VMI Winter Newsletter 2022
Here’s our latest newsletter, full of accomplishments, new books, awards, exciting events and collaborations! Please share and support our VMI community in whatever ways suit you–reposting on social media, buying books, sending the authors a note, or attending an event. We are the community we create.
Mentor News
Susan Olding has an essay in The Bellingham Review. http://bhreview.org/2021/11/12/lacquer/ and another at Under the Sun. https://underthesunonline.com/wordpress/2021/light-reading/
Rachel Rose’s Giller-listed fiction debut, The Octopus Has Three Hearts, made the list for the CBC Books best Canadian fiction: https://www.cbc.ca/books/the-best-canadian-fiction-of-2021-1.6275969 She’s reading at the Jewish Book Festival on February 9, 2022 with Ami Sands Brodoff: https://www.jccgv.com/jewish-book-festival/events/#1548276583872-6e70c527-c210
Mark Winston published an article in the Tyee on January 5, “My Doctor Dumped Me,” about his quest for primary care after his family doctor joined the private health care system Telus Health.
https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2022/01/05/Doctor-Dumped-Me-Common/
Current Cohort News
Joanne E. Betzler has her personal essay, Stepping into Perspective, forthcoming in the anthology Resonance: Essays on the craft and life of writing, (Anvil Press) to be released 10 February, 2022. Resonance:Essays on the craft and life of writing
Leah Eichler won the 18th Annual Gival Press Short Story Award for 2021. Eichler was the first Canadian ever to receive the award for her short story, My Pompeii. The judge described it as “more than a story. It is a sophisticated excavation of history and memory, known and unknown. It’s a search for who we are–a difficult path to embark on, one that seems to build on itself.”
Japhy Ryder has completed a new novel, Hotel Amnesia, and is seeking agent representation. The novel is under consideration with Context Literary Agents in Los Angeles.
Alumni News
Kate Bird’s essay “Archival Record AN1940s” was shortlisted for The Malahat Review’s 2021 Constance Rooke CNF Prize. Her essay “Ginger” is forthcoming in the Reader’s Write section of The Sun.
India Choquette has a short story, “Maple Baby,” forthcoming in Foglifter Volume 7 Issue 1. https://foglifterjournal.com/shop/
Doris Corcese has a publication forthcoming in The Humber Literary Review’s Spring/Summer 2022 issue. https://humberliteraryreview.com/ She was also named Runner-up in the Federation of BC Writers’ Creative Nonfiction contest, announced on January 21st.
Alan Hill has a new book next month with Caitlin! https://caitlin-press.com/our-books/in-the-blood/
Kim June Johnson recently had a personal essay published in Motherwell and a poem in Held Magazine. She has a micro essay forthcoming in River Teeth’s Beautiful Things and she was on the nonfiction longlist in the Federation of BC Writers’ Literary Contest. MOTHERWELL:
https://motherwellmag.com/2021/09/23/the-day-i-re-thought-what-to-say-and-not-say-to-tired-mothers/ HELD:
https://www.riverteethjournal.com
Patrick Lucas co-wrote a short film, Allies, featured on Red Bull TV during the live global broadcast of the Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Ykve6ogX4&t=2s Patrick co-wrote and is featured in an episode in Season 2 of Return to Earth, the Healer, by Anthill Films coming out on Outside TV in February 2022 http://www.outsidetv.com/show/detail/Return+to+Earth/ready/playlist/offset/limit/media/index
kjmunro had a poem published in the November issue of Literary Review of Canada, & another poem made the short list of the Federation of BC Writers 2021 Literary Contest & is forthcoming in the contest anthology. kjmunro was the final reader at an outdoor event in Whitehorse, Yukon (in January!) – Nakai Theatre’s Pivot Festival Poetry Crawl (http://nakaitheatre.com/ – photos on their Facebook page)
Ingrid Rose has an essay, “The State of Our Father, forthcoming in Don’t Tell: Family Secretsedited by Donna McCart Sharkey and Arlene Pare in 2023. demeterpress.org Ingrid Rose is reading with Kathryn Alexander as part of the writers radio podcast on Twins writersradio.caIngrid Rose with co-creators, co-producers & co-hosts, Carole Harmon & Gary Sill, has hit the 1-year mark of their online writers radio. writersradio.ca
VMI Fellow Pervin Saket has a publication in The Punch Magazine’s 2022 Poetry Issue. (https://thepunchmagazine.com/the-byword/poetry/the-poetry-issue-2022-the-names-of-things-and-other-poems) Pervin was also awarded the Srinivas Rayaprol Poetry Prize, in association with Hyderabad University and the Hyderabad Literary Festival. (https://www.youtube.com/c/HLF-India)
[This ceremony is scheduled for 30th January 2022, 7 PM IST, but will be permanently accessible on the link provided above.]
Bernadette Wagner has signed a contract with the Saskatchewan Council for International Co-operation to lead a series of online creative writing sessions around the United Nations’ Social Development Goals. See attached and visit www.saskcic.org for more information.