Thursday, September 27, 2012

Harvest


Submitted for our Harvest theme

Dug Up: Part 1
By: Gillian Zylka

It’s all a muddle in my head. What went first, the deck, the old tree, the trampoline, or the kids?
 I think it was the deck; old rotten and graying, we sawed it up and burned it in the backyard. It took two days of huge bonfires with a garden hose nearby for safety, but the firemen showed up nonetheless. I was tending the fire, I almost got fined. The firemen were both impossibly gorgeous, and all I could was say “Did I do something wrong?” Yes, I had broken quite a few bylaws, but I had makeup on that morning, they let me off with a stern warning.
The trampoline was moved to the front yard,  sign went up down the street. “Free trampoline,” and our address. I couldn’t bear to see it go, we waited inside the house for half an hour, when we went outside it was gone.
The kids hadn’t used it in years, and every summer I would say, “I think I’ll get rid of the trampoline this summer, you guys never use it anymore,” to a chorus of protests… “No no,” they would say “…not the trampoline.”
First one of the boys went away to University, he did his first year came home for the summer, then told me, “Mom, I’m going back to school this fall, I won’t be coming home again, except at Christmas.”
We took him to the airport and he turned with tears in his eyes to board his plane.  We went home and I cried for a very long time…first one gone.
The other two announced their departure the same day a few years later, just before the University of Calgary school year began. That was it. I was on my own.
The following summer, I decided, this backyard was dominated by the trampoline now gone, time to do some work.
I dug out weeds in the  flower beds and planted gardens. I was very enthusiastic about it, it took a lot of hard work.
 Then the tree in the front yard had to go, it was thirty years old, a poplar and split up the middle, it was leaning precariously in the direction of our neighbours roof. It was on city property, they came and took down the tree. It was a sad day. It was a majestic old tree, large with branches extending to the sky. You could see it for blocks, easily the largest tree. We split the rounds into firewood, and consoled ourselves by burning it the following year. It wasn’t the best firewood, the old fireplace smoked and left the house smelling like fire, but we relished the experience. It meant something to us.
This summer, we decided to plant a tree; it started with one. Our neighbours across the street have a weeping birch that is quite possibly forty years old, also a majestic tree, with big long graceful branches that drape down with multitudes of small healthy leaves.
I announced, “That is what I want, I want a weeping birch on my front lawn…”

We went to the garden centre and found one. It had been wrapped up since it left the nursery, it was dubious if it had been taken care of properly, but it was on sale, we foolishly bought it. We also found an Amur cherry tree, which was undoubtedly healthy, and I thought would go well in the spot where the deck had been burned. We bought the two trees and brought them home in the back of our Van, with a red tag trailing. 

Check out Part 2 tomorrow...










Monday, September 24, 2012

Fleas & Tics: Deadlines


I am putting it out there. By 'there' I mean the interweb, and by 'it' I mean my age.

Today is my 34th birthday.

Aging isn't a big deal. Not once have I ever thought, 'Golly, I wish I was 28 again' or 'Hmm, all this reckless emoting has given me eye crinkles'.  But I do tend to look at what I've accomplished thus far and invariably feel that it's not enough. There are things I want. Things I need to work toward. Deadlines I've let slide. Particularly when it comes to writing.

Priorities shift as we get older. We're able to handle more, so we take on more. I work and keep a home. I'm a serious runner, a partner to my Spousal Unit, and Mama to some short monsters who demand, demand, demand. Oh, and I'm a writer…when I have time.

This has to change, and I've already made some inroads. I'm taking a class with the expectation that by June, I will have another draft of my novel manuscript. I'm also making time to write. Two hours in the morning. More if I can, but at least those two hours. So there I have a goal, a deadline, and the time to work. Good, right? Yes, but even now I know it's not enough.

As writers, we play the long game. Looking ahead and setting our sights on the horizon is important, but so is watching our step. I need to parse my large goals into small, smaller, and possibly teensy goals. A chapter, a scene, a page, even a paragraph. Through trial and error, I'll eventually figure out what's manageable. These bite-sized accomplishments will liberate me (I hope) from the paralysis that comes from staring too long at the big picture.

I'm realistic though. There will be days I won't have time to write. There will be days where the words just won't come. Discipline wavers and will power burns out, but habits have a way of sticking. I'd like to make a habit of setting and meeting deadlines. Life gets busy, but if I'm in the habit my butt should find its way into the chair more often than not.

Already I've started off as I mean to continue on. I wrote for two hours this morning. Now I get to screw around on the internet and eat cake. After all, it's my birthday.


Monday News










Upcoming Events at AWCS

AWCS & OWL'S NEST BOOKS PRESENT: AN OPEN MIC NIGHT

DATE: September 26, 2012
TIME: 7:00pm-8:30pm
VENUE: Owl's Nest Books (815A, 49th Ave SW, Calgary)
MC: Sarah Johnson (Meet me, the AWCS blogmonkey, in person and I'll try not to act weird around you)
Back for its second year, the open mic will kick off on September 26 and continue the last Wednesday of every month (except December).
Here's how it works: Come on down to Owl's Nest Books prepared to read for no longer than five minutes. Put your name into the hat. Throughout the evening up to 10 readers will be selected by random draw.
If you don't get a chance to read, don't worry. Join us at the next open mic for another chance.
Upcoming Dates:
October 31: Bring something "spooky" to read.
November 28

Free Fall Friday Writing Sessions

Date: Every Friday
Time: 10am-12pm
Venue: AWCS Classroom
Writers block got you down? Can't seem to come up with any new ideas for a short story or poem? Maybe you just want to get out of the house for a couple of hours and spend some time in the comfort of friends and writers.
Join AWCS every Friday for 2 hour sessions of uninhibited free fall writing.
AWCS Members: Free
Non-Members: $10
Contact: Mary Kurucz at mary.k@shaw.ca for more information.
What is 'free fall' writing?
The free fall method of writing encourages writers to write without editing as they go. That editorial instinct to edit as you write, common to most writers, can be tempting but also time consuming and counter-productive.
W.O. Mitchell's free fall method encourages writers to switch off that inner editor and just write uninhibited, as the thoughts come into their minds, relying on sensory information and memories. The writer can edit after the piece is complete, but during the process, it is essential that the writer does not revise.

WRITERS' CONNECTION: A DISCUSSION GROUP

DATE: Monday, October 15, 2012
TIME: 7-9pm
FACILITATOR: Shirlee Smith Matheson
THEME: Nonfiction
Once a month, join AWCS for a casual discussion on all things writing. Each meeting will be facilitated by a different published writer from the Calgary literary community. Could be themed, could be open. Bring a couple of pages of a work in progress to read and discuss as a group. Meet and mingle with other writers. For writers of all skill levels.
Upcoming Meetings
November 12 | Facilitator: Barb Howard | Theme: Short Fiction
December 3 | Facilitator: Robin van Eck | Theme: Open

WE SHOULD KNOW EACH OTHER #100 (WSKEO #100)

DATE: September 29 & 30, 2012
TIME: 10am to 10pm | 10am to 4pm
VENUE: King Edward School (1720, 30th Ave SW)
AWCS will be participating in WSKEO #100 at the King Edward School. Come down for the day or for a few hours to check out the other great presenters at this event.
Background
'We Should Know Each Other' is a crossroad of communities. It invites people to stretch the limits of their social circles and enhance their thinking with a diversity of new ideas and perspectives. It provides a safe and welcoming space for viewpoints to collide in unexpected ways, and for creative sparks to fly.
Since February 2008, Mark Hopkins has hosted regular 'We Should Know Each Other' (WSKEO) events in Calgary, Alberta where hundreds of strangers have shared stories, laughter and new friendships.
The landmark 100th edition of 'We Should Know Each Other' will take place at King Edward Arts Hub and Incubator - the first project of cSPACE, a non-profit real estate enterprise dedicated to developing a network of multi-disciplinary creative workspaces across the city. With a mission to connect people, place and ideas to ignite creativity, community, collaboration and change, cSPACE is excited to invite the community inside the 100-year-old King Edward School before the redevelopment process begins.
Event Summary
WSKEO #100 will take place on Saturday, September 29th, 2012 from 10:00am-10:00 pm and continue through Sunday, September 30th, 2012 from 10:00am-4pm, throughout King Edward School in South Calgary (1720 - 30th Ave SW).
WSKEO #100 will invite a vast range of Calgarians to intersect in fascinating and meaningful ways, through a series of diverse activities that encourage interaction between participants. As this event will also coincide with Alberta Culture Days, Pecha Kucha Night and Doors Open at King Edward School - WSKEO #100 will provide family-friendly opportunities that will suit diverse interests.
Come create and experience a lively range of local culture set against the backdrop of a historic school; walk the locker-lined halls, write a message on an old blackboard and visit the gymnasium - while also experiencing live music, speakers, games, installations and more!

Youth Programs

Reality is Optional (RIO) Kids Writing Club

Need a place that understands you? Come and join the RIO. Create a writing club the way you want it. Youth led, adult mentored. Guest speakers, writing games, friends and creativity. Ages seventeen and under. Play with your words — all you need is a notebook and pen.
Meetings are held the second and last Monday of every month from September to June at the Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society in beautiful Calgary, Alberta – from 5:30 pm-6:30 pm in the AWCS classroom.
Fees: Drop In: $5. Full Year $40.00 (basically an AWCS youth membership with all the benefits!)

Write This!

Instructor: Kim Firmston
Begins: October 3 (8 weeks)
Time: 5:15-6:45pm
Members: $100 | Non-Members: $140 (includes a youth membership)
Ages: 12-17
Do you find yourself holed up in your room alone with your note book or computer? Do you live in worlds created by yourself? Have you been conversing with people who don’t really exist? No, you’re not crazy – you’re a writer! Come and meet other youth writers and spend some time getting really good at your craft. Learn how to mix genres, hone your character’s goals, and really bring your reader into your story.

Fall 2012 Writing Courses

ONE DAY WORKSHOPS

Magic Realism (4 Seats Still Available)
Instructor: Meghan Doraty
Saturday | October 13 | 10am-3:30pm
Member Price: $75 | Non-member Price: $95
In this one day workshop, we will discuss magic realism, a style of writing that seamlessly weaves the fantastical with the real. As a class we will discuss the elements of magic realism and practice implementing them with short shared exercises.
The Book Review (Seats Still Available)
Instructor: Robin van Eck
Saturday | November 24 | 10am-3:30pm
Member Price: $75 | Non-member Price: $95
Book reviews are more than a summary of a book. It’s a craft, like any other writing. In this workshop you will learn ways to artfully craft a review so that it stands out above others. Through examples and writing exercises you will learn how to make a review unique to you, the writer, how to write a balanced review, as well as where to publish.

Eight Week Courses

Short Fiction (Seats Still Available)
Instructor: Meghan Doraty
Tuesdays | 7-9 pm | October 9 (8 weeks)
An eight week course designed to introduce and refine the skills required to write short fiction. We will discuss beginnings and endings, plotting, characterization, theme, voice, point of view and publication strategies. Students will be asked to share work and offer feedback on other student’s work in order to polish and perfect their own writing. Each two hour class will include one hour of constructive feedback from the instructor and students and one hour of exercises and/or discussion about specific writing strategies.


NEW: ELEMENTS OF STORY WORKSHOPS

Who Is Seeing This? (Seats Still Available)
Instructor: Vivian Hansen
Saturday | October 20 | 10am-3:30pm
Member Price: $75 | Non-member Price: $95
Ever wondered how a scene, a poem, a story, just sounds absolutely right, as though you’re living the moment? But.. you don’t know who’s telling the story. Or why? Does the point of view make a difference to how we read or what we experience? This will be an active workshop, so bring scenes and stories to class
Craft Memorable Memoir Characters (Seats Still Available)
Instructor: Wilma Rubens
Saturday | October 27 | 10am-3:30pm
Member Price: $75 | Non-member Price: $95
Compelling characters are at the heart of any story that the reader cares about. Just as in writing fiction, memoir characters need to be brought to life. Real life people are quirky with different and contrasting shades, strong desires, flaws and heroic qualities that come alive in action and dialogue. We will use writing prompts to create unforgettable characters and weave a trail of clues, cliffhangers and insights into our stories.
Dynamic Dialogue (Seats Still Available)
Instructor: Susan Calder
Saturday | November 3 | 10am-3:30pm
Member Price: $75 | Non-member Price: $95
Dialogue is one of the strongest tools for portraying characters in fiction and creative non-fiction. When do you use dialogue in a story? What makes dialogue effective, interesting and full of tension? How can dialogue move your story forward? Through writing exercises, discussion and the study of published works learn how to make your dialogue sparkle.
World Building (Seats Still Available)
Instructor: Elaine Morin
Saturday | November 17 | 10am-3:30pm
Member Price: $75 | Non-member Price: $95
Whether it’s your backyard, a Hong Kong market or an alien starship, the world you write should be believable. But which details are necessary to carry a story? How do you make those descriptive passages zing? For both fiction and creative non-fiction writers, this workshop will explore world building through already published works, discussion and lectures, and writing exercises.
Whose Story is it? (Point of View, Ownership and Telling It Like It Is) (Seats Still Available)
Instructor: J. Jill Robinson
Saturday & Sunday | November 24 & 25 | 10am-4:30pm
Member Price: $140 | Non-member Price: $190
Some writers say that choosing the right point of view through which to tell the story is the most important decision a writer makes, and that most problems encountered in the writing process can be traced to p.o.v. concerns. Changing point of view can certainly can have a startling impact on your narrative, and can often help get you unstuck when you’re stuck. Come and find out more, through discussion and exercises, with novelist, short story, and creative non-fiction writer Jill Robinson. For writers at all levels.

WORKSHOPS IN OKOTOKS

Okotokians: Fiction Course coming soon to a town near you...(The Okotoks Rec Centre :)
I Wanna Be a Writer
Ages: 18 Yrs. and over
Fees: $185.00
Description:
Come learn what it takes to be a fiction writer. We'll explore the basics of fiction from the ground up. We'll write, workshop and discuss our way through this informal and fun introduction to the art of story telling.
Lee Kvern is the award-winning Okotoks author of short stories and novels. www.leekvern.com
Spots Available: 8
8 Classes W Oct 3-Nov 21 7:00-9:00pm

WORKSHOPS AT CALGARY PUBLIC LIBRARY

You can now register for these two free back-to-back writing programs at the Calgary Public Library.
E-Book or Print? Saturday, Nov 17, noon – 1:00 PM
Consider both formats when publishing your writing. Author and promoter, Susan Toy, discusses the many changes in promotion and marketing that have occurred as a result of both methods of delivering books to readers.
Character Creation Workshop Saturday, Nov 17, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Join local authors Susan Calder (Deadly Fall) and Garry Ryan (Blackbirds) for an interactive workshop on making your characters come alive and about using E-Resources. Bring your questions and meet other writers. Everyone welcome.
Both sessions take place at the Calgary Public Library Central branch, 616 Macleod Trail SE. Register online www.calgarypubliclibrary.com or call 403-260-2620. Space is limited.

Calls for Submissions

FreeFall Magazine Next deadline for submissions is for the contest issue. Deadline December 31. This years contest judge is Patrick Lane.
For submission guidelines please visit website.
filling Station Call for Submissions: Special Issue of filling Station magazine on Northern B.C. Writing
filling Station is soliciting submissions of poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual art for a special issue on Northern B.C. Writing to be guest-edited by Jason Wiens. The magazine also encourages reviews of recent publications by Northern B.C. writers. The filling Station collective will vet and select submissions with a planned publication date in early 2013. Please send electronic submissions complete with short bio and mailing address by 1 October 2012 to Jason Wiens atjlwiens@ucalgary.ca with fS NORTHERN BC ISSUE in the subject, or hard copy submissions to:
Jason Wiens
Department of English
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta
T2N 1N4
Regular submission guidelines still apply. View website for details.
Places for Writers Complete listing of calls for submissions and Canadian literary magazines.
Duotrope.com Complete listings for international magazines. Calls for submissions, anthologies and more.
Ralan.com Listings for sci-fi and humor markets.
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Show Your Support, Every Little Bit Helps

The Alexandra Writers Centre Society is a registered charitable organization. Each year we rely on the support of our members and the community to help ensure we continue to offer the best in programs and courses for the literary community. We couldn't do it without you.
Your donations are graciously appreciated. All donations over $10 receive a tax deductible receipt.
Donations can be made through our website (pay by credit card or through PayPal) If you don’t wish to pay online, cheques can be made payable to AWCS and mailed to 922, 9th Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0S4
For business owners, a sponsorship of $500 will put your logo with link on our website for 6 months as well as its inclusion on our publicity materials; and, of course, a tax deductible receipt. Please contact the office for more details.
Please don’t feel obligated, but if you can donate even a little we would be so grateful. AWCS appreciates all the support you have offered over the years and looks forward to many more.

OFFICE HOURS FOR FALL

Monday to Wednesday: 9am to 12pm
Closed Holidays
Please contact the office by email or phone if you have an urgent matter.
922, 9th Ave. SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0S4 | 403.264.4730 | awcs@telusplanet.net
Hours are subject to change without notice so please call ahead if you wish to visit.