Thin Air writer Van Camp lands in Brandon for reading and fiction workshop

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Black and white photo of Richard Van Camp, smiling
Alberta writer Richard Van Camp will visit Brandon for a reading and a workshop on Monday, Sept. 26.

Alberta writer and storyteller extraordinaire Richard Van Camp treats Brandon to a reading and fiction writing workshop on Monday, Sept. 26 as part of the Thin Air Winnipeg International Writers Festival at Brandon University.

Van Camp, a member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Dene Nation who was born in Fort Smith, N.W.T., arrives in Brandon on the heels of his 20th book published in the past 20 years.

His two latest are We Sang You Home, a picture book that captures the wonder of new parents, and Night Moves, a collection of short stories. Other credits include his breakthrough first novel The Lesser Blessed, just published in a 20th anniversary edition by Great Plains.

It is a powerful and darkly funny coming-of-age story about an Indigenous teenager coping with a painful past as he finds his place in a troubled world. The Lesser Blessed was recently produced as a feature film to widespread acclaim and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Van Camp reads from his novel in the morning, and in the afternoon he delivers a fiction writing workshop “Designing Unforgettable Characters.” This empowering workshop teaches the tricks of the trade for designing memorable, high impact characters.

The reading takes places from 10:40 to 11:30 a.m. in Room 003 of the McKenzie Building at Brandon University (BU). The workshop runs from 3:40 to 5:00 p.m., in Room 104 of BU’s Clark Hall. Admission is free to both sessions and open to the public. Books will be available for sale at the workshop.

Van Camp’s appearance in Brandon is co-sponsored by the Department of English & Creative Writing and the Hawkweed Literary Forum at Brandon University.

For more information, contact Dale Lakevold at 204-727-7413 or lakevold@brandonu.ca or Reinhold Kramer at 204-727-7344 or kramer@brandonu.ca.

 

BU HAWKWEED LITERARY FORUM FALL CALENDAR

RICHARD VAN CAMP, novelist of Vancouver

Co-sponsored by THIN AIR Winnipeg International Writers Festival and the Dean of Arts

 Literary Reading
  • Monday, September 26, 10:40–11:30 a.m.
  • 003 McKenzie Building
Creative Writing Workshop: 
“Designing Unforgettable Characters”
  • Monday, September 26, 3:40–5 p.m.
  • 104 Clark Hall    Donations Welcome

 

DEBBIE PATTERSON, playwright and actor of Winnipeg

Co-sponsored by Theatre Projects Manitoba and the AFC Speaker Series

 Artist’s Talk:  “Writing From the Body: Disability Art and the Physical Nature of Theatre”
  • Tuesday, Sept. 27,  12:40–1:30 p.m.
  • 104 Clark Hall
  • Free admission
Sargent & Victor & Me

One-woman play written and performed by Debbie Patterson, directed by Arne MacPherson, stage managed by Janne Buttner

  • Wednesday, Sept, 28, 7:30 p.m.
  • Park Community Centre
  • $15 admission (free admission for students)
Sargent & Victor & Me
  • Thursday, Sept. 29, noon–1:30 p.m.
  • Park Community Centre
  • Free admission

 

PAUL DUTTON, poet and sound artist of Toronto

Co-sponsored by the League of Canadian Poets

 Literary and Sound Art Performance
  • Tuesday, Sept. 27, 1:40–2:30 p.m.
  • John E. Robbins Library Gathering Space
Sound Art Master Class
  • Tuesday, Sept. 27, 3–4:30 p.m.
  • Elephant Room, Douglas-Knowles Students’ Union Centre

 

CAROLYN GRAY, playwright, actor and biographer of Winnipeg, with DEAN GUNNARSON, escape artist of Onanole

  •  Tuesday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m.
  • John E. Robbins Library Gathering Space

 

GARY GEDDES and ANN ERIKSSON, writers of BC

Co-sponsored by the League of Canadian Poets, the Writers Union of Canada, the Playwrights Guild of Canada, and the Canada Council for the Arts

  • Tuesday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m.
  • John E. Robbins Library Gathering Space
Free admission for all events (except where specified otherwise)
Everyone Welcome

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