Book News Vol. 10 No. 43

BOOK NEWS

Incite 2016
Join us for a smorgasbord of great non-fiction about food. Jenna Butler (A Profession of Hope), Stephen Le (100 Million Years of Food), and Susan Musgrave (A Taste of Haida Gwaii). Details at writersfest.bc.ca/feb17incite.

According to groundhogs, spring is just around the corner-and so are these great events!

An Evening with David Sedaris - May 8 at the Vogue Theatre. Use the code OWLS to purchase tickets during our special VWF pre-sale (ending Feb 11). Purchase here, https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1032659?utm_medium=bks or by calling 888-732-1682.

A Dram Come True - May 13 at Hycroft. Save $15 on your ticket to our annual whisky tasting fundraiser by purchasing before March 31. Details here, http://writersfest.bc.ca/events/dram-come-true.

AWARDS & LISTS

J.K. Rowling has been chosen as the winner of the 2016 PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award. "The award is given annually to authors whose work fights repression and censorship around the globe."
http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-to-win-penallen-foundation-award/115435

Michael J. McCann, a supernatural and crime-fiction writer from Ontario, has been nominated for the North American Hammet Prize. The Prize is administered by the International Association of Crime Writers.
http://www.quillandquire.com/awards/2016/02/01/michael-j-mccann-nominated-for-north-american-hammett-prize/

This year's winners of the ReLit Awards, which recognize the best independently published novel, short story collection and book of poetry in Canada, were just announced. The ReLit Awards were founded in 2001 as a "less-mainstream alternative to the Giller Prize and Governor General's Awards."
http://www.quillandquire.com/awards/2016/02/01/awards-megan-gail-coles-andrew-kaufman-sina-queyras-win-relit-awards/

The Western Canada Jewish Book Awards is a new initiative of the Cherie Smith JCC Jewish Book Festival, designed to celebrate excellence in writing on Jewish themes and showcase the achievements of authors residing West of the Ontario-Manitoba border. Submission deadline is February 29, 2016. More information at https://jccgv.com/content/wcj-book-awards.

YOUNG READERS

Diane Duane's young-adult Young Wizards series explores "the magic of systems and words." Her new book is called Games Wizards Play.
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2016/02/games_wizards_play_the_10th_young_wizards_novel_from_diane_duane_reviewed.html

NEWS & FEATURES

Vancouver is celebrating British Columbian kidlit characters with its new Reading Lights plaque program. "The Reading Lights program consists of plaques mounted near parks, schools, and other kid-friendly locales that celebrate the work of contemporary B.C.-based kids' writers and illustrators."
http://www.quillandquire.com/childrens-publishing/2016/01/28/vancouver-celebrates-b-c-s-kidlit-characters-with-reading-lights-plaque-program/

Wab Kinew has announced his departure from Canada Reads. He's running for election in Manitoba's upcoming provincial election instead.
http://www.quillandquire.com/authors/2016/02/02/wab-kinew-leaves-canada-reads-to-run-for-manitoba-ndp/

"The gap between publishing's rich and poor continues to widen." A study in the UK has shown that only 1% of British authors make up one third of all book sales.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jan/15/earnings-soar-for-uks-bestselling-authors-as-wealth-gap-widens-in-books-industry

Wafaa Bilal, an Iraqi-American artist, is using performance art and crowdfunding in an attempt to bring books back to the shelves of the University of Baghdad's library. The library was destroyed by looters in 2003.
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/jan/26/wafaa-bilal-168-01-blank-books-project-ontario-baghdad-library

A man has been jailed and put on trial in the United Arab Emirates for sharing a poem on WhatsApp. He has an interesting defense as to why this cannot be the case: Illiteracy!
http://www.mhpbooks.com/illiterate-man-on-trial-in-uae-for-sharing-poem-on-whatsapp/

A number of projects around the world are using guerrilla marketing tactics to promote reading, including the use of vending machines and coffee sleeves. But do they really work?
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/01/taking-literature-to-the-streets/432558/

Why do designers love the ampersand? It's a "romance that dates back to Pompeii!"
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3055622/why-designers-love-the-ampersand

BOOKS & WRITERS

The Vegetarian, by Han Kang, is "causing a stir in literary circles." Newly translated from Korean, the novel features an "unhinged heroine who believes she's turning into a tree, and features some of the strangest erotic passages in literature."
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/03/books/the-vegetarian-a-surreal-south-korean-novel.html

"Can Yann Martel emerge from the shadow of Life of Pi?" He answers that question, and more, in this interview with the Globe and Mail.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/yann-martels-new-novel-is-an-inventive-study-of-faith-suffering/article28456818/

Vancouver Vanishes: Narratives of Demolition and Revival, is a book that documents "a city pulling its past apart." Spurred by Caroline Adderson, it features a "broad spectrum of local writers" who "bring love and logic to the rapid disappearance of our domestic architectural heritage."
http://www.straight.com/life/624471/vancouver-vanishes-documents-city-pulling-its-past-apart

"I decided to come to Canada to become a writer," says Garfield Ellis in this interview about his first novel, The Angels' Share. The book follows the story of a young marketing executive who accompanies his father on a "week-long quest across Jamaica in search of the father's long-lost love."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/garfield-ellis-traces-the-origin-of-regret-in-new-novel-the-angels-share/article28438319/

COMMUNITY EVENTS

TWS READING SERIES
Featuring Janet Hudgins, Esmeralda Cabral, Mark Bondyra, Chelene Knight, Sean Kirk, Gayle Mavor, Yaana Dancer, and Nicola Harwood. Thursday, February 4 at 8:00pm. Admission by donation. Cottage Bistro, 4470 Main Street, Vancouver. More information at 778-782-8000.

LOVE POETRY AND CHOCOLATE
Join poets Terry Ann Carter, Wendy Morton, Barbara Pelman, Steven J. Thompson, and Victoria's poet laureate Yvonne Blomer, for a special afternoon of poetry readings, personalized poems, and chocolate. Saturday, February 6 at 1:00pm. Community room, Central Branch, Greater Victoria Public Library. More information at gvpl.ca.

TWISTED POETS LITERARY SALON
Features Amber Dawn, Carolyn Smart, Lucas Crawford and Shannon Rayne plus open mic. Wednesday, February 10 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 pandorascollective.com.

EVE ZAREMBA
Book launch of the author's memoir The Broad Side. Wednesday, February 10 at 7:00pm, free. Little Sister's Book & Art Emporium, 1238 Davie, Vancouver.

CAROLYN SMART
Author reads from her latest poetry collection Careen. Friday, February 12 at 7:30pm. Hillside Coffee and Tea, 1633 Hillside Ave., Victoria.

ALYX DELLAMONICA
Storm Crow Tavern Reading Series presents the author of Daughter of No Nation. Saturday, February 13 at 3:00pm. Storm Crow Tavern, 1305 Commercial Drive, Vancouver. More information at 604-366-9669.

JORDAN ABEL
Reading by Nisga'a author of The Place of Scraps and Un/inhabited. Tuesday, February 16 at 4:00pm. Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey Library. More information at kpu.ca.

POETRY READING
Featuring Ali Blythe, Arleen Pare, and Kayla Czaga. Hosted by Sheryda Warrener. Thursday, February 18 at 7:00pm. Pulp Fiction Books, Main Street, Vancouver.

GALIANO LITERARY FESTIVAL
Sixth annual festival with over 25 writers. February 19-21, 2016. Galiano Island, BC. Complete details at galianoliteraryfestival.com.

THREE CRIME AUTHORS
Discussion by Allan J. Emerson (Death of a Bride and Groom: A Honeymoon Falls Mystery), Donald J. Hauka (Pizza 911: A Mister Jinnah Mystery), and Cathy Ace (Cait Morgan Mysteries and WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries). Saturday, February 20 at 2:00pm. New Westminster Public Library.

AUTHORS IN OUR COMMUNITY
Mother Tongue Publishers presents a joint launch of Peter Busby's The Life and Art of Jack Akroyd and Trevor Carolan's Literary Storefront: The Glory Years: Vancouver's Literary Centre 1978-1984. Wednesday, February 24 at 7:00pm. Welsh Hall West, West Vancouver Memorial Library. More information at 604-925-7403.

MYSTERY AUTHOR PANEL
Local mystery authors share their work, discuss the writing process and tackle the subject of getting published. Authors include: Dietrich Kalteis, Glynis Whiting, DB Carew, and Don Hauka. Saturday, February 27 at 2:00pm. Port Moody Public Library.

ON EDGE READING SERIES
Elaine Woo reads from her book Cycling with the Dragon. Sunday, February 28 at 7:00pm. Emily Carr Univerity of Art and Design, Granville Island, Vancouver.

JOHN VAILLANT
Author will give a medley reading from The Golden Spruce, The Tiger and The Jaguar's Children. Monday, February 29, at 7:00pm. Cranberry Seniors Centre, 6792 Cranberry St., Powell River. For information contact Mark at 604-485-8664.

DAVID WALLIAMS
Appearance by the author of Grandpa's Great Escape, Awful Auntie, and Mr. Stink and many more! Thursday, March 3 at 7:00pm. School gym, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 2550 Camosun Street. For complete details and to purchase tickets, visit kidsbooks.ca.