montreal yesterday and according to House9 the designers, are beautiful. I can’t wait for you to get your copies 💖 and to hear what you think!

Big hugs,

Josh