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[22 Jun 2008|01:31pm] |
I'm a featured contributor in the July/August 2008 issue of Alberta views .
My story "Heart of the Peace Country" appears on Page 10.
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| My new job |
[22 Jun 2008|01:30pm] |
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I'm moving (again). I will be leaving Grande Prairie at the end of July to move to Edmonton. In Edmonton, I will be working for "Alberta Farmer Express", covering agriculture for Edmonton and the surrounding counties. "Alberta Farmer Express" is a provincial bi-weekly newspaper that goes throughout rural Alberta. I'll be working out of a home office, and am allowed to freelance as I see fit. I'm really excited about my new position, but will miss the people of Grande Prairie and my job here. Still, I'm looking forward to being in a larger centre, and being closer to my parents, who are still in Saskatoon. My decision to take this job is also part of a decision to start specializing in agriculture. There are few agricultural reporters, and I foresee a lot of demand for good reporting on the topic, as the food crisis and food issues continue to grow and develop. I'm really excited about the possibility of combining a knowledge in agriculture with my background in international development. In order to improve my knowledge, I'll be enrolling in a distance education course on Food security hosted at Ryerson University.
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| School visits! |
[11 May 2008|07:34pm] |
This Tuesday, I'll be a guest speaker to two Grade 6 classes at Avondale school in Grande Prairie. My friend James, who is an old friend from Saskatoon, is a Grade 6 teacher at the school, and he asked me to come in to visit the kids and do some activities with them for their poetry unit.
I really love visiting with school classes. I usually read some work, and then answer lots of questions from the kids. Part of the reason why I love doing these visits is because I remember how important they were for me. I absolutely loved it when authors came to visit me in school, because I wanted to be a writer more than anything and was always ready and willing to soak up any information I could about the profession. I hope that my visits help encourage the closet writers in the classroom. I like to tell kids that it's okay to love books, words and writing. :)
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[02 May 2008|08:31am] |
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My review of William Neil Scott's book "Wonderfull" appears in this month's Alberta Views magazine.
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| All quiet on the Western front? |
[20 Apr 2008|03:48pm] |
It may seem quiet around here but looks can be deceiving. Since March, I've managed to write three short stories and I've been working on some new poems as well.
I'm also appearing in a poetry event called "The Western Swing." The Swing will take several poets on tour to four locations in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, I'm not going on tour, but I will be appearing at the Grande Prairie event.
April 29, 7:30 PM - Tour crosses Alberta's western border for a reading in Grande Prairie at the Rabbit Hole Bookstore with Donna Kane from Dawson Creek, BC as well as Jenna Butler, rob mclennan, Alexis Kienlen, Catherine McLaughlin and Dymphny Dronyk.
Stop by if you're in the area!
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[16 Mar 2008|12:57pm] |
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I've got an article in this week's Western Producer . Unfortunately, the article appears in a section that's only available to subscribers, but if you happen to be in a library or near a newstand this week, my article appears on page 43.
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[12 Mar 2008|08:50am] |
I recently joined PEN Canada . This was really exciting for me, since it was something that I've always dreamed of doing. PEN is an international organization that promotes the freedoms of writers, journalist and editors. In order to join as a full member, you have to be a published author. PEN Canada has done work to free writers who are jailed for their beliefs, and also works to support writers who must flee their countries.
PEN Canada also hosts fundraising events, writes letters to pressure governments, creates anthologies and raises awareness about human rights and freedom of expression.
Members include the Honourable John Ralston Saul, Margaret Atwood, and Rohinton Mistry.
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[05 Mar 2008|12:35pm] |
Here's a piece that I wrote for a new business magazine out of Edmonton called Unlimited.
Read the piece here
And I also have a lovely contributor bio here
(Scroll down for that one)
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| The past few months and the PLR |
[28 Feb 2008|08:49pm] |
2008 has already been a busy year for me. I spent the first few weeks of January taking care of some freelance work and preparing for my two week trip overseas.
On January 23, I gave a very successful reading in Vancouver in front of 70 people.
Following that, I flew to the Philippines with a group of 11 Canadian cooperators. I travelled to Batangas City, Iloilo, Oriental Mindoro, Naic and Pandan, visiting cooperatives and meeting with Filipino cooperators. The trip was an absolutely amazing and lifechanging opportunity which has given me increased inspiration and drive to write stories about peoples' lives.
I returned to Canada on February 11 and have been occupied by my day job at the newspaper. In addition, I have been putting increased effort into freelancing stories about my experiences in the Philippines.
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Today I received my first PLR cheque. PLR stands for "Public Lending Right". The program enables Canadian authors to receive financial compensation if their books appear in Canadian libraries. My book appeared in 5 out of the 7 Canadian libraries surveyed, and my cheque arrived in the mailbox today.
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| Vancouver reading |
[24 Nov 2007|11:40am] |
I will be reading at Radha (728 Main Street) in Vancouver, January 23. The event will last from 7p.m. to 9 p.m. and is free of charge.
I'm hoping to do a lot of signing and visiting at this event.
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| Good news- Upcoming overseas trip |
[30 Oct 2007|08:10am] |
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I have been chosen to participate in the Canadian Cooperative Association's upcoming Study Mission to the Philippines. The trip will last from January 26- February 11 and will include numerous visits to cooperatives in the South Luzon area. As part of my duties, I will be responsible for documenting the trip, and writing stories for various Canadian media outlets.
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[17 Oct 2007|07:45am] |
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Sometimes you get a mediocre review, sometimes you get a mean one, sometimes you get a beautiful review, like this one
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[12 Oct 2007|07:47am] |
"She dreams in red" is a recommended read on the McNally Robinson booksellers website.
What does this mean?
I'm not quite sure, but if you go to the title page, and then click on the recommended poetry titles, it pops up as one of 17 "recommended books."
It's directly above a book titled "100 poems about love and lust."
I think I may have to buy that book.
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[10 Oct 2007|08:29pm] |
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Fellow Frontenac poet Dymphny Dronyk and I will be presenting a workshop to high school students from Peace Wapiti school at the Grande Prairie Public Library, October 22.
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| The Power of the Land |
[24 Sep 2007|08:06pm] |
I'm embarking a new project and am writing a script for a multimedia show called "The Power of the Land." The show is a benefit for the Grande Prairie farmer's market and will be presented at the Grande Prairie Regional College, November 2.
The Power of the Land is a collaborative effort featuring many local artists, musicians and writers including Dymphny Dronyk, Peter Von Tiesenhausen , The DandyLionesses , Catherine McLaughlin, JoAnn Wells , and numerous farmers from the Peace Country area.
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| Due to a technicality.... |
[24 Sep 2007|08:00pm] |
Due to a technicality, the new Denys Arcand movie screened in Grande Prairie before it opened anywhere else. As a result, I've become a bit of a "local expert" in Grande Prairie, and have spent a few days speaking to journalists from Quebec and all over Alberta and referring them to local people that they can interview.
I even filed a story to The Canadian Press enabling journalists all over the country to have access to the information I collected. Sometimes it pays to be the only game in town.
You can read the story I wrote here
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My Saskatoon events were a huge success. Thanks to everyone who attended.
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I'm currently writing a speech I'll be delivering as a panelist at the Writers Guild of Alberta conference to be held in Grande Prairie September 28-30.
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[13 Sep 2007|03:20pm] |
I'm really looking forward to my hometown reading at McNally Robinson, September 17. The event will start at 7 p.m that evening.
The following day, I'll be heading to my alma mater, Bishop James Mahoney high school, to do a reading, and a writing exercise with some of the advanced English students. I think this will be a ball.
Does this mean I'm a role model for brooding, bookish youth?
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| September 17 event |
[12 Aug 2007|09:55am] |
I'll be doing a reading and answering questions about my book in Saskatoon at McNally Robinson at 7 p.m. on September 17.
Thanks to awesome events coordinator, Allison Fairbairn, for organizing the event. I'm excited to read in my hometown.
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