Book Bash showcases gryphon talent

Colin Dunbar is a third year U of G student whose published works were featured at the Book Bash. CREDIT: ELLIE PETRAK

Current and former U of G students spread their wings and showcase their written talents

ELLIE PETRAK

On November 6th, the Guelph Farmers Market hosted The Book Bash Festival where dozens of authors, literary organizations and publishers from the local area were showcased. At this event, two authors with U of G connections were there to showcase their Gryphon talent.

Guelph Student Colin Dunbar Colin is a local author and 3rd-year student at the University of Guelph. At 20, Dunbar has already released a short story collection called Sanity in the Absurd and a science fiction thriller trilogy called The Era of the Orb. The trilogy follows a protagonist that is trapped in prison, wherein every time he dies, he wakes back up in his cell while slowly uncovering his past alongside the reader.

The first book in the trilogy took Colin two years to write, but the following books took about a year each.

“I love to write in absurdist settings while still drawing from the real world,” said Dunbar.

Dunbar said The Era of the Orb was inspired by a character trying to find their own identity, and the obstacles that come with that.

“I wanted to work on a book about a character that aims to find redemption for their past negative actions,” he said. “From there, I built a world around the character’s concept.”

He has also already published the first volume of his new fantasy series, The Creator’s Almanac which follows a kid named Art in a distant future where demons roam the Earth. The book explores the character’s trauma, personal growth and the magic and mysteries of the world around them.

Colin worked with a number of different highly talented editors to help him refine, improve, and restructure the story in a way that best improved the reading experience.

“This was probably one of the hardest parts, finding as many professional editors and other authors willing to help me out as possible,” said Dunbar. “ I have been handling the organization of editors, artists, and promotion all on my end. Still, with full creative control, I could not be happier with how everything I have written has turned out.”

Dunbar is taking a double major in English and Criminal Justice/Public Policy with a minor in Creative Writing. His methods of staying on top of his creative projects amidst his busy school schedule include setting aside time each day to write consistently and routine is important for his writing process.

“One thing that has worked very well for me has been writing at least one sentence a day,” said Dunbar. “Usually, if I sit down to write that one sentence, I will continue to write more. If I don’t have the motivation to continue, it’s important to me to at least keep the routine.”

When asked about how the Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph has impacted his writing and his work he said, “ the courses in this program provide a great opportunity for me to workshop my stuff and get feedback and help from other students on my writing as well as my future projects.”

Dunbar’s future projects include Volume Two of The Creator’s Almanac as well as a new short story collection.

You can find more information about Colin and his books at readcolin.ca

Guelph Alumni Nicola Ross

Nicola Ross is a biologist, writer, professional hiker, and Guelph Alumni. She has sold over 50,000 of her Loops & Lattes Hiking Guides.

If your interests involve the outdoors, hiking, scenic views and exploring the local area, these essential guides were made for you.

The guides include maps that geographically show you where the hikes are and provide detailed descriptions of how to access each point. Each hike is listed in length and ranked as easy, intermediate or difficult, making it accessible for all students.

The book includes information not only on the hikes themselves but also on interesting sights and unique places to visit along the way. She includes places to stop in for a coffee or some food with each trail. With this guide, you can find out where to look for drop-in museums, galleries and activities within each hike. You can also look for the scenes and views portrayed in beautiful images included in each chapter. The Waterloo, Wellington & Guelph Hikes guide is where you will find the best information on how to explore our local beauty in Guelph. It also includes a route within our very own Arboretum.

For more information on Nicola Ross and her Loops & Lattes Guides, be sure to visit loopsandlattes.ca