As our May executive meeting will involve planning for the 2012-2013 season, we will opening it to all NOWW members. The meeting will be at 7 pm on Monday, May 28 in room C212 at Confederation College. If you are interested in finding out about available positions on the executive, volunteering, and/or have some ideas for upcoming programming, we encourage you to attend. We hope to see many of you there!
Announcing the winners of our 14th Annual Writing Competition!
Poetry (Judged by Dennis Cooley)
1st: Holly Haggarty, Thunder Bay, ON
2nd: Heather Mesich, Sioux Lookout, ON
3rd: Sue Blott, Thunder Bay, ON
Short Fiction (Judged by Matthew J. Trafford)
1st: Jane Crossman, Thunder Bay, ON
2nd: Vania Selvaggi, Toronto, ON
3rd: Jane Crossman, Thunder Bay, ON
Creative Non-Fiction (Judged by Leilah Nadir)
1st: Krista Montelpare, Halifax, NS
2nd: Vania Selvaggi, Toronto, ON
3rd: Sue Blott, Thunder Bay, ON
Children’s Story (Judged by Richard Scrimger)
1st: Heather Mesich, Sioux Lookout, ON
2nd: Bonnie Tittaferrante, Thunder Bay, ON
3rd: John Pringle, Atikokan, ON
Thanks to everyone who entered, and stay tuned for information about our 15th Annual Writing Competition coming up in 2013!
On Saturday, May 12, at our annual Literary Awards Party, the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop honoured the recipients of the 2012 Elizabeth Kouhi Award and the Sheila Burnford Builders Award for outstanding contributions to the literature of Northwestern Ontario.
The Elizabeth Kouhi Award, named in honour of Thunder Bay poet Elizabeth Kouhi, is awarded each year to a writer whose body of work has a significant history of contributing to the literature of Northwestern Ontario. The 2012 Elizabeth Kouhi Award was presented to Thunder Bay’s Sharon Irvine. Irvine is a writer, teacher and poet whose work has appeared in various periodicals and anthologies, including Core, 807, Squeeze, The Whiskey Jack, and Northern Nurses, as well as Core Samples and Watching the Parade, her first collection of poetry.
The Sheila Burnford Builders Award, named for writer Sheila Burnford, whose beloved story The Incredible Journey was set in Northwestern Ontario, recognizes a “builder”— someone who has made outstanding contributions to publishing, promoting, or supporting the literature of Northwestern Ontario. The recipients of the 2012 Burnford Award are J.F. (Jim) Foulds, Rosalind Maki, Deborah deBakker and Charles Wilkins, the founding members of the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop.
Please join us in congratulating our winners!
Celebrate Literature and Writing in Northwestern Ontario!
NOWW is proud to host the annual Literary Awards Party, Saturday, May 12, from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at the Current River Community Center, 450 Dewe Street, Thunder Bay.
Come celebrate the winner of the Elizabeth Kouhi award for excellence in writing, the winner of the Sheila Burnford award for building writing and literature in the region, the winners of NOWW’s 14th Annual Writing Contest, and the achievements of NOWW members in 2011 and 2012.
This is YOUR CHANCE to
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Hot and cold appetizers will be served and a cash bar will be available. Tickets are available at Northern Woman’s Bookstore, by contacting Amy at admin@nowwwriters.org or 708-5652, or online!
Two exciting new voices in Canadian literature will be making a stop in Thunder Bay on their cross-Canada tour. Hosted by the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop in conjunction with Biblioasis and Nightwood Editions, authors Claire Tacon and Jamella Hagen will bring poetry and prose together in an evening of readings from their debut collections at Outlet (formerly Ottawa House), 40 S. Cumberland St, on Thursday, May 10 at 7 pm. The event is free and all are welcome.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see two of Canada’s rising literary stars! Contact admin@nowwwriters.org for more information, or visit NOWW’s website: www.nowwwriters.org.
Claire Tacon is the winner of the 2010 Metcalf-Rooke award for her first novel, In the Field. Her fiction has been short-listed for the Bronwen Wallace Award and the CBC Literary Awards and has appeared in journals such as The New Quarterly and sub-TERRAIN. Several of her works are anthologised in the current editions of Coming Attractions and Best Canadian Short Stories. She is a past fiction editor of PRISM international and is a lecturer at St. Jerome’s University.
Jamella Hagen’s first collection of poetry, Kerosene, was published by Nightwood Editions in fall 2011. Her poems have appeared in journals across Canada including Arc, Event and The Malahat Review as well as in the anthologies Unfurled: Collected Poetry from Northern BC Women, Ice Floe: New and Selected Poems and The Best Canadian Poetry in English, 2010. Her work has won The Fiddlehead’s Ralph Gustafson Poetry Prize, placed third in This Magazine’s Great Canadian Literary Hunt and been shortlisted for a CBC Literary Award. She has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from UBC, is a former executive editor of PRISM international and has coordinated the Whitehorse Poetry Festival. She currently lives in Whitehorse, Yukon, and is an instructor at Yukon College.
Bonnie Ferrante will be live, in-person at the Fort Frances Public Library, Saturday April 28th for a writer’s workshop @ 2 pm. This writer’s workshop will be of interests to ALL fiction writers. She will be focusing on writing great beginnings and introducing compelling characters. Time will also be spent speaking specifically about what writers need to know to write for young adults. The workshop will be useful to anyone who writes short stories or novels. A short reading will follow the workshop at 4 pm, and is open to the public. There will be prizes. Please call the Fort Frances library at 274-9879 to register.
On May 8th, Laurence Steven of Scrivener Press will host a three-author launch night for Scrivener Press’s spring lineup. Mark Dunn (Fancy Clapping), Bonnie Kogos (Manhattan, Manitoulin) and NOWW’s own Elizabeth Creith (Shepherd in Residence) will read from their work and sign books at the Art Gallery of Sudbury. The event will run from 7-9 pm. And on May 12th, Stories in the North will host a launch for Shepherd in Residence at the Oddfellows’ Hall on Main Street in Thessalon. Elizabeth will read from her book, and there will also be a cash bar, a finger food buffet and great bluegrass music by Tradition Continued, a family bluegrass band from Sault Ste Marie. Visit www.storiesinthenorth.com for more details!
It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year again, but our Literary Awards Party is just around the corner. Join us on May 12, 2012 at the Current River Community Centre for an evening food, fun, and literary frolic. Keep an eye on our website (and your inbox!) for further details. And if you would like to be a part of the party planning, we are currently recruiting members to be on the Awards Party committee. If you’d like to get involved, just send us an email and let us know!
Nominations are open for the 2012 Literary Awards: the Elizabeth Kouhi Award for outstanding contributions to the literature of Northwestern Ontario; and for the Sheila Burnford Builders Award, which can be awarded to an individual or an organization. Please send a one-page letter stating the category, the name of your nominee, and why you believe your nominee is deserving of this recognition to admin@nowwwriters.org by April 1, 2012. Nominees need not be members of NOWW. The awards will be made at NOWW’s Literary Awards Party, May 12, 2012.
Past winners of the Elizabeth Kouhi awards are: Elizabeth Kouhi, Elinor Barr, Charles Wilkins, Thunder Bay Writers Guild, Rosalind Maki, Penny Petrone, Mary Frost, Jean E. Pendziwol, Dorothy Colby, Hazel Fulford, Joan Skelton, and Bill MacDonald. Past winners of the Sheila Burnford Builders Award are: Thunder Bay Public Library, Sleeping Giant Writers Festival, Barb Matousek and Wendy MacDonald of the Sioux Lookout Literacy Committee.
In both cases, the award will not be made if, in the opinion of the Awards Committee, there is no suitable candidate.
Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop’s 14th Annual Writing Contest
Four Categories, Distinguished Judges, 12 Prizes!
Categories
Poetry: Judged by Dennis Cooley
Fiction: Judged by Matthew J. Trafford
Creative Non-Fiction: Judged by Leilah Nadir
Children’s Story: Judged by Richard Scrimger
Submission Deadline: March 25, 2012
Click here for complete contest rules!
As our May executive meeting will involve planning for the 2012-2013 season, we will opening it to all NOWW members. The meeting will be at 7 pm on Monday, May 28 in room C212 at Confederation College. If you are interested in finding out about available positions on the executive, volunteering, and/or have some ideas [...]
Read more...Celebrate Literature and Writing in Northwestern Ontario!
NOWW is proud to host the annual Literary Awards Party, Saturday, May 12, from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at the Current River Community Center, 450 Dewe Street, Thunder Bay.
Come celebrate the winner of the Elizabeth Kouhi award for excellence in writing, the winner of the Sheila Burnford award for [...]
Two exciting new voices in Canadian literature will be making a stop in Thunder Bay on their cross-Canada tour. Hosted by the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop in conjunction with Biblioasis and Nightwood Editions, authors Claire Tacon and Jamella Hagen will bring poetry and prose together in an evening of readings from their debut collections at [...]
Read more...Bonnie Ferrante will be live, in-person at the Fort Frances Public Library, Saturday April 28th for a writer’s workshop @ 2 pm. This writer’s workshop will be of interests to ALL fiction writers. She will be focusing on writing great beginnings and introducing compelling characters. Time will also be spent speaking specifically about what writers [...]
Read more...Pushing Books in the Digital Age: A Workshop with with Lee Chambers. Waverley Library Auditorium (285 Red River Road, Thunder Bay) at 7 pm, Tuesday, April 3, 2012.
With publishing going through a digital revolution, Lee Chambers presents a hands-on interactive presentation on writing, packaging and marketing your work in the growing e-Format. Is paper dead? [...]
Join us for an evening of readings from Lakehead University’s Creative Writing Class. Fireside Room at the Brodie Library, 216 S. Brodie Street.
Tuesday, March 13, from 7 – 9 p.m
Writing Workshop. Waverley Library Auditorium (285 Red River Road, Thunder Bay) at 7 p.m., Tuesday March 6, 2012.
Read more...NOWW is pleased to invite you to a reading with Joan Baril, Dorothy Colby and E.J. Lavoie. Fireside Room at the Brodie Library, 216 S. Brodie Street. Readings include an open mic time: bring a short poem to share!
Tuesday, February 21, from 7 – 9 p.m
The book launch of Foreclosure by Jacqueline D’Acre will be held Wednesday, Feb 1 at the Fireplace Room at the Brodie Street library at 7 PM.
Charles Wilkins will be a guest speaker, refreshments will be served and there will be an author reading followed by a Q & A.
Hope to see you there!
NOWW, in conjunction with the Windsor Printmakers’ Forum and the Thunder Bay Public Library, is pleased to invite you to a special Q&A session with celebrated Canadian authors Nino Ricci an Alastair McLeod. The event will take place on Saturday, January 28 from 10am-11:30am at the Mary JL Black library.
Due to the limited time we [...]
