Sage Hill: Inspiring Writers and Readers

In late July, the Sage Hill Writing Experience in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, hosted two evenings of readings by talented Canadian writers: John Gould, Helen Humphreys, Ken Babstock, Kimmy Beach, Spider Robinson, John Valliant and Lawrence Hill.

I was fortunate to be able to attend the first night of Sage Hill faculty readings — Gould, with several of his highly entertaining and very short stories; Humphreys, three vivid scenes from a novel in progress; and Babstock, amazing poetry. (Babstock is the recently announced winner of the 2012 Griffin Poetry Prize).

Unfortunately, I couldn't make the following session with Beach, Robinson, Valliant and Hill. (insert very sad sigh...) 

However, I have pictures from the reception that followed the first readings — and many new additions to my must-read list. (Looking for great Canadian poetry, fiction, non-fiction, science fiction? See below, for some of these authors' works.)

John Valliant and Lawrence Hill

Helen Humphreys, with Sage Hill
Executive Director, playwright Philip Adams

John Gould

Ken Babstock 

Sage Hill writers: Participant Caitlin Ward,
with Program Assistant Fionncara MacEoin 

Kimmy Beach and Sage Hill
Board President, poet Tracy Hamon

Sage Hill participant, novelist 
Judith Silverthorne, Executive Director 
of the Saskatchewan Writers Guild

Other writers at the Sage Hill readings: Caitlin Ward,
Anne McDonald, Reg Sylvester and B.D. Miller

Selected works by the 2012 faculty:  

• John Gould: Seven Good Reasons Not to Be Good (HarperCollins), and Kilter: 55 Fictions (Turnstone Press).
• Helen Humphreys: Coventry, Leaving Earth, Afterimage, Lost Garden and Wild Dogs (HarperCollins), and The Frozen Thames (McClelland & Stewart).
• Ken Babstock: Methodist Hatchet, Mean and Days into Flatspin (House of Anansi Press)
• Kimmy Beach: in Cars, fake Paul and Alarum Within (Turnstone Press).
• Spider Robinson: Very Hard Choices (Baen), Variable Star (Tor, based on an outline left by Robert Heinlein), and, with his late wife Jeanne on the award-winning Stardance Trilogy (Baen).
• John Valliant: The Tiger (Knopf), The Golden Spruce (Norton). 
• Lawrence Hill: Black Berry Sweet Juice, Book of Negroes (Someone Knows My Name), and Any Known Blood (HarperCollins). 

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