The Fiddlehead's Summer Fiction Issue

Contributors and subscribers should be finding our summer fiction issue in their mailboxes across the country (and internationally) very soon.

This issue features stories by F.W. Birt, Craig Davidson, Jann Everard, Raymond Fraser, Hugh Graham, R.W Gray, Amy Jones, Mike McCormack, Eoin McNamee, Mary O'Donnell, Margaret Sweatman, Celia Thompson, J.M. Villaverde, Wickliffe Walker, Daniel Woodrell, and Clea Young.

Look for details soon about a launch here in Fredericton.

And while we're on the topic of fiction, our fiction editors have been very busy. Not only did fiction editor Mark Anthony Jarman provide the photograph that graces the cover of our summer issue, but earlier this year, he read a few times while over in Europe. He read at the Crescent Arts Centre while staying at the Seamus Heaney Centre in Belfast. And he gave a reading at the UCD Centre for Canadian Studies as part of their Distinguished Lecture Series. Here are those details along with a photo:

"The UCD Centre for Canadian Studies’ fortnightly Distinguished Lecture Series for 2013, funded by an award from the UCD College of Arts and Celtic Studies, has been showcasing the wealth of expertise among UCD’s academic staff in the subject area. With active support from the Canadian Embassy in Ireland, an array of visiting Canadian speakers have also contributed to this successful lecture series, the first part of which culminated on 22 April with the Canadian author, Mark A Jarman, reading from his most recent book of short stories, My White Planet, and his earlier travel book, Ireland’s Eye, which reflects upon contemporary Irish society and culture from the visitor’s perspective."

Pictured at the UCD Centre for Canadian Studies Distinguished Lecture Series in April 2013 were His Excellency Loyola Hearn, Ambassador of Canada to Ireland; Professor Maeve Conrick, Principal, UCD College of Arts and Celtic Studies; Mark A Jarman, Canadian author and academic, University of New Brunswick, Canada; and Professor Margaret Kelleher, Chair of Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama, UCD School of English, Drama and Film.

Jarman also has pieces published in three other current equally fine magazines, including Prairie Fire (placing second in their fiction contest), CNQ, and Descant.

Maritime Writers' Workshop Happens Next Week

UNB's Fredericton campus will be alive with words next week (July 8-12) as the 38th annual Maritime Writers' Workshops takes place. Participants can choose from a wide array of one-day or -evening workshops from many accomplished New Brunswick authors and publishers. Included among this year's instructors are two of The Fiddlehead's editors: fiction co-editor Gerard Beirne is leading "The Long and Short of Fiction Writing" on July 10 and poetry co-editor Ian LeTourneau is offering "Approaches to Nature Poetry" on July 12.

There are also a few free events that are open to the public. On July 10 (4 - 5:30 pm), Carolyn Gammon and Israel Unger launch their book The Unwritten Diary of Israel Unger in the Milham Room at the Harriet Irving Library. And then to wrap up the week, there will be an open mic at Windsor Castle Bar at the Alden Nowlan House at 676 Windsor Street. This event begins at 4:30 and all are welcome to come hear what the participants have been working on all week.

And if you hurry, you still have a few days left to register: the deadline is this Friday, July 5!

Click on Poster for more details!

Whitehorse Poetry Festival 2013

The Fiddlehead's poetry co-editor Ian LeTourneau was one of the invited guests of the Whitehorse Poetry Festival this past weekend, and he reports that it was a fabulous time reading poetry under the midnight sun. This year's festival had a publishing and editing theme, and in addition to reading his own work, LeTourneau was there to talk about his experiences editing for The Fiddlehead and Goose Lane Editions.

The schedule also included Noelle Allen (publisher Wolsak and Wynn), Stephanie Bolster, Brad Cran, Dina Del Bucchia, Jamella Hagen, Kitty Lewis (general manager of Brick Books), Bren Simmers, Garry Thomas Morse and Jo Shapcott.

The very poetic and swift-moving Yukon River.

British poet Jo Shapcott.

Fiddlehead Contributors in the News

Photo courtesy of Malahat Review

This year's winner of The Fiddlehead's Ralph Gustafson Prize for Best Poem Kim Trainor has also won The Malahat Review's 2013 Long Poem Prize! Of her poem and of poetry in general, she says in an interview on The Malahat's website, "I like the idea of a poem as an artifact that goes out into the world like a coat or a bicycle or a lens that helps us to transform the material world and influences our interactions with others." You can read the full interview here.

Trainor certainly has had an excellent spring, which has also seen her place in The Antigonish Review's Great Blue Heron contest as well. Congratulations Kim!

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Previous Fiddlehead contributors Linda Besner, Stewart Cole, and David Seymour (who was also most recently one of our contest judges) are embarking on the 4th annual Fish Quill Poetry Boat Tour, a ten day poetry and music tour down the Grand River in southwestern Ontario. This year's tour takes place June 13-23 and will see the poetic paddlers travel from Elora to Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, camping along the river and performing in several small communities along the way.

More information can be found on the indiegogo campaign they've set up to help fund their travel, camping, food, and promotion costs.

Past Fiddlehead Contest Winner Announced as Regional Winner (Canada and Europe) of 2013 Commonwealth Short Story Prize

Photo credit: The Malahat Review

Eliza Robertson, winner of The Fiddlehead's short fiction contest in 2010 (published in no. 243) for her story "Worried Woman's Guide," has just been announced as the regional winner (Canada and Europe) of the prestigious 2013 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for "We Walked on Water."

In the press release, chair of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize Razia Iqbal said, “The short story is among the hardest forms to master. The five stories we chose as regional winners all pass the judges' tests of capturing a distinctive tone; creating fulsome characters; always deft in showing, not telling; subject matter both intimate and personal, as well as ranging across political landscapes. Reading them will transport you, as all good literature does, and introduce you to voices we are sure you will hear again.”

Recently, Eliza was also shortlisted for CBC's Canada Writes short fiction prize. You can read CBC's online interview with her here, where she names Fiddlehead fiction editor Mark Jarman as one of her favourite writers.

The winner of the Commonwealth Prize will be announced on May 31. Good luck, Eliza!

UPDATE! Eliza Robertson has been chosen as one of two winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize! The judges said that her story "We Walked on Water" is "an exhilarating story about the relationship between a brother and sister, both competitive swimmers. The descriptive writing is nothing short of strikingly beautiful, in terms of emotions felt, the natural environment and the structure." Congratulations from us at The Fiddlehead!

Announcing the Winners of The Fiddlehead's 22nd Annual Literary Competition

We're proud to announce the winners of our annual contest. The issue is hot off the presses and it's in the mail and on its way to newsstands. Our website is also updated with excerpts from all the winners: go check it out!

Writers' Federation of New Brunswick presents WordsSpring

Lovers of all things literary are sure to love WordsSpring, a three-day event featuring book launches, a writing workshop, panel discussion and open mic brunch.  Presented by the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, this semi-annual gathering will be held in the Kennebecasis Valley May 10-12.

WordsSpring leads off with book launches at the Shadow Lawn in Rothesay, Friday, May 10, at 7 p.m. Many New Brunswick authors will read from their new works of poetry and prose.

WordsSpring continues with a full day of activities on Saturday May 11 at the QPlex in Quispamsis. A fiction workshop on story arc and plotting by Jennifer McGrath Kent will get the day underway at 9 a.m. Her presentation will be followed by a panel discussion on the writing life led by Robert Rayner, Lisa Dalrymple and Susan White at 10:30 a.m.

McGrath Kent will join Rayner and Dalrymple to give readings at 1 p.m., preceding a talk by Sheree Fitch, titled “No More Kitty Litter: Kid Lit Coming of Age in NB.” The event moves to the Kennebecasis Valley Library at 3:30 p.m. for a storytime, featuring WordsSpring’s children’s authors including Sheree Fitch.

WordsSpring returns to the Shadow Lawn at 7pm that evening for the WFNB Literary Awards Soiree, during which prizes are presented to winners of WFNB’s 2013 Literary Competition. This year’s contest drew 189 entries, the highest number in WFNB’s recent history. Readings will be given by the first place finishers, as well as Sheree Fitch and Riel Nason.

The next morning, participants will take a ferry ride to the Kingston Peninsula, where they will enjoy a meal and readings at an open mic brunch. The event will be held at the Kingston Market, starting at 10 a.m.

All events are open to the public and are free of charge, except for events being held at the Qplex. Those require registration and payment of $60 for WFNB members and $70 for non-members, Saturday lunch and Sunday brunch included. For more information on the event and to register, visit the federation’s website.

Now in its 28th year, with more than 300 members, WFNB is the only organization in the province that represents and promotes writers in all disciplines, at all stages of development.