VOLUME 40 NUMBER 2FALL 2012

THE MAGAZINE OF

THE WRITERS’ UNION OF CANADA

WRITE

Creating the Critic: Lemon Hound’s Sina Queyras on Critical Space for Women Writers16

How to Succeed at a School Visit19

An Educational Experiment Pays off for Poetry and Publishing 24

BACK TO SCHOOL

� write

Coach House Books | chbooks.com

Five siblings, all haunted by the death of a brother in theiryouth. One winter day, when another of them will die.

‘Autobiography of Childhood is a sharp, post-millennial familynovel with a purpose, a kinetic, shared trauma that investigatesthe parts and the whole ... The novel is a striking comment ontragedy and its place in the human jigsaw puzzle.’ – Globe and Mail

Finalist for the 36th annual Amazon.ca First Novel Award!

Autobiography of Childhooda novel by S ina Queyras

twenty four hours. s ix l ives .

Available in print and ebook editions.

Take advantage of amazing advertising opportunities!

SUPPORT THE NEW WRITE!

Members: Get 25% off all ads. Reach 2000+ proven readers. Ask us about our small press discounts.

For more information, or to book an ad today, email ads@writersunion.ca.

WRITE

FALL2012 �

I write this from my little study overlooking a stubble cornfield that the raccoons raid each night, rolling cobs gleefully in the buttery dew of our lawn. They’ve adapted to their landscape, letting the farmer harvest for them, becoming gleaners rather than fishers in the now-sluggish stream. I’m not sure I can find a metaphor in this, except that our writers’ landscape is changing too, at a speed faster than the whirr of a supersonic combine. Inmid-September,KellyDuffinandItravelledtoOttawatomeetwithofficialsattheDepartmentofHeritage,theCanadaCouncil,PublicLendingRights,andLibraryandArchivesCanada.Theissueswediscussedwerealloverthemap,butunderlyingeveryconversationwerequestionspromptedbythenewworldwefindourselvesin:Whatisabook?Whatdoesitmeantopublish? Thissummer,TWUC’sinternLauraThorneproducedastudyonhowthewords“book”and“published”arecurrentlybeingusedintheCanadianliterarycommunity.Shecanvassedfestivals,publishers,grantors,prize-givers,writers,andmore.Thisisnotjustanexerciseinsemantics.HowwedefineourselvesasaUnionrestsonourunderstandingof“book”and“publish.”EricEnnoTamm,anadvocatere-electedtoNationalCouncilinJune,iscarryingonanactivediscussiontoforgenewmembershipcriteriathatacknowledgesthenewwaysthatwritersare“publishing”“books.” Atthesametime,CanadaCouncilisre-examiningitsgrantstoindividualartiststotakeintoaccountnewrealities.They’veaddedan“ExploratoryWriting”categoryandarelookingatwaysofacknowledgingthatwritersnowneedsupportnotonlytocreatebutalsotoaccomplishthemyriadprofessionaltasksthatpublishersoncedidforus. AtthePublicLendingRightsCommission,themessagewasthesame:reviewandreassesstoseeif,inlightofthedigitaluniverse,thewaythingsweresetup26yearsagoremainsthebestwaytodothings. ThestorywasrepeatedagainatLibraryandArchivesCanada,wherethetechnologicaldifficultiesandsheerdelugeofarchivalmaterialtriggeredbythedigitalinformationagehascausedawholesalereassessmentoftheirmandateaswellasabyzantineroundofrestructurings. Review.Reassess.Itisthezeitgeistofthecentury. AtTWUC,too,wearereviewingourorganizationalstructuretomakeourselvesmoreflexible,moreresponsivetoevents,moreengagedwithallourmembers.Thegoalistobecomeagile,evenatthegrandoldageof40,sothatwecanrespondadroitlytothecomingchanges,jumpoutofthewayofthatoncomingcombine,whilehangingontoourcorncobs,ourbabies,allthatweloveandbelievein.

Theoldmodelusedtobegrowth,growth,growth.Nowthebuzzwordintheculturalindustryischange:beadaptable,stayflexible.Notapolarbear;araccoon. Still,thefactremains:thelandscapehasbeenrazed.Fiveyearsago,forinstance,therewere21specialistscollectingculturalstatisticsforStatisticsCanada.Nowtherearenone.Zero.Culturalstatisticsaresimplynotbeinggathered.Wewon’tknowhowmanypeopleworkinthearts,whatoureconomiccontributionis,orhowmanyCanadiansvalueculture. Similarly,thebudgetoftheCanadianConferenceoftheArtshasbeencuttothepointthatitscontinuedexistenceisindoubt.TheCCAdidanannualanalysisofthefederalbudgetfromaculturalstandpoint,providingvaluableinsightsintogovernmentpolicy.Notonlywillitbehardertoproveourworthascreators,itwillbehardertounderstandthedamagethatisbeingdonetous. Intheend,though,policychangesaremoreworryingthantightpursestrings.Pursestringscanbeloosened,butifprogramsandservicesaredestroyed,ifanorganizationsuchasLibraryandArchivesCanadachangesitsphilosophyregardingwhatpartsofourliterarycultureareconsideredworthpreserving,ifthepassageofanewcopyrightmodernizationactsuccessfullyerodestheidealofcollectivelicensingandcompensationforuseofcreativework,thenthefuturewilllookmuchdifferent—andmuchbleaker—thanthepast. Onthepositiveside,theculturalworkerswemetwithintheDepartmentofHeritage,CanadaCouncil,andPublicLendingRightwereuniformlyimpressiveintheirdedicationtoliteratureandtheirsensitivitytowriters’issues.TheCanadaCouncilisworkingonaNationalForum,possiblyfor2013,thatwillbringtogetherallthosewithastakeintheCanadianliterarylandscape:educators,librarians,funders,publishers,writers,readers.Theprospectofallofusconverginginonespotandsharingourconcernsofferssomehopethattogetherwemightfindwaystosurviveanenvironmentthatisincreasinglyharshforprofessionalcreators. AsyouknowfromTWUCbulletinsandmymonthlyLetters,wearecontinuingtoobjectstronglytochangesatLACandtoassaultsonourrighttocompensationforuseofcopyrightmaterial.ThisiswhatIwillbetalkingaboutwithmembersacrossthecountryduringmy40thanniversary“GatheringoftheTribe”Chair’stour.Datesandcitiesarelistedonthewebsite.Moreareyettocome.WatchyourinboxforaninvitationwhenIcometoyourregion,andpleasejoinmeforanevening.Bringyourwriterfriends.We’lltalkaboutwhat’sconcerningusandwhatwecandotogethertoeffectchange,andmaybe,likethathordeofraccoonsrompingthroughthedarkness,shareafewcobsofcorn.

FromtheChair ByMerilynSimonds

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ContentsFALL 2012

3 Chair’sReport

5 ExecutiveDirections

6 News

WRITER’S BLOT

8 WritersPrompt

9 IndustryQ+A

DISPATCHES

10 AStrangeTruth:TheAuthorReviewsHerOwnBook By M.A.C. FARRANt

11 OfBabiesandBalanceSheets By EMiLy sChULtz

12 FromJackbootstoPandas:theHighCostofSelf-Promotion By MARiA MEiNdL

FEATURES

14 APorousBoundary:LearningtoWriteinPrintandRadio By ELAiNE kALMAN NAVEs

16 CreatingtheCritic:Lemon Hound’sSinaQueyrason Blogging,Reviewing,andCreatingCriticalSpaceforWomen

SPECIAL SECTION: BACK TO SCHOOL

19 WritersIntheSchools:HowtoMakeaDifference By PAtRiCiA wEstERhOF

22 FindingHerSchool:AWriter’sQuestforHealingLeadsHer BacktotheStreetsSheGrewUpOn By EMiLy POhL-wEARy

24 InWindsor,anEducationalExperimentPaysOfffor PoetryandPublishing By sONiA sULAiMAN

FICTION

26 RememberAsYouGo By PAULO dA COstA

POETRy

27 Symbolism By CRystAL hURdLE

BUSINESS & REPORTS

28 CommitteeReports

29 ProvincialReports

32 MemberAwardsandNews

33 NewMembers

34 IN MEMORIAM

nationalcouncil

Chair

Merilyn Simonds

FirstVice-Chair

Dorris Heffron

SecondVice-Chair

Genni Gunn

Treasurer

Silver Donald Cameron

BC/YukonRepresentative

Michael Elcock

Alberta/NWT/Nunavut

Representative Glenn Dixon

Manitoba/Saskatchewan

Representative Anita Daher

OntarioRepresentative

Steve Pitt

QuebecRepresentative

Joyce Laird Scharf

AtlanticRepresentative

Lee D. Thompson

Advocates

Douglas Arthur BrownEric Enno Tamm Katherine Gordon

committeechairs

Contracts

Maggie Siggins

CurriculumandLibraries

Ted Barris

ElectronicRights/Copyright

Bill Freeman

InternationalAffairs

Gale Zoë Garnett

Grievance

Barbara Killinger

Nominating

Susan Crean and Myrna Kostach

RaceIssues

Wali Alam Shaheen

RightsandFreedoms

Ron Brown

StatusofWomenWriters

Betty Jane Wylie

membershipcommittee

Jillian Dagg(Chair)

Norma Charles Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer John Parr Ann Walsh

twucnationaloffice

ExecutiveDirector

Kelly Duffin, ext. 221 kduffin@writersunion.ca

AssociateDirector

Siobhan O’Connor, ext. 222 soconnor@writersunion.ca

OfficeAdministrator

Valerie Laws, ext. 224 info@writersunion.ca

MembershipandFund

DevelopmentCoordinator

Nancy MacLeod, ext. 226 nmacleod@writersunion.ca

ProjectsCoordinator

Kristen Gentleman, ext. 223 kgentleman@writersunion.ca

PacificCoordinator

Raquel Alvaro ralvaro@writersunion.ca

Webmaster

Elaine Wong webmaster@writersunion.ca

Views expressed in Write do not necessarily reflect those of the writers’ Union of Canada. services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by the Union. All submissions are welcome.

EditorHal Niedzviecki write@writersunion.ca

DeadlineforWinterissueNovember20,2012

EditorialLiasons Anita Daher, Wayne Grady, Kelly Ann Reiss

CopyEditor Alison Lang WriteMagazineAdvertising Tara Gordon Flint ads@writersunion.ca

Designsoapboxdesign.com

CoverIllustration Matthew Daley

the text paper used for this issue contains 100 % post-consumer fibre, is accredited EcoLogo and Processed Chlorine Free, and processed in a mill that uses biogas. if you would like to help us save on paper, please contact projects@writersunion.ca or 416-703-8982 ext. 223 to request future on-line editions of the Newsletter. thank you.

FSC LOGO TO BE PLCE By THE PRINTER

Write is produced four times yearly by the writers’ Union of Canada, 200 – 90 Richmond street East, toronto, Ontario, M5C 1P1, t 416.703.8982, F 416.504.9090, info@writersunion.ca, www.writersunion.ca.

© the writers’ Union of Canada, 2012.

we acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $154 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout Canada.

we acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), an agency of the Government of Ontario, which last year funded 1,681 individual artists in 216 communities across Ontario for a total of $52.8 million.

FALL2012 �

ItiswithmixedfeelingsthatIwritemylastcolumnastheEDofyouresteemedorganization.WhileIlookforwardtomynewopportunityandamconfidentthatyournextEDwillbeatremendousassetinallTWUC’sendeavours,Iamsadtobeleavingthecompanyofwriterswhohavebeenmentors,advisors,colleagues,andfriendsduringmytimeattheUnion. Havingspentthefirst15yearsofmycareerinbooks,theneightawayfrombooksimmediatelybeforejoiningTWUC,Iwasenticedbackinpartbecauseoftheincredibletransformationsnowunderwayinwritingandpublishing.Whatanexcitingtimethisis!Clearly,agreatandcontinuingopportunityfortheUnionanditsmembersliesinharnessingthosetransformationstothebenefitofwriters. Sofar,Ithinkwe’reseeingatleasttwoquitedifferentimpacts:ontheonehand,writersaregainingcloutintheindustryandwithgovernment.Partofthatistheresultofconcertedeffort,butpartofitisalsorecognitionthatpublishersareincreasinglyserviceproviderstoauthorsinthisnewworld(nottheotherwayaround)andthatcontentisking.Theother,andoppositeimpact,alsoexists,however:that,giventhealmostcrushingdemandsonpublishers,theirresultingriskaversionhasledtofewerbooksbeingsigned,loweradvances,andmoreeditingandmarketingworkfallingtoauthors.Theexplosionofamateurwriting,enabledbytechnology,canalsohavetheeffectofunderminingprofessionalwriters’abilitytobefairlycompensatedasfreeorcheaperoptionsareeasytofind,especiallyifqualityisnotaconcern. ThismeansthekeyissuesthatstaffandNationalCouncilarealreadyfocusedonwillcontinueforsometime.Issueslike:howtodefine,in2012andbeyond,“professionalbookauthor”vis-a-visoureligibilitycriteria;whetherebooksshouldbemadeavailablethroughlibrariesandifso,whatcompensationmodel(s)shouldbeacceptabletowriterswhentheirebooksareloaned;howtosecureanevensplitofnetreceiptsastheroyaltyforebooks;andhowtosupportmembersinnavigating—andmaximizing—opportunitiesintherapidlychangingenvironment. Seriousthreatsexist.ThepassageofthenewCopyrightActandtheSupremeCourtdecisionsinfivecopyrightcasesthissummerfurtherweakenthetraditionalmeaningof“copyright”andthreatentoharmthisunderpinningofwriters’income.Thedebatehasentrenchedtheconceptof“user’srights,”asurgeofcopy-leftsentiment(perhapstheresultofaglutofmisinformation),anderodingrevenues,alreadyseeninthestrugglesourcollectivehashadtorenewlicenceswithsomeacademicinstitutions.Whetherlostgroundcanberegainedisanopenquestion. Manyoftheseissuesareborderlessandoneofthethings

I’vemostenjoyedduringmytimeherehasbeenconveningandparticipatinginquarterlyconferencecallswithoursisterorganizationsintheUS,theUK,andAustralia,withagendascoveringebookroyalties,rightsgrabs,copyright,multinationals,e-lending,PLR,collectivelicensing,andthelike. Manyoftheseissuesarealsoindustry-wide,andanotherthingI’veenjoyedhasbeenworkingwithsectorpartners,inwritingandpublishing,toarticulateouragreements(andourdisagreements!)inworkingtowardsastrongercollectivevoiceandgreaterinfluence. ButofcourseI’vemostenjoyedworkingwiththreeChairswhomadetheUnionproud,thewonderfulstaffatTWUC,indefatigableNationalCouncils,engagedvolunteers,andawiseandarticulatemembership.I’mproudofhowmuchwe’veachievedtogetherinmytimehereandIwillwatch,withinterest,astheUnionforgesahead,ensuringwritershaveaplaceatthetablesofinfluence.

ExecutiveDirections

SayingGoodbye

ByKellyDuffin

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Write is produced four times yearly by the writers’ Union of Canada, 200 – 90 Richmond street East, toronto, Ontario, M5C 1P1, t 416.703.8982, F 416.504.9090, info@writersunion.ca, www.writersunion.ca.

© the writers’ Union of Canada, 2012.

...writers are gaining clout in the industry and with government. Part of that is the result of concerted effort,but part of it is also recognition that publishers are increasinglyservice providers to authors...

� write

PUBLISHING

StudentsForcedtoBuyEbooks

Studentsarestillreluctanttobuye-textbooksoverprinttextbooks,withonlyninepercentofstudentsintheUnitedStatesbuyingdigitalcopies,reportsastudybyU.S.-basedcollegemarketresearcherStudentMonitor.AccordingtoaToronto Star articlefromAugust2012,lessthan10%ofCanadianstudentsareoptingfore-textbooksdespitetheirlowercost. Eventhoughstudentsaregenerallyreluctanttogodigital,someAmericanuniversitiesarerequiringstudentstopurchasee-versionsoftextbooks.SchoolssuchasIndianaUniversity,UniversityofCalifornia-Berkeley,UniversityofMinnesota,UniversityofWisconsin,UniversityofVirginia,andCornellUniversityareadoptingpilotprogramsmakingstudentspurchaseonlydigitaltextbooksforcertaincourses.TheIndianaUniversityprogram,whichwaslaunchedthreeyearsago,strong-armedstudentsintopurchasinge-textbooksbychargingtheebooksautomaticallythroughtheirbursaraccounts.

InCanada,schoolsandpublishersarealsomakingthepushtowardsdigitalcopies,withVancouver’sCDICollegegoingall-digital,givingitsbusiness,healthcare,andtechnologystudentsiPadspre-loadedwithtextbooks.

AUKstudyreleasedearlierthisyearshowsthatstudentsretainmoreinformationfromphysicaltextsthanthroughreadinginformationfromascreen.

AuthorsPayforGoodReviews

Gotacoupleofbucks,anewbooktopromote,andaloosegrasponethics?Well,fortherightamountofmoney,thereareplentyofcompaniesofferingpositivereviewsinexchangeforcash.

RecentarticlesinThe Guardian, The New York Timesand Salon.computtheviabilityofreaderreviewsonAmazonand

similarsitesintoquestionbyexposingfauxreviewerserviceswhichofferpositivereviewsforcash.Additionally,authorsarewritingreviewsfortheirownbookswhilecreatingonlinepersonaswhopraisetheirworkviasocialmedia.

Manyself-publishedauthorsarespendingtheirtimetryingto“triggerAmazonalgorithms”withpurchasedorself-pennedreviews,saysThe Guardian articleontherelationshipbetweensocialnetworkingandself-publishing.

EbookAppsProvideInsightIntoReaderHabits

Reportsareemergingaboutmajorebookretailers,suchasAmazon,Barnes&Noble,Google,andApple,acquiringinformationaboutreadersthroughtheire-readers.Informationsuchaswhatusersread,howlongtheytaketoreadeachtitle,wheretheyareinabook,andwhatgenrestheychoosetoread,arereadilyavailablethroughtrack-backinformationattachedtoe-readersincludingtheNook,iPad,Kobo,andKindle.

Theseanalytics,whichprovideinformation—includingwhichauthorsaregainingpopularityandwhichtitlesreadersareconsumingwiththemostfervour—arenotcurrentlybeingsystematicallysharedwithpublishersorauthors.

Infact,accordingtoanarticleinThe Wall Street Journal,thereiscurrentlynowayforthoseusingthee-readerstooptoutofhavingtheirreadinghabitscollected.ThishaspromptedCaliforniatoenactthe“readerprivacyact,”whichrequireslawenforcementagenciestogetacourtorderbeforetheyaccessinformationfromdigitalbooksellersregardingwhatbookstheircustomershavebrowsed,purchased,read,andunderlined.

TheAmericanCivilLibertiesUnionandtheElectronicFrontierFoundationarenowseekingtoenactsimilarlawsinotherstates.

CENSORSHIP

JoanRiversProtestsBookBanatCostco

WhenCostcorefusedtocarryJoanRivers’newestbook,I Hate Everyone… Starting With Me,Riversdidn’ttakethebanlyingdown.InearlyAugust,shechainedherselftoashoppingcartoutsideofaBurbank,CaliforniaCostcolocationandchargedthroughthestorewithagroupoffriendstohandoutautographedcopiesofherbook. Costcoreportedlybannedthebookbecauseofafewswearwordsonthebackcover. Thestuntattractednewscamerasandpolicetothelocation.WhileRiversleftwithoutarrestorcitation,shedidgetsomepublicityoutoftheaffair.Toonenewsoutletshelikenedthebanto“thebeginningofNaziGermany.”

LIBRARIES

UKSocietyofAuthorsPushtoMakeSchoolLibrariesaLegalRequirement

TheUK-basedSocietyofAuthors(agroupsimilartoTWUCinCanada)isrunningacampaigncallingforlegislationthatwillmakeitmandatoryforprimaryandsecondaryschoolstohavealibrary.Thecampaign,whichissupportedbyaward-winningauthorssuchasSarahWaters,MalorieBlackmanandDavidAlmond,isalsocallingforeveryschoollibrarytohaveadedicatedlibrarianor,attheveryleast,ateacherwithspecialtraininginlibrarianshipinsmallerschoolsthatmaynotbeabletoaffordalibrarian.Itisalsocallingformoresupportforauthorvisitsinschoolsandreadingforpleasureintheclassroom.

ThelastfewyearshavenotbeengoodtolibrariesintheUK.InSeptember,theUKChildren’sLaureate(apositionsimilartoanationalpoetlaureatebutaimedat

News thE LAtEst ON wRitiNG ANd PUBLishiNG iN CANAdA ANd BEyONd

FALL2012 �

children)JuliaDonaldsonwroteanopenlettertothenewSecretaryofCulturepleadingforsupportforpubliclibrariesas“nearly250UKlibrariesarecurrentlyeitherunderthreatofclosureorelsehavebeenclosedorleftcouncilcontrolsinceAprilthisyear.”TheSurreyCountyCouncilproposedtofirealllibrariansinitspubliclibrariesandreplacethemwithvolunteers,butthatdecisionwasquashedincourtthisApril.

AsurveyundertakenbytheSchoolLibraryAssociationfoundthatthemajorityofschoollibrarybudgetsintheUKareunder£1000with41%ofschoollibrarybudgetscominginunder£500.TheletterfromtheSocietyofAuthorstotheMinisterforStateSchools,whichmakesacaseformandatoryschoollibraries,citesDecember2011numbersfromtheNationalLiteracyTrustwhichshowthatoneinthreechildrenintheUKdonotownabook.

Inits2011studyonOntario’spubliclyfundedschools,PeopleforEducationfoundthat56%ofelementaryschoolshaveateacher-librarian,downfrom80%in1997/1998and66%ofsecondaryschoolshaveateacher-librarian,downfrom78%in2000/2001.Studentsinsmalltownsseeevenfewerteacher-librarians,withNorthernOntariohavinglibrariansinonly10%ofitselementaryschools.InApril,NovaScotia’sChignectoCentralRegionalSchoolBoardcut21schoollibrarianpositionsafterbacklashfromaninitialproposaltocutall41ofthelibrariansinitsschools.

COPyRIGHT

GoogleSaysBookScanningHasNotHurtAuthors’Sales

InaJulycourtfilinginNewYorkofalawsuitthathasbeenongoingsince2005,Googlearguedthatscanningmillionsoflibrarybookswithoutthepermissionofrightsholdersfallsunder“fairuse”andmaking“snippets”fromtheworksavailableonlinedidnothurtbooksalesfor

theauthorsinvolved.OralargumentonamotionforsummaryjudgmentwithoutatrialisscheduledforDecember.

TheAuthorsGuildisstillseekingdamagesforauthorsaffectedbyGoogle’smassbookscanningwhichstartedin2004,butnowonlyforauthorsandtheirheirswhoareUnitedStatesresidentsforEnglish-languagebooksthatwereregisteredwiththeU.S.Copyrightofficepromptlyfollowingpublication.CanadianandotherforeignrightsholdersresidentoutsidetheUnitedStatesarenolongercoveredbytheclassaction.Googlescannedmillionsofbooksthroughagreementswithseveraluniversitylibrarieswithoutthepermissionofrightsholders.(TheAuthorsGuildisalsonowsuingaconsortiumoftheresearchlibrariesthatco-operatedwithGoogleandTWUCisaco-plaintiffinthatlawsuit.)

GoogleandtheAuthorsGuildagreedonasettlementinthefallof2008,whichwasamendedinNovember2009toaddressnumerouscomplaints.However,thatsettlementagreementwasthrownoutinMarch2011bytheU.S.CircuitJudgeDennyChinforseveralreasons,includingthatitwouldhavegivenGoogle“significantrightstoexploitentirebooks”withoutpermissionand“asignificantadvantageovercompetitors”throughanongoingbusinessarrangementgoing“farbeyondthedisputebeforethecourt.”Lastyear’squashedagreementwouldhaveseenrightsholdersreceiving67%ofanyincomeGooglemadefromthescannedbooks,butalsoatissuewasthe“opt-out”natureoftheagreement,whichwouldhaveallowedmillionsofworksforwhichrightsholderscannotbefound(so-called“orphanworks”)tobescanned,shared,andsoldthroughGooglewithoutpermission.

NowtheoutcomeofthelitigationwilldependonwhetherornotJudgeChinrulesthatthescanninganddisplayofexcerptswas“fairuse”.IfhefindsthatthescanningbyGoogleofentirecopyright-protectedworksinfringescopyright,Googlemayhavetopay$750perbooktotheaffected

authors.Initsdefence,GooglepointstotheAuthorsGuild’sadvicetowriterstoputchaptersoftheirbooksonlineforpromotion,andarguesthatbygivingconsumerstheopportunitytoreadexcerptsonline,GoogleBooksisaidingthesalesofmanytitles.Whicheverwaythedecisiongoes,itislikelytobeappealed.

INTERNATIONAL

SomalilandHostsInternationalBookFest

ThispastJulymarkedthefifthHargeisaInternationalBookFairinSomaliland.OrganizedbyJamaMusseJamaandAyanMahamoud,theliteraryfestival—whichalsofeaturestheatre,music,andfilm—celebrateslocaltalentandtheoralstorytellingtradition.Italsostrivestogiveyoungpeoplesomethingtodo.OfthehalfamillionpeoplewholiveinHargeisa,70%areundertheagoof30.

Thisyear’stheme,“visualisingthefuture”,lookedatbuildingasustainablefutureforSomalilandthroughliteratureandthearts.Beyondsellingbooksandcreatingavenueforcultureintheregion,thefestivalaimstoputpowerintothehandsofthepeoplethroughitsprogramming,whichincludesadocumentaryonactivistsaroundtheworldwhodedicatedtheirlivestosocialchange,apresentationonclimatechangeandhowthecommunitycantakecontroloftheenvironment,andadiscussionontheopportunitiesforwomeninSomaliland.

Hargeisahasnolibrary,cinema,ortheatre,buttheorganizersofthefestivalhavebeenadvocatingforpermanentlibrariesthroughthepromotionofreadingclubsinthesixregionsofSomaliland.AccordingtoaThe Guardianarticleonthefestival,tworegionshaverecentlypromisedtodedicatelandtobuildlibraries.

� write

After a long writing break due to personal reasons, I was having trouble getting started. And then I saw some tweets by author Heather Brewer which helped. I already knew Brewer wrote at least a thousand words every day, with-out fail, even when she traveled, so I decided she was someone to pay attention to.

Hertweetsintriguedme.Theyusuallysaidsomethinglike:“Okaygo!#1000WordHourstartsnow!”Isoondiscoveredwhenshetweetedthat,shewassigningofftheinternetforonehourandwritingathousandwords,hellbentforleather. Otherauthorsstartedjoiningher,alsousingthehashtag#1000WordHour,andsodidI.Sometimesshe’ddoseveralinaday,andIfoundmyselfpoundingouttwoorthreethousandwordsalongwithher.Afterafewweeksofthis,Igotbackinmyowngroove,andalsorealizedwhatIwaswritingwasactuallyprettybadbecausethat’snothowIworkbest.Butitdidn’tmatterbecauseIwaswriting. Eventually,Iswitchedtomyoldpatternsandthewritingqualityimproved,butIcredit#1000WordHourwithgettingmeunstuck.Ifyou’rehavingtroublegettingstarted,Ihighlyrecommendthisapproach.Ifyou’reonTwitter,youcanwatchforotherwritersdoingsimilarprompts,oryoucanstartyourownatanytime.Justaskifanyonewantstojoinyou,andthencheckbackinwhenyou’redoneandshareyoursuccesses.Orifyou’renotintoTwitter,

WRITER’S PROMPT /

Your1000–WordHourStartsHereBy JOëLLE ANthONy

Writer’sBlot

COMIC By sCOt RitChiE

settingthekitchentimerandgoingitalonecanworkgreat,too.

Anthony is a YA writer living in BC, and the author of RestoringHarmony and TheRight&theReal. She teaches writing workshops for both young writers and adults. Visit her at www.joelleanthony.com, or follow her on Twitter @joellewrites.

FALL2012 �

campaignswealwaysnoticeasignificantriseinthecirculationoftheirtitles.TPLisalsoamajorpartnerintheTorontoBookAwardsandwealsopartnerwiththeLeagueofCanadianPoetstopresentspecialpoetryprogramming.

What is the face of the library community in Toronto in 2012?Morediversethanever!Justtogiveyouasenseofthebreadth,onlinecitizenshippracticeexamsarepopularandsoistheTorontoComicArtsFestival,agreatannualcelebrationthatsaw17,000gueststhispastMay.Thepublishingandwritingsceneisbecomingmorefragmentedandit’spartofthelibrary’sjobtobringattentiontothecreatorsthatmightgetoverlookedorunderappreciated.Wealsocontinuetoplaceahighpriorityonencouragingaloveofreadingthroughourfocusonearlyliteracyandonouradultliteracyprograms.

You have been a part of several book prize juries — what makes a book stand out from the pack for you? Can you name some favourites?Differentthingscanmakeabookstandoutandtheydon’tallhavetobepresent:anoriginalvoice,beautifulwriting,acompellingnarrative,adifferentperspective.Whentheseallcometogether,youhaveamasterpiece.Forsomeofmyrecentfavourites,seemylistontheTPLwebsitefromJuneofthisyear:http://tinyurl.com/janefaves.

INDUSTRy Q+A /

TheLibraryintheInformationAgeBy tiNA NOVOtNy

The role of libraries has changed significantly in the “Information Age” — how do you see the role of libraries now?Librarieshavealwaysbeenabouttheintersectionoflearning,reading,andcommunity.Todaythatmaytakeplacewithbooks,ebooks,orcomputers,butthepurposehasnotchanged.Publiclibrariesarevehiclesofaccessandopportunity,theyareimportantdemocraticinstitutions,andtheycelebratethejoyofreading.

How do you think the balance of bricks and mortar vs. digital has changed?Intermsofusewe’reseeingagradualshifttoe-content.InAugustourcirculationofebookswasover100,000forthefirsttime.Still,ourmonthlycirculationis2,500,000,soe-contentiswellunder10%overall.Wewantouronlinepresencetobeasmuchofagatheringplaceasourphysicalbranchesare.Oneoftheperhapscounterintuitiveeffectsofthedigitalworldisaseekingofcommunity.Inspiteofallthatisavailableinthedigitalworld,TPLbranchesstillhad19millioncustomervisitsin2011—a4%increasefromthepreviousyear.

How does the TPL promote Canadian authors?TPLhasalwaysbeenachampionofourliteraryculture.The“ehList”shinesaspotlightonCanadianauthorswhoarealsofeaturedinourmanyheritageprograms—AsianHeritage,BlackHistory,andAboriginalCelebrations.Localbranchesroutinelyhostwriterswholiveintheneighbourhood.TPLisveryactiveinpromotingawardsandnomineesthroughourbooklists,bookclubs(bothin-branchandonline),displays,blogs,andsocialmedia.Duringthese

A conversation with Jane Pyper, Head Librarian, Toronto Public Library

DearEditor,

re: Architextures etc., volume 40, number one“...forsomereasonwecontinuetocelebratethislong-livedmonarch...”Forsomereason?Forthesimplereasonthatsheisthemotherofourcountry.ItwasVictoriawhosignedthedocumentsunitingUpperandLowerCanadaintoTheDominionofCanada.ItwasVictoriawhochoseOttawaasourcapital,tothelong-lastingenvyofToronto,Montreal,Hamilton,Kingston,andQuebec.Shewouldn’thaveKingstonbecause“itistooclosetotheborderwiththosefractiousAmericans.”Ottawawasnicelysetinthecentrebetweenthetwohalves,andbesides,“IftheAmericanstriedtoinvadeandcaptureOttawa,theywouldbecomelostinthewoods.” Idon’tmuschcarewhatpeoplethinkoftheroyaloldfuddy-duddy,butlet’snotrendertoomuchreverencetothosepoliticalsharpieswe’vecometocall“TheFathersofConfederation.”TheyjustwantedtohavethemselvespaintedinaformalitythatwouldcompetebycopyingthepomposityoftheAmericangentlemen.Peace,PaulMackan

LETTER TO THE EDITOR /

10 write

Dispatches NOtEs ON thE wRitiNG LiFE

It wasn’t that long ago when book writers, desperate for an author profile or a scant review, or for any kind of media attention whatsoever, resorted to a series of bizarre tactics to achieve their ends. Who could forget the Slasher Poets? I may be making this up, but don’t you remem-ber them? They razor-bladed haikus onto their chests and thighs.Duringthateraofflagrantself-promotionmanywriterscostumedthemselvesforbooklaunches.Liturgicalrobesappeared,andpirateboots.Onewomanworeabearcostume,lungingattheau-diencewhenthereadingwasover,signinghernovelwithagiantcrayonstuckinherfurryfist.Thatgotattention.Afterthataromancewriterrippedopenthebodiceofhereigh-teenth-centurygownonnationalTVandsold,asaresult,sevencopiesofherbook.Ahistoricalnovelisttoppedthatbyhavingabeardimplant—thusbecomingtheBeardedLadyNovelist—renowned,sheclaimed,onthreecontinents.Someofusweremoremodest.WeloadedboxesofourbooksintocartrunksandheadedoffonaJackKerouacfantasy.Nextstop:theabandonedZenMotelinMesa,Arizonawherewefilmedourselvesrecitingbythelightofanemptiedwinebottle.WouldImakethisstuffup?It’struethatsomeofus,readersandwritersalike,mayhavewonderedwhereallthisattention-seekingwasheading.Howmuchmoreinventivecouldself-promotionbecome?Well,guesswhat?Iamabouttoreviewmyownbook.It’samatterofnecessity.Becausethebookcultureaswe’veknownitseemstobedecayingbeneathourbusyfingertips.Becausebookshavebecomeabusiness,aproduct,awinninghorse,amagiccarpetridetostardomforafewluckywritersandtheirpublishers,and,asaconsequence,manyofushavehadto

becomeevenmoreimaginativeinourbidstogarnerattention.WhocanarguewithwriterEduardoGaleano’scommentthatculturehasbeenreducedtoa“brilliantglobalentertainmententerprise”?Onedaywe’llturntothebackpagesofourfavou-ritetabloidandthere,besidetheadsforsteroidsandmassageparlours,we’llfindadsforourpoetryandexperimentalfiction—booksasclandestinetraffickersofthought;booksascontainersofexquisitelanguage;booksasseedypleasures.Andbookreviews?They’vegonethewayofthetypewriter;therearen’tmanyofthemaroundanymore.Reviewpagesinnewspapersandmagazineshavebeensteadilyshrinking.Anywayyousliceit,theformerlyfatbookreviewpiehasgotwaysmall.It’sprettymuchcrumbsnow.Whichiswhyawomanwhobasicallyspendsherlifethinking,looking,writing,andreading,andisnotcurrentlydressedasapumpkinoranunisabouttogiveherownbookonelongmen-tion.Times,astheyoftendo,changeandthisiswhyIwrotemybook.ThetitleisThe Strange Truth About Us – A Novel of Absenceandit’sathree-partworkofprosefragments,snippets,questions,speculations,meditations,andmini-storiesaboutthechangingtimeswearealllivingthrough—you,me,andtheoldguywork-ingatthelocalcafétosupplementhispension.Someofthebookisfunny,someofitnotsomuch.Agooddealofthebookisaboutthefuturewhichweallknowdoesnotexistbutstillcan’thelpfearing.Inanycase,Ihopeyoulovethecover.It’sapaintingofanemptyfreewayonasunnyday,surelyamostbeautifulimage.TheartistisGertrudePacificofSechelt,BC.ThebookwaspublishedinOctober,2011byTalonbooksofVancouverandwaseditedbyKarlSiegler,aliteraryhero,akeeperoftheflame.

M.A.C. Farrant lives on Vancouver Island. She’s the author of ten collections of satirical and humorous short fiction, and two works of non-fiction. Her play, MyTurquoiseYears premieres with the Arts Club Theatre of Vancouver, April 4­–May 4­, 2013.

MARKETING /

AStrangeTruth:TheAuthorReviewsHerOwnBookBy M.A.C. FARRANt

FALL2012 11

My infant son Henry is very punctual. That’s how you know he’s the child of two writers: even before he was born he knew how to make deadlines.

ItmaynotberomantictoadmitbutHenrywasconceivedonaspreadsheet.Iknewotherwriterswithchildren,butmostofthemhadpartnersinmorelucrativefields—sowhenwetalkedabouttryingtohaveababy,welookedatwherethemoneywascomingin,andwhenthebookswerelaunching.Myhusband—writerandartistBrianJosephDavisandmyco-publisheratJoyland Magazine —wasn’tsureofanyofit.WhenIshowedhimblackandwhitecolumns,itwasaneasierscenariotopicture.Thetruthwasplain:ifwewaiteduntilaftermynovelThe Blondesreleased,Iriskedbecomingtooold.Ifweattemptedtohaveachildbeforethebooklaunchedwecouldcountonseveralvitalchequesoneithersideofthebirth. ThatwashowwepenciledHenryin—andsurprisinglyevenasanembryohecooperated.Hewasconceivedonthefirsttry.Likeafirstdraft,theideawasthere,andthenhegrewforninemonths.Henrywasmoreontrackthaneithermeormybook.Ihadhopedtodosomewritingduringthepregnancy.Well,actually,Ihadhopedtodolotsofwritingduringthepregnancy.ButIdidverylittle. ThecharacterinThe Blondes,HazelHayes,hasjustarrivedinNewYorkwhenshediscoverssheispregnantbyhermarriedthesisadvisor.IhadalreadywrittenHazelasbeingsoparalyzedbyherpregnancyshecannotmanagetomakethedecisionofcontinuingthepregnancyorterminatingit—simplynavigatingthestreetsofNewYorktakesalmostallofherenergy.Iwouldsoondiscoverthetruthinthat.I,too,hadjustarrivedinNewYorktodoresearchforthenovel,togetthefeeloftheplace,thevoices,andfindawaytoputthatontothepage.ButgettingaroundManhattanwaslikeafullcontactsportforme:Iwenttoahandfulofbookevents,atetwicemyweightatrestaurants,madeafewfriendsandcontactswhilegazingaboutlonginglyforachair,butmoreoftenstayedhomeandfellasleepbeforenineatnight. EverythingIwentthroughinthepregnancy,ImeasuredagainstthewayIhadwrittenmycharacter,Hazel.Myexperienceswerevastlydifferentbecausemysonwaswanted.Itwasastrange

feelingtobeundergoingtheexcitementoffirstandsecondultrasoundswhilealsoimaginingthescenesfromthereverse:howacharactermightreactinothercircumstances,whatseeingthatswimmingstarryshapemightseemlikeif,insteadofbeinglate-30sandinadowntownTorontoclinicwithmyhusbandatmyside,Iwere20-somethingandinaremotearmy-runquarantineinthemiddleofapandemicfarfromeveryoneIknew. Bythefall,thefirsteditwascomplete.SomeofwhatIhadlearnedhadevenwendeditswayintothemanuscript.Asecondeditwaswaiting.ButHenryhadthrownafewchallengesatme,asiftostopmefromworking—gestationaldiabetes,aseverecaseofcarpaltunnelsyndrome,andseriouseyeirritation—allreactionstothepregnancy.AndapparentlyHenryhadnointentionofallowingmetogetthroughtheeditbybeingoneofthoselatefirst-babieseither.Ontheeveofhisduedatehegaveamajorkick,bustingtheamnioticfluidinamovie-worthycomedysceneaswestumbledaroundgrabbingsuitcaseandtowels.WewerebackinmyOntariohometownbythen,soIphonedmyparentstodriveusafewmilesdowntheroadtothenearesthospital.HenryarrivedbyCaesariansectiononhisduedate—oneoftherare4%ofbabieswhoshowupexactlyontime. Henrylearnedtobreastfeedwithmynovelpagesspreadaroundus—acolouredpenandstickynotesplacedwithinreachbeforehelatched.Henrynappedalotatthebeginningthough,whichfreedmeupforrewrites.InhissixthweekoflifehemadehisfirsttriptoTorontotoattendapublishingmeetingatasushirestaurant. Bythetimethefinalpagesarrivedfivemonthslater,Henrywashittingallhisdevelopmentalmarkers.Hehadlearnedtoturnover,andtwoteethwereattemptingtopoketheirwaythroughhissmoothpinkgums.Hewasontrack;IfeltmuchlesssoasIrealizedI’dputamajorrevealfartooearlyinthenovelandnowneededtocorrectit.Iworkedinfitsandstarts(napsweremuchshorter)andredirectedourstrollerwalkstotheFedExcounterinsteadofthepark. Whentheprintedbookarrivesonmydesk,Henrywillbe10monthsold—andmycharacterofHazelHayesstillwon’thavegivenbirth.She’llbestuckattheseven-monthmark,foreverwonderingwhatwillbecomeofherandherstrangeoffspring.

Emily Schultz’s third novel TheBlondeswas published in August by Doubleday Canada. Her website is www.emilyschultz.com.

WRITING /

OfBabiesandBalanceSheetsBy EMiLy sChULtz

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Dispatches

Back in February, we went with friends to see Ronnie Burkett in his virtuosic and terrifying marionette production, PennyPlain. Set in the near future, in a plague-ridden city shipping its women to China to pay off debt, it tells the story of an old woman who adopts a dog as a com-panion. She teaches it to walk on two legs, sit upright in a chair, and drink afternoon tea.

Thisdistortedprojectionofherownspeciesdevelopsawillofitsown.Itescapeshercontrolandultimatelyreturnstodevourher.Ourfriendslovedtheshow.TheypostedtheirwhereaboutsonFacebook,whichpromptlysentaninvitationtomyhusbandtoposttheinformationonhisFacebookpage.HelaughinglyshowedthemtherequestonhisAndroid,deletedit,andweallwentontoenjoyourevening. ButasIsippedwine,chattedaboutTTCdelaysandhouseprices,andlaughedatmycompanions’jokes,Ifelthauntedbyasenseofdread.Thiswasagoodthing,Iguess;Burkett’sdystopianfantasyhaddoneitswork.Iwasanxiousaboutsomethingelse,though,somethingmoreimmediateandreal.Wewere—albeitmechanically—beingtracked.Whatpreservedourprivacywasthatlotsofpeople,allovertheplace,weredoingthesamethingatthesametime. I’mnotsayinganythingagainstourfriendsoranyoneelsewhopostsalocationonFacebook.It’sreallyjustawayofreinforcingtieswithfriends,thecyber-equivalentofarefrigeratornotesaying,“Gonetoavirtuosicandterrifyingmarionetteproduction.”Itsaysyouwanttomakeyourscheduleaccessibletothepeopleyoufeelconnectedwith,andallowsyoutoenjoyhavingpeoplewhocareaboutwhereyouareonaSaturdaynight.It’salsoawayofpromot-ingtheshow. ExceptthatIalsohappenedtobereadingIn the Garden of

BeastsbyErikLarson.ThisbookchroniclestheadventuresofanAmericandiplomaticfamilystationedinBerlinthroughtheriseoftheThirdReich.Theyarrivedfeelingopen-mindedaboutthenewregime,andmadenosecretofsharingitsanti-Semiticattitudes.Gradually,theycametoseethatthattheywereamong—well—beasts.Thewarningstheysentbackweredownplayed. Thebookischillingbecauseittakesplacejustbeforeevilshoweditstruecolours.Backthenitwasonlytooeasytojustify,normalize,ormockwhatwelaterlearnedtofearanddeplore.Igotthecreeps,thinkingaboutwhatallthatsurveillancecouldbecome,inthehandsofaless-than-scrupulousgovernment—orindeedanyonewithunfriendlyintentionswhowantedtotrackourwhereabouts.AndIthought,wecouldbedestroyedbywhatwedismissasharmless…orindeedembrace. Butmaybeitwaseasiertofocusonpoliticalanxietiesthanonmyownstateofmind.Sincethelaunchofmyfirstbook,Outside the Box,lastSeptember,Ihavebeenfeelingmypersonalneedforprivacymorekeenlythanever.It’snotjustamatterofkeepingmytheatre-goinghabitstomyself;Ineedtobeleftalone.Tobeunseen.Thisneedispartofthecreativeprocessforme,andittrulyisaneed.It’scomplicatedbecausebeingaloneisnotalwayspleasant.It’sscary—it’s,well,lonely.It’sboring,evenalittlecrazy-making.Yetoutofthatcrazinesscomestheimpulsetocre-ate.TherearetimeswhenIneedtobeanadolescentwhoslamsthedoor,coversherpagewithaprotectiveforearm,flipsherhairdowninfrontofherface,andpromptlybeginstomopeaboutbeingmisunderstood.Ineedtoprotectmyspace,eventhoughIdon’talwayslikebeinginit. Yetmakingmyselfseenandheardispartofhavingthecareerthatwillletmehavetheprocess.Publicityissomethingthatinourbravenewworldofself-promotion-tinged-with-feminism⎯I’msupposedtoadmittowanting.Don’tgetmewrong.Mybookhasbeendoingprettywell.WhatImeanis,I’vebeendoingprettywellwiththejoboflettingpeopleknowaboutit.Ihavenocomplaintsaboutmypublisher;infact,fromwhatIhearit’sbeenbetterthanmost.Friendsandcommunityhavebeenamazing.Anditbringsalotofsatisfaction,aroll-up-my-sleeves,self-reliant,resilientkind

SOCIAL MEDIA /

FromJackbootstoPandas:theHighCostofSelf-PromotionBy MARiA MEiNdL

Fall2012 1�

offeelingthatI’veneverbeforeexperienced.Still,I’vebeentheenginedrivingitallandwheneverpossible,makingtheattentionlooklikeitwascomingfromtheoutside.Acomplicateddance.It’sall-consuming.AndI’mtired. Asithappens,Outside the Boxisaboutself-promotion.It’sabiographyofmygrandmother,thepoetandbroadcasterMonaGould.WhenIwasbornin1959,heraccessiblestyleofpoetryhadfallenoutofliteraryfashion.Televisionwasedgingoutherpopularlunchtimeradioshows.Hercareerwasonthewane,yetmyearliestmemoriesareoflisteningtoherstoriesofpasttriumphs.Sheportrayedherselfasspecial,withaheightenedsensitivityandarare,God-giventalentforexpressingherselfinwords.Instoryafterstory,sheisdiscoveredbyapowerfulman,whomakesallthearrangementstoshareherworkwiththeworld.Sometimessheisreluctant,sometimesindifferent.Alwayssheissurprised.Inherownwords:“Ineveraskedforanyofthis.Itallcametome.” WhenMonadiedin1999Iofferedtosortthroughthe38boxesofpapersshehadlefttotheUniversityofToronto.HereIdiscov-eredshehaddiligentlybuiltacareerfromtheageof11,receivedhershareofrejections,enduredhershareofdisappointments.Shequeriedandwasignored.Queriedagain.Was,again,ignored.IrespectedthegrandmotherIfoundinthosepapersmorethantheoneIthoughtIknew,andIshiveredtothinkofwhatshemusthavegonethroughwhenallherworkdriedupatthesametimeasmygrandfatherdied.Asafreelancerallherlife,shehadbeenforcedtopromoteherselfconstantlyandrelentlessly.Now,attheageof50,shefeltabandoned.Shewasabandoned.Shehadme,though.Ibecametheaudienceshebroadcastto,therecipientofherpitch.Theproduct:herself. BackinFebruaryIalsotookpartinaWriters’UnionseminarbyElizabethRuthonhowtobeyourownpublicist.Amongothersmartthings,shetoldusthatsheconsciouslyseparatesher“self”fromthepersonshe’spromoting.Inpreparingfortheseminar,shehadinformallypolledagroupofauthorsaboutpromotingtheirownwork.Manyfeltresistance.Eithertheylackedconfidenceorbelievedawritershouldbeaboveself-promo-tion;sometimestheyfelttheywereadmittingdefeattopromotethemselves.Itwasgreattohearallthisarticulatedattheverystartofthesession.Ifoundmyselfbetterabletolistentopracticalitieswhenthebig,subterraneanissueshadbeenbroughttolight.IstartedtowonderwhatitwouldhavebeenlikeifmygrandmotherhadbeenabletotakeElizabeth’sseminar.(Well,shecouldhavetaughtit.)Butwhatifshe’dlivedinatimewhenitwassociallyacceptableforawriter,particularlyawomanwriter,toadmittopromotingherself?Towantingattention?Iwonderifshewouldhavebeenabletospeaktomemorefranklyaboutwhatshewentthrough,buildinghercareer.AndhowIwould,I —thewriter-in-training—havelived,ifthoseissueshadbeenonthetablefromthebeginning? YetitwassoberingtohearElizabethreadthosequotes.Iwondered,areweanyfurtheraheadwhenitcomestohang-ups—orIdaresay,shame—aboutmakingourselvesseenandheard?It’snotjustawomen’sissue.WhatkindofasocietycreatesFacebook?Whatdoesthatsayaboutourneedforatten-tion,andinwhatform?Arewereallythatfarremovedfromaworldwheresoldiersinjackbootsbeatpeopleupfornotsaluting

them?Myownfatiguespeaksofdeepinnerconflict,asifallmymuscleswereworkingagainsteachothereverytimeIpickupthephonetosetupareading.WhatImeanis,Istilldon’tthinkwehaveitright. Afterweeksofwatchingmedragmyselfexhaustedfromthecomputeratmidnight,myhusbanddeclaredastay-cation.Weunpluggedtheinternetforafewdaysandhunkereddownforamarathonofcartoonwatching.InKung Fu Panda II,themaincharacterexperiencesflashbackstobeingabandonedbyhisparents.Needlesstosaythiscrampshisstyleasamartialartist.Wheneverhegoestofight,aninnervoicetellshimhe’sworthless.Icried.AndIfinallygotholdofthedeeperissueIhadbeentryingtograspformonths:there’savulnerable,abandonedoratleastabandon-ableselfunderneaththesurfaceinallofus.Ourverypubliclifecantakeusevenfartherfromintegratingit,unlesswemakeapointofunpluggingonceinawhile.Evenifitmakesusfeellikehelplessbabies,sullenadolescentsorforgottenoldladies,weneedoursolitudemorethanever.

Maria Meindl is a writer and teacher from Toronto. Her first book OutsidetheBox:TheLifeandLegacyofWriterMonaGould,theGrandmotherIThoughtIKnewwas published in 2011. This piece is adapted from her blog http://bodylanguagejournal.wordpress.com/.

1� write

twouldturnintothesweetestassignmentaliteraryjour-nalistcoulddreamof,butthatwasn’treadilyapparentatthetime.NooneattheCBChadheardfromBobsincehisretirementafewyearsearlier.Hewasreportedtobeinfrailhealth.Andwhilehehadareputationforbeingaloquaciousraconteur,hewasequallyfamousforbeing

tight-lippedabouthimself. IknewBobalittle.Wehadmetontwoearlier—formeremark-able—occasions,bothofthemattheGlennGouldstudio.Atthefirst,mysister,JudithKalman,receivedtheprizeforpersonalessayinacompetitioncoinedandadministeredbyBob.Somethreeyearslater,Itookthesameaward. WhenIvisitedBobattheAvenueRoadapartmenthesharedwithhiswife,Audrey,forourfirstsession,itwasobvioushewasacutelyuncomfortableaboutmymission.Myeffortstodrawhimoutfailedmiserably.Hewavedofftheslightestallusiontohisexceptionalachievements.Whathewantedtotalkabout—atlength—wasAbby,hiscat.“Sheis12or13,”hesaid.“Sheisvery

easyonus,becausesheknowssherunsthehouse,andshe’sagreatsleeper.Shegoeswherevershelikesandsheclimbsonthebookshelvesandsitsonthetableandsmellstheroses,whentherearerosestosmell.” Thisquotenotonlymadeitintothetwo-hourdocumentaryaboutBobIeventuallyfashionedforCBC’sIdeas,butalsointomysubsequentbook,Robert Weaver: Godfather of Canadian Literature.Ithadthehallmarksofhisdrollwitandshowedhowgracefullyhecouldevadethepersonal.Italsodemonstratesthatwritingforradioandforbooksisnotallthatdifferent.Youdoyourresearchthoroughlyandthengetoutoftheway,soaudienceorreadercanexperiencethesubjectofyourstoryasdirectlyaspossible. IttookBobuntilthemid-pointofoursecondsessionbeforeherelaxedenoughtolapseintohisnaturalanecdotalstyle.IthinkhedecidedthatIwasn’tgoingawayuntilImoreorlessgotwhatIwantedfromhim,andwhatIwantedwasn’tnecessarilyintru-siveorunpleasant.Andwhenhelaterdiscoveredthattherewasgoingtobea“Bobbook”aswell,heseemedreallyhappyabout

Inthespringof2004,theCBCcommissionedmetodoaseriesofinterviewswithRobertWeaver,therenownedliteraryimpresario,editor,talentscout,producer,andanthologist.InitiallyitwastorecordBob’smemoriesofhislonganddistinguishedcareermentoringandsustainingthreegenerationsofCanadianwriters.

A POROUS BOUNDARy:

By ELAiNE kALMAN NAVEs

I

LearningtoWriteinPrintandRadio

FALL2012 1�

By ELAiNE kALMAN NAVEs

it.ThoughhepassedawayinJanuary2008,justdaysbeforethebookwastobelaunched,hedidgetachancetoreadanadvancecopy.IconsideritoneofthegreataccoladesofmycareerthathetoldAudrey,“Shedidagoodjob.” Here’sanothercommonalitybetweenwritingforradioandforpublication.Bobwas83in2004,andIknewIneededtomovefast.WhenIteachwriting,Iemphasizeacardinalruleofresearch:whatevertheproject,consultyouroldestsourcesfirst.Withtheelderlyyoudon’thavetheluxuryofunlimitedtime.ThiscamehometomewhenImovedtophasetwooftheBobproject:interviewingpeoplehehadworkedwithovertheyears.BythetimeIreachedthisstageitwastoolatetospeaktoNor-manLevine,orJoyceMarshall,orMordecaiRichler,orAlPurdy,orMargaretLaurence,orCarolShields,allofwhomowedhimmuch.Thatsaid,Bob’snamewasmypassporttoAliceMunro,MargaretAtwood,AlistairMacLeod,RobertFulford,KildareDobbs,WilliamToye,andJaniceKulykKeefer,todroponlyafewnames. WhenIstartedtowritesome30yearsago,Ididn’tdreamofevenbreathingthesameairastheseauthors,letaloneconversing—having lunch! —withthem.Myentirecareer,aswriter,journal-ist,andbroadcastercameaboutbyhappenstanceandbackdoors.WhileIwasnaturallybookish,Iwasalwaysconsciousofthefactthatmyfamilyalreadyhaditswriter.Mysisterbeganscrib-blingpoetryingradeschoolandwinningliterarycompetitionsinuniversity.TobeawriterIbelievedyoudidn’tjusthavetolovereading,youhadtobebornwithavocation,asortofsacredcall,thekindJudyclearlyhadandIclearlydidn’t. Istudiedhistoryatuniversity,notliterature,becauseIwasinterestedinthepast.Theninmymid-30sIbecameobsessed—it’snottoostrongaword—withthestoryofourownfamily’spast.Thatsingle-mindedfixationwouldeventuallyleadtomybookJourney to Vaja.“Eventually”beingshorthandfor15years.Thatwasmyfirstbackdoor:aprivateapprenticeshipfeelingmyownwaytomasteringasubject,findingandgettingtoknowmycharacters,andlearninghowtostructureanewentityoutofthematrixofmyresearch. Thesecondbackdoorwasbookreviewing.IttookmefiveyearstoproduceafirstdraftofJourney to VajaanduntilIhadthatexperienceundermybelt,Ididn’tfeelthatIhadcredentialstopitchideastoeditors.ButtheninveryshortorderIbecamealiterarycolumnistattheMontreal Gazette.Asaresult,asetofarticlesoriginallypublishedinthepaperaboutMontrealwritersbecamemyfirstpublishedbook.Theinterviewsonwhichitwasbasedwouldhavemadeforgreatradio,butmyhorizonsdidn’tyetextendtobroadcasting. AsIpersistedinrewritingJourney to Vaja (collecting56rejec-

tionsintheprocess),adearfriendkeptbuggingmetoadaptitforIdeas.EventuallyIsentawaytotheCBCfortheirsubmissionsguidelines—thiswasbeforethedaysofwebsites—andIstudiedthemliketheBible.Iremembertheyemphasizedtheuseofstory-tellingtechniquestoconveyideas.TheyalsosaidthatIdeaslikedproposalsthathaduniversalresonance.Ifyoucheckthewebsitetoday,thoserequirementshaven’tchangedmuch.Onethingthatparticularlystruckmeinthedirectionswastheimportanceofhowtocreatedramaforanauralmedium.Anexample:lettersordiarieswereperfectfodderforradio. Journey to Vajaisatriple-generationfamilysaga,difficulttocompressintoaone-hourdocumentary.ButpartofmyfamilylegacywasanexceptionalcorrespondenceinHungarian,akindofday-by-dayaccountinletterssenttoandkeptbymyfatheroftheclimaxoftheHolocaustinHungary.WhenIcalledJaneLewis,theCBCIdeasproducerinMontreal,andtentativelysketchedoutmyidea,shesaidIwasgivinghergoosebumps.Sheencouragedmetosubmitaformalproposal. Itwasaccepted.Andthat’showIgotintoradioworkbythebackdoor.Ialreadyknewhowtoconductadecentinterviewforprint,butJanetrainedmehowtodoitforradio.Ilearnedaboutsoundlevels.Ilearnedhowtomicclose,butnottooclose.Ialsolearnedthatwritingforradioismuchmorecollaborativethanwritingforprint.Certainlythere’snothinginprintjournalismorthewritingofbooksakintothefinalstudiosession,whentheproducerwon’tletyouleavethebuildinguntilyournarrationispitchperfect.Pitchasshehearsitinherhead. JaneandIhavecollaboratedonfourdocumentariesandeacheitherbeganlifeasabookorbecameone.Themostrecent,whichairedinFebruaryandisnowavailableonpodcast,wasatwo-hourprogramcalledWilliam Notman of Montreal.(AlisonCookwasco-produceronthisproject.)Itpresentedauniquechallenge:howtobringtolifewithoutrecoursetovisualstheworkofagreatphotographer.Anditledtomynextbookproject—theoneI’mworkinglikecrazytofinishbyitsSeptemberdeadline. IcametoitbyaskinganidlequestionofNoraHague,myprimesourceattheMcCordMuseumofMcGillUniversitywhichholdsthemassiveNotmanPhotographicArchives.“WerethereanyblacksheepintheNotmanfamily?” Therewasahumdingerofaone.Hisstory,ajuicy19th-centurydramawithsurprisingmodern-dayechoes,willbemynextbook,Portrait of a Scandal: The Abortion Trial of Robert Notman.

Elaine Kalman Naves is a Montreal writer, journalist, and broadcaster. PortraitofaScandal is forthcoming from Véhicule Press. Follow her atElaineKalmanNaves.com.

1� write

You’ve said that your experience in running Lemon Hound has been that women are far less independently active in writing reviews. Why do you think women are less inclined to speak up critically? Womengenerallydon’tcometome,andwomendon’tfollowupafterIgivethemfeedback.Thishasbeenconsistent.Why?Difficulttosay.Ithastodowith,amongotherthings,education,socialization,andmentorship,asmuchaswhoholdseditorialpowerandhowtheywieldit:forexample,howmanywomenaregiventheopportunitytohaveacriticalplatform?Howmanywomentakethatopportunity?Andhowmanypeopleingeneralareofferedandtakeit?Tobefair,Iwouldguessalotofwomenturndownopportunities.That’sahugeissueforme.Whyarewomenshyingawayfromtakingpublicpositions?

How do you see men working to create critical communities so that their voices are big and institutionalized? MygoodfriendsDarrenWershler,ChristianBökandKennyGoldsmithareconstantlypromotingeachother,discussingandreviewingeachother’swork—Irespectthemfortheopenness,thepublicnessoftheirfeelingsforeachother,fortheircoterie.Bökhassaidhecan’timagineworkingwithoutGoldsmithandWershler,forexample.Theyarevery,veryopenaboutthenotionofthecoterieanditscentralplaceintheirpractice.Notmanypeoplearesoopen.Theypromotetheirfriendsandarevery

CREATING THE CRITIC:

Lemon Hound’sSinaQueyrasonBlogging,Reviewing,and

CreatingCriticalSpaceforWomen

defensiveaboutit. Perhapsit’sthissenseofhavingaposse,andnow—forthemostpart—institutionalsupport,thatallowstheseguystoalsobesuchgeneroussupportersofothers,myselfincluded.IfyouevergetachancetowalkthroughabookfairwithBök,doit:hewillrecommendadozenbooks,allverydifferent,andacrossgenderandgenre,andyouwillfindthemintriguing.

WhoisdoingthisforwomeninCanada?Whoispromotingwomen’swork—not“as”women’swork,justaswomenwhoaredoinggreatliterarywork?ErinMourédoesalotforyoungpoets,asdoesMargaretChristakos:bothwithoutdirectinstitutionalsupport.LisaRobertsonisalwaysmentioningherposseofinfluencesandcollaborations,manyofthemwomen,butagain,largelywithoutinstitutionalsupport.

Whoarethefemalepoetpractitionerswhohavehadinstitutionalsupportandwhathavetheydonewithit?Agoodquestion:someoneshouldwriteanessay…

Is the critical work women are doing (outside of scholarship) paying off? Iwonderwhatcriticalworkyouarespeakingof,first.Thegreatsaviourpoetmodelsofourday—takeKenBabstockandKarenSolieforobviousreasons—forthemostpart,thesepoetstakenocriticalspace.Infacttheyarealmostresolutelysilent.Thisisamodelofpoetwhoseesthecriticalgestureasalmostinevitably

Fall2012 1�

negative.ThereareotherpoetssuchasErinMouréandLisaRobertsonwhoputtheircriticalmindsintotheirwork.So,whatcriticalworkdoyoumean?

IwouldapplaudsuchtextsastherecentanthologyPrismatic Publics: Innovative Canadian Women’s Poetry, editedbyHeatherMilneandKateEichhorn.Thisisanamazingtextandunder-discussedoutsideofwomen’scircles—asusual.

So,isthisworkpayingoff?It’shardtosay.Oneclumsytestmightbethis:ifIaskyoutothinkofafemalepublicintellectual,whatwomancomestomind?WhatCanadianpoetinparticular?IcouldsayLynnCrosbie—sheputsheropiniononthelineweeklyinherGlobe and Mailcolumnandtakesalotofflackforittoo.Whoelse?AndImeanspeakingofpoetryhere.

AfewyearsbackwhenCarmineStarninoandChristianBökwenttoe-to-toeinaLiteraryCageMatch[atMountRoyalUniversity,Calgary,2009]theywerebothunabletorefertoafemalepoetasacriticalmodel.Ithinkthatwouldbethesametoday.LotsofangeronFacebook,butnotranslationintopublicthinking.Fortherecord,likingsomeone’spointonFacebookisnothavingapublicopinion.

What are your thoughts on the situation of the independent literary blog in Canada? Is it a sustainable alternative to the dwindling critical space in bigger publications? There are so many more book blogs in the US; a few of ours (Bookninja, Vox Populist) have folded for various reasons. I’d be curious to hear about how you’ve managed to run Lemon Hound with a clear feminist voice (and not burn out completely)? TheliterarybloginCanadahaslargelybeenaplaceforpeopletoventinthecommentboxes.Intermsofcontent,fewhaveproducedlastingwork.So,isthisasustainablealternative?Maybe,butisitofvalue?Andwhatisitanalternativeto?Iwashoping,withLemon Hound,tocreateanalternativevenue,aplacewherepeoplecouldengageaboutpoetryonamuchdifferentlevel—largely,Iamnotafanofthenationalnewspaperreview,nordoIparticularlythinkthattheQuill & Quirelengthandperspectiveisusefuloutsideofasmallcircleofbooksellers,soitseemstomethattheblog,orsomeformoftheblog,hasenormouspotential.

What are your thoughts on creating and supporting critical communities for/among women so that numbers like the VIDA: Women in Literary Arts numbers change?

Iamdonewithwomen’sonlyissuesandwomen’slistservsandwomen’swhatever.Itdoesn’twork.Weneedresilientfemalepublicintellectualsinabroadrangeofvenuesandfromagreatvarietyofperspectives.Wealsoneedwomenwithinstitutionalpowertoreview,assign,anddirectdiscourse.Untilwomenareassigningreviews,untiltheyhaveequalcriticalspace,anduntilmenareactuallyreadingwomen,nothingwillchange.Surfacechangeswashawaybytheendoftheday.

Idoalotofworkwithmystudents:verydirectlychallengingthemall,particularlywomen,butnotonlywomen,totakeupcriticalspace,oftenandvariously.Womenneedtotakemorepublicrisks.Endofstory.Theyneedtomaketheiropinionsknown.Youcan’thideandbeangrythatnooneislisteningtoyou.Well—youcan,butit’sawasteofenergy.Weneedtobreakthatmodelofpoet.Anditisamodel.It’sonethatseesthecriticalgestureasdirtyingthepoetry.Notausefulmodelatall.Particularlyforwomen.ThepoetryIloveisbarelyabletokeepupwithitsownthinking.

AsMaryWells,pioneerintheadvertisingworld,andapparentmodelforMad Men’sPeggyOlsonsaidintheNew York Timesrecently,“Youhavetodoubleyourself.Youhavetoreadbooksonsubjectsyouknownothingabout.Youhavetotraveltoplacesyouneverthoughtoftraveling.Youhavetomeeteverykindofpersonandendlesslystretchwhatyouknow.”Inotherwords,youhavetomoveoutsideofyourcomfortzones.

Butalso,weneedtocallbullshitonhomogeneouseditors.It’sonethingtocallyourjournalGhazalandthenonlypublishghazals,ortobeajournalofwomen’spoetry,andonlyreviewwomen’spoetry;buttobeanationaljournal,ortoreviewforanationalpaper,orapublicationwiththeweightoftheLRC,andonlyreviewonekindofpoetry,nevermindissuesofgender,orrace—thisisunacceptable.

Idon’tcareifapoetryreviewerwantstoreviewprimarilylyricpoetrywrittenbywhitemenfortherestofhislife.Goforit.It’shischoice,freeworldandsoon.IwouldjustlikehimtobeupfrontaboutitandnotcallmeabitchwhenIpointouttheobvious.

Weneedabasiclevelofconsciousnessaboutourprivilege—thosefewofuswhohavetheseplatforms.Weneedtounderstandthatwearechoosingwhoandwhatwereadandhowweseetheworld.Weneedtostopcouchingourtastesandourcareermovesasinflatedideasaboutwhatthebestandmostimportantis,and

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ourabilitytobethegatekeepersofthatbest.It’stired.Wornout.Oflittlevaluetoanyonereally.

It’sactuallysuchasmall-mindedmovethatitwouldbepatheticandcomedicifweinCanadadidn’tinhabitsuchasmallpond.Butlisten,wearen’tgoingtoproduceasix-packofSusanSontagsorAnneCarsonsifwecirclearoundthisissueofrepresentationsomuch.Weneedtomoveonanddoourwork.Noonecanarguewithakick-assbodyofwork.

Finally, and this may sound like a crazy question, but I’ll ask it anyway. You’ve been such a strong critical voice for women writers in Canada, and created a remarkable public presence. You’ve said that talking about representation feels like banging your head against a wall. Why and how do you persist in fighting the good fight when it’s far easier to turn exclusively to your own work and family? WhydoIcontinue?What’stheoption?Quitting?Notinmyvocabulary.Ontheotherhand,Iammorecomfortableproducingabodyofworkthanarguingthispoint.Iamquitedonewithbeingthego-to-girlfordefendingwomen’svoices,orlackthereof.HencemyessayfortheMatrixfeminismsissue:“Donotargue;do.”

Here’satip:stopaskingwomenwhohavealreadystoodupforwomenagainandagaintodoitagainandagain.Ifyouinviteafeministtoread,letherread.Don’tmakeherdoyourpublicserviceforyou.Letthepublicservicehappenthroughherwork.Celebrate,celebrate,andcelebrate:seriously,we’veearnedsome

funbynow.Don’tinvitemetoyourbitchsession,invitemetothelaunch.

Readwomen’swork.Writeaboutit.Celebrateitwhenit’sworthcelebrating.Pointouttheflaws.Pointouttheweaknesses.Challengewomentodobetter.Tobringmorethinkingintotheirwork.Enlargeyourdiscussionsintothepublicsphere.Saythankyoutothewomenwhohaveclearedalittlepathforyou,butdon’tmakesacredcowseither.Throwyourhooksbackthroughtimeanddigupawoman’stexts.Respondtotheminyourown.Bringthesevoicesforward.Jamthenetworkswithwomen’svoices.Don’tapologize.Justtakeupspace.Anddoitwell.Doitvery,verywell.

Sina Queyras is the author most recently of AutobiographyofChildhood (Coach House 2011). Her collection of poetry, Expressway (Coach House 2009) was nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award. LemonHound (Coach House 2006) won a Lambda Award and the Pat Lowther Award. Queyras lives in Montreal and can be found at sinaqueyras.com.

This piece is adapted from the website of the Canadian Women in Literary Arts (http://cwila.com) a new organization founded to calling for a discursive space to address the politics of representation, the critical reception of women’s writing in the literary press, and fostering stronger critical communities of women.

An inclusive national literary organization for people who share feminist values and see the importance of strong and active female perspectives and presences within the Canadian literary landscape.

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hy Visit? Soyou’vebeeninvitedtospeaktohighschoolstudents.Ormaybeyou’resendingaroundyourcallingcardofferingtogiveworkshopsorreadingsinschools. Asanauthor,Ihavevisitedhigh

schoolclasses,and,asateacher,IregularlyhostwritersinmyseniorlevelEnglishandcreativewritingclasses.Lastyear,Ihadtenvisitors,includingafreelancejournalist,achildren’sauthor,apoet,ascreenwriter,amemoirist,andseveralliteraryfictionwriters.ThoughIamconvincedthatinteractionwithwritersenrichesstudents’learning,somevisitsgobetterthanothers.BythisImeanthatsomevisitsaremorecomfortableandenjoyableforthewriterand/ormoreengagingandusefulforthestudents. BeforeIteaseoutwhatdifferentiatesgreatvisitsfrommediocreones,it’sworthconsideringwhatwritersgainfromthesevisits.Inpreviousyears,weteachershadtohuntforwriterswillingtospeaktoteens.Inthelastfewyears,however,myschoolhasbeenreceivingpamphlets,emails,andphonecallsfrombothwriters’organizationsandindividualwritersofferingworkshops,Q&Asessions,andreadings.I’mnotsurewhythisis—perhapsit’soneoftheresultsoftheintensepressureonwriterstomarkettheirownwork.Somewriterscomehopingtomakenewfans.Butatypicalhighschoolclassroomisnotrifewithavidreaders,especiallynotbook-buyingreaders.Unlessyou’retheauthorofThe Hunger Games,orwhateverhasreplaceditasthecurrentmania,thestudentsareunlikelytopurchasebooksduringavisit,andsomeschoolsevenhavepoliciesthatbarvisitorsfromsellingintheclassroom.Honorariumsmaybeckonsomeauthors,butpaymentsfromschools,ifthereareany,tendtobemodest,rarelygenerousenoughtobethesolereasonforappearinginfrontofacrowdofteenagerswhohaven’treadone’sbookand

probablyhavenointentionofdoingso.Somewritersmightvisitforthesheerpleasureoftheinteractionwithahighschoolclass.Ithinkmanyauthorsfindtheirdiscussionswithyoungpeopleinvigorating;however,myobservationsandexperiencesuggestit’sstillstrenuous,drainingworkforavisitortokeepagroupofteensengagedforthe60-to-80-minuteclassperiod. Insummary,thewritergainsneitherfamenorfortunefromvisitingaschool.Heorsheisnotevenguaranteedagoodtime. Visitingaschoolisanactofgenerosity.Writersdoitbecauseit’sgoodforallofustopromotetheactsofreadingandwritingtothenextgeneration.Theydoitoutofrespect,courtesy,andbig-heartednessforthestudentsandteachersintheircommunity.Theydoitbecausetheirroleaswritergivesthemasignificantplatformfromwhichtheycanfosteralifelongloveofreadinginthestudents.Andtheydoitbecausethere’squitelikelytobeatleastonestudentineachaudiencewhoisalotliketheywereatthatage—someonewithgoodinstinctsandanunstoppableimagination,someoneravenousforinteractionwithexperiencedwriters. Thistypeofgenerosityisnotforeverybody.Onecanfindawaytogivebacktoone’scommunitythatdoesn’tinvolveinteractingwithteens.Butforthewriterswhoplantostepboldlyintohighschools,Ioffersomesuggestionsabouthowtomakethemostofthetimewiththestudents.

Preparing for the Visit Aswithsomanyactivities,preparationisthefoundationforagoodoutcome.Planningthevisitallowsthewritertofindoutessentialinformationsuchaswhattheteacher’sandstudents’expectationsareforthevisit,howlongthevisitwilllast,whetherstudentshavereadthewriter’swork,andatwhatlevelthestudentsareworking.Inadditiontothatbasicinformation,

WritersIntheSchools:HowtoMakeaDifference

By PAtRiCiA wEstERhOF

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writersmayalsowanttoknowwhethertheirvisitispartofaparticularunitofstudy(Canadianauthors?contemporarypoets?creativewriting?).Whatdoestheteacherwanttheclasstogainortolearnfromthevisit?Isthewritergivingareading,leadingaQ&A,facilitatingawritingworkshop?Aphonecalloremailexchangewiththeteacheroradministratorwhosetupthevisitwillyieldthisinformation,andwillalsoprovideanopportunityforthewritertosaywhatheorsheis(andisn’t)willingtoofferduringtheclassperiod.Writersshouldfeelfreetostatetheirpreferencesandtosaynotoasetupwithwhichthey’reuncomfortableorforwhichthepreparationistootime-consuming. Ifpossible,thewritershouldtalkdirectlywiththeclassroomteachertogetinformationandmakearrangements.Especiallyifthevisithasbeensetupbysomeoneelse—suchasafestivaloranorganization—writerscan’tassumethattheclassroomteacherhasbeenfullyinformedaboutthevisit,orthatheorshehasdoneanythingtopreparethestudents.Asateacher,Ihaveoccasionallyhadwritersthrustintomyclasses.Myprincipalordepartmentheadhascaughtmeonmywayintoschoolandsaid,“Wehave________visitingtoday—canshecometoyourgrade12Englishclassthismorning?”Thisisanunsatisfactorysituationforboththewriterandthestudents.Theteacher,whetherheorshewelcomesthebreakinteachingorresentstheinterruptionthatthevisitcauses,isnotthewriter’sally.Thestudentswillhavenosenseofanticipation,normuchsenseofresponsibilitytolearnduringtheperiod.Thewriterwillfeelalimitedsenseofpurpose,andmayevenfeelunwelcome.Evenawriterwhoisalsoanexperiencedandtalentedteachermaynotbeabletorescuethissituation.Inmyopinion,writersaren’tpaidenoughforthesevisitstogothroughthatkindofstress.Forthisreason,it’sworththetimeandeffortittakestogleansomeinformationfromtheteacherinadvanceandtoclarifythepurposeofthevisit. Awritercanalsoasktheteachertopreparetheclassforthevisit.Whileonecan’texpectteacherstobuyaclasssetofone’scompleteworks,awritercanrequestthatteachersfamiliarizethestudentswithhisorherworkbeforethevisit.Alongwithmakingitaconditionofthevisitthattheschoollibrarypurchasesthevisitingwriter’sbook,thewritercanaskthatstudentsviewaYouTubevideothatfeaturesthewriterreadinghisorherwork.Orstudentscouldlookatthewriter’swebsiteandreadtheexcerptofhisorherlatestbook.Ortheycouldbeaskedtodoalittlebackgroundresearchonthemainsubjectofthewriter’swork.Forexample,oneofDouglasBurnetSmith’srecentcollectionsofpoems,Sister Prometheus,focusesonMarieCurie.WhenIspoketohimbeforehisvisittomycreativewritingclass,hesaid,“MakesuretheyallknowwhoMarieCurieisbeforeIcome.”Easy.Thetenminutesofresearchpiquedcuriosity,asstudentswonderedwhyapoetwantedthemtofamiliarizethemselveswiththelifeandworkofascientist.BeforeJamesFitzGeraldcametomyclass,hegavemethelinktohisToronto Life articlethatsparkedhismemoirWhat Disturbs Our Blood.ThestudentsandIreadthearticletogether,andthenstudentsgeneratedalistofquestionsforJames.ThisgroundworkmeantthatwhenJamespausedafterhisreadingandaskedifanyonehadaquestion,handsshotupintheroom. Byinsistingthatstudentsareinsomewaypreparedforthevisit,thewriternotonlyavoidsawkwardsilencesbutsetsthingsupforengagingandproductivedialoguewiththestudents.

Enjoying the Visit I’veobservedthatthewriter’senjoymentofaclassroomvisitisusuallyproportionaltohisorherperceptionofthestudents’engagement.Iftheaudienceseemsreceptive,writersrelaxandenjoythemselves;ifthestudentsseemboredormiserable,thewriterexperiencestheclassperiodasanendurancetest. Iaskedmystudentswhatadvicetheyhadforvisitingwriters,advicethatwouldhelptheclassesgowell.Oneofthemsaid,“Ilikeitwhenwriterstalktousandnotatus,”andtherewerenodsandmurmursofagreementallovertheroom. Althoughthey’reacaptiveaudience,teenagersintheclassroomdon’thaveanylongeranattentionspanthantheaverageaudiencesippingsecond-ratewineatapoetrylaunch.Therefore,thebestpracticesforliteraryeventsatbookstores,bars,andfestivalspertaintotheclassroomtoo.Ithelpsifthewriterisenthusiasticandconfident.Ifthevisitinvolvesareading,thewritershouldchoosethepassagebeforehandandrehearsehowheorshewillsetitup.Theintroductionshouldbeshortandsnappy.Thereadingshouldbeshortandsnappy.Itworksbesttopicksectionsoftheworkthatdon’trequireenormousamountsofexplanationorexposition.Inmyreadingsforteens,Iusuallypickafewshortpassagesratherthanalongexcerptorfullstory. Somewritersareskilledatinteractingwiththeclass.Seeminglycomfortablefromtheget-go,theyaskthestudentswhatthey’vebeenreading,whatgenrestheyliketowrite,whattheirpost-high-schoolplansare,whatwritingtheythinkthey’lldoasadults.Butotherwriterslackdexteritywiththisopen-endedsmalltalk.Alessoutgoingwritermaybemorecomfortablegettingstudentstointeractwithhisorherwritingthanwithhimself/herself.Afictionwritercangivestudentstheopeninglineofoneofhisorherstoriesandhavethestudentswritetherestoftheparagraph.Apoetcanhandoutcopiesofoneofhisorherpoemswiththetitlemissing.Heorshecaninstructstudentstoreadthepoemingroups,decideonapossibletitle,anddefendit.Attheendoftheexercise,thepoetcandefendhisorherownchoiceoftitle.(Abravepoetcouldhandoutanewpoemwithoutatitle,andtellstudentsthatheorshewillchoosethebestonetheycomeupwith.)Apoetwhovisitedmyclassseveralyearsagobroughtinaroughdraftandafinalcopyofapageofhiswork.Heasked

I asked my students what advice they had for visiting writers,advice that would help the class go well. One of them said, “Ilike it when writers talk to us and not at us.”

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studentstocommentaboutwhattheynoticedandwhytheythoughthemadethechangeshedid.Soontheclasswasdeepinconversationwiththepoetaboutthepoem.Anothersortofinteractivevisitinvolvesashortwritingactivityfollowedbysharingthewritingthatwasproduced.Thisdoesn’tneedtobeasophisticatedorcomplexactivity;infact,theactivitywillprobablyworkbetterifthereisanelementoffuntoit.Includingawritingactivitybenefitsthewholeclass,asthewriterleaveseachstudentwithanewideaanda(albeitveryrough)draftofanewpiece. Itwouldbethetopicofanotherarticletocoverthebestpracticesforrespondingtostudentwork.Itdismaysmethatfewwritersthesedaysseemwillingtoreadstudentworkatall.Tosomeextent,Iunderstandthereluctance:thewritersareinexperienced,andeveniftheirwritingshowspromise,itlackspolish.IreaditbecausetheauthorsaremystudentsandIcometocareaboutthemduringthecourseoftheyear,nottomentionthatIgetpaidtoreadtheirwork.Nonetheless,I’dliketomakeonesuggestionforallwriterswhovisitaclassroom—iftheinteractionwiththeclassdoesn’tinvolvereadingorlisteningtoanystudentwork,perhapsthewritercanasktheteacherwhetherthereisastudentwhoseworkthewritershouldseeforafewminutesafterclass.Soofteninaclassthereisastudentwhostandsoutbecauseofhisorherambitionandtalentforwriting.Maybeit’sidealisticofmetohopethatvisitingwriterswilltakethetimetoglanceatastudent’sworkandprovidesomebriefencouragementtothestudentwriter.Butwhichofuswritershasnotbenefittedfromanotherwritertakinginterestinusandour

writing?Weallneedmentors.Whenapublishedauthorsayskindandencouragingwordstoastudentwriter,itcanbelife-changing. Iwillendbyrepeatingthatvisitingclassroomsisanactofgenerosity.Hopefullythereisanhonorarium,hopefullythewriterwillgainafewfanswhocometothenextreadingorbuythewriter’snextbook.Hopefullytheexperienceisenjoyableandevenenergizingforthewriter.Onecan’tcountontheseoutcomes.Whatthevisitingwriterscanbesureofisthattheyaremakingasignificantcontribution—evenmoresignificantiftheyensuretheyandthestudentsarepreparedforthevisit,andthatthevisitisinteractiveandengaging.

Patricia Westerhof teaches English and creative writing. She is the author of the story collection CatchMeWhenIFall (Brindle & Glass 2011).

With funding from the Ontario Arts Council, The Writers’ Union of Canada funds author visits to Ontario elementary and secondary schools, subsidizing a portion of an author’s fee and travel expenses. Each school is eligible for one subsidy per fiscal year (April – March), and each author is eligible for either 6 full-day or 12 half-day visits. Funding is awarded on a first come, first served basis. This program is open to all members, but requests must be made by the host school. Full information and guidelines can be found at writersunion.ca/node/122. Although this program is only available to schools located in Ontario, several provinces offer similar programs through other organizations.

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veryTuesday,fromOctobertoJuly,about25youthfromdiversecultural,social,intellectual,andreligiousbackgroundsshowupattheAcademyoftheImpossible(analternativelearningspaceinthecity’swestendthatevolvedfromtheTorontoStreetWriters).

Mostly,wesitquietlytogetherandscribbleinnotebooks.Wereadaloud,talkaboutcreativewritingandthepublishingindustry,andhowharditistobreakfromtraditionanddosomethingartisticwhenyourparentsdesperatelywantyoutobeanengineer.Iblababoutaspectsoflifeasawriterandletthempickmybrain,answeringasfranklyandhonestlyasIcan.Anincrediblerangeofguestauthors—fromdubpoetstographicnoveliststoaward-

winningshortstorywriters—paradethroughthedoorstocoveraspectsofwritingIcan’t. Don’tworry,I’mnotsomecharacterfromaSaturday Night Liveskitaboutstereotypical“nicewhiteladies.”AndIknowtoomanycommitted,generous-spirited,braveteacherstodisstheprofession.It’sjustthatwhenIwasyounger,theylookedrightthroughme.Ismiledsweetlyanddidn’tdisrupt,andcan’tthinkofasingleteacherwhoseriouslyengagedwithorknewme.ThebestonesIhadwereinmyownfamily—whetherblood–orlove–related.Itwouldhaveastoundedteenagemetothinkofbecomingone.I’mstillawriterfirst,aneditorsecond,andanartseducatorthird. IgrewupinParkdale,acolourful,raggedToronto

Fiveyearsago,IfoundedtheTorontoStreetWriters,afreeweeklycreativewritinggroupforyoungadultswholovewordsandstories,buthavetheirreasonsfornotfeelingacceptedorsafeinmainstreamlearninginstitutions.

FindingHerSchool:AWriter’sQuestforHealing

LeadsHerBacktotheStreetsSheGrewUpOn

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By EMiLy POhL-wEARy

neighbourhoodthat’sbeendescribedasascribbleontheedgeofthecity’sdowntowncore.Untilmyearly20s,Imostlyremainedwithinmy20-blockradius.WhileIwasn’tahappychild,Ihadimaginationandafertileplayground.Myfour-plusactivisthippiefreakparentsraisedmewithahealthydoseofanti-authoritarianism,andmywritergrandmotherseemedtogetmoreradicalasthedecadespassed.Iplungedintostories,spenthoursatthelibrary,andmadeupplaysIcajoledthescruffykidsonmyblocktoactin. Mylifewasalittlestrange,butitwasheady.Irebelledforawhilebybeingasnormalaspossibleanddatingthefootballquarterback.Eventually,Ifellbackinlinewiththerestofmyhighlyliteraryfamily,foundingasmallliterarymagazinecalledKiss MachineandpublishingbooksofpoetrywithTorontosmallpresses.IconceivedofandembarkedonanongoingseriesofYAmysterynovelsthatincorporatedthemesofcounter-culture,zinesandgrittyurbanlifeintotheirplotlines. Then,inthelasthalfof2006,everythingchanged.Myathleticfather,whoalmostnevertookasickday,hadaseriousstroke.IfoundmyselfridingthebusouttoMississaugathreetimesaweektospendhalf-daysatthehospital,supportinghisrehab.Andfourmonthsintothat,onChristmasEve,my18-year-oldbrotherwasshotfiveblocksfromourchildhoodhome.Hisbestfriendwaskilled.Itseemedasifallthemeninmyfamilywerecrackingapart. Atthetime,I’dbeenworkingonthesecondinstallmentofmyYAmysteryseries.Suddenly,Ifoundthebooktakingadramaticturnawayfromalightwhodunitintoapsychologicalthrilleraboutamentallyillteenageboy.Partofmewasn’tsurprised,giventhestateofmynervesaftersomanylate-nightphonecallsfromhospitalsandpolicestationsinthepreviousyears.But,needlesstosay,mypublisherwasn’ttoohappy. Shocktookholdofme—or,asapsychiatristlatercalledit,secondarytrauma.Iburiedmynovel-in-progressinthedustiestregionsofmyharddriveandstoppedwritingaltogether.Ifellasleepeverynightdreamingaboutchasingmybrotheraroundthecity,onlytocatchhimattheexactinstanthewasabouttobekilledinsomehorrificway. Eventually,IrealizedIneededtodosomethingnew.Ineededaprojectthatwouldhelpmeandmybrother’scircleoffriendsmakeitthroughnonsensicaltragedies(thismurderwasonlythelastinastringofthem).Mybrotherhadoncebeenabright-eyed,smart,beautifulboy.Ialwaysfocusedonthat,eventhoughattimesitwasdifficulttorecognizethatboythroughhishaze

ofanger,numbnessandgrief.Ilookedaroundattheyouthhespenttimewith,makinganeffortnottoseethemasthegangmembersandcriminalsthey’dbeendepictedasinthemediaintheaftermathofthemurder. Someoftheseboyshadgrownupinthesameneighbourhoodasme,spenthoursatourhouse,andyetcouldn’tread.Ihadnocluehowtheyhopedtogetdecentjobs,letalonedefendthemselveswhentheywerearrestedorharassed.Ilookedaroundourneighbourhoodandfoundartsandliteracyprogramsforkids,andliteracyprogramsforadults,butnothingthatwouldappealtoyoungpeoplestrugglingthroughthatin-betweenagewhenthey’reshovedoutofschool(frequently,inmybrother’sgroup,foractinguponetoomanytimes). Weputpostersupinyouthshelters,backalleys,outsidethearea’sgrungybars,andinhighschoolcorridors.ForthefirstsessionoftheStreetWriters,inearly2008,Ihopedtoregister20youth,andendedupwith38.WemetinParkdaleLibrary’swindowlesscementboxofabasementauditorium.LocalhiphopartistMindbenderandauthorsKristynDunnionandMarikoTamakiweremyguests.Iprovidednotebooksandpens,TTCfareforlow-incomeparticipants,andserveddecentmeals.Myonlymantrawas:“Ipromisenottoboreyou.”Attheendofthepilot,participantsoverwhelminglyaskedfortheprogramtorunallyearround.Now,in2012,wehaveourbright,above-groundhomefilledwithbooksandartattheAcademyoftheImpossible. Atsomepointalongtheway,Istartedwritingagain.IbeganbyforcingmyselftoactuallydoeveryexerciseIinventedfortheStreetWriters—inthisway,Ifilleduphalf-a-dozennotebooks.Whatcameoutwasdifferentthenwhatcamebefore.Iwaswritingpoetryaboutthemurderandmycommunity,andafterthetrialthatsentencedtheyoungmanwhoshotmybrother,Ifeltfreetocraftthosepoemsintoamanuscript.Stillworkingonthat.Iexploredtheexternalmanifestationofteengirlragethroughawerewolf.Thatnovel,calledNot Your Ordinary Wolf Girl,iscomingoutnextyear. Thepanicstilloccasionallyrisesup,butmuchlessfrequently.EngagingwiththeStreetWriterseachweek,knowingthatmanyofthemhavebeenthroughthesamethingsIhave—orworse—isoneofthewaysIconvincemyselfit’spossibletobouncebackfromextremesandkeepgrowing.

Emily Pohl-Weary is an award-winning Toronto author, editor, and arts educator. Visit her at emilypohlweary.com. Visit the Toronto Street Writers at torontostreetwriters.ca.

I looked around our neighbourhood and found arts and literacy programs for kids, and literacy programs for adults, but nothing that would appeal to young people struggling through that in-between age when they’re shoved out of school...

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AccordingtoGervais,itwasthesocialmediasavvystudentswhosecuredthehugeturnout.“Thestudentslearnhowto‘sell’anevent,”hesays.“Weworkonthestagingofitfrompublicity,drawinguponeverythingfromthestandard-issuepostertoallthesocialmediaconnectionswecan

findanddrawinginthecommunityatlarge.Andthenweworkonchoreographingtheactualevent,regardingitas‘entertainment’andsellingthataspectofittothepublic.Thismeanssittingdownwiththeauthorsandtalkingtothemabouthowmuchtheyshouldread,andwhattheyshouldread.” Theresult,basedonthenumbers,wasatotalsuccess.Thepublicturnedoutfortheformalandfunnyeventwhereuniversityadministratorspraisedandstudentsjokedandreminiscedabouttheexperiencesculminatinginthelaunch. Since2005,whenthepracticumcourseoneditingandpublishingwaslaunched,approximately30bookshavebeenpublished.Initially,thecoursesweretaughtbyGervaisandDr.SuzanneMathesonfromtheDepartmentofEnglish.Dr.Mathesoncoveredscholarlyaspectsofpublishing,buttheprogramhassinceshifteditsfocustocommercialpublishing.

Overtwoterms,studentsworkinteamstoedit,layout,andpreparetwobooksayearforpublication.Gervaistriestopairauthorswiththeteamstoensureagoodworkingrelationship.Gervaisexplainsthatsomewritersarenotcomfortablewithstudentseditingtheirmanuscriptswhileothersenjoytheprocess.MaryAnnMulhernhashadthreebookspublishedwithBlackMossandtheUniversityofWindsoreditingstudents.Shespeakswarmlyabouttheexperienceofbuildingco-creativerelationships,praisingthestudentsdedication.“Forawriter,theexperienceofworkingwiththird-andfourth-yearEnglishstudentswasbothachallengeandanhonour,”shesays.“Formypart,itrequiredaconsiderableamountoftime,flexibility,compromise,andawillingnessto‘letgo’ofseveralpoems.Iwasmorethanwillingtoenterintoarelationshipthatwouldbebothdemandingandrewarding.Thestudentstookavery‘raw’collectionofnarrativepoemsandtransformedthemintoanamazingmanuscript!” Gervaisemphasizestheholisticnatureoftheeditingprocessthestudentsengagein:“Theeditingiscollaborative,butweexaminetheworknotentirelyfromtheaestheticpointofview—wealsolookatbudgets(howmuchwecanaffordforthisbook)andalsothemarketing.Ifwethinkaparticularspinmightgivethebook

InWindsor,anEducationalExperimentPaysOffforPoetryandPublishing

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ThispastApril,400peoplecametoapoetryreadinginWindsor,Ontario.Theeventwasthelaunchoftwobooks:Brides in Black byMaryAnnMulhernandDay Moon RisingbyTerryAnnCarter.ThebookswereproducedbyteamsofUniversityofWindsorEnglishstudentsparticipat-inginaninformalinternshipwithBlackMossPressthroughtwocoursestaughtbyBlackMosspublisherandwriterMartyGervais.

FALL2012 ��

agreatervoiceinthecommunity,thenwepresstheauthorintomovinginthatdirection.” ThepartnershipbetweenBlackMossPressandtheuniversityissynergisticinseveralrespects.Thetwopracticumcourses,runbytheDepartmentofEnglish,areconnectedtotheuniversity’sacclaimedlawprogramandtheOdetteSchoolofBusiness.Graduatestudentsintheseprogramsareinvolvedincollaboratingwiththeliteraturestudentstoenhancetheirinformalinternshipwiththesmallpress.Theresultscanbesurprising,asGervaisillustrates: “Inoneofourclasseswehadanaccountantcomein.Andtheaccountantsaid‘Okay,howmuchisthisbook?’Atthispointwewereinthepublishingside.Astudentcomesupandsaid‘It’s$17.’Hewritesdown‘$17.’‘Alright,sohowmuchdoesMartymake?’Andthestudentlookedathimlike‘Isthisguyreal?’andsaid‘$17.’Andhesaid‘Oh!So,Marty,youprintthisfornothing?’Sotheyputdowntheestimatedcostsandthe$17turnsintoaminusthatI’mgetting.So,we’reinadeficitnow.Whatarewegoingtodo?Astudentputsuphishand:‘We’llsellitfor$18!” Consideringhowtomentorstudentsinterestedinthepublishingindustry,Gervaisdecidedtouseanactivelearningmodel.InsteadoflisteningtohimlectureabouthowherunsBlackMoss,studentswouldlearnbybeinggiventhetasksnecessarytoprepareabookforthemarket. “Ijustdidn’tseethebenefitinmylecturingaboutmyexperiencespublishingwithBlackMoss.So,Isaidwhenwestartedthis:‘Can’twedothisforreal?’Iwantedthemtoengageintherealprocessofpublishing.” TheUniversityofWindsoroffersconcentrationsincreativewriting,digitaljournalism,andlanguageandliterature.Studentsfromanyofthesestreamsareeligibletoapplyfortheediting

andpublishingpractica.Gervaisobservesthatthestudentsfromtheliteratureandcreativewritingstreamsoftenbringparticularstrengthstotheprojects,complementingeachother. “Moreandmorethestudentsgoingintothisarenotcreativewritingstudents,”hesays.“Iactuallypreferthatbecausecreativewritingstudents,someofthemcomewithabias.Forexample,ifIhandthemabookofpoetry,somecreativewritingstudentswillsneeratitandsay‘Idon’tlikepoetry.’Ialwaystellthepeopleintheclass:‘Idon’tcareifyoulikepoetry.Thatisnotmyconcern.Thisisajob.Youhavetodothisasyourjob.It’slikegoingtoMcDonaldsandsaying‘Ionlywanttodofries,andI’mreallyhopingit’svegetableoil.’” ThemodelatWindsorisbenefitingwriters,students,andthecommunitywhilenurturingthenextgenerationofeditorsandpublishers.UniversityofWindsorstudentJackieKlapowichcompletedtheprogramthisyear.“Itwasn’talwayseasy,”shesaid.“Thegroupbecameourownlittle(slightlydysfunctional)family,butintheendeveryonepulledtogethertoproducethebestproductthatwecould.Essentially,weweregivenarawmanuscriptandsomeroughguidelines,andhadtorunwithit.Bothgroupsworkedveryhardontheirrespectiveprojects—frombigtasks,likeearlymorningandlatenighteditingsessions,advertising,marketresearch,andlaunchingthebook,tothesmalldetailsthatreallygetyouthefinishedproductyouwant,likethefontandpapertype. “Asstudents,weweregivenalotofreal-worldresponsibilityandallofourstress,hardwork,latenights,earlymornings,arguments,andmeltdownswerewellworthitintheendwhenweheldthatbookthatweworkedsohardtocreate.”

Sonia Sulaiman is a Windsor-based arts and culture reporter.

Marty Gervais

“I jUST DIDN’T SEE THE BENEFIT IN My LECTURING ABOUT My ExPERIENCES PUBLISHING WITH BLACK MOSS. SO, I SAID WHEN WE STARTED THIS: ‘CAN’T WE DO THIS FOR REAL?’ I WANTED THEM TO ENGAGE IN THE REAL PROCESS OF PUBLISHING.”

Fall2012 ��

�� write

Then,inamagicalspell,thehousefallssilentandthefatherhearshiswife’ssoothingmurmur.Hewalkstothestaircaseandsitsonthelaststeplistening. “Thegiganticsunflower,withthegentlenudgeofthewind,bentdowntobetterhearlittleNarciso. “Hello, beautiful flower. I’m Narciso Esquecido from the desert city of Leyte. I’ve walked this far in search of the sacred waters of remem-brance.” The sunflower smiled and shook its wide leaves. A sweet shower of pol-len sprinkled Narciso. “Hum... I see,” said the sunflower. “You must ask the admiral butter-flies. They dance and twirl, kiss and hop, from flower to flower. They see everything. If you ride on the back of their wings you’ll see the world from side to side.” Herliltingvoicelullseventhegrouchyrefrigeratormotortoquiet.Foramoment,theyseemtoholdtheirbreath,listeningtoNarcisoEsquecido’sfirstflightonthebackofabutterfly. Attheendofthestorythechildrenclap,beggingforonemore.Themotherexplainsthatstoriesflowlikehoneyandhoneyshouldneverbeharvestedallatonce.Abeehivestoressweetnesstonour-ishinthebittercoldofwinter;soshouldthewordsofstories.Thechildrendonotarguewithher. Thefatherreturnstohiscomputer.Thescreensavertravelsthroughspaceandintoablackhole.Thenightaheadpromisestobelong.Afterhismeteoricsuccess,winninganationalprize,apres-tigiousliterarymagazineawaitsdeliveryofanotherofhisinspiredstoriesbymorning.Hebeginsanew. “Thegiganticsunflower...”

Paulo da Costa was born in Angola and raised in Portugal. He is a writer, editor, and translator living on the west coast of Canada. Paulo’s first book of fiction TheScentofaLie received the 2003 Commonwealth First Book Prize for the Canada-Caribbean Region and the W. O. Mitch-ell City of Calgary Book Prize. TheGreenandPurpleSkinoftheWorld, a collection of short-stories is forthcoming from Freehand Books in 2013.

RememberAsYouGoBy PAULO dA COstA

“It’sbedtime,children.” “Nooo,notjustyet,”theycomplainwiththeusualtheatrics.Headshideunderthelivingroomcushions,armsflailwithcompel-lingdistress. “Fiveminutes,then.”“Onlyifyoutellusastory.”Thechildrenscreaminunisonandbeg,pullingonhersleeve. Thefather,focusedonthecomputerscreen,emergesfromhiswork.Henoticesthedarkshadowsaroundhiswife’seyes. “GiveMumabreak,kids.HowaboutIputyoutobedandtellyouastory?” Theroomfallssilent.Thefatherhearingno,muffledunderthecushions,lookshelpless.Hiseyespleadtohiswife. “I’mfine,dear.Finishyourassignment.I’llputthemtobed.”Shewalksovertohimandrunsherhandthroughhishair.Heshrugs,asifsaying,Itried.Shesmilesandwithahand-clapsetstheroominmotion.“Let’sgo,children.Comesaygoodnighttoyourdad.”Shekissesherhusbandontheforeheadandwhispers,“I’llbedownsoon.”Hecantellherastorythen.Shewaitsforthechildrentoem-bracetheirfathergood-nightandwithahandonthetinyshoulderssheleadsthemupstairs. Thefatherreturnstohisworkbuthisattentionfollowstheupstairscommotion.Whichpyjamastosleepin,repeatedinstruc-tionstobrushteethinslow,circularmotions,no,nottoflushthistime:“Ifit’syellowletitmellow,”themothersings. “IsitSleepingBeautyorPinocchio,tonight?” “Nooo...Wewantyoutotellusoneofyourremember-as-you-gostories,Mum.Thosearebest.”

Fiction

FALL2012 ��

SymbolismBy CRystAL hURdLE

I)sicknolongeraLiteratureTeacherIfearforthegoldencoleusinmyofficehit-and-misscareinmyabsence

athome,thecockyWitchoverwaterstumults,torrentshipwadersastridethepoolabovemehisses,SayWhen

willIreturntorootrotspidermitesfungaldiseaseacompostfug?

orfreshlimeshootsleaveslikebrimmingheartsawallofclimbinggreenthoughitisfarfromspringrebirththeodouroffecundity?

surelymyhealthdependsonits

II)whensickItakemoretohearttherejectionofmywriting

ifI’mnot“teacher,”then“writer”prideandselfworthinthat

therecipient’snameandaddressmine,mineself-addressedstampedenvelopemyownhandwritingdoubleslapintheface

tooself-referentialmoredisplaythanstoryqualitieslaudedintheclassroom

vengefulliteraryeditor(bluntcut/trifocals/heavilydowned)makespaperaeroplanesofmyworkcacklestoographictoogrimastheyfloatinanupdraftanddisappear

doesn’tfitourcurrentpublishingneedsthenWhen?

theWitchcackles,“toogrim”!I’llshowyougrim!Sheliftsthewateringcan

whyisrejectionsobigwhenitcomesonsosmallasiftinyliterarypressescan’tafford8½by11butdivideasheetintosixthsparcelitoutteenyastheprescriptionpads

onwhichWilliamCarlosWilliamswrotehistenderbountifulpoems

somuchdependson

buthardlyashealth-promoting

HernoseorisitthespoutgrazesmycheekwithslimeHerbreathisranklyhumid,Well?Sayit,I’mwaiting

(When)

Crystal Hurdle teaches at Capilano University in North Vancouver. Her book TeacherPets, a novel in verse for young adults, is forthcoming from Tightrope Books.

Poetry

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Business&Reports

MostofthenewssurroundingAccessCopyrightthesedaysemanatesfromthepassingofBillC-11,andaSupremeCourtofCanadarulingon“fairdealing.” C-11willlikelymeanoverthelonghaulthatAC’sabilitytocollectrevenuethroughlicencingwilldecrease.Asaresult,ACisconsider-ingnewwaystoprovideservicetoitsusers.Internationally,RROsinothercountriesaredismayedatthepassingofC-11,astheyfeelitwillsetaprecedentforlawmakersinthosejurisdictionsaswell. TheSCC’s5-4decisionisbeingwidelymisinterpretedbymanyinwhatisbeingcalledthe“freecult”community,whichbelievesthatcopyingforeducationalusesshouldnotrequirecompensationtorightsholders.Ithinkwecallthat“piracy.”Inatleasttwocases,thatdecisionisbeingtoutedtomeanalleducationalcopyingis“fairdealing.”Theyincludeaprominentpost-secondaryorganizationandatleastonenewspapercolumnist/lawprofessor. Those“freecult”interpretationsarewrong.Theoppositeopinion

OnbehalfoftheInternationalAffairsCommittee,IattendedtheBC-basedAGM,havingpreviouslyseenBritaOsafo,InternationalSecretaryfortheSwedishWriters’Union,andmet/spokewithin-ternationalwritersandtranslators,CanadianConsulateartsofficersCarolineRibers(Sweden),MaiValentinNeilsen(Denmark),andBrendanGriggs(retiringartsofficer,BritishConsulate).Ofparticularinterestarethefollowingitems. Save ICCS.OurgovernmenthasgiventheInternational Council for Canadian Studiesayearto‘closeupshop’.TheICCShasbeenasuperbresourceforCanadianwriting.They’vepromotedourworkinuniversities,boughtandtranslatedourbooksforstudy,andinvitedourauthorsandpoetstoevents.SomeICCSchaptersproducejour-nalsofCanadianwriting.Thereisarelevantpetitiononourwebsite.I’vecreatedanothertosendtonationalandinternationalalliesandothers.Asalargecountrywithasmallpopulation,weneedinterna-tionalsupport.AndweneedthecommittedengagementICCShaswithourwork—frequentlymorediversethaninourowncountry.PleasesignandcirculatetheTWUCwebsitedoc.ItoriginatedwithJenniferAndrews,Canadianwriter-memberofBACS(BritishAs-sociationforCanadianStudies).

statesthatifeducatorsfollowthislineofthinkingtheymayfindthemselvesmiredinlegalproceedingsthey’drathernotexperience.Instead,theSCCdecisionon“fairdealing”appliedtoonly7%ofcopiedmaterialandstatedthattheCopyrightBoardofCanadamustreconsidersomeofitsearlierinterpretations.EarlierthisfalltheCopyrightBoardannounceditsdecisionagreeingwiththeSCCthatthe7%ofcopiedmaterialunderconsiderationdidconstitutefairdealing.ACfinalizedanewlicencewiththeAssociationofUniver-sitiesandCollegesofCanada(AUCC)afterwhichthatorganizationwithdrewitsobjectiontothetariff.TheAssociationofCanadianCommunityColleges,however,hascontinuedtoobjecttothetariff. Paybackamountswillbehigheroverallthisyearduetofasterclearingofroyaltypayments.Aswell,allcreatorscanexpectanextradividendpaymentrelatedtothepayoutofretroactiveroyaltiescollectedundertheK-12Tariffduringtheyears2005-2009.Thisextrapayment(individualamountswillvarydependentonyourPay-backstatus)willbedistributedalongwithyourPaybackdistribution. Andfinallyaftereightyears,AC’sexecutivedirector,MaureenCavan,hasannouncedherretirementeffectiveDecember31,2012.Notonlyhassheguidedtheorganizationthroughtrickywatershereathome,butshehasalsogivenACamostenviablereputationintheinternationalcommunityaswell.

InternationalAffairsCommitteeReport

GaleZoëGarnett,Chair

Danish Publication Opportunity.DanisheducatorEvaPorsfellinlovewithAnd Also Sharks,creatinganinteractiveprojectwithauthorJessicaWestheadandhergymnasiet(13–19)students.ThiswentsowellthatEva,apublishedacademicwriteronatwo-yearparentalleave,decidedtoproduceananthologyofCanadianwriting(recentfiction,non-fiction,andpoetry)forgymnasietstudents.Forfurtherinformation,deadlines,word-count,etc.,pleasecontactheratep@midfyns-Gym.dk. FIA.TheFIA(InternationalFederationofActors’)holdsitsWorldConferenceinSeptemberinToronto.Iattendedthesesessions.FIAhasdealtforalongwhilewithissuesandorganisationswithwhichwenowwrestle(e.g.copyright,translations,WIPO,SCAPR).Theyhavetemplates,whichcanbeofusetous.Willreportfurther. TWUC Restructuring.TWUCisnowinprocessofredesigningourcommitteestructures.Believingweneedtohavethebroadestplatformspossibletopromoteourwork,IhopeIACwillcontinueasastandingcommittee.Ifyouagree,pleaseemailNationalCouncil.Ihopeallfinaldecisionswillbetakenbythemembershipasawhole,ratherthanbyasmallgroup. Viveca Elizabeth Abrahams: 29 April, 1955–26 September, 2011.VivecaAbrahams,whoworkedcreativelyanddedicatedlyinbehalfofCanadianwritersatCanadaHouseintheUK,hasdied,fartooyoung,ofanaggressivebraincancer.WefirstmetatanICCSAGMinOttawa,andalwaysconnectedwhenIwasinLondon,hatchingplotstogetCanLittoBritishaudiences.Shewasaforceofnature.Herintelligence,creativity,guts,ribaldhumour,andanarchichairwillbemissed.Is missed.

AccessCopyrightLiaisonReport

RonBrown

FALL2012 ��

AsofSeptember,QuebechasanewlyelectedminorityPQgovern-ment.ThenumberswereveryclosebetweentheLiberalandPQseatsanditwillbeaninterestingfutureasthepoliticalplayersfrombothpartiessettleintotheirnewroles.

Speakingofelections,thetimehascometoelectaregionalrep.SincereplacingPeterDubelastyear,IhavebeenimpressedbythehardworkanddevotionmadebyNationalCouncilaswellastheTWUCstaffintheTorontooffice.IhavehadthepriviledgetoviewtheinnerworkingsoftheUnionwithgreatinterestandparticipa-tion.Atfirst,itwasalottotakeinandittooksometimetoadjusttomynewpositionandthedutiesinvolved.Witheverythingwehaveexaminedandhaveactedupon,Iamgratefulthatourchair(s)havekeptmembersabreastofallofNC’sactivitiesandbydoingso,haverelievedmeofhavingtorepeatthenewsasecondtime.

atGenniGunn’shouse.DetailswillbesenttoallBC/Yukonmem-bersinearlyOctober.

January/February—Islands:WeusuallyhaveaNationalCouncilmeetinginearlyFebruary,soitwouldbeagoodtoholdapriorregionalmeetingsothatanyconcernswehavecanbetakentoHQ.ThatwouldmeanholdingaBC/YukonmeetinginJanuary,preferablysomewhereontheislands.Forthatwe’dbelookingforahost...

WebsiteDon’tforgettotakearegularlookatthenewTWUCwebsiteat

www.writersunion.ca.Itisfullofnewsarticles,linkstostoriesinperiodicalslikeQuill & Quire,ourownBillofRightsfortheDigitalAge,andthecontentchangesfrequently.Infactthenewwebsiteissogoodthatitmakesafinebrowserhomepage.

Yousigninwithyourmemberusernameandpassword.Whenyoudothatmoreusefulinformationcomesup—informationthat’savailableonlytoTWUCmembers.Ifyouwantyourlocationtobeknown(goodforpromotionalopportunities),thenfillinthatpartofyourmembers’pagefromthedrop-downmenu.KatherineGordonhasworkedhardonbehalfofBC/Yukonmemberstogetthisfeatureincluded.ItmeansthatwecansearchforBCmem-bersbylocation—iftheinformationisthere.

‘Free’ Culture — A Parting Shot from the West CoastThe$1billionawardtoAppleinAugustforpatentinfringement

bySamsung,hasimplicationsforwriters.Itmaytakeawhilefortheseimplicationstofilterthrough,butthiscasemayhavesetim-portantprecedents.Theawardwasgivenbyajury.Whatisencour-agingaboutitisthat12persons(ordinarypeople—passengersonthelegendary‘ClaphamOmnibus’)whengiventhefactsdidnotfinditdifficulttoattachconceptsofownershipandvaluetointel-lectualproperty.Thejuryfoundinotherwords—eventhoughtheApplev.Samsungcasewasaboutpatentsandnotcopyright—thatcopyingwithoutpermissionisstealing.

BC/YukonRegionalReport

ByMichaelElcock,RegionalRepresentative

Kootenays Summer MeetingTheexcellentElephantMountainFestivalinNelsongaveusan

excusetoholdaregionalmeetinginBC’sbeautifulKootenays.Themeeting(followedbyasumptuouspotlucksupper)washeldatthemountainsidehouseofAnneDeGraceandherpartnerPhillip.ThemostimportantelementforanorganisationlikeTWUCisitsabilitytocommunicatewithafar-flungmembership.Sothismeeting—thefirstTWUCmeetingintheNelsonareaforalongtime—wasdesignedtosimplygivelocalwritersup-to-dateinformationaboutTWUCactivitiesandanopportunitytopresentviewsandasklotsofquestions.

BC/Yukon RepresentativeMytwo-yeartermasBC/YukonRep.willendatthe2013AGM

inOttawa.NominationsforthisrewardingandenlighteningroleshouldbeintotheTWUCofficebyOctober1st,sothatthenamescanbecirculatedtothemembership.YoucanfindaformforthisinthesummereditionofWriteMagazine.Howeverthereisaprovisionfornomineestobeaddedtothemail-inballotrightupuntilMarch3,2013.

Upcoming Regional MeetingsOctober—Vancouver:ThisissueofWritemaynotbeoutin

timeforthis,butwewillholdaVancouvermeetingonOctober21sttocoincidewithTWUCChairMerilynSimonds’visittothewestcoast.ThisisanopportunityforTWUCmemberstogetthelatestinformationabouttheirunion’swork.Themeetingwillbe

WithanotheryeartogoasQuebecrep,IwillcontinuetorepresentmembersinourprovincestartingwiththeFallNationalCouncilmeetinginOttawainSeptember.PleaselookforaLetterfromtheChairforanupdateofourmeeting.

Inothernews,ELANhelditsAGMinAugustandhaselectednewmemberstoitson-goingboard.Forinformationoncommu-nityevents,submissions,workshops,jobs,deadlinesandmore,theELANnewsletterreachesover2,400people.Ifyouwouldliketosubmityournews,logintowww.quebec-elan.or,andaddyournewsitemtotheCommunityNewsSectionwhereyournewswillbeautomaticallypromotedviatheirwebsite,Twitterfeed,andFacebookpage.

TheQWFFall2012WorkshopSerieshasbeenposted(www.qwf.org)andcarte blancheisnowacceptingpoetry,fiction,nonfic-tion,andtranslationforupcomingissues.Submissionguidlinesareathttp://carte-blanche.org/submissions.

WewelcometwonewmemberstotheTWUCtribe:MarkLavorato,Montreal—hispoetrybook,Wayworn Wooden Floors waspublishedbyPorcupine’sQuilllastfall—andBernadetteGrif-fin-Donovan,Montreal,Scenes of Childhood,fictionalizedmemoir,Shoreline,2007.

I’llseeyousometimeinthefall.WatchforaTWUCemailfordetails.

QuebecReport

ByJoyceScharf,RegionalRepresentative

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GreetingsfromCanada’sgreatcentralplain!

Festivals InSeptemberwritersgatheredforWinnipeg’sInternationalWriters’FestivalandSaskatoon’sTheWordOnTheStreet.Brandon’sWordsAliveandOgamasAboriginalliteraryfestivalsdidnotmaketheiranticipatedfallcomebacks.However,OgamashasbeenrebirthedwithanewnameandorganizingbodyandthefirstManitobaIndigenousLiteraryFestival(workingtitle)willtakeplaceinWinnipeg,October11–13withaschoolprogram,eveningevents,andafulldayofworkshops.Alargerfestivalisplannedfor2014.Regional Gathering Onceagain,TWUCmembersareinvitedtoparticipateintheSaskatchewanWriters’GuildAGMandConferenceatGuildmemberprices.Speaking in Tongues: Writing Voice and Genre willtakeplaceinSaskatoon,October26–28attheHiltonGardenInnandTCUPlace.SylviaTysonwillgivetheFridayCarolineHeathLecture.FeaturedpresentersincludeTWUCmembersDavidCar-penter,DanielDavidMoses,andCandaceSavage.AgentCarolynSwayzewillalsopresentandmeetwithparticipants.OurTWUCregionalmeetingwilltakeplaceonFridayoverdinner,andonSaturdayTWUCwillsponsorthecocktailreceptionpriortotheJohnHicksdinner.Formoreinformationandtoregistervisithttp://www.skwriter.comorcall306-569-1666. InManitoba,TWUCandManitobaWritersGuildmemberswillgatherforaholidayeventandopenmicintheArtspaceBuilding.Detailstocome.ArrangementsarebeingmadeforagroupbooksigningandmeetingatMcNallyRobinsonGrantPark,ashasbecomeourhabit.

In Residence We’vehaddisappointingnewsregardingtwoanticipatedwrit-ers-in-residenceprograms.Winnipeg’sRedRiverCollegeattempt-edtoestablishaprogram,butwasunabletosecurefunding.Also,theReginaPublicLibraryhasnotyetdecidedwhethertocontinuewithitsprogram.AdecisionisexpectedbyNovember. Inhappiernews,Albertachildren’sbookauthorDavidPoulsenbeganhisresidenceattheSaskatoonPublicLibraryinSeptem-berandwillcontinuethroughMay2013.AttheUniversityofManitoba’sCentreforCreativeWritingandOralCulture,Winni-peg-basedauthorSallyItobeganherresidenceinSeptemberandwillcontinuethroughDecember.BCpoetGregoryScofieldwillbewriter-in-residenceattheUniversityofWinnipegfromJanuarythroughMarch2013.AttheWinnipegPublicLibrary,WinnipegauthorJoanThomaswillbeensconcedaswriter-in-residencefromOctoberthroughApril2013.

Business&Reports

InmylastreportIstatedthechallengeofestablishinganeffectivechannelofcommunicationbetweenmyselfandmyfellowOntarioTWUCers.Thischapterboastsmorethan1,000TWUCmembersspreadoveramillionsquarekilometres.OntarioisalsotheoneprovinceinCanadathatdoesnothaveawriters’guildorwritingassociation.TheresultisthatOntarioTWUCmembershavebeenforcedtodependonTWUC,anorga-nizationdesignedfornationalpurpose,fortheirprovincialneeds.Thetwoarenotalwaysidentical.

ToremedythisIamattemptingtoestablishTWUCsubgroupsacrossOntariobasedongeographicregions.Withineachsub-groupTWUCerswillnowhavetheopportunitytocommunicateandevenmeetwithotherTWUCmembersintheirregion.

TWUCmemberscanchoosetobelongtotwoormoresub-groupsornoneiftheyjustwanttobeleftalone.ThesubgroupsvaryinsizefromsevenpotentialmembersinthenearNorthareatomorethan500intheGreaterTorontoArea.Thelargerurbanareasmaywanttofurthersubdivideintosmallerregionalgroupsandthatisentirelyuptothem.Thisisaworkinprogress.Sub-groupsmaychoosetoamalgamatewithothers.Theymaywanttomeeteverymonth,everyyear,orjuststayincontactbyemail;whateverworksforthem.

WhatIamhopingforisthateachsubgroupwillbecomevibrantwriters’communitiesthatwillsupporttheirfellowmem-bersandshareinformationwithotherTWUCsubgroups.AstheOntarioRepresentative,IamhopingthatIwillbekeptintheloopbysomeonefromeachsubgroupsoIcanbringwhatevernationalresourceswehavetooffer.

IamhopingthatbynowallOntarioTWUCmembershavereceivedane-mailfrommeaboutthesubgroups.Ifyouweresomehowmissed,pleasecontactmeatspitt@uniserve.com.

SpeakingofOntario-specificnews,recentlyIhadthepleasureofattendingapresentationbyJohnDegenandGouledHassanoftheOntarioArtsCouncil.Thegoodnewsisthatthereiswritinggrantmoneytobeawarded.Thebadnewsisthatstatistically,yourapplication,nomatterhowexcellent,isliabletoberejectedonitsfirsttrysimplybecausetherearealwayssomanyequallyexcellentapplications.Thekeytosuccess,Mr.Degenstressed,ispersistence.Ifyourapplicationisrejecteddonottakeitasapersonaljudgementofyourtalentsasawriterorthemeritsofyourproposal.Iknowofonewriterwhodidreceiveagrantafterresubmittingexactlythesameapplicationafteraninitialrejection.Try,tryagain.FormoreinformationaboutOntarioArtsCouncilgrantsgotowww.arts.on.ca.

Finally,congratstoBarryGrillsofNorthBaywhosebookEvery Wolf’s HowlisbeingreleasedOctober1stbyFreehandBooks.CongratulationsalsotoElizabethSellersinOttawawhosesecondnovelTrouble Rides a Fast HorsewillbepublishedbySunberryBooksthisOctober.

OntarioReportByStevePitt,RegionalRepresentative

Manitoba/SaskatchewanReportByAnitaDaher,RegionalRepresentative

FALL2012 �1

It’sachallengebeingAtlanticRep—theonlyreptodealwithfourprovinces,twoofwhichprefertoputwaterbetweenthemselvesandthecontinent.AndthoughIhavestrongcontactsineachprovinceandcommunicationwiththeexecutivedirectorsofeachprovince’swriters’organization,thatdoesn’tcoverallTWUCmembers.Duringmytermasrep,Idointendtogetaroundandhavecreatedscheduleofvisitationplans,whichlookslikethis:

InOctober2012IwillvisitPrinceEdwardIsland.Insummer,likelyJuly2013,IwilltraveltoNewfoundland.Inspring2014,aheadoftheAGM,IwilltraveltoNovaScotia.ThroughthenexttwoyearsIwillbereadilyavailableto

membersinNewBrunswickorthosetravellingthroughtheprovince,unlessI’moffvisitinganotherprovince.It’salsopossibleIwillbeinNovaScotiaonearlieroccasions.

TheseplansworkaroundmyownscheduleattheWriters’FederationofNewBrunswick,andTWUCmembersintheregion,alongthoseinterestedinjoining,willbenotifiedwellinadvance.TWUCmembershipacrosstheAtlanticprovincesisapproximately150,which,whenpopulationistakenintoaccount,putsusinlinewithotherregionsofthecountry.AtlanticCanadianmembershipintheirprovincialwriters’organisations,however,iscloserto2000.SurelywecanpullinafewmoreTWUCmembers.

Perhapsit’stheinfluxofsocialmedia,ortheeaseofcommunication,buttheamountofliteraryeventsandauthor-relatedactivitiesintheregionseemtohaveexploded.TheenormoussuccessoftheFryeFestivalinMoncton(heldeveryApril)andthecrowdsthatgatherforTheWordOnTheStreetinHalifaxaretestamenttolong-lastinginterest,whilerecentfestivalssuchasReadbytheSeainRiverJohn,NovaScotia,thePen&InklingandVictoriaLiteraryFestivalsinPrinceEdwardIsland,andWFNB’sduoofWordsFallandWordsSpringshowgrowinginterest.Therearealsolong-runningreadingseries,suchattheLorenzoSocietyReadingsatUniversityofNewBrunswichSchoolofJournalism,UNB’sPoetryWeekend,andnewerones,suchastheWriter’sAllianceofNewfoundlandandLabrador’sComeFromAwayseriesinSt.John’s.

Infallandwinterregionalnews,TheWriters’FederationofNovaScotialaunchesitsFallSeminarSeries,whiletheirAtlanticWritingCompetition,inits36thyear,runsuntilNovember9.ManyanAtlanticCanadianwriter’scareerhasbeenassistedthroughsuccessattheAWC.InPEI,theIslandLiteraryAwardswerehandedoutonSeptember30.InNewfoundland,theComeFromAwayreadingserieswillrunthroughthefallandwinter,andinNewBrunswick,WordsFallwilltakeplaceonOctober20inWoodstock,whiletheWFNBliterarycompetitionopensinDecember.

AtlanticReportByLeeD.Thompson,RegionalRepresentative

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The Banff CenTre | Literary artsSteven Ross Smith, Director

WRITEIN BANFF,sHare WitHtHe WOrLD.Apply by November 15, 2012

In(ter)ventIons: LIterary PractIce at the edgeFebruary 11 – 23, 2013

Faculty: Steven Ross Smith (program director), Joe Amato, J.R. Carpenter, Fred Wah

Guests: Johanna Drucker, Lori Emerson, Gail Scott

sPoken WordApril 3 – 12, 2013

Faculty: Tanya Evanson (program director), Jean-Pierre Makosso, D’Bi Young

Guests: Christian Bök, Alexis O’Hara

WrItIng studIoApril 29 – June 1, 2013

Faculty: Greg Hollingshead (program director), Dionne Brand, Caroline Adderson, Stan Dragland, Steven Galloway, Madeleine Thien, Karen Solie, Jen Hadfield, Daljit Nagra, Colin Bernhardt

For more information:banffcentre.ca/writing 1.800.565.9989

BanffCentreLitBanffCentreLit

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AuthorAndreas SchroederwaspresentedwiththeGraemeGibsonAwardbyTheWriters’UnionofCanadaatitsAnnualGeneralMeetingonMay26,2012.EstablishedbytheUnionin1991for“variedandremarkablecontributionstoimprovethecircumstancesofwritersinCanada,”theawardwasfirstgiventoGraemeGibson.In1992itwasgiventoPierreBertonandin2011toHeatherRobertson.AndreasSchroederisitsfourthrecipient.

CharlotteFielden’ssonandeditor,Jerry Fielden,isarecipientoftheQueenElizabethIIDiamondJubileeMedalforhisbookontheWildcat438thhelicoptersquadronthathasbeendoingrescueworkaroundtheworldsince1934.Charlotte’s11thbook,The Story of Marly Mansion,sequeltoherfirstmysterynovelThe Wolves of Positanowillhavealatesummerrelease.

TWUCmembersRawi Hage,Carnival(HouseofAnansiPress)andLinda Spalding,The Purchase(McClelland&Stewart)werebothfinalistsforthisyear’sRogersWriters’TrustFictionPrize,hostedbyTheWriters’TrustofCanada.Thisawardrecognizeswritersoftheyear’sbestnovelorshortstorycollection.

TheScotiabankGillerPrizelonglist,announcedinearlySeptember,includedTWUCmembersLauren Davis,Our Daily Bread,Cary Fagan,My Life Among the Apes,Annabel Lyon,The Sweet Girl,andNancy Richler,The Imposter Bride.NancyRichler’snovelwasalsoshortlistedforthisyear’sPrize.

Gwen Molnar announcesherpublicationfromDempsterandCraigBooks,Edmonton: Just Because: a Collection of Light Verse and Nonsense.

TWUCmembersFarzana Doctor,Andrew J. Borkowski,andMichele Landsberg wereallfinalistsforthe2012TorontoBookAwards.CongratulationstoAndrewJ.Borkowskiwhowonthisyear’saward.

Thisyear’sfinalistsfortheOttawaBookAwardsincludedTWUCmembersFrances Itani,Requiem(HarperCollinsCanada);Alan Cumyn,Tilt(GroundwoodBooks);Jamieson Findlay,The Summer of Permanent Wants(DoubledayCanada);andElizabeth Hay,Alone in the Classroom(McClelland&Stewart)inthefictioncategory,andMurray Brewster,The Savage War: The Untold Battles of Afghanistan(JohnWiley&SonsCanada)inthenon-fictioncategory.

Shelley A. Leedahlhaspublishedher10thbook,Listen, Honey (DCBooks,Montreal,2012)ashortstorycollectionwhichexposesemotionallyelectricliveswithgrit,humour,andtenderness.Familialandromanticrelationshipsturnstrangeorgoaltogetherawry,wildidiosyncrasiesdevelop,andcharactersnavigatetheirpersonaljoys,ironies,andcrashingdisasterswithcourageandgrace.

Thefollowingmemberswereallfinalistsforthe2012GovernorGeneral’sLiteraryAwards.Fiction:Vincent Lam,The Headmaster’s

Wager(DoubledayCanada),Carrie Snyder,The Juliet Stories(HouseofAnansiPress),Linda Spalding,The Purchase(McClelland&Stewart).Poetry:A. F. Moritz,The New Measures(HouseofAnansiPress).Non-fiction:Carol Bishop-Gwyn,The Pursuit of Perfection: A Life of Celia Franca(CormorantBooks).Children’sLiterature:Deborah Kerbel,Under the Moon (DancingCatBooks),Susin Nielsen,The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen(TundraBooks),Allan Stratton,The Grave Robber’s Apprentice (HarperCollinsCanada).

Heather Harbord’sTexada Tapestry, A HistorypublishedinNovember2011byHarbourPublishing,hasreceivedHonourableMentionsfromboththeB.C.HistoricalFederationandtheB.C.GenealogicalSociety.

TheReLitAward—foundedtoacknowledgethebestnewworkreleasedbyindependentpublishers—releaseditsshortlistattheendofSeptember,whichincludedthefollowingmembers:Poetry:Sandra Ridley Post-apothecary,(Pedlar),andCornelia Hoogland, Woods Wolf Girl,(Wolsak&Wynn).Novel: Suzette Mayr, Monoceros(CoachHouse),andTom Reynolds,Break Me(Quattro).

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MemberAwardsandNews

TheCFUisaunionforallindependentmediaworkers.AsaLocaloftheCommunications,EnergyandPaper-workersUnionofCanada(CEP),oneofCaanada’slarg-estprivate-sectorunions,webringalabourfocustothebusinesschallengesthatfaceallself-employedmediaworkers.

TheCanadianFreelanceUnion(CEP2040)ispleasedtopartnerwithTheWriters’UnionofCanadainourcollectiveefforttoimproveworkingconditionsforindependentauthors.

Pleasecheckoutourwebsite:www.canadianfreelanceunion.ca,

andjoinusinchangingourworkingworld.

Jointmemberswillnowreceive10% offtheirannualCFUmembershipfees.

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JohannaBertinDianeBuchananJohnMelady

GloriaMonteroStevePitt

THANK yOU

Bob Armstrong, Dadolescence, turn-stone Press, 2011

Catherine Astolfo, The Bridgeman (An Emily Taylor Mys-tery), imajin Books, Edmonton, 2012

B. j. Bayle, Red River Rising, dun-durn, 2012

Sabrina Bernardo, Innercity Girl Like Me, harpertrophy Canada, 2008

Catherine Black, A Hard Gold Thread, Guernica Editions, 2011

Kathleen Cherry, Blowing Bubbles, Aaspirations, 2012

Deb Elkink, The Third Grace, Green-brier Book Com-pany, 2011

Sandra Foster, You Can’t Take it With You: Common-Sense Estate Planning for Canadians, John wiley & sons Canada, Ltd, 2007

Scott Fothering-ham, The Rest is Silence, Goose Lane Editions, 2012

Bernadette Griffin-Donovan, Scenes of Childhood, shore-line, 2007

Mark Lavorato, Wayworn Wooden Floors, the Porcu-pine’s Quill, 2011

Sara Malton, Forgery in Nineteenth Century Literature and Culture: Fictions of Finance From Dickens to Wilde , Palgrave MacMillan, 2009

Carol McDougall, Baby Play, Nimbus Publishing, 2012

Barbara Pono-mareff, In the Mind’s Eye, Quattro Books, 2011

Melanie Schnell, While the Sun is Above Us, Freehand Books, 2012

Raminder Sidhu, Tears of Mehndi, Caitlin Press, 2012

Maureen Webb, Illusions of Security: Global Surveillance and Democracy in the Post 9-11 World, City Lights, 2007

Virginia Winters, Murderous Roots, Cambridge Books, 2012

Brian Wright-McLeod, Red Power, Fifth house, 2011

Cybele young, A Few Bites, Groundwood Books, 2011

PROVISIONAL

Claire Battershill, Circus, McClelland & stewart, due spring 2012

E. R. Brown, Almost Criminal, dundurn, due 2013

Lisa Dalrymple, If It’s No Trouble - A Big Polar Bear, tuckamore Books (Creative Publish-ing), due Oct 12

jan DeGrass, Jazz with Ella, Libros Lib-ertad, due October 2012

Stella Leventoyan-nis Harvey, Nicolai’s Daughters, signa-ture Editions, sept 12

Fran Kimmel, The Shore Girl,

Newest Press, due sept 2012

Bonnie Lendrum, Autumn’s Grace, inanna Publications, due spring 2013

Michael Laverty, Hands of the Tyrants, Now or Never Publishing, due Fall 2012

Lisa Lucas Alfred, Children’s book coming fromtun-dra, forthcoming Fall 2012

Dr. Gretchen Roedde, strange Calling: A Doctor’s Journeys in Mother and Child Health, dundurn Press, due

Oct 2012

james Ross, Cottage Daze, dundurn Press, 2012

Vivien Shotwell, Amato Bene, doubleday Canada due spring 2012

Urve Tamberg, Amid Two Evils, Cormo-rant/dancing Cat, due Fall 2012

Ayelet Tsabari, The Best Place on Earth, harperCollins, due winter 2013

Glynis Whiting, A Nose for Death, thistledown Press, due 2013

NewMembers

Classifieds REMOTE CAPE BRETON RETREATIfyouneedawildandtremendousplacetodoyourwritingthing,pleasehavealookatwww.surfscoter.org.Availableforweekly/monthlyrentalsnextyear,July-October.Discountforfellowmembers!

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EDDITINGMorethanjustcheckingforextraDs.Wemakeyourtextandideasshine,combiningtechnicalknowledgeandexperiencewithdeepappreciationofwell-writtenwords.Fromarichhistoryinbusinessandacademics,weoffernotonlyeditingandwriting,butalsodeftinfusionofcreativityandconfidence.www.marrocco-writing.comVACATION RENTALQuietgroundfloorvacationrentalapartmentinheritagemansionwalkingdistancetodowntownVictoria,BC.

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foryourdonation.TheWriters’Unionwouldliketothankthefollowingindi-vidualsfortheirdonationstotheunion.

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InMemoriam

MarjoryElizabeth(Jones)GordonwasborninJohnstown,PennsylvaniaandgrewuptherewithhersiblingsQuay,Ruth,andMorgan.ShegraduatedinphysiotherapyfromtheUniversityofMichiganandfromtherewenttoSeattle.Shemetherfuturehusband,Bryan,attheUniersityofWashington.TheywerebothmountainclimbersandclimbedinthePacificNorthwest,aswellasmanyotherlocations.Theymarriedin1965inInuvik,andhadtwochildren,CharlotteandBruce. Duringthesummermonthsoveraperiodoftwodecades,Marjory(withherchildrenintow)workedalongsideherhusbandinNorthernCanada,doingarchaeologicalsurveys.Thisincludedexcavatingafurtradepost,theNorthwestCompany’sFortAlexander,usedfrom1817to1821.HerexperiencesinplacesliketheMackenzieValleyandtheBarrenshelpedtoshapethewritingthatfollowed.AfterstudyingatgradschoolinCalgary,theGordonfamilymovedtoOttawain1972.In1975,MarjorybecameanaturalizedCanadiancitizen.Inthelate1980s,sheenrolledinaUniversityofOttawawritingclassthatIwasteaching,andtothatclassandothersshebroughtherscientificmindandsciencebackground.Sheexpressedadesiretowritefictionandwantedtogivefreereigntoherimagination. In1994,MarjoryandBryan’sdaughter,Charlotte,waskilledinamotorvehicleaccidentinCalgary.Thistragicevent,morethananyother,compelledMarjorytoreturntoamanuscriptshe’dbeentryingtowriteforseveralyears.Heronenovel,Daughter of Strangers(2001),wascompletedafteralongstruggle.IlovedthisnovelthenandIstilldonow.ItissetontheThelonRiverandisaboutayounggirllivingamongtheDene.Marjoryhadastoryinsideherandshedidnotgiveup.Shefoundthestructureforhernovelandwroteherstorywithlove. ThereweremanyothersidestoMarjory;sheparticipatedinScottishcountrydancingfor34years;shecontinuedtoloveadventure,toclimb,hike,andski;shepractisedtaichi,supportedherchurchcommunity,adoredandindulgedher3younggranddaughterswholiveinEurope.Sheencouragedotherwriters,andvolunteeredasareaderforTWUC’swritingcontests.Sheservedonliteraryjuriesandtookpartinworkshops.Shealwaysturnedupatthebooklaunchesofherfriendsinthelargerwriting

communityintheOttawaarea.Marjorywasapositive,practical,resourcefulwoman.Shecontainedsomuchinnerstrength,itwasalmostvisible. MarjorydiedofcanceronJuly20,2012.Sheismissed,notonlybyherimmediateandextendedfamilies,butbyhermany,manyfriends.

Daughter of Strangersby Marjory Gordon (Oberon Press 2001)

ExcerptfromChapter1

Acoolwindrushedinherearsandsweptheralong.Therushinginherearschangedtoclicksandsnortsandamustyanimalsmellwaseverywhere.Herheadspun.Shestruggledforbearingsthroughherdizziness.Shenolongerstoodhighontheknob,butranoutsideofherowncontrol,pantingassheracedupashadedravine.Aherdofcariboucrowdedupthegullywithher,separatedaroundherandmassedtogetheraftertheyhadgoneby.Aboycutacrossherpath.Heyelledtoher,butshecouldn’tunderstand.Thewordswereoddordistortedbythesoundsofthecaribou.Heworefittedskinpantsandaskinshirtwithatailintheback.Hisblackhairwaslongandhisskinwasdark,likehers. Shestopped,butthecariboukeptrunning.Behindher,peopleshouted.Atthetopoftheravine,menspearedtheanimals.Three.Four.Adozencariboudroppedandstillthemenkilledmore.Acariboudrive!Almostassoonassherealizedwhatwashappening,thedrivewasoverandshewascircledbywomenandchildrendressedinskins.Eachwomanhadthreelongblacklinestattooedacrosseachcheekandasinglelineupthecentreoftheforehead.Sodidthemenwhocamewiththeirspears.Thefirstmantoreachher,raisedhisspear.HepointedthepinkquartzitetipdirectlyatAmy.Hepulledbackhisthrowingarm,tensedtohurlit.Sheboltedlikearabbittryingtogetoutofacorner.Anothermangrabbedherarm.Hisfingersdugin. “In-lae!”awoman’svoiceyelled.Themanpaused,heldbackbyherwords.Hepokedthebuttofhisweaponintothesand.

MarjoryGordonBy FRANCEs itANi

1941–2012

FALL2012 ��

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