Hello, Members and Friends:
The first snow of November fell last night, and this morning, it's still on the ground – do you have your winter tires on yet? Me neither.
Thank you to those who attended WordsFall in Sussex in October, and kindly filled out a survey form. We were a cozy crew this year, but we still enjoyed some good quality workshops, music, and dynamic readings.
As the Christmas season and other holidays approach, you might not be thinking about signing up for WFNB events, but they’re coming soon. Here are some quick reminders:
1. Please sign up soon for the Winter Retreat, January 17-19 – we need a minimum of 15 participants to make it a go. (I’m really looking forward to it this time round!)
2. As well, the first of three online workshops on the fundamentals of poetry will be led by Roger Moore, on December 12 from 7 to 9 pm. Our two other leaders will be announced soon.
3. As well, our Frances Peck three-session bundle is available to us for a limited time. If you missed these sessions, now is your chance to review the videos and the materials for a very low price.
4. There are only a couple of weeks left for NB residents to submit your books to the NB Book Awards. Submit a form and mail two books to us at 52 Amity Street, Moncton, NB E1G 0S3, postmarked by December 1. So far, we only have ONE submission to the Alice Kitts Award for Excellence in Picture Book Writing. If we do not receive enough to adjudicate this year, this year’s submissions will be added to next year’s group.
5. Get ready to submit to the 2025 NB Writing Competition! It begins January 1 and runs through March 31, in eight categories. Open to all NB residents, and to WFNB members, no matter where they live. Susan White and I are finalizing the judges for this year, and we’ll announce those names soon.
6. Also, please note if your membership has lapsed, you might not notice at first, since you will continue to receive Inkspot (unless you unsubscribe), but if you want to make announcements about your book launches, etc. in the newsletter and on social media, they will no longer be free. Event registration fees for non-members are also higher. We would love to have you back! Contact us at info@wfnb.ca to let us know how we could entice you.
November WordWorthy:
“It would be fair enough to ask, I suppose, if Paul Sheldon in Misery is me. Certainly parts of him are…but I think you will find that, if you continue to write fiction, every character you create is partly you. When you ask yourself what a certain character will do given a certain set of circumstances, you’re making the decision based on what you yourself would (or in the case of a bad guy, wouldn’t) do. Added to these versions of yourself are the character traits, both lovely and unlovely, which you observe in others (a guy who picks his nose when he thinks no one is looking, for instance). There is also a wonderful third element: pure blue sky imagination. – Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (2000, Scribner)
WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS
Joseph Howse (https://nummist.com/stories) writes fiction and poetry, as well as technical books on computer programming and image analysis from his home in the fishing village of Terence Bay, NS. There, he chats with his cats and nurtures an orchard of hardy fruit trees. Joseph is interested in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Non-Fiction, Photography, Poetry, Technical, Flash/Micro fiction, Short stories. Welcome, Joseph!
Tammy Morgan is a returning member who writes fiction from her home in Sackville, NB. Welcome, Tammy!
MEMBER NEWS
Book Launch on the Miramichi
Chuck Bowie will hold a Reading and Signing of his latest Thriller in the Donovan: Thief4Hire series. Lost in London is the sixth book in the series.
Where: Mill Cove Coffee, 144 Newcastle Blvd, Miramichi
When: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, from 2:00 to 4:00PM.
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Jerry Iwanus, recently published his first book, TAXING NEW BRUNSWICK: An Insider's Guide to Successfully Challenging Your NB Property Assessment (Platypus Publishing).
Written to help fellow New Brunswickers navigate this complex and often-maddening topic (and perhaps making readers chuckle a bit on the meantime), he hopes that it contributes to a conversation about property tax reform in his beloved adopted province. It’s available on Amazon; he writes on this and other topics at The Prairie Maritimer.
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Andrew MacLean, the writer of the Backyard History column which appears weekly in 20 newspapers across the Maritimes, published his third book Rebellious Women In The Maritimes. This anthology uncovers the untold stories of seventeen courageous women who dared to stand up, speak out, and break free from the constraints of their times. Order at backyardhistory.ca - Thanks very much and keep up the good work!
http://backyardhistory.ca
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Barb Parker’s book launch of her new book, Don’t Leave Me, was a great success. Barb thanks everyone for the comments and reviews, and she is so thankful for your support. Barb will be holding book presentations November 16 at the Grand Manan Community Market, November 17 at Immanuel Family Church, Grand Manan, November 22 at the McAdam Public Library, November 26 Heritage Center in Marysville NB, December 5 at the Christmas Craft & Bake Sale McKnight Street, Fredericton, NB. Barb is mailing copies of her book to those who request in Canada. Her first two books are available at NB libraries, and she will also be donating a copy of her new book to NBPLS next week.
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Congratulations to Valerie Sherrard, whose 34th (!) book, An Unbalanced Force, is released this month! Instead of asking friends to attend a launch in person or online, I'm inviting you to read a few pages of the opening chapter. Just click this link and then select "excerpt."
https://www.dcbyoungreaders.com/an-unbalanced-force
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Em Whelly is offering developmental editing services. She has some spots open in November and December. More info: ewhelly@outlook.ca or call 506-333-6066
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Susan White would like to announce the release of her 14th novel with Acorn Press entitled Such a Winter’s Day. Susan was also one of ten contributing authors with short stories in The ANNEthology which was an exciting Acorn Press Spring release. The ANNEthology is getting lots of attention across the country. On November 28, WFNB member and NB Book Nonfiction Award winner Martha Vowles will interview Susan for the online launch of Such a Winter’s Day.
Congratulations to all our members on their launches, readings and other offerings.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Carol Off Book Tour comes to Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton, November 18-20
The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick is pleased to present Carol Off in conversation, as she kicks off her book launch tour in New Brunswick with a stop in Moncton on November 18.Carol is promoting her new book, At a Loss for Words, Conversation in an Age of Rage. This event is free and open to the public.
The event will take place at 6 pm at the Alma City Club, 114 Alma Street, Moncton. Carol will be pleased to sign copies of her book, and Tidewater books of Sackville will be on hand to sell copies.
Also on hand will be Jonna Brewer, host of CBC Moncton’s information morning, to host the Q & A period following Carol’s reading.
Carol will also visit Fredericton on November 19, 7:30 pm at Tilley Hall, UNB, and Saint John on November 20 at 7 pm in the Ganong Hall Lecture Theatre at UNB Saint John campus.
This reading is sponsored in memory of Susan Kathleen Leydon, longtime supporter of the Lorenzo Reading Series, and the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick.
SUMMER AUTHOR SERIES BOOKINGS!
Vickery House Books, at 83 Spring Street in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, is gathering its slate of authors who would like to participate in their third annual Summer Author Series for the 2025 season, which will be held mid-May to mid-August. Vickery House holds its events, rain or shine, in a large tent set up beside their bookstore. Meet and greet local cottagers and tourists, give a reading, and foster great discussions about your books. Connect with other writers and diverse audiences. Contact David Christie at summerauthorseries@gmail.com, or vickeryhouse.ns@gmail.com
GRANT APPLICATIONS
The Canada Council invites New Brunswick artists (including writers) to submit individual grant applications for their Explore and Create program. To set up your individual profile and learn more about what programs are on offer, check out the website here: https://apply.canadacouncil.ca/Default2.aspx Specific questions about Explore and Create? Contact a program officer, like Megan Mabey (megan.mabey@canadacouncil.ca)
OPEN MIC EVENT
The next Writers’ Open Mic in Sackville takes place Sunday, November 17, from 3:00 - 4:00 pm at Bill Johnstone Memorial Park Activity Centre, 70 Main Street, Sackville, NB.
The Writers’ Open Mic is a free, monthly event for writers of all ages and genres. Come out and read your poems, short stories, comics, novels, essays, twitter posts, stand-up comedy, etc. Or just come to listen. All are welcome.
A projector will be set up for those with comics or other images or videos they want to share. Files can be brought on a USB or emailed in advance. Accessibility concerns, general questions, and image or video files can be directed to laurawatsonartwork@gmail.com.
CONTESTS AND OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS
The sixteenth King’s Shorts Festival of Ten Minute Plays will be hosted by King’s Theatre in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada on June 20, 21 and 22, 2025. The Festival is open to all writers and playwrights, worldwide, even if you have never written a play before. Plays should not exceed 10 minutes (total stage time). https://www.kingstheatre.ca/about/kings-shorts-info/
$15 submission fee per script using the online “Registration” link or by calling the Box Office at 902-532-7704.
Entries for the Festival may also be sent to the address below, and be postmarked no later than January 13, 2025, with a non-refundable $15 entry fee per script: King's Shorts Committee, P.O. Box 161, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, B0S 1A0, Canada. For further information contact Verilea Ellis at 902-245-2309 or email verilea@yahoo.ca
The Bournemouth Writing Prize (UK) 2025.
The Bournemouth Writing Festival is joining forces with Arts University Bournemouth and Dithering Chaps (a Dorset-based indie publisher) to offer their 2025 competition for poems (up to thirty lines) and short stories (up to 3,000 words).
The overall winner will receive a cash prize of £500 (GBP), a one-hour online consultation with the competition judges and, for those able to attend the festival, the chance to perform their work with a live band. All short-listed writers will receive a copy of the winners’ anthology.
This year, there is no theme, so we invite you so send us your most competition-worthy poems and stories. The entry fee is £10 (GBP) for which you can send up to three poems or one short story per entry.
Many entries came from Canada and the US last year (for their 'Lines in the Sand' competition) and twelve of the eighty longlisted entries came from here.
For more information, please visit the competition website at:
https://thebournemouthjournal.com/bournemouth-writing-prize/
STOP PRESS: for poets who have a longer collection of poems (30-50 pages) in their locker, Dithering Chaps would love to read your work. Our submissions window is open and we are looking for poets to add to our 2025 publication listing. See our website or reply to this email for more details. Again, please share this information with members of your writing groups and other interested parties.
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The Manitoba Writers’ Guild is thrilled to announce the opening of their third annual David Williamson National Short Story Competition (otherwise known as “The Dave”), which opens for entries on December 1, 2024.
With $2000 in prizes (1st prize $1000; 2nd Prize $600; 3rd Prize $400) + guaranteed publication for the winners and honourable mentions in Beyond Boundaries III (2025), this Best Writing Contest acclaimed by Reedsy (2023) is not one to miss.
Simultaneous submissions accepted! Questions? Contact: MWGPresident2023@gmail.com.
The contest portal will open on their website on December 1, 2024 https://mbwriters.ca
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Don’t forget about The Eighth Annual Pottersfield Prize for Creative Nonfiction!
For the eighth annual prize, Pottersfield Press is again looking for submissions from writers who can provide a manuscript of 30,000 to 150,000 words in any of the following categories: history, memoir, autobiography, biography, literary journalism, political or social commentary, travel writing or virtually any existing or new category that uses the nonfiction medium to tell a story or put forward an idea.
The First Prize winner will receive a contract for the publication of the winning book along with a $1000 advance on 10% royalty for all sales. The Second Prize winner will also see the publication of the book and a $800 advance on 10% royalties.
Deadline is April 30, 2025, but early submissions are encouraged.
Manuscripts can be submitted electronically as a double-spaced basic Word document to:
pottersfieldcreative@gmail.com
including a title page with name, address and email contact.
Entry fee is $25 (includes HST) and can be paid by Interac Transfer (also to pottersfieldcreative@gmail.com), PayPal or by cheque made out to Pottersfield Press mailed to 248 Leslie Road, East Lawrencetown, NS B2Z 1T4 Canada after the manuscript has been submitted by email. www.pottersfieldpress.com
Winners will be announced on June 30, 2025.
The winners of the Seventh Annual Pottersfield Prize for Creative Nonfiction are co-authors James MacDuff and Mirriam Mweemba in first place for The Illogical Adventure and Matthew R. Anderson in second place for Someone Else’s Saint.
Both books will be published by Pottersfield Press in 2025.
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The Rialto Nature & Place Poetry Competition
Open to international submissions, as long as you are over 18 and your poem is written in English. Rules and submission guidelines here:
https://www.therialto.co.uk/pages/nature-poetry-competition/
The Rialto working in association with the RSPB, BirdLife International, Cambridge Conservation Initiative and The University of Leeds Poetry Centre.
Poems are invited that deal with any aspect of nature and place – these terms will be given a wide interpretation by the judge Helen Mort.
Deadline 1st April 2025.
Prizes
1st prize – £1000
2nd prize – £500
3rd prize – £250
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Good news! The deadline to submit to the The Short Long-Distance Writing Contest has been extended!
How it works: Send us a story, 500 words or less, fiction or non-fiction, that spans two or more Canadian time zones. This could mean a physical transition across time zones (like a road trip), or an implied transition between them (like a phone call). The details are up to you—get creative!
You have until Monday, November 25, 2024 at 11:59PM PST to submit.
Submit here:
https://www.geist.com/contests/the-2024-short-long-distance-writing-contest
THE MARITIME WRITERS’ SOCIAL GROUP
Writing can be a lonely act. But it doesn’t have to be. The Maritime Writers Social Club is for Maritime writers at any stage — aspiring, beginner or professional. It’s not a how-to-write group, although we do talk about the business of writing at times and members are encouraged to ask questions or share writing, but more about getting together with other writers to chat, talk writing, or simply have a coffee. Our goal is for members of shared geographical areas to create regular meet-ups with the hope of a larger Maritime gathering eventually. Membership is free. Look for us on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/937566541727118
That's it for this month!
