BC literary arts
Denman writers’ fest coming
It’s hard to imagine a better way to spend a beautiful summer day (or three) than to travel to a laid-back, warm and friendly Gulf Island and then to hob-nob, work with and generally enjoy the company of a galaxy of wonderful writers. So get out your calendar and clear some time from July 15 [...]
Sitka Books & Art to be Vancouver’s new independent bookstore
Sitka Books & Art Ltd. announced today the planned opening of its flagship store Sitka Books & Art on West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano. Sitka Books & Art will be Vancouver’s largest independent full-service bookstore filling the void that the closing of Duthie Books created. Sitka Books & Art will carry a full complement of [...]
Rossland reads opens up
As the summer finally hits the Alpine City a few page-savvy readers are gearing up for another chapter of Rossland Reads, encouraging the young and old to pick some fiction books and dive right in. Rossland Reads started to promote the local library and the joy of reading Canadian fiction. Four distinguished local panelists have [...]
Entries being accepted for City of Vancouver Book Award
The City of Vancouver is inviting publishers and authors to submit entries for the annual City of Vancouver Book Award. Books of any genre that demonstrate excellence and contribute to an appreciation and understanding of Vancouver’s residents, history, or unique character are eligible to apply for the $2,000 award. The winning book must also exhibit excellence in content, illustration, design and/or [...]
April is poetry month, and Vancouver is home to two of Canada’s top poets. You do the math.
Alright, I’m just going to get this out of the way: poetry isn’t easy. I struggled with how to start this post because it’s about poetry, which is an art form that many people shy away from. I don’t want to turn readers away, but I also don’t want to pretend that the sentiment isn’t [...]
Stan Persky wins B.C. literary award
Stan Persky, a Vancouver writer, media commentator and public intellectual, has been awarded the B.C. Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence. The $5,000 award is given annually to a B.C. writer who has contributed to the growth of literary excellence in the province, “His grace as an essayist, his curiosity and independence of thought as [...]
Salmon Arm: Festival pens in presenters
Anyone interested in the written word will not want to miss the 2010 Shuswap Lake International Writers Festival. Hosted by the Shuswap Association of Writers, the festival runs Friday, May 28 through Sunday, May 30 at the Prestige Harbourfront Resort and the Salmon Arm campus of Okanagan College. With an excellent lineup of 16 authors, [...]
Vernon writer shortlisted for national poetry award
Vernon’s Laisha Rosnau has been shortlisted for the 2010 Pat Lowther Memorial Award for her latest book of poetry, Lousy Explorers, published by Nightwood Editions. The award is given to a Canadian woman who has published a book of poetry in the preceding year, and is in memory of the late Lowther, whose career was [...]
Ridge poet wins literary award
A poet with Maple Ridge roots has won a 2009 CBC Literary award. Michael Langton, who now lives in Vancouver, took first place in the poetry category for Us unclean. The annual contest received more than 6,000 submissions in French and English from across the country. Twelve entries were selected by the juries: six in [...]
Volumes that tell B.C.’s story: Titles to consider as a list of the province’s top 100 books is compiled
What are British Columbia’s 100 best books? Linda L. Richards and David Middleton, co-founders of the literary website Januarymagazine.com,want your suggestions, and TouchWood Editions will publish the list in book form next year. Richards, Middleton and TouchWood publisher Ruth Linka say their definition of a B.C. book is broad: The author can be a British [...]
Vancouver: City poet wins award
Vancouver poet Michael Langton is among the winners of the 2009 CBC Literary Awards, announced Thursday. Langton won for his poem Us unclean. Other English-language winners were Marian Botsford Fraser of Toronto, for The Rise in the creative non-fiction category, and Saskatoon’s Donald Ward for his short story, Badger.
Annabel Lyon, Michael Turner among finalists for BC Book Prizes
The finalists for the BC Book Prizes were announced on Thursday, a group of authors which includes Michael Turner, Annabel Lyon, and Ian Weir. The awards honour writers in seven different categories.
Vancouver’s Lyon up for first novel award
Vancouver’s Annabel Lyon, who won the Writer’s Trust best novel award for The Golden Mean, has now been nominated for the first novel award for Canadian writers.. The Golden Mean, about Aristotle teaching the young Alexander the Great, was also nominated for the Giller Prize and a Governor General’s Literary Award. The $7,500 First Novel [...]
Comox Valley: New venue for writers coming
Writers and poets in the Comox Valley are invited to take part in a new program sponsored by the Community Arts Council in association with the Comox Valley Writers’ Society. The program will consist of a series of evening events designed to give exposure to local writers and their work. Planned for the last Monday [...]
Cuts threaten shelf life of local magazines
Vancouver arts and literary magazines are facing more cuts this year, as the Canada Periodical Fund was introduced last week, but civic funding may help soften the blow. The Ministry of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages created the periodical fund to replace both the Canada Magazine Fund and the Publications Assistance Program. Under the new [...]
