Reading West

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

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Katherine Koller writes for stage, screen and page. Her plays include Coal Valley, The Seed Savers and Last Chance Leduc, which won the Alberta Playwriting Competition. Excerpts from her opera, The Handless Maiden, played in Vancouver this year and Hope Soup, for radio, was recorded at the 2019 Edmonton Fringe. Her web documentary, about Edmonton youth changing their world, is at sustainablemeyeg.ca. Art Lessons, her debut novel, was a finalist for both the Edmonton Book Prize and the Alberta Readers’ Choice Award. Her new collection of short stories, about second chances, is Winning Chance. Katherinekoller.ca

 

 

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

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Bernadette Wagner, writer, editor, and community based educator, has recent work in Absent Mothers (DP: 2017) and Without Apology: Writings on Abortion in Canada (AUP: 2016). Her poetry and nonfiction have been broadcast on radio and TV, recorded
on video and film, and published in magazines and anthologies. Shortlisted for the Saskatchewan First Book Award, she toured This hot place (Thistledown, 2010), her first poetry collection, across the country. An activist for social justice, a spokesperson for various feminist organizations, a founder of the Prairie Lily Feminist Society and Friends of Regina Public Library, a board member for the Saskatchewan Writers Guild and Sage Hill Writing Experience, a past Literary Co-ordinator and two-time Chair of the Cathedral Village Arts Festival, and the inaugural literary artist-in-residence at the Last Mountain Lake Cultural Centre, Bernadette lives in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The Dry Valley encapsulates one woman’s relationship with herself, her alcoholic spouse, and the world, in three different Saskatchewan landscapes. The poems offer a fascinating interplay between mindful explorations of self and immersions in the challenging complexities of interpersonal relationships, social issues and meaningful engagement with the environment. The quiet, meditative quality of the longer lyrics rub up against the edgier narrative poems, contributing a wonderful tension to the manuscript. With figurative language kept to a minimum, the poems rely on detail, giving a real-time felt presence and the speaker a heightened reliability.

Jennifer Graham was born and raised during the apartheid era of South Africa. She left her homeland in 1975, at age nineteen, for England, because it was illegal for her and her then boyfriend, who is also South African, to have a romantic relationship merely because of pigmentation - she was brown and he was white.

Jennifer studied elementary education at McGill University in Montreal and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication/print journalism from the University of Mobile, in 2001. Jennifer has numerous published magazine and newspaper articles. Her memoir, An Immoral Proposal, published in 2013, is her first book.

Jennifer is a member of the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild. She is also an AWA (Amherst Writers and Artists) affiliate with whom she trained as a facilitator in the AWA method.

An Immoral Proposal is available through Amazon and Kindle.

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

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Nicholas Olson is the author of several works of short fiction and essays, including a new series of illustrated zines of short stories with accompanying audiobook narrations. Books and audiobooks can be found at ballsofrice.bandcamp.com, other works can be found at ballsofrice.com. More books and audiobooks coming summer 2017.   Links: ballsofrice.com (blog/essays),  ballsofrice.bandcamp.com (for audiobooks/store),  twitter: @nicwolson     Story: A Brief Interaction Music: Matthew Meehan of Sonhowler (sonhowler.bandcamp.com) Narrator: Kris Hedlund of Rah Rah (http://www.rahrahband.com) Other: Originally appeared in SWG Spring Magazine   Story: That's My Team Music: D.A. Kissick (dakissick.bandcamp.com) Narration: Nicholas Olson Other: Best of Regina Selection in Briarpatch Magazine Writing in the Margins Contest

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

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Shari Narine is an award-winning journalist who has served as editor for newspapers and magazines. Currently she works at the Aboriginal Multi Media Society (AMMSA), Playhouse Publications, in Edmonton.

After having a handful of short stories published in various journals, she wrote Oil Change at Rath’s Garage, her first novel.

Narine grew up in Daysland, a small town in Alberta, and has travelled extensively within Canada and to six continents (and has ridden camels on four).

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

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This episode features Leona Theis reading from the intro of her new, award-winning novel If Sylvie Had Nine Lives.

Leona writes novels, short stories, and personal essays. She hopes to craft work that is funny, serious, and absorbing all in the same package.

Her story collection, Sightlines (Coteau, 2000) won two Saskatchewan Book Awards. Leona's work has been shortlisted four times for the CBC Literary Award, which she won in 2007 for creative nonfiction.

Her novel-in-progress, If Sylvie Had Nine Lives, won the John V Hicks manuscript award in 2016. Her short fiction has appeared most recently in Journey Prize Stories 26, and in American Short Fiction, where it won the short story prize. Her personal essays have appeared in Canada and the United States in such venues as Brick, The New Quarterly, Numero Cinq, and Best Canadian Essays.

Leona has worked in the literary community as an editor, mentor, workshop leader, and writer-in-residence. She divides her time between her home in Saskatoon and a cabin in the boreal forest.

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

Theme music is Flax Flower Blue by Best Kept Secret Girlfriend.

James Trettwer reads his story story "Godsend," which will be published in the anthology Wanderlust in May 2017. 

James is currently working on a collection of linked stories, two of which are included in Wanderlust, published by Thistledown Press. The novella Thorn-Fields from this collection won third place in the 2016 John V. Hicks' Long Manuscript Award. A third story previously won second place in the Saskatchewan Writers Guild Short Manuscript Awards.

James writes from Regina where he lives with Sherry and their fat little dog, Maggie.

 

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

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Sean Johnston is from Asquith, Saskatchewan. His first book, A Day Does Not Go By, won the 2003 ReLit Award for short fiction. His most recent book is the short story collection We Don't Listen to Them. He lives in Kelowna, B.C., where he teaches at Okanagan College.

Sean reads "He Hasn't Been to the Bank in Weeks," from We Don't Listen to Them, which can be ordered at the local bookstore, from Thistledown Press, or Amazon.

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

Theme music is Flax Flower Blue by Best Kept Secret Girlfriend.

Transplanting Hope: My life – Someone Else’s Heart provides an in-depth look at breaking down medical and social barriers and persevering in times of great difficulties and pain. An extremely rare diagnosis of lymphangectasia (enlarged lymph vessels) left 13 year old Kristy Thackeray feeling weak and extremely ill. After numerous tests, doctors learned that there was something else, something much more serious, going on with Kristy. She was told she also had the rare heart disease, restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Kristy needed a new heart.

Kristy Thackeray lives in Chestermere, AB with her husband, Wade, their two teenage girls, Shaylynn and McKayla, and their Alaskan malamute, Breaker. Kristy received her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Victoria, and currently works as a community resource coordinator for a non-for-profit organization in Calgary, AB.  A portion of the proceeds from this book will be used to start a foundation to help donor families. For more information please contact Kristy via Facebook, Twitter or by visting her website www.kristythackeray.com

Readers can purchase Kristy's memoir at drug stores in Elk Point, AB; The Steaming Cup in Brooks, AB; The Friends of University Hospital, University of Alberta in  Edmonton AB; and online at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

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Sally Meadows is a five-time national/international award-nominated author, singer/songwriter, and speaker who lives in Saskatoon. Sally travels all around Saskatchewan and beyond in support of her children’s picture book The Two Trees, raising autism awareness and giving school-age children the opportunity to learn about trees, dinosaurs, minerals, and more through fun hands-on activities.

You can purchase this book at McNally Robinson, Turning the Tide, and My Whimsey Store, all in Saskatoon. It can also be ordered from major bookstore retailers including Chapters/Indigo/Coles, Amazon, and at sallymeadows.com. If you'd like Sally to read at your school, local library, or other non-profit, please contact Sally at [email protected]. Funding is available for such readings through the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild.

This podcast features Western Canadian authors reading from their novels, short fiction, poetry, memoirs, or non-fiction. It is created and hosted by Saskatchewan novelist Lisa Guenther. Reading West is open to featuring published authors from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For the most part, the podcast focuses on literature, but writers working in other genres are welcome to inquire. For more information on submitting, visit lisaguenther.com/reading-west-podcast/  You can also check out the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readingwest/

Theme music is Flax Flower Blue by Best Kept Secret Girlfriend.