Polar Explorer Wins a Gemini

I am so pleased to announce that the Polar Explorer documentary, on which I was proud to be credited as an Associate Producer, has won the Gemini Humanitarian Award. This incredible film, which the UN has designated environmental film of the year for 2011, has made a significant difference in the way climate change is viewed by UN countries. Filmmaker and explorer Mark Terry has proven, with his footage and comparisons of the Arctic and Antarctic, that the rate of polar ice melting is indeed accelerating.

Check out Mark's web site at:

http://www.polarexplorerfilm.com/

And for those you who still have not seen this amazing film, there are two screenings upcoming in the Durham region in November, one at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and an intimate evening screening at Ezra Annes Inn. I will post details of these screenings in future posts, or you can contact Mike Khashmanian at the Durham Theatre Festival at micheal@durhamtheatrefestival.com.

Congratulations to Mark Terry, and fellow producers and supporters for this important film, Dianne Schwalm, Jeff Steiner, Jordana Aarons, Mark Romoff, Shirley J. Mein Cox, Holly Lee, John Kelly, Sarah Haney, Mike Khashmanian and Bill Humber.

Ian Brown at WCDR September Breakfast!

The WCDR Breakfast Series is starting up on September 10, and the line-up this year is impressive!  Ian Brown, renowned non-fiction writer and author of The Boy in the Moon will be speaking in September.  We also have authors Wayson Choy and Suzanne Desrocher lined up for later in the 2011/12 season.  Check it out at: http://wcdr.ca/wcdr/  Hope to see you there!  You don't have to be a member to come out and have fun, and you don't have to be a writer to enjoy these events.

WCDR also has been busy this year forming partnerships and holding workshops designed to help emerging writers connect with a publisher.  The sessions with Robyn Read of Freehand Books in August proved inspirational to many, and the upcoming Algonkian Novel Writing conference at http://www.algonkian-niagara.com/ offers a $100 discount to WCDR members! 

There's lots more to see at the WCDR link above, including writing events, workshops, speaking engagements and other fun stuff, including Words of the Season on September 7 in Whitby!

Words of the Season Is Back!

Whitby is the site of the next Words of the Season, held by Mike Khashmanian of the Durham Theatre Festival, and sponsored by the Writers' Community of Durham Region.  I am delighted to be reading again on September 7, at Jimmy O'Toole's, 121 Brock Street South.  Hope to see you there!  Local writers and musicians will be offering you their words and entertainment, and if you wish to read yourself, contact Mike at DTF at michael@durhamtheatrefestival.com.  Looking forward to the event, and to seeing fellow writers and lovers of words and music!

WCDR continues to rock!

I am proud to be part of the Writers' Community of Durham Region, serving as Vice President this year, as well as Workshop Coordinator.  What a fine group of artists and writers, and every meeting and event confirms this for me!  The WCDR Slam competition was a whole lot of fun, and I was so honoured to serve as a judge for the finalists' event at Brock House.  Congratulations to Connie Dipietro-Sparacino for taking the top prize with her beautifully delivered piece!  Take a look at her performance on the WCDR site:

http://wcdr.ca/wcdr/?p=7215

Also live is the discussion over Suzanne Desrochers' new book about seventeenth century Quebec, Bride of New France.  Join in the discussion on WCDR's Reading As Writers site.  I will be guest hosting one week of the discussion and have already started this acclaimed historical fiction novel.  The site is also full of great links and resources for writers:

http://readingaswriters.ca/readingaswriters/

WCDR's next meeting is in September, when Suzanne will be speaking about the novel.  Meanwhile, we have planned some workshops with Robyn Read, Acquiring editor of Freehand Books, through WCDR in August.  Check the WCDR site for that as well!

http://wcdr.ca/wcdr/?p=6720

Have a great summer, and keep reading and writing everyone!

Historical Novel Society and WCDR SLAM

A lot of excitement for the month of June, I must say!  I travelled to San Diego for the Historical Novel Society conference June 17-19 and had a wonderful time.  So many talented writers there, and a real book fest.  The conference is super well organized, the people friendly and helpful, and some very impressive and approachable editors and agents were present.  I came back with an armload of books, many signed by the authors, and have fond memories of the sessions, the people and the readings.  The historical costume night, the Friday night fight scene and Saturday night sex scene readings were fun and informative.  All in all a great conference, and San Diego was a perfect backdrop.  In 2012, the conference will be in London, England, and will include a cruise up the Thames to have a banquet at Hampton Court Palace!  Talk about a historical fiction writer's dream. Here's a link to the HNS site:

http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org/conference.htm

The WCDR SLAM competition auditions were held last night at Brock House, and what a turnout!  Our room was packed, and we had 14 contestants, all of whom delivered a stirring piece.  As judges for the event, Sue Reynolds, Dorothea Helms, Piers Walker and myself had a hard time choosing the seven finalists, but congratulations to:

·         Phil Dwyer

·         Connie DiPietro-Sparacino

·         Michael Khashmanian

·         Vilma Blenman

·         Gwynn Scheltema

·         Ruth Walker

·         Helene Paquin

A job well done!  We look forward to seeing you at the July 9th breakfast, and hearing your pieces again.  The audience will have a hard time choosing, I'm sure.  For registration go to:

www.wcdr.org

Writing Circle Wins!

It's been a very productive and successful week for fellow WCDR and writing circle members! 

Tom Taylor has just published his wonderful book, Brock's Agent, which is available at Chapters.  He has been touring historic sites, giving presentations and signings, and has some book signings at Chapters coming up.   Thanks for the credit in your forward, Tom!  It was my pleasure reading early drafts of the novel.  Brock's Agent was also reviewed in the Globe and Mail on Saturday, June 4, 2011.

Check out my links page for Tom's book, or go to http://www.tomtaylor.ca/

Susan Croft and Mike Khashmanian are winners of the Scugog Arts Council's Literary Awards. For Alec's Girl and Switch, respectively. 

http://www.scugogarts.ca/events.php#literary-arts

It's a great time to be a writer in Durham Region!

Coffee, Tea and Words

It's remarkable how many wonderful literary and artistic events there are in Durham Region.  We truly are blessed.  I have had the pleasure of attending and participating in a number of them recently, including the Durham Theatre Festival (what a talented group of players, and Mike Khashmanian's plays are always full of fun!), Susanna Kearsley's Rose Garden book launch at Centennial Building in Whitby (I am up to Chapter 5 of Susanna's new book and it's intriguing, plus the Cornwall, England, setting makes me long to return there), and the Coffee, Tea and Words event in support of Literacy in Durham.

To see pictures of these events, including a shot of me reading an excerpt from my new novel, In Service of the Queen, go to Snap Magazine, or follow this link:

http://www.snaposhawa.com/index.php?option=com_sngevents&id[]=236372