Donate Your Aeroplan Points!
Bring internationally renowned authors to the 21st annual Vancouver International Writers Festival by donating some or all of your points.
http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/supportus/airmiles

This week in Writers’ Rooms Anne Giardini describes the aural representation of what she strives for in her writing.
http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/

The Queen has knighted author Salman Rushdie.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/06/25/rushdie-knighthood.html

Best-selling detective novelist Ian Rankin has joined the Scottish Labour Party’s Commission on improving child literacy standards. The party’s vision is for Scotland to become “the first country in the world to become fully literate”.
http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,2287234,00.html

The CBC has announced a new, as yet untitled radio program, hosted by Shelagh Rogers, focusing on books and literary matters-in addition to Eleanor Wachtel’s ongoing Writers and Company. This fall’s new endeavour will feature Rogers interviewing writers and talking about issues affecting Canada’s literary scene.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/media/story/2008/06/25/cbcradio-newshows.html

Museum exhibits and television documentaries are being shown, in anticipation of next year’s celebration of the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, along with the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth. This week in Writers’ Rooms, Darwin’s writing room:
http://books.guardian.co.uk/graphic/0,,2286850,00.html

AWARDS

Margaret Atwood has been awarded Spain’s most prestigious award, the Prince of Asturias Prize for Letters. The prizes are named for Crown Prince Felipe
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/06/25/atwood-asturias.html

Anne Simpson of Antigonish, N.S. has won the $1,000 Pat Lowther Memorial Award for her latest collection, Quick. The award celebrates the best book of poetry by a Canadian woman published in the preceding year. The $1,000 Gerald Lampert Memorial Award, which recognizes the best first book of poetry published by a Canadian during the past year, went to Toronto’s Alex Boyd for Making Bones Walk.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/06/23/poetry-awards.html

BOOKS AND WRITERS

Justin Cartwright finds Damon Galgut’s latest novel, The Imposter, compelling; William Skidelsky says the novel proves Galgut is a worthy heir to Gordimer and Coetzee.
http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/generalfiction/0,,2285451,00.html
http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/generalfiction/0,,2286936,00.html
An extract from the book can be found here: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/book-extract-the-impostor-by-damon-galgut-850578.html

The June 30 issue of The New Yorker will contain Deep-Holes, Alice Munro’s latest short story.
http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2008/06/30/080630fi_fiction_munro

The Globe and Mail’s Karen Luscombe finds Louise Erdrich’s The Plague of Doves “a deeply moving novel”.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080621.BKDOVE21/TPStory/Entertainment/Books
An excerpt from Chapter 1 can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/arts/20080429_EXCERPT.html?ref=books

Alma Lee is impressed by The Withdrawal Method, Pasha Malla’s debut collection of stories, and says that the freshness of his voice bodes well for the future of new Canadian writing.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080621.BKPASH21/TPStory/Entertainment/Books

Tim Winton’s latest novel Breath focuses on the lives of two teenaged boys shaped by risky behaviour and the long shadow early actions casts into our adulthood. Kevin Chong is particularly impressed by Winton’s eloquent writing and his careful portrayals of his characters.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080621.BKWINT21/TPStory/Entertainment/Books

EVENTS

GORDON BITNEY
The author will read from his new book Provence, je t’aime in which he describes buying a villa in Provence, and living there with his wife and two cats. Thursday, June 26 at 7:30pm, free. Alma VanDusen Room, Lower Level Central Library 350 West Georgia Street. For more information please contact Vancouver Public Library at 604-331-3603.

THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES LAPINSKY BOOK DISCUSSIONS
Join author Karen X. Tulchinsky for a lively and intimate discussion of this year’s One Book, One Vancouver selection, The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky. Thursday, June 26 at 7:00pm, free but registration required. Kitsilano Branch 2425 Macdonald Street. For more information please contact Vancouver Public Library at 604-331-3603.

WORLD POETRY READING SERIES
Ariadne Sawyer and Alejandro Mujica-Olea host readings by Jaye Lowe, Judith Neale, Kyle Christensson, Victoria Pascha, and Dr. Lucia Gorea, with music by Pancho and Sal. Monday, June 30 at 7:30pm, free. Alma Van Dusen Room (Vancouver Public Library, 350 W. Georgia).

STEVE LOCKE AND COLIN J. STEWART
New Vancouver authors celebrate the release of their respective novels. Two Mile Road is a tale of a young man trying to find himself in a post-9/11 world, while A Question of Extremes tells the story of a group of utilitarian extremists who believe they can better the world by killing the right people. Wednesday, July 2 at 8:30pm, free. Café Montmartre (4362 Main St). More info: http://www.myspace.com/twomileroad and http://www.aquestionofextremes.com.

FEDERATION OF BC WRITERS LITERARY WRITES COMPETITION
This Year’s Category: Short Fiction, any genre (literary, mystery, romance, science fiction, etc.) First Prize: $500 and publication in WordWorks, Second Prize: $300, Third Prize: $150. Blind jury. Judge: Pauline Holdstock. Deadline: Postdated July 1, 2008. Web: http://www.bcwriters.com/literary.php. Visit website for guidelines.

MEET THE AUTHOR
A program for teens. Want to get together with other teens and talk about a book with the writer? Meet local writers Meg Tilley and Julie Burtinshaw. Registration begins June 1. Saturday, July 5 and Saturday, July 12 at 11:00am. Free but registration required. Learning Centre, Level 3 Central Library 350 West Georgia Street. For more information please contact Children’s Library at 604-331-3663.

Upcoming

DENMAN ISLAND READERS AND WRITERS FESTIVAL
The 6th annual festival features Sharon Butala, Maggie de Vries, Jack Hodgins, Brian Payton and many more. July 17-20, 2008. Complete information at: http://www.denmanislandwritersfestival.com.

KOOTENAY BOOKWEEKEND
The 5th Annual Kootenay Bookweekend will be held in Nelson, B.C. on September 19, 20 & 21st. The celebrity author in attendance will be Jack Hodgins, Governor General’s Award winner and bestselling author. His book to be discussed is Broken Ground. The other selections for this year are: To All Appearances a Lady by Marilyn Bowering, The Rug Merchant by Meg Mullens and Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje. Come join other passionate page turners for this stimulating event. For more information visit our website at www.kootenaybookweekend.ca, email kb*@ko*****************.ca, or call Victoria at 250-352-6197.

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Produced by the Book News Collective: Hal Wake, Clea Young, 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