A newsletter for writers and editors produced by

May/June 2012 Vol. 18 No. 3

xxx

Continued on page 2…

Hot Summer Reads

See what Karen Cole recommends for your reading enjoyment this summer… Worth the Challenge Despite being written in dialect, different from present-day Jamaican patois, The Book of Night Women is a great read. Lilith, a tough teenager born into slavery in late 1700s Jamaica, recalls the horrors and occasional joys of her life. A plot among the women to foment rebellion forms the undercurrent of the book. Marlon James’ research into his homeland’s grim history results in a gripping story akin to Hill’s Book of Negroes. My personal favourite. Another Patchett Success Readers who loved Bel Canto will delight in Ann Patchett’s latest offering, State of Wonder. We

cheer the progress and cringe at the obstacles faced as Dr. Maria Singh searches for her colleague and mentor Dr. Annick Swenson, in a pharmaceutical company, in the jungles of Brazil. Humans and nature alike threaten at every turn. A unique plot, combined with Patchett’s rich language, pulls the reader into a dark but memorable tale. Darkly Comic Canada Reads winner Carmen Aguirre’s memoir of her revolutionary childhood, Something Fierce, is at times grim, chilling, and suspenseful, but also poignant and surprisingly funny. At the age of six, Carmen and her family seek refuge in Canada following Pinochet’s 1973 coup

in Chile. Five years later, a regrouped family returns to South America to join the resistance. Carmen and her sister Ale quickly learn the skills required to live a double life in several hot spots: Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, with occasional forays into Chile to visit relatives. Winner of Canada Reads, 2012, this is a book to inspire all Canadians. A Well-Deserved Award I often disagree with the selections judges make in awarding the Booker, Giller, Pulitzer, etc. however, Esi Edugyan’s Half Blood Blues deserves the Giller and many other awards. She creates a world of jazz musicians living in Germany and France during

2

the Second World War, told in the voice of Sid, an aging former jazz musician, who’d played with the genius Hieronymus Falk. Along with a Jewish member of their group, Hiero disappeared in the ‘40s, a half-blood German with a black face and a German tongue. Is he really alive and living in Poland, as colleague Chip insists? Edugyan brings to life that period, a slice of little-known history with rich language and vital characters. A Quirky Mystery Kate Atkinson fans will delight in her recent offering in the Jackson Brodie series, Started Early, Took My Dog. The title alone draws a reader towards the quirky, layered mystery. Tracy Waterhouse’s impulsive purchase one day leads to witnessing child abuse in a shopping centre. This sets the plot in motion. Tracy’s story engrosses the reader, but Atkinson provides more complications in the world of her witnesses: aging actress Tilly struggling with dementia, and Brodie, the detective who has returned to his native Leeds. A tightly-woven and layered plot with plenty of wit provide a reader with a satisfying experience. Shipboard Adventure In this 100th anniversary year of the sinking of the Titanic, it’s fun to board a ship from then-Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to London, along with 11 year-old Mynah, the narrator, and his contemporaries: the troublemaker Cassius and the frail Ramahdin. The class system requires that they eat at the

From the cover… The Editor’s Desk N

otes fr

om

Here’s a cliché I particularly adore: “Time flies when you’re having fun.” Well, I must be having a blast because I cannot believe how fast time seems to be flying by. And once a certain moment has passed, it is gone forever, leaving only memories and evidence of how we have left our mark in history. When you look at it that way, it seems like we should do something valuable with our time. Yes. Yes, we should. I consider helping others to succeed a very worthy use of my time. That’s why I love putting together The Word Weaver. There are so many amazing writers at WCDR: the newbies who are just allowing themselves to believe they are writers; the experienced writers who continue to grow and exercise their talents; and the veterans who enjoy the art and craft of writing as well as cheering on their comrades. It is all of you that I invite to submit to The Word Weaver Writing Challenge. See details on page 9. What do you consider a valuable use of your time?

lowliest spot, “the cat’s table,” which turns out to be a wonderful spot. Their fellow travellers share their tales, and the boys’ adventures, especially after hours, range from mischievous and humorous to downright dangerous. Michael Ondaatje’s The Cat’s Table draws from his own experience to create a rollicking tale. There you go—around the world in six books. I can think of at least another dozen titles I could recommend, so if you don’t see something here that appeals, just email me at coletraynor@gmail.com.

By Cathy Minz

Karen L. Cole is the author of the 2009 memoir, Lifting the Veil. She is shopping her novel about Jamaica, Southern Exposure, to publishers. Currently, Karen is writing a novel, Letters to Louise, based on an old box of letters. www.karenlcole.wordpress.com.

3

About 150 years ago when I was in high school, I had a small group of close friends—but we weren’t the “cool” crowd. Cheerleaders nodded politely in the hallways, but didn’t hang with nerds, let alone overweight nerds like me. And that was OK. In hindsight, I didn’t make an effort to become friends with the popular kids, because I assumed I wasn’t worthy...so it was my fault for not having tried. But during the pimply, hormone-raging, is-everyone-staring-at-me years, who looks at life with that kind of logic? What a difference a few decades make. Oh, most of the time, I still feel like the dork watching the rest of the world go by from some outsider vantage point. But when I’m with other writers, especially those in WCDR, I feel “cool.” Like I belong. YOU understand my passion for words. YOU give me permission to be myself without having to hide in the girls’ washroom until the split second before class so I can dash in and encounter the fewest number of people in the hallway. YOU don’t pretend to like me because I can help you with your homework. At least I hope not, because if it’s geometry or chemistry, you’re better off asking for help from your dog. BUT at WCDR, there is a similarity to those high school years, especially for new writers who join the organization and come to their first few meetings. It may seem like seasoned members are the cool crowd, the untouchables when it comes to schmoozing and hanging. But it’s not the case at all. WCDR is one of the most welcoming, unthreatening worlds you’ll ever enter. Our

numbers have grown so much that it’s difficult for long-time members to spot new attendees amid the hi-how-are-you-OMG-I-need-a-coffee-is-anyone-sitting-here bustle. This means that you have to do your part. If you’re new to the organization, next time you’re at a meeting, walk up to people, extend your hand and say, “Hi, I’m so-and-so and I write such-and-such. What do you write?” It’s a natural lead-in for the other person to offer his/her name and genre(s), and a conversation is born. The WCDR breakfasts are networking meetings, so if you attend, plan on networking—a process that, by nature, requires interaction. It’s up to you to create your experience. And if you meet me in the washroom during the break, we can talk about boys.

The Cool Crowd Wants You!

Read more about Dorothea Helms, a.k.a. The Writing Fairy, at www.thewritingfairy.com

4

It was my daughter who found the photograph. “Look Mommy. It’s you when you were little.” I held it in my hands and smiled. I was shocked at how happy I looked. It’s been years since I felt that kind of joy. I turned around to hide my shame. Instead of spending the day by the lake, we’re in the basement picking items to sell for our garage sale. It’s the second time this year. Divorce is expensive. When I was my daughter’s age, Mom and I spent our summers at the cottage while Dad stayed in town. He rarely joined us. Now that I’m an adult I know why. But back then I lived in my bubble filled with ignorance. It was pure bliss. I hung out at Jodi’s house like all the other kids. We held a vote that summer and officially proclaimed that she had the coolest mom. Jodi’s mom didn’t freak out when you walked in the kitchen, barefoot. “Don’t worry, my little ballerina, come on in,” she’d say to me. “This ceramic floor tile is a life saver. One swoosh with the mop and the dirt is gone. Besides, isn’t that what cottage life is all about? Taking it easy?” I’d grab a cherry Popsicle from her freezer and

Write and submit a piece inspired by this

picture.

The challenge!

dash back outside to break it in two and share it with Jodi. In the photo, Jodi is trying to teach me cartwheels. She tried before but I could never quite finish the rotation. My legs never straightened after the initial launch. I’d land on my butt and worry about getting grass stains on my new shorts. That’s why Jodi suggested we try it on the deck. This was the first summer Mom didn’t make me wear a skirt. She was always telling me that I needed to act like a proper young lady. Just because Mary Lou Retton won the gold at the Olympics and had her own cereal box didn’t mean that I could be seen doing back flips. Jodi would make up shows. In one routine I’d stand still in the 1st position and sing “The Ring of Fire” while she and the others cartwheeled around the campfire like giant tumbleweeds. Chris joined me on the guitar. He didn’t hang out with us much that summer. He was too busy showing off his new surfboard. It was a gift from his real dad. He’d carry it over his head making sure we couldn’t reach it. The board was baby blue with yellow and pink triangles. I thought it looked girlish, but Jodi said it was straight from Miami Vice. Chris wore army surplus and

didn’t care if it clashed. “Mom, can we keep this?” I turned around to see my daughter holding the same surf board, surprised that he had left it behind. I plopped my aviators over my puffy eyes. “Sure thing, chica. Let’s put it in the Ferrari and head for the beach!” She squealed with delight and sat in the Red Wagon holding it tight.

Hélène Paquin loves to write whenever she can. Lately she’s been busy preparing for July’s SLAM competition. She also proudly serves on WCDR’s board as Public Relations Coordinator.

Wiping Dirt By Hélène Paquin

5

The thought of returning home three days before the vacation were over crossed my mind, but disappeared immediately when I saw them at the dock, smiling, dancing and singing. I was already fed up with the rain, which had started the same moment we got to the cottage and stopped just 10 minutes ago. Damn weather! It was the first time that my brother’s family and mine had ventured together to share a cottage for one week of vacation. Even though we are family, we have different styles, and I feared we could wear out the relationship if our first experience didn’t go well. So far, the coexistence had been perfect, and I could say, better than expected. The four adults had a nice time, sharing interesting conversations, stories we had never told each other, jokes, and above all, great food and wine. And the kids spent a wonderful time together. It was a week among cousins to play—day and night—quite literally, as we had agreed to revoke restrictions on bed time and allow them to stay awake as long as they wanted to. Go figure. Thinking of the three at the dock, I can confirm that holiday expectations can be very different for kids and

Mirtha Quattrochi lives with her wonderful family in Whitby, close to the lake, whose shores and sunsets are her secret muses. Not long ago, she discovered writing as a way to unleash her emotions, and her inspiration flows in the form of poems and short stories. Recently she took the Writing Circle Workshop with Theresa Dekker.

for adults—fortunately. I had dreamed of a week under the sun, sitting in the Muskoka chair for endless hours reading the pile of books, and magazines I had taken with me. I also planned on filling the empty pages of my notebook with notes on the articles that took my attention. Dream on, dream oooooooooooooon! Yes, I am screaming the same as Steven Tyler did in the song, and almost twisting myself in anger. I would like to put fewer expectations on holidays, but the truth is that this was my only vacation week. I had started a new job recently and it was all I got from the negotiation. I have hardly had time to read because we have been indoors all the time and the house was filled with continuous noise, music, chattering, jiggling and every possible expression of sound. I loved it, but it was not the greatest scenario for quiet reading. But when I saw “the three stooges” walking down the dock, I understood the concept of joy as it is in a kid’s soul. Their goal was to have fun, to enjoy the time 24/7, inside the cottage or outside. When they played outside, the rain was just part of the scenery and they dealt with it, adapting their game to the

The Attitude of Joy By Mirtha Quattrochi

circumstances. This reminded me of a forgotten lesson. All that matters is attitude, and the way we decide to play with reality can change everything. I wonder when I started to lose this wonderful gift. I don’t even know. It just faded one day. The rain is over now; it is time to play outside and keep up the joy, no matter what.

Journal Entry March 2, 2012 Had a very tearful heart-to-heart talk with Lucy. She told me the many ways she wants to support me, provided I help myself. She told me it won’t be easy on her because she also provides daily care for her 84-year-old mother. I can tell that she is scared. We are setting out on this journey together, not knowing our final destination. We decided to have only positive thoughts and to make honesty the key to sailing through these murky waters. To me, journaling is therapeutic. I can write down those private thoughts that I would not normally tell others. I can share them with my wife if I want or keep them hidden in the pages of my diary. When I was young, I made fun of girls I knew who kept a diary. Guys never did. But now I have a tool for venting my fear and frustrations without causing my family extra pain while they are supporting me. Journal Entry March 3, 2012 Today, I told several relatives, neighbours and close friends about my cancer. With each telling, I broke down and cried. They hugged me or shook my hand. I wonder how many will now keep in contact

6

health crisis or even an addiction. I decided that one way I could fight this disease was to keep a daily journal. On the evening of my diagnosis, I started recording what was happening to my body. Each day since then, when I wake up at 3, 4 or 5 a.m., and go to my favourite spot at a local coffee shop, I assess each part of my body, my energy and pain levels, then record them in my journal. At least it started out that way. It has morphed into a diary in which I keep my thoughts about life and my future, my health team contact information, and it doesn’t stop there. It is alive with the most miniscule events, those things that I had never noticed before that bring beauty to my life. My journal contains details of the super-human support so willingly given by Lucy, my best friend and wife. She is the coach on my health team and she constantly reminds me of the right way to do things. The journal is also a chronicle of our deepening love for each other. I record her hugs and whispers of positive thoughts when I am frightened or feeling down. Lucy cries with me when we talk about cancer and my smoking. She is totally honest with me and I respect her for that.

Journal Entry March 1, 2012 After many tests, needles, probes and examinations, had a consult with the hematologist to hear the results of all of these investigations. After a long technical preamble, he declared “You have multiple myeloma, which is a cancer of the blood in your bone marrow.” With those 15 words, my entire life changed and so has Lucy’s—my wife of 44 years. I thought, “Why me? I’m 67 years old, lots of years ahead of me. Why me? Why now?” Doctor said no known cause of myeloma. Nothing I could have done to prevent it. He said it is entirely treatable and I could live for more than 10 years. Well, whoop-de-do. My three grandchildren will not have graduated into high school when I am 77. I had just experienced several months of losing weight, getting chills and losing energy, so the news that I had cancer was not totally unexpected. But when I actually heard the words spoken, I struggled to understand why I drew the short straw. My journey into the world of cancer has been brief, but maybe something I have learned could help someone who is struggling with a major

What happens when a writer faces one of the biggest challenges of his life?

Dearest Diary By Peter D. Cluff

or offer their help. I know little about chemotherapy and I am scared about my reaction to it when I start it in three days. It is now ten weeks since my diagnosis and I have logged about 120 pages in my journal. My writing has turned from describing 100% of what was happening to me into a frightening walk through what is happening to my Lucy. The anxiety and stress of trying to manage my situation as well as her mother’s has manifested itself in frequent panic attacks, insomnia and stress rashes. She is sore all over most days, and she takes sleeping pills just to get four hours of rest. Journal Entry- May 9, 2012 Despite how she felt last night and a TV show that she wanted to watch, Lucy took almost an hour to help her mom take a bath and settle her into bed. At 9:45 p.m., she finally took time for herself. There are two sides to caregiving–the care that is given to the patient and the support the patient must give to the caregiver. Their lives are already complicated enough without the patient resisting good advice, arguing and not helping himself. I must continue my quest to stop being a patient and try to get back to as normal a life as possible while living with cancer. Perhaps “temporarily co-existing with cancer” is a better term. I don’t intend to live with it forever. Remission, not submission, is my goal. I have to help myself if I

7

am to achieve it. Journal Entry- May 13, 2012 I’m going for a walk today with my two dogs. Active Krysha says, “Walk faster, Peter. Throw the ball to me, Peter. Let’s run free!” She’s trying to get me to be more active. I know this in my heart but my body doesn’t respond like it should. I walk as fast as I can and end up breathless. I slow down and she pulls at me in an attempt to bring me out of my world and into hers. Sensitive Benjamin, walks steadily beside me. He slows down when I slow down and speeds up when I go faster. He says, “I’ll stay with you Peter. I understand you are hurting. I’ll go halfway up the stairs and stop to be sure you are alright as you climb up behind me.” Both dogs are good for me. I will miss them if I cannot walk anymore. I’m certain they will miss me, too, so I’ll think only positive thoughts and keep walking those dogs. Journaling allows me to look at my life in retrospect as well as in the moment. Sometimes a light bulb goes on and I have a clear vision of what I must do next. Sometimes my thoughts make me sad, and I have to stop writing for awhile. The tears are no longer sudden or unexpected. I have recorded these events and they are on paper for me to look at, study objectively and reread if I wish. If just one thought or reaction that I recorded can help just

one person in need, then my journaling has been of immense value. And that one person could be me. When I beat this cancer, I will continue journaling. It is a vital part of me now and, as I said, I’ve got to keep walking those dogs. One last thought. Positive thoughts really help. After 10 chemo sessions, I have produced steadily improving blood results, my colouring has improved, I have not had a chill in over two months and I am gaining weight back. While my energy levels still fluctuate, I am now confident that I am beating this disease. Only time will tell, but you can bet every step will be recorded in my journal.

Peter Cluff has been a member of the WCDR for 2 ½ years and lives in Oshawa with Lu, his wife of 44 years. He is a former banker and ran his own business consulting company prior to taking up writing full time in January 2011. Peter has written dozens of business and personal articles. He is currently working on his first novel, a thriller called AO6, and he has six partly-written business and reality-based projects on the back burner.

8

June 24, 2012 WCDR Workshop Your Guide to Funding Opportunities and Writing Grant Applications with Lesa Francis. http://wcdr.ca/wcdr/?p=8537 July 4, 2012 WCDR SLAM auditions Hurry up and register as spots are limited. All details can be found on the website calendar, or click here http://wcdr.ca/wcdr/?p=8437 July 14, 2012 WCDR Breakfast Meeting Back by popular demand! Join us for WCDR’s SLAM contest. Support your fellow writers and vote for your favourite SLAM! August, 2012 There’s no breakfast meeting this month but watch for an eblast for the Words of the Season open mic event.

September 10,, 2012 WCDR Breakfast Meeting Details are still being worked out so we can’t spill the beans yet on the guest speaker. All we can say is it will be AWESOME! You don’t want to miss this one. September 16, 2012 WCDR Workshop Craig Pyette (Random House), Getting Published- The Last Thing You Should Worry About http://wcdr.ca/wcdr/?p=8273 Craig Pyette will also be offering one-on-one sessions on September 29th and 30th! September 23, 2012 Drop by and say hi at our booth at Word on the Street, Toronto’s largest public literary event. October 14, 2012 WCDR Workshop: Robyn Read, Be Your Own Best Critic- Editing for Submission http://wcdr.ca/wcdr/?p=7867

What a fantastic year it’s been! Authors Ian Brown, Wayson Choy and many others delighted us with their stories of struggle and offered sage advice on how to rise above them. Their anecdotes left us with belly aches from laughter as well as teary eyes from sadness. Literary agent Hilary McMahon conveyed the cruel statistics on getting published but still left us hopeful. She, along with every other agent in the world, is always looking for that unique voice. Editor Craig Pyette helped us increase our odds by critiquing several query letters, generously provided by our members, in front of breakfast attendees.

WCDR is busy wrapping up the season with an exciting line up of events and setting a solid foundation for the fall. There’s something for everyone. If you have a novel ready to be published, consider signing up for one of our fall workshops facilitated by an expert in the field to help you in that process. Are you the type who enjoys reading your work out loud to a crowd? Check out our SLAM competition or join us for the Words of the Season open mic event. Here is a list of our upcoming events.

9

Grandpa’s Trio By Laurie Ball The trip to the cottage was not the usual joyous hubbub. We used the same lists to prepare for the week. The kids had done their own packing, but the trunk had closed easily and no one asked to go back for something left behind. This was the first year Dad would not be at the cottage to greet us. Mom had bravely agreed to stay on her own to prepare for our visit. The memory of Dad’s fatal heart attack at their lakeside home might be too much for her. To top it all off, it began to rain as we drove. I had to check the rear-view mirror to see if the kids were awake, and Nick, who was getting tall, even smiled back at me once, which was reassuring. Caitlyn and Marie weren’t playing or drawing or humming or arguing. This was almost more distracting than their usual bickering! As we slowed down to navigate the gravel road into the cottage, I heard the kids murmur to each other. When we finally stopped the car in the familiar driveway and looked ahead to the lake, the kids burst out of the car, called to my Mom holding the door to the cottage open and ran to the end of the dock. Nick, Caitlyn and Marie had lost their shoes along the way. They danced joyously in the rain, singing Dad’s favourite song, “Oh what a beautiful morning…”

The Word Weaver

Writing Challenge Up to 600 words of fiction, non-fiction, or one

page of poetry–anything goes!

Theme: SAND.

Due: August 5th, 2012 Email to: wordweaver@wcdr.org

Get ready!

Get set!

Write!

Laurie Ball is a retired Family Studies and Early Childhood Educator. She is a mother of two daughters and grandmother of two wee girls. Laurie has been making up stories her whole life and finds great joy in the writing classes at Oshawa Seniors.

10

S.J. Clarke By Suzanne Caskie

featuring

Who

Who’s

Word Weaver: Congratulations on Mind over Matter. What has been your biggest “aha” moment during the publishing process? S.J. Clarke: I've learned so much. I now know I've got what it takes to make a go of this writing thing if I continue to put in the work. The biggest eye opener was probably the realization of how much blasted time goes into promoting and marketing a book. And gawd, it's so tempting to use that as an excuse not to sit down and commit words to paper. I worked on rewrites not too long ago and I have to admit it felt darn good to get back to the creative side of things. WW: What is the easiest and hardest part of writing paranormal romance, suspense and mystery? SC: Keeping it fresh is always a challenge. Matching a dire set of circumstances with engaging characters isn't enough. We need the ever important twist to keep them reading. Researching the paranormal elements is also tricky. I'm very fortunate to have a few close friends with experience in this area. I'm able to bounce ideas off them

and get vital practical feedback that can propel a scene from mundane to magical. The easiest part is coming up with the mystery. The options are limitless. I just need to find a mystery with enough weight to carry the story through to completion. WW: The subject of a mother dealing with the knowledge of her daughter's forlorn death must have been difficult. What advice would you share with writers about capturing this? SC: I made a point of picking a conflict that would tug at people's heartstrings. You don't have to be a mother to imagine the pain that the loss of a child imparts. Nor do you need to be married to relate to the experience of a breakup. I believe the key to connecting is keeping it relatable. Making it believable is another story. Do the research. Go out and observe the joy on a child's face in the playground. Take note of their pout after mom snaps no for the sixth time to the request for a treat from the circling ice-cream truck. And then watch frustration followed by guilt flash across mom's

face. Have you ever seen terror set in when a child momentarily goes missing at the playground? Guilt, panic and fear take over. And when the chubby toddler teeters out from the neighbouring bushes, a disgruntled cat clasped to his chest, mom goes into meltdown mode. That's the long way of saying be observant of what's going on around you. Take note. Literally. Keep a notebook on you and jot down the pertinent bits as they happen. If they inspire a scene, don't wait to write it, capitalize on the emotions of the moment and let it lead where it may.

Web

site

: htt

p:/

/sjc

lark

e.co

m

Face

bo

ok:

htt

p:/

/on

.fb

.me/

jzcS

q4

Tw

itte

r: h

ttp

://t

wit

ter.

com

/san

dra

jc

Lin

ked

In:

htt

p:/

/ww

w.li

nke

din

.co

m/h

om

e?tr

k=h

b_t

ab_h

om

e_to

p

Min

d O

ver

Mat

ter

Face

bo

ok

Pag

e:

htt

p:/

/ww

w.f

aceb

oo

k.co

m/M

ind

Ove

rMat

terb

ySJC

lark

e

11

On behalf of the board, I want to publicly thank past president Sue Reynolds for her pioneering work in establishing the role of community-based writing organizations in Canada. The Canadian Creative Writers and Writing Programs (CCWWP) began as the brainchild of several academic teachers, community writing organizations and writers in the fall of 2010. I was thrilled to join Sue Reynolds, who had been asked to deliver a paper, as a founding member, during that historic four-day conference held jointly between The Banff Centre for the Arts and The University of Alberta. Sue was elected vice-president by the delegates. Less than two years later, Sue had become a driving force in both growing the organization and helping to put on the first conference, Creative Writing in the 21st Century. That conference was held at the Lakeshore Campus of Humber College, from May 10th to May 13th, and it featured a variety of panels, guest speakers, hobnobbing and other networking activities. It should be noted that Sue was not on the committee that selected the panellists who were to become an

Thank You, Sue Reynolds important focus for the entire conference. But

she encouraged WCDR members to put forward papers to present at the conference. Dorothea Helms, Gwynn Scheltema, Ruth Walker, Jessica Outram and Phil Dwyer put in paper proposals. Sue offered her own paper, and I, invigorated by the opportunity, followed their example and entered one as well. All of us were accepted. All of us presented papers to wonderful responses and enthusiastic dialogue with academics and well-known authors. WCDR members Theresa Dekker, Sally Moore, Christine Barbetta, Hyacinthe Miller, Stephanie Curry and Deepam Wadds were there to cheer us along. It was a wonderful learning experience for everyone there. It also established a precedent to the CCWWP that clearly establishes the value of community-based writing organizations in developing skills at a local level. Thanks, Sue Reynolds, for setting the bar high. Thanks to everyone who came through so splendidly. I am still beaming with pride to be spending one more year as the president of The Writer’s Community of Durham Region.

James Dewar

The Word Weaver is published by The Writers’ Community of Durham Region as

a service to its members and other interested parties. No one should act

upon advice given without considering the facts of specific situations and/or consulting appropriate professional

advisors. Publications are invited to quote from The

Word Weaver upon obtaining written permission from the President,

The Writers’ Community of Durham Region,

Bayly Postal Outlet, P.O. Box 14558, 75 Bayly Street West, Ajax, ON

L1S 7K7 905-686-0211 www.wcdr.org

Word Weaver subscription: $12/year (six issues).

We reserve the right to edit or reject submissions at our discretion.

Editor/Desktop Publishing: Cathy Minz

Copy Editor: Sherry Hinman

We welcome your input! Send questions/comments/article ideas

to wordweaver@wcdr.org.

12

For complete board bios or to contact a board member visit

www.wcdr.org

2010/2011 Board of Directors

NEW WCDR MEMBERS

NancyThorne Marsha Jukes

Catherine Bukeni Obokech Laura Annis Blair Carter

Sheryl Wright

RETURNING MEMBERS

Heidi Stock Shirley LaRosa

Sally Moore Vice-President/

Workshop Coordinator

Sharon Overend Breakfast Coordinator

Maureen Curry Membership

Christina Vasilevski Web Liaison

webmaster@wcdr.org

Cryssa Bazos Special Events

James Dewar President

Jenny Madore

Treasurer

Phil Dwyer Secretary

Hélène Paquin

Public Relations

Marie-Eve Girard Member-at-large

2012/2013 Board of Directors