foTELEGRcuAPHJOURNAL.s COM Saturday,November 19, 2011 /S5 Creating the books Chiaccanon

At Café Archibald in Moncton, France So she returned to Moncton and Daigle sits quietlyand comfortably by completed her BA in literature, taking the window.She’s unassuming in her courses in French and English as well as shortblack hair,light green blouse and acreative-writingclass thatallowed her tasteful scarf. Daigle is the kind of writer to experiment with different forms of youmay not noticeonthe street right writing.She also worked part-time for away.But youmight want to paybetter L’ Evangeline to help payfor her school attention next time you’re out. bills. Daigle’s books have won her literary Coincidentally,itwas duringthis per- accolades in Canada and abroad. She’s iodthatAcadie was experiencing a the recipient of numerous awards, cultural revolution of sorts and Daigle including the Prix Pascal-Poirier,the often found herself in the same circles as prestigious Prix France-Acadie,the rising literaryfigures likeGuy Arsenault, Prix littéraireAntonine-Maillet-Acadie Herménégilde Chiasson and GérardLe- France Daigle, author of the newbook ‘Pour sûr,’ is the recipient of the 2011Lieutenant- Vie and, earlier this month, the 2011 Blanc.But she didn’t follow their lead. Governor’s Awardfor High Achievement in French-LanguageLiterary Arts. Photo: Mathieu Léger Lieutenant-Governor’sAwardfor High “The whole idea of l’Acadie as under- Achievement in French-Language Liter- dog; it’s not whatIwanted to write or little morecomfortable with it after this “The French and English-language aryArts. how Iviewed myself,” Daigle says.“I book.” publishing sectors aretwo different What’s more, she’s done it by staying in didn’t want to limited by such categor- Amajor element of Daigle’s newbook worlds,” Daigle admits.“It’s amuch NewBrunswick. ies.” is her extensiveuse of Chiac,which she deeper problem than marketing.There’s The fifth child of eight,Daigle was Instead, Daigle set agoal forherself. began to incorporateinto her writing probably ahundred English-speaking born in Dieppe in 1953. Her father was She had begun work on ascreenplay morethan 10 years ago. NewBrunswickers who know who I ajournalist and translator,and worked andabookofpoetry, and decided she “My father is probably turning over in am.” most of his lifefor L’Evangeline,New would go to Montreal to complete his graveright now,” Daigle jokes.“He Daigle enlisted freelancer Sally Ross in Brunswick’slong-time French-language them. Forthe next three years,Daigle would be happy forthe book’ssuccess, Halifax to translate La vraie vie (1993). newspaper. worked as atranslator to save enough but not the Chiac.” Not longafter,Torontopublishing firm “Therewas always TV,radio and books moneyfor the trip. Chiac is alanguage thatcombines House of Anansi (home to Patrick de- in the house,” Daigle says.“My father felt Montreal was aturning point for Acadian French with English words, Witt, winner of this year’sGovernor it was important forustohear and see Daigle as awriter.Although she didn’t sincemade popular by Acadian writ- General’sLiteraryAwardfor fiction) and learn.” end up publishing either book, it didn’t ers likeDaigle as well as Dano LeBlanc, made an offer on the book. Real Life ap- Nor was Daigle astranger to the magic matter –she had fulfilled her promise to creator of the infamous Acadian super- peared in 1995 –the first of fivetranslat- of words,evenfromanearly age. herself. hero, Acadieman. But forDaigle,Chiac ed Daigle titles carried by Anansi. “I remember deciding to read abook “It was funny,” Daigle says.“Ihad prov- is morethan just words. Daigle’s marketing experiment has formyself,not forschool, when Iwas en to myself Icould do it.But after Ihad “It’s amentality,”Daigle says,“not paid off.Anansi is in the process of trans- eight years old –the kind with only completed the twobooks Ithought – simply amixing of twolanguages.So lating Pour sûr. And her novel Just Fine drawings at the beginning of each chap- whatdoIdonow?” it’s dangerous and somewhattaboo won the Governor General’sLiterary ter,”she says laughing.“When Iwas abit Daigle spent the next year in Europe, in French-language culture. It’s one of Awardfor translation in 2000 and gar- older,mysister brought home albums whereshe wrote whatbecame her thosethings youcan’t speak until you nered her newrespect within the Eng- by LeonardCohen and Bob Dylan. Iwas first published book, Sans jamais parl- are18,”she adds with achuckle. lish-language writing community. always fascinated by words,whether in a er du vent (1983). Twomorebooks fol- Daigle’s list of literaryaccomplish- These days,Daigle likes to work out of song or on apage.” lowed soon after her return to Monc- ments also includes work as playwright her home in Moncton, oftenwriting in Of course,growing up in an Acadian ton: Film d’amour et de dépendance during the late 1990s with the Collectif the mornings on her computer forthree family, French was the languagespoken (1984) and Histoiredelamaison qui Moncton Sable,aFrench-language the- or four hours.But she has neverbeen at home.But Daigle wasn’t exposed to brûle (1985). atre companythatproduced twoofher one to embracethe idea of disciplined just Acadian and Quebec culture. Daigle quickly realized writing plays.She hasn’t returned to playwriting writing. “My brother-in-lawwas from France,” wouldn’t paythe bills and supple- forseveral years,though. “I can’tforce myself to write,” Daigle Daigle says.“He would always bring mented her author royalties by work- “Theatrewas fun forme,”Daigle ex- says.“Ihavealways worked by project, over all kinds of French books and al- ing as anewseditor forRadio-Canada plains.“It helped me with dialogue and so when there’snoproject in mind, I bums.Itwas very exciting.” in Moncton whereshe remained foral- gave me the freedom to playwith Chiac. don’t get much writing done.” Daigle dabbled with writing in high most 20 years. But writing required only me,while And now that Pour sûr is finally fin- school. Then she enrolled at Université Fortunately,itdidn’t affect her creativ- theatreusually involves 40 people at a ished, Daigle isn’t in ahurrytostart her de Moncton whereshe began her BA. ity. In fact,since1985, Daigle has pub- time.” next writing project. She left after ayear to attend Ryerson’s lished nine books,mostly recently Pour During the late 1990s,Daigle also ap- “Distractions aregood forcreativity,“ film program, butwas disappointed sûr,a750 page tome thattookher 10 plied forsome provincial cultural fund- Daigle confesses.“Iplaysolitairemore with the school’sapproach. years to write and was released in Sep- ing to enable her to promote her work. than Iwrite these days.” s “It was moreabout photography than tember. When she received the grant,she de- film,”Daigle says.“And it focused on the “I always found it strange to fill out cided translating one of her works into Thomas Hodd teaches Canadian litera- technical side of filmmaking rather than forms and include ‘writer’ as away of English would be better than flying to a ture at the Université de Moncton. He can the storytelling.” defining myself,” Daigle says.“But Ifeel a literaryfestival. be reached at [email protected].

Brunswick. Photo: subMitted

TheNAC Orchestra NewBrunswick

Sunday: TheCapitol Theatre, ncton. 8p.m. $38.50 and $34.50 (plus applicable charges). 856-4379. www.capitol.nb.ca. esday: ThePlayhouse, edericton. 7:30 p.m. $60,$54/members,$30/under-19. 866-884-5800. w.theplayhouse.ca. Wednesday: Imperial Theatre, int John. 8p.m. $40, $35/seniors,$10/students. 16-year-old piano virtuoso Jan Lisiecki. 4-4100. Photo: andras schraM www.imperialtheatre.nb.ca. grown with the orchestraasamusician and aperson.” nine and has performed as asoloist First tour,yes,but it’s not the first time ethan 100 times with orchestras,with the prodigyhas playedthe East Coast.He’s appearances across Europe and in Asia in playedwith Symphony Nova Scotia and addition to Canada. Last year,hesigned an Symphony NewBrunswick. clusiverecording agreement with Ger- “I’m looking forwardtogoing back,” sDeutsche Grammophon, home to he said. “It’s such abeautiful and differ- Measha Brueggergosman,and will playin- ent partofCanada. The people arereally with the NewYork Philharmonic in friendly.” ember 2012. The personable young man –who hardly tLisiecki is still logging afirst when seems ateenager at his levelofmaturity tours this week with the national Or- and his six-foot-twostature, at least until ra –whilehehas playedwith many he starts shooting elastics around the re- chestras in the past,hehas nevertoured hearsal hall –isalso looking forwardto one. eating all manner of seafood and inspiring his is my first time staying in ahotel young people he will be teaching along an orchestra, touring from citytocity the way. I’m so looking forwardtoit,”said the “My goal is to show them how greatclas- osed young man in Ottawa forre- sical music is,how fun it is and thatit’s hearsals before the tour began.“Next year, something thattheycan do.” s eacouple more(tours) in Europe so etodoitfirst with an orchestrathat Jennifer Campbell is an Ottawa writer pent lots of time with before.” who was born and raised in NewBrunswick Indeed. He’s been playing with the na- and returns regularly.Reach her at jcps@ orchestrasincehewas 11. “I’ve sympatico.ca.