Frye Festival Celebrates 10th Anniversary in Style

The Frye Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary! The Festival will begin its celebrations today by unveiling the line-up for the 2009 edition, which will be held from April 17 to 26 in Moncton, NB. Canada’s only, bilingual, international literary festival will bring together world renowned authors with audiences of all ages in a bilingual celebration of words.

Founded in honour of the famous literary critic Northrop Frye, the Frye Festival attracted over 16,000 attendees in 2008 and over 80,000 since its inception. This event receives its financing from all levels of government, generous corporate sponsors and individuals. The Frye Festival is managed by two employees who are supported by over a hundred volunteers.

“Ten days of festivities, ten days of wonderful discoveries, ten days to celebrate words and literature. What better way to celebrate the tenth year,” said Stéfanie Wheaton, Executive Director of the Festival. “We want to thank all those who have supported us from the very beginning and those who join us each year. Thanks to the public and our generous sponsors, the Frye can create these unforgettable moments between authors and readers.”

There is truly something for everyone at this year’s Festival. Heading the tenth anniversary celebration is Jane Urquhart, author of five award-winning books: The Whirlpool, Changing Heaven, Away, The Underpainter, The Stone Carvers, and A Map of Glass. Urquhart will be joined on stage by Wayne Johnston and Miriam Toews for an evening featuring the best of Canadian literature, hosted by the Globe and Mail’s Martin Levin. Wayne Johnston is best known for The Custodian of Paradise, his fictional account of former Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood and Miriam Toews is the celebrated author of A Complicated Kindness (winner of the Governor General’s Award) and The Flying Troutmans.

On the francophone side, the famous French novelist Alexandre Jardin, well known for his successful Roman des Jardins and who just released Chaque femme est un roman in 2008 will be attending. Also attending is journalist, writer, columnist, and television director, Jean Barbe, creator of the weekly publication Voir and of the Montreal cultural newspaper Ici. His most recent novel, Le travail de l’huître, was published in October 2008.

The Frye Festival is Canada’s only officially bilingual literary festival. Every year thousands of New Brunswickers meet face-to-face with some of the brightest literary minds of our times. The Frye Festival has hosted winners of all the major international literary prizes bringing globally renowned literary talent to New Brunswick communities. Tickets for the 2009 edition of the Frye Festival can be purchased from the Greater Moncton ticketing network. For more information on the Frye Festival and its program, go to www.frye.ca.

Must-see events

The Frye Festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary in style with John Ralston Saul and Antonine Maillet, in an evening extravaganza on Friday, April 17. The Festival is planning another special evening with Alexandre Jardin, an excellent and intriguing French author. In addition, the public will be able to discover some of the best young writers in the province, hosted by Governor General’s Award winning poet Serge Patrice Thibodeau and Gerard Beirne, UNB’s Writer in Residence.

This year, the Antonine Maillet–Northrop Frye Lecture will be given by Monique LaRue, a novelist and literature professor at Collège Édouard-Montpetit. The title of the talk is “Between Two Books: the Writer’s Time.” She has published numerous novels, articles, and essays, such as La Démarche du crabe, for which she received the Grand Prix du Journal de Montréal in 1996, and La Gloire de Cassiodore, for which she received the Governor General’s Award in 2002. The lecture will take place at noon on Saturday, April 25, at Moncton City Hall.

The film-writing workshop, a very popular annual event, will be hosted this year by the New Brunswick scriptwriter Tony Sekulich. Let’s not forget, the traditional Soirée Frye, the many workshops, the Night Howls hosted by Paul Bossé at the Caveau, and the Frye Jam back by popular demand with Les Païens and their guests. The official opening of the Frye Festival will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday April 17, at Moncton City Hall.

The importance of promoting literature among young people

The School Youth Program is a vital component of the Frye Festival that seeks to encourage students to discover the magic of reading and the written word. From April 17 to 26, the Festival will offer youth from schools all over New Brunswick the opportunity to interact with authors in their classrooms. Last year, more than 10,000 pupils met authors face to face, totalling 180 school visits. Over $6,000 was donated in new books to participating schools and the Festival gave $4,200 in prizes to writing contest winners and their schools. The traditional KidsFest – with its games, contests, author readings, and writing workshops – will take place on Saturday, April 25, at the Moncton Public Library.

Among the list of children’s authors, the Festival will feature Sheree Fitch, one of Moncton’s most loved authors. Sheree will do it all – from school visits, to workshops, and even an appearance at KidsFest! Other authors on the children’s roster are Lesley Livingston, a trained thespian whose spoken word performer, broadcast journalist and musician Nova Scotia and Alain M. Bergeron, author of more than 100 children’s books.

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.

Frye Festival Breaks Records

It was another banner for the Frye Festival, with Moncton’s annual celebration of words setting a new attendance high of over 16,000. “That’s an increase of nearly 25% from last year and far exceeds our goal for 2009,” chair Dawn Arnold said.

Credit goes in large part to its stellar line-up of authors, with such literary luminaries as Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Ford, Russell Banks, Heather O’Neill, Ami McKay and Nancy Huston on the festival marquee.

“These absolutely remarkable authors fed our imaginations in so many ways and inspired kids in record number,” Arnold said at yesterday’s closing. This year, more than 10,000 students in New Brunswick welcomed the internationally acclaimed authors into their classrooms, with school visits totalling 180, another new record for the festival.

The five-day festival’s wide-ranging program of workshops, dialogues, readings, debates, lectures drew standing-room only crowds to venues throughout the city and several events were sell-outs, such as the The Antonine Maillet-Northrop Frye Lecture by Alberto Manguel on “Why Homer Must Be Blind”.

Saturday’s KidsFest, an action-packed, fun-filled event that promotes the joy and discovery of reading and writing to youth, drew 1,200 people to the Moncton Public Library.

Thanks to the passion of its 150 volunteers, the generosity of its patrons and the support of government leaders, with private and public partnerships now totalling 60, the festival donated more than $6,000 worth of new books to schools and gave out $4,000 in prize money to winners of its Great-West Life — London Life Writing Contest.

The success of the 2008 festival raises the bar high for the 10th edition of Canada’s only bilingual literary festival in 2009. This not-for-profit, volunteer-driven event was established in 1999 to honour the literary contributions of its namesake and world-renowned educator and author Northrop Frye, who spent his formative years in Moncton. Its 10th anniversary will be celebrated with a 10-day festival, April 17-26, 2009.

The 2008 event ended with a farewell reception, hosted by the Greater Moncton International Airport, and featuring the grand finale reading by the festival’s very own poet laureate, Poet flyé and Moncton writer Paul Bossé, accompanied by popular local band Les Païens.His epic poem, entitled #9, will be permanently displayed in the airport art gallery, next to his work from last year.

At yesterday’s closing, a plaque was unveiled to commemorate the 9th annual Frye Festival. It will be permanently displayed at the French Consulate building and features a quote from one of the 2008 festival’s world-renowned authors, Nancy Huston, which reads: “Imagination is an essential part of human reality”.

Kidsfest at Frye Saturday

Fun for the whole family is in store at Frye Festival's KidsFest, Saturday, April 26at the Moncton Public Library.

The adventure-filled action-packed line-up begins at 9 am with a variety of activities focused on the magic of written and oral words.

The half-day event encourages children, ages 2-12, to write their own poetry, go fishing for words, do crafts, swap books and much more! Last year over 1,200 people attended the free event.

KidsFest also provides an opportunity to meet the Frye Festival authors and hear them read from their works.

For children ages 8-10, Kidsfest is also a great place to learn more about the writing craft in free workshops! Erik Dyke will host a workshop on creative comics (in English) and Diane Carmel Léger will give tips on creative writing (in French). Pre-register at workshops.ateliers@frye.ca to save your spot!

This Frye Festival favourite is made possible by the generosity of its new sponsor - the City of Moncton.

The City of Moncton is proud to be hosting such an important event geared towards kids, says Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton. Literacy is a cornerstone of success and by getting our children excited about reading and writing we can ignite this life-long passion.

Frye Festival Shines Spotlight on Teen Talent

Building on last year’s successful debut, Aliant Café Underground returns to the Frye Festival Wednesday, April 23, ready to shine its spotlight on talented teens.

Aliant Café Underground provides a unique forum for high school students throughout the region to present their original works of poetry, prose and song in a bilingual setting. This showcase of rising stars on the local literary front will be held at the Aberdeen Cultural Centre at 7 p.m.

Mentors Troy Little, a graphic novelist from Prince Edward Island and Katia Canciani, a rising talent from Nova Scotia, will be on-site to provide encouragement and tips to the young writers.

“We believe in encouraging our community’s youth to reach their full potential,” said Nicole Gallant, Aliant’s Regional Manager for Southeast New Brunswick. “The Aliant Café Underground is a great opportunity for the region’s emerging literary talent to shine in a professional setting. After hearing about the incredible performances at last year’s Café Underground, I can’t wait to see and hear what our writers have to say on April 23rd.”

Frye Festival Workshops

Aspiring writers can study their craft with the masters at the 2008 Frye Festival.

Workshops, led by such literary celebrities as award-winning novelist and screenwriter Russell Banks, headline Moncton’s annual celebration of words, April 23-27.

These unique learning experiences will be offered to students of various genres, from poetry and playwrighting to storyboarding and screenwriting.

The festival’s workshop series begins with a two-hour class on playwrighting, presented by Shediac playwright Don Hannah, at Théâtre l’Escaouette, April 24, at 9 a.m. Registration fee is $15. St. George writer Robert Rayner will deliver a workshop for adults writing for children at the Moncton Library that afternoon, starting at 1:30 p.m. Cost to participate is $10.

Russell Banks’ film writing workshop is among event highlights on April 25. His class begins at 9 a.m. at the Théâtre l’Escaouette and is a joint presentation of the Frye Festival, Enterprise Greater Moncton and Film New Brunswick. Cost is $35. To guarantee your participation, pre-register now by calling 506-859-4389 or emailing workshops.ateliers@frye.ca.

Jo-Anne Elder and Paris poet Jacques Rancourt will co-present a creative writing workshop in French that afternoon beginning at 2 p.m. at l’Alliance française, while Nova Scotia poet Peter Sanger will deliver a poetry workshop in English at the same time at the Moncton Public Library. Registration fee for both events is $10.

On Saturday, April 26 St. John’s poet Mary Dalton and Montreal poet and novelist Rachel Leclerc will lead poetry workshops in English and French, respectively, at the Moncton City Hall and the Dieppe Public Library, beginning at 9:30 a.m. with a $10 charge to participate.

And we can’t forget our youngest writers! Local cartoonist Eric Dyke will present a Creative Comics workshop in English and Diane Léger will present a Creative Writing workshop in French. Both workshops are for 8 to 10-year-olds and will take place at 10:00 a.m. at the Moncton Public Library. Both are free.

Workshops continue that afternoon with a presentation on chaotic creativity by members of the South East New Brunswick Chapter of Professional Writers Association of Canada at the Moncton Public Library, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Cost to take part is $10.

Miramichi’s Fatkat Animation will share the tools of the animation trade during a storyboarding and writing workshop at Mad City Comics, starting at 2 p.m. The fee to register is $15.

To register for these workshops, call the Frye Festival office at 859-4389, email workshops.ateliers@frye.ca or check out all the details at www.frye.ca.

Frye Festival Writing Contest

2008 Frye Festival Writing Contest fosters student creativity

Young Anglophone and Francophone students from the Moncton, Fredericton, and Saint-John regions have an opportunity to showcase their creative talent – and win cash awards – during the 2008 Frye Festival Writing Contest.

The Frye Festival in Moncton, New Brunswick promotes the pleasure and discovery of reading by bringing together local, national and international authors with public audiences of all ages, creating an annual bilingual celebration of words. The Festival includes an annual student writing contest.

“This year’s writing contest promises to be better than ever,” says Stefanie Wheaton, Executive Director for the Frye Festival. “In past years, cash prizes for student writing excellence went directly to the schools. This year, both the students and their schools will be eligible for prizes.”

Students are eligible to win cash prizes of $500, $300, and $100 for their writing efforts. In addition, each entry entitles the student’s school to enter its name to win $500 it can allocate to the purchase of new books.

The Writing Contest, which for the first time will feature creative writing as well as essay topics, is open to high school students from District 1 and 2 in the Moncton region as well as Districts 11, 8 and 18. Participants must submit a 400-800-word prose selection on a variety of specific subjects. Prizes of $500, $300, and $100 will be awarded in each of the Anglophone and Francophone categories. In all, approximately $4,200 will be awarded through the contest.

Schools have until Friday, March 28 to submit their students’ work.

The 2008 Frye Festival Writing Contest is sponsored by Great-West Life and London Life, through The Key to Giving™ – the national corporate citizenship program of Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life. Through The Key to Giving, the companies contribute to non-profit, charitable and community organizations across the country to address health and wellness, education, social services, arts and culture and civic initiatives. The Key to Giving program also supports the volunteer involvement of staff and financial security advisors in their efforts to meet the needs of the communities in which they live and work. In fact, it was the Moncton-area staff and financial security advisors from Great-West Life and Freedom 55 Financial who first championed the 2008 Frye Festival Writing Contest as a great fit for The Key to Giving program. Freedom 55 Financial is the financial security planning division of London Life.

As Blair Hayden, Regional Director, Great-West Life explains, “The 2008 Frye Festival Writing Contest offers an ideal opportunity for high school students to develop their creativity and self-confidence — qualities that will serve them well in whatever careers they choose for themselves.”

Rick Watt, Regional Director, Freedom 55 Financial, agrees, adding “language and writing skills are an important element in personal growth and career success. Freedom 55 Financial and Great-West Life are proud to help offer students an opportunity to develop their creative and writing abilities.”

Prizes for the 2008 Frye Festival Writing Contest will be awarded during the ninth edition of the Frye Festival held in Moncton from April 23-27.

Visit the Frye Festival website at www.frye.ca for further contest details.

Frye Festival Authors Announced

9th annual Frye Festival brings award-winning authors to Moncton
April 23-27, 2008

The Frye Festival will honour its proud tradition of bringing some of the best authors in the world to Moncton when the 9th edition of this annual celebration of words takes over Hub City cafes, schools, theatres and libraries, April 23-27, 2008.

Canada's only bilingual international literary festival, the Frye Festival promotes the pleasure and discovery of reading through a wide range of activities for book lovers and aspiring writers of all ages, including dialogues, workshops, readings and round tables. Named in honour of Northrop Frye, a renowned thinker who spent his formative years in Moncton, the five-day event has presented more than 300 authors, from every continent, to date.

Recently celebrated Canadian authors on the 2008 marquee include Ami McKay, whose debut novel The Birth House was a number one bestseller in Canada and Heather O'Neill, who enjoyed similar critical acclaim for her first novel Lullabies for Little Criminals. Both books are long-listed for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

In addition to McKay and O'Neill, this year's showcase includes Russell Banks, author of the highly acclaimed The Sweet Hereafter and Affliction (both of which have been made into films); Alberto Manguel, novelist and distinguished thinker; Nancy Huston, a Calgary-born, Paris-based writer who is best known for her work Plainsong and Don Hannah, the Shediac-born award-winning playwright and novelist.

Other Festival headliners include Pulitzer Prize-winner Richard Ford, author of five novels including The Sportswriter and Independence Day and Rachel Leclerc, a major literary figure in Quebec and in Europe.

Over 13,000 people took part in last year's Festival, setting a new attendance high for the non-profit, volunteer-driven event. One of the Festival's objectives is to give youth from Kindergarten through to Grade 12 venues to present their original creations and opportunities to experience the fun and power of words.

This is achieved through the highly successful and growing School-Youth Program, which includes the popular Great-West Life — London Life Writing Contest, Aliant Budding Writers, Aliant Café Underground, KidsFest and TD's Writers in the Schools events.

In 2007, Frye Festival authors visited schools all over New Brunswick to promote the discovery and enjoyment of reading and writing to thousands of French and English students. The Frye Festival also donated $6,000 in new books to the Province’s schools and presented over $4,000 in prize money to the writing contest winners.

The Festival receives funding from all levels of government and generous corporate sponsors and is managed by two employees and supported by more than 100 volunteers.

David Adams Richards (Moncton)

Frye Festival presents book launch by David Adams Richards
Spend Thursday, February 14 with the Province’s best known literary export - David Adams Richards. The award-winning author will be in Moncton for the launch of his new book Playing the Inside Out, joined by special guest and acclaimed Acadian author Antonine Maillet.
The launch begins at 5 p.m. at the Université de Moncton’s Galerie d’art Louise-et-Reuben Cohen. Books will be sold on site by the Librairie acadienne.

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David Adams Richards at Moncton Library
Critcally acclaimed author David Adams Richards will read from his new novel The Lost Highway and sign books at the Moncton Public Library on Friday, February 15. The event starts at noon and books will be sold at the library by Tidewater Books. It's part of a three-day visit to the region, organized by the Frye Festival.

Reading at Mount A

Public Reading — David Adams Richards

David Adams Richards
Owens Art Gallery, Sackville, NB
February 13, 2008. 7:30 pm

Mount Allison University will welcome noted New Brunswick author and poet David Adams Richards to campus for a public reading on Wednesday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Owens Art Gallery. Everyone is welcome to attend this event, sponsored by Mount Allison’s Centre for Canadian Studies, the English department and the Office of the President, and presented in collaboration with the Frye Festival, and there is no admission charge. Sackville’s Tidewater Books will have a selection of David’s books available for sale at the reading, which will be followed by a book signing and reception with the author.

Bob Mersereau launches Frye Festival lecture series, January 22

Radio producer, columnist and author Bob Mersereau will lead off the Frye Festival’s Pop et Frye series for 2008 with a talk on the connection between Canadian music and the Canadian identity. His presentation, scheduled for Tuesday, January 22, at Timothy’s World Coffee in Moncton, raises the question: “Can we find it (Canadian identity) in the popular song?”

Mersereau will share stories from his search for The Top 100 Canadian Albums and reflect on the common thread that weaves through Canadian songwriting.

Mersereau is Arts Producer for CBC Television in New Brunswick and weekly music columnist on CBC Radio's Shift program, focusing on Maritime music. He also pens a weekly music review column Backbeat, which appears each Wednesday in The Telegraph-Journal newspaper, covering the provincial, regional and national music scene. Mersereau recently contributed the liner notes to the Rhino/Warner Music release Atlantic Standards Volume 2, a top five album in Atlantic Canadian markets, and the recent Atlantic Standards Christmas.

His book, The Top 100 Canadian Albums, was published nationally by Goose Lane Editions last October to critical acclaim.

Mersereau will discuss the process involved in researching and writing the book, including the discovery he made from his interviews with dozens of songwriters behind the best Canadian albums. He found a group of people “in love with their country, and desperate to write about it, to capture it, and reflect it back”. From Joel Plaskett's national anthem-quoting hit True Patriot Love, to Neil Young and Joni Mitchell's continued use of Canadian nature, to The Tragically Hip's morale-boosting name-dropping, the nation's best musicians “go out of their way to sing about home”, says Mersereau.

Mersereau’s Pop et Frye talk begins at 7 p.m. Pop et Frye is a lecture series, presented free of charge by the Frye Festival, and dedicated to the discovery and appreciation of popular culture.

The series will feature four lectures in total, leading up to the Frye Festival, April 23-27, 2008, in Moncton. All lectures this year will be held at Timothy’s World Coffee, 735 Main Street, Moncton.

Russell Banks Coming to Frye Fest 2008

Russell Banks, renowned American author, will be at the 2008 Frye Festival. Some of his works include Affliction and The Sweet Hereafter, both turned into major motion pictures. His forthcoming novel, The Reserve, set in the Adirondacks in 1936-37 at the height of the Great Depression, will be published in early 2008. Banks will be in Moncton for key Festival events, including the Writing for Film workshop. More details soon!

Frye Festival sets new record for attendance

It was a record-breaking year for the 8th annual Frye Festival, with over 13,000 people taking part in Canada’s only bilingual international literary festival. That sets a new attendance high for the five-day event, which wrapped up today, Sunday, April 29, with a closing event, hosted by the Greater Moncton International Airport, and featuring a grand finale reading by the festival’s very own poet laureate, Poet flyé and Moncton writer Paul Bossé.

The festival’s executive director Rachelle Dugas said the extra effort made to appeal to a wider audience clearly resulted in record turn-outs. “We reached out and people responded.” This effort involved adding new events to the festival line-up and expanding the programme’s writing offerings, most notably the graphic novel and comicbook genres. The goal, as festival chair Dawn Arnold put it, was to “increase the fun factor in this year’s festival and make events more accessible to the public”. This, in turn, attracted some of the best authors and illustrators in their fields like Harvey Pekar, of American Splendor fame, whose appearances during Festival week always drew large crowds.

Most of this year’s events were sell-outs. A number of the writing workshops were filled to capacity and participation in children’s activities surpassed “our wildest imaginations,” acknowledges Arnold, with over 1,200 people taking part in Saturday’s KidsFest alone.

One of the main objectives of this year’s festival was to give youth from Kindergarten through to Grade 12 venues to present their original works of prose, poetry and song through its highly successful and growing School-Youth Program. “The Festival has become a showcase for the extraordinary level of young talent we have here in New Brunswick,” says Arnold. The program includes the Frye Festival State Farm Essay Contest, the Aliant-sponsored Budding Writers and Café Underground events – Café Underground being one of the new additions to the festival programme – and the TD Bank Financial Group’s Writers in the Schools program.

The latter saw more than 9,000 schoolchildren welcome Frye Festival authors into their classrooms throughout the Maritimes. In total, the authors made161 classroom presentations, which is three times last year’s number. That’s an achievement that Arnold and other festival organizers are particularly proud of. “The great thing about the festival is that you never know what’s going to come back to you, whether it’s the child that’s been inspired to become a best-selling writer or the child that’s suddenly picking up a book.”

Among the festival authors who may have had such an impact on local schoolchildren is Jeremy Tankard, whose book Grumpy Bird has been named by two major bookstore chains in North America as one of this spring’s “must-reads”. He was one of the busiest authors-illustrators to come to Moncton for the festival, making 16 classroom appearances in total, in addition to giving readings and leading comicbook workshops for youth.

“It was a lot of fun,” says Tankard of his festival experience. “I loved going into the schools. That was a blast!” Like the other festival authors, Tankard was impressed by the professionalism and passion of the festival team members and the enthusiasm of the festival-goers. “Overall what was absolutely wonderful about the festival is that there is an honesty and genuineness about everyone I spoke to this week – not just the festival people, but the people who came to the events as well.” Tankard’s book sold out across Moncton by week’s end.

The not-for-profit festival is volunteer-driven with more than 100 local residents actively involved in pulling this annual celebration of words together. Their energy, combined with the contributions of its sponsors, makes the festival possible, says Arnold, noting that the support of its sponsors was unprecedented this year. “They did much more than hand out cheques. They took a direct role in making the festival happen,” recognizes Arnold. “We have never had that level of commitment from our sponsors.” Indeed, the festival doubled its private sector support in one year, now accounting for 44% of its revenues.

Thanks to the generosity of its sponsors, the Festival increased the prize money awarded to high school students by over 122% and donated more than $6,000 worth of new books to schools, up $2,000 from last year’s total.

Arnold says she hopes the festival will continue to get bigger and better, though the success of the 8th edition will be hard to beat. “We have set the bar high for the ninth annual Frye Festival, “ she concludes.

Poet flyé wings way into Frye Festival

Frye Festival’s very own poet laureate will make his debut in Moncton April 25-29 to capture all the sights and delights of this year’s festival in an epic poem.

Moncton writer Paul Bossé today winged his way into the festival as Poet flyé to create a new and lasting memento of this five-day celebration of words. The creation of the poem will give festival-goers their own chance at fame as Bossé will invite them to share their experiences to include in his work.

His interactive poem will be permanently displayed at the Greater Moncton International Airport following a reading of his work Sunday, April 29, to close this year’s festival. The public is welcome to attend the event which starts at 1 p.m. in the Destination Lounge.

Chairperson Dawn Arnold says the event is a fitting finale to the festival and thanked the airport for its participation. “The festival is fortunate to have the support of generous and innovative sponsors like the Greater Moncton International Airport. Without their contributions, events like this would not be possible.”

Bossé says he looks forward to attending the festival events and putting his thoughts and the thoughts of festival-goers to paper. “The festival takes us on a wonderful journey of discovery. Through its events we explore the magic and power of words. I want my poem to take readers on a similar journey, experiencing the things I see and hear on my inaugural flight as Poet flyé.”

David Adams Richards presents second Antonine Maillet - Northrop Frye lecture

Renowned New Brunswick author David Adams Richards will present the second Antonine Maillet - Northrop Frye Lecture on Saturday, April 28 from noon to 1 pm. The theme of the lecture will be “Playing the Inside Out”. The event will take place during the Frye Festival at Moncton City Hall in the Council Chambers at 655 Main Street. The conference will be in English with simultaneous interpretation.

Born in 1950 in Newcastle, N.B., David Adams Richards currently writes in Toronto. He is known for his almost mythic vision. The Vancouver Sun calls him “perhaps the greatest Canadian writer alive”. His latest book The Friends of Meager Fortune was published in 2006 by Doubleday Canada.

In his lecture, David Adams Richards will consider the intellectual, emotional and imaginative strength required to stand by one’s convictions as a writer of fiction.
“A writer must never compromise his imaginative vision in order to be accepted. The result will be an erosion of his art,” explains Paul Curtis, English Professor at the Université de Moncton and one of the organizers of the event, in reference to Richards’ talk.

The writer will also observe how writers in the Maritimes have long been outside the economic and political centres of power, but not the cultural centre. “From this relatively marginal position, the attraction to modify one’s vision in order to be accepted appears all the more powerful,” says Curtis.

These themes of the outsider as well economic and political centres of power are very much in evidence in Mr. Richards latest and perhaps most powerful novel The Friends of Meager Fortune.

Soirée Frye showcases musical, writing talents

Soirée Frye will bring together two of New Brunswick’s top bands - Les Païens
and Isaac and Blewett - for the first time ever! This exciting evening of entertainment will showcase these and other writing and musical talents at the Capitol Theatre, Thursday, April 26 at 8 p.m.

The event is one of a number to fuse prose, poetry and song during Frye Festival week in Moncton, N.B., April 25–29. Readings will be given by visiting authors Karen Solie, Georgette LeBlanc, Marilyn Lerch and Bryan Perro.

“We want to present language in all of its forms and show just how entertaining it can be,” says Festival chair Dawn Arnold. “The Festival is a celebration of words, whether they be song lyrics, poems or stories.”

Another Soirée Frye highlight will be the presentation of awards to the winners of the State Farm Essay Contest for young writers.

Admission is $5 at the door or look for your free pass in the newspapers Mascaret, Here, Dieppe Journal, This Week Moncton and This Week Riverview. “The passes are our way of saying thanks to local residents for their generous support of our festival,” says Arnold.

A free reception will follow this one-hour extravaganza, giving festival–goers an opportunity to meet and chat with the authors and musicians.

WFNB Members Reading at Frye

The starting time for the WFNB reading at the Frye Fest in Moncton, this Thursday, is 1:30pm and will run two hours.

We hope as many members as possible can join us at Mexicali Rosas (683 Main
Street) and hear Elizabeth Blanchard, Noeline Bridge, Laurie Glenn Norris, Edward Gates, Kelly Cooper and Tammy Armstrong read selections of fiction, non fiction, poetry and children's literature.

Come support our writers!

Frye Festival hosts extravaganza of music, readings and creativity

Readings, music, and creativity are on the menu for the Frye Jam at Aberdeen Cultural Centre on Saturday April 28. The extravaganza evening will feature readings of all kinds by 12 guest authors of the Frye Festival, accompanied by the music of Les Païens, hosts of the event. The public will also have the opportunity to enjoy Anglophone and Francophone musical acts and take part in a collective comic jam! Admission is $10 and the doors open at 8 pm.

The Frye Jam will feature musical guests Sean Booth, ParaNerd, Suzanne Léger, pAn, and Pascal Lejeune. “By mixing renown authors and musicians of great talent, we hope to create an atmosphere filled with creative energy,” explains Marc Poirier, artistic director for the event and the Frye Festival. Poirier is also enthusiastic at the idea of a comic jam taking place all through the evening. Between readings and songs, those who wish to explore their creative side can grab a pen and paper and let their imagination flow. Material will be supplied and the event will be mentored by comic book authors Michel Rabagliatti, Jeremy Tankard, Dano Leblanc, and Paul Roux. “The whole point is for people to explore their creative side and have fun! I’m certain that the end result will be original, nonetheless.”

Tickets for the Frye Jam can be purchased at the door for $10. Holders of a Festival pass can also attend the event. Festival passes are on sale now at the Capitol Theatre Box Office for admission to this and other festival events. See more details by checking out the festival website at www.frye.ca.

Noted Screenwriter Leading Workshop

New York-based screenwriter Randy Pearlstein is among the Frye Festival headliners who will lead a series of writing workshops during Festival Week, April 25-29 in Moncton. Pearlstein was a writer for the Dave Chappelle Show and has worked with the likes of Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and Luc Besson. His Film & Television Writing Workshop (English with French translation) will be held Friday, April 27, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Théâtre l’Escaouette, 170 Botsford Street. Pearlstein will teach ffective techniques for both advanced and beginning film and television writers. Cost is $35. Please register by Monday, April 23, by phone (506) 859-4389 or e-mail at fryeworkshops@hotmail.com.

Please Note: The following are other workshops that will be offered as part of the Frye Festival, giving writers of all genres and levels of experience a unique opportunity to hone their skills. Please register in advance by phone (506) 382-3015 or e-mail at fryeworkshops@hotmail.com.
Leader: Lesley Choyce
Genre: Adults Writing for Children Workshop (English)
When: Wednesday April 25 3 - 5 p.m.
Where: Moncton Public Library, 644 Main Street
Cost: $10

Leader: Jo-Anne Elder
Genre: Postcard Story Workshop (Bilingual)
When: Thursday, April 26 9 – 11 a.m.
Where: Moncton Public Library
Cost: $10

Leader: Karen Solie
Genre: Poetry Workshop (English)
When: Friday April 27 9 – 11 a.m.
Where: Moncton Public Library
Cost: $10

Leader: Georgette LeBlanc
Genre: Creative Writing Workshop (French)
When: Friday April 27 9. – 11 a.m.
Where: Moncton Public Library
Cost: $10

Leader: Patrick Lane
Genre: Creative Non-Fiction Workshop (English)
When: Friday, April 27 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Where: Moncton Public Library
Cost: $10

Leader: Arlette Cousture
Genre: Creative Writing Workshop (French)
When: Saturday, April 28 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Where: Dieppe Public Library, 333 avenue Acadie
Cost: $10

Leader: Scott Tingley
Genre: Comic Book Writing Workshop for ages 8 to10 (English)
When: Saturday April 28 10-11 a.m.
Where: Moncton Public Library
Cost: Free (part of KidsFest)

Leader: Marie-France Comeau
Genre: Creative Writing Workshop for ages 6 to 9 (French)
When: Saturday April 28 10 – 11 a.m.
Where: Moncton Public Library
Cost: Free (part of KidsFest)

Leader: Jeremy Tankard
Genre: Comic Book Writing Workshop for ages 12 and up (English)
When: Saturday April 28 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Where: United Book Store, 347 Mountain Road
Cost: $10 (proceeds go to Laubach Literacy)

Leader: Jeremy Beaulieu
Genre: Comic Book Writing Workshop for ages 12 and up (French)
When: Saturday April 28 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Where: United Book Store
Cost: $10 (proceeds go to Laubach Literacy)