"Squeezing through the cracks, searching for the sunlight, the artist manages to blossom."

Rocksalt, An Anthology of Contemporary BC Poets Reading November 15th, 2009
POETRY GABRIOLA FESTIVAL

Poetry Gabriola Festival Web

Mother Tongue Press and Rocksalt

One Sweet Ride Launch November 14th, 2009
POETRY GABRIOLA FESTIVAL

Poetry Gabriola Festival Web

Planet Earth Poetry

Reading at Planet Earth Poetry at the Black Stilt Cafe, Victoria, BC, 7:00 pm November 6, 2009
Chapbook launch featuring Glenairley Poets.

Random Acts of Poetry, October 2009
David will be randomly poeming at the following locations on the following days. Look for him at these places, listen to a poem and receive a signed book.
Monday October 5th: Fairwinds Golf Course (AM), Red Gap Plaza, Petro Can at Northwest Bay Road and Hwy 19 (PM)
Tueday October 6th: Oceanside Community Arts Council Gallery, SOS, Quality Foods, Thirfy Foods Parksville, and Nanoose Edibles (PM)
Wednesday October 7th: Pacific Brim, Starbucks, Stanford's Auto Parksville (PM)
Thursday october 8th: Coombs Goats on the Roof Market and the Parksville Bottle Depot
Friday October 9th An Errington Sheep Farm, and the Parksville Career Centre ESL Classes 2:15 to 3:00

Random Acts of Poetry Blog

WordStorm September 17th, 2009
NANAIMO CENTRE STAGE
the city's newest arts & performance centre
25 Victoria Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 4N9

Nanaimo Centre Stage Web

Oceanside Arts Council AGM September 16th, 2009
The Oceanside Community Arts Council Gallery
133 McMillan Street, Parksville

Sheri-D and Company July 11, 2009
Vancouver Island University

Nanaimo Arts Council Writing Workshop,Creative Currents, June 27th
Harbourfront Library, Nanaimo 1-3 pm.

MayWorks, Parksville May 30th, 2009
The Oceanside Community Arts Council Gallery
133 McMillan Street, Parksville

Qualicum Acoustic Cafe, Qualicum Beach, 7:00 pm May 1st, 2009

"Poets in the Underpass", Nanaimo, 1- 3 pm April 17th, 2009

"Poets on the Wall, Nanaimo Harbourfront Library 1-3 pm, Nanaimo March 21th, 2009

Oceanside WordWorx, 7:00 pm March 14th, 2009
An evening of Poetry, Story Telling, Music and Song
The Oceanside Community Arts Council Gallery
133 McMillan Street, Parksville

Revolutions, March 3, 2009

Leaf Press is having a Nanaimo party for Calgary’s Joan Shillington. She’ll read from her book Revolutions and perhaps tell us how she came to be inspired to write about the Romanovs. Ursual Varia has also invited her Glenairley pals to read a poem or two: David Fraser, Cindy Shantz, Mary Ann Moore, and Pat Smekal

There will be apple cake and coffee and three door prizes of everything Leaf publishes in 2009. It would be lovely to see you there! Ursula Vaira, Publisher, Leaf Press

Vancouver Island Regional Library, Harbourfront
90 Commercial Street, Nanaimo
Tuesday March 3 at 6:30

Richard Harrison: " ... Images of glass and crystal ­ the windows of the Romanov’s country prison that reflect their hopeful faces in the night; the antiseptic walls in the Fabergé factory to keep the Master from the dirt of his own making; the jewels the royals sewed into their garments to keep them from theft but which became the failed body-armour that only prolonged their dying ... written through such images from history as these, Joan Shillington gives us a delicate and sadly sympathetic study of the way in which any family cut off from its society is forever cut off from knowing itself."
Joan Shillington has been published in Room of One's Own, Grain, Freefall, Prairie Journal and University of Calgary's Writing the Terrain. She is a member of the Alberta Writer's Guild and Alexandra Writers Centre. At home in Calgary, there is a loft overlooking the Rocky Mountains with a desk and rocking chair where her husband, five children and two grandchildren often sit and visit.

Poetry by Joan Shillington
ISBN 978-0-9783879-6-9
5.5 by 8.5 Trade Paperback
Full colour cover 84 pages $16.95

Leaf Press
www.leafpress.ca
Ursula Vaira, Publisher
check our call for Monday's Poem
250 390-3028
P.O. Box 416
Lantzville, B.C.
V0R 2H0

Reading at Planet Earth Poetry at the Black Stilt Cafe, Victoria, BC, 7:00 pm November 21, 2008
HOW LIGHT NEEDS TO BEND, a chapbook launch featuring Glenairley Poets.

"Light needs to bend and so do we. A bamboo mind, that is what we must have. We must bow our heads to the wind and then rise again to watch its passing. Not the passive, but the accepting, not the weakness aggression springs from, but the strength that resides in surrender. We give ourselves to words, and they accept us. Paper birches wear the scroll we write upon. A child in a church, a toll taker on the Coquihalla, the little nuns and the grocer, all of them arrive where the fawn lilies grow. We search for the names of things, and our breath is the sound a poem makes, rising as it does from the fecund ground of faith. Poems arrive from silence and return to it. Ah, such bending here on this journey, and such joy in our return." - Patrick Lane

Readers are as follows:Mary Ann Moore – "The Names of Things", Wendy Morton – "For the Journey", Richard Osler – "Yellow Loveseat", Dvora Levin – "The Dangers of a Large Library", Martha Royea – "The Little Nuns………", Rhonda Ganz – "Dianne Odell, 61 Years Old…………", Leslie McBain – "Toll Taker…………", Cindy Shantz – "Child in Church", Linda Crosfield – "The Grocer and…………" ,Heidi Garnet – "Blind Faith", Ray McGinnis – "Breakfast for One", David Fraser – "Do You Know Where Fawn Lilies…", Susan Gee - "Aluminum Plant", Isa Milman – "Paper Birch", Pat Smekal – "Below Ground", Joan Shillington – "Alpine Waltzing".

Reading at Launch of Rocksalt, An Anthology of Contemporary BC Poets, November 2, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Harbourfront Library, Nanaimo BC

Lightning Reader, WordStorm September 18th, 2008
Mermaid's Mug, 7:00 357 Wesley Street, Nanaimo, BC

David Fraser Book Launch, Running Down the Wind at Planet Earth Poetry, October 19, 2007 with Arlene Pare
Planet Earth Poetry

Running Down The Wind

October 25th, 2007 WordStorm, The Bombay Lounge at The Acme Food Co., 14 Commercial St., Nanaimo BC, 7:00 - 9:00 - Storm Reader
November 29th, 2007 WordStorm, The Bombay Lounge at The Acme Food Co., 14 Commercial St., Nanaimo BC, 7:00 - 9:00 - Host/Organizer
January 31th, 2008 WordStorm, Erotica Night The Bombay Lounge at The Acme Food Co., 14 Commercial St., Nanaimo BC, 7:00 - 9:00 - Host/Reader

David Fraser read with Glen Sorestad, Saturday March 31, 2007 at the Hills Native Art in Nanaimo.

Collaboration Site

David Fraser is the editor of the acclaimed literary, dark fiction, poetry magazine, Ascent Aspirations Magazine. David belongs to the Canadian Poetry Association and is the regional director for the BC islands for the Federation of BC Writers. Along with other writers and poets on Vancouver Island he plans in the future to establish an on-going print and spoken word reading series. David's short fiction and poetry have been published in a number of journals and magazines in print and on the internet. Samples of his writing can be found through the personal link as well as via the poetry and fiction links. David's first collection of poetry, Going to the Well is available through Ascent Aspirations Publishing.

David has read new work and poetry from his first collection Going to the Well at the Nanaimo Harbourfront Library in April 2005 and in July 2005 at the Victoria School of Writing with John Gould and Sheri-D Wilson.

David Fraser's second collection of poetry, Running Down the Wind was launched in the fall of 2007. Running Down The Wind

Publishing Credits

Magazine Print Credits

Anthology Print Credits

Electronic Magazine Credits

Scruffy Dog, 2009 Web
Muddy River Review, 2009 Web
A Little Poetry, Dec. 2005, Summer 2006 A Little Poetry (Dec. 2005)
Above Ground Testing, Aug. 2000, Aug. 2003 Above Ground Testing
Alien Flower, April 2003 Alien Flower ( May 2005)
Ardent, Aug. 2004
Australian Collaborations Issue No. 12, 2006 Collaboration Site
Autumn Leave, Nov. 2007, Feb. 2008, Nov. 2008, Dec. 2008
Avantgardetimes, March, 2008
Bewildering Stories, Issue 117, 2003 Bewidering Stories (Fall/Winter 2004/2005)
Canadian Poets on the Web, 2003 Canadian Poets on the Web
Canadian Zen Haiku, 2005 Cyclamens and Swords Spring and Fall 2008 Cyclamens and Swords
Drifters Oasis, Jan. 2003 Drifters Oasis
Experimental Candy, June 2006 Lit Parlour - Experimental Candy Ezine(Summer.2006)
Expressions 30, Jan. 2003
Fireweed, Nov. 2005 Fireweed (Dec.2005)
Gulper Eel, May 2010
Illogical Muse, Oct. 2005 Illogical Muse(Oct.2005)
Leaf Press, Monday’s Poem, 2007 Monday's Poem, Leaf Press, Jan.2007, May 2010
Locust, Sept. 2003, Nov. 2007 Locust Magazine (Sept. 2003), 
Long Short Story, April 2006, Oct. 2007, Nov. 2007, August 2008, July 2010, October 2010 Long Short Story (Dec.2005 & April 2006), 
Megaera, July 2004
Mgversions, Nov. 2005, November 2008 (English with French translations) Mg Version (Nov.2005)
Moongate International, Feb. 2006
Outsiders Ink, Summer 2006 Outsider Ink (Summer 2006)
Palabras Press, Nov. 2005 Palabras Press (Nov.2005, Dec. 2006)
Planet Earth Poetry, Summer Email 2010
Perigee, May 2004, Sept. 2004 Perigee (May 2004 and September 2004)
Poetic Inhalations, July 2004
Poetry Super Highway, April 2004, May 2005, Sept. 2007 Poetry Super Highway (April 2004 Holocaust Issue)
Poetry Victims, July 2004
Regina Weese, Oct./Nov. 2004
Some Words, July 2004
Spitfire Poetry, April 2005
Steele Point Quarterly, April 2002
The Dream People, April 2003, June 2003
The Muse Apprentice Guild, Spring 2003 The Muse Apprentice Guild
The Scruffy Dog Review, Spring 2009, Summer 2009, Fall 2009 The Scruffy Dog Review
Three Candles, Sept. 2004 Three Candles (October 2004)
Tryst, June 2006 Tryst(June.2006)
Turbula, Fall 2003, Aug. 2005, Oct. 2006 Turbula (Fall 2003 and August 2005)
Underground Voices, 2004 Underground Voices(Dec. 2004)
Voices of Africa, May 2006
Wah, Dec. 2005
Word Play, Feb 2006 Word Play(Feb. 2006)
Ygdrasil, July 2002, Nov. 2003, 2008 Ydgrasil
Zygote in My Coffee, June 2006 Zygote in My Coffee(Jan. 9,2006)

Published Collections

Going to the Well, (poetry) Ascent Aspirations Publishing, 2004
The Dark Side of the Billboard, (short fiction) Ascent Aspirations Publishing, 2005
Running Down the Wind, (poetry)Ascent Aspirations Publishing, 2007

Readings and Appearances

One Sweet Ride Switzerland Tour September, 2010
One Sweet Ride Launch, Oceanside WordWorx, The Oceanside Community Arts Council Gallery April 24th, 2010
One Sweet Ride Launch, Planet Earth Poetry, The Black Stilt cafe, Victoria March 5th, 2010
Chapbook Launch featuring Glenairley PoetsReading at Planet Earth Poetry at the Black Stilt Cafe, Victoria, BC, 7:00 pm November , 2009
Rocksalt, An Anthology of Contemporary BC Poets Reading, Poetry Gabriola Festival November 15th, 2009
One Sweet Ride Launch, Poetry Gabriola Festival, November 14th, 2009
Random Acts of Poetry, October 2009
WordStorm, Nanaimo Centre Stage, September 17th, 2009
Oceanside Arts Council AGM, The Oceanside Community Arts Council Gallery September 16th, 2009
Sheri-D and Company, Vancouver Island University July 11, 2009
Nanaimo Arts Council Writing Workshop, Creative Currents, Harbourfront Library, Nanaimo June 27th
MayWorks, Courtenay May 29th and Parksville May 30th, 2009
Qualicum Acoustic Cafe, Qualicum Beach, 7:00 pm May 1st, 2009
"Poets in the Underpass", Nanaimo, 1- 3 pm April 17th, 2009
"Poets on the Wall, Nanaimo Harbourfront Library 1-3 pm, Nanaimo March 21th, 2009
Oceanside WordWorx, at the Oceanside Community Arts Council 7:00 pm March 14th, 2009
Vancouver Island Regional Library, Harbourfront, March 3rd, 2009
Oceanside WordWorx, March 14th, 2009
"Poets in the Underpass", Nanaimo April 17th, 2009
Qualicum Acoustic Cafe, Qualicum Beach May 1st, 2009
MayWorks, Parksville May 30th, 2009
Planet Earth Poetry at the Black Stilt Cafe, Victoria, BC, 7:00 pm November 21, 2008. HOW LIGHT NEEDS TO BEND, a chapbook launch featuring Glenairley Poets.
Harbourfront Library, Nanaimo BC. Launch of Rocksalt, An Anthology of Contemporary BC Poets, November 2, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Mermaid's Mug, 7:00 357 Wesley Street, Nanaimo, BC. Lightning Reader, WordStorm September 18th, 2008
Comox Book Club, Comox, Feb 19, 2008
WordStorm, The Bombay Lounge Nanaimo BC, 7:00 - 9:00 Sept.2007-May 2008WordStorm Link
Planet Earth Poetry, Black Stilt Café, Victoria, Oct. 19, 2007
The Vault, Leaf Press 1st Annual Celebration, Nanaimo, Oct. 2007
WordStorm, The Bombay Lounge Nanaimo BC, 7:00 - 9:00 Jan.2007-May 2007WordStorm Link
Federation of BC Writers 35th Anniversary Reading, Nanaimo, April 2007
Hills Native Art in Nanaimo with Glen Sorestad, Saturday March 31, 2007
Victoria School of Writing, Open Mic, July 2005
Harbourfront VIRL Library, Nanaimo, February, 2004

Organized Spoken Word Events

Oceanside WordWorx, Oceanside Community Arts Council, Parksville, BC 7-9 March 2009 - onward
WordStrom, Nanaimo Centre Stage, Nanaimo, BC 7-9 Spetember 2009 - onward
WordStorm, The Bombay Lounge Nanaimo BC, 7:00 - 9:00 Sept.2007-May 2008, hostWordStorm Link
WordStorm, The Bombay Lounge Nanaimo BC, 7:00 - 9:00 Jan.2007-May 2007, hostWordStorm Link

Judging Positions

Judge: Poemata Poem of the Year 2006
Judge: Pacific Coast Regional Arts Council Writing Contest (Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction) 2006, 2008
Judge: Canadian Poetry Association Poetry Competition 2007

Two poems, "Alone and Lost and Out of Love" and " A View from All Souls Prison" appear in the anthology, Sharing the Dark, Encounters with the Abyss, collected and edited by Katherine L. Gordon, and published by Passion Among the Cacti Press ,2005 Contact Publisher

Two poems "Our Windows" and "Making Bread" published in print magazine Poetry Canada Mar-May 2006 and two poems "Our Windows" and "Setting Goals" published in the Anthology The Future Looks Bright (2006) Publisher

 Lyrics from one poem have been published and performed through Ex Tenebris. In the past David has written a weekly newspaper column in the Beeton Record. He has taught English and Ceative Writing. He resides now on the left coast of Canada and is currently a full time writer.

Contact
Ascent Aspirations Magazine
Links
Personal
Poetry
Fiction
Magazine Links
Ascent Aspirations Publishing
The Affilitate Authors Bookstore

Samples of Poetry in Going to the Well
Going to the Well and Running Down the Wind can also be purchased at the following bookstores on Vancouver Island: Salamander Books in Ladysmith, Munro Books in Victoria, Falconer Books in Nanaimo, The Blue Heron in Comox, The Laughing Oyster in Courtney.
Tanners in Sydney, Munro Books in Victoria, Volume One in Duncan, Salamander Books in Ladysmith, Falconer Books in Nanaimo and the Blue Heron and Laughing Oyster Bookstores in Comox and Courtenay carry David Fraser's collections and Ascent Aspirations Magazine print anthologies.

Return to David Fraser's Home Site

David Fraser lives in Nanoose Bay, on Vancouver Island. He is the founder and editor of Ascent Aspirations Magazine, http:// www.ascentaspirations.ca, since 1997. His poetry and short fiction have appeared in over 50 journals including Three Candles, Regina Weese, Ardent, Quills and Ygdrasil. He has published a collection of his poetry, Going to the Well (2004), a collection of short fiction, The Dark Side of the Billboard (2006 )and edited and published the print issues of Ascent Aspirations Magazine Anthology One (2005) , Anthology Two – Windfire (2006), and Anthology Three, AguaTerra (2007) http://www.ascentaspirations .ca/aapublishing.htm A second collection of poetry, Running Down the Wind will appear in 2007 David is currently the Federation of BC Writers Regional Director for The Islands Region. His latest passion is developing Nanaimo’s newest spoken word series,WordStorm

David Fraser has a BA in English from University of Toronto, and an MEd in adult education from OISE. In Ontario he taught English, Creative Writing Writer’s Craft among other subjects at the secondary school level for 30 years. He was the ski school director for High Park Snow School for 8 years. Currently he is a full time writer who also teaches skiing at Mt Washington in the winter.

Email: David Fraser

Return to Table of Contents