Happy summer, Members and Friends!
For those of you who are on the edge of your seat, wondering since last Inkspot if I managed to harvest enough cherries from my tree to make a pie, the answer is yes - and a little bit of jam, too. Special thanks to a couple of readers who suggested similar ways to keep the birdies away.
My apologies that our event pages for the fall program are not yet open for registration. I took some time for vacation (much needed, I'm afraid), and because most other folks involved in the planning process are also vacationing, it’s hard to pin down times, places and venues.
But for now, I can tell you about a few fun and exciting things on the horizon. Once again, if any of you would like to host an Open Mic this fall in your community with the help of the WFNB, let me know. We have one Open Mic tentatively on the schedule for November in the beautiful St. Andrews, but nothing else is on the books so far.
September
The Writers’ of the Realm Literary Festival, Fredericton Inn, September 19
WFNB will be handling the cover charge of $2 at the door, and we will have an information table set up. We’ll be bringing branded t-shirts and mugs for purchase, and you can bid on a stack of the 2026 New Brunswick Book Awards winning books. Hope to see you there.
Word Travels –Thandiwe McCarthy in Fredericton (Date TBA)
Word Travels – September 27, Moncton, Linwood Barclay in conversation and book signing, venue and host TBA.
(In the WordSpring 2026 survey, I asked folks who their “wish list” speakers might be, and someone mentioned Linwood Barclay, the well-known Canadian author of thrillers and mysteries. It just so happens that he’ll be at the Cavendish Literary festival on September 26, and will be passing through Moncton on his way to another event in Halifax on Monday.)
October
Word Travels event - Thandiwe McCarthy reading and speaking about his new book in Fredericton, date and venue TBA
Word Travels event – Drawing for Writers with Jon Claytor- October 17, St. Martins, (tentatively @St. Martins Country Inn) - jonclaytor@gmail.com (maximum of 20 participants, lunch provided)
Word Travels event – Two workshops on October 31: How and Why Atmosphere has a Place in Novels with Luke Beirne, and How to Write Noir/Crime fiction with Francis-Adrien Morneault, at The Write Cup Café and Bookstore, Market Square, Saint John
November
Online workshop – Researching your Next Novel, with Chuck Bowie, November 5 at 6 pm
Open Mic – St. Andrews (Date and venue TBA)
Pages in the Province - The WFNB will also have a table at Pages in the Province at NBEX, November 7, as will many of you. Hope to see you there!
December
No events booked in December so far, but we are planning ideas for an online workshop. Details soon.
January
Online Saturday Series – Building Up our Sensory Writing Muscles with Sandra Phinney - Jan 9, 16, 23, and 30 – (Maximum 8 participants)
February
Writers’ Retreat – Weekend of February 19
In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying some beach time in this hot weather (punctuated by brief bursts of rain) and that you are also finding time for your writing. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you soon!
Cheers,
Rhonda
WordWorthy
On writing science fiction: “Your job is not to be blandly acceptable to everyone. The people who ‘hated it’ are not your readers. Know who you are. Know your target audience. Say something meaningful, something new and original.” Robert J. Sawyer, WordSpring 2026 keynote address
President’s message
A new week, a new month, coming off the NB Day long weekend. I hope everyone is making the most of the summer; it goes by so quickly. Blink, and youth will be returning to school, and authors from all over NB will be setting their sights on the Writers of the Realm Literary Fair in Fredericton. Hats off to Rebecca Carrigan for putting this extravaganza on and I look forward to seeing many of you there. After this relaxing summer, your Board of Directors will be getting back to work, looking for ways to make our community more vibrant. Reach out to any of us if you have some great ideas, availability to act on said ideas, or just say "hi". We're here for you.
Don Bourque, President, WFNB
Welcome, New Members
Louise Chase – Louise is a returning member, who writes for children, as well as creative nonfiction and poetry from her home in beautiful St. Andrews. She is also organizing an Open Mic for St. Andrews in November, date and venue TBA. Welcome, Louise!
Gary Crosby – (pen name, The Sapper) https://dwcarving.com/ Gary is a mixed-media artist from Oromocto whose artistic repertoire spans a variety of mediums, including woodcarving, epoxy, pyrography, and acrylics. HE writes fantasy, fiction, nonfiction, suspense and short stories. Welcome, Gary!
James Katan – James is a retired librarian from Campbellton who enjoys photography and poetry. Welcome, James!
Samuel McGraw – https://lestresartsdacadie.com/produit/la-tourette-et-moi/ Samuel is a Francophone Canadian who writes both autobiographical and fictional works. He published the biography La Tourette et moi at the Salon du livre de Dieppe and has also released fiction titles like The Last Impaler and Devil Hitman. Bienvenue, Samuel!
Stephanie Peters – Welcome to the WFNB, Stephanie!
Lida Mae Tiongzon – Lida Mae is currently studying organizational management at Crandall University, and writes memoir from her home in Dieppe. Welcome, Lida Mae!
Member News
Lynn Davies is happy to announce that her new picture book, “The Graveyard Cat” will be published this September 29. The book tells the tale of a spunky cat with neither a name nor a home who hangs out in a graveyard and meets a hungry fox and a curious kid. The book, wonderfully illustrated by Jillian Thalman, is available for pre-order at your favourite bookstore or directly from Nimbus Publishing at 1-800-646-2879 or customerservice@nimbus.ca
Congratulations, Lynn!
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Harold Skaarup is delighted to announce that he’s built two books for our museum in Fredericton:
1) Canadian Expeditionary Force & Militia Cap Badges: York Sunbury Historical Society Fredericton Region Museum Collection
-A reference book for the Canadian Army cap badges held in the York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum collection. In addition to photos, this book includes brief summaries of the units they represent, along with the Accession Numbers for the artefacts as utilized by the museum to guide the visitor to the specific badge being researched.
2) Canadian Second World War Cap Badges: York Sunbury Historical Society Fredericton Region Museum Collection
The Fredericton Region Museum boasts an impressive collection of cap badges and medals. Operated by the York-Sunbury Historical Society, our rich holdings date back over 90 years, to when the Society was first established in 1932. From the very outset, cap badges and medals occupied an important interest for local collectors, who through the years have generously donated their prized holdings to the museum. The assemblage of cap badges featured within this publication covers the time period of the Second World War. It represents a concerted effort, on the part of several museum volunteers, to gather together a substantial number of our military badges. All are now safeguarded in the Fredericton Region Museum. We invite you to visit the museum to view these historic badges for yourself.
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Basic Bruegel Editions is pleased to announce the publication of three new chapbooks: ́ by poet Thibault Jacquot-Paratte; by artist Bruce Barber; and - - , a collaboration between Valerie LeBlanc and Daniel H. Dugas. The books were launched in Memramcook on April 19, 2026, at the Dans en l’air studio, where LeBlanc and Dugas had recently completed an artist residency.
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Fresh off his dark fantasy series, the Baneseeker Chronicles, S. C. Eston returns to cyberpunk with his next project: a special edition of Deficiency, collecting all four Garadia short stories plus new behind-the-scenes material.
About the Story: On the arid world of Garadia, Keidi and Artenz have everything a citizen could want, until a friend's sudden disappearance cracks open the perfect image of Prominence City and pulls them into a fight against the corporations that control it.
Deficiency is an award-winning cyberpunk thriller (2021 Wishing Shelf finalist, BookView Gold Medalist) that unfolds over a single, relentless 24 hours — often compared to Blade Runner and Elysium.
About the Project: For the first time, the complete novel and all four Garadia short stories (Logbox, A Friend, A Dream, and Red Stars) are collected in one definitive hardcover volume, with a striking new blue-toned cover and exclusive extras, including a minute-by-minute timeline used during the writing of the story. Backers can even become a Champion of Garadia, with their name included at the very beginning of the special edition hardcover.
Launching August 2026 — click "Notify me on launch" to be there on day one! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sceston/deficiencyse?ref=35mqlk
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Samuel McGraw would like to present the French version of his book, La Tourette et Moi. Find the book here.
La Tourette et moi est le témoignage authentique de Samuel J. McGraw, qui raconte son parcours avec le syndrome de Gilles de la Tourette. De son enfance à l'âge adulte, il partage les défis, les préjugés et les épreuves qu'il a dû surmonter, tout en montrant qu'il est possible de bâtir une vie malgré les obstacles.
À travers son histoire, l'auteur souhaite sensibiliser le public au syndrome de Gilles de la Tourette, offrir de l'espoir aux personnes vivant avec cette condition ou d'autres difficultés, et rappeler que chacun possède la force de persévérer face à l'adversité.
À propos de l'auteur
Samuel J. McGraw est un auteur canadien francophone de Dieppe, au Nouveau-Brunswick. Il écrit des œuvres autobiographiques et de fiction. Il est notamment l'auteur de La Tourette et moi, ainsi que des romans The Last Impaler et Devil Hitman. Vivant lui-même avec le syndrome de Gilles de la Tourette, il utilise l'écriture pour sensibiliser le public à cette condition et partager son expérience. Son parcours a été présenté à Radio-Canada OHdio et dans Acadie Nouvelle, où il explique comment l'écriture l'a aidé à surmonter les défis liés à son diagnostic.
En anglais:
About the Book
La Tourette et moi (Tourette and Me) is the true story of Samuel J. McGraw's journey living with Tourette syndrome. From childhood to adulthood, he shares the challenges, misunderstandings, and personal struggles he faced while learning to accept himself and persevere through life's obstacles.
More than a memoir, this book aims to raise awareness of Tourette syndrome, encourage understanding, and offer hope to anyone living with a disability or facing difficult circumstances. Through honesty and resilience, Samuel shows that even life's greatest challenges can become a source of strength.
About the Author
Samuel J. McGraw is a French-Canadian author from Dieppe, New Brunswick. He writes both autobiographical and fiction works, including La Tourette et moi, The Last Impaler, and Devil Hitman. Living with Tourette syndrome, he is passionate about raising awareness and helping others better understand the condition through his writing. His story has been featured by Radio-Canada OHdio and Acadie Nouvelle, where he spoke about his experiences with Tourette syndrome and how writing became an important part of his journey toward acceptance and resilience.
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Indigo Books Fredericton location will be hosting Author Heather Browne Sunday/ August/ 23rd from 12:00 to 3:00PM. featuring a second Edition of her short story collection : A Moose In The Dark".
