Five cool things to do this week (Mar 1 to Mar 7)

1. Meet hot authors Find out what inspired best-selling authors like Naomi Alderman, the renowned rock ‘n’ roller Patti Smith, and business-savvy Kevin O'Leary. You might just pick up a pen yourself!

Mar 6 - Margaret Atwood interviews Naomi Alderman, Indigo Manulife/Bloor, Toronto

Mar 6 - An Evening with Kevin O'Leary, Confederation Centre of Arts, Charlottetown

Mar 7 - Patti Smith, AGO, Toronto

2. Watch steamy TV Melissa Rosenberg, the screenwriter behind the last instalment of the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (out on DVD March 2) adds a new dramatic series to the Sunday night TV line up. The Sopranos meets Weeds in Red Widow (March 3 at 9pm, ABC), a crime drama starring Radha Mitchell of Ozzie cult soap Neighbours, and Finding Neverland, as a housewife with a critical role in the somewhat questionable family business.

3. Check out overnight art On March 2 the tenth Nuit blanche à Montréal brings an artistic and eclectic mix of 1,080 activities, across 300 city sites, attracting more than two million visitors. Don't plan for shut-eye.

4. Celebrate International Women's Day International Women's Day is March 8 and women everywhere have decided to make a week out of it. Top picks: Gaining Momentum Under A Saskatoon Sky, featuring CBC reporter and best-selling author Melissa Fung speaking about her experience in captivity; Tales of Triumph, a night of stories, wine, laughter and hors-d'oeuvres; six days screenings about women by female directors from Evelyn Lambert to Karen Cho.

Mar 5 - Gaining Momentum Under A Saskatoon Sky, TCU Place, Saskatoon

Mar 6 - Tales of Triumph, Restaurant Robin des Bois, Montreal

Mar 4 to 10 - NFB Screenings in honour of National Women’s Day, Toronto

For more local listings check here: International Women's Day 2013

5. Listen to new Brit pop At the tender age of twenty-five, English songstress Kate Nash releases her third album “Girl Talk”, out March 5. If her latest single "3am" is anything to go by prepare for fifteen intoxicatingly catchy pop tracks that will leave you with an English accent.