Storm Stage Readings at the Arts Festival

A celebration of Saskatchewan literary talent took place Saturday with writers David Sealy, Mitch Spray, Ken Fox, Kathleen Wall, Brenda Niskala and Barbara Kahan, Alison Lohans, and Shayna Stock.

The event at the Storm Stage was coordinated by poet Bernadette Wagner (and team!!!), who managed all the literary events at the 2012 Cathedral Village Arts Festival. (Great work, Bernadette!)

This year's City of Regina writing award winner, playwright David Sealy started the day. (Dave will be reading on again Tuesday May 29, 7:30 p.m. at Wascana Centre for the City of Regina award presentation.)

Performance poet Shayna Stock,
host of Word up Wednesday at Regina's
Creative City Centre    

Young adult novelist and Regina YWCA
Women of Distinction award winner, Alison Lohans

Poet and novelist Kathleen Wall 

Literary coordinator, poet Bernadette Wagner 

Brenda Niskala, Barbara Kahan and friends
with the screenplay, Birds and Atoms

~~~~~

Get Lit: Poets, Photographers, Musicians

Regina's Cathedral Village Arts Festival was held last week. Two highlights for me: The Get Lit Cabaret on Thursday night, May 24, and the Storm Stage readings on Saturday, May 26.

The Get Lit Cabaret featured The Poet's Combine (Bruce Rice, Paul Wilson, Judith Krause, Jim MacLean and Robert Currie) with their Cathedral Chronicles (with photos by Gord Hunter); Saskatchewan's Poet Laureate Don Kerr; the ever-amazing Tara Dawn Solheim (who I regret having missed), and The Local Onlyz, a four-piece hip-hop group, with InfoRed (Brad Bellegarde), Merky Waters, Thomas Roussin, and ... ?.

Great work, everyone!

The Poet's Combine: Bruce Rice, Paul Wilson, Judith Krause,
Jim MacLean and Robert Currie,
with The Cathedral Chronicles. 

Gord Hunter, photographer extraordinaire,
who did the photo backdrops for the Chronicles. 

Saskatchewan's Poet Laureate,
Don Kerr. 

The Local Onlyz, on sound-check for the late-night show  

~~~~~

Dave Margoshes and dee Hobsbawn-Smith

Poet, novelist and short story writer
Dave Margoshes  © SB

Early in May, my friends Dave Margoshes and dee Hobsbawn-Smith launched new books at Atlantis Coffee in Regina.

Awesome readings, Dave and dee!

(And really, I'm not just saying that because dee promised me duck  —  to eat or photograph? not sure, but both are great! — if I visit!)

Dave's collection of stories is A Book of Great Worth (Coteau Books), and yes, that's the title, and yes, I'm sure he knows how well that fits into a laudatory sentence. (And yes, it's good.)

And dee's book is incredibly tasty. Foodshed, an Edible Alberta Alphabet (TouchWoodEditions) is a guide to sustainable food, complete with stories and photos of growers and producers, and (yum!) recipes, from A to Z. (Yes, dee can cook! She is a former restaurateur, and yes, a chef.)

Poet, chef, food writer
dee Hobsbawn-Smith  © SB   

In the audience, poet Bruce Rice
and novelist Sandra Birdsell   © SB  

dee Hobsbawn-Smith with
poet Tracy Hamon  © SB  

Coteau Books managing editor
Nik Burton © SB  

~~~~~

Brenda Schmidt and Grid

Some of my friends love to be photographed; others duck and run (a reaction I well understand). Whichever category Brenda Schmidt will admit to belonging in, I am delighted that she posed for me at the launch of her latest collection Grid (Hagios Press).   

Brenda is a writer, visual artist and blogger based in Creighton, Saskatchewan, 

She's a powerful poet, with haunting images and a wicked, dry sense of humour. And she's a naturalist, too 

As a new birder, I'm enjoying the range in this collection: Bobolinks, ravens, swallows, plovers, terns, chickadees, gulls, Ruddy Turnstones, Great Horned Owls ... A Buff-breasted Sandpiper! No way! ... This Is My Brain On Birds. 

(That last line is the title of one of her poems. Amazing poem.) 

Thanks, Brenda! I'm a happy reader of your book

Brenda Schmidt and Grid ©SB

For more, see Hagios, and also Bill Robertson's recent Star Phoenix review.

Brenda launched with Mitch Spray (History of Naming Cows) and Victor Enns (Boy) at The Artesian in Regina, Saskatchewan.

~~~~~

Schmidt, Spray, Enns: Hagios Spring Poetry

Highly entertaining evening on Wednesday, with three poets launching new books through Hagios Press: Brenda Schmidt with Grid; Mitch Spray with The History of Naming Cows; and Victor Enns, with Boy. 

A good crowd turned out for the Regina reading at The Artesian. (Exact numbers? I don't know, but at the break, the lower lounge seemed full!)    

Thanks, Brenda, Mitch and Victor! 

Hagios publisher, Paul Wilson © SB 

Poet Brenda Schmidt shows the audience
her new collection, Grid  © SB

Mitch Spray, Strike Fire New Author,
reads from History of Naming Cows © SB

Victor Enns, with his latest collection, Boy © SB

~~~~~