Since 2001, every April has been marked with the launch of Frontenac House’s Quartet, four poetry books from the dynamic husband-wife publishing team of David and Rose Scollard. “When we first put out a call for poetry, we got four good books,” says Rose. “We tried to figure out the best time to release each one, and David said, ‘Why don’t we do all four at once?’ I came up with the name Quartet, and there you have it.”

Since its inception, Frontenac has been bombarded with awards, including Alberta’s Publisher of the Year for 2005 and 2006. “Our mandate is to publish cutting-edge poetry,” says Rose. “We want the whole spectrum of writing and styles, subject matter and voice.” The 2008 Quartet is no exception, with four unique and innovative poetry collections.

Karen Hoffman’s Water Strider explores the landscape of Kamloops. “She’ll write a little poem about the mayfly, only about 10 lines long,” says Rose, “and when you come out of it, you’ll feel like you’ve been exposed to a whole different world.”

Every poem in she is reading her blanket with her hands, by Sharron Proulx-Turner, is dedicated to someone: a friend, a family member, someone she’s met. “Each poem is a window into the person’s life and world,” says Rose. “Some of the poems are stream-of-consciousness, others have very abstract poetics, and the final section has edgier activist poems.”

Richard Stevenson, a longtime reviewer of Frontenac’s books, joins the ranks of its authors with Wiser Pills, an uninhibited portrayal of adolescent life and middle-aged regret. “He’s a very raucous, in-your-face writer, yet he provides some very tender moments,” says Rose.

Autopsy of a Turvy World, by Sheri-D Wilson, offers a window into 21st century afflictions that range from noise pollution to airport security. “She gets into all sorts of issues without ever being preachy,” says Rose. “It’s a very intense book, and I think it’s her best so far.” The 2008 Quartet Launch also serves as the first event of Wilson’s fifth annual Calgary International Spoken Word Festival, which spans the month of April — National Poetry Month.

All four poets, hosted by David Scollard, launch their books at the Memorial Park Library (1221 2 St. S.W.) on April 2, 7 p.m.

When he’s not pounding the keyboard at his secluded Idaho cabin, Jonathan Johnson is the director of the Inland Northwest Center for Writers. He joins us for a reading from his latest poetry collections, In the Land We Imagined Ourselves and Mastodon, 80% Complete. He reads at Pages Books (1135 Kensington Rd. N.W.) on March 28, 7:30 pm.

Inspired by The Wizard of Oz, creative culinary artists have whipped up edible book-themed treats for all to enjoy, in the eighth annual International Edible Book Festival. Come for a snack, and stick around for readings and an art book exhibition at the St. Mary’s University College campus library (14500 Bannister Rd. S.E.) on March 30, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

This year’s winner of CBC Radio’s Canada Reads, Paul Quarrington, launches his new novel, The Ravine, which follows a TV producer as he tries to uproot the boyhood trauma causing his mid-life misery. The book launch is followed by a live performance by Quarrington’s band, Pork Belly Futures. Join the action at the Ironwood Stage & Grill (1429 9 Ave. S.E.) on March 31, 7:30 p.m.

Red Mile Revenge, hosted by Selina Clary, continues to be Calgary’s sauciest open mic poetry night. Share your words with a friendly audience at Tubby Dog (1022 17 Ave. S.W.) on April 1, 8 p.m.

The flywheel reading series presents flying Onion, a special collaboration with Single Onion that mixes poetry and music, in honour of the Juno Awards. Hosted by Emily Elder and Dale Herrington, the evening features readings by Paul Marshall, rob mclennan and Andrew Wedderburn and music by the Jagatha Christies at McNally Robinson on April 3, 7 p.m.

PEN Canada, an organization that supports freedom of expression by lobbying on behalf of persecuted writers around the world, hosts the Words Without Borders tour this week, which takes four politically engaged writers to Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Canadian writers David Davidar and Afua Cooper join two members of PEN’s Writers in Exile Network, Jalal Barzanji and Sheng Xue at the W.R. Castell Central Library (616 Macleod Tr. S.W.) on April 3, 7:30 p.m., for a suggested admission price of $10.