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What a superb afternoon of poetry we had during LitFest Week! It was like a summer solstice where the readings, including those from our open mic’ers, reached their zenith.

But we now have to turn our attention to next month’s featured poets, all of whom will be reading at Poetic Justice for the first time. We’re proud and honoured to have this very stellar line-up…

Fiona Lam

Fiona Tinwei Lam has authored two poetry books, Intimate Distances and Enter the Chrysanthemum and the illustrated children’s book, The Rainbow Rocket. Her poetry and prose appear in over 24 anthologies, including The Best Canadian Poetry in English 2010 and Slice Me Some Truth: An Anthology of Canadian Non-Fiction.  She co-edited the non-fiction anthology, Double Lives: Writing and Motherhood, and edited The Bright Well: Contemporary Canadian Poetry about Facing Cancer.  Her poems have twice been chosen for B.C.’s Poetry in Transit program.  Her video poems have been screened locally and internationally. She is currently a writing mentor and instructor at SFU Continuing Studies.

Jeff Steudel

Jeff Steudel’s poetry has appeared in several publications including Prism international, CV2, The Fiddlehead, sub Terrain, and Canadian Literature. He has received the Ralph Gustafson Poetry Prize, and his work was chosen as a finalist for the CBC Literary Awards. Foreign Park, his first collection of poetry, was a finalist for the B.C. Book Prizes. Jeff lives in Vancouver.

Alan Woodland

Alan Woodland is a writer, poet, performer, and newspaper columnist. He has written three books, and his poetry has been featured on radio and television. For many years, he was Chief Librarian for the New Westminster Public Library. In 1993, harpist Lori Pappajohn and Alan co-founded Winter Harp, a concert ensemble of harps, flutes, rare medieval instruments, poetry and song celebrating the Christmas season. Alan has lived in Maple Ridge, British Columbia since 1957. He first met his wife, Pat, almost seventy years ago, and they have been married for close to sixty. They have four children and four grandchildren.

See you all on Sunday, June 19 at three o’clock.  Lately, we’ve been packing out the joint, so get there on time, especially if you want to make it to the Open Mic list.

…LitFest (and Poetic Justice) are just days away!

Well, it’s almost here.  New Westminster’s annual celebration of the literary arts is just around the corner.  The action kicks off this Friday evening (May 13) with events happening all the way through to the following Thursday (May 19).

For us at Poetic Justice, we’re proud and privileged to be part of this year’s LitFest festivities. This Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 p.m. will be PJ’s chance to shine in an exciting week of literary gems. And do we have a line-up for you…

Jane Byers

Jane Byers lives in Nelson, BC. Acquired Community, her second book of poems, will be released in September, 2016 by Caitlin Press-Dagger Editions. Her debut poetry collection, Steeling Effects, is published by Caitlin Press (March, 2014). She is the recipient of the 2014 Richard Carver Emerging Writer Award and an Honourable Mention in the 2013 Lena Wilson Endicott Poetry Prize. She has had poems and essays published in various literary journals in Canada, the U.S. and England, including Grain, Descant, Plenitude, Antigonish Review, and Rattle. She was also anthologized in Best Canadian Poetry 2014.

Kevin Spenst

Kevin Spenst, a Pushcart Poetry nominee, is the author of Jabbering with Bing Bong, Ignite (both with Anvil Press), and over a dozen chapbooks including Pray Goodbye (the Alfred Gustav Press), Retractable (the serif of nottingham), and Surrey Sonnets (JackPine Press).  His work has won the Lush Triumphant Award for Poetry, been nominated for both the Alfred G. Bailey Prize and the Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry, and has appeared in dozens of publications including Prairie Fire, CV2, BafterC, Lemon Hound, Poetry is Dead, and the anthology, Best Canadian Poetry 2014.

Betsy Warland

Betsy Warland is the author of 12 books of poetry and creative non-fiction including her best-selling 2010 book of essays on writing, Breathing the Page—Reading the Act of Writing. In March of 2016, Oscar of Between—A Memoir of Identity and Ideas was one of two books that launched Caitlin Press’ new imprint, Dagger Editions. Director of The Writer’s Studio at SFU from 2001-2012, she remains on TWS faculty. She founded and directs the distance program Vancouver Manuscript Intensive in which she is also a mentor. A professional manuscript consultant/editor for the past 25 years, Warland works with writers from across Canada.

Don’t forget to bring your Eventbrite ticket to this special event. You can’t get in without it. We’re sold out for this event but please arrive by 3:00 p.m. at the very latest. Otherwise, you will forfeit your ticket to any standby’s at the door.  So please be early! You won’t want to miss this talented trio.