Author Appearances - Captured Hearts: New Brunswick's War Brides

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Two NBers Nominated for GGs

David Adams Richards

The Canada Council for the Arts announced the finalists for the 2008 Governor General’s Literary Awards yesterday and two New Brunswickers are among the nominees.

Miramichi’s David Adams Richards is nominated in the fiction category for The Lost Highway. The Canada Council for the Arts statement said, “The Lost Highway is an intimate and compelling psychological portrait of a lost soul. David Adams Richards writes with an overarching humanity that points to our foibles with sympathy and humour. His open, honest and supple prose creates a world we at once recognize and see anew.”

Richards is one of only three writers to have won both the fiction and non-fiction awards for Nights Below Station Street in 1988 and Lines on the Water: A Fisherman's Life on the Miramichi in 1998, respectively.

Jo-Anne Elder of Fredericton received her second nomination for her English translation of Béatitudes, a book of poetry written by Herménégilde Chiasson, Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick. Elder received her first nomination in 2003 for her translation of the novel Tales from Dog Island by Françoise Enguehard.

Photo by Herménégilde Chiasson
The Canada Council for the Arts statement said, “In translating Herménégilde Chiasson’s Béatitudes, Jo-Anne Elder has met the challenges of both the emotionally-charged content of the original, and its specific literary form, the litany. She has movingly rendered the complexity expressed in this contemporary ‘sermon on the mount,’ while providing an English text rich with sensuality, rhythm and a sense of communion.”

The finalists include authors from ages 28 to 77, several previous finalists and three first-time finalists who are journalists. The awards are in the categories of fiction, non fiction, poetry, drama, children’s literature (text and illustration) and translation.

A total of 1,469 books were nominated for this year’s awards. Thirty-two of the 73 finalists are nominated for the first time. At least nine of the finalists are under the age of 35. The themes of mortality, war and place figure prominently in several of the books.

Canada Council for the Arts funds, administers and promotes the Governor General’s Literary Awards. Each winner will receive $25,000 and a specially-bound copy of the winning book. The publisher of each winning book will receive $3,000 to support promotional activities.

Non-winning finalists will each receive $1,000 in recognition of their selection as finalists, bringing the total value of the Awards to approximately $450,000.

The winners will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. EST at the McCord Museum of Canadian History in Montreal.

Banff Centre 2009 Writing Studio

The Banff Centre is now accepting applications for:
2009 Writing Studio
April 27 – May 30, 2009

Application deadline: October 31, 2008

Literary Arts director: Steven Ross Smith
Program director: Greg Hollingshead
Faculty:
Fiction and other narrative prose: Edna Alford, Marilyn Bowering, Steven Galloway, Jack Hodgins, Isabel Huggan
Poetry: Dionne Brand, Don McKay, Karen Solie

The Writing Studio is a five-week program offering poets and writers of fiction and other narrative prose the time, space, and support they need to pursue a writing project.

Financial assistance is available.

For more information and to apply:
The Banff Centre, Office of the Registrar
107 Tunnel Mountain Drive, Box 1020
Banff, Alberta T1L 1H5, CANADA
1-800-565-9989 or 1-403-762-6180
arts_info@banffcentre.ca
www.banffcentre.ca

Kathy Reichs Reading in Moncton

Best-selling author, forensic anthropologist and inspiration for the hit Fox TV show Bones, Kathy Reichs is coming to Moncton! Get your copy of Bones to Ashes, set right here in New Brunswick, and get ready for the Frye Festival's 2nd Community Read event on Sunday, October 26th at 2pm in the Moncton High School Auditorium.

Reichs is one of only 56 professionals certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. She testified at the UN Tribunal on genocide in Rwanda, identified people from mass graves in Guatemala and did forensic work at Ground Zero in New York City. She has written 10 best-selling novels inspired by her work. Reichs' most recent novel Bones to Ashes, which will be published in French this fall, takes place in New Brunswick. Reichs is fluently bilingual and splits her time between Charlotte, North Carolina and Montreal.

Don't miss this unique event, which will feature Greater Moncton "book-clubbers" on stage with the best-selling author! Tickets are on sale at www.tickets.moncton.ca or by calling (506) 857- 4100. Limited tickets will be also be available at the door. Adults $20 / Students $12.

Frye Festival Youth Writing Contest

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, the Great- West Life / London Life Writing Contest is open to high school students province-wide! Check out the new themes and write to win $100, $300 or $500! This year, there will be two distinct categories for creative writing and essays, so express yourself in your own style. The deadline for entries is December 12th.

The Great-West Life – London Life Writing Contest provides student authors the opportunity to demonstrate their writing skills.

Prizes are $500 first place, $300 second place, and $100 third place. Participating schools will also receive one ballot per submission (max. 15) to be placed in a draw for a prize of $500 toward the purchase of books.

Download PDF for full details.

National Novel Writing Month Turns 10

There are some who say writing a novel takes awesome talent, strong language skills, academic training, and years of dedication. Not true. All it really takes is a deadline – a very, very tight deadline – and a whole lot of coffee.

Welcome to National Novel Writing Month: a nonprofit literary crusade that encourages aspiring novelists all over the world to write a 50,000-word novel in a month. At midnight on Nov. 1, more than 100,000 writers from over 80 countries – poised over laptops and pads of paper, fingers itching and minds racing with plots and characters – will begin a furious adventure in fiction. By 11:59 PM on Nov.
30, tens of thousands of them will be novelists.

2008 is the ten-year anniversary of NaNoWriMo, founded in 1999 by freelance writer Chris Baty. In its first year, NaNoWriMo had just 21 participants. In 2007, over 100,000 people took part in the free challenge, making it the largest writing contest in the world. And while the event stresses fun and creative exploration over publication, 24 NaNoWriMo novelists have had their NaNo-novels published, including
Sarah Gruen, whose New York Times #1 Best Seller, Water for Elephants began as a NaNoWriMo
novel.

Around 18% of NaNoWriMo participants "win" every year by writing 50,000 words and validating their novels on the organization's website before midnight on Nov 30. Winners receive no prizes, and no one at NaNoWriMo ever reads the manuscripts submitted.

So if not for fame or fortune, why do people do it?

"The 50,000-word challenge has a wonderful way of opening up your imagination and unleashing creative potential like nothing else," says NaNoWriMo Director (and nine-time NaNoWriMo winner) Chris Baty. "When you write for quantity instead of quality, you end up getting both. Also, it's a great excuse for not doing any dishes for a month."

There will be a "Meet and Greet" Event held 2:00 pm Sunday, October 26 at Chapters (Regent Mall), 1381 Regent Street, Fredericton, NB, E3C 1A2. Come and find out what the buzz is all about.

If you would like more information about National Novel Writing Month, or would like to talk to participants from NaNoWriMo chapters in your area, please visit our website at www.NaNoWriMo.org, or contact Fredericton Municipal Liaison Susan Douglas (506-451-2955) OR press@nanowrimo.org.

Writers' Federation of New Brunswick Fall Literary Fair

Saturday, October 25, 2008
Join us for an autumn afternoon of readings and a workshop. The afternoon activities will be held at Doodles Cafe, Charlotte Street Arts Centre, 732 Charlotte St, Fredericton.

12 - 1 PM: Beth Powning, award-winning author of The Hatbox Letters and Shadow Child will read from a selection of her work.

1:30 - 2:30 PM: Jacques Poitras, CBC journalist and author of Beaverbrook: A Shattered Legacy and The Right Fight: Bernard Lord and the Conservative Dilemma will lead a workshop on non-fiction writing.

3 - 4 PM: Mark Anthony Jarman, acclaimed writer of short fiction collections such as 19 Knives will read from his recent publication My White Planet, followed by a Q&A on short-story writing.

7 - 9 PM. In the evening, join us for a free member book launch and readings at Alden Nowlan House, 676 Windsor St, Fredericton.

Early Bird Registration by October 20: $15 for members / $20 for non-members. After October 20: $20 for members / $25 for non-members.

To register and for more info contact Michelle Lovegrove Thomson: wfnb@nb.aibn.com / 506-459-7228 /

Call for Poetry! Deadline Soon!

Sorry for the late notice!

I'm soliciting poems for WEI Mag's science-heavy issue on maternal health and environmental concerns. The magazine presents writing and research from around the world http://www.yorku.ca/weimag/ABOUT/index.html

The deadline for reviewing poetry is close: Oct 25, 2008. Please send me a maximum of 3 poems (english-language) totaling 100 lines by email in a Word attachment. Please include your name, mailing address and email on each page.

Even though it's a tight turnaround, please forward this note to any international contacts that you might have. Very soon I will put out another call for poetry for our upcoming transgender issue.

Thanks and looking forward to great poetry.

Sonja Greckol
srgreckol@yahoo.ca
Poetry Coordinator
WEI Mag

Odd Sundays Presents M. Travis Lane

M. Travis Lane live at odd sundays at molly’s, Fredericton’s longest-running, semi-monthly, poetry-reading series.

Sunday, October 19
2 PM
554 Queen St, Fredericton

M Travis Lane—one of Canada’s best poets, one of the city’s most appealing treasures—will be the featured reader at the next odd sundays at molly’s event. Whether you come to be educated or to be delighted, both outcomes are probable. We are lucky to have Lane living in our community and giving so freely of her talents. Come to experience her words, laying down Canada’s poetic canon.

Sunday’s event will include an open set—bring a poem or a short piece of fiction to read to an eager audience. Also, consider submitting your work for possible inclusion in open set, an odd sundays chapbook, edited by M. Travis Lane.

odd sundays fall schedule:
October 19 M Travis Lane
November 2 Nancy Bauer
November 16 Roger Moore
November 30 Raymond Fraser
December 7 Tony Steele
December 21 TWIG

Come to odd sundays for your local poetry fix.

Andre Alexis Reading at UNB This Evening

Andre Alexis will be reading on Thursday, October 16 , 8pm at Memorial Hall.

Andre Alexis won both the Chapters/Books in Canada First Novel Award and the Trillium Award for Childhood.

His New novel, Asylum, narrates ten years of the Mulroney years and has as its backdrop a visionary plan to build the perfect prison. He is the creator and host of CBC Radio's program Skylarking.

New Brunswick Artists Wanted

New Brunswick Artists wanted to represent New Brunswick in the cultural competitions of the VI Games of La Francophonie in Beirut, Lebanon from September 27 to October 6, 2009.

Artists who are 35 years old or younger, have Canadian citizenship, are a resident of New Brunswick and are interested in representing New Brunswick in the cultural competitions, should register now.

November 7, 2008 is the deadline to submit an application.

Official Disciplines:
Song
Storytelling
Traditionally-inspired original dance
Literature (short story)
Painting
Photography
Sculpture

Information:
Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport
Arts Development Branch
Cultural competitions of the VI Games of La Francophonie
250 King St., Fredericton, NB E3B 9M9

Telephone: (506) 453-2555 Fax: (506) 453-2416
Email: michel.l.berube@gnb.ca
www.gnb.ca/Jeux

Amsterdam Magazine Seeks the Unexpected

Literary print annual Versal (Netherlands) seeks poetry, prose, and art for its seventh issue due out in May, 2009.

Appreciates innovative forms (i.e. flash fiction, prose poetry) and work that is "urgent, involved, and unexpected."

Deadline: January 15, 2009.

More details...

Seeking "quieter" writing for handmade mag

Ox Family (Canada, US, India) seeks submissions for its second handmade publication (published in 2009).

Accepts fiction, short stories, stream-of-consciousness pieces, song lyrics, and poetry.

Theme: "if we were quieter."
Deadline: November 7, 2008.

More details...

University journal seeks submissions

University of Calgary's undergraduate-run magazine NōD is accepting submissions of poetry, prose, and visual art for their 9th issue. Open to undergraduate, emerging and established writers.

Length: 2000 words max or 10 poems.
Payment: contributor copy.
Deadline: October 31, 2008.

Send all submissions as an attachment to nodmagazine@gmail.com.

Contest invites narratives from writers under 30

Narrative Magazine (US) is accepting entries for their 30 Below Story Contest.

First prize: US$1500.
Open to writers aged 18-30.
Length: 10000 words max.

Interested in narrative in the many forms it takes: the word and the image, the traditional and the innovative, the true and the imaginary.

No entry fee.

Deadline: October 27, 2008.

More details...

Character, Story, Plot and Adaptation Workshops

MASTERPLAYWORKS©® announces the autumn, 2008 online, live, interactive, Character, Story, Plot, and Adaptation Writer’s Workshops.

Conducted by Governor General Award winning author and Member of the Order of Canada,
Kent Stetson, C. M.

"I don’t know what you’re thinking, or what it’s like inside you and you don’t know what it’s like inside me. In fiction, I think we can leap over that wall . . . I feel human and un-alone, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, that I’m in a deep, significant conversation with another consciousness . . . in a way I don’t with any other art." -- David Foster Wallace
* Globe and Mail, September 20, 2008, quoted by Rick Groen

STAGE AND SCREEN DRAMA:

The Character Generated Story: An introduction.

Beginning Saturday, October 18, 2008, once weekly through Saturday, December 14.

10:00 am-12:00 pm, est (Canada).

How to write well? Begin by learning your craft. Whether you’re a seasoned writer exploring a new genre, or a dramatist just starting out, The Character Generated Story workshop takes you quickly, with depth and precision, to the heart of your characters and the story you need them to tell. We spend eighteen hours (nine sessions, each two hours in length) investigating the craft of character development and story construction. Each session begins with a half hour of instruction on the basics— the craft— of dramatic writing. Ninety minutes of writing and listening exercises follow. You’ll emerge with a carefully worked, thoroughly assessed 750 word story, a one page synopsis suitable for marketing/fund raising, and a three page ‘producer’s’ outline.

Three participants minimum, six participants maximum.

THE PLOT:

How and Why things happen in Drama and Narrative Fiction.

Beginning Saturday, October 18, 2008, once weekly through Saturday, December 14.

2:00 pm-4:00 pm, est (Canada).

The Plot workshop is designed for writers who have mastered basic story and character craft elements of dramatic and narrative fiction. In drama and prose fiction, plot drives the story. What your characters do causes conflict. Conflict forces action. Action has implications. As A. Pope puts it, "Alps on Alps arise." We look at forward movement, lateral spread, and rising action. We mine your plot for the Holy Grail of all narrative fiction, the over-arcing metaphor. And we seek the theme . . . what’s the big idea? How does it effect details of the plot? The greater your understanding of the theme of your work, and the dynamic of metaphor, the more powerful your writing. We’ll explore your 750 word story with an eye to understanding the dynamic forces already at work. We’ll explore pace and rhythm. We’ll consider the narrative arc. We’ll begin plotting scenes and/or chapters. We’ll make a map and point you to your final destination.

Three participants minimum, six participants maximum.

ADAPTATION:

Drama to Prose, Prose to Drama;

You Can Get There From Here.

Beginning Sunday, 2 pm, October 19, 2008, once weekly through Sunday, December 15.

This new, first-time offering explores literary transformation. On my publisher’s invitation, I transformed a two act stage play to a 385 page novel. What a great gig it was! I’m still processing my insights. I discovered story migrates relatively easily: the who, what, where and when of the source material held. The characters resemble their original selves, but function differently in the new world. The plot undergoes the greatest transformation. The how and why of fictive narrative, prose or drama, must be re-considered, re-imagined and re-invented. You must know your point of departure intimately, ransack it, take what’s useful and discard the rest. We’ll go from long or short form narrative fiction to drama (stage or screen), and/or drama to long or short form fiction. Whether the material adapted is your own, or a piece you’ve secured the right to adapt, if it intrigues you and chews at your internal scenery, demanding to be re-invented, the Adaptation course will help you decide which elements to pack for the journey, and which to leave behind.

Designed for four to six participants.

Join from anywhere in the world:

All you need is a high-speed internet connection.

Award winning novelist and playwright Kent Stetson, C. M., is pleased to announce the third in a series of workshops for writers of drama and prose fiction.

The three courses begin October, 2008.

Requests from participants in introductory workshops for an extended course of advanced study have been gratifying. Hence these thorough online investigations of the mechanics of dramatic fiction, be the final form the page, large or small screen, or the stage.

The inaugural online courses have a great success (see Endorsements, below) the participants keen and engaged, the exchanges vital and expansive. For those of you who could not participate because of timing or late application, and those of you who have expressed interest since, we’re doing it again!

Places for participants at all levels of their personal or professional practice are available.

LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STORY AND PLOT.

E. M. Forster, in his collected essays on drama and prose fiction, Aspects of the Novel, states:

The king died, the queen died is the story; the king died, the queen died of grief is the plot.

Kent Stetson believes, like Forster, that the essentials of character, story and plot are common to both prose fiction and drama. In both drama and prose fiction, action speaks louder than words. The arrangement of events— what the characters do, not only what they say— shapes the story. Action drives the forward motion of the load-bearing plot.

Like Wallace in the quote above, Forster tells us the essence of all art boils down to two simple words: Only Connect.

"No tears in the writer," Whit and Halley Burnet tell us in The Fiction Writers Hands Book, "No tears in the reader. No joy in the writer, no joy in the reader."

Writing can be perilous, some say must be perilous. It must not, however, to be undertaken lightly. Nor can it be allowed to become debilitating. Audacity and courage must be balanced with craft and a stable, sustainable practice.

EVERY PROJECT ADVANCED. EVERY QUESTION ANSWERED. EVERY VOICE HEARD.

The online vocal and written exchanges are communal and intense . . . no more than six participants per group, each group meeting for two hours weekly, for nine weeks. Polished work and follow-up comments are exchanged between participants by email, and live, online.

In-depth exploration of character through perspective exercises help expand the individual writer’s understanding of her or his emerging story and plot. The exercises are based on live, group interaction. Assessment is careful, considered, respectful and rigorous: we determine what the writer actually wrote as opposed to what we think we heard.

The sessions are real time, computer to computer via. VOIP (voice over internet protocol.) I use Skype, which is free, easy to download — and simple to use. The sound quality is extraordinary. It really feels like we are all in the same room together. And you don’t have to leave the house! (Note: We can work between computer and land line, if you prefer.)

PLOT IN DRAMA AND PROSE FICTION

The design of the live, on-line workshop series arises from popular, successful courses offered by Mr. Stetson at L’Atelier La Roque Alric in Provence, the National Theatre School of Canada, McGill and Concordia Universities, the Quebec Writers Federation, the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society, writer’s organizations across Canada, private workshops, and one-on-one dramaturgical sessions countywide.

Developed in tandem with his personal practice and his publication/production history with both prose fiction and drama, Stetson's craft-oriented courses help writers strengthen the dynamics and architecture of their work.

The great strengths of the all the courses are the timed, hand written character perspective exercises, which are assessed live on-line by the group in positive, supportive, challenging exploration. Theory and practice, craft and imagination play off each other in lively, informed discussion moderated with insight and good humour by Kent.

ENDORSEMENTS

Montreal translator and first-time dramatist Lesley McCubbin. . .

It's obvious that Kent has VAST amounts of knowledge and insight to draw upon. Plus, his skill at being able to constantly pinpoint the vital elements in the work, draw out the things that made it work (or not), reference it to deeper ideas, open it up to a bigger picture -- this amazed me. And he was able to critique the work without ever undermining anyone. An enormously demanding job, extremely well executed. . . It seems to me that whether you are a seasoned writer or trembling greenhorn (like me), you'll come away from this course with fresh insights into the process of penning a narrative -- and renewed enthusiasm for the process of writing! Kent takes his vast knowledge, experience, and listening skills and uses them to illuminate the question of, not just craft, but also the broader currents that underpin any narrative. Enormously stimulating and rewarding.

Senior actor, columnist, broadcast journalist and essayist Bill Carr says . . .

Taking the course was a leap of faith, not in Kent, but in myself. It jump started my creative spirit and then offered me specific elements of craft with which to create and give expression to that spirit. The work with the group, the solitary work, and the mentoring by Kent combined to make this an invaluable creative and deeply artistic adventure.

Novelist Irene Larkin writes . . .

I had an idea for a novel but I couldn't find the storyline. The live, on-line "Character Generated Plot" workshop opened up the story, the plot and the characters for me in an all encompassing way. Kent has a wonderful 'hands off' attitude toward your writing (there is only one person writing your material and that person is you), while his affirmation and encouragement bring out the very best you have to give. . . I am now editing my earlier novel and the excess and superfluous is just falling off under my pen.

APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY

The online workshop is offered to writers of drama and prose fiction who are embarking on new works, or are currently engaged with the development of works in progress.

For complete course description, application procedure & costs, email: kent.stetson@sympatico.ca

Visit www.MasterPlayWorks.com for additional information on Stetson’s background, his CV, teaching methods and more endorsements.

*A special rate applies for members of professional writer’s organizations, and writers I’ve worked with already.

For persons who might prefer to work one-on-one on-line or in person with Mr. Stetson, arrangements can be made.

Application deadline, October 14, 2008.

Moncton writers host travel writing workshop

If you’ve ever thought about being a travel writer, you are in luck. The Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC), Southeastern Chapter, is hosting a workshop in Moncton, November 1 from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Moncton Public Library, presented by freelance writer Sandra Phinney.

“There are many opportunities to write travel articles for magazines, web sites and content for travel guides or specialty publications,” Phinney said.

Deborah Carr, local PWAC Chapter President, said her organization is pleased that one of Atlantic

Canada’s finest travel writers will share her expertise and experience with local wordsmiths. "I've known Sandra Phinney for many years and she has a remarkable talent for sifting the story from the chaff. Besides the fact that she is a master of prose, she is also an expert in the travel writing industry, so I know that she will deliver a workshop of tremendous value to both seasoned and beginning writers."

Phinney loves the challenge and diversity of freelancing—especially in the realm of travel writing. She’s backpacked in Africa, hiked to outports in Newfoundland, and danced with the Bedouins in Wadi Rum, Jordan. She’s penned more articles than she can count and was a finalist in the “Northern Lights Awards” for an article that appeared in AAA Living.

The prolific writer is a regular contributor to Saltscapes Travel and Coastal Discovery. She also provides content to Fodor’s and D.K. Eyewitness guides. Several of her photos will appear in the 2009 Atlantic Canada Michelin Travel Guide.

“If you want to roll up your sleeves and learn the ins and outs of the travel writing business, this workshop promises to cover a lot of ground. Participants will leave with a bagful of information and tools that will put them on the travel writing track,” Phinney promised.

For more information or to register, contact Brett Anningson at (506) 388-1564 or email brettanningson@rogers.com.

TWIG Monthly Writing Circle (Fredericton)

TWIG (TUFF WRITING INTERESTING GROUP) is a friendly writing circle created to encourage the art of writing. We will meet on the third Thursday of every month, and both new and mature writers are welcome. Participation in this writing circle includes submitting our own texts, and evaluating other participants’ work.

Kitchen facilities will be available for those who wish to make tea or coffee for themselves.

Every once in a while, TWIG will invite established writers to read us their work, and to share with us their thoughts on the process of writing.

Every year, the poetry-reading series, odd sundays at molly’s, will invite TWIG members, as a group, to read their work to the public.

TWIG is open to all who are interested in writing, in whatever form they practice their art. Bring pencils, paper, ears attuned to listening, and your love of writing.

Info: acalvern@nbnet.nb.ca

Third Thursdays at 7:30 PM, Fredericton Public Library, 874 York Street.

Short Story Radio Competition

Now is your chance to have your short story professionally recorded and broadcast to a worldwide audience on Short Story Radio.

The winner of our Short Story Radio competition will have their story recorded by a British Equity member actor and produced by the creative team behind Short Story Radio. The winning story will be broadcast on shortstoryradio.com and can also be played on your own website (don't worry if you don't have a website - the winning writer also gets their own website worth £250).

Three runners up will have their story published in our online Short Story Magazine and receive a free web page profile on the Short Story Radio website.

Any writer may submit a story to our competition. Although stories must be written in English, we welcome submissions from writers anywhere in the world.

For more details, visit: http://www.shortstoryradio.com/competitions.htm

Deadline: October 31.

WFNB Executive Director Position

The Writers' Federation of New Brunswick invites applications for the position of part-time Executive Director. The candidate should have a BA or equivalent, and possess grant-writing experience, excellent writing skills, organizational ability, book-keeping and administrative experience, and be proficient with computers/e-mail. Knowledge of writing in New Brunswick and arts funding agencies would be an asset.

The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick is a non-profit organization that represents writers in all disciplines and at all levels of development. The WFNB currently has 150 members. Its objectives are:

1. To promote the works of New Brunswick writers and encourage greater recognition of our writers.
2. To assist writers at all stages of their development.
3. To promote literacy and provide additional educational services to schools and libraries.
4. To promote a sense of community among New Brunswick writers.

Please visit our website for additional info on the Federation: www.wfnb.ca

Emailed or postmarked applications must be received by October 24, 2008. Candidates should send a copy of CV and two letters of recommendation to:

Search Committee / WFNB
PO Box 37, Station A
Fredericton, NB
E3B 4Y2

OR wfnb@nb.aibn.com
If emailing, please save attached documents as MS Word Documents, or Rich Text Files.

WFNB Fall Literary Fair (Fredericton)

The Writers' Federation of New Brunswick Presents our annual FALL LITERARY FAIR! Saturday October 25th, 2008.

Join us for an autumn afternoon of readings and a workshop. In the evening, we will be hosting a free member booklaunch and readings at the Alden Nowlan House (676 Windsor St) from 7-9pm.

Beth Powning, award-winning author of “The Hatbox Letters” and “Shadow Child” will read from a selection of her work. (12 - 1pm)

Jacques Poitras, CBC journalist and author of “Beaverbrook: A Shattered Legacy” and “The Right Fight: Bernard Lord and the Conservative Dilemma” will lead a workshop on non-fiction writing. (1:30 - 2:15pm)

Mark Anthony Jarman, acclaimed writer of short fiction collections such as “19 Knives” will read from his recent publication “My White Planet”, followed by a Q&A on short-story writing. (2:30 - 3:30pm)

Saturday October 25th, 12 - 4pm
Doodles Cafe, Charlotte Street Arts Centre
732 Charlotte St, Fredericton.

Early Bird Registration by October 20th: $15 for members/ $20 for non-members After October 20th: $20 for members/$25 for non-members

To register and for more info contact Michelle Lovegrove Thomson:
wfnb@nb.aibn.com
506-459-7228
www.wfnb.ca

FREDERICTON POET TO COMMIT ‘RANDOM ACTS OF POETRY’

Random Acts of Poetry, a celebration of poetry and literacy, begins its fifth year during the week of October 1st to 5th, 2008. Random Acts of Poetry is a project of the Victoria READ Society, a non-profit literacy organization, established in 1976. Random Acts of Poetry is funded by The Canada Council for the Arts.

During the week, 25 acclaimed poets across Canada, from Victoria to Newfoundland, will commit Random Acts of Poetry in their cities and adjacent small towns. On buses and subways, in donut shops and cafes, police stations, grocery stores, shelters, curling rinks, on city streets and country lanes, poets will read poems to strangers and give them their books. Poets will also read their poems in ESL and Adult Literacy classes and, as well, will present poetry in middle school classes, and give the students a book of poetry written by middle school students, We Can Say This, published with support from of the TD Bank Financial Group.

Fredericton poet Joe Blades will read for his second year with Random Acts. Blades has published four books of poetry, hosts the weekly Ashes, Paper & Beans on CHSR 97.9 FM, is Vice President of the League of Canadian Poets, and is a member of the BlackTop MotorCycle Gang writers group.

Patrick Lane, one of Canada’s premier poets, says of Random Acts of Poetry, “There are no accidents. Nothing is random. A poem sits in a poet’s pocket and jumps out when you least expect it. It can nestle in a mechanic’s ear, a politician’s hand, a waitress’s bright eye, somewhere, anywhere. You look up from work and there’s a poem. It reads itself to you. It asks you to take a break. It says: Right here. Right now.”

“Poetry,” says Wendy Morton, founder of Random Acts of Poetry, “is the shortest distance between two hearts. I have read poems to hundreds of people, many of whom hadn’t heard a poem in thirty years, and watched their eyes fill up with tears. Some burst into laughter or laid a hand on my shoulder, hugged me, took my hand. Poetry can connect us with each other as humans as no other art form I know. Poetry is a gift that we can create from whatever life has in store for us.”

Across Canada poets will commit random acts in: Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Pickering, Trenton, Ottawa, Port McNicoll, Windsor, Montreal, Laval, Fredericton, Edmundston, Charlottetown, Halifax, and St. John’s.

WFNB: Our Position on the Arts Cuts

The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick will advocate on behalf of the individual members and writers in the province, who may depend on Federal travel grants to promote their work, give readings, and attend creative residencies across Canada and in other parts of the world.

In addition, we denounce the $1 million cut to the Book Publishing Industry Development Program, as well as the $500,000 cut to the Canada Magazine Fund. These are essential funding bodies that support small publishers who want to reach larger audiences. The elimination of these and other arts, culture and heritage programs undermines previous claims the Harper government has made that it will promote and support made-in-Canada initiatives both at home and abroad.

The operations of the Federation as an organization will not be directly affected by the Harper government’s cuts as we are not recipients of federal funding from any of the eliminated or reduced programs. However, we currently depend on the Canada Council for the Arts to provide honoraria for our writer workshops and readings, and also to contribute to the travel costs of visiting authors. Should the Harper government continue to make cuts in this sector, we will ultimately suffer in our ability to put on readings and workshops.

On an ideological level, our organization is affected by the recent funding cuts in that we are wary of any government that so openly and cavalierly expresses a disdain for arts and culture. We are part of a community of literary and artistic organizations, and the dismantling of any part of the larger arts, culture and heritage sector affects all art and literature producers and appreciators.

These are the questions we are interested in asking the political candidates:

1. Does your party acknowledge that the federal government has a responsibility to invest in art and culture in Canada as it does in other sectors of national activity?

2. Does your party agree that artists, intellectuals, and cultural institutions contribute as much to the international image of Canada as athletes and business people do?

3. If so, what programs and policies will your party put in place to ensure that artists, creators, and intellectuals participate in Canadian foreign policy strategy?

4. Does your party intend to replace the programs dedicated to the internationalization of Canadian culture (PromArt and TradeRoutes)? Please provide specific details.

RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers

A prize of $5000 will be awarded to the best work of poetry by a Canadian writer under the age of 35. Submission guidelines can be found at: http://www.writerstrust.com/programs_apa_bronwenwallace.html.

Deadline: October 31.

Pat Lowther and Gerald Lampert Memorial Awards

The League of Canadian Poets is now accepting submissions for their annual book awards for titles published in 2008.

Submission deadline: November 1.

For more information on these awards, and to download a submission form, please go to: http://www.poets.ca/linktext/awards.htm

Saskatoon Library Seeks Writer-in-Residence Applications

Applications are invited from creative writers for the term position of Saskatoon Public Library/Canada Council for the Arts Writer in Residence from September 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010.

Remuneration: up to $30,000 for a nine-month term. Criteria are based on Canada Council guidelines; position subject to Canada Council funding.

Applications must be received by November 3, 2008. For more details visit http://www.saskatoonlibrary.ca/pdf/WIR-posting_2009- 10.pdf