News

The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB) is delighted to welcome Brigitte Rivers as their new Executive Director.

Rivers has been a freelance writer since 2006, and is a published author and illustrator (under her pen name Brigitte Marsden). She has a background in publishing, marketing and web communications, as well as being an educator. A long-time member of WFNB, Rivers has supported the non-profit in a volunteer capacity as a regional representative.

“I am really excited to take on this key role in the Writers’ Federation,” Rivers said. “I have really appreciated their support , inputs and encouragement as a writer, especially launching out into unfamiliar territory as a children’s author. As well, through WFNB I learned about opportunities to connect with my audience in different ways thanks to the Writers in Schools Program and the Artists in Residency in Schools Program. I’m looking forward to working with a great team of dedicated board members and volunteers helping support other writers in reaching their goals.”  

WFNB is the only organization in New Brunswick devoted solely and passionately to supporting writers and storytellers at all stages of development and in all genres. Their vision is to create community through words, and they offer writers of all levels of experience a welcoming and supportive home.

The WFNB community includes memoirists, corporate writers, poets, mainstream writers, short story writers, magazine editors, novelists, screenwriters, newsletter creators, high school students, book editors, university students, book club readers, spoken word artists, playwrights, and journalists.

Founded in 1985, WFNB began as a few friends gathered in a writer’s living room. Today, it is a province-wide organization with members living in every corner of New Brunswick, and across Canada.

WFNB’s mandate is to help New Brunswick writers to write, and to acquire the professional skills to achieve financial self-sufficiency as writers. They also aim to raise public awareness of literary culture by showcasing works of New Brunswick and other writers.

The non-profit accomplishes these goals through their core programs: WordSpring and WordsFall – which feature workshops on the craft and business aspects of writing – as well as the NB Writing Competition and the NB Book Awards, and other programming and events.

"Brigitte Rivers brings a wealth of enthusiasm and a breadth of experience in art, writing, teaching, and non-profit work that will serve her well as Executive Director of the WFNB,” Interim Executive Director Rhonda Bulmer said. “After two years of pandemic restrictions, the board and executive is hopeful that the coming year will bring a restoration of the community-based activities New Brunswick writers value. We are confident that Brigitte's leadership will help us make this a time of growth for our organization, and our members."

Rivers feels the federation’s logo reflects the nature of the organization.

“The WFNB logo features a vibrant tree that I think beautifully illustrates who we are: strongly rooted here in New Brunswick, resilient through challenging times, and continuing to grow and expand. I see in the leaves the different backgrounds, aspirations, genres and styles expressed in our members.”

The AX Reading Series is pleased to welcome current UNB Writer in Residence, poet Phoebe Wang, for an online reading and workshop. 

On Friday, January 21, at 7:00 p.m. Wang will read from her collected works before taking questions from the audience. The following morning, Saturday, January 22, Wang will host a publishing workshop. 

The reading is free, and the workshop is being offered at a discounted rate of $25, thanks to grants from the provincial and federal governments.

Visit the AX Literary page to get a link for the reading, and the AX Workshop page to register for the Intuitive Publishing workshop.

ArtsLink NB is gearing up for a new session of CATAPULT, their business accelerator program for artists. ArtsLink runs two programs per year. Generally, they take place in person, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the last couple of sessions pivoted to an online model. Due to the success of their online sessions, and the fact that the world is opening up again, they’ve decided that this year’s CATAPULT sessions will be a hybrid online/in person program. This means that they can market their programming toward people who live in rural areas of the province.

Also, they have business tips for artists, available on their online learning platform, www.thefoundrynb.ca. The promo course is designed to give people the basics of what they need for their art business. The workshop is available at the foundry for free, but registration is required. Here’s the program website  for those looking for further information: www.artslinkcatapult.com

Jeri Knopp (she/her)
Programming Director
ArtsLink NB

Below, please read the copy of a letter that the Canadian Copyright Institute sent on November 18 to those members of Trudeau's Cabinet who were or now are involved in revision of the term of copyright in a work by an author from 50 to 70 years after their death, including ministers involved in negotiations of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, which requires that amendment to our Copyright Act. (This letter to these Honourable Ministers was referred to in a letter you received very recently inviting the Writers' Federation of New Brunswick to join the CCI.)

The attached letter to these Ministers with this particular request is time-sensitive. Write to your own MP and anyone they may know in the Senate to ask them to vote for a bill requiring this 20-year extension of the copyright term. You may forward a copy of this letter to the Ministers or in your own words. The letter to the Ministers will be a reminder that the book and periodical sector needs the government to set parameters on "fair dealing for education" and to control the diversion of advertising revenues from news media to Big Tech.

Even at this late date there is still a chance of an expedited passage of a bill with the requested amendment through Parliament and royal assent being obtained before the adjournment of the current sitting of Parliament, expected on December 17 (but could be sooner).  Unless this extension is legislated and assented to by the Governor-General before Parliament adjourns for its upcoming holiday break, the additional 20 years of copyright protection will not benefit a large number of Canadian copyright owners, i.e. heirs of deceased authors who died 50 years ago and the publishers of their works (or subsequent publishers of their works),  neither in Canada nor in some foreign countries. This will be a loss to the Canadian economy as well as to the affected copyright owners.

In haste, and best regards,
Marian Hebb, Chair, Canadian Copyright Institute

November 18, 2021

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, The Honourable Pable Rodriguez, The Honourable Melanie Joly, The Honourable Mary Ng:

We are writing to express our concern and dismay that the Government continues to delay action to remedy ongoing damage to the book and periodical sector. Government has failed to (i) set parameters on ''fair dealing" for "education" under the Copyright Act, (ii) control the diversion of advertising revenues from news media to Big Tech, and (iii) extend copyright protection of authors' works from 50 to 70 years from the end of the year of their death.

The third issue, which touches on all your portfolios, has a special urgency. There is no reason to procrastinate the 20-year extension of copyright for authors' works to the 70 years' protection after death required by CUSMA- despite that the renegotiated North American free trade agreement allows Canada 2.5 years, until December 31, 2022, to implement this. CUSMA included other term extensions that were implemented and now benefit owners of sound recordings and cinematographic works and performers in sound recordings. This is inequitable. Unless Parliament enacts legislation to extend. Canada's current 50 years' protection after death to 70 years in time for royal assent to this by the end of 2021, heirs of authors whose copyrights expire December 31, 2021, successor copyright owners and their publishers will have no further protection for their works in countries that now provide longer protection than Canada but apply ''the rule of the shorter term''. They will lose all opportunities for further commercialization of their works. Copyrights that expire December 31, 2021 will not be revived - an unnecessary loss for these copyright owners and the Canadian economy. Until Canada's 20-year term extension is in force, all Canadian authors should seek ''first publication'' outside Canada in a country that offers longer protection than Canada without application of ''the rule of the shorter term'' - in order to benefit from longer terms elsewhere.

ln 2019, both the INDU and Heritage Standing Committees as part of the mandatory statutory review of the Copyright Act recommended the 20-year extension of authors' copyrights. This is a simple change not requiring regulations or other special arrangements. Although the INDU Committee recommended that Government consider not allowing enforcement of copyright after the current 50-year term ''unless the alleged infringement occurred after registration of the work," any such restriction would clearly . breach Canada's obligations under the Berne Convention, which prohibits subjecting ''enjoyment and exercise" of copyright to formalities.

We urge you to show good faith to creators and publishers by expediting simple amendments to extend copyright term now and getting royal assent before ending this Parliamentary session (otherwise ongoing incomes in our sector will be lessened for 20 years), by prioritizing legislation on use of news media content and .by regulating ''fair dealing for education.''

Yours sincerely, Marian Hebb, Chair, Canadian Copyright Institute 

Executive Director

The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick

The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB) is seeking a part-time Executive Director, 20 hours per week. The position can be conducted from a home office and has the potential to grow. As the face of a non-profit arts organization, the Executive Director will realize the Federation’s objectives with the direction and support of the WFNB’s board of directors.

The WFNB is a membership organization that has existed to nurture, support, and encourage New Brunswick writers at all stages of development since 1985. The successful candidate will continue that tradition by organizing annual member events throughout the calendar year, including Wordspring, Wordsfall, and our well-known NB Writing Competition, and managing our membership software and website. The Executive Director will also focus on fundraising, grant applications, and opportunities for income generation that are not government dependent.

Qualifications

• Event and project management skills and experience
• Working knowledge of Excel for bookkeeping purposes 
• Comfort with Zoom software for meetings and events 
• Strong organizational mindset, capable of juggling demanding tasks
• A self-starter who is comfortable with working alone but can reach out for advice and help when needed
• A connector and networker who displays excellence regarding membership engagement

Assets

• Bilingualism, communications/marketing experience, website and volunteer management, and experience with Wild Apricot membership software.
• Experience with grant writing and fundraising.

Salary is $23-$28,000 a year, commensurate with experience. Please direct resumes, with references, to: info@wfnb.ca

This position requires contact with the public on occasion; successful candidates will need to supply updated proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, so early submission is encouraged. New Brunswick residents only, or those who are willing to relocate. Deadline: December 13, 2021.

We thank everyone who applies for their interest in this position; however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

**FREE and open to UNB students and writers living on Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik and Peskotomuhkatiyik Territories (New Brunswick)**

This workshop will help you to identify your publishing goals and present various approaches to meet those goals, whether it be publishing in literary magazines, finding a book publisher, self-publishing, or working to shift the publishing industry. Going beyond the standard “how to get published” workshop, we’ll be exploring how publishing aligns with your long-term goals as a writer, your role within your community, and your contribution towards diversity and equity.

The workshop will also include a discussion and question and answer period with guest speakers Sanchari Sur, current editor-in-chief of The Puritan and former managing editor at Canthius, and Adrian de Leon, author of the poetry collections Rouge and barangay: an offshore poem and co-editor of FEEL WAYS: A Scarborough Anthology.

Facilitated by Phoebe Wang, Writer-in-Residence at University of New Brunswick, author of Admission Requirements (2017) and Waking Occupations (2022), and poetry editor with The Fiddlehead.

The event will be recorded and made available for those who have registered.

Follow the event link to register!
https://us06web.zoom.us/.../tZUqceCtrz4pGNB2LPYg5Qg9rhwn2...

If you have questions, concerns, or accessibility needs, please email phoebe.wang@unb.ca.

Perham Cooper is a new small independent publishing company based in Northern BC. They are currently accepting unpublished literary non-fiction manuscripts. Their submissions criteria can be found on this website:
www.perhamcooper.com.
Providing all goes to plan, Perham Cooper hopes to publish two to three titles by the end of 2022. Brush up those manuscripts and submit!

Are you a developing writer completing your first manuscript and seeking a mentor? Or do you know one? Submissions are now open for the 2022 WT Mentorship program, which pairs established and developing writers working in fiction, poetry, and literary nonfiction for one-on-one instruction.  This is a unique opportunity for writers who are just starting their careers to focus and receive guidance on their current work-in-progress.  Mentorships will run for five months (April-August 2022). Beyond instruction, mentees will also receive $2,500 to help finance their writing time during their mentorship.   View the Guidelines and Application Form Deadline: Monday, January 10, 2022 Each mentor will select one mentee to work with from the pool of applicants. The participating mentors are: Kaie Kellough Poetry “I’m interested in writing that balances experimentation with a devotion to clarity and a concern for the needs of the subject. I’m drawn to writing that sees poetic exploration as necessary to navigating our complex histories and the challenges of our present moment. I’m impressed by work that commits to the personal while expanding outward, into the world. Finally — crucially — I’m seeking a poet who is curious about the arts at large, who is committed to reading, listening, discussing, looking, voicing, and writing.”   Monia Mazigh Fiction “I am looking for an author who comes to this program with big dreams to produce something original, smart, and delicate. I’m fluently bilingual and can support mentees in both English and French. I am always impressed by people who can put passion and hard work together. The result can only be beautiful.” Harley Rustad Literary Nonfiction “I’m looking for a writer with, above all, a strong sense of story, who holds a narrative about a remarkable life or an important issue — representing change, connection, trial, or hope — that the writer is determined to explore. I’m excited to work with someone, whether in memoir or reported nonfiction, who is passionate about taking readers on a journey or changing the way they see the world.”

We hope you’ll consider pursuing this opportunity or sharing this call for applications with other writers who are at the beginning stages of their career. The Writers' Trust is proud to administer programs like this which have the ability to transform the artistic development of emerging writers and provide valuable assistance in bringing their work to publication.    This program is generously funded by the RBC Emerging Artists Project, which aims to provide opportunities to advance an artist's career trajectory. Interested in Other Mentorship Opportunities? Check out the list of Canadian mentorship programs our friends at The Writers’ Union of Canada compiled. It contains details and links to a range of programs across the country.  …And Another Thing Do you know about the Writers' Trust's Woodcock Fund? It’s unlike any other grant program in Canada, providing support to writers facing unforeseen financial challenges. This can range from full-blown crisis, like health emergencies, to more general setbacks that necessitate temporary support. Writers in Canada work on a proverbial financial tightrope. The Woodcock Fund is there to make sure when things go wrong there’s a safety net to catch them. Applications are accepted year-round. Additional details are available at writerstrust.com. Contact the program director with any questions.

Access Copyright invites you to take part in an important campaign entitled Creators Calling on Ottawa.

On October 26, the federal government announced its new Cabinet. With new and returning Ministers around the Cabinet table, we must act now to continue to urge the federal government to amend the Copyright Act so that creators and publishers are paid for the copying of their works by the education sector. This short video explains what’s at stake and why it’s critical that the government takes action now. That’s where we hope you will step in. It’s simple to add your voice.

1. Take a selfie of yourself holding one of your books.
2. Post the picture to your social media account(s) with a short message sharing why the Copyright Act needs to be amended.
   • Here are two sample messages you can use or adapt:
   • • For 10 years, creators like me have not been paid by educational institutions when our work is copied. Please support amending the Copyright Act so I can keep telling Canadian stories.
     • To keep creating Canadian stories like the ones I write, the education sector needs to pay for the use of our work. The government needs to fix the Copyright Act.
3. Be sure to tag Prime Minister Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau), Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez (@pablorodriguez) & Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne (@FP_Champagne), and also add the hashtags #IValueCdnStories, #cdnpoli, and #creatorscallingonottawa.

You’ll find an example post here.

Share our message! Please pass along this message to any creator friends and encourage them to get involved as well.

Not on social media? No problem. Just send us a photo along with the message you’d like to share and we’ll post it on our social networks.

We hope you’ll add your voice to the Creators Calling on Ottawa campaign. 

Are you curious about birth? Are you pregnant and wonder how it feels to give birth? Have you ever wished you could hear authentic and dynamic stories of birth from talented storytellers? Please join us October 30, 2021, for this intimate, one of a kind experience to hear award-winning birth stories and a live music performance by Kim June Johnson! 

This virtual event is called a Birth Sharing Circle, and is the culmination of the Doula Support Foundation’s third annual Birth Story Writing Contest. Personal stories of the diverse and compelling experiences of birth from around Canada were submitted by talented and breathtaking writers, and an expert group of writers, maternal health professionals, and birth nerds selected the winning stories. For this event, the jurors and readers will present winners of the Birth Story Writing Contest 2021 who will share their birth and writing experiences.

We created the Birth Story Writing Contest and this culmination Birth Sharing Circle to provide a platform for people—from expectant parents to seasoned birthers to birth workers—to hear real, diverse, and always beautifully written stories that focus on the voices of those who birth. We believe that everyone along their reproductive journey has the right to be heard, cared for, and respected, and this event is a wonderful opportunity for the contest winners to share their stories, be heard, and have others gain wisdom from their courage and power.

You can read the birth stories here. We will publish one birth story every week until Christmas.

The programme will include the sharing of :

Dear Diary - October 1979 by Jennifer Ashton

Jenn Ashton is an Award-winning author and visual artist. Her book of Short Stories, People Like Frank and Other Stories from the Edge of Normal (TidewaterPress 2020) is shortlisted for the Indigenous Voices Award (2021). Jenn was a Teaching Assistant in the Simon Fraser University's Writer's Studio and is now studying at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Professional Education. She is currently the Writer in Residence at the British Columbia History Magazine.

Winter Rose by Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt

Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt is a mother of four. Her fiction, essays and poems have appeared in Best Canadian Essays 2019 and Best Canadian Essays 2015, The New Quarterly, Grain, EVENT, Prairie Fire, Malahat Review, subTerrain, carte blanche, Antigonish Review, Queens Quarterly and Room, among other publications. She holds an MA from McGill University and an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. Tanya is the author of the poetry collection Chaos Theories of Goodness (Shoreline, 2021) and Peacekeeper’s Daughter: A Middle East Memoir (Thistledown, 2021). Read more about Tanya and her writing at https://tanyaallattbellehumeur.com/

Mama Fits by Alison Milan

Alison Milan (she/they) lives on unceded, unsurrendered Algonquin Anishnaabeg territory with their partner, daughter, and two cats. Her interest in birth and desire to empower to-be parents of all sorts sparked a desire to share the story of her daughter’s birth. Alison loves to explore food and the great outdoors, studied Geography and Education at York University, and works as a Policy Analyst with Natural Resources Canada.

And a short talk about maternity care by:

Karen Lawford

Karen is professor at Queen’s University. Dr. Lawford is an Aboriginal midwife (Namegosibiing, Lac Seul First Nation, Treaty 3) and a Registered midwife (Ontario). Her research focuses on comprehensive, gender-inclusive sexual and reproductive healthcare for Indigenous Peoples with a particular focus on the provision of maternity care for those who live on reserve.

All donations will be used towards providing Birth, Postpartum and Bereavement doula care for low-income families in the Kingston area.