and non-fiction o n a w i d e variety of W h a t is it a b o u t w r i t i n g a n d g a r d e n i n g ? S o m e t i m e s t h e o n l y w a y y o u c a n lure a n obsessed gardener in from the h e r b a c e o u s b o r d e r is w i t h t h e lure o f a g a r d e n i n g b o o k . O n e o f B.C.'s m o s t p o p u l a r gardener/writers is Des K e n n e d y , an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, novelist a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l activist w h o w i l l t e a r himself a w a y f r o m his D e n m a n Island h o m e t o b e a t t h e Festival. R e a d e r s w h o g u f f a w e d t h e i r way through W h a t d o e s a w r i t e r w h o has a d o p t e d a p s e u d o n y m d o at a p u b l i c r e a d i n g ? B a g o n h e a d ? False nose a n d m o u s t a c h e ? In t h e case o f a c c l a i m e d t h r i l l e r c o m p l i c a t e d , as been writer has the M i c h a e l S l a d e t h e a n s w e r is e v e n m o r e "Michael Slade" five different writers over topics H o d g s o n r e d e f i n e s " o u t s i d e t h e b o x . " W h a t else w o u l d s o m e o n e w i t h a d e g r e e in a r c h a e o l o g y , a l o v e o f t r a v e l and a passion f o r flea markets d o b u t b e c o m e a w r i t e r a n d b o o k d e s i g n e r ? In r e s e a r c h i n g Opium: A Portrait street of the and Heavenly Demon she s c r o u n g e d in Paris fairs course o f his/her t w e n t y year career. T h e W r i t e r s Festival w e l c o m e s t h e 'Slade' w h o is t h e f a t h e r a n d d a u g h t e r t e a m o f Rebecca Clarke a n d her father, criminal l a w y e r Jay C l a r k e . To f i n d o u t writing, there crime is a g e n e and about fiction for a collaborative and whether team. bookstalls, London Portland collectibles shows. " W h e n y o u see t h e m a t e r i a l it is so b e g u i l i n g , " s h e says. Hodgson's publishing history will suggests t h a t t h e r e is little t h a t she d o e s not f i n d beguiling. Her reading a p p e a l t o a n y o n e i n t e r e s t e d in h i s t o r y (particularly its s e e d i e r aspects), t r a v e l , garage sales, d e s i g n , i l l u s t r a t i o n a n d indeed a n y o n e w i t h a k e e n curiosity about the world. The Garden Club due to and be Living Things We Love to Hate ( n o w a one-hour documentary broadcast o n Discovery T V this spring) w i l l k n o w K e n n e d y t o b e a f u n n y guy. Another more contemplative side is revealed in An Ecology g h o u l i s h g i f t c o m e h e a r this w r i t i n g Established potential "Sladists" w e l c o m e . A very p o p u l a r e l e m e n t o f t h e Festival is the chance for b u d d i n g writers t o meet w i t h a n e s t a b l i s h e d w r i t e r t o discuss t h e i r w o r k a n d s o m e o f t h e practicalities o f p u b l i s h i n g . This y e a r t h e Festival is of and Enchantment: Dust t h e come to A Year in a Country soil off your Garden. knees Pandora's Collective is a t r i o o f p o e t s t h e library t o m e e t t h e " D e n n i s R o d m a n of gardening." B o n n i e N i s h , H e a t h e r N e a l e a n d Sita C a r b o n i . It all b e g a n a r o u n d a k i t c h e n table, a w e e k l y w r i t i n g g r o u p . has g r o w n of activities elementary "Twisted workshops mission: The to encompass as high and in a such and Poets" all Pandora's variety in the the their while One is m o r e likely t o t h i n k o f John lucky e n o u g h t o h a v e t h e e x p e r t i s e o f Luanne Armstong to call upon. A r m s t r o n g publishes f o r b o t h adults a n d c h i l d r e n , has t a u g h t w r i t i n g a n d is a n active member of the B.C. writing community. M a k e an appointment to see her a n d b r i n g a l o n g y o u r manuscript. B i s h o p w i t h a w h i s k in his h a n d t h a n a p e n b u t can y o u t h i n k o f a line of p o e t r y m o r e effective t h a n "Take y o u r fish - just b a p t i z e it in m e l t e d b u t t e r a n d b a k e it." o r a m o r e practical bit o f self h e l p (on t h e subject o f f e e d i n g children) t h a n " m a k e it l o o k like a F r e n c h fry." Welsh-born V a n c o u v e r r e s t a u r a t e u r B i s h o p is t h e a u t h o r of t h r e e c o o k b o o k s , most recently workshops schools, "Under of arts o r g a n i z a t i o n o f t w o " o p e n m i c " series: Elephant," a n d teen a n d adult poetry pursuit the "Promoting m a k i n g t h e w o r l d t a k e n o t i c e o f itself." collective is a b o u t and enthusiasm, attitude. If encouragement Simply Bishop's: Easy Seasonal Recipes. His latest project is t h e d o c u m e n t a r y f i l m you've long suspected that y o u have a l u r k i n g p o e m this is t h e e v e n t f o r y o u . Shake u p y o u r ideas a b o u t p o e t r y a n d poets in this r e a d i n g / w o r k s h o p . Deconstructing Supper, w h i c h deals w i t h For e v e n t listings see t h e C a l e n d a r , p a g e 12,13. For m o r e i n f o , c o n t a c t L o r r a i n e Kelley, lkelley@cnv.org the way m o d e r n f o o d is produced t h r o u g h genetic modification. Bring your questions a b o u t f o o d a n d t h e restaurant life.