Cook to provide feedback for writers

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This article was published 10/02/2018 (3120 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Versatile novelist-poet-essayist Méira Cook serves as Carol Shields Writer in Residence this month at the University of Winnipeg and, in addition to offering consultations with campus and community writers, leads a series of public literary discussions.

Her Carol Shields distinguished lecture, titled “Fin in the Water: An Only Slightly Dangerous Glimpse Beneath the Surface,” takes place Thursday at 7 p.m. in room 2M70 (second floor, Manitoba Hall). Later in the month, she joins past writer in residence Jennifer Still in a panel discussion entitled “My Secret Mentor,” which takes place in the same room at 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 28.

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Winnipeg author Jamie Hall lives part of the time in Las Vegas, so he’s bringing a bit of Sin City pizzazz to the launch of his second novel, No Heroes.

Instead of the usual bookstore reading and signing, he’s holding a launch party at the Shark Club (233 Hargrave St. in Cityplace), complete with a DJ, live entertainment, a literary-themed drink menu and, of course, a reading. The book launch happens from 8 to 10 p.m. on Feb. 17, and the party continues afterward at the club.

The novel is a thriller about a man with terminal cancer who sets out to right wrongs and fight crime in his remaining time. Hall spent a decade promoting events, nightclubs and concerts, and says he’s combining his old and new passions with the nightclub book launch. Tickets ($10 for the party, $30 for the party plus a softcover book) are available online at wfp.to/noheroes.

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A Quebec MP is circulating a petition aimed at providing support for the book industry.

Francois Choquette’s petition calls on the federal government to exempt books from the GST, re-introduce preferential postal rates for books and create a personal tax credit for purchases of books from accredited bookstores.

At press time, the petition had collected just over 900 signatures. It can be found online at wfp.to/bookspetition.

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A Toronto author with family connections to the Métis community of Batoche, Sask., explores the 1885 conflict and the shadow it casts over Canadian history in a new historical novel.

Maia Caron’s Song of Batoche (Ronsdale Press) focuses on a fictional character who is drawn into efforts to build an alliance between Louis Riel and Cree chief Big Bear, and explores Riel’s religious fanaticism as well as his and Gabriel Dumont’s advocacy of their people’s rights.

She discusses the book with Lawrence Barkwell, Louis Riel Institute co-ordinator of Métis heritage and historical research, on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at McNally Robinson.

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If your Valentine’s Day plans are the stuff of literature, or if you wish they were, you may be in the market for a romance-writing workshop, running Thursday from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Manitoba Writers’ Guild classroom in the Artspace building (100 Arthur St.).

Winnipeg romance author Elle Rush will lead participants through an exploration of the romance genre, how it differs from erotica and some of the many subgenres of romance. The session will look at the plot structure of romances and discuss popular tropes as well as stereotypes to avoid.

Details and registration can be found at wfp.to/romancewriting.

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Organizers of this spring’s Prairie Comics Festival hope to raise funds on Kickstarter to create an anthology by prairie comics creators to go along with this year’s event.

This year’s festival, presented by a volunteer group in conjunction with the Winnipeg Public Library, runs May 5-6 and features many local artists and writers as well as guests Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer) and Valentine de Landro (Marvel Knights 4).

The deadline for the campaign to reach its $3,000 goal is Thursday; at deadline it was just over two-thirds of the way there. Details are available at wfp.to/prairiecomics.

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