Welcoming Our New ED
In early October 2018, Shoshanna Wingate became the new executive director of WFNB. We warmly welcome her into this position. Shoshanna has worked in the literary nonprofit sector for two decades, including several years as the executive director of the Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Since moving to Sackville, NB, in 2014 she has published her debut poetry collection (Radio Weather, released by Vehicle Press), founded the Sackville Art Hive (a monthly art studio) and helped to run a monthly creative writing workshop for youth. At the centre of Shoshanna’s work is a love of the arts: a passion for great writing, a dedication to the joy of exploring the craft, and a commitment to sharing it with others.
2018 New Brunswick Book Awards Shortlist
Award-winning NB novelist, David Adams Richards, keynote speaker, NB Book Awards 2017
The Fiddlehead and the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick have announced the shortlisted titles for the third annual New Brunswick Book Awards. The winners will be announced at a celebration, honouring writing and illustration excellence, on Friday June 8, at the Lily Lake Pavilion in Saint John. The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the awards presentation at 7 p.m.
Read More»Call for New Brunswick Submissions
In New Brunswick at the Crossroads (WLUP 2017), Tony Tremblay calls New Brunswick the “least studied” of the Canadian provinces.
Pause for a moment: this means that New Brunswick is the junior partner of the Maritime region, a region whose competition for neglect under the literary nationalist project are, arguably, the prairie provinces and the North. Hamilton Arts & Letters wishes to offer a redressal of sorts with Issue 11.2, the forthcoming New Brunswick Poetry issue, in which Guest Editor Shane Neilson curates a kaleidoscope of critical perspectives upon the English-language poetry of the province.
Read More»Competition Aims for more Young Writers
It’s that time again. WFNB is hosting its annual writing competition, and this year we are offering extra incentive for young writers in middle and high school to get involved.
As educators, it is important that we encourage, prepare, and provide our youth with the occasion to test their skills in a “real world” environment. For this purpose, we have reached out to New Brunswick’s Department of Education and English teachers across the province to notify them of our WFNB Annual Writing Competition as well as this special offer.
Read More»Disappearing Act
by Deborah Carr and Gwen Martin
Last month, we published a letter to the editor written by Janet Thom Hammock objecting to the abrupt cancellation of Nancy Bauer‘s long-running and popular ‘State of the Art’ column. The column appeared weekly in Saint John’s Telegraph Journal, owned by Brunswick News.
We’ve since learned that Brunswick News has axed two other arts columns: ‘Art Talk’ by WFNB member Margaret Eaton, and ‘By the Book’ by freelance writer Linda Hersey, both in the Moncton Times & Transcript. WFNB President Warren Redman voiced his dismay, questioning the message this sends.
The end of ‘State of the Art’
Dr. Janet Hammock has given us permission to post the letter she recently wrote to voice her dismay when the Telegraph Journal canceled Nancy Bauer’s popular arts column, State of the Art.
To the Editor:
I am writing to express my deep sadness that a column which I have enjoyed reading for many years in the Salon section of the Telegraph Journal has been axed.
Nancy Bauer has her finger on what’s happening in the arts in this province. She is well-known in the arts community for her encouragement of young writers, musicians and artists. She is a wonderful writer. Her free-wheeling column was a must-read for those involved in the arts. I admired the natural yet artful way she managed to take something local like a concert, an art exhibition, or simply a conversation with someone who interested her, and turn it into something of interest to everyone.
Read More»The Writing Life, Powning Style
written by Marilyn Lerch; photography by Deborah Carr
Recently I attended a unique workshop during the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick’s WordsFall in Sussex. In all the many years attending informative workshops, this one brought another dimension of meaning.
Ten of us were welcomed into the home of Beth Powning, one of New Brunswick’s most well-known and beloved authors. Powning was the recipient in 2017 of the first-ever New Brunswick Book Awards for Fiction for her new novel, “A Measure of Light”.
Read More»Review of One Small Corner (by Roger Moore)
review written by John Sutherland
One Small Corner: A Kingsbrae Chronicle is a wonderful little volume of poetical works, inspired and provoked by Roger’s residency for a month at the First International Artists Residency at Kingsbrae in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. His time there was clearly productive, with two to three evocative poems constructed each day. His fellow artists, a sculptor, painter, musician (who spoke no English), and another artist (encaustic: one who works in beeswax and paint) must have had a memorable month together.
Read More»KIRA: an intense creative experience
By Roger Moore
On March 2, I was informed that I had been selected to participate in the first of the three one-month KIRA (Kingsbrae International Residency for Artists) residencies planned for this inaugural year (2017). My residency ran from June 1-28, with other sessions planned for July and August. Four artists completed our initial cohort: Carlos Carty, a pan-piper from Peru, two painters, Anne Wright from Ottawa and Ruby Allan from Fredericton, and Elise Muller, a sculptor from Muskoka.
Read More»WordSpring: A first-timer’s impression
By Linda Foy
It felt unbecoming, somehow, to be nervous about the weekend. I’m used to adapting to new situations. Where was the self-assurance I thought I had lived into? It failed me as I registered for my first ever WFNB event, WordSpring 2017.
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