North Island College’s Write Here Readers’ Series returns this February, with some of Canada’s most widely recognized and award-winning authors.
The winter 2016 series kicks off Thursday, Feb. 25 with Jane Munro at NIC’s Comox Valley campus. Munro will read from Blue Sonoma, the Canadian winner of the 2015 Griffin Poetry Prize, the world’s largest prize for a first edition single collection of English poetry.
Blue Sonoma, published by Brick Books, is Munro’s sixth collection of poetry.
The poetry was written while she was living on Vancouver Island and caring for her late husband suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
It describes his crossing into Alzheimer’s with wit, wisdom and candour.
Author Anne Simpson, herself a winner of the Griffin Poetry Prize, says, “Jane Munro’s new poems are open-hearted, yet quick and taut, with a playful – even biting – wit. How can Blue Sonoma be so elegant, so apparently simple, when each poem is a tinderbox?”
Her reading takes place Feb. 25 in NIC’s Tyee Hall Lounge, starting at 7 p.m. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
Literary journalist John Vaillant, best known for The Golden Spruce, The Tiger and his recent debut novel, The Jaguar’s Children, will be the next speaker in the series, which takes place at NIC’s Comox Valley campus March 1.
Additional authors include Victoria authors Terence and Patricia Young on March 31.
NIC’s Write Here Readers’ Series showcases the richness of literary arts in our region, offering students and community members the opportunity to hear, meet and discuss ideas with some of Canada’s top writers. It is made possible through North Island College and Canada Council of the Arts. All readings are free and open to the public. To find out more about the series and winter 2016 reading schedule, visit www.nic.bc.ca.