The VIWF presents Vancouver Writes, the second annual interactive writing contest for aspiring writers and anyone interested in the group writing process. This event was wildly popular last year and tickets are limited – order yours today! A 2007 Vancouver Writes participant described it as “fantastic, creative and fun.” Join host Lisa Christiansen of CBC Radio and Caroline Adderson, Kevin Chong, Anne Giardini, Genni Gunn, Shaena Lambert, Nancy Lee, Timothy Taylor and many others to create instant literature and win cool prizes. Full details & tickets at http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/community/specialevents. Vancouver Writes is a Winterruption 2008 event. Vancouver Writes is sponsored by the UBC Creative Writing Program, Booming Ground and the Georgia Straight, and received support from the Granville Island Cultural Project Sponsorship Program.

BREAKING NEWS

Lorna Goodison, who attended the Festival two years ago, this afternoon won the $40,000 BC Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, for her memoir From Harvey River, a Memoir of My Mother and Her People.
http://www.bcachievement.com/news/news.php?story=20080207&id=0

Heritage Canada has released a couple of studies on the book buying and cultural participation habits of Canadians. It turns out those who read books are likely to attend cultural events as well.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080202.books02/BNStory/Entertainment/home
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/02/06/cultural-participation-study.html

A literary critic has looked at the accepted canon of English Literature and redefined the classics to include Sappho and Hammett – let the arguments begin.
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/299906

Author Robert Fisk turns into sleuth when he tries to track down a mysterious writer in Cairo who has written a biography of Saddam Hussein, but put Fisk’s name on the cover.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/fisk/robert-fisk-the-curious-case-of-the-forged-biography-776775.html

BOOKS AND WRITERS

The Portuguese novelist José Saramago, winner of the Nobel Prize, has returned with a new novel, Death at Intervals.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/02edf164-c7be-11dc-a0b4-0000779fd2ac.html
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/fiction/article3276933.ece
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/fiction/article3288453.ece

There is also a new English publication of an early novella by another Nobel Prize winner, Imre Kertész.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080202.BKIMRE02/TPStory/Entertainment/Books

Peter Carey has won the Booker Prize twice and he continues to write powerful, thoughtful fiction. His new novel is His Illegal Self and here are a couple of reviews and an interview.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/fiction/article3276707.ece
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/01/RVD1UF61T.DTL&type=books
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/fiction/article3288510.ece

Mary Swan won the O. Henry Award for her short story The Deep. Now her first novel The Boys in the Trees is starting to attract positive notes.
http://www.quillandquire.com/reviews/review.cfm?review_id=5969

Val McDermid is known and loved for her blood and guts mysteries. Her new novel is Beneath the Bleeding.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080202.BKMAYH02/TPStory/Entertainment/Books

Russell Banks, whose novel The Sweet Hereafter was made into a movie by Atom Egoyan, has a new novel out.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/31/AR2008013102643.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/books/29kaku.html?_r=1&ref=books&oref=slogin

Review of three new books of poetry by Brian Henderson, Todd Swift and Monica Kidd.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080202.BKPOET02/TPStory/Entertainment/Books

EVENTS

SHEILA HETI
Sheila Heti is the author of the story collection, The Middle Stories and the novel Ticknor. Thursday, February 7th at 7pm, free. UBC Robson Square (800 Robson). More information about the author at www.sheilaheti.net.

JOHN NEWLOVE DOCUMENTARY SCREENING/BOOK LAUNCH
Celebrate the life and work of poet John Newlove with a screening of the documentary What to make of it all? The life and poetry of John Newlove, and the Vancouver launch of Chaudiere Books’ A Long Continual Argument: The Selected Poems of John Newlove, edited by Robert McTavish. Friday, February 8 at 8pm. Tix $5/$3. Cash bar. The Western Front, 303 8th Ave. E. (Vancouver). More info: http://chaudierebooks.blogspot.com/2008/01/john-newlove-documentary-screening-book.html.

HOWARD WHITE
The Sunshine Coast Arts Council will host A White Evening, a salute to Harbour Publishing’s Howard White and a benefit for the Arts Council’s author readings program. Saturday, February 9 at 8pm. Tickets: $20. Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, 5714 Medusa in Sechelt.

XTRA WEST READING SERIES
Claire Robson will be reading with columnist Sarah Leavitt. Tuesday, February 12 at 7:00pm. Davie Village Cafe (1141 Davie St., Vancouver). Info: 604.228.1429.

POETRY AROUND THE WORLD
You are invited to enjoy a wonderful evening of beautiful verse and spoken word and celebrate Valentine’s Day. Bring your love poems for the open mic that follows features Alejandro Mujica-Olea, Deborah Kelly, Gabriella Kullak and Kyle Christensson. Wednesday, February 13 at 6:30pm. Refreshments will be served. Indigo Books Park Royal, West Vancouver.

ADDENA SUMTER-FREITAG
The On Edge Reading Series presents a public reading by Addena Sumter-Freitag. Thursday, February 14 at 5:30pm, free. Room 406 SB, Emily Carr Institute, 1399 Johnston Street, Granville Island. Info: http://www.eciad.ca/node/1437.

SPEAKING OF LOVE
Readings by Richard Van Camp, Janet Rogers and Joanne Arnott. Part of the Talking Stick Festival. Thursday, February 14 at 9:30pm. Tickets $10. Ironworks Studio (235 Alexander St. at Main, Vancouver). Info: www.fullcircleperformance.ca.

H. NIGEL THOMAS
Caribbean author of Spirits in the Dark reads from and discusses his new novel Return to Arcadia. Saturday, February 16 at 2:00pm. Chapters at Robson & Howe (788 Robson Street, Vancouver).

EILEEN COOK
Author launches her new romantic comedy novel Unpredictable. Saturday, February 16 at 4:00pm. Book Warehouse Yaletown (1068 Homer St., Vancouver).

Upcoming

SHARON BUTALA
Sharon Butala welcomes readers of her popular memoirs and novels to Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450 West 64th Avenue, Vancouver. Friday, February 22 at 7:30-9:00pm. Admission by donation. Space is limited, so to ensure a seat, please RSVP ko*********@ya***.ca. Visit www.kogawahouse.com for more information.

Please email vi**@wr*********.ca if you would like to unsubscribe from this email list.

Produced by the Book News Collective: Hal Wake, Brenda Berck, Ann McDonell, and Sandra Millard.

Hal Wake
Artistic Director
* * * * * * * * * * *
2008 Festival – 21-26 October inclusive
Vancouver International Writers Festival
Suite 202, 1398 Cartwright Street
Vancouver, BC V6H 3R8
Canada
p: 604 681 6330 x102
f: 604 681 8400
e: hw***@wr*********.ca
w: www.writersfest.bc.ca