Freelance lance July/August 2010 Volume 39 Number 4
Don McKay will present the Caroline Heath Memorial Lecture at the SWG's Fall Conference in Saskatoon on October 15–17. See page 17 for more information.
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Features Volume 39 Number 4 July/August 2010 SWG STAFF Executive Director: Judith Silverthorne Education and Publications Officer, and Freelance Managing Editor: Beth McLean Finance Officer: Sharon Johnson Program Officer: Tracy Hamon (Regina) Program Coordinator: Pam Bustin (Saskatoon) Administrative Assistant: Milena Dzordeski Cover Image: Marlene Creates
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. Viewpoints expressed in contributed articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the SWG. Copyright remains with the writer and cannot be reprinted without permission. Services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by the SWG. Payment for reports and articles is $80 per printed page. Deadline for Freelance copy is the 1st of the month prior to the month of publication. Saskatchewan Writers' Guild membership fees are $75 per year ($55 for full-time students or seniors). Membership (with full voting privileges) is open to writers or other individuals with an interest in writing, reading, or the oral tradition of literature.
Freelance ISSN 0705-1379 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jerry Haigh, President, Saskatoon Sharon Adam, Prince Albert Gloria Boerma, Saskatoon Cathy Fenwick, Regina Danica Lorer, Maidstone Scott Miller, Estevan Martine NoĂŤl-Maw, Regina Kelly-Anne Riess, Regina Lisa Wilson, Saskatoon Ex-Officio: Judith Silverthorne Mailing Address: Saskatchewan Writers' Guild Box 3986 Regina, SK S4P 3R9
Phone: (306)757-6310 Toll Free: 1-800-667-6788 Fax: (306)565-8554 Email: info@skwriter.com or education@skwriter.com Website: www.skwriter.com SWG Freelance
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Executive Director's Report
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Foundation Report
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News
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Saskatoon Shenanigans
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The Word On The Street Saskatoon
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Fall Conference and AGM
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Writers Groups
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Musings of a Submerging Poet
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Seeing Spanish, Talking English
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Cuban Travel Initiative
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And Another Thing ...
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Grade One Poets
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Creating in the Qu'Appelle
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In the Footsteps of Riel
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Books by Members
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Events
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We gratefully acknowledge the support of SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund and the Saskatchewan Arts Board
Courier or Drop-off Address: 205–2314 11th Avenue Regina, SK S4P 0K1
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President's Report
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PRESIDENT'S REPORT First up, I want to acknowledge and congratulate two Guild members whose names were recently added to the Members of the Order of Canada. Glen Sorestad and Sandra Birdsell are worthy recipients and join other SWG members Guy Vanderhaeghe and Sharon Butala (who are Officers) and Elizabeth Brewster, Gary Hyland and Ken Mitchell (Members) in this illustrious group. The Festival of Words As I write this I am coming down from the high of my visit to Moose Jaw and my sixth year at the Saskatchewan Festival of Words. For those who have been to even one of these gatherings (or should I say happenings for those old enough the remember what that word meant twenty years ago) I know I am preaching to the choir when I tell you about the fun that was once again an integral part of everything. This is what Noah Richler wrote on Canadian Tourism Commission's media site in July this year. The Saskatchewan Festival of Words in Moose Jaw, SK, is an enjoyable festival on a modest scale that occurs in mid-July in one of the most marvellously eclectic settings in the country. Saskatchewan is the quietly beating heart of the country and its spectacular vistas offer a singular enchantment and syntax of their own: big sky, vast horizons and the golden palette of the prairie in midsummer. The opening event, as always, was a film, and this year we were all enthralled by The Last Station, a film about the relationship between Tolstoy and his wife, beautifully acted by Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren. The title refers to the author’s death in a rural railway station.
This is not the place to list the stellar cast of authors who came to share their works with us over the next two and a half days, but it was a priviledge to represent the Guild by introducing the panel discussion on the Friday evening. As usual we were seduced by the ambience of the wonderful old Mae Wilson Theatre where the audience gathered to hear the authors discuss their assigned topic, Between the Sheets: First Love Affairs in Literature. We enjoyed a forty-five minute session that passed in a flash as moderator Lorna Crozier brilliantly led us into the subject. Anthony Bidulka, Denise Chong, Stephen Galloway, Lorna Goodison, and Yann Martel danced around and through the topic, taking us far beyond the confines of the pages that had first seduced them into reading and then writing. As Lorna was the moderator she allowed me to repeat to the packed house her own story about early reading which was from the pages of her older brother’s comic books. She picked up words like "Shazam!" "Pow!" and "Bam!" from fine works like Superman and Captain Marvel. I wonder how many of us had the same sort of start? And for a bit of trivia, I was able to chat briefly with M.G. Vassanji just before his first reading and suggest that we were the only two people at the Festival who spoke fluent Ki-Swahili. Imagine my surprise when he then proceeded to read from one of his short stories about Kenya, rather than his new lyrical work about his trips to India. He left that for later. We enjoyed a couple of long meal-breaks together as we chatted about old experiences, places and acquaintances. The place where you were born and spent the first years of your life is somehow embedded in your psyche, wherever you are. July/August 2010
The Word On The Street On page 13 in this issue of Freelance you can read Regine Haensel’s piece about this festival that celebrates words and literacy. One important element of the entire festival is that it is free to all comers. Since my last report the steering committee of the Saskatoon The Word On The Street program has been busy. Rhonda Gustavson handed over the job of event organizer to Colleen McKay and she has been refining the work that Rhonda did in every aspect of the festival. Our preview event this year will take place on September 26 at the Farmers' Market in Saskatoon. Weather permitting we will starting the outdoor stage area at 1:00 p.m. We have six local performers and readers lined up in a logical series of steps. The first ones are intended to appeal to young audiences and will include Danica Lorer doing some clowning and face painting, Lindsay Knight, aka Eekwol, doing some hip hop (you can find lots about her, including some YouTube videos) and Arthur Slade reading from one of his young adult novels. After that we will be entertained by two local emerging artists, slam poet Charles Hamilton and novelist and playwright Jennifer Wynne Webber. Our efforts have already brought interest from outside the province. Deborah Ellis, who is the author of over ten books of YA fiction, will join our line-up and will read from her work In From the Cold. She is part of ABC Life Literacy Canada's new Good Reads publishing program. Good Reads are short books by well-known Canadian authors, written especially for adult literacy learners, and enjoyable for regular readers too. This exactly fits the mandate of the The Word On The Street program across the country, which gives a major emphasis to literacy programs everywhere. SWG Freelance
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We then move inside the building for readings by well-known and established local authors Guy Vanderhaeghe and Louise Halfe and wind up with a catered social gathering. One of the members of our stellar advisory committee is Mark von Eschen, the artistic director of Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, and he has agreed
to let us promote the September 26 The Word On The Street Saskatoon event through the medium of the Treasure Trove Draw for numerous prizes when theatre patrons leave donations at the site on the river. The Word On The Street Saskatoon performers have donated copies of their books, so one lucky winner will benefit. Mark will be announcing our Treasure Trove
Draw gift and also announcing our event as the winner will get tickets to the indoor event. Like just about everything else that works well at the community level in Saskatchewan, we will need volunteers for several aspects of the day’s preparation and program. Watch for news in eBriefs and other contacts. - Jerry Haigh
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT Summer has floated by like wisps of butterfly wings; all will soon be a hazy memory, except for at least a single outstanding one. The organizational work that SWG member Linda Biasotto accomplished as a volunteer in the Guild library is a much appreciated ongoing benefit to us and we are grateful for her assistance. The Guild staff has also been hard at work all summer actively preparing for some exciting new workshops and initiatives to start this fall; however, we need your assistance in implementing some of these as well.
and examples on our website, workshops that address concerns and relay knowledge, and providing direct access to the professionals.
Along with these professional services, the Guild will provide information sessions that cover other aspects of the "business of writing." These will include workshops about marketing and promoting yourself, whether or not to self-publish and how, as well as workshops along the technical lines such as how to create your own websites using Wordpress, sessions that address how to Twitter and First off, the Guild would like do Facebook applications and to offer some business serv- how to do virtual readings and ices to our members, such as presentations. in the areas of finance and law. Specifically, the professional Some of these professional services will be in the area of development workshops will be legal advice for negotiating done in conjunction with partner contracts and other law/writing organizations and through the and publishing related concerns, new liaison with the Centre for and in the taxation area to pro- Continuing Education at the vide help in untangling income University of Regina, which has tax and other monetary issues established a reciprocal agreesurrounding self-employment. ment giving discounts to and Where we’d like your help is for members. See page ten for in sending us suggestions on more information. We’re also firms that you’ve successfully looking at other partnership dealt with that might have this possibilities and we’re open to type of knowledge specifically your suggestions. for writers. Another big area we’re working We’ll gather the information on is developing online workand begin discussions with shops that will provide access potential professionals to set to our rural members and those up the resources. These will not able to attend in-person take a variety of formats, such ones in the bigger centres. We’ll as basic information templates also be offering workshops for
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potential instructors who want to learn how to provide online workshops through Skype and other means. With this in mind, we need your assistance again. Please make sure your membership profile is on our website and that you indicate what services you are able to provide and for whom. We are enhancing the Find Saskatchewan Writers page so that it will be clear (and hopefully searchable) about who is available to offer various services. Our funding depends on the success of our programming, and it’s crucial that our members help by putting their info on the website so they can be contacted for hiring purposes. Already lined up for the fall are several workshops on grant writing for submitting to the Saskatchewan Arts Board with Literary Arts Consultant, Joanne Gerber. Please check the SWG website for dates and locations near you. Of course, the Guild Conference is happening October 15–17 in Saskatoon and we’ll be celebrating the SWG’s 40th anniversary with some exciting events, including a Saturday night gala and dance. We also have some programming for our new Aboriginal members, and will provide some fresh concepts in various genres, as well as our favourite events. Find out more about the conference and other upcoming workshops on the Guild website, where you will also find some more im-
provements and changes over Kaitlin de Gooijer, a student and the timing will be right to the next few months. from Campbell Collegiate in "cut a rug" and shake off any Regina, did a short voluntary winter hibernation after-effects. Speaking of changes, the pro- work placement stint in the gram name of Colonies is being Guild office, helping us organ- Upcoming news will include officially changed to Retreats to ize print materials and gaining recipient of the Cheryl and simplify and improve a number employment skills and experi- Henry Kloppenburg Award for of things. Of course, the Re- ence for her resume. Off and Literary Achievement in early treats will always be affection- on throughout the summer, we September, and other award ately known as Colonies, but hired Amanda Iles, a university winners at the fall conference, changing the name formally student, to fill in as the admin including the announcement of will provide some congruency assistant while we were in the the member who has won in the within the Guild’s current and hiring process, but mostly to Membership Drive Challenge: future programming, give us a help us catch up with account- 40 for 40. You still have time to more globally acceptable name ing work for the fiscal yearend sign up more members until the to assist in making us more audit. end of September so get your searchable on the Internet and name into the draw. Remember bring about more free advertis- Fundraising efforts are being or- also that youth and Aboriginal ing and recognition. This will ganized both through the Guild writers are also eligible for free also remove the connotations and the SWG Foundation. Mark memberships up until that time. to the word “colonization,” your calendars for the Spring which may be disconcerting to Fling on April 9 2011, from There are plenty of other things some. As well, using the more 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. with the in the offing, so please send in universal term of Retreat helps “Peter Greif and the Canadian your suggestions, writing award streamline grant application Drifters” band at the Austrian applications, and especially writing and may add another Club in Regina. This dance band your profile information, and level of professionalism to at- is popular with the older general watch for future developments tract sponsorships. public, large numbers of whom to assist you in your writing we hope to draw to the event activities. Not only are we hoping to make along with Guild members. Tickour Retreats more welcoming by ets will only be $20 per person - Judith Silverthorne changing the name, but we’d also like to find an additional ALL OR OARD OMINATIONS facility to hold retreats that are not associated with current or previously used religious afThe SWG Board Elections will be conducted once again filiations, because of residential at the AGM in October during the fall conference. In acschool and other connotations cordance with the Guild bylaws, several term positions that may affect some of our are available. This year the Nominations Committee of potential participants. For sure the Board is seeking volunteer SWG members to let their we have Emma Lake and will names stand for President for a one-year term and as continue to hold retreats at St. one of five members-at-large, one of which is a one-year Peter’s, but other suggestions term (completing the last half of a two-year term), while would also be appreciated. four are the usual two-year terms.
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On another note, please welcome Milena (pronounced Meelen-a) Dzordeski as our new Administrative Assistant in the Regina office. Her friendly and efficient manner in the office has already garnered praise from staff and members alike! Also new is Colleen McKay, as our new event manager for The Word On The Street preview festival happening on Sunday, September 26 in Saskatoon. Be sure to check out the celebration: http://www. thewordonthestreet.ca/wots/ saskatoon.
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The Board of the SWG is made up of members from across the province, both urban and rural, dedicated to serving the membership. Members-at-large are elected for a term of two years on a rotating basis with new members being elected every year. The President and other members of the board are eligible to serve two consecutive terms. There are a minimum of five Board meetings per year and usually no more than eight, which are held in various locations around the province to accommodate Board members as much as possible. Members are encouraged to submit their names, or if you wish to nominate someone, please be sure of their willingness to serve before sending their name forward. For information about the SWG Board or to submit a nomination please contact the Chair of the Nominations Committee, Danica Lorer, at danicalorer@sasktel.net or the SWG office.
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FOUNDATION REPORT FROM THE TREASURER Since joining the SWG Board I have taken the position of treasurer and also assumed the interim presidency of the SWG Foundation. Judith and the staff are doing a wonderful job of balancing the budget and it looks like we will be in a healthy position. The Audit Committee is working very well and has welcomed Heather Dillon to our group. I would still like to recruit one more member as we have already lost one valued member, James Romanow, and will be losing another, Hazel Kellner, this fall. Being on the Audit Committee is not an onerous job. It consists of five to six meetings a year, mostly conducted through email. We do not make budgets; we review the financial records to check for errors and to ensure that
the auditors conduct the annual audit as required. If you would like to become part of this committee, please contact the SWG office. The SWG Foundation is also in need of more members for the Board. The Foundation Board has re-invested the various monies that are contained within the Foundation and we would like to proceed with the job of fundraising for the Guild. The need is for a sub-committee that would tackle a fundraising project, hopefully a project that could become a signature event for the Foundation. There have been several ideas floated about, now we need those special people who can see a project through. If you are one of those people, and I know
there are quite a few within the membership, please contact me at sladam@sasktel.net or let Judith know at the Guild Office. Let’s get the Foundation growing so that the needs of the membership do not have to rely totally on governments and the theme of the day. My hope is that our membership will embrace the idea of directing our funds into programs that impact the daily lives of working writers as well as programs that benefit all levels of this profession. The Guild has been the incubator of writing in Saskatchewan and will continue to meet the need of the membership into the future. The SWG Foundation is the next step in securing an independent future. - Sharon Adam
NEWS Welcome Milena Dzordeski, the SWG's new Administrative Assistant. Milena was born and raised in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. She moved to Canada in 2003 in quest for her place under the sun. She holds a BA Honours degree in Media Studies and a Minor in English Language and Literature from the University of Regina. In her free time, Milena listens to Gypsy music, watches films from around the world and explores Regina through long walks around the city.
Saskatchewan Arts Board Greeting Cards Available The Saskatchewan Arts Board is now offering all-occasion greeting cards for purchase, in addition to their previously released winter holiday cards. Arts Board greeting cards feature the work of Saskatchewan artists and are a great way to send a personalized message to colleagues, family and friends on any occasion. To see the new series of all-occasion cards, visit: http://www. artsboard.sk.ca/showcase/greeting-cards. Blank art cards are 50 cents each and may be ordered in any quantity, and in any combination of 12 available styles (six all-occasion styles and six winter/holiday styles). Pictured left is a card featuring the work of Miranda Jones; Birds evolving, 2007; mixed media/metal screen; Saskatchewan Arts Board Permanent Collection Š CARCC; Photo: Dept. of Photography, University of Regina. To order, please contact Sabrina at 798-3459 or sabrina@artsboard.sk.ca. 6
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The Arts Professions Act is now in effect As of June 1st, The Arts Professions Act requires written contracts to be used between alltypes of professional artists and anyone wanting to hire, engage, or contract them for work or performance. The Act also recognizes the artist as a professional and, as a professional, should receive fair compensation for their work. For more information and for contract tools, please visit: http://www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/arts-professions-act.
Running the Annual Cathedral Village Art Festival Poetry Slam: An Experience The sun is going down behind an overcast sky as I arrive at the Cathedral Village Freehouse. Pulling my “Poetry Slam” sign out of a bag and putting it on the table, I survey the crowd. I have three entrants right away, and then I sit and I wait. Judges Bruce Rice and Bernadette Wagner arrive; friends pull chairs up to the table. I watch the clock: 7:00 p.m., and no further entrants; I go for a smoke and pace the back end of the building. Thinking that if I only get five people I might as well just hand out prizes to each of them and head home. 7:15 p.m., one more. 7:20 p.m. and two more. I do a sound check over the music and banter, announcing that people have a few more minutes to enter. By 7:45 p.m. there are eleven people on my list. The clock strikes eight, and it is time to begin. I ruffle my hair and approach the mic. Evidently, according to friends in the crowd, I run a hand over my head each time I approach the mic. Never fear! I am told that I don’t do it once I am up there. I get through my sevenminute spiel while theatrical lights come up above me, and a somewhat loud conversation about adjusting the sound ensues to my immediate right. These poets—I am happy to say— take the food challenge as I meant it to be taken. Between hopping back and forth from the stage, taking photographs, listening to the audience put in orders for appetizers, and trying in vain to control my nerves, I was regaled with poetry not just about food, about disorder, dis-ease, sex, lust, sadness, health, jealousy, song, obsession, revenge, and love. Thank you! –Kris Brandhagen Winners of the 2010 Poetry Slam
Brad Bellegarde
Patrick Johnson
Jodie Payant
Dominic French
Windscript Volume 26 Launch !t was a glorious night in Regina and writers young and old packed the basement at the Connaught Library to launch Windscript Volume 26 (2009/10). One young writer trembled in her seat. She’d been hounded by a dream for weeks. She dreamed that CBC would be at the launch and record the entire event. She sighed with relief when her turn to read arrived with no television cameras or radio mics in sight. But alas, Ms Megan Vogelsang was not to escape the nightmare. After everything was over, a camera woman did arrive—from CTV—and the evil editor, Pam Bustin, asked Megan to read again for the camera … Mwah-ha-haaaa! How could I resist after she’d told us all about her dream? She gracefully accepted the challenge and I stilled the crowd for a reprise of her reading of "Strings" and MJ’s "Highs and Lows." It was a great night and a great privilege to work with these passionate young writers. I send out “Thanks” again to Beth and the SWG for choosing me as editor for the 26th edition of Windscript, to all the contributors who sent in their work, and especially to the writers I met whose work appears in the magazine.
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Our readers at the launch were: Sophie Long (winner of the Jerrett Enns Award for Prose), Megan Vogelsang (Winner of the Jerrett Enns Award for Poetry), MJ (Winner of the Currie-Hyland Prize), Kimberly Hartwig, Andrea Hannaford, Nicole Nedilenka, Jessica Poncsak, and Shea Poncsak. They all did an amazing job. Here’s to the next issue of Windscript and to seeing the magazine back in print form. I know we are all trying to go more and more “paperless” in the world—but I’m glad that I’ll be able to hold issue 27 in my hands. – Pam Bustin
Dave Margoshes, winner of the 2010 City of Regina Writing Award, celebrated at a reception at the Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza with runners up Melanie Schnell and Cathy Fenwick.
Hit the Wall with 40 Words for 40 Years You’ve all seen the call for SWG members to write, using only 40 words, an occasional poem/ prose piece in honour of the SWG`s 40th Anniversary. Well now there’s even more incentive. Pam is looking to put your 40 for 40 up on the wall in the Dance Saskatchewan building. Our cohorts in the building are planning to celebrate Culture Days in September by setting up a display of photos, costumes and art and we want to add your words to our wall. The display will be up for a week (or more) and there will be a party to celebrate culture and socialize with dancers, actors, singers and so on. Send your 40 for 40 to saskatoon@skwriter.com. The winning entries will be announced at the Fall Conference and AGM, and read during band intermission on Saturday night.
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Brenda Niskala and Alice Kiupers launched For the Love of Strangers, and The Worst Thing She Ever Did at McNally Robinson in Saskatoon on June 23 and July 8.
40 for 40! Membership Drive Challenge Update When we embarked on the Membership Drive Challenge in March this year I don’t think anyone on the Board or the Membership Committee imagined how successful we might be. Within a mere month of launching the membership drive we were nearly three quarters of the way to our goal already! To date we have almost tripled our goal of 40 new members. The following is an update on our progress with this initiative: •
As of April, 2010 the SWG had 28 new members sign up with the Writers' Guild.
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As of May, 2010, the count was up to 76 new SWG members.
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Effective August, 2010 there were 111 new members of the SWG.
The new memberships include complimentary memberships for new Aboriginal members, complimentary memberships for new student members, new paid memberships, and several memberships that have been awarded as prizes. In addition, 23 members have referred new members, thereby becoming eligible for the grand prize draw of a Sony Reader. If you have not yet recruited a new member to the Guild, now is the time! For every new member that an existing member recruits, the existing member’s name will be added to the draw. The membership drive will take place until September 30, 2010. The final results of the drive and the draw for the Sony Reader will be announced at the SWG fall conference.
Access Community Television's "Writing in Saskatchewan" The Saskatchewan writing community is in an enviable position in comparison to other provinces. Not only do we have a large writing community but we have the support of private enterprise and government sector affiliates. "Writing in Saskatchewan" provides authors and affiliates with an opportunity to showcase their roles in maintaining and developing the craft and art of writing. Authors give a reading as well as an interview about their works. Affiliates describe the purpose of their organizations and share their views and challenges.
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Presently, "Writing in Saskatchewan" airs three times weekly on Access Community Channel 7 in Regina and area Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Friday and Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Please check your local listings in other areas. We welcome feedback. Thirteen half-hour programs began on June 16 and are slated to run into the fall. Several others are in the process of being edited and taping will resume in the fall. Access producer, graphic artist and camera operator, Greg Stanton, partners with volunteer host, programmer and community producer, Jeanne Alexander, to create this series. Please contact Jeanne at (306)585-6238 or jantosh@sasktel.net if you would like to be a guest. With your participation, this series has the potential to grow into a vehicle for timely information about events.
The SWG held its member reception and the 13th annual Festival of Words in Moose Jaw, July 16 at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre.
Robert Currie, Barbara Sapergia and Geoffrey Ursell
Lyn Goldman and Jackie Lay
Tracy Hamon, Holly Borgerson Calder and Pam Bustin
Lynda Monahan and Helen Mourre
The University of Regina and the SWG Partner In support of the partnership between the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild and Business & Professional Development (B & PD) of the Centre for Continuing Education of the University of Regina, the SWG is pleased to offer 15% off of annual memberships to those who have taken creative writing classes or are currently enrolled in a creative writing class through B & PD. Please contact us at 791-7740 for more infomation. 10
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In turn, B & PD is offering 15% off their creative writing courses to SWG members. Please contact the B&PD office http://www.uregina.ca/cce/business/contact.shtml for more information. Please note both discounts cannot be granted at one time. i.e.: those participants taking a class through B&PD cannot qualify for both the 15% discount on the class and the 15% SWG membership discount at the same time.
Business & Professional Development Workshops at the University of Regina Speculative Fiction Workshop Aurora Award-winning science fiction and fantasy author Edward Willett leads a sixweek workshop for writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Students will be expected to bring new or revised work to each session and be prepared to read it aloud for critiquing by the instructor and other class members. Each student will also receive a one-on-one session with the instructor to discuss his or her work in detail. Instructor: Edward Willett Mondays, September 13–Octòber 25; 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. (12 hours) Tuition Fee: $145 (plus GST)
Minding the Muse: An Introduction to Writing Poetry This course will focus on the basic techniques of writing different styles of poetry. Each two-hour class provides an opportunity to learn aspects of craft and technique, such as line-breaks and stanza breaks, attention to metaphor and details, and will hone critiquing and revision skills through exercises and participation in the workshopping process. Instructor: Tracy Hamon Tuesdays, October 19–November 9; 6:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m. (8 hours) Tuition Fee: $99 (plus GST)
Writing for Young Adults What separates a young adult novel from a children's novel? From an adult novel? The teenage mind and perspective! Teens are looking for their place in the world and for characters and stories that they can identify with. This course will teach you how to write for this special audience including discussions of plot, setting, characters and tone. Instructor: Alison Lohans Thursdays, October 21–November 18; 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. (8 hours) Tuition Fee: $99 (plus GST) To register or for more information visit http://www.uregina.ca/cce/business/course/ Writing/index.shtm
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WORKSHOPS Start Writing Your Play: A Workshop by Leeann Minogue September 11, 2010; 1:00 p.m. Suite 205–2314 11th Ave. (SWG Office) Instructor: Leeann Minogue $50 for Guild members; $55 for non-members
Once Upon a Life: A Memoir Workshop by Lorri Neilsen Glenn November 23, 2010; 7:00 p.m. Suite 205–2314 11th Ave. (SWG Office) Instructor: Lorri Neilsen Glenn $50 for Guild members; $55 for non-members Details are available at www.skwriter.com
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR SASKATCHEWAN'S POET LAUREATE The Saskatchewan Writers' Guild is calling for nominations for the next Poet Laureate. The term will run from January 1, 2011– December 31, 2013. The general duties of the Poet Laureate are as follows: •represent the literary community at officially approved events in Saskatchewan to which the Laureate has been officially invited (approximately 12 per year) •attend state events and other special events when invited (e.g. royal visits, the annual MLA reception sponsored by SaskCulture) And, fulfill the purposes of the position of Poet Laureate of Saskatchewan as follows: •celebrate the spirit of the people and place of Saskatchewan •raise the profile of writers in Saskatchewan •elevate writing as a vocation •raise awareness of the power of poetry and the spoken word •act as a recognized spokesperson for writing in general and poetry in particular •act as a respected participant in festive occasions and official functions in the prov nce •act as a focal point for the expression of Saskatchewan cultures (time, land, people) through the literary arts The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, September 20, 2010. For a complete list of criteria and the nomination form please visit: http://www.skwriter.com/?s=home&id=119; phone (306) 791-7743 or e-mail programs@skwriter.com.
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The Word on the Street Comes to Saskatoon: Celebrating Reading, Advocating Literacy by Regine Haensel The Word On The Street festival is coming to Saskatoon for the first time on September 26, 2010. The Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild (SWG) and The Word On The Street Saskatoon Steering Committee will host a preview event on that day at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market and the adjoining Market Square from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. This preview will introduce the concept of The Word On The Street to writers and readers, media, sponsors, funders and the general public. The event will support The Word On The Street mandate, which is to promote and showcase Canadian authors and publishers. Activities will include readings by established and emerging authors, performances, children’s activities, a literacy component, and information about the full-fledged The Word On the Street Saskatoon 2011 event. For more details, see SWG President Jerry Haigh’s report. The Word On The Street is a national celebration of literacy and the written word, a major, one-day festival held each year on the last Sunday of September for writers, publishers and readers. The Word On The Street was conceived in 1989 by the Book and Periodical Council’s Promotions Committee. The inaugural festival took place on September 30, 1990 on Queen Street West in Toronto and attracted 30,000 people. By 2008 four festivals were held concurrently in Toronto, Vancouver, Kitchener and Halifax. Each year the event draws tens to hundreds of thousands of people because there is always plenty to see and do (e.g. readings, storytelling, literacy activities, book and periodical displays, and sales) at Canada’s largest book and magazine festival. All events are free.
The Steering Committee includes Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild members, as well as representation from the University of Saskatchewan, the Saskatoon Public Library, the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Literacy Network, READ Saskatoon, and Saskatoon Public Schools. The mission of The Word On The Street Saskatoon is: • To acknowledge and promote writers, publishers and literary arts organizations in Saskatoon and the province. • To build bridges between the literary arts and literacy in Saskatoon by involving key organizations and stakeholders from both areas. • To involve Aboriginal writers, theatre groups, and storytellers as integral contributors to Saskatchewan’s heritage and culture. • To ensure The Word On The Street Saskatoon represents the diversity of all communities in the city and is accessible to everyone. The event in Saskatoon had its genesis in a series of meetings held in 2009 and organized by the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild (funded partly through a SaskCulture grant) in order to find ways to raise the profile of the literary arts in Saskatoon to municipal government, among funders, and the general public. Various strategies were considered, including developing messages to approach City Councillors in regards to the importance of the literary arts, since 2009 was a municipal election year. A group of SWG members from the meetings in Saskatoon decided that it was time to bring The Word On The Street Festival here as one way to raise the profile of the literary arts, and formed a Steering Committee to do so.
Initial fundraising by Steering Committee members resulted in a couple of generous donations. The Steering Committee and the SWG are most grateful to the sponsors who have allowed us to make this much progress. In particular, President Peter MacKinnon of the University of Saskatchewan was a huge help. With the further help of Gord Kohle and Keith Wu of RBC Dominion Securities we were also able to secure a donation from RBC Foundation. The Word On The Street National has been successful in applying for funds from Heritage Canada, and the Saskatoon event has been awarded a grant from these funds. The Word On The Street Saskatoon Initial Steering Committee Bob Calder Merrill Edlund Ross Grandel Regine Haensel Jerry Haigh Carol Johner David Parkinson Mari-Lou Rowley Shelagh Trapp
The Word On The Street Saskatoon Advisory Committee Bob Anderson Madeleine Blais-Dahlem Robert Currie Mark von Eschen Randy Fernets Henry Kloppenburg, QC Yann Martel Peter MacKinnon Craig Peterson Darren Prefontaine Jill Spelliscy Del Surjik Guy Vanderhaeghe The SWG Board supported this ini- Henry Woolf tiative and the SWG has provided Zenon Zuzak in-kind and administrative support to help launch the event much Colleen McKay is our new partlike they did with other programs time Event Coordinator. For more in the past such as the Saskatch- information about The Word On ewan Book Awards, which has The Street check the web site successfully gone on to be its own at www.thewordonthestreet.ca self-sufficient organization. In due or follow us on Facebook (The course, The Word On The Street Word On The Street Saskatoon) in Saskatoon will become its own and Twitter. entity with a governing board and franchise status with The Word On The Street National. July/August 2010
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Welcome New Members (July & August 2010) Sheila Ahenakew, Prince Albert Courtney Bates, Regina Shan Booth, Grenfell Nicholas Chandna, Nettle Place Shelly Cooper, Big River Ciara Crowe, Ft. Qu'Appelle Leah Dorion-McTaggart, Prince Albert Elisabeth Dowson, Cabri Max FineDay, Saskatoon Dominic French, Regina Laurier Gareau, Regina Victor Gauthier, Saskatoon Jane Glennon, Prince Albert Lyn Haines, Regina Billy Hamilton, Regina Bernt Hanson, Eastend Daniel Holbrow, Regina Debbie Hooper, Regina
CALL
FOR
APPRENTICES
Donna Lee Howes, Moose Jaw Mary-Ann Kirkby, Prince Albert Victoria Koops, Ft. Qu'Appelle Aislinn McDougall, Lumsden Simon Moccasin, Regina Mary Muirhead, Macoun Andrew Quackenbush, Regina Darrin Qualman, Dundurn Fakhra Shahid, Lloydminster Carol Simonson, Macrorie Elizabeth Stilborn, Regina Brennan Taylor, Regina Galilee Thompson, Milestone Barbara Tomporowsky, Regina Jody Utman, Maple Creek Jasmine Whyte, Saskatoon Kelli Worton, Regina Yvonne Yourkowski, Warman
APPLICATIONS FOR MENTORS AND TO THE 2011 MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Applications are now being accepted for the SWG's 2011 Mentorship Program. This program allows developing writers (the apprentices) to work in a supportive environment under the guidance of professional writers (the mentors). The mentor provides the apprentice with one-on-one instruction (not editorial services) 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 pair will be in weekly contact and can communicate through email, phone, and face-to-face meetings. If the apprentice and mentor do not live in the same community, at least one face-to-face meeting is required (to take place within the first two weeks of the program). The apprentice’s travel expenses will be covered. Because the focus of the program is on craft development, the apprentice should not expect to have a completed manuscript by the end of the program (although that sometimes occurs). Also, because the program will focus on the apprentices’ development of their craft, it's possible that they may not produce a significant amount of new work during the mentorship, but will instead work with previously written material. The apprentices will be Saskatchewan residents 19 years and older. Mentors will be Saskatchewan residents with a significant body of published work and some form of teaching experience. Those who have participated in the program in the past are welcome to re-apply. Mentors will receive an honorarium of $2,500 for their participation in the program. The program will run from January 1–April 30, 2011. 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. Applications must postmarked by 4:30 p.m. Thursday, September 30, 2010. Late applications will not be accepted. For more information about eligibility and application content and format, see the guidelines at www.skwriter.com or contact Tracy Hamon at 306-791-7743; programs@skwriter.com.
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July/August 2010
Saskatoon Shenanigans by Pam Bustin Greetings all! The world continues to swirl around us and things develop a pace. Our new program Weaving Words: Stories of the World had its first go ‘round in June, led by the multi-talented Jennifer Wynne Webber. The weeklong writing program was held at The Global Gathering Place and we had 13 participants from 12 different countries. I attended the Reading/Celebration on Friday June 25 and was thrilled, touched and inspired by the pieces that the participants chose to share. We are able to offer this program to newcomers at no cost thanks to the Community Grant Program, which is funded by the Lotteries Trust, through the City of Saskatoon. We are offering another session in the Fall (September 14, 21, 28 and October 5; 7:00–9:00 p.m.), also at the Global Gathering Place, and I hope this program will continue in years to come. I believe that Weaving Words will bring a host of new voices into the writing community here in Saskatoon. The women who participated in this session were so thrilled with the process that they are forming their own Writers’ Group—to encourage each other to keep on working and sharing their work. Here’s hoping that we hear more from them all!
Sol Barrones, Mahasin Adam, Helen Song, Ann Kielo, Judith Vaska, Jennifer Wynne Webber (seated), Hoda Zaremirakabad, Wimale Makuldeniya, Inna Baglay, Jeeyu Guack, participants in the Weaving Words June workshop.
The best news I heard this month was that Amy Jo Ehman’s new book, Prairie Feast: A Writer's Journey Home for Dinner, has been spotted on the big book tables at Costco. I think that is quite amazing and here’s hoping she sells a bazillion copies!
led us through a number of body awareness activities to help us "feel" our characters' physical bodies in our own. We became them. We walked as them, stood as them, and answered questions as them. We ventured into unknown territory to bring our characters to life.
That’s about it for now. Things have slowed down a bit for the summer, which hopefully has given you all a chance to check out the fabulous Spring issue of Grain with the Summer issue soon to follow for your sun-soaked reading enjoyment. Tracy and I will continue to work on plans for the fall conference, next year’s slate of workshops and the new Writing North: A Winter Celebration of Writing at the University of Saskatchewan.
After completing our character bio sheet, we were given each others bios to prepare for character interviews. Participants slipped into their character and brought them into the room to be interviewed in the "hot seat." A female participant so convincingly became her character that I could see him riding in his pickup truck smirking at me. Her face transformed into the features of a man’s right before my eyes. I blurted out "You really think you’re hot stuff The fall promises to be full of don’t you Randy!" The outcome was instant and magical. Congrats to all our members activity. out there on the book launchAfter the workshop a few paring trail this summer. Saskatoon ticipant’s commented: launches in July: Anthony Bidulka’s Date With a Sheesha: Get Your Butt out of the Chair “The workshop was interesting A Russell Quant Mystery; Art by Merrill Edlund because it combined literary adSlade’s The Hunchback Asvice about creating characters signments 2: The Dark Deeps; Michael Trussler's A Homemade So, your main character’s voice with a fast dynamic pace of Life; Brenda Niskala’s For the is developing, but do you really impromptu short writing, relaxaLove of Strangers; and Dave know everything about them? tion exercises and acting. The Margoshes’ Dimensions of an Have you lived in their skin? The interview activity was powerful Orchard to name a few. Sorry workshop "Get Your Butt out of and provocative.” if I’ve missed anyone. Be sure the Chair and Bring your Charto keep us posted on your Sas- acters to Life," held on April 17, “Acting in the character of my 2010 with instructor Pam Bustin villain helped me a great deal katoon events. July/August 2010
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in realizing that I would need to work hard to make her appear more open—less reserved. Trying to hide a villain's secret life from a group of inquisitive writers was more difficult than I'd imagined. I was also hit by the realization that, of course, a young French model in 1954 Paris would smoke. It would be unusual if she didn't.” "Pam created an atmosphere that nurtured and supported the artistic process with play- Jaime Pinella, Merrill Edlund, Marjaleena Repo, Bobbie Mumm, fulness and joyfulness. I was and Katherine Lawrence at the Get Your Butt out of the Chair challenged to create a true workshop. character voice by using dialogue naturally in guided writing exercises and activities that placed my character in atypical ARK OUR ALENDARS NOW settings."
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"The workshops offered by the Saskatchewan Writers Guild are a place to meet with other emerging and professional writers; ‘to sit in a room with others who are as crazy about writing as you are’, to share, to be challenged and to be inspired."
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Mark your calendars now for Writing North, A Winter Celebration of Writing January 21 & 22, 2011 University of Saskatchewan Stay tuned to our website for details.
Emma Lake Retreat by Bronwen McRae I spent a week at the Emma Lake Writer’s Retreat this June. It’s a way to leave the drama of daily life behind and dive deeply into your craft. You are assigned your own private cabin to live and work in. Three meals and several snacks are provided daily, leaving you with no responsibilities other than writing. The Kenderdine Campus where the Retreat is held is a lovely facility with a lakeside dining hall, walking/cycling trails, fire pit at the beach, and rowboats, canoes and kayaks. There is something magical about this atmosphere that brings writers and artists together in a way that is both enjoyable and productive. Pictured left to right are: Bill Klebeck, Nancy Lowry, Bernice Friesen, Emilia Nielsen, Fionncara Mac Eoin, Lorelie Sarauer, Anne Pennylegion, Kathleen Wall, and John Penner (seated).
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SWG 2010 Fall Conference and AGM Jet Streams: The Winds of Change October 15–17 Parktown Hotel 924 Spadina Cres. E., Saskatoon SK (Toll free: 1-800-667-3999; www.parktownhotel.com)
Friday Afternoon
3:45–4:45 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
12:00–1:00 p.m. Registration begins; the book table opens.
Poetry Currents (Louise Halfe and Don McKay)
12:45 p.m. Opening Ceremony and Prayer (Elder Michael Maurice) 1:00–2:15 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Riding the Wind: Creative Process (Louise Halfe, Myrna Kostash and Kenneth T. Williams) How do we do what we do? We kick off the conference with three award-winning writers exploring and sharing their creative process—the development, evolution and/ or change over the years or from project to project. Come ride the wave of inspiration! OR YA in a Shifting World (Arthur Slade and Alison Lohans) Looking for some insight into what’s going on in the world of Young Adult fiction? Award-winning writers Arthur Slade and Alison Lohans discuss their experiences and trends/changes they’ve noticed in YA writing over the years. Be that inner child—come shift in your chair and join the conversation about YA. 2:30–3:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Revolutions in Non-Fiction (David Carpenter and Myrna Kostash) Shake it up, dig deep, tell the truth. Make ‘em laugh or make ‘em cry—just don’t poke ‘em in the eye. David Carpenter and Myrna Kostash share their adventures about the windy world of Non-Fiction. How is the form changing? What are the new challenges and opportunities? Come on out and gather some wisdom on spinning your own stories.
"Wind: A poetic image of the animating spirit whose effects can be seen and heard but who remains invisible. Wind, air and breath are closely allied in mystic symbolism, and the idea of the wind as cosmic animator, organizer or support was widespread" (From Jack Tresidder's Dictionary of Symbols). Join internationally acclaimed poets Don McKay and Louise Halfe as they trace evolutions in poetry within the context of their own poetic work, and help us navigate the world with words. OR The Perfect Pitch (Amy Jo Ehman and James Romanow) Get out the notebooks, folks—this one is about SALES! Two of our most popular food and wine columnists give us the skinny on pitching and selling your articles to magazines, journals, or papers. 5:00–6:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Writers Groups Session Whether you are looking to find out just what a writers group is, seeking like minded writers to join up with or are already firmly ensconced in a group and feel like sharing your successes and/ or bemoaning some missteps—this is the Dinner party for you! Facilitated by Tracy Hamon, it promises to be a fun, informative session and a great place to meet fellow scribblers. Note: pre-registration is required by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 8, 2010. The meal will be lasagna, salad, and dessert. Please let us know on your registration form if you have dietary restrictions. OR
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Aboriginal Members Focus Group (Facilitated by Carol Vandale from the Aboriginal Literacy Network) As an inclusive Guild we are always seeking input on what sort of programming our members are looking for—and we are especially interested in developing more programs that welcome and include our Aboriginal members. Come out and let us know what sort of programs, events, and adventures you’d like to see the Guild support. Let’s get the conversation rolling. 6:30–7:30 p.m. tion
Social—Member Recep-
A reception kicks off the evening. Light refreshments and snacks will be offered; there will also be a cash bar. A great place for members old and new to mix and mingle. 7:30–9:00 p.m. Caroline Heath Memorial Lecture (Don McKay) Renowned poet, Don McKay, once said, “Poetry—any poetry—is always political and subversive because it uses language, our foremost technological tool, against its powers of mastery and control. In poetry, language discovers its eros. In poetry, language is always a singer as well as a thinker, a lover as well as an engineer. Language delights in its own being as though it were an otter or a raven and not just the vice president in charge of making sense.” Come and hear what Don has to say in this year’s Caroline Heath Lecture. 9:00–11:00 p.m. Post-Lecture Reception and Open Mic
ask questions, and provide suggestions on the direction of the Guild. We’re all in this together. 10:45–11:45 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Creative Freefall: Creating Characters Who Drive Plot (Kenneth T. Williams) We all know that great stories are driven by OUTSTANDING characters. Award-winning playwright Kenneth T. Williams will delight and dazzle you with this one-hour workshop that will help you hone your skills in creating dynamic characters that will grab your audience by the scruff of the neck, steering the action of your play, short story or novel. Drive in and get to work! OR Changes in Publishing (Wes Funk, Geoffrey Ursell and Karon Schmon) Are you ready to publish? Need to find out how it all works these days? Join self-published author Wes Funk; Geoffrey Ursell from Coteau Books; and Karon Schmon from Gabriel Dumont Institute publishing as they share their experiences, offer some tips and reveal some trends in the ever changing world of publishing. 12:00–1:15 p.m. Luncheon: Featuring Winners of the Short MS Awards Competition Join us as we celebrate the winners of the Short Manuscript Awards. 1:30–2:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Writing and the Internet Book (Arthur Slade and Peter Stoicheff)
Mix and mingle with us again at this reception (cash bar). Bring a poem, a word, a line, a small story, your mother’s uncle! Titillate and tingle with some words of your own and others. Infamous host Gerry Hill will help you screw up your courage and share some of your work with us, or just hang out, listen and enjoy.
This one is a two-pronged humdinger of a session. Peter Stoicheff will give us a run-down on the evolution of books from print to Internet book and the future print world for writers. Arthur Slade will focus on how the Internet has changed the way he promotes his work and any trends and changes he’s noticed out there on the cyber expressway. Buckle up as we trek through the past and into the future.
Saturday
OR
9:00–10:30 a.m. (Members Only)
Hot Issues Session
This member-only session provides the opportunity to have a frank and respectful discussion with the Board. This is the time to let your voice be heard — raise issues, 18
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The Sensual Seen Mini-Workshop (Mary Balogh) Tired of keeping your characters clothed? Can they kiss but never make out? Join award -winning romance writer Mary Balogh for a crash course on writing the erotic scene.
July/August 2010
2:45–3:45 p.m. Readings by Myrna Kostash and Don McKay There’s nothing like hearing an author’s work live and in person. Join us for a little she said he said with two fascinating famous feisty writers. 4:00–5:00 p.m. The SWG Founders’ Celebration (Jean Freeman, Ken Mitchell and Geoffrey Ursell—hosted by Robert Currie) Has it REALLY been forty years? Bring your own ghosts and join SWG founders in celebrating what the Guild has done for us all and continues to offer to the writers of Saskatchewan. We’ll laugh, we’ll cry, and we’ll eat some cake! 5:30–7:30 p.m. John V. Hicks Dinner Join us to break bread and hear the winners of the 2010 John V. Hicks Long Manuscript Award read from the award-winning manuscripts after being presented with their prizes. Drinks at 5:30 p.m.; dinner at 6:00 p.m. 8:00–11:00 p.m. The SWG 40th Anniversary Gala—Dancing with jazz band Jump Me Martha
Sunday 9:00–12:00 p.m. AGM Make your voice heard—again! Come out to the Annual General Meeting: elect your new Board, and provide feedback. It’s your organization. Keep it strong! Closing Ceremony and Prayer (Elder Michael Maurice)
$119 (plus taxes). To book, email reservations@ parktownhotel.com or call (306) 244-5564 and ask for the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild Block (#000418). This block is reserved until October 4, 2010. Once the block is no longer in effect, there may be no rooms left to book. PARKING FOR HOTEL GUESTS Parking is free and, for those staying at the hotel, available in the hotel parkade. More details available at registration. Travel Subsidy (Available to Those Who Attend the Annual General Meeting) Members in good standing who live more than 100 kilometres from Saskatoon may apply for a travel subsidy of 20 cents per kilometre to help defray their costs. To qualify for this subsidy, members must attend the Annual General Meeting on Sunday. BOOK TABLE The book table is open the following hours: Friday: 12:30–5:00 p.m.; 6:45–10:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.; 1:15–5:15 p.m; Sunday: 8:30–10:30 a.m. Members and guests of the conference can leave up to five copies of a title at any one time. Please make sure the price is clearly marked on the book (rounded up to the nearest dollar). It is the author's responsibility to fill in the log-in sheet (author's name and book info and the number of books per title). Please pick up your unsold books by 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning (during the break at the AGM). After the conference, we’ll send you a cheque for the amount owing after your sales (less 10% for administrative costs).
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We need volunteers for the registration table and for general duties. If you would like to donate a little time, please get in touch with Tracy Hamon (306-791-7743 or programs@ skwriter.com) or Pam Bustin (306-955-5513 or saskatoon@skwriter.com) or indicate your interest on your registration form. We regret that we are unable to provide free admission to volunteers.
BILLETS AND CARPOOLING If you would like to offer a billet or a ride from out of town (or if you would prefer a billet or a ride), please fill in the appropriate spot on the registration form. Bios of the presenters will be available on our website at www.skwriter.com.
ACCOMMODATION A block of rooms has been reserved at the Parktown Hotel (924 Spadina Cres E., Saskatoon). Each room has one queen bed. Rooms are July/August 2010
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Registration Form for the SWG Fall Conference and AGM Jet Streams: The Winds of Change October 15 – 17, 2010 Parktown Hotel, 924 Spadina Crescent, E., Saskatoon; www.parktownhotel.com Name: __________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________
Town/City: _____________________________ Postal Code: ______________
Phone (home): _______________________
Phone (business): ___________________ Fax: _________________________ Email: _________________________________________ To help us plan for adequate seating and refreshments, please mark all events you will attend, even if there is no charge or if you are taking advantage of the package price Member Non-Member
Friday, October 15 12:45 1:00
2:30 3:45
5:00
6:30 7:30 9:15
Opening Ceremony and Prayer Concurrent Sessions (please circle your choice) Riding the Wind: Creative Process YA in a Shifting World Revolutions in Non-Fiction Concurrent Sessions (please circle your choice) Poetry Currents The Perfect Pitch Concurrent Sessions (please circle your choice) Writers Groups (includes meal) Aboriginal Members Focus Group Social—Member Reception Caroline Heath Memorial Lecture (Don McKay) Post-Lecture Reception and Open Mic
Saturday, October 16 9:00 9:45
12:00 1:30
2:45 4:00 5:30 8:00
Hot Issues Session (members only) Concurrent Sessions (please circle your choice) Creating Characters Who Drive Plot Changes in Publishing Short Manuscript Awards Luncheon Concurrent Sessions (please circle your choice) Writing and the Internet Book The Sensual Seen Mini Workshop Readings by Myrna Kostash and Don McKay SWG Founders Celebration John V. Hicks Awards Dinner 40th Anniversary Gala
______ Free
______ Free
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9:00 AGM Closing Ceremony and Prayer
$25
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$20
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$25
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$30 Free $10 $15 Free
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$35 Free $15 $20 Free
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Sunday, October 17
$20
Free
I am a new member. I am attending an SWG conference for the first time. I would like to offer a billet/be billetted (circle as appropriate).
______ $20
______ $25
______ $25
______ $30
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$20
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$25
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$10 $15 $40 $10
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$15 $20 $45 $15 or 2 for $25
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Free
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Free
______ $ ______ $310 ______ $255
Total Amount Enclosed for Conference: SWG Membership I would like to join/renew my membership (Regular Member $75; Full-Time Student or Senior—60 or over—$55). Total Amount Enclosed for Membership:
______
______
Donation I would like to donate to the SWG; total donation enclosed:
______
Total Amount Enclosed:
______
SWG Freelance
I am interested in being a volunteer at the Fall Conference.
N/A
Total fees (if paid by individual sessions) ______ $ Package Fee for all events ______ $250 Early Bird Package Fee for all events (before September 15) ______ $200
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Other Information
July/August 2010
I would like to offer a ride/catch a ride (check and provide travel times).
Please make your cheque or money order payable to the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild. Send to one of the two following addresses. Box 3986; Regina, SK S4P 3R9 or courier/drop off at #205–2314 11th Ave Regina SK S4P 0K1
others' work. Is the only goal to be published? Will comments be brutally honest, even if they're by Debbie Hayward painful? Or is the goal to encourage writing at all levels, whether What is the purpose of a writing it leads to publishing or is just group? Or a reading group? Or a for the love of the written word? gardening group?
Writers Groups
Ultimately, the purpose of any group is to connect with individuals who share a common interest. But when it comes to creative endeavors, there is so much more involved. It is not easy to bare our creative beings in front of a group of strangers. The very act of writing means opening up private compartments in our minds and souls and letting out whatever is lurking in those shadowy spaces. I have known people who refuse to write journals because "everyone will see them when I die." For some, it is difficult, if not impossible, to bring those ideas out into the world. Yet the yearning to write is strong. And so we turn to others who share this same yearning. A writing group gives us the place to share our ideas, to discuss the craft of writing, to learn how to improve our skill, and to perhaps find ways to get our writing published, even though this is not the ultimate goal for every writer. For many, spinning the ideas into words and the words into a story is sufficient. A writing group must have certain qualities: a welcoming spirit, the willingness to share time among its members, the generosity to share knowledge and experience with others, and patience to accept members who are at various stages of writing expertise. For groups that have some published members, it is important for them to remember that people have to start somewhere, and every writer has been in that anxious, agonizing, exhilarating space of waiting to be published for the first time. A writing group can decide among themselves the direction they want to take in critiquing
For those of us who love the written word, a writing group is the perfect outlet to grow and share that passion. I once read an interesting analogy about religion and sports. In the discussion about whether a person needed the support and structure of gathering with others in a church for worship, the comparison was that you could watch a football game on TV at home alone ... but there is something powerful and meaningful in gathering with others to share that experience. The same could be said for writing. While the actual act of putting words to paper (or computer screen) is a solitary journey, it is the power of sharing the experience of the trip with others that makes a writing group so important!
A writing group should not be bogged down in administration. If a group is spending more time worrying about who does what on the executive than they are talking about writing, many will lose interest. We all have enough structure and committees in our everyday work life; what most of us want in a writing group is the freedom to write and talk about writing with other writers. This freedom is like running and screaming through the schoolyard at recess; it's that astounding pleasure of doing something that you really, really like, and in this particular environment, it's Writing groups have a strong okay, and even encouraged! energy that can revive and inspire the writing spirit. In this A writing group executive is anniversary year of the SWG, important, because the time will consider starting a writing group come when you want to have in your community! an event and you need people in place to take care of the de- If you have a group of enthusitails. But for a regular meeting, astic writers who want to get business should be abbreviated organized into a writing group, as much as possible so that you the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild can move on to the real reason has boundless information to you got together in the first help you get started, and can place: to share the experience offer terrific information about of writing. other writers, workshops, coming events, and markets. Just (Honestly, do any of us wish we call them and ask. A good writhad yet another formal meeting ing group can be informative, to go to? When Oscar Wilde said encouraging, inspiring, and fun! "work is the curse of the drink- Spread the word! ing classes" he probably would have added that meetings are the curse of the writing classes!)
WINDSCRIPT EDITOR NEEDED An editor is needed for Volume 27 of Windscript, the SWG's magazine of high school writing. Please send your resume to Beth McLean, SWG, Box 3986, Regina SK S4P 3R9. The successful candidate will have recent experience working with high school students along with the necessary editorial knowledge. The deadline for receipt of applications is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 1, 2010.
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Some Musings of a Submerging Poet by Marion Beck
With particular reference to Celebrating Poets Over 70, McMaster Centre for Gerontological Studies, June 2010 It is a sad fact of life that there are too few markets and too many writers. This truth hits home hardest for those of advancing years who find too often when they pounce on a likely market that it is geared to the aspiring and emerging—read young. I remember only one market for the mature, a competition for the "Late Bloomer" offered by NeWest Magazine. Both are, like Monty Python's parrot, no more. Noone has thought it worthwhile to resurrect the competition or offer a substitute. It was a pleasant surprise to find a suitable market in Freelance last fall. It was not the usual sort of offering as it was an appeal for submissions from a university department, in this instance from the McMaster Centre for Gerontological Studies in Hamilton, Ontario. Poems were wanted from the over 70's in order to produce the tenth in a series called "Writing Down Our Years." So I thought, why not, as did some 300 others, and between us we inundated the editors, Marianne Vespry and Ellen Ryan, with over a thousand pieces of work. 22
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When the book came out this month I was surprised to find the 70's were the smallest group, that the eldest poet included was 103 and still going strong, that there was a good representation of men despite the usual statistics regarding incidence of men and women in the "golden years," and that almost half the poets were from the States. I was not surprised by the quality of the work, or that the poems ran the whole gamut from humorous to serious and were varied in content, not at all the stereotypical affairs popular wisdom might expect. Some names were familiar and I was happy to find I was in the company of one past Governor General's Award-winning poet, Raymond Souster. Saskatchewan and the SWG were weII represented by our Poet Laureate, Robert Currie, by Elsie Ellis, June Mitchell, Sharon MacFarIane and myself. Marie Elyse St. George's poem, "Stillborn," drew praise in the introduction. Joanne Weston, a former Saskatchewan resident, and C. Isobel Spence from La fleche were also included.
All in all it was a good effort though I did have some quibbles. I could have wished for the book to be a two volume affair, so many poems are hard to digest and I have never been fond of multiple poems per page. Then too, the size of the book, approximately 21 by 28cm (9" by 11") with spiral binding, made it user unfriendly, especiaIIy for arthritic hands. Still, I guess, the consideration was financial and one shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. I am grateful to McMaster for producing this series though at the same time I am conscious that university productions do not have the widest of audiences. It would be nice to find other markets, welcoming ones. After all, McMaster's work has shown what a wealth of poetry is still being produced by us older types. Perhaps we should take matters into our own hands, get organized so that our efforts don't waste their sweetness on the desert air, in the words of a long dead poet. Maybe we should form a society. How about The Submerging Poets Club? It might be worth a whirl.
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July/August 2010
Seeing Spanish, Talking English
their jobs. You may consider this week a holiday, but our students are here to work, and your job is to keep them speaking English and enjoying it. You will make new and perhaps lifelong friends. For sure you will have an experience like no other holiday, and our students will find, to their amazement, that they have had fun too.”
our great delight, we discovered the daily 2:00 p.m. lunch was followed by a two-hour siesta. Then back to our assignments and group activities until the 9:00 p.m. dinner hour. Tables at meal times were to consist of two English and two Spanish. I had my own room on the main floor looking into the hotel courtyard. A daily schedule was posted naming one-on-one
“I can do that,” I said, and After this sobering pronounceasked how to apply. (See side- ment, we were treated to some bar for details.) of the best live flamenco music I’ve ever heard. The band of Our week started Thursday young men, all dressed in seriafternoon with luncheon at ous black and intent on their Casa Patas in downtown Ma- music, was not hard to look at drid known for its live flamenco either. performances (some 300 live performances per year by more The bus departed at 8:00 a.m. than 100 different groups), as the next morning. We had paid well as Spanish cuisine. After our own way to Madrid, but exploring paella and a number from the time the PI bus picked of other unexpected but inter- us up to take us to Coto Del esting offerings, we 20 Anglos Valle, the resort hotel booked gathered in an upper room exclusively for PI’s use throughfor orientation.The PI leader out the summer, till it dropped explained the program and as- us off back in Madrid a week sured us that our collective in- later, our accommodation and ability to utter a single sentence all expenses were paid. in Spanish was, in this case, an advantage. To make it real, here’s a peak into my journal for our week of “As soon as a Spaniard realizes seeing Spanish, talking English. you can speak or understand Spanish, they sigh with relief The bus delivered us to Coto Del and quit trying to speak English. Valle about 2:00 p.m. where Speaking and understanding a Tapas lunch awaited. The English is what they are here choice was almost too much for. We want our students to for the Anglo guest, while the leave with a 100% better un- Spanish student is already derstanding of English and at practicing her English even as least a 50% improvement in she pours a much-needed glass their spoken English self-confi- of water. There was always red dence. English is important in wine for lunches and dinners. To
Spanish/Anglo conversation assignments. Also listed were two-on-two groups, telephone conversations, conference calls, and a variety of group activities. After the first day of “My name is . . . I work at . . . I am marry with two childs“ type conversations, discussions become more interesting. Tomeu owns a supply company for yachts and coast guard ships. His recreation is hang-gliding— and the discussion soars with his fascinating hobby. Antonio will be sent by his company to South America to help establish a new Telefonica regional office—for this he must understand better the English. Ana Maria is in health care. Her hospital receives tourists from many countries. She must talk with them and understand them or she cannot help them. She cares deeply and concentrates on every word she speaks or hears.
by Joyce Wells When Glenda James told me she would be spending a week in Spain, I was interested. When she told me it would be free, I was fascinated! Glenda explained that there was this organization in Spain that teaches English to Spanish business people. Pueblo Ingles (PI) enriches their regular English classes with a week of immersion English. To attract English speakers, they offer an all-expense paid week to just about any Anglo who will promise to speak non-stop English for 12—14 hours per day, beginning with breakfast at 9:00 a.m., ending with dinner at 9:00 p.m. to say nothing of the bar sessions that frequently followed dinner.
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Spanish/Anglo pairs choose their own locations: inside, outside, walking, lounging, or sheltered by the covered patio. In early April, the spring was about a month ahead of SWG Freelance
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Saskatchewan, but like here, the weather could change overnight. Some days shorts and t-shirts, sometimes warm jackets and umbrellas.
Still ensconced in our idyllic mountain resort, we thought the announcement was Jason’s bad idea of a joke, but it turned out to be all too true.
Spaniards had to get used to accents from England, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, South Africa, South America, Canada and the USA. It was all part of “understanding English.”
On the way back to Madrid by bus, Tony lent me his cell phone and I called Susan, my Regina friend whose phone number I knew. She called my CAA travel agent, whose phone number I did not know. Rachel, my agent, got to work on changing my KLM flight via Amsterdam (the airport was closed due to the ash cloud) to a Delta flight: Atlanta-Minneapolis-Regina. She put a hold on the flight but could not confirm it since KLM was not taking phone calls. I was up early and out to the Ma-
Thursday morning found the whole group out hiking up the mountain in the background of the photo below. The destination was a spectacular waterfall on the far side. The expedition provided a new vehicle for casual English, and a break from routine. There was a lovely walk down
Is This For You? Hola all intrepid travelers! If you are interested in a week in Spain courtesy of Pueblo Ingles (PI), check their website at: www.puebloingles. com. You will find further details about the program, descriptions of the half dozen sites they maintain throughout Spain, and an application form. Once your application has been accepted, you will receive a list of sites and program dates still open for English-speaking applicants. When you have chosen a location and dates, you will receive more specifics about the welcome luncheon in Madrid, recommended accommodation close to the PI bus departure point, etc. You pay your own way to Madrid and whatever accommodation you need before and after your PI week. Your week of speaking English comes all expenses paid. Many Anglos arrive early or stay for a week of sightseeing following the PI week.
the hill from the hotel, across a bridge where we stopped a few moments to gaze at a beautiful little waterfall, through a wooded area with a couple of horses in a fenced off paddock and, surprisingly, a half dozen dogs chained (for controlled exercise) in front of neat little doghouses in the forest. Here a Spanish/Anglo pair return up the hill from the mile long walk on a day that promises rain.
drid airport by 7:00 a.m.. When I got to the front of the line I was overjoyed to find the hold still in place on the computer schedule. I flew out at 11:30 that morning and arrived home at midnight (plus 10 hours time change!). It was a long day but I was TRULY FORTUNATE!
As Antolin comments via email: “I believe that for all of us, PI has been a great experience where we have known On Friday as we prepared to marvelous people and where return home, the program leader we had a great time, enjoying announced that we should pre- like children ...” pare for travel disruptions due to a volcano erupting in Iceland. 24
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You may be a whiz at booking airline tickets via the computer, but my experience with the volcanic eruption has convinced me to work through a travel agent, especially for out-of-Canada travel. If anything goes wrong, a travel agent has all the resources at her fingertips to help you with alternate bookings or whatever you need. While I went through some tense moments until I was safely on the plane headed for Atlanta, my experience was a walk in the park compared to thousands of travelers who spent days and weeks frantically looking for alternate travel. And be prepared to explain idioms like “walk in the park” to your new Spanish friends.
Cuban Travel Initiative by Ken Mitchell Just to keep SWG members upto-date on the proposed Cuban writers’ exchange program, I am proposing a Literary Tour of Cuba, which will be set up as a vacation package, in association with UNEAC (the Writers and Artists Union of Cuba), led by Cuban poet Roger Blanco and Paradiso Tours. The SWG Board has declined to develop the program as a policy initiative (for economic reasons I believe). So in late February/early March next year, up to 15 Saskatchewan writers (counting spouses), are invited on a literary tour of 15 days. The ideal time would be February. 22–March 8. It will travel
through Holguín and Camaguey provinces, and include the legendary resorts of Santa Lucia (sea) and Belen (mountain). We will visit literary sites of Ernest Hemingway, José Guillén, Ignacio Agramonte and Senora Avellaned. At the cities and resorts there will be musical and artistic performances. We have this opportunity to arrange a program of meetings with Cuban poets, writers and publishers through the Camaguey Artists and Writers Union. Through them, we can arrange public readings, university presentations, and participation in local events such as the National Book Festival, usually held in late February in Camaguey City.
event, but it’s one way to keep the diplomatic ball rolling, and to establish an international market for Saskatchewan literature. It is being planned as a “colony” workshop experience. Any interested SWG members should get in touch with me by email: ken.mitchell@uregina. ca. I can also be phoned at 757-3820.
The cost (including airfare, accommodation, food and extras) averages out at about $83.72 a day, or $1245.80 per person for a 15-day tour. It seems like a good deal. If not enough SWG members register I could open it up to other writers and artists, but if we are going to maintain this venture in international exchange, I would prefer that we Saskatchewan writers This tour—if it goes ahead— (if not the SWG) work with UNmay seem more like a vacation EAC, and the Camaguey Writers tour than a cultural/political and Artists Union.
2010 HYLAND AWARD NOMINATIONS (formerly the Volunteer Leadership Award) The Hyland Award has been established to recognize the many achievements of Saskatchewan Writers' Guild members through their volunteer support of the Saskatchewan literary community. • The recipient must be an SWG member and a resident of the province. • Recognition is for volunteer contributions made within the writing community on a local, provincial, or national level. • The recipient must be a volunteer in the writing community for a minimum period of five years. • The Hyland Award recipient must have provided outstanding service to the growth and development of the SWG and the writing community. In a letter (maximum three pages), the nominating Guild member should provide the following information: - the particular role played by the recipient in the SWG. - the impact of the contribution on the growth and development of the SWG and the writing community. Applications should be typed. Please note that applications must be received in the SWG office no later than 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 30, 2010. Submit nominations to the following address: SWG, Hyland Award, Box 3986, Regina SK, S4P 3R9. The Hyland Award will be presented at the annual general meeting of the SWG. For a complete list of criteria and a nomination form, please visit: http://www.skwriter. com/?s=home&id=99 Previous Winners of the Hyland Award: Brenda Baker, Byrna Barclay, Sharon Butala, Robert Currie, Regine Haensel, Gary Hyland, William Klebeck, Pat Krause, Alison Lohans, Dave Margoshes, Judy McCrosky, Ken Mitchell, Brenda Niskala, James Romanow
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And Another Thing ... by Robert Calder Someone in the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild office must be a fan of Justin Halpern’s Twitter offerings “Sh*t My Dad Says.” These “tweets” are the blunt and ascerbic comments of Halpern’s seventy-four-yearold father, observations such as the advice he offered to his son about a child who is slow to talk: “The baby will talk when he talks. It ain’t like he knows the cure for cancer and he just ain’t spitting it out.” Or “Son, no one gives a sh*t about all the things your cell phone does. You didn’t invent it, you just bought it. Anybody can do that.” How else to explain that I’ve been invited to write a regular column for Freelance? I’m well known to my family, friends, colleagues, and students as a curmudgeon, and, since I’m about to retire from teaching, why should my family and friends now bear the sole weight of my grumbles and complaints that the world increasingly is not unfolding as I think it should? Besides, the world sometimes needs a curmudgeon or simply an angry old guy—think Clint Eastwood’s Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino, Michael Caine’s Harry Brown in the film of the same name, or Peter Finch’s Howard Beale in Network. No, resist the temptation to think Willie Loman or King Lear; I’m not happy about how they ended up. One of the most curmudgeonly authors of the twentieth century was also its most reclusive (if “reclusive curmudgeon” isn’t an oxymoron): J.D. Salinger. After securing his reputation as one of the finest of American writers with the enormously successful novel 26
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The Catcher in the Rye and several collections of beautifully written short stories, he disappeared from view. Like a fox going to ground, he evaded the hounding of journalists and biographers, no matter how much they yapped in his direction. And, if the rumours are accurate, he continued to write up to his death at the age of ninety-one in January of this year. Salinger found his greatest satisfaction in writing but hated what he called the “side effects”: reviews, interviews, book promotions, and most of all, invasions of his privacy. He wrote privately, and hoped that his work reached his readers privately. “God, how I still love private readers,” he once said. “It’s what we all used to be.” The very sizeable royalties on The Catcher in the Rye and Franny and Zooey enabled Salinger to opt out of the business side of authorship, something which he hated and for which he had contempt. “There are no writers anymore,” he once said, “only book-selling louts and big mouths.” Salinger made this comment some years ago, and one can only wonder what he would make of authors and publishing practices in 2010. After all, this is the age of literary big mouths. It’s the age of authors with web pages, the more colourful, eye-catching and interactive, the better. It’s the age of social networking: authors touting their wares on Facebook or tweeting about themselves on Twitter or in blogs—announcing the completion of a chapter or their appearance on a short list the way that the ordinary person broadcasts to the world that he had muffins for breakfast or that she is
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tired of the incessant rain. It is the age of writers attaching an announcement of their latest book to the bottom of every email and sending it off like a tin can tied to a dog’s tail. It is the age of authors writing their own dust jacket blurbs—larding them with remarks such as “another breathtaking performance,” “a profound and deeply moving study of modern angst” or “a riveting account beautifully rendered.” All of this is a far cry from Salinger’s private writing for private readers, and I suspect that most writers are not comfortable doing it. But they can hardly be blamed. Many publishers have long since abandoned making much effort to publicize the books of any but their most popular authors writing for popular tastes. Fewer and fewer newspapers, themselves an endangered species, are publishing reviews and articles about authors; in many papers reviews of new video games are given more space. Small, independent bookstores, which often stocked a few copies of the work of an emerging author instead of hundreds of the literary flavour-of-the-month, are now practically extinct. As a result of this shrinkage in coverage of new books and of authors in general, every literary agent is telling his or her clients that they pretty much have to promote themselves. You must, they say, “build a platform” (build a platform and they will come and buy your books). It’s a business: you have to create a profile and push your product in the public market place because no one else is going to do it for you. Become a modern rag-and-bone man, and shout your wares from village to village and town to town.
The great majority of authors throughout history have wanted to sell their books or at least to reach a reasonable number of readers. Even so, it is hard to imagine Jane Austen maintaining a website (“send for your own Mr. Darcy t-shirt”) or Charles Dickens tweeting (“Hey, folks, I just bumped off Little Nell; stay tuned!”) or Samuel Beckett writing his own blurb (“noth-
ing happens in this intensely gripping, wildly entertaining exploration of the human condition”). But perhaps I’m wrong. Dave Carpenter recalls W.O. Mitchell telling him many years ago that, if it would help sell his books, he would take off all his clothes in the city square. Mitchell’s point was that for writers, particularly those
pursuing the difficult goal of living off their books, anything is justified. Carp, though, has not—at least to the best of my knowledge—ever done the Full Monty on behalf of his books at the Festival of Words or the Saskatchewan Book Awards. For this I suppose we should be grateful. Or, depending on your perspective, perhaps, disappointed.
MANUSCRIPT EVALUATION SERVICE The Manuscript Evaluation Service assists writers at all levels of development who would like a professional response to their unpublished work. The service is available to all Saskatchewan writers, and uses the talents of Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild (SWG) published members. The SWG offers this service with the generous partnership of the Saskatchewan Arts Board. What the service can do for you... You will receive a written evaluation that includes the following: • An editorial assessment of your manuscript in progress. • A summary of the strengths and weaknesses in terms of publishability. • Advice on steps that you may take to further develop your manuscript or advice on marketing and publicity. • A response for up to 3 specific questions that you may submit with your manuscript separately. Your manuscript will be sent to a published author—either one we select who will then give you an anonymous evaluation, or one whom you select. If you want a certain writer to evaluate your work, you must obtain his or her approval. Please check the SWG database and indicate your preference. Your choice must be approved by our Program Officer.
Fee Structure Manuscript Length
Evaluation Fees
Prose Under 3,000 words 3,000 to 10,000 words 10,000 to 20,000 words 20,000 to 50,000 words 50,000 to 100,000 words
$ 30.00 $ 50.00 $ 70.00 $ 90.00 $130.00
Poetry Up to 24 pages 25 to 64 pages 65 to 100 pages
$ 50.00 $ 90.00 $ 110.00
Dramatic Scripts Up to 29 pages 30 to 60 pages 60 to 100 pages
$ 50.00 $ 90.00 $ 130.00
For more information including submission guidelines, please visit http://www.skwriter.com/?s=programsservices&p=manuscriptevaluationservice; phone (306) 7917743 or email programs@skwriter.com.
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Grade One Poets by Jean Freeman Like many writers, I started my love affair with words when I was very young. I loved to read, and to be read to, and our library in Weyburn was a place of great delight. (God bless Mrs. Griffin, our Librarian!) When I was nine, my best friend’s uncle wrote a book, and that opened an incredible window for me: it was the first time I had ever realized that real people wrote books! I vowed that when I grew up, I would write too! (The book, by the way, was Who Has Seen The Wind? and the writer, of course, was W.O. Mitchell.)
They sent me a picture of the class proudly displaying their poetry book, as they prepare for “Moving Up Day,” when they will advance to Grade Two—and I’m sure will keep on writing! (I told them that their story, photo and some In the years since, I have done poems would be in Freelance, a lot of writing, for business, and they are excitedly waiting for pleasure, for the stage, for the results!) for movies and TV, and four books for children (published Perhaps we can encourage some Massachusettes and two so far!). Saskatchewan Writing Pen I still love to read, and proba- Pals activity in the future! bly the most enjoyable reading That would be great! I’ve done recently is thanks to a group of young people who are about the age I was when I started out. They are the Grade One writers of John D. Philbrick Elementary School in Roslindale, Massachusetts (in the Boston Public Schools System), and their love affair with words is marvelous!
Under the guidance of their teacher Ms. Stacey IslesBrako, all the boys and girls (including my granddaughter Christina, who will be six in July) have written their own books (many with illustrations) which are proudly displayed in their classroom. As well, they have branched out into poetry, and Ms. Isles has just prepared and printed a collection of their most recent work.
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A rock can be smooth, bumpy and dry, and even a little moist, But in the ocean the rocks are wet. Only two things can make them dry— A paper towel or napkins will do. But ... rocks are cool ... If you find them in your back yard. Nicola Wood
Then it falls apart like the wind in the air. Vincente Goober
The important thing about Roborovski hamsters is they are cute. And NEVER EVER let them out of their tank because They run like lightning! But they also like running in their wheel. Christina Freeman
In the sun My house makes pictures In the sky. Charles Tannert-Lerner
A book is A big thing with a lot of pages. And it has a ton of words in it, And it is the best thing, But a book has lots of pages. Katie Emery
A Rocket. A rocket is a blasting fire in the air. In space it looks like a floating barrel in the sky. July/August 2010
Creating in the Qu`Appelle By Jennifer Still For the fourth time in as many years, a select group of rural Saskatchewan high school students wrote and rode their way to the creative writing ranchland of Dallas Valley to participate in a two-day word-wrangling retreat of workshops, readings and a little iambic horseback for good measure. Creating in the Q, as affectionately referred to by its founders, Lumsden High’s own Robin Berg and Deanna Chernick, is the annual gathering of 30 exceptional students along with their equally encouraging English teachers (in most cases, writers themselves). Teachers and students travel from as far away as Eastend and La Ronge to meet with established poets and novelists and most importantly, their small town writing peers, to share in what is simultaneously the most connecting and isolating activity of their lives: the creation of stories and poems. May 2010 was my third sojourn at Creating in the Q, this year to facilitate a writing workshop on poetic voice. Fellow facilitators included YA writer R.P. MacIntyre (La Ronge), humour/fiction writer and novelist Chris Fisher (Lumsden) and poet/novelist Michael Bradford (Saskatoon). My role was to facilitate a poetry workshop that would nudge these sharp, eager, wisebeyond-their-years students a bit closer to their own unique subjects and poetic voices, hoping with all hopes they might further discover the poems only they can write.
and for others this was a final high school retreat. Many were on the verge of graduation and academic plans that will take them much further from home than this picturesque valley. Despite the range of ages, experience, and future academic plans, the students were quick to cohere as a group: all were serious about writing.
ond evening to follow-up the lively student-teacher open-mic event. She mesmerized us all with a wonderfully theatrical reading from her award-winning novel Mostly Happy. In addition to the literary events, e-journalism students from Lumsden High reported on the weekend’s “extreme-writing” activities in a newsletter they published on-site and the Saskatchewan Arts Board, generous supporters of the program, hired Saskatoon videographer Lisa Unrau to create an informational video on this year’s experience.
As guest authors, each of us performed a reading, facilitated workshops (to the teachers too!), critiqued manuscripts on-demand and met one-on-one with many of the students. It was an absolute thrill to see the developments in the work of students I had also met with Most heartening and consistent among these young writers last year. was the sense of community One dedicated and very promis- they found at Creating in the ing grade 12 student, 18-year- Qu'Appelle. Those I met with, old Galilee Thompson from for the most part, felt artistiMilestone, returned to the work- cally isolated, disconnected shop for her 3rd and final year and unsupported in their writing to follow a theme she had be- lives back in their respective gun at last year’s retreat. Her towns. As organizer Robin Berg leaps in artistic vision and craft says, Creating in the Q’s most led our discussion to post high important function is “making school plans and opportunities young writers feel validated as such as the SWG mentorship well as giving those students program and Spring, the public who don’t feel as though they library writer-in-residence pro- belong a place where they fit gram, Talking Fresh at Luther in.” College and such journals as Grain magazine through which Clearly, Creating in the Q offers she could begin testing out her rural teens a place of artistic work on an editor. She was very connection that can be so cruinterested to hear of these op- cial in these early writing years. portunities though, surprisingly, For Galilee Thompson, the expeshe was completely unaware of rience gave her “confidence as a writer” and has the potential the SWG. to resonate far beyond this brief It was wonderful to learn that meeting in the valley. the Guild was offering complimentary memberships to all of the 2010 participants. I only hope the students took advantage of the offer. It might be worthwhile next year to consider offering the membership with on-site registration (there are computers and Internet connection available)—this way the information wouldn’t get lost in the shuffle when everyone disperses.
As always, the students arrived with pens poised and notebooks filled. Drafts of lyrics, sketches, vampire stories and even novels burst from binders and backpacks. For some this Guest reader Pam Bustin of was a first writing workshop Saskatoon arrived on the secJuly/August 2010
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In The Footsteps of Riel by Jesse Archibald Barber “My people will sleep for one hundred years, but when they awake, it will be the artists who give them their spirit back.” In the months before his execution, Riel spoke these prophetic words. Although the NorthWest Resistance was defeated, Riel had a clear idea of his legacy, as he envisioned a prosperous future for his people. On June 21, National Aboriginal Day, the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild in association with the Regina Plains Museum and the Regina Public Library hosted an event in honour of Louis Riel and the Year of the Métis Nation. The event began with a tour of significant places for Riel in downtown Regina, followed by a reading of Riel’s poetry by Jesse Archibald Barber, professor of Aboriginal literature at the First Nations University of Canada. Known more as a political figure, Riel nonetheless left behind a large volume of creative writing which offers a unique perspective into historical events that traditional history does not. Poetry provided an outlet for Riel to express his political aspirations, religious visions, and personal experiences, covering a plethora of subjects, including the loss of innocence, ways of life, homeland, family and kinfolk, lovers, and personal elegies on his own death. Indeed, there is a remarkably elegiac tone throughout much of his poetry, starting from his earliest poems while attending school in Quebec, such as “Young Man Dying,” which conveys his struggle to choose between religious vocation or a worldly life of marriage and family. After returning to Red River, Riel then wrote poems like “Métis Girl,” which depicts the Métis’ pride in the success of the 1869 Resistance. However, these poems were soon followed by ones like “Sir John A. Shackled” which conveys Riel’s bitterness over his exile to the United States. Despite Riel’s bitterness and desire for revenge, though, he still provides an inspiration to Métis poets today. Addressing this point, Métis professor Jo-Ann Episkenew read some poems by Marilyn Dumont. Dumont, a descendent of Gabriel Dumont, speaks to contemporary experiences of racial identity in Canadian society in poems like “Squaw Poems” and “Circle the Wagons,” which address the stereotypes that Aboriginal people continue to face in popular culture. The poetry reading concluded with a few poems written by Riel during his last days in the Regina jail before his execution. Poems like “How My Body Trembles” and “Snow” powerfully convey Riel’s deep religious devotion, as well as his transcendence beyond his previous desire for revenge. Local Métis musician Thomas Roussin helped open and close the reading with songs about small town Saskatchewan and the history of Métis land displacement. The songs helped set the mood for the reading, representing, and in many ways confirming, Riel’s vision of the artistic legacy of the Métis people—in this sense, the Métis were never defeated.
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Jo-Ann Episkenew July/August 2010
Thomas Roussin
BOOKS BY MEMBERS The Books by Members feature is a promotional service for individual Guild members. To let others know about your latest book, send a copy and a description along with a brief biographical note about yourself. The book will also be displayed in the SWG library.
The Anemara Orchid by Laurie Nenson 233 pages; $14.95 Your Nickel's Worth Publishing
For popular teenager Willa Bell, the joy of winning a once-in-a-lifetime contest— the chance to meet the most famous heartthrob of her generation—is overshadowed by the dilemma of selecting a BFF to accompany her. Should it be her ill and now-awkward lifelong friend, Greta Payne? Or Ava Bradley, the coolest girl ever? Much to her surprise, the outcome of her actions exceeds even her wildest imaginings, proof positive that true friendship is the best prize of all. The Anemara Orchid is Laurie Nenson's first novel. Three additional novels in this series are in the works. Acts of Violence: An Anthology of Crime Comics 120 pages; $9.95 New Reliable Press
Acts of Violence is a collection of short crime comics in the pulp tradition. It doesn’t shy away from bullets or bloodshed. It tackles characters with flawed judgment and loose morals. The storylines are ripped from the filthy underbelly of the world in which we live. Acts of Violence peers into the shadows and shines a light on what scuttles on the periphery. Featuring the talents of Toren Atkinson, Ed Brisson, Chad Boudreau, Dino Caruso, Damian Couceiro, Todd Ireland, Kevin Leeson, Manoel Magalhaes, and Marvin Mann and cover art by Fiona Staples, Acts of Violence unveils a roster of new voices in hardboiled crime comics. Regina-based writer Chad Boudreau is co-creator of Acts of Violence, "The Three Princes”, which appears in Acts of Violence, Black Salt, Psychosis, and several short comics and short fiction that have appeared in various anthologies. He is also cocreator of the comics properties The Thunderchickens and Special Edition.
Fans of M. C. Conacher’s first novel, Murder on the Maritime Tour, will not be left disappointed with her second work, The Crocodile Connection. Set in a small, fictitious country in Africa, a team of prairie technicians has left Canada to work with the Afrafros on building and operating a new technical training centre. However, the Canadians are not prepared for some of the bigger challenges that face the centre and its staff. Malaria outbreaks, marriage breakdowns, disgruntled employees, mounting threats from local chiefs and corrupt politicians, and even a military coup threaten to destroy the centre’s future and the careers of several Canadians as well. M. C. Conacher lives on a farm with her husband near the village of Mervin, Saskatchewan. She has four adult children and ten grandchildren. Baggage by Wes Funk 162 pages; $18.95 Benchmark Press
The Crocodile Connection by M. C. Conacher 392 pages; $12.95 Benchmark Press
Wes Funk's latest novel, Baggage, highlights the life of Sam, a nineteen-year-old July/August 2010
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farm kid who just landed his first job working at a downtown diner in Saskatoon. Sam soon forms a bond with his co-worker, Bliss, an abrasive waitress, and Slash, a gruff middle-aged cook. Baggage is about lost souls finding each other; it's about how intimacy can force you to see the truth. Wes Funk is a Saskatoon writer whose strong belief in diversity, passion for rock and roll, and love of the prairie lifestyle appear as themes within his novels. His first novel, Dead Rock Stars, was nominated for a Saskatchewan Book Award. For the Love of Strangers by Brenda Niskala 309 pages; $18.95 Coteau Books
The linked short stories in For the Love of Strangers feature prairie girl Kathy, but they wind through the working lives and the complicated cultural terrain of a handful of folks who could be anywhere. These people are tied together in one way or another by the cattle trails on a farm in the Coteau Hills, the alleys of the city, the sandy paths of a lakeside resort, and all the roads in between. The stories weave through more than twenty years, from 1980 to 2002, they take place in blizzards and barns, northern lakes, weathered towns and prairie cities; at a folk festival, a monastery, a protest march and on a whirlwind tour of the British Isles. And in more than one berry patch. 32
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Brenda Niskala is a poet, fiction writer and currently the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Publishers Group. Her novella Of All the Ways to Die was published by Quattro Books in Fall 2009; her short stories have appeared in several anthologies and literary journals. Her poetry has been published in two chapbooks, What Butterflies do at Night (2005, BPrint Editions) and Emma’s Horizon (2000, Hagpapers).
to showcase the local food scene. Sophia Tolstoy by Alexandra Popoff 368 pages; $28.00 Free Press
Saskatchewan born and raised, she currently makes her home in Regina. Prairie Feast: A Writer's Journey Home for Dinner by Amy Jo Ehman 245 pages; $24.95
A year of eating locally results in a gastronomical journey through prairie food festivals, local food traditions and the infamous community dinners. A humorous, light-hearted chronicle of the writer’s love affair with good food, prairie traditions and flavours from her childhood with recipes peppered throughout. Amy Jo Ehman grew up in Craik, Saskatchewan surrounded by big gardens and vast fields of wheat. She is a freelance writer and regular contributor to CBC’s “Blue Sky” and to Prairies North magazine. She also has a monthly column for the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and has written for Harrowsmith Country Life. Her blog http:// homefordinner.blogspot. com/ chronicled her “year of eating locally” and continues July/August 2010
Based on previously unavailable archival materials, this biography changes the negative perception of Leo Tolstoy’s wife, Sophia. Her life has been long misinterpreted, so Popoff's goal was to provide accurate information and tell her true story. Alexandra Popoff was born and educated in Moscow. In her early journalistic career she wrote for the national newspaper The Literary Gazette. As an Alfred Friendly Press Fellow in 1991 she published her articles and reviews in The Philadelphia Inquirer. After marrying a Canadian journalist in 1992, she settled in Saskatchewan. Incidentally, this province was the place of original migration and settlement of the Russian Doukhobors, her husband’s ancestors. Tolstoy, who shared their pacifism, had sponsored their emigration to Canada at the end of the nineteenth century. Popoff has taught at the University of Saskatchewan and written articles for scholarly journals. Her graduate degrees in literature were earned in Moscow, Toronto, and Saskatchewan.
Inclusion in the Markets & Competitions listing is not an endorsement of any contest, market, event or otherwise. This is only an informational resource. We encourage all readers to thoroughly investigate all contests or markets before submitting their work.
MARKETS & COMPETITIONS Deadline: October 30 Animal-Human Relationship Anthology Have you had a significant relationship or encounter with an animal (domestic or wild)? The editor seeks thoughtful literary narrative non-fiction that tells an engaging story of animal-human relationships and also offers insight into themes such as animal nature, human nature, the nature of animal-human relationships, or the place of humans in nature. Submissions should be approx. 4–14 pages, in standard manuscript format. Selected texts will receive an honorarium. Submit by mail to Pam Chamberlain, Box 27026, 2050–11300 Tuscany Blvd., Calgary, AB T3L 2V0 or by email to pkchamberlain@ hotmail.com. Please include an email address or a SASE. Feel free to email with questions.
Deadline: November 1 CBC Literary Awards Send your unpublished poetry, short stories and creative non-fiction. Cash prizes total $60,000 provided by the Canada Council for the Arts. Winning works will be published in Air Canada's enRoute magazine and online at www. cbc.ca/literaryawards. Details can also be found at this website.
Deadline: November 1 CV2's 35th Anniversary Poetry Contest $500/$300/$150/2 honourable mentions + paid publication for each winner. Whether 35 lines, 35 stanzas or "35" written into the poem itself, each poem must incorporate "35" somehow in its language
or form. Anyone can enter, though only original, unpublished poetry is accepted. No simultaneous submissions. Each poem may not exceed 100 lines. Manuscripts must be typed on 8.5x11 paper, title and page number on each page. Judging is blind, so include contact information on a separate sheet with a list of titles in your submission. Only paper submissions by post will be accepted. Contemporary Verse 2, 502-100 Arthur St, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 1H3, Canada; (204)949-1365. Complete contest info: www. contemporaryverse2.ca.
Deadline: December 1 The Fiddlehead's 20th Annual Contest in Short Fiction and Poetry There are two contest categories, poetry and short fiction. In poetry the prizes are $2010 for the Ralph Gustafson Prize for Best Poem and $500 each for the two Honourable Mentions and in short fiction the prizes are $2010 for the Best Story and $500 each for the two Honourable Mentions. All six winning entries will be published in the Spring 2011 issue of The Fiddlehead (No. 247). Full submission details at http://www.thefiddlehead. ca//FHcontest.html or email: fiddlehd@unb.ca
Deadline: January 15 Cathedral Village Arts Festival One-Act Playwrighting Contest As part of the celebrations of the Twentieth Anniversary of the Cathedral Village Arts Festival, the Festival is sponsoring a play writing contest. The winning oneact play will be produced at the Cathedral Village Arts Festival May 23–28, 2011. A July/August 2010
person must be a Saskatchewan resident to enter. The play will receive a minimum of two performances. The winning playwright will also receive $300. The Festival will produce the play, including choosing the director and actors. (The winning playwright will be encouraged to propose a director and actors.) Playwrights are encouraged to have their plays workshopped. Only original one-act plays are eligible. Plays that have been workshopped are eligible; however, they must NOT have been presented before an audience. Maximum length is 50 minutes; minimum of 30 minutes. Plays must NOT contain more than 4 characters and must avoid plays with complex or elaborate sets. The judges’ decision is final. Critiques will NOT be provided. Follow standard play script format, either with the characters’ names centered on the page or with the names in bold caps flush with the left margin. Scripts must be on standard 8 ½ by 11 white paper, double-spaced, with the standard margins.Your name must NOT appear on the scripts. Include on the title page the running time of the play. Enclose three copies of your script with each copy separated by a color page of paper. On a separate sheet of paper include your name, mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number, title of your play, number of pages, and running time. For more information visit www.cvaf.ca
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EVENTS REGINA September 14, 7:30 p.m. Sandra Birdsell launches Waiting for Joe, at the Aegean Coast Coffee shop, 1901 Hamilton Street September 28, 7:30 p.m. Coteau Books Fictionistas launch at Crave Wine Bar, 1925 Victoria Ave. Featured readers are Brenda Niskala, Kathleen Wall, Myrna Dey, and Yasmin Ladha October 6, 7:00 p.m. Byrna Barclay launches The Forest Horses at the Hotel Saskatchewan SASKATOON McNally Robinson September 8, 7:30 p.m. Beth Rowles Scott, Pinch Me: A Long Walk From the Prairies September 9, 7:30 p.m. Lauraine Saretsky, Seek the Sunrise September 13, 7:30 p.m. AuKeeRa Rayne, From Above With Love September 16, 7:30 p.m. Sandra Birdsell, Waiting for Joe
September 17, Noon Ezra Levant, Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada’s Oilsands September 22, 7:30 p.m. Alison Montgomery, Finding Christopher: A Journal of Grief, Love and Faith September 23, 7:30 p.m. Giles Blunt, Crime Machine September 25, 1:00 p.m. Els Van Hierden, Ransomed September 26, 1:00 p.m. Gem Munro, South Asian Adventures with the Active Poor September 27, 7:30 p.m. Andrew Dziadyk, Prairie Pioneer Stories September 28, 7:30 p.m. Plynn Gutman, The Work of Her Hands: A Prairie Woman’s Life in Remembrances and Recipes September 30, 7:30 p.m. Peter Jonker, Mina Yuha: He-Who-Holds-the-Knife… a love story October 2, 10:30 a.m. Holly Preston, The Always Team
October 6, 6:00 p.m. Charles Wilkin, The Wild Ride: A History of the North West Mounted Police 1873–1904 October 7, 7:30 p.m. Sandra Werle, My Child, My Business: Organizational and Management Skills For Parents of Children with Special Needs October 10, 2:00 p.m. Venerable Lama Losang Samten, Ancient Teachings in Modern Times: Buddhism in the 21st Century October 16, 1:00 p.m. Saskatchewan Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors. For a full list of authors please visit the McNally Robinson website: www. mcnallyrobinson.com/saskatoon _ events WEYBURN September 29, 7:00 p.m. Brenda Niskala launches For the Love of Strangers, Weyburn Public Library, 45 Bison Ave.
I'd Like to Make a Donation ❑ Yes, I would like to help by donating to: ❍ SWG programs ❍ Writers' Assistance Fund ❍ grain magazine ❍ Writers / Artist Colonies ❍ SWG Foundation ❑ I'd like to join or renew my SWG membership. ($75; $55 for students and seniors)
Mail cheque or money order to: Saskatchewan Writers' Guild, Box 3986, Regina, SK, S4P 3R9. Thank you for your donation. A tax receipt will be issued for the donation portion. You can also donate via Paypal at: http://www.skwriter. com/?s=payments_and_ donations&p=guild
❑ I would like a subscription to grain. ❍ 1 year individual: $30 (includes GST & shipping) ❍ 2 year individual: $46 (includes GST & shipping) ❍ Sample copy of the most recent issue: $13 (includes GST & shipping)
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The Backbone Contributors (up to $50) Allan, Sandra Archibald-Barber, Jesse Biasotto, Linda Bircham, Doris Crooks, Sarah Dow, Jeannette Episkenew, Jo-Ann Grandel, Loaine Guymer, Myrna Hamilton, Sharon harding-russell, gillian Leech, Robert MacFarlane, Sharon McRae, Bronwen Meadows, Sally Miller, Dianne Mitchell, Ken Monahan, Lynda Morrell, Kathleen Muirhead, Laurie Nicholson, Wynne Olesen, Joyce Olsen, Joan Pyne, Mary Ramshaw, Betty Rice, Bruce Rogers, Evelyn Slade, Anne Roussin, Thomas St. George, Marie Elsie Unrau, John Wagner, Bernadette Wardill, William Wood, Janice Zacharias, Marlace Friends ($50-$99) Calder, Marie Carpenter, David Charrett, Doug Cunningham, Donna Dey, Myrna Dorton, Anne Epp, Joanne Federico, Meg Halsband, Ilonka Kostash, Myrna Kroetsch, Robert Livingston, Diane Lorer, Danica Martin, Miriam McLuhan, Jean Monahan, Lynda Parley, Kathleen Parley, Kay Quigley, Ellen Ratzlaff, Lloyd Richards, David Robertson, Deanna
Vail, Deborah Ward, Donald Willow, Rose Witham, Janice Supporters ($100-$199) Andrist, Shirley Bannatyne-Cugnet, Jo Bidulka, Anthony Birnie, Howard Birnie, Howard Brassard, Francois Conacher, Myrtle Dahlem, Madeleine Duke, Scott Durant, Margaret Epp, George Haigh, Jerry Halsband, Ilonka Hertes, David Hogarth, Susan Jordan, Terry Krause, Pat Lauber, Alyson Lay, Jackie Lohans, Alison Lorer, Danica MacKenzie, Jean Malcolm, David Merle, Charles Monahan, Lynda Silverthorne, Judith Terschuur, Betty Toews, Terry Ulrich, Maureen Walter, Murray Wilock, Robyne Wilson, Garrett Benefactors ($200-$499) Alford, Edna Boerma, Gloria Byers, Shirley Currie, Robert Klassen, Karen Schmidt, Brenda Patron (over $500) Balogh, Mary Calder, Robert South Sask Community Foundation Wilson, Lisa WAF Currie, Bob Glaze, Dave MacIntyre, Rod Mikolayenko, Linda Ursell, Geoffrey Retreats Banks, Shelley Bower, Annette
July/August 2010
Campbell, Sandra Carpenter, David Clark, Hilary Deeley, Anne Galbraith, William Kostash, Myrna Lawrence, Katherine LeBox, Annette McCaig, Joann Robson, Verley Sarsfield, Pete Scott Harris, Maureen Semotuk, Lydia Semotuk, Verna Sorensen, Susan Westmoreland, Cherie Grain Kloppenburg, Cheryl Nelson-Mile, Amy Foundation Adam, Sharon Glaze, David Jeerakathil, Rangi Sorestad, Glen Stewart, Sue Judy McCrosky Bursary Buhr, Nola Romanow, James Kirk, Drew McCrosky, Judy
Krause, Judith Lauder, Shirley Lorer, Danica Louise, Sandra MacFarlane, Sharon MacIntyre, Rod MacKenzie, Kevin Margoshes, Dave Michaelson, Andy Miller, Dianne Minogue, Leeann Mitchell, June Monahan, Lynda Mourre, Helen Nelson-Mile, Amy Olson, Joan Rowley, Mari-Lou Remlinger, Paula Jane Robinson, J Jill Ryan, Edda Shah, Ravi Slade, Brenda Sorestad, Glen Topos, Marianna Trussler, Michael White, Gayle Wright, Wendy
Facilitated Retreat Adam, Sharon Armstrong, Robert Armstrong, William Bidulka, Anthony Blenkinsop, Sandra Boerma, Gloria Bower, Annette Buhr, Nola Calder, Robert Carpenter, David Charrett, Douglas Currie, Robert Daunt, Felicia Dickinson, Rodney Fenwick, Cathy Freeman, Jean (SpeakEasy Enterprises) Friessen, Bernice Garreck, Denis Goldman, Lyn Haigh, Jerry Hall, Marlene Halsband, Ilonka Hawley, Maureen Hill, Gerry Hogarth, Susan Kavanagh, Carol Kellner, Hazel
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freeLance July/August 2010 Volume 39 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
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