Another successful Wordstock literary festival has come and gone. Over 1,000 people enjoyed numerous events over 7 venues featuring 52 guests plus 1 crazy dog. Thanks to all of our guests, our venue host and especially, the 65 volunteers and over 40 sponsors who made it possible!

There were so many memorable moments this week-end. Please share your memories on our Facebook page or email us your comments and any photos.

We hope that everyone enjoyed the festival. Thank-you Collingwood!

Spread the word! 

In the early 1970s, Major-General Rohmer chaired the Royal Commission on Book Publishing. Their 1972 findings laid the foundation for the growth of Canada’s book publishing industry and for federal government support of book publishing; but more importantly, for authors, in the form of the Public Lending Right program. This program ensures authors are compensated for their books, which are lodged and used in Canada’s libraries.

If that weren’t enough, Major-General Rohmer is Canada’s premier author of fiction and non-fiction! His fiction is based on well-researched and timely factual scenarios dealing with energy, the environment, geopolitics and relationships between the governments of Canada and the US. His non-fiction works range from biographies through to aviation, book writing, wartime experiences, plans for the orderly development of Canada’s boreal forest area, and to the construction of some of Canada’s economic structures.

Recently, Rohmer established a new publishing house, RailCore Press Inc., which is printing and publishing his 2011 writings in both paper and e-book formats. As well, a growing selection of his prior fiction and non-fiction work can be found in e-book form at www.rohmer-ebooks.com.

We can’t think of a more fitting Honorary Chair than Major-General Rohmer

The Wordstock Committee is pleased to invite local writers to display and sell their published book(s) at Wordstock on Saturday, September 10, 2011.

The Authors Marketplace will be located indoors at Hunter Hall in the Trinity United Church, the official location for Wordstock Authors Readings, “Off the Air” presentations and the Wordstock bookstore.

Time and Location: 10:30 am to 6 pm, Trinity United Church, 140 Maple Street, Collingwood 

Registration: $10.00. Pre-registration required, contact Tanya Mazza (705)444-2500 ext. 3287 or tmazza@collingwood.ca. 

Registration Deadline: Friday, August 26, 2011, 12 noon

Tables and chairs will be provided. Authors must be present to handle their own sales.

Wordstock is an exciting literary festival returning to Collingwood on September 9-10, 2011. It is a celebration of words and literary arts in written and other artistic forms of expression that you won’t want to miss! Wordstock embraces contemporary and classical forms of the written word against a backdrop of music, art and performance. Renowned writers mix with local writers as programmes and workshops weave themselves into a rich and exciting tapestry of celebration. www.wordstock.ca

Hosting this year’s show is none other than Canadian funnyman Seán Cullen. Seán has spent the last twenty years touring all over the world, both as a member of Corky and the Juice Pigs and as a solo performer. He is a three-time Gemini Award winner and has won multiple Canadian Comedy Awards. Seán has performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen Degeneres Show, on Comedy Central and The Comedy Network. He has also hosted a show for CBC Radio One, called Simply Seán.

The line-up for Off the Page will also include performances from the Toronto Poetry Slam team, puppeteer Rob Mills and his alter-ego Ruffus the Dog, author Lee Maracle, drummer John Somosi, and visual artist Césan d’Ornellas Levine.

Off the Page takes place at Collingwood’s Royal Canadian Legion, located at 490 Ontario Street, Friday, September 9, at 8:00 pm. Tickets go on sale Monday, August 1. Tickets are available online, at the Collingwood Public Library, 55 St. Marie Street, or Wine Works, 14 Ronell Crescent.

Terry O’Reilly co-writes, co-produces and is the voice behind The Age of Persuasion, the hit CBC radio show about all things related to the art and business of advertising. This radio series served as the starting point for his recently published book, The Age of Persuasion: How Marketing Ate Our Culture, co-authored with Mike Tennant. Over the years, Terry has won hundreds of awards for his writing and directing, and has received three lifetime achievement awards from the advertising industry.

Brian Goldman is known across Canada as CBC Radio One’s ‘House Doctor’. Brian is the author of The Night Shift: Real Life in the Heart of the E.R. A veteran E.R. physician, Brian has been an award-winning medical reporter for CBC Television’s The Health Show as well as The National. He is the host of CBC Radio One’s White Coat, Black Art, a biting, original and provocative show that demystifies the world of medicine. Brian shows his audience what really goes on at hospitals and clinics.

Read their bios here.

Terry O’Reilly, the familiar voice – and the co-writer and co-producer – behind The Age of Persuasion, the hit CBC radio show about the business, the craft, and the promise of advertising. It draws over 600,000 listeners every week. O'Reilly has won hundreds of national and international awards for his ad work, has been named to Marketing Magazine's Power 100 List, and, in 2009, was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends.

Dorris Heffron, internationally acclaimed novelist and frequent book reviewer for The Globe and Mail, will be leading our “Making it as a Writer” workshop. Dorris will share insider information on the publishing industry, covering everything from how to complete your first draft, revision work, through to preparing and submitting your writing for publication.

Karen Hood-Caddy, enviro-fiction author of three novels set in Ontario and personal coach. Karen will facilitate a workshop called “Cracking the Creativity Code”, aimed at poets, songwriters, budding novelists, or anyone who wants to crank up their creative abilities.  Christine Cowley, author, editor and writing coach who specializes in memoir and family history. Christine will be leading the “My Life, My Legacy” workshop, sharing techniques that will help you create compelling narrative. By using Christine’s tools, you’ll be able to preserve your family memories for generations to come.