Freelance June / July 2014 Volume 44 Number 4
In this issue:
Echoes in Exile
Creating an Impressive Writer’s CV Dublin Writers Museum Windscript Vol. 30 Launch
Contents Executive Director’s Report...............................................................................1 President’s Report...............................................................................................2 Power of the Arts National Forum...................................................................4 SWG Welcomes New Staff.................................................................................5 Echoes in Exile....................................................................................................6 Dublin Writers Museum....................................................................................8 Writing for Children........................................................................................10 Lisa Bird Sask Book Awards............................................................................12 Kay Parley: The Game of the Name...............................................................14 City of Regina Writing Awards.......................................................................16 Caroline Heath Foundation Survey ..............................................................18 SWG Foundation Survey.................................................................................19 Windscript Vol.30 Launch...............................................................................21 Creating an Impressive Writers’ CV .............................................................22 Space-Time Continuum..................................................................................26 Books By Members...........................................................................................28 Calls of Interest.................................................................................................32 Professional Development...............................................................................34 Member News..................................................................................................35 SWG Highlights................................................................................................36
Contributors to this Issue: Edward Willett Alison Lohans Kay Parley Ava Homa Shirley Byers Lynda Monahan Jeanette Montgomery Bev Brenna Toby Welch
On the Cover: Killdeer Badlands #1, oil on canvas, 2012 Diana Chabros is a visual artist who manages/consults with performing artists and operates a bed and breakfast in Val Marie, SK (near Grasslands National Park). W: dianachabros.com
Vol. 44 No. 4/Freelance June/July 2014 ISSN 0705-1379
© Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild, 2014 Freelance is published six times per year for members of the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild. Submissions to Freelance are welcome for editorial review. If accepted, articles will be edited for clarity. The basic criteria to meet in submitting materials are readership interest, timeliness, and quality and following the standard submission format (see SWG website). Viewpoints expressed in contributed articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the SWG. We do not accept poetry or prose at this time. Copyright for articles, reports, photographs, and other visual materials or text remains with the creator and cannot be used or reprinted without permission. SWG pays for one time rights/use only. Payment for articles and reports is 10 cents a word. Photographs and other visuals are paid at a rate of $25 each. Cover art payment is $75. Deadline for the next issue of Freelance: July 5, 2014. SWG BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jeanne Alexander (President), Regina; Gina Rozon (Vice-President), Regina; Bevann Fox (Treasurer), Regina; Heather Getz, Regina; Tekeyla Friday, Swift Current; Marianna Topos, Regina; Brian Cobbledick, Regina. Design & Layout Jessica Riess and Corey Wilkinson
Contact Us SWG Regina Office Contact P: 306.757.6310 Toll Free: 1.800.667.6788 F: 306.565.8554 E: info@skwriter.com or communications@skwriter.com W: skwriter.com Mailing Address Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild Box 3986, Regina, SK S4P 3R9 Regina Courier or Drop-Off Address 1150 8th Avenue, Suite 100 Regina, SK, S4R 1C9 SWG Saskatoon Office Contact P: 306.955.5513 F: 306.244.0255 E: saskatoon@skwriter.com Mailing Address Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild Bessborough Hotel Suite 719- 601 Spadina Cresent Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3G8
The Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild gratefully acknowledges the support of SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund and the Saskatchewan Arts Board
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Executive Director’s Report
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pring is here at last and Guild operations are running at a fast pace like usual, racing towards summer, and the longest day of the year and then, hopefully, a lull to catch a breath or two and to regroup for an even busier fall. During the month of July, the Guild offices will take advantage of the lull and operate at reduced capacity while long-term staff take some overdue and much-earned vacation days. Capable staff will still be on hand to field regular operational activities, events and fiscal year end preparations. With this in mind, please check that you have sent in your outstanding invoices for school and library readings, or any contributions you might have made to Freelance or other Guild programs, and please make sure you’ve cashed your cheques that we’ve issued before the end of July. As you will soon see on the website, plans are underway for another joint fall conference between the SWG and Ânskohk Festival with an intriguing line-up of dynamic speakers, workshops and sessions. Watch for the details as arrangements are made for this annual event which will take place in Saskatoon from Oct 24 -26 at the Park Town Hotel. Donations for the Caroline Heath Memorial Fund have been scant for many years and funds have gradually dwindled to the point that there is not enough to cover costs for this fall’s Memorial Lecture. We’d hope members respond to this issue to advise us of their wishes in regards to how to proceed. An online survey was provided and we welcome other comments, which can be directed to the office at edswg@skwriter.com. Our first Tuesday of the month free noon hour “Write After Lunch” series is proving very popular and we seem to have the system figured out. This means we will start offering live streamed lengthy workshops this fall so that members around the province will be able to participate. We are hoping also to ‘broadcast’ parts of the conference, such as the free lectures or readings. We’re pleased that the Grain office is operating with business as usual thanks to our guest editors, Kim Aubrey for the most recent issue, Edward Willett for the summer one, and Kathleen Wall for the one in the fall. We thank also our associate editors for their continued diligence and great selections! Although there have been a few glitches with a malfunctioning database mail system, this has been
rectified and we thank anyone who didn’t receive their issue as quick as usual for their patience! The Grain Ad Hoc committee’s three-year term is almost up and they are compiling their recommendations for the Guild Board. Member opinions conducted by a survey or other means will be included in the considerations. Decisions will be forthcoming in the fall about Grain’s future. We thank Harriet Richards for her dedication while with the committee and the board, which have regretfully accepted her resignation from both. By now, you will have had an opportunity to voice your opinion through the online survey about the proposed building project the SWG Foundation is hoping to provide as a home for the Guild. You are also more than welcome to submit additional comments to the Foundation Board or to the Guild Board for consideration. Best Regards, Judith Silverthorne
Judith Silverthorne
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President’s Report “The pessimist curses the wind. The optimist hopes it will change. The realist adjusts the sails.”
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ife is a constant adjustment to change but we all know it’s necessary to keep adjusting those sails in order to keep our boat afloat so that we can reach our destination. So it is with SWG. Often, we humans resist change despite cognitively recognizing that “change is the law of life.” Whenever I’m faced with a change with which I have difficulty, I am reminded of the line “I change but I cannot die” from The Cloud by Percy Bysshe Shelley. We are reminded that the core essence of who we are and what we have created remains but not in its original form, nor is it necessarily in the form which we had envisioned. Changes are a constant with the Guild, much the same as our world around us changes so quickly these days.
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With this in mind, the Board is slated for a retreat in early June where we will gather to participate in a facilitated strategic planning session to guide the Guild over the span of the next three to five years. This is a vital process, particularly as the Guild is facing rapidly changing demographics, new technologies, and increased demands on Guild resources to consider. The revitalized board governance and operational processes also play a major role in considering the future directions of the Guild. Emceeing at Talking Fresh gave me the opportunity to attend this longstanding event and interact with so many talented writers whose thought provoking works give us pause for consideration and discussion. Congratulations to Literary History of Saskatchewan Volume 2 editor David Carpenter for the compilation of Saskatchewan authors, which was also launched at Talking Fresh. Many authors are looking forward to the next publication being compiled by David Carpenter and Kelly Anne Riess, once funding is found. April, Saskatchewan’s Poetry month gave the impetus to check our emails looking for the current quote. I very much enjoyed the initial ceremonial event at Government House. We are grateful to Lieutenant Governor Vaughn Solomon Schofield and her staff for hosting us and in so doing looking after a myriad of details that contributed to making it an elegant affair. In attendance were representatives from various writing and publishing organizations. Judith Krause, Poet Laureate, as ever with her sense of down to earth humour, engaged her audience with anecdotes and readings. It was great to see long time SWG member and author Pat Krause in attendance to support her daughter. Saskatchewan Book Awards poetry nominees, Paul Wilson, and Mari-Lou Rowley also presented their works.
Fan Expo Regina, the pop culture convention, was a great place for the SWG to be on May 3. Yes indeed, in addition to viewing all the paraphernalia and writing that is part and parcel of this subculture based in fantasy and science fiction, we had a front row seat to view costumed characters from the realm of fantasy and science fiction. Several families attended, many costumed for the occasion. Steampunk, superheroes including Clark Kent, elves, a Pandarin (a mercenary humanoid panda), the Invisible Man, dragons, the Joker and a large sampling of comic and fantasy characters roamed the aisles and later congregated for a parade. It was a great venue for meeting writers, publishers, and the public. Many people stopped to talk about the SWG and gave us a close up view of their costumes. Several stayed in character while we conversed with them. Put this on your list of things to do next year, you’ll have a great time. The Board attended a retreat in early June where we gathered to participate in a facilitated strategic planning session to guide the Guild over the span of the next three to five years. This is a vital process, particularly at this time with the fast-paced changing demographics, technology, and increased demands on Guild resources to consider. The revitalized board governance and operational processes also play a major role in considering the future directions of the Guild and responding to the new demands for an expanding organization. Welcome to our new staff members Samantha Workman, Administrative Assistant, Caelan Reilly as the Program
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Assistant and Corey Wilkinson in the new position of Communications Liaison. Regretfully we bid farewell to Milena Dzordeski, who served us well for several years as both Administrative Assistant and Program Assistant. She is returning to her homeland of Serbia for the time being and we wish her well. The Saskatchewan Book Awards is seeking out individuals to serve on their Board; please contact them if you are interested in this opportunity. It was a pleasure to attend the 2014 Saskatchewan Book Awards and congratulations to all of the winners. We look forward to its continuance in 2015. Please continue to avail yourselves of the opportunities provided by SWG and to contact us with questions or concerns.
Respectfully submitted, Jeanne Alexander President of the Board of SWG As a Board we are committed to providing the structure for the enhancement of members’ experiences. We encourage and invite any comments, queries or suggestions you may have. We ask that they be directed to Judith Silverthorne, our Executive Director. Should you want further clarification, please write a letter to the Board or fill in the appropriate form on our website: http://www.skwriter.com/about-theswg/contact-us. Misinformation and lack of information are the biggest culprits when effective communication doesn’t occur. We ask for your input in helping to create and maintain a viable organization.
SWG Welcomes New Staff SWG Announces New Program Assistant
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WG is pleased to announce that Caelan Reilly has been hired as the new Program Assistant in the Guild’s Regina office. Caelan is a Regina born resident who grew up in the heart of Cathedral Neighborhood. With over ten years of volunteer and work experience working on boards and assisting with programs around the province, he is a fresh welcome face as the new SWG program assistant.
New Program Assistant, Caelan Reilly.
SWG Announces New Communications Liaison
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orey Wilkinson joins the SWG as its new part-time communications liaison. He brings experience from his previous career as a multimedia journalist and photographer. His articles and photos have appeared in newspapers across the country. Corey is new to Regina and Saskatchewan having moved here in January from the Muskoka region of Ontario. Corey will be responsible for keeping Guild members update with the latest news and announcements through the weekly Ebriefs as well as other SWG publications.
New Communications Liaison, Corey Wilkinson.
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Power of the Arts National Forum By Lynda Monahan, Facilitator of Prince Albert Writing For Your Life Group
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t was my great privilege on the weekend of September 27 to 29, 2013, to present at the Power of the Arts National Forum at Carleton University in Ottawa. My proposal was one of 27 selected by the Advisory Committee for presentation at Canada’s first ever Power of the Arts National Forum. Many Canadians from across the country converged on Ottawa for a conference on improving the quality of life in underserved communities through the arts. Co-hosted by the Michaelle Jean Foundation and Carleton University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Forum mobilized researchers, business leaders, legal experts, policymakers, youth, health practitioners, artists, and others to explore cutting-edge research and social innovation for bettering the lives of underserved Canadians and revitalizing communities.
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Over three days, forum participants explored the ways in which grassroots youth organizations, arts communities, and academia could unite with sectors as varied as health, business, and law, to discuss issues such as youth crime, mental health, unemployment, and social exclusion through the arts. Our goal was to produce a national agenda outlining ways in which all sectors of Canadian society could enhance grassroots strategies for inclusion, personal and community development, and prosperity for all Canadians. The Power of the Arts Forum weekend featured a town hall, plenary sessions and workshops, as well as a celebration of Canadian achievement in the arts. Workshops focused on the following themes: • Mental and Physical Health • Democratic Participation • Economic Development and Social Enterprise • Cultural Institutions and Community Integration • Public Safety and Access to Justice • Community and Urban Renewal • Diversity and Social Inclusion • New Technologies and Social Change • Voice and Identity The workshop which included my presentation was Cultural Institutions and Community Integration. My presentation featured the projects I am involved in with the Prince Albert Writing For Your Life Group associated with the Canadian Mental Health Association and funded by Common Weal Arts Organization. I presented a paper on aspects of the Writing For Your Life group and the difference writing has made in the lives of those living with mental health challenges It was an opportu-
Lynda Monahan attended the Power of the Arts National Forum in Ottawa where she made a presentation. Photo courtesy Lynda Monahan. nity to highlight the anthology we published of participants writing titled With Just One Reach of Hands and our DVD presentation, The Person That I Am. There were so many inspiring presentations. Freddy King, a Toronto poet and spoken-word artist, spoke about how the arts changed his life by getting him off the streets and teaching him to direct his anger into poetry that could educate others and ignite change. We listened to a presenter from Cirque du Soleil’s program “Cirque du Monde” which teaches the circus arts to children in places like South Africa. The presentation showed how teaching such a specialized and rare skill to children allows them an opportunity to express themselves - something often overlooked when speaking about the needs of people in third world countries – as well as a chance to rise above their impoverished lives. Creative writing, theatre performance, and visual art were just some of the ways that organizations are helping youth in remote communities, people in under-served urban areas, those living with mental or physical illness, in correctional facilities, or those struggling with voice and identity to express their experiences, their ideas, and their hopes for the future.
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The purpose of the Forum was to develop a concrete plan to incorporate art more meaningfully into the Canadian identity. The common goal for both experts conducting research as well as practitioners of the arts was to have completed an agenda addressing that goal. On the final day of the Forum we broke up into brainstorming sessions to come up with clear and concrete ways to work toward that goal. It will be interesting to see the growth and transformation of this Forum over the years, as well as to the outcomes of the national agenda for social change through the arts. I am grateful to have been afforded the opportunity to be part of this very important forum on the arts and social change. I came home excited and inspired and deeply moved. The experience underscored how important it is to bring the arts to the fabric of all of our lives. I am equally grateful to be one of the many artists given the opportunity to bring their skills and enthusiasm to the communities in which they serve. Lynda Monahan is the author of two poetry collections, A Slow Dance in the Flames and What My Body Knows. Her newest collection, Verge, is forthcoming with Guernica Editions. She was writer-in-residence at St. Peter’s College facilitated retreat, facilitated Sage Hill Teen Writing Lynda was awarded the 2012 Prince Albert Woman of Distinction Award for her contributions to arts in the community.
Professional Services Registry for SWG Members Many of you may recall the Guild’s request a few months back for members to join an Editor’s Registry list to be used as a resource for office inquiries. This sparked great interest and we have taken this internal list and developed the concept much further. Now, not only can you add the information about your services yourself straight into your member profile, but potential clients can contact and hire you directly. AND, besides offering to work as an Editor, you can add any of your areas of expertise related to the writing field as offered on the website. Potential clients will be able to search for services and locate you through the “Find Saskatchewan Writers” link on the Guild website. To add your professional services to your member profile, please go to the member area of the SWG website and sign in. Please note that we do not endorse any particular member over another. We do ask that if you sign up to offer a service that you have sufficient experience and credentials to do so. This is another opportunity for the reputation of the Guild and its members to shine. For more information, please contact the Guild office: info@skwriter.com or 306.757.6310.
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Echoes in Exile: A Writer’s Path from Kurdistan to Canada By Ava Homa
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very time I looked at the weals carved onto my father’s back, I felt as though a cold sliver had pierced my stomach. But I never talked about it. The horror he had lived in the nefarious Evin prison was unspeakable. So was the pain I felt when I watched him carry the visible and invisible injuries, staggering and stumbling through a healing process that never ended, or perhaps never really started. Mother simply could not come to terms with the stranger that had walked out from behind the bars, who had nothing in common with the freedom-dreamer he was before he was tortured.
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I grew up in Sanandaj, a city located on the eastern edge of the broad belt of mountains that separates Iran and Iraq; though the territory is now controlled by Iran, it is part of the traditional homeland of the Kurds, Kurdistan, which runs all through those mountains in an arc north and west, ending only midway through Turkey. Today Kurds are known as the largest ethnic group in the world without
a state of their own; the land we called home for thousands of years is now divided between Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. The governments of the nations in which we found ourselves still see us as outsiders, a threat to be dealt with, sometimes by intimidation and harassment, sometimes by bombings, hangings, and gassings. Seeking means to deal with such geo-political and domestic tyranny, I found a salve and a shelter called literature. From an early age, escaping into storybooks, making up my own tales, and reciting poetry, allowed me to imagine a kinder world -- in spite of the odds. I majored in English and as a graduate student in Iran I began to find my voice as a writer. My fiction writing instructors encouraged me to send out some of my stories for publication in Iranian literary magazines. But the forbidden topics of women’s rights and the political situation meant that my work was to be censored. Around the same time, the newspaper I had been contributing to was shut down and the editor and many more were arrested. I left school and stopped publishing my writing. It became obvious to me that staying in Iran would eventually bring the destiny of my father upon myself and the generation after me. Even though chasms have yawned between us, I have always felt close to my father, close enough to feel the whip lashes on my own back, to see how his imprisonment trapped me too. But, what could I do? Applying for refugee status meant an illegal escape through the mountains, meant years of waiting for the United Nations to decide whether to accept a case that did not include physical torture and, if accepted, another indeterminate amount of time to wait for a country to admit me. I would be on my own, a vulnerable woman who had learned to view men as predators. When the government of Iran became too busy closing down more papers and arresting journalists to pay attention to minor insurrectionists like me, I returned to school to catch up with my studies, still searching for a way to get out before it was too late.
Ava Homa. Photo courtesy: Ava Homa
Looking up Canadian Universities became my daily escape after I graduated. I was teaching English at a university where the clothes I wore, books I taught and words I spoke were closely monitored. I needed peace, freedom, and safety and Canada could provide that, a country known for being relatively more accepting of newcomers
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than many others. I thought I could deal with the harsh weather of Canada better than the harsh treatments I was likely to receive as a “brown” woman in other Western Countries. Although I made my selection mostly based on assumptions and generalizations, I am glad I chose Canada. I love this country and its people. Thus, fed up with my situation and dismayed by my future, I applied to Windsor University, despite the super slow and expensive dial up internet and heavily filtered web, and received admission as well as a scholarship and an assistantship.
At the University of Windsor I began to write and publish freely once more. Writing in my third language has been like climbing a mountain with crutches: it’s slow, painful, and difficult – my armpits are bruised – but I grow in this journey. Learning to speak and write fluently in English is a never-ending project, one that has taken up a tremendous amount of time, determination, and expenditure, it’s an hourly struggle. Still there have been successes. The stories that were suppressed in Iran were published by TSARbooks in 2010 in a collection called Echoes from the Other Land. The book was nominated for the 2011 Frank O’Conner International Short Story Award. Since then, I’ve published in the Windsor Review, Toronto Quarterly, Literary Review of Canada, Rabble, Toronto Star, and others. In August 2013, I completed a three months residency at Joy Kogawa House in BC where I got to focus on the manuscript of a historic novel called Many Cunning Passages that I had been working on for over three years. These days, I am writing the memoir of a Kurdish woman, an extraordinary odyssey winding through the tortured streets of Sanandaj as it is bombarded by the Iranian army, four years in prison, a desperate journey across the Turkish frontier and to the UN office in Ankara, and finally arrival in Toronto and the undertaking of a career as a refugee activist helping those who, like her, have fled violence and intolerable conditions in their homelands. Doing anything that comes my way, part-time teaching at George Brown College, tutoring, freelancing, translating (English-Farsi), I pay my bills and when that’s done, I write and I read voraciously. When I look at the future, I have to admit that I have no idea if the Canadian publishing industry has any room for me and my like, if claiming difference is a source of excitement or alienation, if the industry sees me as a “contributor to the diversity of CanLit” as advertised or just another foreigner to be shunned. What I do know is that writing was my friend when I had no other and it is still my best friend. I am hooked on the joy of writing and will continue to write for writings’ sake.
I condensed my life into two suitcases and bid farewell to my land and people. On departure, I left behind a part of me, a small but significant part of my being and my identity. In August 2007, I posed as an international student and entered Canada to get another Masters Degree, this time in Creative Writing; at heart, I was an asylum-seeker. Later I found out that, because of my age, work experience, language fluency, and education, I was qualified to apply for residency in Canada as a “skilled worker.” Little did I know how hard it would be to find a job in Canada!
Ava Homa is a Kurdish writer and translator living in Toronto. She is the author of Echoes from the Other Land (TsarBooks). This article first appeared in the Winter 2014 issue of Write, the Magazine of the Writer’s Union of Canada.
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Dublin Writers Museum By Jeanette Montgomery
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n a recent trip to Ireland the Dublin Writers Museum was on my must see list. Arriving at our hotel mid-afternoon I was rather jetlagged but excited to get out into the streets of Dublin. Heading south toward the River Liffey I enjoyed a couple hours of wandering, popping in and out of shops and pubs (just to hear the lilting Irish accent, of course). I strolled back up O’Connell Street and was intrigued by the view of an ornate spire a block past our hotel. It turned out to be the Abbey Presbyterian Church that was under restoration, and so closed to the public. I wandered past the church and found myself outside the door of the Dublin Writers Museum. By this time it was 4:00 p.m. and the Museum closed at 5:00 p.m. I felt certain one-hour wouldn’t be enough time to take in the whole museum. Since my niece would be arriving the next day I decided to wait until the end of my trip to visit this particular museum.
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Dublin is not shy about showcasing its literary history. Statues, monuments, and memorials are erected in remembrance of their writers. Literary pub crawls, guided walking tours and lectures at writers’ gravesites show you their hangouts, where they rested their heads in life, and their final resting places. Cafés, centres, libraries, and museums are named in their honour. In 2010 Dublin was named UNESCO’s City of Literature. With such a wealth of historical literary sites it can be difficult to choose what to see. “If you would know Ireland—body and soul—you must read its poems and stories.” - W. B. Yeats, 1891 The Dublin Writers Museum has gathered together histories, first editions, and memorabilia of its most influential and innovative writers. An excellent audio guide leads guests from one exhibit to the next, taking the visitor from the earliest accounts of storytellers (800 A.D.) to the mid-20th century. One quirk of the museum is that they only include dead Irish writers. Living writers, no matter how well established, are not included in the displays. Situated at the north end of O’Connell Street the museum is an easy 15-minute stroll from Trinity College, past Clery’s Department store and its famous clock, past the Parnell memorial statue, turn left at the Abbey Presbyterian Church. The museum is situated at 18 Parnell Square between the church and the Hugh Lane Art Gallery (which is also worth a visit). After two weeks of travelling through Ireland we arrived
back in Dublin, back at the same hotel. My niece departed for London the following morning and I had a day to amuse myself. Due to some necessary souvenir shopping and, feeding the stomach before the soul, it was 11:30 a.m. by the time I arrived at the Writers Museum entryway eager to finally get my tour. The museum building is an 18th century town house constructed for Irish aristocrat, Lord Farnham and, in the 19th century, home to the Jameson family of Jameson Whiskey Distillers. Under the watchful eye of George Jameson the house underwent extensive renovations in the late 1800s but by 1914 the area had fallen out of favour with Dublin’s high society and was given over to the unions and associations serving the professions and trades. The building at 18 Parnell Square housed the Dublin Technical College of Marketing and Design right up to the late 1980’s. Dublin Tourism purchased the building and in November 1991 the Dublin Writers Museum was opened to the public. Handing over £7.50 I received an audio guide and proceeded to the first room. What immediately struck me were the high ceilings with their intricately decorated plaster and highly polished, wide plank floors. The displays began with a copy of the Book of Kells. The original, on display at Trinity College, is a good point to begin the path of Irish writing history. A large exhibit is dedicated to Johnathan Swift that includes not only an 1804 edition of Gulliver’s Travels but also Swift’s death mask. The display cabinets, laid out chronologically travel around the exterior of the room and end with two cases in the middle. The displays cover the range from the 1500’s Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queen, George Farquhar’s comedy dramas (The Recruiting Officer early 1700’s), melodrama and horror of Charles Maturin (Melmoth The Wanderer), Sheridan Le Fanu (Uncle Silas, Carmilla) and Abraham (Bram) Stoker (The Lady of the Shroud, Dracula) in the mid to late 1800s. The museum has several first editions on display, one of the most popular being an 1899 first edition of Dracula. There are also a few personal items on display, the most curious being an apologetic note from Sheridan Le Fanu to a creditor about his unpaid rent. Midway a display case explains how the Act of Union 1801 affected the writing community. The Act prompted Dublin nobles and gentry to leave the city for country estates taking their wealth and sponsorship with them; however by the late 1800s the Literary Revival had begun. On to room two and the 20th century. As with room one, the display cases themselves are identical with their dark wood and glass tops. This makes it wonderfully easy to
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by Oliver St. John Gogarty at an awards ceremony stands beside his flying goggles; Brendan Behan’s typewriter supposedly thrown out a pub window is in remarkably good condition; Samuel Beckett’s black rotary-dial telephone with its red button allowed the reclusive writer to restrict calls. Some items have been donated and some are on loan. It is assumed some are owned outright by the museum or Fáilte Ireland who provides funding to the museum.
Exterior of the Dublin Writers Museum. Photo courtesy Jeanette Montgomery. concentrate on what is held within each case. The audio guide gives information not included on the panels above each table and I was thankful for several cushioned benches and chairs. This kept me from wandering aimlessly or standing in the way of other patrons while listening to the remaining particulars of the display. Portraits and busts of many writers are hung over and stand between the cases and there is plenty of memorabilia from 20th century writers. One exhibit details the history of the Abbey Theatre, including several original programs, founded in 1904 by William Butler Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory, Sean O’Casey, and John Millington Synge. Of course Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, and James Joyce are prominently featured but there is also information on lesser known writers such as Máiréad Ní Ghráda and Máirtín Ó Cadhain who both wrote only in the Irish language. In 1929 Ireland’s Censorship of Publications Act came into force and many writers went into voluntary self-exile to fulfil their literary ambitions. It became a sign of success to be banned by the Censorship Board. The Act is still in force today but since the 1990s it seldom prohibits publications. Included in Patrick Kavanagh’s exhibit is a book with some hand written lines. The audio guide explains, in 1947 when lines referring to a man’s ‘dangly bits’ and sexual selfgratification were censored from his book A Soul for Sale, Kavanagh went to book shops and hand-wrote the lines in each book! There is a large exhibit of literary journals from the mid20th century. The longest running, The Dublin Magazine, was in publication from 1928 to 1958. (Saskatchewan’s Grain magazine, first published in 1973, beats this record by several years!) Two tall display cases in the middle of the room contain personal items from various writers. Included were union and press cards, several handwritten letters and postcards between writers. For instance, an amusing signed note from Shaw refusing to give an autograph. A tuxedo worn
On exiting room two an elegant spiral staircase leads past a commemorative plaque to the Jameson family and two intricate stained glass windows to the upper floor that contains the Museum’s reserve of books, including rare and first editions not on display and volumes from special collections. The next doorway leads to the Gallery of Writers, an elegant and sumptuous room with painted plaster and columns. It is easy to see why this room is used for fundraising events and presentations. The walls are hung with formal portraits and busts of notable writers are spaced along the walls. It also contains James Joyce’s piano, brought over from Trieste after his death, on which he would entertain his children. Back downstairs the final room is the gift/book shop. Had I but known how well-stocked this little gem of a shop was with every sort of writing collectable from little known poetry tomes to fridge magnets and book marks with quotes from the famous I could have saved myself the morning’s souvenir slog. In all I spent over four hours touring in the Dublin Writers Museum and could easily have spent longer. It is well worth the ticket price to view over 1,000 years of Irish writing history. The Museum does not attempt to detail every aspect of Irish writing but instead gives an overview of writing development from ancient to current times. There has been some criticism that the museum hasn’t joined the 21st century in using video displays and other available technology. Aside from the fact that monitors and keyboards would look completely out of place in the setting, the museum faces the familiar challenge of under-funding in the arts sector. Fáilte Ireland (formerly Ireland Department of Tourism) provides the building to the museum rent-free; however, the museum is expected to support itself with proceeds of ticket and shop sales. I certainly did my part with gift shop purchases. In spite of the financial constraint the museum is doing an excellent job of providing access for the general public to Irish writing history in a way no classroom lecture or internet search can deliver. A return trip to Ireland is already in the works and you can be sure I will be visiting the Dublin Writers Museum again. Jeanette Montgomery has been published in Tailspinners, Write On!, Freelance and McGraw Hill Ryerson anthology Modern Morsels’. She lived in Australia and Saudi Arabia, has travelled to several countries and writes YA fiction and poetry at home in Saskatoon and anywhere else she happens to land.
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SWG June/July SWGFreelance: Freelance April /2014 May 2014
Writing for Children: Reading as a Swinging Vine By Bev Brenna When I was developing my first children’s novel for junior readers, Spider Summer (Brenna, 1998), I went back and reread my favourite realistic fiction novels for a similar age range: Thomas Rockwell’s How to Eat Fried Worms, Betsy Byars’ The 18th Emergency, Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. What was it about these books that captured my attention, and the attention of the students to whom I had read aloud? Humour! Both comic timing and a sense of irascible likeability that endeared us to a young male protagonist facing contextually simple challenges were key in these texts, and qualities I gripped onto as lifelines in the creation of my own manuscript. Spider Summer is now out of print, and were I to begin again, I’d lean towards more contemporary titles for the kind of trajectory modern kids deserve, seeking Canadian content where possible. Anna Kerz’s The Mealworm Diaries, Rachna Gilmore’s The Trouble with Dilly, and Susin Nielsen’s Word Nerd would offer humor, attention to details, and the kind of active perspective that I think my character in Spider Summer requires to function well in the 21st century.
10 Bev Brenna. Photo courtesy Bev Brenna.
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ou’re standing on a rocky ledge, contemplating the chasm before you. On the other side, another rocky perch awaits. Beckons, in fact. You know it is exactly where you need to be, but you’re not sure how to get there. You close one eye. Suddenly the distance between here and there doesn’t look that far. Maybe you could just jump. You close both eyes. Open them again. It’s too far to jump and you know it. You step back from the edge, feeling dizzy. Maybe you’ll just sit down here on this nice slab of granite, have a picnic, and then go home. After all, you’ve made no promises. Nobody knows where you planned to go. You wouldn’t have to admit defeat. You look again at the opposite side. It would be so great to be there. At this point in a writer’s adventure, a swinging vine can make all the difference. Something to grasp, offering both stability and momentum towards the next plateau of the journey. Such a vine, helping you from point A to point B, has often been a necessity for me, whether the gap in skills relates to the development of characterization, setting, plot, or any of the other touchstones we use to quantify good literature.
When I was developing my intermediate fantasy The Keeper of the Trees (Brenna, 1999), I looked to other fantasy novels for support. I initially thought about how excellent fantasies for ages 9 to 12 were constructed, including a look at Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising and Alan Garner’s The Owl Service to explore the high seriousness I was seeking to craft. What I should have paid more attention to in these books is how fantasies that spin into the real world have early threads requiring a reader’s suspension of disbelief so that little by little, an audience is drawn surely into make believe until by the time the fantasy element is really rich, they’re caught fast. In The Keeper of the Trees, I waited too long to introduce the fantasy element, a fact that has made the book feel clunky and less efficient. In terms of more contemporary reads, I’d now look to Patricia Bow’s The Spiral Maze as well as books by Kit Pearson— Awake and Dreaming, for example—as Pearson has a very smooth touch when it comes to blending the real and the unreal. An even more recent achievement of really great fantasy is Erin Bow’s Plain Kate and I really admire the personal storytelling narrative that is achieved here. (Sidebar: Erin Bow is Patricia Bow’s daughter-in-law.) If I eventually
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
move into the kind of fantasy that involves another kind of world altogether, I’d look to Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina for support as well as Holly Bennett’s work, beginning with The Bonemender. My realistic fiction titles that focus on portraying characters with disabilities involved non-fiction research as well as considerations of worthy fiction titles that included a disability as merely one aspect of characterization rather than the single aspect upon which a character was built. The Moon Children (2007) required an exploration of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), and although I looked for fiction titles where FASD was included, I only found two. In Deborah Ellis’s collection Lunch With Lenin and Other Stories, one short story features a character with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In Jack Gantos’s Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, the title character has a variety of challenges one might find in kids on the FASD spectrum, and there is a suggestion in this title of his mother’s alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Similarly, with my Wild Orchid trilogy (Wild Orchid, Waiting for No One, and The White Bicycle), I delved into non-fiction about Asperger’s Syndrome, as well as searched titles where autism in its many forms was presented. The fact that I didn’t find many fiction titles relating to either FASD or Asperger’s/autism was a motivating factor in my desire to fill in some gaps in literature where characters with disabilities have not been fairly represented. One recently published book I truly admire, relating to autism, is Katherine Erskine’s Mockingbird. I look to the world of published children’s literature for advice and inspiration, and whenever I find myself on that cliff, looking down into uncertainty, I think of what I have previously read, searching around for something to hang on to that shows me “how other writers have done it” and how to get there. Reading like a writer has offered me ideas on how to conceptualize and present characters based on animal metaphors, how to enrich characterizations through dialogue so that the writing is “showing, not telling”, and how to use chapter titles to support comprehension. Writing is hard work. It’s easy to get stuck on a ledge. It’s easy to feel like giving up. Take a detour to the library if you need to find that hanging vine, and then swing across the chasm and see what happens. If whatever you’re trying to do still doesn’t work, you can always swing back and start again. Key here is to pick a vine that’s substantial. Pick a vine that’s green. Look for the best new books in the field and remember that even books that once intrigued you as a child might break in today’s wind.
Read current. Read Canadian, where possible. Read curiously, and reread often. Bev Brenna is an Associate Professor in Curriculum Studies, University of Saskatchewan, where one of her research and teaching interests is Canadian children’s literature. She has published over ten books for young people, and her young adult novel The White Bicycle was shortlisted for the 2013 Governor General’s Award as well as named a Printz Honour Book. For more info on Bev and her writing, visit: beverleybrenna.com
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SWG Freelance: SWG FreelanceJune/July April /2014 May 2014
Lisa Bird-Wilson Wins Big at Sask Book Awards By Shirley Byers
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t this year’s Sask Book Awards, Lisa BirdWilson picked up three awards and her publisher received another for her short story collection, Just Pretending. Her eye for detail has been compared to Margaret Atwood and her voice has been described as graceful, dark, authentic, funny, and true. In her review in Prism International Kim McCullough writes, “This collection of short stories explores the multifaceted theme of identity. Bird-Wilson brilliantly exposes the Métis experience in a way that’s both critical and loving, but she also universalizes the struggles of her characters across race, gender and age. The narrators in these stories range from young women discovering their sexuality and maternal instincts, to drunken men wellpast any prime they may have experienced.”
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Bird-Wilson lives in Saskatoon and obtained all three of her degrees from the U of S. Since the mid-nineties, she’s worked at the Gabriel Dumont Institute, in various positions, including Principal. Currently, she is the director of Training and Employment. “When I went to university first I didn’t think I would gravitate toward English literature but I did — right away. I knew that was for me. Later I thought I wanted to be an English and Native Studies high school teacher, but I soon discovered I was mistaken about that. I stayed in the field of education though, and most of my jobs have been in administration for Aboriginal education,” she said. She was first published in Grain in 2008. She vividly remembers fiction editor, Dave Margoshes, calling her to give her the news. “I was so thrilled and I think he was too. That was also my first experience working with an editor, which I loved.” Since then her short fiction has appeared in Prairie Fire, The Dalhousie Review, Geist and in an anthology of Aboriginal love stories: Zaagidiwin is a Many Slendoured Thing. Her story, Blood Memory was a finalist in the Western Magazine Awards and later included in Tightrope Books “Best Canadian” anthology series. Her short manuscripts have also won the 2008 and 2010 Sask Writers’ Guild Short Manuscript Awards. In 2005 and 2006, Bird-Wilson was a contributing writer
Dr. Thomas Chase, VP of the University of Regina, sponsor of the University of Regina Book of the Year Award, and Lisa Bird-Wilson with one of the three Awards Bird-Wilson won. Coteau Books also took home the First Nations University of Canada Aboriginal Peoples’ Publishing Award for the book. Photo Credit: Ron Gergely Photography to the provincial ABE (Adult Basic Education) curricula, and has presented at provincial and national conferences on the topic of curriculum and Aboriginal learners. Bird-Wilson and her husband have a large family of seven children, that they have raised over the past 15 years. “We have two or three left at home, (depending on the day,)” she said. “I read somewhere that every artist has to have a sliver of ice in her heart (I wish I could remember who said that). I take that to mean that you sometimes have to be a bit merciless about your time and take what you need to make your art. I’m not always good at that, but I try to remind myself of the importance of dedicated writing time every
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
time I take a weekend away to go to the cabin and write. Or close my office door with the strict instructions that no one is supposed to knock unless there is a fire or enough blood to make somebody faint. But for the most part my kids and this big family have been a great source of inspiration over the years.” “I write because I feel like I have something to say and because I love the process,” she said. “There’s nothing more rewarding than being in the moment with a story and the characters and the plot (if I’m working on fiction), or with the words and rhythm of a poem dancing about in the room and my head if I’m working on poetry.” “Also, when I write I really hope my writing will impact an imagined reader the way I’m affected by literature. One line in a story can pack such a punch, depending on your background and past experiences. I know how significant those moments are for me as a reader and I can only hope to maybe have a similar impact on a reader myself.” Bird-Wilson said she isn’t sure where her stories come from. But she’s ready to catch them when they do come, with notebooks all over the place and a habit of constantly jotting down ideas and little notes of inspiration. “Some stories are just inside you — something you’ve known forever that you wanted to write about but you’re just waiting to find the right way to tell it. A lot of the stories I want to write are not going to work if I just say them; I look for a way to get at what I want to say from another angle. Sometimes I’m surprised to find that two stories are really one, they just mesh so well. Or, sometimes I hear little snippets of interviews or other commentary that just stick in my head and I want to build a story around that — like once I heard a broadcaster being interviewed and when he talked about his childhood and his relationship with his mother it was so poignant and sad. He ended by saying, ‘I think she loved me? I’m quite sure she did love me?’ As if it was a question and not a statement. I want to write about that childhood and that relationship. Those parent-child bonds are so complicated. Someday I’ll find a way to work with that sticky little comment.” In the years before she was published she wrote prolifically — stories and poems. When her children were babies she wrote while they slept. But apart from the poems, she never finished anything and she thought that she wasn’t a writer. Writing, she assumed, was some kind of magic. You either had it or you didn’t. “It was only much, much later that I realized that writing is a lot of hard work and perseverance,” she said. “And that everything you do, related to writing, is an opportunity to learn. When I understood that is when I got the confidence to say I’m going to write a story/a book/a collection of
stories/ whatever.” She reads “a lot” of Canadian literature. She tries to read the books shortlisted for prizes and pays attention to short story collections. She was thrilled when short story writer Alice Munroe won the Nobel Prize and Lynn Coady received the 2013 Giller for her short story collection, Hellgoing. “I also pay keen attention to the Aboriginal writers and artists because I think what they’ve done over the past few decades has been phenomenal for the rest of us. They’ve opened up the spaces in the publishing world for some of us who come after. And also, I like hearing what the more established writers have to say; I love hearing Richard Wagamese say, “I’m not a Native writer. I’m a f____ing writer.” Yeah. And the young Aboriginal people doing the spoken word. And the young women who started the magazine kimiwan, and the writings published from Idle No More, and Neal McLeod’s collection from Saskatchewan Indigenous authors coming out in June. These are all things to keep an eye on. It’s all so smart and fresh, what these writers are doing. It feels like a good time to be a writer.”
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SWG Freelance: SWG FreelanceJune/July April /2014 May 2014
The Game of the Name By Kay Parley
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oes anyone remember Tom Sawyer? David Copperfield? Anne Shirley? Notice what they have in common? Very ordinary names. Does anyone remember Cyrangerina from a paperback romance? Although I confess to a fondness for the name Sherlock Holmes, fancy names alone do not make interesting characters. Some aspiring authors, desperate to make a character memorable, try to do it by conjuring some obscure unheard of name. It would be far wiser to put the effort into developing the character. A well-drawn character may even tell the writer his name.
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There are limitless sources if we need help in finding an appropriate name. Among the reference books on the shelf beside my typewriter is Lareina Rule’s Name Your Baby. (Come to think of it, if Lareina is really her name, she could hardly help but be interested in the topic, could she?) The book gives dozens of first names, and it also gives meanings for them. That can be useful. I was looking for a name for a wise elf and I came upon one that meant “counselor.” It was just right. Also beside my desk are telephone directories for two different cities. They contain surnames in abundance. All I have to do is delve. If I am not sure whether a name is Polish or Ukrainian, I may have to check further, but it is a good start. In a day and age when a Mexican may tell you his name is McDonald and a Japanese boy may be called Henry, getting the right ethnicity is not as crucial as it used to be, but there must be a good explanation for unexpected names. As the races and cultures continue to mix, names from every exotic corner of the world have become popular. Where ethnicity is concerned, we need to avoid stereotyping. There are Italian girl who are not named Angella. In the days before globalization, names became popular in geographic areas. A village or valley or even a country might have a certain number of typical names. It used to be fairly common in North America to find a village with three or four Williams and a handful of Bessies. Many cultures followed rigid patterns such as naming the first son for the father and the second for the grandfather, and so on. When writing a story set in the past, it is important to research these traditions. Not long ago, a writer asked me for help in naming characters for a historic novel set in Saskatchewan. My advice was to go to the library and look up the community histories. The actual names of the early pioneers would be there – dozens and dozens of them.
Kay Parley. Photo courtesy Kay Parley. Of course, people like me are another resource, simply because we were here. For instance, Marjorie was a very popular girl’s name in the 1920s. How do I know? Because during my school years in the 1930s and 1940s, there was a Marjorie in every class. Since the advent of mass media, names have changed – and traveled – as never before in history. In the twenties, Shirley was an unusual name. My mother told me she almost named me Shirley because she thought it unique. A few years later she was glad she hadn’t, because Shirley Temple hit the silver screen and Shirley became the most popular name in North America. Norma Shearer had influence too, and Carol Lombard, but Greta Garbo did not, in spite of her fame. Greta sounded ethnic and, for many years, anglo-dominated North America shunned ethnic names. I went to high school with and Ilonka who called herself Helen. That is just how it was. It was not until World War II that those barriers came down. We are able to date many names by the stars. If a boy is named Elvis, he was born after 1957. Hollywood influenced girls’ names in particular: names like Rita, Myrna, Marlene, Doris, Judy, Lisa, and Debbie. A few years ago, a popular TV show features the name Samantha, and suddenly here were Samanthas among us. Had anyone suggested the name Samantha to my mother or anyone her generation, they would have turned pale. The name had been “out” for centuries; it was taboo.
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
Degrassi High awakened Katlyn from a long rest. Now we have Catalins and Katelynns spelled a hundred ways but, if we put one into a story, she had better be born since 1990 or else she had better live in the Hebrides. Nothing spells carelessness like the use of a fabulous late twentieth century name in a story set in the 1930s. It indicates the writer was reaching too far for effect, like the romance writer who came up with Cyrangerina. It is fun to scan January newspapers when the past year’s new arrivals make their collective appearance. Of late years, baby names range from flights of fancy to ultratraditional, harkening back to a day of gingham bonnets and milkmaids. Even biblical names have been making a comeback. Caution. Many of these names were not disinterred until ten or twenty years ago. If your heroine is thirty-one and the story takes place in the present she was named in 1983. Her mother, on the other hand was probably named about the time Elvis came in. What were girls being named then? I forget. I would have to check. How? I’d glance at my family tree for a start, to see what the little second cousins were being named at that time. I would ask friends who belong to that generation, or who know people who do. I could check the obituaries for the names of people born at that time. I could go to the library and look up the New Year papers of the late fifties. The truth is, I would not have a problem. I taught young adults in the 1970s and could simply scan my old class lists. I made the above suggestions to point out that there is always a resource. It surprises me that many writers seem to feel that they must rely on memory or imagination when hunting for names. Too often, imagination blocks on this one. Pay attention to how the name sin your story work together. Two or three names, which sound alike or look alike on the page, may be confusing to the reader. If a stronger character has a weak name, it will unbalance the story. To win the game of the name, we need to get it right: ethnicity, culture, place, and time of birth. Occupation and economic background may be significant factors as well. Of even more importance, we must consider the character we are naming. Is the name appropriate? Does it sound real? Mark Twain did not give us Tom Sawyer by reaching for something exotic and fanciful. He got real. This new column features commentary related to the writing process by Kay Parley. They originally appeared as newspaper columns and they are reprinted with the authours permission. Her books include They Cast a Long Shadow, Lady with a Lantern and The Sixth Age.
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SWG June/July SWGFreelance: Freelance April /2014 May 2014
Katherine Lawrence Wins CRWA Congratulations to the winner of the 35th City of Regina Writing Award Katherine Lawrence. She received her award on May 29 at the Travelodge Hotel & Conference Centre in Regina. The 2014 runners-up are Marie Powell and Aleksandra McHugh. The judges for the 2014 City of Regina Writing Award were Yvonne Blomer and C.E. Gatchalian. Lawrence is the author of two poetry books: Lying to Our Mothers and Ring Finger, Left Hand. Lawrence’s work has been broadcast on CBC radio and published in literary journals across Canada Katherine Lawrence makes a speech after receiving the 2014 City of Regina Writing Award. Photo courtesy SWG Staff.
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The City of Regina Writing Award is sponsored by The City of Regina.
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
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SWG Freelance: SWG FreelanceJune/July April /2014 May 2014
Caroline Heath Memorial Fund & Lecture Series Survey Donations for the Caroline Heath Memorial Fund have been scant for many years and funds have gradually dwindled to the point that there is not enough to cover the full costs for this fall’s Memorial Lecture or further lectures in the future. We’d like members’ response to this issue about whether or not you feel the lecture is important and if so, if you are willing to support it financially.
Please circle your responses and add comments if you please 1. Do you regularly attend the Caroline Heath Memorial Lecture? Yes No Comments: 2. How important do you feel the Heath Lecture is to the fall conference programming on a scale of 1 to 10 with ten being the highest. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Comments: 18
3. Would you miss the Heath Lecture if it was no longer offered? Yes No Comments: 4. If the Caroline Heath Memorial Lecture is discontinued, would you still want to see a lecture offered at the conference? Yes No Comments: 5.
If you want to see the Caroline Heath Lecture continue, are you willing to support it by
A. B. C. D. E.
6.
What other suggestions do you have with regards to the Caroline Heath Lecture? Comments:
Making financial donations to the Caroline Heath Trust Fund Paying a fee to attend the Lecture? Contributing a donation at the door? All of the above Other: _______________________________
Please fill out the form and drop it off at the SWG office in Regina or Saskatoon or fill out the survey online at: surveymonkey.com/s/8SLFS29
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
SWG Foundation Legacy Project Survey Questionnaire The SWG Foundation is proposing to either purchase or build a building to house the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild and other associated cultural groups with the intent that rent be paid by all of these organizations. This ‘rent’, once the building is paid for, will in turn be donated to the Guild to assist with operations and programs rather than having to rely on Lottery funding. This “Legacy Project” building could be used for a number of functions, such as to house the Guild library, meeting rooms, workshop rooms, spaces for writers, and for holding lectures, readings and other activities. Your opinion on the possibility of the Foundation procuring a building to be a home for the Guild is appreciated. Please complete this survey by June 27, 2014. Completed surveys can be dropped off at the SWG office in Regina or Saskatoon. Additional membership consultation will be conducted should the decision be made by the Foundation to move this project forward. 1.
Do you support the idea of the Foundation constructing or acquiring a building generally? Yes No Comments:
2.
Do you support in concept the idea of the building having leased commercial space to the Guild and other Orgs? Yes No Comments:
3.
Do you have a preference as to the location of the building being in A. Saskatoon B. Regina C. Other: ________________________
4.
Do you have a preference for the location of the building? A. University campus B. Downtown area C. Core/Central area D. Suburb E. Any of the above? F. Other: ___________________
5.
Do you have a preference as to the building being a new build or an existing building retrofitted? Yes No Comments:
6.
If retrofitted, do you have a preference that the building be a character building or not? Yes No Comments:
7.
Do you support in concept the idea of a building being a home for the Guild offices? Yes No Comments:
8.
Do you support in concept the idea of a building also being a place (check as many as apply) A. For courses and workshops to take place? B. For events and activities (readings, festivals, launches, etc.) to take place? C. To house the Guild library D. To house a writer-in-resident or guest presenters? E. For other organizations to lease and hold events? F. Other features: __________________________________
9.
Do you support in concept the idea of a building being a place for writers to go to write? Yes No
10.
If yes, would this be on a A. Daily/weekly basis during regular work hours? B. Daily/weekly basis, including evenings or weekends? C. Daily/weekly basis including overnight lodging? D. All of the above?
11. Do you intend to financially support the Legacy Building project? Yes No Comments: If so please provide contact information: _________________________ 12. Do you intend to support the Legacy Building project with your time? Yes No Comments:
If so please provide contact information: _________________________
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SWG Freelance: SWG FreelanceJune/July April /2014 May 2014
2015 Mentorship Program The SWG Mentorship Program allows developing writers to work in a supportive environment under the guidance of professional writers. The mentor provides the apprentice with one-on-one instruction in the craft of creative writing. The program is open to writers in all genres and will be tailored to the apprentice’s individual needs. The pairs will be in weekly contact and can communicate through Email, phone, and face-to-face meetings. When an apprentice and mentor do not live in the same community, at least one face-to-face meeting is required. The focus of the program is craft development, apprentices should not expect to have a completed manuscript by the end of the program. The program will run from January 1 to April 30, 2015. At the end of the program, the apprentices will give a public reading of their work. There is no cost to apply for this program and there are no participation fees.
Deadline: Applications must be postmarked by September 26, 2014. Call for Mentors The SWG is seeking experienced writers in all genres to participate in the Mentorship Program. Mentors who have participated in the program in the past are welcome to re-apply.
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Mentors will be selected based upon the following criteria: • the possession of a significant body of published work • experience as a teacher, workshop leader, mentor, writer in residence, or editor • the ability to commit time (15-20 hours per month) during the mentorship period • Saskatchewan residency Mentors will receive an honorarium of $2,500 for their participation in the program.
Call for Apprentices The SWG is seeking four writers who wish to develop their skills in the craft of creative writing. Eligible applicants will meet the following criteria: • they will have a body of work of sufficient quality to benefit from the program • they will have work in progress when they apply • they will not have had a book published in the genre in which they wish to apprentice • they have demonstrated their commitment to writing by having participated in some form of professional development. • they will be free to devote a significant amount of time to the program: a minimum of 20-25 hours per month. • they will be Saskatchewan residents 19 years of age or older
The results of this competition will be announced in November. The decisions of the jury will be final. Jurors may choose to not make the entire four matches.
For detailed submission guidelines visit the SWG website For more information Contact Tracy Hamon, Program Manager P: 306. 791.7743 E: programs@skwriter.com.
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
Windscript Vol. 30 Launch By SWG Staff
From Left, Sandy Bonny, editor Windscript Vol. 30, with award recipients Jessie Chamberlain, Alia Aluma-Baigent, Wyatt Bachman, and Amy Baldwin at the launch of Windscript Vol. 30 at the Unitarian Centre in Regina. Photo courtesy SWG.
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he launch of the latest edition of Windscript took place at the Unitarian Centre as part of the Cathedral Village Arts Festival. Twenty-seven young writers contributed to Windscript Vol. 30, three of whom were awarded for their creative pieces of writing, and three who were noted as honourable mentions. The 2014 Award Winners are:
and to Saskatchewan’s teachers and librarians who encourage student writing. Windscript Vol. 30 is available for purchase from the SWG office for $10 a copy. We hope you enjoy reading the remarkable poetry and stories from the high school students whose works were selected!
• Jerrett Enns Award for Poetry: Wyatt Bachman • Honourable Mention for Poetry: Alia Aluma-Baigent • Jerrett Enns Award for Prose: Jessie Chamberlain • Honourable Mention for Prose: Josiah Theissen • Currie-Hyland Prize: Amy Baldwin • Currie-Hyland Prize Honourable Mention: Maryl O’Soup Eleven students, including the three award recipients (Wyatt Bachman, Jessie Chamberlain, and Amy Baldwin), shared their work with the audience at the launch. Many thanks go to Sandy Bonny for editing this volume. Thanks to each and every student who sent in their work,
Alia Aluma-Baigent and Jessie Chamberlain, read from their work. Photo courtesy SWG Staff.
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SWG Freelance: SWG FreelanceJune/July April /2014 May 2014
Create an Impressive Writer’s CV By Toby Welch
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writer’s CV, short for curriculum vitae, is basically a snapshot of your writing life. The document includes all aspects of what you have accomplished as a writer and differs from a standard résumé. In general, a résumé focuses on your education and past employment history. It also covers details such as your driving record and your proficiency with Microsoft Excel. A CV includes not just a summary of your work and educational background but delves into teaching experiences, awards, honours, affiliations, presentations, fellowships, publications, and other stepping-stones in your writing life. CVs can be included when applying for anything writing related including:
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• pitching query letters to editors
• pitching literary agents and publishers
• applying for an award
• applying for a workshop position
• requesting a grant or other funding
• calls for applications or bids for writing jobs
• ghost writing appeals
Editors from across Canada weigh in on the value of CVs: “A concise (stress, concise) CV is important. For a writer the magazine hasn’t used before, it can make the difference between a front-of-book assignment or getting a major feature to write. Of course, a CV isn’t a replacement for a well-written query letter, which seems to be going the way of the dinosaur. But a good query and CV together make for a more compelling package.” “Way too often I see CVs that list the fact that a writer won employee of the month back in May 1998 at Randy River at the mall. I don’t care about your retail experience or that you waited tables. In fact, cramming too much hurts your chances — it makes me wonder if you are really a full-time writer or if it’s only a sideline. Don’t kill me with other job experience that has nothing to do with writing.” “If a pitch interests me, the CV often seals the deal.” “I would expect to see a CV from a writer I haven’t worked with before, and would review it to see where they’ve done their training and where they’ve been published.”
Before you create a CV, let me stress the importance of presentation. This is not the time to use a wacky font; not only will it annoy the reader but it plants you firmly in the amateur category. Use black ink on white paper. Use bullets, indents, and other word processing options to make the document visually appealing. You can lay out the CV however you like as long as it scores high marks for readability. When creating your CV choosing valid information to include is vital. Aim to be concise and stick to the writing facts. Try to keep it to two pages maximum.
Sections on a CV: • Contact Information. Either centered at the top of the first page or aligned on the left, include all of your contact details - snail mail address, phone number, fax number, website address, blog link, and any professional online pages you have like LinkedIn and Twitter. Also include a professional e-mail address; I’mASexyBeast@yahoo.com only impresses your creepy cousin.
Freelance Magazine Advertising Rates We accept classified and display ads at the following rates:
Display ads: Full page: $150 1/2 Page: $100 1/4 page: $50 business card: $35 (SWG members pay 75% of above rates)
Classified ads: 20 cents per word (plus GST). Ads run in three consecutive issues unless cancelled SWG members may place one 25-word ad free of charge each year.
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
• Introduction. Keep this portion to 200 words or less. Give a brief overview of who you are as a writer, your writing interests, past writing successes, or even future writing plans; any literary passions, thoughts, or experiences can go here. Short and tight is the key to this section. • Credits. Cover your writing work here, by categories or chronologically. List your published pieces, collaborations, projects, commissions, and such. If you’re a newbie starting out, don’t stress if this section is empty - skip it and move onto the next part. That goes for any section that doesn’t pertain to you. • Education. If you studied in a field unrelated to writing, list the degree(s). If you have writing-related training, expand on it. You can also mention workshops, lectures, or seminars that contributed to your growth as a writer. • Achievements. This is the place to list your commendations. Expand your thinking beyond placing in writing contests. Being a writer-in-residence, teaching a class, speaking at a conference, participating in festivals, readings you’ve done, and other writerly activities are included here. • Memberships. This is where you mention that you are a member of the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild and any other clubs or organizations that support your writing. • Reviews and comments. If you’ve received feedback
from your writing, be it from contest judges, editors, other writers, or reviewers, record the comments here. You can also include testimonials from people who’ve been touched by your work, but make sure each comment is credited. • Work experience. List the jobs you’ve had, writingrelated or not. But as with the other sections of your CV, be brief when discussing the non-writing aspects of your life. If you have a literary agent, mention that in your CV, wherever it fits in best without disturbing the flow of the document. If you are active online with your writing, dedicate a section to your online presence. These are just recommended sections to include in your CV. Use this as a guideline, not a rigid list you must follow. In your CV, don’t include payment expectations, information about unpublished works, a list of your hobbies, or the fact that your mother thinks you should be on the New York Times bestseller list. Once you’ve created your CV, proofread and update it regularly. Think of a CV as your chance to spotlight your writing awesomeness. Toby Welch has been a full-time freelance writer for a decade. You’ll find her at tobywelch.ca
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Crafting the Characters of Your Children’s Fiction – II By Alison Lohans
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good children’s story, whether for the picture book set, voracious middle-grade readers, or complex young adolescents, offers up an engaging question that’s encountered and conquered by empathetic characters that resonate with readers.
What lenses can we use for developing the characters of our children’s stories? Experienced parents will easily understand a child’s personality, and how that personality manifests at various ages. Developmental psychology theory is also useful in determining the inner workings of the characters we put to work in our fiction. This article will borrow from theories of Erikson, Piaget, Vygotsky, Maslow, and Kohlberg.
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Our youngest characters, in picture books, range from four to six years old. They experience the world in a literal, concrete manner, lacking the filters and conceptual understandings of older people. They often use their whole bodies for expression. It’s a time of magical thinking, when children experience things for which they may not yet have names. They’re learning to develop initiative by devising and carrying out plans, but are egocentric and have problems conceiving of others’ perspectives. At the same time, they need to feel safe and connected with people who love them; the family is the children’s primary world. They learn to delay some of their needs and become more resilient. Rules are sacrosanct; children expect imminent justice for those who break them and obey for fear of punishment. To develop characters, we consider variations within the norm – in which, for the purposes of fiction, the child’s social context will be important. Does she feel safe and loved, or is there a needy younger sibling always around? How does she express her insecurities? What motivates him? Is it something intriguing, or is it fear – and fear of what? For young children who aren’t capable of logical thought, fear can be a powerful driving force. What is your character’s temperament? Is she outgoing, a risktaker, perhaps a bit of a rebel, or shy and withdrawn? The most successful protagonists have a degree of intrinsic motivation (or the story task might address growing more independent, acquiring leadership skills).
Alison Lohans. Photo courtesy Alison Lohans. A picture book must reach two different audiences – the child, of course, but also the older person who selects it and reads to the preliterate child. Abstractions are meaningless, so the writer finds tangible ways to vividly portray a child’s perspective: for example, “Her feet felt so happy they couldn’t hold still.” Picture books are usually written in third person, past tense point of view. For the sake of economy, they rely more heavily on “telling” than “showing”, particularly when opening the story. Theorists group children aged seven to twelve in the next developmental stage. (This doesn’t fit the current categories of children’s fiction that I think are far better attuned to today’s children, particularly the older ones.) These characters gain competence in social, physical and academic skills, and compare themselves with their peers. If they don’t measure up, feelings of inferiority can develop while characters with numerous skills learn to
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
trust themselves. These kids are reality-based and begin seeing others’ perspectives. They understand logical processes but still don’t engage in abstract thought (hence the importance of “showing” versus “telling” in our narratives). Friends become important as children develop social realms outside the home. When it comes to obeying rules, they recognize intrinsic rewards and cooperate because it’s in their best interests to do so. While crafting characters in this pre-adolescent range, we can build upon some of the questions raised for the preschool group by adding issues such as sibling and school dynamics, a child’s ways of adapting to change, and attributions for success or failure (ability, luck, effort, and difficulty of the task). What about learned helplessness? There could be conflicts between the home and wider social contexts; how does the character deal with these? What happens when a child is plunged into an unfamiliar situation, as is the basis of many adventure stories? Interesting story questions can arise through exploring risk factors to normal, healthy development: poverty, poor health, low parental education, transiency, unstable families, and poor parenting styles. Stories for growing children begin to require layers of characterization and plot to add texture and sophistication,
with simple beginnings for the youngest readers and gradually becoming more complex. The next article will address further developmental psychology principles as they apply to creating rounded young adult characters. Alison Lohans has published 26 books for young people of various ages. This Land We Call Home (Pearson, NZ, 2007) won the 2008 SaskEnergy Young Adult Literature Saskatchewan Book Award, and her latest picture book Leaving Mr. Humphries (Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing, 2013) has just been shortlisted for the 2014 Saskatchewan Book Awards. Alison Lohans was fascinated by developmental psychology while working on her M.Ed. degree – realizing this material is a treasure trove not only for teachers, but for children’s writers as well. Her juvenile novel No Place for Kids will be reissued in September in the new Wandering Fox imprint of Heritage House.
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SWG Freelance: SWG FreelanceJune/July April /2014 May 2014
The Space-Time Continuum By Edward Willett
TARDIS: Time And Relative Dimensions In Stories
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n May 6th, I was the speaker at the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild’s “Write After Lunch” series, and entitled my talk “TARDIS: Time And Relative Dimensions In Stories.” Here’s the central idea of it, though, in handy Freelancecolumn form... In the long-running British science fiction program Doctor Who, The Doctor, a centuries-old Time Lord, travels in the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimensions in Space). Powered by a collapsing star, it is bigger on the inside than on the outside, and can journey anywhere in time and space, from the beginning of the universe to its end, to any planet or civilization the universe holds or ever will.
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As a storytelling device, it’s brilliant. And it seems to me that as a metaphor for writing science fiction and fantasy, it’s even better. After all, like the TARDIS, a science fiction or fantasy tale is bigger on the inside than on the outside. On the outside it’s nothing but a few pages, or a small digital file. On the inside...it can hold all of time and space. In fact, science fiction or fantasy tales are even more impressive than the TARDIS, because they can not only take you to everything that has ever existed or ever will, but to everything that has never existed and never will! The only limitation is your own imagination. In a long poem called Mythopoeia J.R.R. Tolkien described the writing of fantastic tales as a process of “sub-creation.” You should search up and read the whole thing, but for me, this is the heart of it: Though all the crannies of the world we filled with Elves and Goblins, though we dared to build Gods and their houses out of dark and light, and sowed the seed of dragons, ’twas our right (used or misused). The right has not decayed. We make still by the law in which we’re made. For Tolkien, human creativity was a reflection of divine creativity: because God is the great Creator, we who are
Edward Willett. Photo courtesy Edward Willett. made in His image likewise seek to create. Even if you reject the existence of a Creator, you cannot deny that there is something within humans that drives us to create: and the ultimate act of creation is, of course, the creation of a whole new world—or universe. You may not believe in God, but as a writer, you are one. And, as god of the worlds of your imagination, you are free to travel to any time in the past, the present, or the distant future and to any place in this universe or any other. Creatures both human and non-human are at your beck and call to serve as characters. There is nothing of which you can conceive that is so outré you cannot craft a science fiction or fantasy story about it. I’m sometimes asked why I write science fiction and fantasy. For me, the question is nonsensical: what I can’t understand is why some people don’t, or refuse to read either. (As an aside, now that I’ve established that I’m a sort of god, please note that offerings of large sums of cash are my preferred form of worship, and my divine favor is definitely available to be curried.) In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, in which the crew of the Enterprise journeys back in time to 20th-century San Francisco, a woman asks Captain Kirk if he’s from outer
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
space. He says, “No, I’m from Iowa. I just work in outer space.”
make-believe, and in the process become most like God— whether we believe in Him or not
An SF writer could say, “I’m from the present. I just work in the future.” A fantasy writer might say, “My mind lives in a far off magical kingdom. It’s just my body that is stuck here.”
Edward Willett is a freelance writer and performer in Regina. He is the author of 50 books.
Our flesh and blood bodies may be stuck in the real world. But our minds are not only free to imagine, and roam, all of space of time, but to create whole new worlds and universes that never have existed, and never can. As Yoda says in The Empire Strikes Back, “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.” Like the TARDIS, we are all bigger on the inside than on the outside. And by creating and sharing stories of other worlds and other universes, by writing tales that indeed fill all the crannies of the world with elves and goblins, build gods and their houses out of dark and light, and sow the seeds of dragons, we exercise our imagination to its greatest extent. By doing so, by so fully engaging our creative powers, we display our most unique human trait: the ability to play
You can watch the archived video online, and you can find a long text version online at http://edwardwillett. com/2014/05/tardis-time-and-relative-dimensions-instories/.
Find Saskatchewan Writers and Services Is a valuable online promotional tool for SWG members and the work you do. Consider adding yourself. If you are already listed, please make sure your information is current so people can learn more about you. SWG provides this service to profile you as a writer, for hosts to contact you to do readings and presentations, and to
provide information about other professional writing services you might provide for hire. For more information contact the SWG office at: 306.791.7740 or info@skwriter.com
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SWG June/July SWGFreelance: Freelance April /2014 May 2014
Books by Members
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Wes Side Story By Wes Funk Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing ISBN: 9781927756157
The Adirondack Haystack Still Floats By Nicholas Olsen Self-Published, Benchmark Press ISBN: 9781927352151
Sweet Life By Linda Biasotto Coteau Books ISBN: 9781550505788
With his usual prairie-boy wit and brutal honesty, Funk shares his real life story in a brave unflinching memoir. Amidst the fun, there are poignant and painful moments of coming of age, coming out and coming un¬done. From his days as an intensely shy farm-boy to his years as a lost soul of a young man and finally to his escapades in the writing, publishing and broadcasting world of Saskatchewan.
In these times where success is measured in dollar figures and the remarkable people are those with the most views on a screen, the unexceptional must be examined. Not from behind the glass of a BMW M3 while driving across town, but rather from the bridges under which they live and teach philosophy, from the community centres in which they share lessons of furniture sales, from living rooms in which they build shrine-like robots.
What a mystery we are?
From these settings where mediocrity is presupposed, The Adirondack Haystack Still Floats brings fairy-tale realities and surreal episodes to the reader in a dynamic discovery of truth.
The winner of the John V Hicks long manuscript award, Sweet Life brings fraught circumstances to the fore with both compassion and sardonic humour. One of the stories from the collection “The Virgin in the Grotto” can also be found in LPG’s Short Story Month ebook anthology, Full of Lit.
Praise for Wes Side Story “Funk delivers a pop-culture-laden confessional with honesty and humour.”Devin Pacholik, Fine Lifestyles Magazine “Funk is a fascinating character—reading this book is time well-spent!”- David Poulsen, author of Old Man and Serpents Rising “Funk’s new memoir focuses a colourful kaleidoscope lens on growing up gay and fabulous on the Canadian prairies. From dreams of pink superheroes to poignant family drama, Funk holds nothing back and reveals the complex reality of one young man’s journey from shy farm boy to cultural prairie icon.”- Jefferson Smith, author of Oath Keeper
The Adirondack Haystack Still Floats shares the inventive stories of twelve human beings who were scattered throughout North America like chickenfeed, landing only in the neighborhoods with Greyhound Bus service. In their own way, each character is a reminder that the bluecollar social class is the one upon which all of our values were founded, and in their peculiar ways of surviving suggest that they shouldn’t be considered the mediocre at all.
Whether through the eyes of a preschooler misunderstanding the world crashing down around him, of a middle-aged woman caring for her hated, yet dependent mother, or of spiteful couples getting their just desserts in Paradise, Linda Biasotto explores the mystery of us in this debut short story collection, Sweet Life.
Linda Biasotto has published many short stories in Grain, Room of One’s Own and Transitions magazines. She’s also had poetry appear in a variety of publications. Sweet Life is her first book publication. Born in Winnipeg, Linda Biasotto grew up there and in Regina, where she lives and writes to this day.
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
Black Thursday By Scott Gregory Miller EDTI Publishing ISBN: 9780993685804
Le 13e souhait By Martine Noël-Maw Éditions de la nouvelle plume ISBN: 9782921385800
After the gunshots on Black Thursday, two coal miners lay dead. The riot would not die in the Depression. It would take its toll in blood through to modern day Estevan.
An old train station converted into a museum, an unsolved murder case, a necklace set with 13 diamonds, and an unfailing boldness. This is what drives Pickle, a nine-year-old girl with an allconsuming curiosity, to lead her older sister and brother into a time-travel adventure that could end in tragedy in the quiet town of Bienfait, Saskatchewan.
Over sixty years later, Dr. George Sterling is found killed. The doctor’s grandson, reporter Myles Sterling, comes under suspicion for his remarks about the old goat. It’s a family affair. Myles steals the memoirs of a distant cousin from his father’s safe. The Sterling family owned the Estevan coal fields in the thirties. The doctor hired his cousin to spy. The memoirs lay bare the lives of the miners and their families 100 feet underground and squirming in tiny hovels the company forced on them. In the end, Myles finds he has to dig as far as the families of the riot’s dead to discover its bloody legacy. Inspired by the 1931 Estevan Riot. scottgregorymiller.com
This French-language youth novel, originating from workshops led by the author with grade five students from École Massey School in Regina, explores an intriguing question: is it really impossible to change the past? Martine’s novels for adults and youth have earned her many honours including six nominations for the Prix du livre français of the Saskatchewan Book Awards that she has won twice, Amélia et les papillons (2006) and Dans le pli des collines, 2e edition (2010). nouvelleplume.com martinenoelmaw.wordpress.com
Dementia Prevention Naturally: Evidence-Based Strategies To Enrich Cognition By Felix Veloso Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing ISBN: 9781927756119 In Canada, over the next 30 years, a new dementia will be diagnosed every two minutes or about 257,800 new cases will be diagnosed per year totaling almost three per cent of Canada’s population unless preventive measures are taken now. Dementia Prevention Naturally provides evidence-based natural healthy lifestyle strategies that can slow progression of cognitive impairment by up to six years thereby allowing your brain to outlive your heart so that you will not developed dementia in your lifetime. Á votre santé. Dr. Felix Veloso is a clinical Professor of Medicine (Neurology) at the University of Saskatchewan. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada and of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Veloso is the author of the widely- acclaimed book Stroke Prevention Naturally: Proven Non-Pharmaceutical Stroke Avoidance Strategies. Dr. Veloso is also a medals-winning marathoner.
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Books by Members
The Crystals of Gorn II By Tony Peter America Star Books ISBN: 9781629079561
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Emeralda, the fallen Sage, is back (after two plus years) and she kidnaps Timmy by fooling him into believing she has his best friend, Suzy. Suzy misses the kidnapping by minutes, setting the stage for two adventures in the magical and parallel world of Gorn by the two friends. Each must use their wits to overcome serious obstacles and adversaries intent on blocking their actions. During their journeys, Suzy and Timmy meet new friends and discover more about Gorn and themselves.
In the Fold of the Hills By Martine Noël-Maw Translated by Margaret Wilson Fuller Esktasis Editions ISBN: 9781771710091 Saskatchewan’s Qu’Appelle Valley is said to echo with mysterious voices – voices Québec-born novelist Martine Noël-Maw seems to hear as she spins a masterful tale of secrets hidden in the fold of the hills.
Tony and his wife, Betty, live in Outlook, SK. Their home overlooks the scenic South Saskatchewan River and the famous Skytrail, the longest pedestrian bridge in Canada. They have three adult children and a son-in-law.
Set against the background of the valley’s historic sanatorium known as Fort San, the novelist weaves a dramatic fiction of family entanglements and a search for origins. Doctor Emile Murray is the grandson of Fort San’s longtime medical director and pioneering tuberculosis specialist. Or is he? After digging to uncover the truth, Emile’s wife, Sophie, must decide whether some secrets are best left hidden.
Tony is a retired principal and teacher. With time on their hands, they enjoy travelling, curling, golfing and walking. Tony also helps on a local farm and in their church.
This spellbinding novel of unfolding revelations was originally published in French under the title Dans le pli des collines, earning Noël-Maw a Saskatchewan Book award in 2010.
Tony enjoys writing and belongs to a writing group, the Revisionists.
ekstasiseditions.com martinenoelmaw.wordpress.com
The Trouble with Beauty By Bruce Rice Coteau Books ISBN: 9781550505726 Bruce Rice was moved to words by the natural beauty he saw during repeated travels along Seven Bridges Road just west of Regina and in the landscape around Eastend and the Cypress Hills in southwestern Saskatchewan. As he sought to express the beauty he saw in those places on their own terms, without imposing the ego of the poet, he found resonances of himself in what he was seeing – the landscape began to write him. Distinguished by its long unhurried lines and its vivid descriptions of the Saskatchewan landscape, The Trouble with Beauty is an absorbing and moving collection of poetry about the contemporary hunger for transcendence or, what the poet calls “the mysteries/ God didn’t plan for.” Powerfully elegiac, these poems can be read as a single sequence, an ongoing almanac of the poets inner weather, in which epiphanies are hair-triggered to the most ordinary occurrences – the push of a breath on the back of a small clump of grass.
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
Sleeping with Rhinos - Journeys to Wild Places By Robin and Arlene Karpan Parkland Publishing ISBN: 9780980941944 Follow travel writers and photographers Robin and Arlene Karpan in their latest book, Sleeping with Rhinos - Journeys to Wild Places, as they track the legendary big cats of Africa, marvel at the spectacle of Mexico’s great monarch migration, and get personal with resplendent white baby harp seals on isolated ice floes. Twelve stories transport you to some of the world’s most spectacular wild places.The Karpans’ adventures range from white-out blizzards while living in an igloo in the Arctic, a flash flood in the Kalahari Desert, an attack by a bad-tempered moose, and waking up to five rhinos having a scuffle outside their small tent. Along the way, they find wild places relatively untouched by our rapidly changing world, and others teetering on the brink. Above, all, Sleeping with Rhinos is an escape from our increasingly overcrowded, over-urbanized, and overcivilized world to extraordinary corners of the globe where wildness is still valued and Mother Nature still has some clout.
The Comic Book War By Jacqueline Guest Coteau Books ISBN: 9781550505825
Song of the Sword By Edward Willet Coteau Books ISBN: 9781550505801
It’s 1943 and World War II is raging. 15-year-old Robert Tourond is safe at home in Calgary, but his three brothers are all overseas, fighting the Nazis. A dreamer, Robert closely follows the exploits of his three favourite comic book heroes – Captain Ice, Sedna of the Sea and the Maple Leaf Kid – who also battle the bad guys in the monthly comics he spends his allowance on.
Ariane’s life is already pretty difficult her mother’s disappeared, she’s trying to get used to living with her aunt after several foster homes, and she’s taking grief from the “in” girls at school. She’s dealing with strange dreams involving swords and knights and battles, and things seem to get weird whenever she touches water.
When Robert finds a meteorite in Nose Hill Park near his home, a strange chain of events begins. In the same week, a meteorite features in the storylines of all three superheroes. Robert becomes convinced a magical link exists; his comic book heroes are giving him messages about his brothers’ far away fortunes and misfortunes. Can Robert and his heroes really protect all three brothers and bring them home? What would happen if reality came crashing into his world, like a meteorite falling from space? The Comic Book War completes the trilogy that began with Belle of Batoche and Outcasts of River Falls. jacquelineguest.com
Everyone knows the legends of King Arthur, the Round Table, and the powerful and noble wizard Merlin. But what if those so-called legends were real historical facts? And what if someone has carefully rewritten that history? Before long, Ariane’s met the famed Lady of the Lake, and is sent on a dangerous mission that pits her against otherworldly forces. Can she figure out what it all means, much less survive the challenge? Edward Willett is the award-winning author of nearly 50 science-fiction and fantasy, science and other non-fiction books for both young readers and adults. shardsofexcalibur.com
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SWG Freelance: SWG FreelanceJune/July April /2014 May 2014
Calls of Interest Looking For A Writers’ Group To Belong To (In Regina)? The Prairie Phoenix group meeting is free and open to any and all ages, genders, genres, ideas and input. Our plan is simple: •
•
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Bring your work, share it, and get feedback. When you choose to share your writing, please bring a few copies. If you are looking for likeminded people, inspiration, new ideas, a little nudge to pick up the pen again, check us out.
Author wanted
Stories of Menopause
A Saskatchewan business woman is looking for an author to assist in writing her inspiring memoir. This fascinating story is part trauma, part Saskatchewan history, and part celebration. It touches on her Doukhobor roots and shares her journey from troubled childhood to success as an entrepreneur.
Anthology editors Jane Cawthorne, Elaine Morin and Kari Strutt are looking for short fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry about menopause. Are you living through it? A witness to it? Is one of your characters going through it? We ask for your astute observations on this profound and under-valued transformation. Offer us work that brims with the unexpected. Be funny, be furious, be the eye of the storm. Illuminate the journey. No medical or quasimedical advice pieces, please.
Please contact Brenda at chev1farms@sasktel.net or 306.497.3140 with your résumé.
Regina Reviews: Call for Submissions
If you have any questions, you can call Marianna at 306.924.4030 or email her at Marianna_11@ hotmail.com.
Regina Reviews (reginareviews. ca) is a new all-volunteer website dedicated to reviewing everything the Queen City and environs has to offer, from theatre to concerts to dance to art to food to books. Well-written, thoughtful reviews of any of the aforementioned are welcome. In particular, editor Edward Willett would like to see good reviews of books by Saskatchewan authors.
Radio Book Club on CFCR in Saskatoon
Email editor@reginareviews.ca for more information
Radio Book Club, formerly known as The Book Show, is looking for interview subjects. Whether you’re a writer with a book to promote, or have thoughts to share about storytelling on TV, film or other projects, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Ann at annabelle.foster@gmail.com.
Grants to SK Writers Groups: Call for Applications
When: The last Thursday of every month, unless location conflicts. Where: SWG Office, #100, 1150 8th Avenue, Regina
Radio Book Club airs on Wednesday evenings at 7:00p.m.on CFCR 90.5 FM in Saskatoon and streaming at http://www.cfcr.ca. Past episodes are available online at http://elbookshow.podbean.com
The Guild provides an annual professional development grant to eligible Saskatchewan writers groups. Applications must be received in the SWG office no later than 4:30 pm on June 30, 2014. Each writers group may apply for $500 for the following fiscal year (August 1, 2014-July 31, 2015). For more information please visit: skwriter.com/home/489
Up to three poems. Prose submissions up to 2,500 words. Flash fiction also welcome, of course. Email submissions as attachments to: writingmenopause@gmail.com Deadline extended to July 15, 2014.
Alice Munro Writers and Readers Festival’s 2014 Short Story Competition Monetary prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in both adult and teen (age 1319 as of August 1) categories. Selected authors will be invited to read from their entries at a Gala Event during the 2014 Festival Weekend, September 26-28, 2014. in Wingham, ON. Deadline: August 1, 2014. Complete contest rules and entry forms are available at: AliceMunroFestival.ca. For more information, email kstewart@ ezlink.ca or call: 519.523.4328 or 519.441.7629
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
Between The Lines: The Journal of Hockey Literature Between The Lines: The Journal of Hockey Literature is calling for submissions for its next issue to be published in autumn 2014. Between The Lines is a refereed journal dedicated to the publication of literary work and historical/ sociological articles focusing on the game of hockey. Any hockey-related poetry, fiction, non-fiction, drama, monologues, interviews, book reviews, and historical/sociological articles will be considered. Multiple submissions are welcomed. Payment for new material will be $50 for fiction and non-fiction and $30 for poetry. For previously published material, payment will be $40 for fiction and non-fiction and $20 for poetry. Send submissions in Word attachments to: dwayne.brenna@usask.ca.
Deadline for receipt of submissions is August 1, 2014. When final decisions are made, selected authors will be notified.
Tisdale Writers Group Writing Contest Open to Saskatchewan residents. Original unpublished work only. For prose - up to 3,500 words. Poetry - up to 40 lines. Do not identify yourself on your entry. Enclose a cover sheet with your name, address, telephone number, email address, the title(s) of your piece(s) and a word count (prose) or line count (poetry) along with your entry fee. Your entry must be typed (12 pt. font), double-spaced on 8.5 x 11 inch white paper. Each page must be numbered and contain the title. Blind judging. Entries will not be returned. Send entry & cheque to: Tisdale Writers Group Contest Box 365 Arborfield, Sask. S0E 0A0
Deadline : August 15, 2014 Entry fee: $10 per submission Prizes: $100 $75 $50 in each category poetry & prose Notification of results - January 2015 Any questions can be sent to hpclarke@sasktel.net
Logophiles of the Wor(l)d Unite! Join a plethora of Canadian contributors in A Rewording Life; a book to promote literacy and raise money for Alzheimer’s research and support. If you think it’s ‘word’ it Email: sherylgordon@hotmail.com, who will provide you with a list of available words. To date 700 words have already been spoken for, please don’t compose a sentence for a word, without checking with Sheryl first.
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Professional Development Spring – Call Out for Editors Spring magazine is published biannually, funding permitted, by the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild. We are seeking published writers for the positions of managing editor, fiction and poetry editors. Please send your literary CV by August 31, 2014 to SWG, PO Box 3896 Regina, SK S4P 3R9. Or email it to programs@skwriter.com. For more information call Tracy at 306.791.7743
New Writers’ Retreat Open in B.C.
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Foxglove Cottage Writer’s Retreat on scenic Pender Island is now taking bookings. Reasonable rates. Charming cottage on a driveway shared with main house, in a sunny
clearing surrounded by woods. New. Private. Luxury linens, queen bed, desk, internet, stereo, kitchen, shower, wood floors, Persian rug, porch with loveseat. Gardens. Photos on request. Property backs onto park; dozens of local walks. Easy access from Vancouver and Victoria. For more information, or to book your retreat, email garneycoburn@ gmail.com or phone 250.629.0026
Berton House Writers’ Retreat Program The Writers’ Trust of Canada is now accepting applications for the Berton House Writers’ Retreat program. It is a one-of-a-kind place and an excellent opportunity to focus on a current work-in-progress. Four residency positions are available covering the period between July
2015 and June 2016. Each residency lasts three months. Writers-inresidence are housed in Pierre Berton’s childhood home in Dawson City, Yukon. They receive a $6,000 honorarium and their housing and travel costs are covered. Further information about Berton House and the program is available at bertonhouse.ca or by contacting the Program Director at jdavies@ writerstrust.com.
Summer Literary Seminar Join us this summer in the heart of Europe! July 13-16, 2014. Spaces for our fifth program in Vilnius this summer are already filling up! Participants will be fully immersed in Lithuanian culture and history. Register Today!
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
Member News Henry Ripplinger’s new book in Top Ten Bestseller List Henry Ripplingers new book, Angel Promises Fulfilled in the Angelic Letters series released May 1st, was listed in the third position in the Toronto Globe and Mail Top Ten Bestseller list in Canada for the beginning of June.
Alison Lohans announced as finalist Leaving Mr. Humphries, Lohans latest book has just been announced as one of the finalists for the High Plains Book Awards, in the new Children’s Literature Category.
Lisa Bird-Wilson shortlisted for Danuta Gleed Literary Award We are pleased to announce that Lisa Bird-Wilson, with her short story collection Just Pretending, is shortlisted for the Danuta Gleed
Literary Award. The Award, given by The Writers’ Union of Canada, recognizes the best first Englishlanguage collection of short fiction by a Canadian author. Just Pretending was also the winner of four Saskatchewan Book Awards this year. Congratulations, Lisa!
Sally Meadows shortlisted Sally Meadows has been shortlisted for a 2014 Word Award in the category of “Terence L. Bingley Award for Best Song Lyrics” for her song “This New Year” from her 2013 Christmas album Red & White. The Word Awards are Canada’s largest and most prestigious awards for those writing from a Christian perspective. This is her second nomination. She is the only nominee this year from Saskatchewan.
New Members The SWG would like to welcome: Valerie Barnes-Connell Cathy Bendle Leanne Boyce Marcia Browers Susan Cook Peter Eissfeldt Fran Eldridge Janice Howdon Kate Kading Harold Knight Suzanne North Marina Pshebylo Xander Richards Aaron Sentes Joan Soggie Pat Trask Pamela Woodland Carmen Davies Heather Fox Griffith Allan Kehler Brian Hildebrand Valerie Phillips Jodie Robulak Ingo Schwanke Jennifer Sparks Berthelot Shanda Stefanson Stephen Sutherland Adam Thompson
Get the word out! Advertise in Freelance, and receive a 25% discount with your SWG membership! To learn more, visit our website.
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Brian Parselelo reads from his selected work during the launch of Windscript Vol 30. at the Unitarian Centre in Regina. Photo Credit: SWG Staff. SWG member and Cathedral Village Arts Festival Chairperson Bernadette Wagner speaks during the launch of Windscript. Photo Credit: SWG Staff. ‘Trekkie’ Wes Funk is visited by R2-D2 during FanExpo Regina. Photo Credit: SWG Staff. Alison Lohans greets Iron Man as he checks out the SWG booth at FanExpo Regina. Photo Credit: SWG Staff. Judith Silverthorne, president of the SWG, presents flowers to Katherine Lawrence during the 2014 City of Regina Writing Awards held at the Travelodge Hotel & Conference Centre. Photo Credit: SWG Staff. Steve Wolfson chats with passersby at the SWG booth during the Cathedral Village Arts Festival. Photo Credit: SWG Staff. Han Solo and Princess Leia visit with Vickianne Caswell at the SWG booth during FanExpo Regina Photo Credit: SWG Staff.
SWG Freelance: 2014 SWG Freelance April /June/July May 2014
Backbone The SWG Thanks Our Donors Andrew Suknaski Writers Assistance Fund Judith Krause Glen Sorestad
Patron (over $500) Felicia Daunt
Benefactors ($200-$499)
Mary Harelkin Bishop Robert Calder Betty Hegerat Lyn Goldman Charitable Trust Dianne Young
Grain
Adam Abbas Mona Bacon Cheryl Kloppenburg Rea Tarvydas
Patricia Armstrong Fund Sharon MacFarlane
Retreats
Sandra Campbell David Carpenter William Galbraith Frances Greenslade Lewis Horne Honor Kever Anne Lazurko Wynne Nicholson
Supporters ($100-$199) Gail Bowen Brian Cobbledick Robert Currie Margaret Durant Bonnie Logan Terry Toews Larry Warwaruk
Friends ($50-$99)
Kloppenburg Award
Cheryl & Henry Kloppenburg
Rita Bouvier Joanne Epp Elinor Florence Sheena Koops Alison Lohans Alex MacDonald David Poulsen
Red Hawk Communications Inc Alma Wagner Roberts Jayne Whyte
Contributors (up to $50) Linda Biasotto Myrtle Conacher Jeanette Dean Todd Devonshire Adele Dueck Jean Fahlman Glenda Goertzen Lisa Guenther Susan Harris Allison Kydd Robert Leech Ken Mitchell Kathleen Morrell Evelyn Rogers Edda Ryan Anne Slade Sunjday Afternoon Co-op
The SWG Foundation Thanks These Donors Facilitated Retreat Susan Hogarth
Judy McCrosky Bursary Fund Allison Kydd Judy McCrosky James Romanow
SWG Foundation: Sharon Adam George Jeerakathil
SWGF Legacy Project Gloria Boerma Rodney Dickinson Cathy Fenwick George Jeerakathil Alison Lohans Lynda Monahan Judith Silverthorne Glen Sorestad
Caroline Heath Memorial Fund Lloyd Ratzlaff Candace Savage
Operations
Sharon Adam George Jeerakathil Dr. Nola Buhr
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Freelance June / July 2014 Volume 44 Number 4
Publication Mail Agreement #40063014 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Administration Centre Printing Services 111–2001 Cornwall Street Regina, SK S4P 3X9 Email: adminprint@sasktel.net
We gratefully acknowledge the support of SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund and the Saskatchewan Arts Board