Happy March, Writers and Friends!
Do you get a glimpse of grass when the snow melts under these bouts of miserable cold rain? The green shoots tantalize me with the thought of flowers and black earth and compost, but just when I think we’ve turned a weather corner, another late-winter storm beats the enthusiasm out of me – a common experience during mercurial March in New Brunswick.
But I have much to keep me occupied in the cloudy gloom. This is the time of year when arts organizations scurry to file reports with their chief funders and make application for the upcoming year’s grants. We are currently planning programming for the 2024-25 season, while we also put the finishing touches on the events that are just a couple of months away.
WFNB Events and News
WordSpring is just around the corner!
The event page is now open for registration on our website, and I hope you’ll take time to consider if anything on the schedule interests you. You can pay to attend the whole event or spend just Saturday with us. If you are only interested in one workshop, you can pay separately for that, too. With this flexibility of options, we hope that as many folks as possible can participate.
This year WS is in Moncton, and our hosts are The Rodd Moncton Inn, the Alma City Club, The Empress Theatre and The Moncton Press Club.
For the last several years, we have offered book sale tables to writers on Friday afternoon at WordSpring, but we have never held the event in a location which offered much foot traffic from the public. Instead this year, we are offering to sell books for the members who are launching books at the Friday afternoon open mic, for a low consignment fee. We will set up our merch table at the Rodd Inn Friday afternoon, and also Friday evening at The Empress Theatre during the literary soiree. If you would like to participate, you will be responsible to bring the books to the table and take them away.
We are thinking about organizing a book sale during Buy a NB Book Day season in mid-September. More details will be released as they solidify.
News from Members
Brian Cormier
WFNB member Brian Cormier is thrilled to announce that his very first book is now available for purchase! Acadian Recipes and More - Volume 1 is a compilation of recipes gathered from members of the Acadian Poutine Râpée Facebook Group and elsewhere. You will find more than 100 recipes - many of which are family recipes that are impossible to find! Enjoy the extra bonuses of exclusive recipes from Moncton’s famous Marven's Biscuits and Cy's Seafood Restaurant, too. Click on the link to buy. An ebook version will also be available. You can purchase from Amazon.ca, or from Amazon.com.
Rhonda Bulmer
Merlin Star Press invites you to the gala launch of WFNB member Rhonda Bulmer's new novel, The Widow & The Will. The celebration will take place on Thursday, April 4 at 5 to 7 p.m. at the Alma City Club, 114 Alma St., Moncton (the corner of St. George and Alma Streets). If you can’t make it, there will also be a book signing at Chapters in Dieppe on April 6 from noon to 4 pm, and a reading at the Moncton library from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, Wednesday, April 17.
Wendy McLeod MacKnight
(Le francais suit) The teen novel The Frame-up, written by WFNB member Wendy McLeod MacKnight, has just been published in French under the title Hors cadre by Les Éditions Bouton d'or Acadie, translated by Marie-Claude Hébert. Congratulations, Wendy!
Le roman jeunesse The Frame-up, écrit par la néo-brunswickoise Wendy McLeod MacKnight, vient de paraitre en français sous le titre Hors cadre aux Éditions Bouton d’or Acadie, traduite par Marie-Claude Hébert. Félicitations, Wendy!
Heather Browne
Heather is offering a creative writing course in Fredericton (Tuesday, April 2 - May 21, 2024) In this continuing series, writers will have an opportunity to draw from photographs and music while developing their writing skills. Discover how the everyday invests your writing with power. Write with Heather Browne and others as she challenges the small group with prompts and resources for writing well together. This series is for those interested in developing their writing, and surprising themselves in the process. Call 506-460-2020 (Culture and Recreation) for registration details.
News from Sponsors and Friends
Galleon Books
Moncton-based Galleon Books, with six books published and eight titles in the publishing queue, are offering readers a five-book subscription, with a bonus book if subscribers act by March 30. The cost of the subscription is $135 and includes shipping. See Subscriptions – Galleon Books for more details, including a list of our next six titles. As a fundraiser for Galleon Books, editor/publishing Lee Thompson is offering clients 25% off selected editing and design packages. Write editor@galleonbooks.com.
Welcome New Members!
Natasha Barlow
Natasha Barlow writes scripts, poetry and plays from her home in Indian Island. Welcome, Natasha!
Monique Carrier
Monique enjoys writing poetry as a hobby (we have a great many poets in New Brunswick, of all levels) and she is also interested in the middle-grade genre. Welcome, Monique!
Shaun Cunningham
Originally from the prairies, Shaun's fiction, poetry, and non-fiction has been published in several Canadian outlets. Now living in Sackville, Shaun won first place in the Creative Non-Fiction category of WFNB's 2023 literary contest. A poetry chapbook entitled "Driving Home" was recently published by Hardscrabble Press and is available on Shaun’s website.Welcome!
Philip Davidson
Philip began writing later in life, at the age of 61. Now seventy, Philip writes fiction, horror, flash/micro fiction, and middle grade from his home in Saint John. Welcome, Philip!
Sandra English
Sandra has been developing a collection of poems and short stories over several decades, and is looking for advice on publishing. From her home in Taymouth, Sandra writes creative non-fiction, fiction, poetry, flash/micro fiction and short stories. Welcome, Sandra!
Rhea Gallant
Rhea lives in Beresford, where she writes nonfiction. She is passionate to work with people who are naturally evolved towards multi-disciplinary studies in substance misuse and mental health. Rhea is an accredited tea sommelier, mixologist, reflexologist and is a fashion designer. Welcome, Rhea!
Diane Jameson
Diane writes poetry from her home in Moncton. Welcome, Diane!
Nancy lives in Halifax, and writes biography, comedy, editing, playwriting, poetry, scriptwriting, copywriting, and website copy. Welcome, Nancy!
Vanessa has written poems and short stories which have appeared in numerous periodicals, anthologies, and journals. Vanessa has also published two poetry books, and has served as a poetry editor for publications/publishers. She completed her MA in creative writing at the University of New Brunswick. She now lives in Moncton, New Brunswick.Welcome, Vanessa!
Carol Shillibeer
Carol joins us from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Welcome, Carol!
Lorna Waye-Munn
Lorna is a retired teacher who is now embarking on her second career as a writer (a wonderful occupation, we think). From her home in Fredericton, she writes in the genres of biography, creative non-fiction, fiction, memoir, poetry, flash/micro fiction, short stories. Welcome, Lorna!
That’s it for now. Best of luck with your writing projects. Remember, “Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, and nothing else.” C.S. Lewis
Cheers,
Rhonda
