UPDATE:This evening will begin with a special presentation: Chuck Davis will be awarded the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award for his essential contributions as an author.

Celebrate the release of Alan Twigg‘s new book The Essentials: 150 Great BC Books and Authors with a talk by the author, a book signing and refreshments.

The talk begins at 7:30 on October 14, in Room 1900 (the Fletcher Challenge Theatre) at Simon Fraser University Vancouver, 515 West Hastings Street.

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From Franz Boas to Alice Munro: welcome to an unprecedented panorama of the most significant authors and books of British Columbia culled from Alan Twigg’s unrivalled knowledge of more than two centuries of B.C. literary history.
The Essentials is the new bible of who wrote what, and why, in B.C., produced with the cooperation of Simon Fraser University Library and UBC’s Rare Books & Special Collections.
Alan Twigg, publisher/writer of B.C. BookWorld, also created the abcbookworld public reference site with information on more than 9,500 B.C. authors.
The Essentials is the fourth and largest volume of his Literary History of British Columbia. Previous books in the series are Aboriginality, First Invaders and Thompson’s Highway.

Hannah finds a beautiful Salish spinning whorl in a cave near her home on Vancouver Island, but when the vivid dreams and visits from a mystical raven begin, Hannah realizes the spindle whorl is more than just an interesting artifact …

‘I look around again to get my bearings. It usually only takes five more minutes to get from here to the road that crosses to Nell’s bakery. Somehow I know that isn’t the case anymore. There isn’t any trail, and I can’t see or hear any road. And if there isn’t any road, then there isn’t any bakery, which means there isn’t any Nell. If there isn’t any Nell, then — worst of all — there isn’t any Dad. There isn’t any . . . anybody!
It takes a moment to sink in. But, if that’s true . . . it means I’m alone.
“Uy’ skweyul.”
I whirl around, adrenaline surging through my body.
“What . . . who’s there?” I call out to no one in particular.
Silence. And then I see her, a girl about my age. She’s standing only fifteen feet away from me. Her arms rest by her sides and she’s staring straight at me. Even though she looks scared, I recognize her immediately. It’s the girl in my dreams.’

For more information, and/or to buy Carol Anne Shaw‘s new YA novel, Hannah & the Spindle Whorl, click here.

To meet author Carol Anne Shaw and get your copy of Hannah signed, come to Word on the Street Vancouver on September 26.

Here’s a book trailer Carol Anne Shaw made way back in Hannah‘s infancy:

The first of our fall 2010 titles will be released on Monday, August 16.
They are the YA novels Hannah and the Spindle Whorl by Carol Anne Shaw, and Ghost of Heroes Past by Charles Reid.
The best part is, there is still PLENTY of summer holiday time left in which to read them! (Or is that just wishful summer-clinging thinking?)

The weather sounds like it’ll be amazing, as does the line-up of authors and other interesting speakers at the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, which takes place in Sechelt, BC, this weekend, August 12–15.

Jack Hodgins will be there on Sunday, speaking about his new book, The Master of Happy Endings, as well as his recently re-released (by Ronsdale Press) classic, The Invention of the World.

The speakers, in order of appearance:
Lawrence Hill, Karen Connelly, Adam Lewis Schroeder, Gwendolyn Southin, Bonnie Burnard, Jack Whyte, Ian Brown, Nino Ricci, Louise Penny, Ryan Knighton, Shani Mootoo, Tony Parsons, Elizabeth Bachinsky, Joe Denham, Gregory Scofield, Brad Cran, Annabel Lyon, Senator Larry Campbell, Joan Thomas, Denise Chong, Brian Brett, Craig Boyko and Sarah Roberts with Sheryl MacKay, Jack Hodgins, Jowi Taylor in conversation with Sheryl MacKay with guests Joe Stanton and The Rakish Angles.

For the full schedule, click here.

Thursday, August 12, 2010
Book Launch Party & Reading for W’Daub Awae: Speaking True, A Kegedonce Press Anthology

This anthology is a celebration of those extraordinary successes that Kegedonce has had since 1993, and of the pivotal role it has played in the recent history of Canada’s Aboriginal literature. But for me, W’daub Awae is equally a pointer toward the future, a sign of the incredible diversity and vividness and powerful language that we can look forward to from Kegedonce in the years to come. Each piece represented here is only one small part of the extraordinary work that all of these writers will continue to produce in the future. (excerpt from Warren Cariou’s intro to the collection)

FEATURING READINGS BY:
Richard Van Camp
Joseph Dandurand
Joanne Arnott
Chris Bose

Location: The Chapel Arts, 304 Dunlevy Avenue, Vancouver, BC
7pm
$2 donation at door

Authors will be reading from their work in the anthology along with selected pieces from their previously published books.
Book Signing and Social time to follow, come out for a slice of Aboriginal literature and cake!
Arts Bar will be open

On Saturday, September 25, Jean Rae Baxter (author of the young adult novel The Way Lies North) will be a guest speaker at the Brian Henry Workshop, “Writing with Style.” Volunteer Hamilton, 267 King Street East, Hamilton, ON. 1:15 p.m.

On Wednesday, September 15, Jean Rae Baxter (author of the young adult novel The Way Lies North) will be reading at the Artword Artbar, 15 Colbourne Street, Hamilton, ON. She’ll be reading with as part of Crime Night, an event which features several other Hamilton-area crime writers. Starts at 7:30 p.m. For more information, check the Artbar’s events section.

Congratulations to all of the authors whose books made it on to the ReLit Awards longlist, just announced. And ESPECIALLY congratulations to Ronsdale authors Sheila James and Pam Calabrese MacLean! James’ In the Wake of Loss made the longlist in the short fiction category; MacLean’s The Dead Can’t Dance for the poetry category.

Garry Gottfriedson (Skin Like Mine) will be giving a talk/reading at Red Jam Slam on August 21st. The event begins at 11:00am with a Truth and Reconciliation Panel (Samaya Jardey & Chief Robert Joseph). There will also be an art exhibit, as well as music from 5:00pm. Red Hot Jam is organized by Gunargie O’Sullivan in collaboration with Vancouver Co-op Radio, W2: Community Media Arts, and CJSF Radio. Tickets are $10 and food & beverage will be available for purchase.

Location:
W2 Storyeum,
151 West Cordova St
Vancouver, BC
V6B 1E1

Times: 11:00am – 2:00am

This year Jack Hodgins (The Invention of the World) will join other literary greats at the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts. The festival runs from August 12-15 in Sechelt, BC. Jack Hodgins will be presenting on August 15th at 4pm. For more details on the festival, click here.