February 1, 2023 – Ottawa – The Speaker of the Senate, the Honourable George J. Furey, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Anthony Rota, announced today the appointment of Marie-Célie Agnant as Canada’s new Parliamentary Poet Laureate, effective January 1, 2023. Ms. Agnant is the 10th poet to hold this office, succeeding Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky Dancer. Marie-Célie Agnant was selected by the Speakers from a short list of candidates submitted by the Selection Committee, chaired by Dr. Heather Lank, Parliamentary Librarian, and composed of Raymond Théberge, Commissioner of Official Languages; Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada; and Jesse Wente, Chair, Canada Council for the Arts (represented by Joanne Larocque-Poirier, Chief of Staff and Corporate Secretary). Born in Haiti, Marie-Célie Agnant has lived in Quebec since 1970. Active in the literary scene for 27 years, she has a substantial body of work for which she has won awards both within Canada and abroad. She has published three books of poetry, including Femmes des terres brûlées, which won the 2017 Alain-Grandbois poetry award from the Académie des lettres du Québec. Through her poetry, she explores themes, both timeless and contemporary, such as equality, justice, solitude, the status of women and racism. Quotes “Through her powerful writing and her social and community engagement, Ms. Agnant conveys the importance of a more equitable and supportive society— especially to young people. Indeed, several emerging writers have acknowledged the influence of Ms. Agnant and her work.” – The Honourable George J. Furey, K.C., Speaker of the Senate “Ms. Agnant’s work extends well beyond the words themselves. She demonstrates her humanity and commitment to the cause of oppressed people. Her writing radiates justice and resistance, gives readers courage, moves them and prompts reflection.” – Honourable Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of Commons “I’m very eager to make the most of this new experience by extending a hand to children and leading them toward the enchanting realm of poetry. Thank you for this opportunity.” – Marie-Célie Agnant, 10th Parliamentary Poet Laureate The Parliamentary Poet Laureate Program Federal legislators created the position of Parliamentary Poet Laureate in 2001 to build awareness of the reading and writing of poetry. Pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, the Parliamentary Poet Laureate may perform a range of duties, including composing poetry, particularly for use in Parliament on important occasions; sponsoring poetry readings; advising the Parliamentary Librarian on enriching the cultural holdings of the Library’s collections; and performing related duties at the request of the Speaker of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Commons or the Parliamentary Librarian. Biographical notes and a photo of Marie-Célie Agnant are available online.

If this is your year to dedicate time and energy to your writing, join professional, award-winning authors Dr. Gerard Collins and Janie Simpson on a small group, 11-day writing retreat in London and the Cotswolds, March 18-28 or April 10-20.

With only eight rooms available, space is very limited on this 11-day retreat, where you can enjoy the blooming warmth of an English spring before the tourist season begins. In London, you’ll stay at the Mad Hatter Hotel near ancient pubs where Dickens, Johnson, Twain, Yeats, Tennyson, and Orwell visited, wrote, and set stories. Then, it’s off to the Cotswolds and the luxurious Abbots Grange manor house, built in 1320 and voted the best B&B in Britain.

This intimate retreat is built for writers of all genres and experience levels, and as writers themselves, Gerard and Janie get it: writers want a thoughtful blend of plenty of alone time for writing as well as literary-focused short tours and group readings and workshops, and that’s how they structure Go and Write! retreats.

Based in New Brunswick, Janie and Gerard have been hosting writing retreats since 2016. Gerard, originally from Newfoundland, has won and been nominated for many awards and has taught university English literature for over two decades – Gerard will conduct workshops and meet with you one-on-one to discuss your writing. Janie, a graduate of the UNB’s English program, is the chief administrator for Go and Write! and is, herself, an award-winning fiction writer and poet.

Costs start at $4,995 CAD. Visit https://goandwrite.ca/london-cotswolds-spring-2023/ for more information and to register.

Whether you’ve got the seed of a book idea, a file full of preliminary research or simply a growing desire to tackle a bigger project, this 90-minute panel from the University of King’s College MFA in Creative Nonfiction program can help you figure out what your next steps should be. (Spoiler: Yes, an MFA program can help, and yes, you can do it on your own as well.) 

Join MFA alumni Gregor Craigie, Laura Pratt, Marilyn Carr, Christian Smith, and Susan MacLeod for a session on transitioning into book writing from another career.

Panelists will bring perspectives from various fields – journalism, research, academia, communications, and freelance – in sharing their stories of earning an MFA in Creative Nonfiction and publishing the manuscripts they developed in their time at King’s. 

Ideal if you’re interested in the MFA program—and useful even to those who wish to pursue a book project independently.

Register for this free online webinar:

https://ukings.ca/events/its-time-to-write-your-book-making-the-move-to-book-length-nonfiction-writing/ 

SMALL PRESSES  * ACADEMIC PRESSES  * MICRO PRESSES  *  SELF-PUBLISHERS — $2,500 GRAND PRIZE — LOW ENTRANCE FEE: $70

New or old, we want to read your book. … Each year, independent publishers release extraordinary books to little or no recognition. The Eric Hoffer Book Award recognizes excellence in publishing. A SINGLE REGISTRATION gives you SEVEN WAYS TO WIN by genre, press, the Montaigne Medal, the da Vince Eye, the First Horizon Award, the Medal Provocateur (for poetry), and the Hoffer grand prize. There is a category for every book. (See submission guidelines below, check our listing in Writer’s Market, or visit www.HofferAward.com.) E-books and chapbooks also accepted.

          * $2,500 GRAND PRIZE *
          * Low Entrance Fee: $70 (early registration discount has passed ) *
          * Many Categories (see below) *
          * E-BOOK categories for fiction and nonfiction digital submissions *
          * LEGACY categories for books older than 2 years *
          * CHAPBOOK category at a reduced rate: $45 *
          * New  MEDAL PROVOCATEUR for the best on the frontier of poetry *

AWARDS/BENEFITS:
* $2,500 GRAND PRIZE (the Eric Hoffer Award for Books)
* Winner of the Montaigne Medal for most thought-provoking books
* Winner of the da Vinci Eye for best covers
* Winner of the First Horizon Award for debut authors
* Winner of the Medal Provocateur for experimental poetry
* Winner and First Runner-Up awarded for every category
* Honorable Mentions for every category
* Individual Awards for Micro, Small, and Academic Presses, as well as Self-Published Books
* Coverage in The US Review of Books (www.theUSreview.com) and on www.HofferAward.com
* Gold Seal Certificates
* Worldwide Exposure

Our categories cover the entire spectrum of publishing: Art, Poetry, Chapbook, General Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Children, Middle Reader, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Crime, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Short Story/Anthology, Spiritual Fiction, Culture, Memoir, Business, Reference, Home, Health, Self-Help, Spiritual Nonfiction, Legacy Fiction, Legacy Nonfiction, E-book Fiction, and E-book Nonfiction.

REGISTRATION LINKS & INFORMATION:

* General FAQ: https://www.hofferaward.com/Eric-Hoffer-Award-registration.html
* Registration form: https://www.hofferaward.com/Eric-Hoffer-Award-registration-form.pdf
* Registration fees payment: https://www.hofferaward.com/Eric-Hoffer-Award-registration-payment.html
* Categories explained: https://www.hofferaward.com/Eric-Hoffer-Award-registration.html#Categories
* E-Book registration instructions: https://www.hofferaward.com/Eric-Hoffer-Award-e-book-registration.html
* Pre-registration instructions (sending the book separately from the form & fee): https://www.hofferaward.com/Eric-Hoffer-Award-registration.html#preregister
* Practical advice for registering: https://www.hofferaward.com/Eric-Hoffer-Award-registration.html#Practical

Not only is The Eric Hoffer Book Award one of the most recognized awards for independent and small presses, it is the most economical way to achieve publicity and recognition. Read Hoffer Award success stories (www.hofferaward.com/Eric-Hoffer-Award-success-stories.html). Read previous contest coverage in the US Review of Books (www.theUSReview.com) and view past winners and press releases at www.HofferAward.com.

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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES (entry deadline January 21st, 2023):

     AWARDS ARE OPEN to academic, independent, small press, and self-published books that were released or copyrighted in the last 2 years (January 2021 to January 2023), including unique books with small print runs. (Books over 2 years enter the LEGACY FICTION or LEGACY NONFICTION category.)

     AWARDS/PRIZES: One grand prize will be awarded for the entire contest. In addition, each category will be awarded a winner, runner-up, and multiple honorable mentions. Books must be registered by CATEGORY and then are automatically considered for Individual Press Awards, the Montaigne Medal, the da Vinci Eye, the First Horizon Award, and the Hoffer Grand Prize.

     FOR EACH CATEGORY ENTRY, submit the book, entry form, and registration fee (check, money order, or Internet payment receipt: $60 early registration postmarked by 12/14 and $70 after) to Hopewell Publications, LLC, PO Box 11, Titusville, NJ 08560. Books sent in digital form must enter an E-Book category. Registration will be confirmed via e-mail. In May, all entrants will be notified of winners. Final submissions must be postmarked by January 21, 2023 and arrive by the end of that month.
     A WORD ABOUT SHIPPING NEAR DEADLINE: Please do not use Media/Library/Book Rate to ship your book. When using this method, we have seen actual delivery times to range from five days to three weeks. We are now too close to the deadline to assume that risk.

     JUDGES may include authors, editors, agents, publishers, book producers, artists, experienced category readers, and health and business professionals. Note: Contest closed to the staff of Hopewell Publications and previous WNBA winning entries. At the low entrance fee, it is not feasible to provide judge’s critiques for each entry.

QUESTIONS:

Visit: www.HofferAward.com
Email: info@hofferaward.com 
Fax: (609) 964-1718
The Eric Hoffer Awards
PO Box 11
Titusville, NJ 08560

Please be patient. We receive many inquiries this time of year. We will help you.

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DO NOT GET SCAMMED

Every registration for the Eric Hoffer Book Award is treated exactly the same. No registration gets preferential treatment over another or automatic finalist consideration. We are aware that certain book marketers offer preferred registrations under a host of names and at inflated rates as high as %800 or more above our standard registration fees. These marketers will simply register your book like every other book at our standard registration fee, and your book will be considered in the exact same fashion as every other. The Eric Hoffer Book Award never phones or e-mails with aggressive marketing campaigns and promises. These are typically outfits illegally using our trademark without permission and seeking large profits as those mentioned above.

We want to help you. The Eric Hoffer Book Award is primarily run by volunteers to help readers, writers, and independent publishers. We thought you would be interested in this unique opportunity to promote your book(s). Your e-mail is never sold or transferred. Only three notices are sent annually.

The Odyssey Writing Workshops Charitable Trust is a non-profit dedicated to helping fiction writers improve their craft. Since its inception in 1996, Odyssey has become one of the most highly respected organizations in the world offering educational programs for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror.

 Your Personal Odyssey Writing Workshop, our breakthrough new online educational program, begun in 2022. YPO provides an intensive, one-on-one workshop experience, customized for each individual student. The program combines the renowned Odyssey lectures by top authors and editors, deep practice, expert feedback, and extensive mentorship with Odyssey director Jeanne Cavelos.

YPO was designed with the flexibility to make it possible for a wider range of writers to attend. The customized nature of the program also allows it to be much more effective in helping writers improve. Students are able to choose their own pace, taking the workshop over 6 weeks, 12 weeks, or 18 weeks; choose which writing topics they study and in what order; repeat a topic to delve deeper into content; and design individual assignments to address their writing weaknesses and build on their strengths.

For the twelve students admitted in 2023, six scholarships are available, including the Fresh Voices scholarship for an outstanding writer of color, and the Walter and Kattie Metcalf Singing Spider Scholarship for a fantasy novelist who shows great skill and promise.

The deadline to apply for Your Personal Odyssey is March 13, 2023.

Link: https://odysseyworkshop.com/about-the-workshop/

We had a very successful inaugural season in 2022 at Tennants Cove Writers, with writers from as far away as Toronto, Washington D.C, and New York. Our participants got fresh insights into their work as they met individually with our leaders, novelist Melissa Scholes Young and memoirist Peter von Ziegesar, and workshopped as a group. In addition to having quiet time to write, they ate home-cooked meals prepared by our staff, hiked in the fields on the 175-acre farm, swam and kayaked in Tennants Cove, and rode the jeep on back trails.

We were especially happy to have Alastair Woods of Toronto with us. “My experience at Tennants Cove Writers was nothing short of transformative,” he says. “I had been writing my novel during stolen moments before work, after dinner and between meetings, and suddenly, I had this incredible opportunity to dedicate myself to writing amidst stunning natural beauty and a supportive creative community.”

For the 2023 Summer season, TCWW is doubling the number of weeklong workshops to give more writers an opportunity to work with us and retreat in an inspiring natural setting. Also, on Saturday, August 5, we are excited to offer half-day workshops in screenwriting and publishing that we hope will attract members of the New Brunswick creative community.

Session 1: July 30-August 4 (six days, five nights)

Session 2: August 6-August 11 (six days, five nights)

We are accepting four to five students for each session.  Room and board are included. Travel to the retreat is at one’s own expense. 

Optional morning and afternoon workshops: Saturday, August 5

Publishing (9-12 pm) taught by Melissa Scholes Young  

Screenwriting (2-5 pm) taught by Peter von Ziegesar

Each half-day session comes with lunch and will also feature a Zoom session with a noted screenwriter or publishing professional.

Tennants Cove Writers is located in a century-old farm house on 175 acres of protected woods and fields on the Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada. We can't wait to welcome you to the 2023 Tennants Cove Writers Workshop!

Contact us at tennantscovewriters@gmail.com

Check for updates on the 2023 season at tennantscovewriters.com.

Tuesday, November 29 is the Day of Action to push Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Champagne to keep his government’s promise to fix Canada’s Copyright Act.

It’s now been over seven months since the federal government made a commitment in the 2022 federal budget to restore fair compensation to creators and publishers as part of a sustainable educational publishing marketplace. No action has been taken to date.

On November 29, creators, publishers and concerned individuals will be asked to visit the I Value Canadian Stories website to send a letter to Minister Champagne urging him to take action to support Canadian writers, visual artists and publishers and amend the Copyright Act.

The more letters that are sent on November 29, the more inaction will no longer be an option. Access Copyright hopes that you will, as you have so many times before, encourage your membership to take part on November 29.

Below is a message that you are free to use and/or adapt as needed. To ensure maximum mobilization of our collective voice, we hope you will contact your membership by Thursday, November 24.

We will be back in touch on the morning of November 29 with a secondary message to send to your membership that will include a link to the letter-writing tool on the I Value Canadian Stories website.

SAMPLE MESSAGE:

Day of Action: Tuesday, November 29

On November 29, the I Value Canadian Stories coalition will be asking you to visit its website to send a letter to Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Champagne to urge him to keep his government’s promise to fix the Copyright Act.

For ten years and counting, Canadian creators and publishers have been waiting to be paid when their works are copied by educational institutions outside of Quebec.

For seven months and counting, Canadian creators and publishers have been waiting for the government to take action to fulfil a commitment in the 2022 federal budget to amend the Copyright Act to protect creators and copyright holders.

We can’t wait any longer.

The more letters sent on November 29, the louder the message will be that further delay is not an option.

Stay tuned for an email on November 29 with a link to a letter writing tool on the I Value Canadian Stories website.

If you do one thing on November 29, please be sure it is to send your letter to Minister Champagne.

Wintergreen Studios is a not-for-profit charity that focuses on sustainability and the arts. They recently launched a Virtual Learning Centre that offers free and affordable courses that help individuals pursue more creative, inspired, and sustainable ways of living.

One of their courses, THE CALL: POETRY OUT OF SILENCE with Lorna Crozier, explores the craft and process of poetry with one of Canada’s most beloved and accomplished poets. 

Here is the course link: https://wintergreen-studios.learnworlds.com/course/the-call-lorna-crozier 

Here is a link to the course trailer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hK34_o6Sy0&ab_channel=WintergreenStudios 

The 2022 Fiddlehead Poetry Contest is now open! Don't miss your chance to win the $2000 prize for best poem. The fantastic judges this year are Dominique Béchard, shalan joudry and Michael Prior. The deadline is December 1 2022. https://thefiddlehead.ca/contest