Featured Artists—2009
Cabot Trail Writers Festival
Donna Morrissey
DONNA MORRISSEY is the
author of What They Wanted
(Penguin 2008), shortlisted for the Atlantic Independent Booksellers'
Choice Award 2009, and of three previous award-winning novels,
Kit's Law, Downhill Chance, and
Sylvanus Now. She also penned
the Gemini Award-winning screenplay
Clothesline Patch.
Kit's Law, her first novel, won the 2000 Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award, the Winifred Holtby Prize—an international award that recognizes the best in regional fiction—and the American Library Association's Alex Award. Both Downhill Chance and Sylvanus Now won the Thomas Head Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award. Her work has been translated into several languages.
Morrissey grew up in the Beaches, a small fishing outport in Newfoundland, and now lives in Halifax.
"Comparisons to Annie Proulx are inevitable, but Kit's Law exists in a valley of its own saying, and in the directness of its tone, establishes its own authority." — Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's List
Visit Donna's web site at donnamorrissey.com.
Douglas Arthur Brown
DOUGLAS ARTHUR BROWN
has published two novels, a collection of short fiction, and
two children's books. Quintet (Key
Porter 2008), his newest novel, won the 2009 Thomas Head Raddall
Atlantic Fiction Award, and was short-listed for the Dartmouth
Book Award, receiving rave reviews from The
Globe and Mail, Quill & Quire, and
The Halifax Herald.
His children's book The Magic Compass is part of the Atlantic Collection, a project of the Nova Scotia Department of Education, which placed a copy of the title in every elementary school in Nova Scotia. For six years, he was managing editor and publisher of the literary magazine Pottersfield Portfolio, and his short stories and translations have appeared in magazines and journals in Canada and Denmark, including Matrix, Pottersfield Portfolio, and B&A.
Douglas is past-president of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia, and an accomplished workshop leader in creative writing. For the past four years, he has been writer-in-residence at Boularderie Elementary School, the only pilot project of its kind in the province. His forthcoming novel, The Globe Thistle, will be published in the autumn of 2010.
"Quintet is masterfully written ... a powerful and fascinating novel." — The Globe & Mail
Visit Douglas' web site at douglasarthurbrown.ca.
Susan Zettell
SUSAN ZETTELL is the
author of The Checkout Girl
(Signature Editions 2008), her first novel.
Born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario, Susan has lived in Cambridge, Vancouver, Halifax, Ottawa, and Whitehorse. She now lives in Cape Breton with her husband, Andy Watt.
Susan is also the author of two short story collections, Night Watch and Holy Days of Obligation. Her stories have been anthologised in Quintet, Spider Women, The Day the Men Went to Town, and The Company We Keep. She edited, along with Frances Itani, the posthumous story collection One of the Chosen by Danuta Gleed.
"There are passages here ["Holy Days of Obligation"] almost certain to return you to a redolent childhood world where living fully and sensually in the here and now was once as natural as breathing." — The Globe & Mail
Visit Susan on the web at the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia, or keep in touch through her blog.
Bill Conall
BILL CONALL is
an acoustic musician and composer. Most of his songs
are strongly visual, so it is not surprising that his
performances also feature the presentation of bits of
poetry, along with artfully-told original stories. To date,
he has recorded two albums of original music.
Bill describes himself as "an occasional victim of poetry". His short fiction has been published in several Canadian magazines, and in the anthology Shorelines. His first book, The Rock in the Water (Hidden Book Press), was published in 2009, and shortlisted for the 2010 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.
He and Rosemary live on the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
"[Conall has] a brilliant way of looking inside a person and seeing the beauty and humanity hidden there." — Glenda Thornton, author of Foggy Cat
Poe Trio
The POE TRIO is
guitarist Paul MacDonald, a well known teacher, archivist,
and producer in the field of traditional Celtic music; fiddler
Otis Tomas, a professional violin and guitar maker who
spends his spare time playing and composing tunes for the
fiddle; and bassist Ed Woodsworth, also a music producer
and professional musician who has travelled the world with
the likes of Ashley MacIsaac, Rita MacNeil, Jimmy Rankin,
and many others.
There are many kinds of writers. Some tell their stories in words, but some stories are told in music. Like the stories told in words, music explores and transforms the world in imagination. It can take the listener to old and familiar places, or on journeys through new and exotic lands. The Poe Trio plays original compositions that reflect the influences of the members, from traditional Celtic tunes to jazz.
The trio has been getting together informally for the last few years, and for the last two years has performed at the Celtic Colours festival.
News! The Poe Trio is pleased to add special guest Sarah McFadyen, fiddler, direct from Scotland, to their lineup. While she's here, they'll be the Poes Quartet! Sarah is a featured performer at this year's Celtic Colours International Festival.
Visit Paul's web site at fiddlestream.com.
Visit Otis' web site at fiddletree.com.
Visit Ed's web site at myspace.com/edwoodsworth.
Visit Sarah McFadyen's web site at myspace.com/sarahmcfadyenmusic.
