Dalhousie’s New Writer in Residence

Anne Simpson is Dalhousie’s newest writer in residence. She begins her posting with the Department of English and the Creative Writing Program in January of 2011. She will be working with aspiring writers to hone their craft.

Key Points:

• Simpson helped to establish the Writing Centre at Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish where she also lives. She is also a former director of the Writing Centre.

• She has held other writer in residence positions at the University of New Brunswick. Additionally, she has worked at the Saskatoon Public Library and the University of Prince Edward Island. Simpson has also spent time as a volunteer with CUSO in Nigeria.

• Simpson will act as a mentor for aspiring writers of both poetry and fiction by meeting with them in one-on-one sessions to provide feedback and advice on their work.

• Simpson will hold weekly Monday evening workshops, alternating between poetry and fiction. She will also host and give readings in addition to using her time to focus on her personal writing.

• Simpson’s list of published works includes:

  Poetry:

  Light Falls Through You (2000)- winner of the Gerald Lampert Award and the Atlantic Poetry Prize

  Loop (2003)- short listed for 2003 Governor General’s Award, winner of 2004 Canadian Griffin Poetry Prize

  Quick (2007)- winner of the 2008 Pat Lowther Award

  Novels:

  Canterbury Beach (2001) – Short listed for the Thomas Head Raddall Award

  Falling (2008)

  Essays:

  A Ragged Pen: Essay on Poetry & Memory (2006)

  The Marram Grass: Poetry & Otherness (2009)

Pull Quotes:

• “It’s surprising what you can do in such a short time as someone who sees things from a different point of view.” – Anne Simpson, Dalhousie University Writer in Residence

• “I have a strong sense of service to the community. People helped me—and they continue to—so I’m conscious of wanting to give back.” – Anne Simpson, Dalhousie University Writer in Residence

Images:

Anne Simpson Dalhousie University's New Writer in Residence Download Hi-Res

Contacts:

• Mel Hennigar, melissa.hennigar@dal.ca, 902.494.1323