Book News Vol. 10 No. 1

BOOK NEWS

Rooted and Riveting Podcast
American writer and literary critic John Freeman moderated this event which featured Rabih Alameddine, Michael Crummey and Heather O'Neill. What does it mean to be from a place and write about it? Does a place "chose" a writer, or is he or she possessed by it? Find out here:
http://writersfest.bc.ca/audio-archives/rooted-and-riveting-rabih-alameddine-michael-crummey-and-heather-oneill

A Dram Come True
A whisky tasting fundraiser in support of the Vancouver Writers Fest.

Join us at Hycroft for an evening of tasty tipples. We'll be pouring two new whiskies this year, Hepburn's Choice and Blackadder, as well as selections from past favourites, Kavalan-the Taiwanese whisky-and the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. More suprises to come, so stay tuned!

Tickets: $120
Preview Tasting Tickets (access to bars 45 minutes early): Add $40
7:30pm, June 5 at Hycroft
Details and to purchase tickets here, http://writersfest.bc.ca/events/dram-come-true.

Incite 2015
Three perspectives on Africa: Deni Béchard (The Last Bonobo), Lisa J. Shannon (Mama Koko and the Hundred Gunmen) and Michael Wuitchik (My Heart Is Not My Own). Details: https://www.writersfest.bc.ca/events/incite.

FREE!
7:30pm, April 8
Alice MacKay room, VPL Central Library
Click here for details: https://www.writersfest.bc.ca/events/incite

AWARDS & LISTS

Betty Keller, founder of the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts and the Writers in Residence Program, is the winner of 2015 Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence.
http://www.bcbookprizes.ca/winners/2015#lieutenant

The finalists for the seven literary prizes to be awarded at the BC Book Prizes Gala on April 25 include 2014 Vancouver Writers Fest authors Caroline Adderson, Aislinn Hunter and Eve Joseph, and 2015 Incite authors Kayla Czaga, Patrick Lane, Kathy Page and Brian Payton.
http://www.bcbookprizes.ca/winners/2015

Amitav Ghosh is among ten authors nominated for the 2015 Man Booker International Prize.
http://www.themanbookerprize.com/man-booker-international-prize-2015

Akhil Sharma has won the Folio Prize for Fiction. The author's book, Family Life, was praised by the head judge as 'a masterful novel of distilled complexity.'
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/23/akhil-sharma-wins-folio-prize-fiction-family-life

Naomi Klein has been longlisted for the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Non-fiction for This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate. The award recognizes a work of non-fiction published in the U.S. that tackles a contemporary issue with "notable literary merit and critical perspective."
http://www.quillandquire.com/awards/2015/03/19/naomi-klein-longlisted-for-2015-pen-literary-award/

Kim Fu has been named as a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award for her novel, For Today I Am a Boy. The award was founded by Mary Hemingway (wife of Ernest) in order to "draw attention to emerging U.S. authors and their first works of fiction (Fu now resides in Seattle)."
http://www.quillandquire.com/awards/2015/03/24/kim-fu-named-finalist-for-penhemingway-award/

YOUNG READERS

Here are three young adult books worth a read: Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard; Best Friends Through Eternity, by Sylvia McNicoll, and Shadow Scale, by Rachel Hartman. The first is a fantastical epic, the second a modern (but supernatural) tale of racism and integration into Canadian culture, and the last a sequel to Hartman's award-winning debut, Seraphina, about a girl who's half-human and half-dragon.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/three-young-adult-books-worth-a-read/article23552091/

NEWS & FEATURES

The first Canadian Authors for Indies Day will take place at close to 100 independent bookstores across the country on May 2.
http://www.authorsforindies.com/

Remains found in a Madrid convent have been confirmed as those of Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote. "During their search, researchers identified 33 alcoves where the bones could have been stored. Their quest began to look less quixotic earlier this year when part of a casket bearing the author's initials was found in the convent's crypt.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/17/don-quixote-author-cervantes-remains-identified

Has modern fiction turned its back on friendship? "Ever since Homer, writers have had trouble describing the bonds that exist between friends. But if film and TV can focus on friendship, why can't books?"
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/21/why-modern-fiction-has-turned-friendship

Sarah Polley is set to write a new film adaptation of Little Women. "Notably, at this point, the whole project seems to be led by women."
http://flavorwire.com/newswire/stories-we-tell-director-sarah-polley-is-writing-a-new-adaptation-of-little-women-with-amy-pascal-producing

What are the ten 10 steps to writing a bestselling dystopian YA novel? Remember: "love is a nightmare!"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/insurgent/divergent-hunger-games-how-to-write-dystopian-thriller/

American poet Kenneth Goldsmith has been met with outrage after performing Michael Brown's autopsy report as a poem. "Goldsmith is a conceptual poet known for what he calls uncreative writing."
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/17/michael-brown-autopsy-report-poem-kenneth-goldsmith

"On a bad day in the office, I can feel as though my primary role as a children's book publisher is to keep books out of children's hands," says Sheila Barry in this piece on the trials and tribulations of children's publishing. Check out her literary manifesto here:
http://publishingperspectives.com/2015/03/sheila-barry-on-publishing-childrens-books-that-matter/

Did you know that Truman Capote had a sharp tongue? Here's an infographic that shines the spotlight on "Famous Writers' Insults!"
http://www.aussiewriter.com/blog/famous-writers-insults/

The Vancouver Public Library and CWILL BC have announced Reading Lights, a new initiative that will place books and reading onto Vancouver streets. If you live in BC, write for children, and would like to see your work featured, be sure to check out the submission criteria. Deadline is April 15, 2015.
http://www.bcbookprizes.ca/news/article/reading-lights-initiative/

BOOKS & WRITERS

It's finally spring, which means that a whole new array of compelling titles have appeared on the shelves. Here's the Georgia Straight's take on the season's most interesting reads, which "range from zombies to raptors."
http://www.straight.com/life/413996/seasons-reads-range-zombies-raptors

Ayaan Hirsi Ali, author of the searing, political and personal books Infidel, Nomad and Heretic, read "a lot of romance novels and Jackie Collins growing up!" ""We didn't discriminate between good and bad," she states in this interview with the New York Times. "It is now difficult to imagine that we had so few books."
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/books/review/ayaan-hirsi-ali-by-the-book.html

British poet Kate Tempest is "a wunderkind rapper and spoken word performer equally influenced by Wu-Tang Clan and Joyce, Bukowski and Blake; an English poet whose musical sense of language bridges the worlds of rap and traditional lyric verse." Her book, Brand New Ancients, is finally bringing her acclaim on this side of the Atlantic.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/19/books/review-kate-tempest-a-young-poet-conjuring-ancient-gods.html

The Education of Augie Merasty: A Residential School Memoir "might be one of the most important titles to be published this spring, written by one of the year's most unlikely authors: an 86-year-old Cree man who lives on the streets of Prince Albert, fighting not only the bottle, but also prostate cancer and dementia." Here's the story of how he came to writing.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/residential-school-survivors-memoir-details-decade-of-utter-cruelty/article23556082/

Connie Gault's second novel, A Beauty, "explores how communities are storehouses of meaning." Spanning decades, the novel focuses on the life of Elena Huhtala, an 18-year-old Finish woman living in 1930s small-town Saskatchewan.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/in-a-beauty-connie-gault-explores-how-communites-are-storehouses-of-meaning/article23551850/

Alberto Manguel's intensely personal new book Curiosity, tracks the author's own life (and the curiosity that has defined it) through the reading that has mapped his way. Here's an excerpt:
http://www.salon.com/2015/03/21/endless_life_is_not_worth_living_the_comfort_of_living_with_a_conclusion_in_mind/

Who was Sappho? Her legendary poems were in circulation for a millennium and now can only be read in fragments. This piece, which features translations from a new book entitled Sappho: A New Translation of the Complete Works, tackles the great Greek poetess.
http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/hearing-sappho

Speaking of female poets, "to enter the world of Alice Fulton's poems is to step into a space where language becomes an instrument—at times musical, yes, but at other times a weapon, or a stick to prod open the underbelly of some dark dream." Her newest book of poetry is called Barely Composed.
http://therumpus.net/2015/03/barely-composed-by-alice-fulton/

Hanya Yanagihara's second novel, A Little Life, "follows four friends in New York as they come of age together over the course of three decades." She's interviewed by Slate, here:
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2015/03/hanya_yanagihara_author_of_a_little_life_and_her_editor_gerry_howard.html

COMMUNITY EVENTS

TWISTED POETS LITERARY SALON
Features George McWhirter and Tina Biello plus open mic. Thursday, March 26 at 7:00pm. The Cottage Bistro, 4468 Main Street, Vancouver. Suggested donation at the door: $5. Sign up for open mic at 7 pm. More information at
www.pandorascollective.com.

THE FLOUR PEDDLER
The Flour Peddler: A Global Journey Into Local Food From Canada To South Sudan with authors Chris Hergesheimer and Josh Hergesheimer. Book discussion and signing. Monday, March 30 at 7:00pm. Book Warehouse Main Street, 4118 Main Street. For more information, please call 604-879-7737.

DARK SIDE II
Andrew Pyper (The Damned) and Nick Cutter (The Deep) present their latest books. Monday, March 30 at 7:00pm. Chapters Metrotown, Burnaby.

MEMOIR AND POETRY
Featuring readers Susan McCaslin (Into the Mystic: My Years with Olga) and Pam Galloway (Passing Stranger) with host Owen Lubbers. April 1 at 6:30pm. Books & Co., 1685 3rd Avenue, Prince George, BC. For more information, phone 1-250-563-6637 or email booksandcompanyevents@gmail.com or visit www.booksandcompany.ca.

BC BOOK PRIZES SOIREE 2015
Mix and mingle with the nominees, BC's vibrant literary community, and support the BC Book Prizes/On Tour/program. Thursday, April 2 at 6:00pm, free. Joe's Apartment, 919 Granville St., Vancouver. More information at bcbookprizes.ca.

TWS READING SERIES
The Writer's Studio of SFU presents Leah Horlick, 2012 Lambda Literary Fellow in Poetry and author of Riot Lung.
Thursday, April 2 at 8:00pm. Cottage Bistro, 4470 Main St., Vancouver.

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH
Readings from Candice James, New Westminster's Poet Laureate and George Fetherling, author of many books of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Tuesday, April 7 at 6:30pm. New Westminster Public Library, New Westminster. More information and registration at 604-527-4667.

TWISTED POETS LITERARY SALON
Features Chelene Knight and Ursula Vaira plus open mic. April 8 at 7:00pm. The Cottage Bistro, 4468 Main Street, Vancouver. Suggested donation at the door: $5. Sign up for open mic at 7pm. More information at www.pandorascollective.com.

POETRY WITHOUT BORDERS
Poets Patrick Friesen, Rhona McAdam, Inge Israel and Beth Kope present an evening of readings and conversation. Wednesday, April 8 at 7:30pm, free. Munro's Books, 1108 Government St., Victoria.

ZERO - 360 OPEN MIC
Meet other writers and share your work at this casual open mic series the second Thursday of the month. Readers are limited to 6 minutes; sign up begins at 7:05. In recognition of National Poetry Month, April 9 is poetry only. Pelican Rouge Coffee, 15142 North Bluff Rd., White Rock. Presented by Semiahmoo Arts.

AN EVOLVING CITY
Event featuring George Bowering and Wayde Compton. Thursday, April 9 at 7:30pm, free. Pulp Fiction, 2422 Main Street, Vancouver.

UNHANGED AUTHOR
Free workshop for writers thinking of entering the 2015 Arthur Ellis Unhanged Author competition. Saturday, April 11 from 10am to 5pm. VPL Central branch, 350 W. Georgia Street, Vancouver. Complete details at crimewriterscanada.com.

NEIL MCKINNON
Author reads from his new book The Greatest Lover of Last Tuesday. Tuesday, April 14 at 7:00pm, free. VPL Central Branch, 350 W. Georgia St., Vancouver. More information at vpl.ca.

LUNCH POEMS AT SFU
Catriona Strang and Michael Turner are the featured poets. Wednesday, April 15 at 12:00 noon, free. SFU Harbour Centre's Teck Gallery, 515 W Hastings St. For more information visit www.sfu.ca/publicsquare/lunchpoems.

Upcoming

MAGGIE DE VRIES
Author reads from her children's book, Fraser Bear. Thursday, April 16 at 1:30pm. Oakridge branch library, 191-650 41st Ave. W., Vancouver. Information at vpl.ca.

POETRY GABRIOLA SOCIETY READING SERIES
Featuring Susan McCaslin and Pam Galloway with host Lisa Webster-Gibson. Thursday, April 16 at 7:00pm, by donation. Old Crow Café, 575 N. Road, Gabriola Island. More information at poetrygabriola.com.

FEAST!
Jennica Harper and Kevin Spenst blend, spice and sauté measured words into poems that sizzle and satisfy. April 16 at 7:30 pm, free. Pelican Rouge Coffee, 15142 North Bluff Rd., White Rock. Presented by Semiahmoo Arts.

LILLIAN BORAKS-NEMETZ
Children's author reads from her Sheila A. Egoff Prize winning book, The Old Brown Suitcase. Friday, April 17 at 1:30pm. Kensington branch, 1428 Cedar Cottage Mews, Vancouver. More information at vpl.ca.

NORTH SHORE WRITERS FESTIVAL
Sixteenth annual festival featuring John Vaillant, Heather O'Neill, Zsuzsi Gartner, Grant Lawrence and others. April 17-18, 2015. West Vancouver Memorial Library, 1950 Marine Drive, West Vancouver. Complete details at northshorewritersfestival.com.

ARTHUR ELLIS SHORTLIST EVENT
Cathy Ace will be grilling a panel of her fellow BC crime writers including Don Hauka, Owen Laukkanen, Kay Stewart and Sam Wiebe about their latest, and forthcoming, works, as well as their writing styles and habits. Thursday, April 23 at 7:00pm, free but registration required. Bob Prittie Metrotown branch, Burnaby Public Library. Information and registration at 604-436-5410.

LITFEST NEW WEST
The Arts council of New Westminster, in partnership with Douglas College, New Westminster Public Library and Royal City Literary Arts Society, presents the 5th Annual LitFest New West. April 24-25, 2015. Details at artscouncilnewwest.org/litfest.

A FEAST OF POETRY
Readings from five local poets, including Vancouver's Poet Laureate, Rachel Rose, Governor General's Award-winner David Zieroth, as well as Raoul Fernandes, Pam Galloway and Rob Taylor. Appetizers available; cash bar. Friday, April 24 at 7:00pm. North Vancouver City Library, 120 W. 14th St., West Vancouver. Details and registration at nvcl.ca.

JABBERING WITH BC
Canadian poets Kevin Spenst, Raoul Fernandes and Elena E. Johnson read from their recent works, discuss their writing processes, and take questions about poetry and writing. Saturday, April 25 at 3:00pm. Central branch, 350 W. Georgia St., Vancouver. More information at vpl.ca.