Category — Media Releases

(November 10, 2011- Calgary, AB) To commemorate the 75^th Anniversary of the Governor General’s Literary Awards, WordFest and CJSW 90.9FM have partnered to create The GG Podcast. This series of interviews explores the impact that winning a Governor General’s Literary Award has on a writer’s career and the significance this recognition has on Canada’s cultural landscape.

The GG Podcast will launch on November 14, 2011, a day before the recipients of the 2011 Governor General’s Literary awards are announced. The GGs, Canada’s national book awards, honour the best of our literature in seven categories, in both official languages. These Canada Council awards celebrate and promote the excellence of Canadian writers, illustrators and translators.

For The GG Podcast, WordFest selected five writers that have received the award in various categories:  Peter Behrens, Dany Laferrière, Arthur Slade, Miriam Toews and Guy Vanderhaeghe. Each writer sat down with CJSW for an exclusive interview during their visit to WordFest, an annual literary festival that runs each October in Calgary and Banff.

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(Calgary, AB – October 4, 2011) This morning the Scotiabank Giller Prize announced its 2011 shortlist. Of the six finalists named, four are appearing in WordFest events, with three appearing at the Festival next week.

The Festival runs from October 11-16 and features three of the finalists; David Bezmozgis, Lynn Coady and Zsuzsi Gartner.

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(Calgary, AB– September 7, 2011) WordFest^™ is proud to host eight long listed authors for the prestigious Scotiabank Giller Prize. The long list for the Canadian award was announced on September 6, 2011, with the winners being announced on Tuesday, November 8, 2011.

WordFest 2011 congratulates the following Festival authors on their achievement:

• David Bezmozgis, The Free World, (HarperCollinsCanada)
• Lynn Coady, The Antagonist, (House of Anansi Press)
• Marina Endicott, The Little Shadows, (DoubledayCanada)
• Zsuzsi Gartner, Better Living Through Plastic Explosives, (Hamish HamiltonCanada)
• Wayne Johnston, A World Elsewhere, (KnopfCanada)
• Dany Laferrière, The Return, (Douglas & McIntyre)
• Suzette Mayr, Monoceros, (Coach House Books)
• Guy Vanderhaeghe, A Good Man, (McClelland & Stewart)

The Festival will feature the above authors in a variety of events during the 6-day Festival, which runs from October 11-16. Marina Endicott, Dany Laferrière and Suzette Mayr will share from their nominated titles in the popular evening showcases and Lynn Coady will discuss the blurring of authorship in online media in Social Publishing on October 13. The Festival closes on October 16 with Curtain Call featuring David Bezmozgis Alongside several other artists. Zsuzsi Gartner will be celebrating the Year of the Short Story (YOSS) at Keepin’ it Short on October 14. 2011 Banff Distinguished Author Guy Vanderhaeghe will be reading from his nominated title at The Banff Distinguished Author Series event at The Banff Centre on October 15. See the full Festival schedule or purchase tickets.

The Scotiabank Giller Prize awards $50,000 annually to the author of the best Canadian novel or short story collection published in English and $5,000 to each of the finalists. The Scotiabank Giller Prize is named in honour of the late literary journalist Doris Giller and was founded in 1994 by her husband Jack Rabinovitch. The shortlist will be announced on October 4 and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. This year marks the 18^th year of the Scotiabank Giller Prize.

WordFest brings more than 70 artists from around the world to connect with readers in Calgary, Banff and the Bow Valley from October 11-16, 2011 in over 60 events that are intimate, interactive and fun. Festival passes and single tickets are now available through WordFest at 403.237.9068 or at wordfest.com

(August 29, 2011 – Calgary, AB) On August 24, 2011, WordFest announced the full Festival line-up for the 16^th annual WordFest, which runs from October 11-16. Outside of the more than 60 events during the six day festival, WordFest is also hosting two special events in November featuring Adrienne Clarkson (November 1) and Wade Davis (November 9).

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(Calgary, AB—August 24, 2011) WordFest™ announced the line-up of 76 artists appearing during the 16th annual Festival this morning at the Hôtel Le Germain. The 60 some events feature 17 Albertan writers, 64 Canadian artists and writers from Australia, Germany, Mexico, Scotland, St. Lucia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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(Thursday, June 15, 2011—Calgary, AB) WordFest™ is proud to announce Hôtel Le Germain Calgary as the official hotel for the 16th annual Festival, taking place October 11-16, 2011. The hotel will be WordFest’s temporary headquarters for the week of the Festival, providing accommodation for the Festival’s 70+ authors, as well as venues for receptions.

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