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 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.”

2008 WFNB Literary Competition Winners Announced

The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB) is pleased to announce the winners of its annual Literary Competition. Writers from across Canada competed in seven categories for over $2000 in cash prizes. Prizes were handed out at the Literary Awards Banquet held at the Rodd Miramichi Hotel, April 5th.

Susan Gillis judged the individual poem category. Rita Auffrey of Moncton, NB, takes first place with “Nine Roads for Joan of Arc.” Second place goes to Kathleen Brown of Fredericton, NB for “The Seam from Less.” Judith Frost of Verdun, PQ, places third with “My Father was Ready.”

J.J. Steinfeld judged the Short Fiction category. David Speare of Charlottetown, PEI, places first with “Return of the Railroad Cat.” Second place goes to Elizabeth Penny of Whitby, ON, with “Not in My House.” Martin Gerrard of East St. Paul, MB receives Third place for “Dreaming of a Kiss.”

Ken McGoogan judged the Non-Fiction category. Susan Marie Toy of St. Vincent & Grenadines, West Indies, takes first place with her piece “Hockey Night on Bellefair Avenue.” Second place goes to Anne Levesque of Moncton, NB, for “Pusat.” Helena MacLean of Lunenburg, NS receives Third place for “Santa’s Birthday.”

The Writing for Children category was judged by Sylvia McNicoll. First place goes to Tyler Enfield of Edmonton, AB for his piece “The Secret Worlds of Tabetha Bright.” Helene Boudreau of Markham, ON, takes Second place with “Acadian Star.” Third place goes to Lindsey Morris of Amherstburg, ON for “The Hotdog Bun.”

Carmelita McGrath judged the Sheree Fitch Prize for Poetry written by a youth. Randi Watson of Hazelton, NB, wins first place with “Rain.” Second place goes to Nicole Oakley of Elgin, NB, for “Walk In Our Shoes.” Mathiew Charles Nini of Bathurst, NB receives Third place for his poem “A Year in Sonnets.”

Joel Thomas Hynes judged the David Adams Richards Prize for unpublished manuscript or short stories. The winner is Andre Narbonne of London, ON, for “The Separatists.”
Honorable Mentions go to Beverly Akerman of Montreal, PQ; and Elaine McCluskey of Dartmouth, NS.

Peter Richardson judged the Alfred G. Bailey Prize for unpublished poetry collection. The winner is Sandra Ridley of Ottawa, ON for her submission “Downwinders”
Honorable Mention goes to Shane Neilson of Guelph, ON, for “White Coat, Black Bag.”

The WFNB congratulates all the winners and thanks everyone who entered the competition this year. Please visit www.umce.ca/wfnb for more info on the WFNB, and guidelines for the 2009 competition.

Call for Submissions from Youth

Re:verse, the literary e-zine for Canadian youth, is seeking poetry submissions from youth under 19 years of age for our Spring issue on identity.
Please forward far and wide!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

We want to know you.

April is National Poetry Month, and the theme of this literary celebration is "Poetry Without Borders."
The League of Canadian Poets asks,

"How can poetry celebrate the diversity of cultural traditions in Canada? What are the possibilities for multilingual poetry events? How can poetry combine with other forms of creative expression? What does poetry without borders mean to you?"

With this in mind, Re:verse asks - Who are you?

The Spring issue of Re:verse is all about identity. What makes up your insides? Where did you come from? What events, places, people and images have contributed to the formation of YOU?
In this issue we're looking for poems that slow down and unravel the layers of who you are. Who or what or where has influenced the person you have become?

Shed your skins on the page, then send your words to us.

ezineeditor1@gmail.com

by March 30th, 2008.
Re:verse Ezine
www.youngpoets.ca/ezine

The Poetic Licence Contest for Canadian Youth 2008

The League of Canadian Poets, a national not-for-profit poetry organization founded in 1966, invites Canadian youth to participate in its Poetic Licence Contest.

There are two age categories, junior (grades 7-9) and senior (grades 10-12). First place poems in each category will receive a cash prize of $200, second place winners will receive $150 and third place winners will receive $100.

All winning poems will be published in the League of Canadian Poets’ e-zine, Re:verse at www.youngpoets.ca. All winners will receive Poetic Licence certificates and student membership in the League of Canadian Poets for one year.

Deadline: January 31, 2008.

Entry Guidelines

1. All submissions should be sent by e-mail to contest@poets.ca

2. There are two age categories: Junior, grades 7 - 9 and Senior, grades 10 - 12

3. Poems must be previously unpublished and must be your own work.

4. Length of each poem submitted must not exceed 50 lines. Limit 2 poems per poet.

5. Each submission should include the poet’s name, address, and phone number, age, grade, name of school, and the titles of the poems entered.

6. Poems should not be sent as attachments, but as plain text in the body of the message.

7. There is no entry fee.

8. Winners will be announced during National Young Poet’s Week and posted on the League’s websites www.poets.ca and www.youngpoets.ca

9. Announcements will be sent to the media, and the winners will be notified by mail and email.

Copyright remains with the poet. Winners will be asked for the first rights to publish their work. Should an entry be published elsewhere during the course of the contest, we ask that the entrant notify the League immediately. Revisions on any poem will not be accepted after it has been entered. All decisions of the jury are final. Contest is open to Canadian citizens and landed immigrants. Members of the League’s National Council, staff or the contest judges or their families are not eligible to enter these competitions.

* Incomplete submissions will not be considered, please read guidelines carefully.