Sleeping Giant Writers Festival ended with a lunch at Old Fort William and for a while it looked as if no one wanted to go home. The conversation around the table turned to short stories, Alice Munro, Guy Vanderhaeghe and William Trevor. Also did Miriam Toews really say she goes into a dream state when she writes? What's going on at Turnstone Press? Burning Books? One of the writers at the table retreats to a near-by island to write, leaving all home distractions behind. He then spends a lot of time staring out the window. And so on.
The festival is so well organized that there did not seem to be any organization at all. Food appears. A big bucket of ice containing bottles of drinking water arrives by magic at every presentation. Unobtrusive helpers point the way to the workshops. The guest authors arrive in the book limo ( a black limo with a book as a hood ornament). Coffee is hot, desserts grace a side table. The Northern Woman's Bookshop awaits with great books for sale and your favourite author near-by to sign your copy.
Jeanette Lynes, former Thunder Bay resident and dynamic poet as well as author of the novel The Factory Voice, set at the Canada Car factory during WWII, gave two dramatic workshops. She also read from the novel during the reading session after the banquet at the Prnce Arthur Hotel on Saturday night.
Richard Scrimger held the crowd enthralled on Saturday night with an active reading from his latest work. He roamed the room, acted the parts and won a vigorous round of applause. Richard, perhaps best known for his Norbert series of children's books, gave workshops for beginning writers and for those who are interested in writing for children.
Stay tuned for more on the festival.
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