Ascent Aspirations Magazine

What's New

WordStorm January 30th, 2012

Come out to hear Cathy Ford, Jude Neale, and Judy Millar
WordStorm Web Site

Around Town Storytellers

If you are a fan of great storytelling, you won't want to miss this special free event. The Canadian Federation of University Women has invited Margaret Murphy to present A Patchwork of Peace: The Story of Sylvia Stark at 7 pm on Monday evening, January 23rd at St Andrews Presbyterian Church Hall, 4235 Departure Bay Road, in Nanaimo (just behind Country Club Mall). There is ample free parking available. All are invited.
The Around Town Tellers host "Stories on Friday" on the second Friday of the month from 7:30pm to 9:30pm at the Unitarian Hall, 595 Townsite Road in Nanaimo. Tickets are 5.00 at the door.
aroundtowntellers@gmail.com

Courses at Camosun Collge

Here are details on a few upcoming courses in Memoir and Poetry. For more details please go to Camosun

Memoir: Making Literature from Life, 2012W ASCE 802G 001 • Jan 31 - Mar 6 (6 sess) • Tues • 6:30-9pm
From Travel Essay to Memoir: Writing about Travel, 2012W ASCE 803G 001 • Wed • 6:30-9pm, Jan 25 - Feb 15 (4 sessions)
Poetry Writing Workshop with Joelene Heathcote, 2012W ASCE 883G 001 • Wed • 7-9pm, Jan 25 - Feb 29 (6 sess)

Many college courses require students to keep a writing journal or a reflective reading journal. Journaling is a great learning activity especially for continuing education students.

Finding the Poem in Your Heart's Garden with Wendy Morton

See Web Site

Royal Roads

Writing Life Women’s Writing Circle begins January 17, 2012

As the January Writing Life Women’s Writing Circle will be themed “where the stories come from” I’ve been remembering my own stories as well as those by the women authors whose poetry, stories and memoirs I’ve enjoyed: Barbara Gates, Isabel Huggan, Lorna Crozier, Ann Linnea, Kathleen Norris, Susan Brind Morrow, Ivan E. Coyote and many others. And lately I’ve been reading essays in a book to come out in January: Women Writing On Family. Yelizaveta P. Renfro, one of the essayists, reminds us of all the writing we do that can help to organize and structure short stories and essays: to do lists, emails, text messages, and status updates on social networking sites. And some of us actually hand write letters that we send through the mail!

I’ve included the info below about the Writing Life Circle. Please note, there is a discount if you pay the fee before December 31st. Also, please register by email as well to secure your space in the circle. The circle offers an invitation to the presence that John O’Donohue wrote about, a synergistic blending of stories and an acceptance and celebration of each individual woman’s voice.

Writing Life: Sustain Your Practice and Honour Your Voice

a 6-week Women’s Writing Circle with Mary Ann Moore with the theme: where the stories come from

Where do the stories come from? The places we’ve lived, our culture and ancestors, our travels, the livelihoods we’ve pursued, the relationships we’ve been in, the children we may have had, the challenges, the loves and lovers, the heartaches and the joys. Write your stories. Be inspired by a community of writing women including all those writing women before us. Our spirit dance with stillness and voice invites a celebration of ourselves in a creative community of women nourished by the circle. Previous writing experience is not necessary.

Dates: Tuesday, January 17 to Tuesday, February 21, 2011
Time: 9:30 a.m. to noon
Place: The Three Cat Be & Be, 3350 Hickman Place, Nanaimo
(The location may change if there are more than six women.)
Fee: $180 for 6 weeks payable in advance. $160 if paid before December 31, 2011. Please send your cheque in the amount of $180 (or $160) made out to Mary Ann Moore to: Mary Ann Moore, 3350 Hickman Place, Nanaimo, B.C. V9T 3Y1. Please register by email as well to secure your space: flyingm@uniserve.com.
Questions: Mary Ann Moore at 250-729-2630 or flyingm@uniserve.com.
The intent of the Writing Life Circle:
To provide a safe place for women to tell their stories.
To find the still centre of ourselves and of the circle.
To write what has heart and meaning for us.
To realize our role as leaders in a circle of leaders.
To remember the divine feminine and embrace our female and male teachers.
To becoming a community of peers slowing down to a natural rhythm.
Mary Ann Moore Circles
a 6-week women's writing circle: where the stories come from
Tuesday, Janaury 17 to Tuesday, February 21 2012, 9:30 a.m. to noon

Colrain Poetry Manuscript Intensive

A Colrain Poetry Manuscript Intensive with editor/poets Martha Rhodes (Four Way Books) and Joan Houlihan, will be held at the beautiful Brandt House in Greenfield, Mass., February 24-27.
The Colrain Poetry Manuscript Intensive is a one-of-a-kind, total immersion weekend designed for poets with book-length manuscripts looking for a publisher. It includes a pre-conference reading of your entire manuscript, pre-conference work, and in-depth sessions with both editors. If you have a manuscript that has come close to publication (e.g. finalist, semi-finalist, positive feedback from a publisher), or if you attended a previous Colrain conference and wish to re-visit your manuscript in a smaller, in-depth session, the Intensive is for you.
The Intensive is limited to 8 poets. Please see the web page for details:
February
Also, our regular Colrain Poetry Manuscript conferences begin again March 23-26. For information, please see:
March
Since our first conference, in March of 2006, over 55 Colrain manuscripts have been accepted for publication.
Joan Houlihan, Founder & Director
Concord Poetry Center & Colrain Conferences
40 Stow Street
Concord, MA 01742
978-897-0054

The Victoria Writers’ Society 11th Annual Writing Competition

1st prize: $100
2nd prize: $75
3rd prize: $50

Entry Fee: $15 for members, $20 for non-members (cheques made out to the Victoria Writers’ Society)

Categories: Fiction, Creative Non-fiction and Poetry. Short stories and creative non-fiction up to 2,500 words. Two poems of fewer than 48 lines in any style can be submitted. The topic is open.

Deadline: May 1, 2012
See www.victoriawriters.ca for full contest details.
Submit with your cheque to:
Victoria Writers’ Society
P.O. Box 8311
Victoria, BC
V8W 3R9

Signpost - A Prairie Town by Dan Lundine

Email Dan Lundine to purchase a copy.

Email: Dan Lundine

The Second Annual Hazelwood Herb Farm Writers' Festival

Hazelwood Photo Essay

Poetry Gabriola Festival Update

Announcing the 8th Annual Poetry Gabriola Festival February 16 - 19, 2012 Poetry Gabriola had an amazing year in 2011 with the creation of the Poetry Yurt at the Commons and a full summer program of performance labs. Now we're kicking off 2012 in a big way - with the 8th Annual Poetry Gabriola Festival! Newly positioned on the calendar to chase away the winter blues, this year's celebration of literature, spoken word , and music runs from Thursday, February 16 to Sunday February 19 at the Dragon's Lodge on Gabriola Island. The four evening mainstage performances feature artists from across Canada, including six British Columbia poets commissioned to create new works. This year's commissioned poets are Susan Musgrave, Gregory Scofield, Barbara Adler, CR Avery, Jordan Scott and Tim Lander, and will be appearing through a special initiative formed in partnership with the BC Arts Council. As well as four feature evening presentations, 2012 will offer afternoon events, salons, workshops, school shows, cameo performances, and of course the return of the hit event, Knock-Knock, Who's There? This FREE, family-friendly, site-specific installation features local and visiting artists performing in the 11 teeny, tiny cabins on the grounds of the Dragon’s Lodge. See you at the festival!

CASCADIA POETRY FESTIVAL TO BE HELD MARCH 24-25 IN SEATTLE

Event Includes Workshops, Readings, and Panels with Northwest US and Canadian Faculty

Seattle, WA, January 2, 2012—The Cascadia Poetry Festival seeks to examine the culture of this region by gathering poets from California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, British Columbia, the Alaska panhandle and Western Montana to learn, share ideas and techniques, begin to discover the qualities of this bioregion and the possibilities for deeper connection between the inhabitants from all parts of the region. On March 24 and 25, 2012, renowned and emerging poets from the region will present talks on Cascadian culture and illustrate how that is presented in the best poetry of the region..

Featured artists include Sam Hamill, Judith Roche, Tim McNulty, Dan Raphael, Kim Goldberg, Trevor Carolan, Catherine Owen, Maleea Acker, Katharine Whitcomb, Richard Olafson and others. Complete biographies can be found online at SPLAB.

The festival opens on Saturday, March 24 with a faculty-led discussion from 9:00-11:00am at SPLAB, 3651 S. Edmunds in Seattle. Workshops follow in the afternoon, including a nature walk and writing prompt from 12:00-4:00pm: Igniting the Green Fuse: Women on Eco-Poetry moderated by Kim Goldberg (Nanaimo, BC) at Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center. Workshops by Tim McNulty (Sequim, WA) and Dan Raphael (Portland, OR) will also be held at SPLAB that afternoon. A keynote reading will take place at SPLAB at 7:30pm.

On Sunday, March 25, the day opens again with a faculty-led discussion from 9:00-11:00am at SPLAB. Judith Roche (Seattle, WA) will lead a workshop on The Power of Place from 1:00-3:00pm. At 4:00pm, selected readers from Introducing A Sense of Place: The Washington State Geospatial Poetry Anthology will read at SPLAB, and an evening reading will follow.

All times, locations, and participants are subject to change. Please watch the SPLAB web site for up-to-the-minute scheduling changes. Fees: All Access Gold Passes are available for $50 and get festival attendees into all weekend events. Passes may be purchased in advance through the SPLAB web site, or by contacting SPLAB at 206-422-5002. Individual workshops are $20, and all readings are a suggested donation of $5. Morning faculty-led discussions are open to Gold Pass holders and faculty members only.

This event is co-sponsored by Pacific Rim Review of Books, Humanities Washington & Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center. SPLAB is an intergenerational writing, performance, resource and outreach center. Founded in 1997 in Auburn, Washington, by poets Paul Nelson and Danika Dinsmore, SPLAB’s office is now located Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. SPLAB hosts a weekly writer's critique circle, Living Room, every Tuesday at 7pm, at 3651 S Edmunds in Seattle. For more SPLAB event information, visit www.splab.org.

### For information or to arrange interviews with faculty, contact Paul Nelson at 206-422-5002.

JUST RELEASED!
the art of breathing underwater, from Mother Tongue Publishing, is Cathy Ford's first full-length book of poetry in twenty-one years!

In this long-awaited book by a major Canadian poet, Ford celebrates the beauty of nature and love, acknowledges the tragedy of living, and listens visually with the ear to the heart, using the rope of her long lines and attention to sound, to map the metaphor and rhythm of a woman's consciousness. Cathy Ford is the author of fourteen books of poetry and numerous chapbooks and folios published by blewointment press, Intermedia Press, Caitlin Press, Vehicule Press, Harbour Publishing and gynergy books.

Born in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, she grew up in northern British Columbia, attended the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, and has a BFA and MFA in Creative Writing, with Honours. A former president of the League of Canadian Poets, she is a founding member of the Feminist Caucus of the League of Canadian Poets.

For many years she has worked as a community and arts activist committed to world peace and improving the status of women, especially women artists in Canada and internationally. Ford lived for 18 years on Mayne Island and presently lives in Sidney B.C. She is married, with one son.

Introduction to the art of breathing underwater is by poet, Jane Munro, author of Point No Point, M&S

On the art of breathing underwater: "21 yeers sins cathy fords last book its bin a long time 2 wait the art of breathing underwater has bin well worth th wait its a brillyant book devoteez uv th long wide line will b thrilld with her full continuing breething fords xpert delineaysyun uv convenshunal gendr dynamiks is incisiv bloodee n encouraging in its remedeez a veree great book beautiful a joy 4evr" –bill bissett

On Cunnilingus or How I Learned To Love Figure Skating: "this poetry mesmerized me into a language-induced trance, from which I had to shake myself at the end of the book. Cathy Ford is a powerful writer." –Maria Bonanno

On By Violent Means: "In the book as a whole there are so many instances of a clear wonderful intelligence that we are left moved by the language & what the author has allowed us to see / feel with such clarity." –bp Nichol

DISTRIBUTED BY LITDISTCO Order from your favourite bookstore for review copies please reply

Monthly Poetry Series in Nanaimo

"Poetry Aloud," convened by Greg Skala, is a monthly poetry reading session at the Wellington Branch Library, 3032 Barons Road, Nanaimo, B.C., on the first Thursday evening of each month, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Drop in for a varied and enthusiastic presentation; or, if you or someone you know might be interested in being scheduled to read either original poems or favourite poems by others, please contact the Library at 250-758-5544 or either of these two e-mail addresses:
Email Greg
Email VIRL

Qualicum Acoustic Cafe

QB Acoustic Café
Rotary House, 211 W. Fern, Qualicum Beach
First Friday of the Month starting October 1, 2010
This month's feature is an ango-alaskan acoustic world music duo from the UK . $5 per adult. Children free. Check out their website http://www.opland-freeman.com/
(The "Rotary House" is located on the corner of Fern Road West and Beach Road in Qualicum)
QB Acoustic Café is committed to the sharing of community, acoustic music from all genres, poetry, story-telling, and more…
Next Evening

Oct 1: Darrrel & Saskia, an award-winning Saskatchewan musical duo who sing and play contemporary and original folk songs.

Qualicum's Acoustic Cafe, with music, poetry, story telling and song is on the first Friday of the month with open stage at 7:30pm.
$5 advanced seat sales only
Rotary House on corner of Fern Road and Beach Road
Please arrive early if you want to sign up for the open stage.
Doors open 7.00
Open Stage 7.30-8.45
Intermission 8.45-9.00
Feature act 9.00-10.00
Sign up for open stage
· at the door or
· by calling Joyce at 250 752-1162

StoryTelling Evenings

The Around Townd Tellers now gather:
every SECOND Friday of the month at
the Unitarian Fellowship Hall
595 Townsite Road ( at Millstone)

7:30pm

TALE SPINNERS

Tale Spinners, a writing group welcomes all writers, be they published or simply interested in writing. Our purpose is to support and encourage one another in the act of creative writing. We meet on the first and third Friday of the month from 1 - 3 at St. Edmond's Church library.
Information at 250-248-6176 - Evelyn

Photos
David Fraser's Random Acts of Poetry

Native Women in the Arts

Web Site

Tongues of Fire

Solstice Cafe - 529 Pandora Ave at 7:30, $3.00. Evening starts with an Open mic followed by a feature performance by the Tongues of Fire poetry collective Love and Literature

Tongues of Fire

My Space Tongues of Fire

Planet Earth Poetry

Planet Earth Poetry, at The Moca (Formerly The Black Stilt), 1633 Hillside, at 7:30 pm every Friday

Email

Canadian Federation of Poets

Web Page

Federation of BC Writers New Web Site

Web Site

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Ascent Aspirations revised January, 2011

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