Previous Year's Events
Note: Dates and information were accurate at the time of the original meeting, but may no longer be accurate or available.
Meeting: Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Annette Humphries: Trafford Publishing
Scott McIntyre is postponed to January 14, 2009.
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
- Place: Alliance for the Arts & Culture, Suite 100, 938 Howe St., Vancouver.
- Cost: CAA Members free; Non-members $5; Students (with student ID) $2
Annette Humphries, Corporate Communications Manager for Trafford Publishing, in Victoria, will be discussing "Your Book—Your Way." Since its inception in 1995, Trafford’s award-winning publishing service has lead the Print on Demand (POD) publishing revolution with a roster of over 18,000 titles representing more than 15,000 independent authors from all over the world.
For More Information
For more information contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Workshop: Saturday, October 4, 2008
Postponed from September 20, 2008.
Rodger Cove: Structure for the Storyteller
- Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (doors open at 9:00 a.m.)
- Place: Alliance for the Arts & Culture, Suite 100, 938 Howe St., Vancouver.
- Early Bird Price: CAA Members $45; Students (with student ID) $55; Non-members $80.
- Cost after Sept 20th: CAA Members $55, Students $65; Non-Members $90.
Rodger Cove will be focusing primarily on the principles of dramatic structure and crafting a strong character arc in this very informative workshop. Rodger will also touch on how to format and structure a screenplay.
Bio
Rodger Cove, senior instructor and former interim head of the Vancouver Film School's Writing Department, began writing professionally in radio where he worked for seven years as a copywriter and Creative Director. Since then he has published short fiction, has had stage and radio plays produced, and has written eight feature length screenplays, with selling options on four so far.
A former editor of the literary magazine PRISM international, and a two time Praxis Fellow, he has also been a semi-finalist in the prestigious Chesterfield and Nicholl Screenwriting Competitions. Related work experience includes stints as a dramaturge, script analyst, and story editor for Theatre Terrific, CBC Western Drama Development, British Columbia Film, Movie Central, and Praxis. Most recently, he has written and co-produced the low budget feature length film Hair of the Sasquatch, which has an anticipated festival release this fall.
Rodger has a B.A. in English from Simon Fraser University, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.
Registration
Space is limited, so please register early by sending the following:
- Your name, address, phone number and email.
- Cheque or money order payable to Canadian Authors Association - Vancouver.
- If you are paying the student fee, a photocopy of your student ID or other proof.
Mail to:
- Canadian Authors Association,
- 851 Underhill Drive,
- Delta BC V4M 2V4
Deadline for registrations: Thursday September 25, 2008.
For More Information
For more information contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Cancellation Policy: 25% non-refundable if cancelled within 10 days of workshop date.
Meeting: Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Kate Austin: The state of affairs on affairs of the heart
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
- Place: Alliance for the Arts & Culture, Suite 100, 938 Howe St., Vancouver.
- Cost: CAA Members free; Non-members $5; Students (with student ID) $2
The art of selling romance and women's fiction is more complicated than ever—paranormal, urban fantasy, erotic romance, erotica or inspirational. Kate Austin will help you make sense of what's hot (in more ways than one!), what's not, and who's buying what.
Kate Austin is a multi-published author of women's fiction. Her eighth book—Seeing is Believing—about a woman who sees death in photographs, was published in October 2007, by Harlequin's women's fiction line. Her next book—Book One of The Losers' Club—will soon be published in trade paperback. For more information about Kate, check out her Website at www.kateaustin.ca.
For More Information
For more information contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Meeting: Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Sylvia Taylor: Building Your Professional Platform
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
- Place: Alliance for the Arts & Culture, Suite 100, 938 Howe St., Vancouver.
- Cost: CAA Members free; Non-members $5; Students (with student ID) $2
Building Your Professional Platform
Getting published isn't just about writing anymore—it's about building a solid foundation, a platform, of credibility and expertise. For experienced and emerging writers alike, we need to build our presence from the ground up, with good planning, good tools, good materials and creative flair.
Bio
Sylvia Taylor is an award-winning freelance writer, editor and instructor and communications consultant Vancouver's Lower Mainland, with a passionate commitment to communication.
Whether supporting others in their self-expression, collaborating in commissioned work or creating insightful commentary and reportage, Sylvia draws from her education, administrative, healthcare, and creative, professional background.
She writes a wide variety of magazine and newspaper articles and commercial works, consults with entrepreneurs and companies and works with authors here and abroad to bring their books to life. She was Fraser Valley Regional Director for the Federation of BC Writers from 2000-2008 and now serves as President.
She is also an inspiring public speaker and adult educator, teaching creative and non-fiction writing at conferences and writing programs, and judging numerous writing competitions. Her devotion to the arts and women's wellness led to a 2002 nomination for the Women of Excellence award.
For More Information
For more information contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Meeting: Saturday, December 13, 2008
Christmas Lunch and Annual General Meeting
All members are encouraged to attend our AGM and Christmas Lunch to be held at the White Spot Restaurant, 1616 W. Georgia St, Vancouver (Georgia & Cardero) starting at noon on Saturday, December 13th. Each member may bring one guest. Cost approx. $18 per person.
Please RSVP to Jean by Monday, Dec. 8th at 604-943-9247 or .
Meeting: Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Nancy Flight, Associate Publisher, Greystone Books, a division of Douglas & McIntyre
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
- Place: Alliance for the Arts & Culture, Suite 100, 938 Howe St., Vancouver.
- Cost: CAA Members free; Non-members $5; Students (with student ID) $2
Topics of discussion
- What is happening in the industry today?
- What are publishers looking for?
- What kind of authors are being accepted?
- What does a successful publication pitch include?
- Agents or not?
Bio
Nancy Flight is associate publisher of Greystone Books, a division of Douglas & McIntyre. She has been editing books for thirty-five years, both as an in-house editor and as a freelancer, in both Canada and the United States. She has worked with such authors as David Suzuki, Evelyn Lau, Wade Davis, Wayne Grady, Bill McKibben, Harry Thurston, and Rick Bass, among many others. She was the recipient of the 1988 Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence for her work on Genethics: The Art of Engineering Life by David Suzuki and Peter Knudtson.
In addition to her editorial work, she has taught at the Banff Book Editing Workshop, the Simon Fraser University Book Editing Workshop, the SFU Writing and Publishing Program, and the SFU Book Publishing Workshop. In 2004 and 2005, she was adjunct professor and Ralph Hancox Fellow in the SFU Master of Publishing Program.
Nancy is also a past president of the Editors' Association of Canada and of the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia and is currently on the board of the Association of Canadian Book Publishers.
For More Information
For more information contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Meeting: Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Open Mic Night & Silent Auction Fund Raiser
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
- Place: Alliance for the Arts & Culture, Suite 100, 938 Howe St., Vancouver.
- Cost: CAA Members free; Non-members $5; Students (with student ID) $2
February 11th is our Open Mic Night. Come and hear what people have been writing. Each speaker will be given five minutes to read their poems, magazine articles, or excerpts from their books. Members will be given priority.
To reserve your reading spot please contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
We will also be having a Silent Auction at our meeting. Writing-related items and small donated items will be auctioned off. Come early and place your bids.
For More Information
For more information contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Meeting: Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Jane Hall, Author of The RED Wall—a woman in the RCMP
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
- Place: Alliance for the Arts & Culture, Suite 100, 938 Howe St., Vancouver.
- Cost: CAA Members free; Non-members $5; Students (with student ID) $2
Jane's first love is Canada and its history. Her book, The RED Wall—a woman in the RCMP, is an attempt to contribute to our knowledge and understanding of Canada and hopefully inspire others to do the same.
Jane will also speak about her publishing experience with General Store Publishing House. The process begins with a written proposal submitted by the author, followed by an interview with the publisher. If the publisher feels that the material is worth further consideration, a critique of the manuscript is completed by our senior editor. All contracts are negotiated based on each individual author and project.
GSPH has been in business for 27 years and has produced over 800 titles.
Bio
Originally from Wolfe Island, Jane Hall now resides in Langley, B.C., but is still a frequent visitor to her family home. After receiving a B.A. and B.Ed. from Queen's University, she joined the RCMP in June 1977. She retired in 1998.
Mrs. Hall has a strong sense of social justice and social responsibility. She believes that for the first time in recorded history, women have not only the opportunity but the responsibility to stand together and provide a strong and clear female voice to governments and multinational companies—a voice to bring balance and humanity back into the world.
Jane is the chair of the international research team Women in Leadership. Women in Leadership actively researches and develops mechanisms that organizations can use to improve the percentage of women in executive leadership roles internationally.
For More Information
For more information contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Meeting: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Caroline Adderson, Award Winning Author
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
- Place: Alliance for the Arts & Culture, Suite 100, 938 Howe St., Vancouver.
- Cost: CAA Members free; Non-members $5; Students (with student ID) $2
Bio
Caroline Adderson is the author of two internationally published novels (A History of Forgetting, Sitting Practice), two collections of short stories (Bad Imaginings, Pleased To Meet You), and three books for young readers (Very Serious Children, I, Bruno, Bruno For Real). Her work has received numerous prize nominations including the Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist, the Governor General's Literary Award, the Rogers' Trust Fiction Prize, and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. A two-time Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and three-time CBC Literary Award winner, Caroline was also the recipient of the 2006 Marian Engel Award, given annually to an outstanding female writer in mid-career in recognition of her body of work.
For More Information
For more information contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Meeting: Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Daphne Bramham - Award Winning Columnist & Non-fiction Author
- Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
- Place: Alliance for the Arts & Culture, Suite 100, 938 Howe St., Vancouver.
- Cost: CAA Members free; Non-members $5; Students (with student ID) $2
Daphne Bramham will discuss her life as a newspaper columnist for the Vancouver Sun, and how research led to writing her first non-fiction book - The Secret Lives of Saints: Child Brides and Lost Boys in Canada's Polygamous Mormon Sect.
Bio
Daphne Bramham has been a columnist at The Vancouver Sun since 2000 after having served as the newspaper's associate editor in charge of the opinion pages.
She won the 2004 National Newspaper Award for column writing. The judges said in her columns she "cuts away misconceptions and misinformation on a wide-range of issues…Her clear thinking shines like a laser in searching out logical inconsistencies."
That year, she also was named commentator of the year by the Jack Webster Foundation and was honoured by the non-profit group Beyond Borders for an on-going series of columns on the polygamous community of Bountiful.
The research done for the Sun formed the basis of her first book, The Secret Lives of Saints: Child Brides and Lost Boys in Canada's Polygamous Mormon Sect, which was published in 2008 by Random House. It was short-listed for both the 2008 B.C. National Non-Fiction Book Award and the Shaughnessy Cohen prize for political writing.
Born in Saskatchewan, Bramham has a bachelor of arts degree in English and German literature from the University of Regina, a bachelor of applied arts in journalism from Toronto's Ryerson University and a master's degree in liberal studies from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C.
For More Information
For more information contact Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Members Social: Saturday, June 27, 2009
- Time: 12:00 noon.
- Place: White Spot, 1616 W. Georgia, Vancouver.
- Cost: $17 each.
Members may invite one guest.
Please reserve
Members, please reserve by contacting Jean at 604-943-9247 or .
Meetings: June, July & August
There are no meetings held during the summer months, although the Branch does hold a summer social gathering for members and their guests.
Meetings and Workshops from Prior Years
A summary of meetings held in prior years is available on the Year in Review page.
www.canauthorsvancouver.org/previousyear.html
Updated: August 26, 2009