October 16, 2012
Media tips & leads
Alumni Reading Night Showcases New Writing Stars
It’s not a coincidence if it seems like alumni from the University of Victoria’s Department of Writing are constantly being nominated for local, national and international writing awards—they really are. Ten acclaimed graduates are now returning to campus for an All-Star Alumni Reading Night on Oct. 30 as part of UVic’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
“UVic keeps producing great writers because great students keep landing on our doorstep,” says department chair Bill Gaston. “Some are attracted to the Writing department and its excellent teacher-writers, and some just stumble in, pockets full of talent.”
The featured All-Stars include internationally acclaimed novelist Esi Edugyan, former poets laureate Carla Funk (Victoria) and Brad Cran (Vancouver), BBC short fiction prize winner D.W. Wilson, Governor General’s Award-nominated poet Melanie Siebert, BC Prize-nominated novelist and poet Steven Price, journalist and author Arno Kopecky, playwright and author Jonathan Garfinkle, and the filmmaking team of director Jeremy Lutter and screenwriter Daniel Hogg, who are currently adapting one of D.W. Wilson’s short stories for film. “These writers are stars in their respective genres—we have a Giller winner, poets laureate, a director invited to Cannes—but mostly they are new stars,” says Gaston.
What: All-Star Writing Alumni Reading Night
When: Tuesday, Oct. 30 from 7 to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Room B105 of UVic’s Hickman Building
Parking info and maps are available at www.uvic.ca/maps.
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Media Contacts:Bill Gaston (Writing) at 250-721-7307 or email bgaston@uvic.ca
John Threlfall (Fine Arts Communications) at 250-721-6222 or email johnt@uvic.ca
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UVic is celebrating its 50th anniversary from Sept. 2012 to June 2013. Visit www.uvic.ca/anniversary for more info.
