Happy New Year, Members and Friends. Here's what's upcoming:
The NB Writing Competition is now open! Choose from eight categories, and pay for your submission through our online store. Send your cover letter and document to us at info@wfnb.ca. The judges eagerly await your submissions.
Winter retreat is this coming weekend! We’re all looking forward to a couple of days of uninterrupted writing time, and the good conversations that occur over meals.
Matthew Gwathmey’s third installment of the Fundamentals of Poetry, on ekphrasis as it applies to music will be held online in February – there’s still space, so you can sign up now.
Sandra Phinney’s three session nonfiction course called Braiding our Truths is also available for signup. Three sessions of three hours each happening in March. Limit of 12 people, but there’s still plenty of room to sign up.
Submissions to the NB Book Awards are off to the judges – we will announce the shortlist in April. Good luck to all who’ve participated in the program. (And well done for publishing a book in 2024! We wish all participants massive success.) We are currently seeking sponsors for the live NB Book Award presentation on May 31 at the Crowne Plaza in Fredericton. Let us know at info@wfnb.ca if you or someone you know may be interested in sponsorship of this worthy event.
WordWorthy
"It's very unusual for people generally to just pick up a book of poetry to read. I belong to a book club here in my area, and I periodically try pitching a book of poetry, and they never go for it. They're all well read, intelligent women, but they're just not into it. But...when times get emotionally intense - funerals, weddings, the angst of adolescence - the most surprising people will turn to poetry. I think that's because one of the main functions of poetry is to take overwhelming, private emotions and turns it into something that makes sense and can be communicated." Kathy Mac, Better Writing Through Poetry, January 12, 2025
Until February,
Welcome, New Members
Carolyn Avery joins us from Quispamsis where she writes children’s, poetry, spiritual, and short stories. Welcome, Carolyn!
Lee Anne Gibson writes biography, children’s, fiction, historical fiction, memoir, young adult, nonfiction and mystery from her home in Shediac. Welcome, Lee Anne!
Eric McCumber lives in Long Reach, where he enjoys writing fiction and historical fiction. Welcome, Eric!
Flora Price writes fiction, poetry and short stories from her home in Sussex. Welcome, Flora!
Lorena Taraschi writes essays, memoir and poetry from her home in Shediac. Welcome, Lorena!
Michael Turner joins us from Amherst Nova Scotia. Welcome, Michael!
MEMBER NEWS
Brent Mason is happy to announce the publication of his first novel, Midway, with Galleon Books on December 10. He will be doing events in January around the province, combining readings from the book with songs from his about to be released 12th album, Get in Line. On January 18, there will be a two pm matinee at O'Leary’s Pub in Saint John, with Julia Wright hosting a Q and A, as well as a matinee, as part of Shivering Songs Festival at the Wilser's Room with Rob Pinnock , and then on February 1 in St. Andrews as part of the Winter Warmer Festival, again with Julia Wright.
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You might have been used to reading Andrew MacLean’s Backyard History Story of the Week on his Facebook page, but if you’d rather receive it directly to your inbox, he invites you to sign up on his website, backyardhistory.ca.
Members may send announcements regarding events and all other exploits to info@wfnb.ca by the tenth of each month for publication on the 13th.
EVENTS
WRITERS’ OPEN MIC Sunday, January 19
3:00 - 4:00 pm, 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.
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The Fiddlehead is turning 80! We invite you to join us during FROSTival on Saturday, February 8th at the Fredericton Public Library for the opening of our exhibit 80 Years of Art at The Fiddlehead which will feature a retrospective of the artwork associated with the magazine over the years. During the exhibition opening, we will also launch our Winter 2025 issue with readings from contributors: celebrating the next installment of The Fiddlehead.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BWf5ghaTa/
RESIDENCIES
I-Park (Connecticut, USA) is Now Accepting Applications from Writers for its 2025 Artists-in-Residence Program
Application Deadline: January 20, 2025
I-Park is soliciting applications for its fully funded General Residency Program. These onsite, multidisciplinary residencies are open to artists and designers working in the visual arts, creative writing, music composition, moving image, architecture, interdisciplinary practice and landscape design. The residency season runs from May 20 – November 24, 2025. All sessions are 4-weeks in duration except for the May session – 2-weeks.
I-Park residencies are open to writers in all genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, literary criticism and mixed media.
Located within an expansive nature preserve in rural East Haddam, Connecticut (U.S.), I-Park provides residents with a quiet, retreat-type setting, private living quarters in a renovated 1840s farmhouse, a private studio, meals program, fully equipped workshop and modest library – as well as creative access to the grounds which include miles of art/nature trails. Residencies are self-directed and non-judgmental. You decide what you’re working on and when.
Details and application forms are available at i-park.org. Applications are due January 20, 2025 and carry a $35 fee to help defray the cost of the selection panels. This year, I-Park will also be offering $500 travel grants to five non-North American artists.
For further information, contact info@i-park.org or 860-873-2468.
CALLS FOR SUBMISSION
Formac is currently open to submissions! Check out submission guidelines here: https://formac.ca/submission-guidelines/
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Partridge Island Publishing's Strangers in the Fog is still accepting submissions until January 31. The annual anthology is only open to Atlantic Canadian authors.Each author can submit two entries, either poetry or prose.Each entry can be a maximum of 3,000 words. All genres are accepted, but the submission must include the theme of a stranger. However you interpret the word:
- A new person, a stranger
- Someone out of this world
- A stranger place
- A stranger day
- The stranger in the mirror
Each anthology saves space for stories from new, never-been-published authors, so please include that information in the query letter. Questions and submissions can be sent to amanda@partridgeislandpublishing.ca.
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Milkbag magazine announces the launch of its digital publication, with hopes of producing printed volumes once the organization establishes funding. They’ve extended their submission call to January 31in order to give people time - post holidays - to submit. Milkbag will publish poetry, short fiction, art, and reviews quarterly. As a new publication, they are especially eager to provide a platform for emerging writers and artists. Visit www.milkbagmagazine.com for more information.
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Sunspot Lit introduces their Geminga Contest 2025:
Sunspot Lit’s Geminga contest honors the power of micro poetry, prose, and art. Opens January 1, closes January 31. Entry fee: $5. Prize: $100 cash and publication. See guidelines and entry form here: https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit/316621/geminga-2025-100-for-tiny-fiction-cnf-poetry-graphic-novel-art
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Sequestrum launches into 2025 with two themes: Slipstream and Love! They’re after your most ambitious, imaginative writing. Bend fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, and literary writing together. Leave them with a sense of heartache and yearning. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or some combination thereof. Sequestrum is eager to read your best
Themes: Love, Slipstream & Magical Realism
Slipstream submission details: https://www.sequestrum.org/themed-submissions-slipstream.
WRITING GROUPS
New Member Carolyn Avery’s writing group, The Word Weavers, meet weekly on Mondays @ 1pm, at a coffee shop in Quispamsis. They read what they’ve written on a word prompt, from the previous week, and then do a writing exercise and share from that.
They are open to new members! You can contact Carolyn through email: carolyn_avery@hotmail.com
