SAGE HILL WRITING EXPERIENCE

V OL. 16 WINTER

Experientially Speaking D ECEMBER 2009

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Summer Adult Experience: July 2010 Faculty Updates 2 Sage Hill Report 2

This year, Sage Our poetry offer- a unique opportunity to Alumni Updates 3 Hill will be holding the sum- ings this year include a novel writers who wish to Faculty Profiles 3 mer experience from July 19 workshop and colloquium. have a work in progress -29, 2010. We will once Vancouver-based poet carefully assessed. Events 3 again be meeting in the rural Elizabeth Bachinsky will As always, the Contest Winners 4 environs of St. Michael’s be joining Sage Hill for the summer experience includes Retreat Centre. All courses first time to lead a group of an introductory program, Alumni Profile 4 and faculty have been con- six poets in the workshop. which is aimed at emerging firmed. We are excited to have her writers of all ages. John Writer and broad- with us, as are our early Lent and Susan Stenson caster Ted Barris will lead applicants. Daphne Mar- will be returning to lead this the non-fiction workshop. latt will be returning to group of 11. Feedback from The program is aimed at facilitate the colloquium last year’s session was very writers who have already with a group of five poets. positive, and we expect this moved beyond the basics in Her tenure with Sage Hill program to fill up fast. short and long non-fiction. has been a productive one, Details on how to The focus will be on a work and our alumni have bene- apply are available on our in progress. Although publi- fited greatly from her guid- website. Please check for cation in periodical or book ance. more information about form will be considered an For fiction writers, scholarships and bursaries, TWE Update advantage, it is not an essen- Sage Hill will offer a work- as well as advice about seek- tial requirement. Emphasis shop as well as a collo- ing outside sources of fund- Sage Hill’s Teen will also be placed on the quium. Although he was ing. Brochures will be Writing Experience continues quality of the material sub- unable to attend last year for available in the New Year. to thrive. In Moose Jaw, An- mitted in the application health reasons, Terry Jor- These will be available on gie Abdou will be leading a package. Spaces for this dan will be returning to lead request. Application dead- group of 14 young writers. workshop are limited to six a group of six in the fiction line , and for the summer The program in Regina will be participants. The non- workshop. We are happy to experience is April 19, led by Dan McDonald. In fiction workshop was last welcome back Catherine 2010. Saskatoon, Alice Kuipers will offered in 2006. Its return Bush who will once again return. has already generated con- be leading the fiction collo- Interest in the teen siderable interest. quium. This program offers writing programs has in- creased steadily in recent years. Sage Hill is planning an expansion to the north of Spring Poetry Colloquium: May 2010 the province. Earlier this month, we met with staff Next year’s spring residence at the Saskatoon national level, this is her members at John M. Cuele- poetry colloquium will be Public library, this past year. first time as a faculty mem- naere Public Library in Prince held in Lumsden at St. Mi- Participants were unanimous ber. Response has been Albert. There is a lot of en- chael’s from May 7-20, in their praise of his ap- enthusiastic. Check out our thusiasm for the program lo- 2010. proach and benefited greatly Facebook page for some of cally, and we are hoping to from the experience. the comments. secure funding that will help Sage Hill is de- establish the program. lighted to welcome poet We are equally Application dead- John Barton back for 2010. pleased to welcome Bar- line for the spring program Application forms He joined the colloquium bara Klar as visiting artist. is February 15, 2010.Visit and other information will be last year as visiting poet, Although she has long been our website for more details available on our website in the during his stint as writer in active on both a local and about applying. New Year. The application deadline will be in May. P AGE 2 V OL. 16 W INTER

Sage Hill Updates: Alumni and Faculty

Alumni If you have an update you’d like to Trevor Herriot’s Grass, Sky, Song: share, please send an email to Promise and Peril in the World of [email protected]. Please submit Grassland Birds was recognized at the any information at least two weeks in Sask Book Awards, winning both the advance of our publication date. Expe- Regina Book Prize and the award for rientially Speaking is released quarterly: Non-Fiction. March 20, June 21, September 23 and December 21. We invite all our alumni to share news of their recent accom- In December, Sandy Pool’s collection plishments, both big and small. of poetry Exploding Into Night was ———————————————— launched in . The book is pub- lished by Guernica Editions as part of Faculty their First Poet Series. David Carpenter new collection of stories Welcome to was re- leased in October by Porcupine’s Quill. Three Sage Hill alumnae have been selected to participate in the 2010 Men- torship Program. Brownwen McRae Former Sage Hill Faculty and current (poetry) will be working with Barbara Board President Dave Margoshes Klar, and Cassidy McFadzean launched a new collection of poems in (fiction) will be working with Leona Saskatoon. The Horse Knows the Way Theis. Karen Klassen (poetry) will be was released in September and is pub- working with Elizabeth Philips. lished by BuschekBooks.

John Herbert Cunningham hosts a Sage Hill would like to congratulate the radio show Speaking of Poets on following Sage Hill faculty members on CKUW in Winnipeg. He’s featured a their recent honours at the Sask Book number of Sage Hill alumni and faculty Awards in Regina. on his program, including Karen Solie, David Carpenter: The Saskatoon David Carpenter and Susan Stenson. Book Award for The Niceman Cometh The show is available on the internet for streaming as well as downloading. It Gerald Hill: Poetry Award for 14 airs live on Sunday at 4.30 p.m. Tractors

Sage Hill Update

It is an exciting time at Sage more timely. As well, we are looking at the future. If you have any ideas or Hill. Although it may seem like things ways to better prepare experients for suggestions, feel free to contact our have slowed down, we’ve really just their time on-site. The handbook is offices. switched gears. In the depth of winter, being redrafted, and the FAQ section on Sage Hill will continue its we’re looking ahead to the new year and the website has been augmented. I am process of renewal next month, when our program offerings for the spring and also considering building a Sage Hill we appoint a number of new Board summer. wiki, so that past experients can share members at our AGM in January. De- Earlier this fall, Sage Hill staff their knowledge with newcomers. tails to follow in our Spring issue. At had an opportunity to review experients' We also received many won- this time, we would like to thank our feedback for our 2009. We are pleased derful suggestions for new programs former President and Sage Hill alumna to report that we are continuing to help and directions from our feedback sur- Hilary Clark for her service on the writers achieve their goals. Overall, our veys. There were a number of requests Board. participants are extremely satisfied with from experients, asking us to consider Wishing you all the best for the level of instruction and opportunities offering genre fiction workshops, in- the New Year, provided by Sage Hill. There are areas, cluding mystery writing. The Board however, that need improvement, and takes this feedback very seriously. Sage Hill are working to ensure that our Although we weren’t able to organize it Sage Hill Board and Staff communications become clearer and for this year, we will keep it in mind for E XPERIENTIALLY S PEAKING P AGE 3

Faculty Profiles

Spring nated for many awards including the The play will be published in 2009 by John Barton has published nine books of Kobzar Literary Award (2009), the Gov- Talon Books. A 2003 chapbook, Seven poetry and five chapbooks, including ernor General's Award for Poetry Glass Bowls, comprises the first move- Sweet Ellipsis (1998), Hypothesis (2001), (2006), the Bronwen Wallace Award ment of The Given, a long poem in prose and Hymn, which was published in Au- (2004), and a Pushcart Prize and has fragments, published by McClelland & gust 2009. A bilingual edition of his third appeared in literary journals, antholo- Stewart in 2008. Recently appointed a book, West of Darkness: Emily Carr, a gies, and on film in Canada, the United Member of the Order of Canada, she was Self-Portrait was published in 2006. Co- States, France, Ireland, England, and the Markin-Flanagan Distinguished Visit- editor of Seminal: Canada's Gay Male China. She lives in East Vancouver ing Writer at the University of Calgary in Poets, he has won third Archibald Lamp- where she is an instructor of creative January-February 2007. She is currently man Awards, an Ottawa Book Award, a writing and Poetry Editor for Event co-director, along with Greg Holl- 2003 CBC Literary Award, and a 2006 magazine. ingshead, of the prose/fiction section of National Magazine Award. The former the Banff Writing Studio. editor of Ottawa's Arc, he lives in Victo- Ted Barris is an accomplished author, ria, where he edits The Malahat Review. journalist and broadcaster. As well as Susan Stenson's work has appeared in hosting stints on CBC Radio and regular almost every Canadian literary maga- Barbara Klar is a well-known Canadian contributions to and zine. She has recently won: Readers’ poet whose first book, The Night You , Barris has authored 15 Choice Poem of the Year 2008, ARC; Called Me a Shadow, won the Gerald non-fiction books and is a full-time pro- Best Book of Poetry in Victoria, 2007, Lampert Award. Her latest collection is fessor of journalism at Centennial Col- Monday Magazine; and three first prizes Cypress (Brick Books, 2008), a finalist for lege in Toronto. in 2004: The ARC Poem of the Year Con- Saskatchewan Book of the Year. She has test, subTerrain’s Lush Triumphant con- test and The Rona Murray Prize for Lit- been a faculty member of the Banff Cen- John Lent has been publishing poetry, tre's Wired Writing Studio, and has also erature. Sono Nis Press published her fiction and non-fiction nationally and first book of poems, Could Love a Man, worked as a tree planter , camp cook, internationally for the past thirty editor, mentor, workshop leader, and her latest, a book of elegies, My years. He has published eight books of Mother Agrees With the Dead (2007), ————————————————— poetry and fiction. His last novel, So It was published by Wolsak and Wyn. Her Won’t Go Away, was short-listed for the Summer new manuscript, Lollygag, is forthcom- BC Book Prizes in 2005. Lent has com- ing. She lives ecstatically in Victoria with Elizabeth Bachinsky is the author of pleted a volume of poems called Canti- her family where she co-publishes The three collections of poetry, Curio levered Songs, and is completing a novel Claremont Review, a literary magazine (BookThug, 2005), Home of Sudden Ser- called Oh, Hear The Angel Voices. A for writers aged 13 to 19. Susan teaches vice (Nightwood Editions, 2006), and God book of conversations with Robert Kro- English and creative writing in Saanich of Missed Connections (Nightwood Edi- etsch about the writing life, called Abun- School District. tions, 2009). Her work has been nomi- dance, was published by Kalamalka Press (of which Lent is one of the foun- ders) in 2007. He lives in Vernon, BC, where he is active as a writer, teacher, Events and musician. John has also edited over Regina twenty books of poetry and fiction and is a member of The Editors Association of Conni Massing Canada and The Writers Union of Can- Monday, January 25, 2010 ada. Cantilevered Songs was published this fall by Thistledown Press. 8.00 pm

Shu Box Theatre, Riddell Centre, Vancouver writer Daphne Marlatt is University of Regina known for her formally innovative and ————————————— feminist poetry, including Steveston, Touch to my Tongue, Salvage, and more Talking Fresh 8 recently, This Tremor Love Is which was David Carpenter, Lorna Crozier, Lee short-listed for several awards. She is Gowan and Yvette Nolan also a novelist, her first novel, Ana His- February 5-6, 2010 toric, having received wide critical ac- claim. Spring 2006 saw full production Luther College, by Pangaea Arts of The Gull, her con- University of Regina temporary Noh play about Steveston’s Japanese-Canadian fishing community. Alumni Profile | Cathy Jewison

Sage Hill Writing Experience Cathy Jewison attended the Sage Hill Fiction PO Box 1731 Workshop in 2004. Borealis Press released her Saskatoon, Saskatchewan collection of short stories The Ugly Truck and Dog Canada S7K 3S1 Contest and Other Tales of Northern Life earlier Phone: 306.652.7395 Fax: 306-244-0255 this year. Email: [email protected] ———————————————————– I can’t write without . . . A cat wrapped around my feet. —————————————–—————— My favourite time to write is . . . Afternoon or evening. I am so not a morning person. ——————————————————————————–—— sagehillwriting.ca My favourite place to write is . . . My living room, overlooking Great Slave Lake. ——————————–—————————-————————— If I didn’t write, I would probably . . . Belly dance. Oh, wait – I already belly dance. Guess I have the best of both worlds. ————————————————————————————— The writer I admire most is . . . CONTEST Jane Austen. Her novels capture the quirks and foibles of people living in small communities, they’re written in a gently ironic tone, and they WINNERS evoke a strong sense of time and place. Pretty much what I try to do ——————————————— with my own writing – except that my characters wear plaid flannel shirts instead of muslin gowns, and obsess over winning the Ugly Truck We would like to thank everyone and Dog Contest instead of scoring a husband at the next neighbour- who signed up to receive email news- letters. Sage Hill 20th Anniversary T hood ball. -shirts are on their way to the follow- ————————————————————————————— ing alumni members: That last book I read was . . .

A. Blodgett Wilderness Tips by Margaret Atwood. S. Shreve ————————————————————————————— P. Dube The last thing I wrote was . . . B. Hamilton A grocery list. When I itemize produce, it’s pure poetry. ————————————————————————————— If you would like to sign up to re- The thing I remember most about Sage Hill is . . . ceive the newsletter via email, send u s a m e s s a g e a t My fabulous writing group, led by Annabel Lyon. Also, falling and [email protected] or call us at knocking myself out at the softball game. I was injured in the first in- 306-652-7395. ning, so sat on the bench and talked to Robert Kroetsch – brilliant writer

and a nice guy who’s worked in the Northwest Territories, as it turns out.