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focuses o n the d r u m s . " Both 19-year-olds are currently enrolled in C a p i l a n o C o l l e g e . The house b a n d o p e n s t h e n i g h t w i t h a couple of t u n e s a n d t h e n t u r n s o v e r t h e stage t o w h o e v e r s i g n s u p . It's f i r s t come, first served. " S o m e t i m e s the house band jams a l o n g w i t h singer-songwriters a n d s o m e t i m e s w e j u s t sit b a c k a n d watch all t h e g r e a t t a l e n t . " some Pearson high be band environment. writing "In m y w o r k s h o p s , I tell with giving w r i t e r s t h a t w r i t i n g has less t o d o w i t h itself a n d m o r e yourself permission t o write. The o p e n m i k e is i n t e n d e d t o b e a p l a c e w h e r e p e o p l e e n g a g e that p e r m i s s i o n . A n d t h e f o c u s is n o t so m u c h o n p e r f o r m i n g as it is o n s h a r i n g w o r k . " But gentle encouragement level o f and must be expresses his a m a z e m e n t at the clientele: "Especially school of t h e local who seem The to students balanced challenge calls by s o m e bravado. overcome to be the Bring o n the b r e w ! themselves Writers need to extraordinarily talented." t h e i r t i m i d i t y , t o o . For this r e a s o n Rae her o p e n a mike "Dare Heard!", phrase culled from c o m e s back f o r t h e last half h o u r w i t h a host o f c o v e r s o n g s a n d o r i g i n a l s a n d special guests sometimes join in f o r a f e w songs. Local resident a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l singer/guitarist J o h n Lyon p e r f o r m s o n a regular basis. His presence is instructive. "It's great," says P e a r s o n , " b e c a u s e he's his vast schooling the rest of us with V w i s d o m o f S u z a n n e Falter-Barns in How Much Joy Can You Stand: " T h e days o f p u b l i c s t o n i n g are l o n g over. D a r i n g t o be h e a r d , ultimately is s o m e t h i n g great y o u d o f o r yourself. It's giving y o u r poor, withered soul some fresh air a n d sunshine. It b e c o m e s your c h a n c e t o fly." knowledge ot R&B, blues, folk, rock and jazz." Dare to be heard M a n y N S W A m e m b e r s p a r t i c i p a t e d in t h e first o p e n m i k e in January. W r i t e r s read f r o m their w o r k a n d n e t w o r k e d ; Shelley read a piece t o the close t h e e v e n i n g . Participants are e n c o u r a g e d t o sell their novels, chapbooks, poetry volumes, short fiction or non-fiction works, what-have-you. As the open m i k e d e v e l o p s , Rae p l a n s t o b r i n g in special guests t o read a n d discuss craft. She hopes to draw p e o p l e f r o m all a c r o s s t h e N o r t h S h o r e (or a n y w h e r e ) , including students from Capilano College, to share a story or poem a n d give f e e d b a c k t o their peers. "There is no Shelley Harrison Rae has m a d e a life o f writing and guiding other writers t o find their voice a n d d e v e l o p their craft. Currently the President of the N o r t h Shore W r i t e r s ( N S W A ) A s s o c i a t i o n , Rae h o l d s f i r m t o t h e b e l i e f t h a t e v e r y life tells a story; her passion is people and the stories they have to tell. The award-winning writer, e d i t o r a n d w o r k s h o p l e a d e r felt that t h e t i m e h a d c o m e f o r t h e N o r t h Shore w r i t i n g community to find a venue t o share their w o r k . Rae approached a f e w North Shore venues and couldn't have been more pleased when Bean owner Rory O'Connell The Bean expressed his e a g e r n e s s . other venue like this o n the North Shore," says Rae a n d laughs. " T h e goal is to attract more people than w e scare away." o o z e s f r i e n d l i n e s s a n d is t h e p e r f e c t setting f o r a g a t h e r i n g o f writers. "It's a cozy e n v i r o n m e n t w i t h a fireplace in t h e heart of Deep C o v e , " says Rae. O ' C o n n e l l a n d his business partner N i n a Schmidt were happy to provide writers with a space. O ' C o n n e l l says, " W e see it as fifties-style c o f f e e h o u s e . A n d s o m e of our staff are writers so they love it, too. " One of the main principles in Rae's writing w o r k s h o p s is t h e c o n c e p t o f artistic n u r t u r i n g : Share your No cover charge. Bring your songs a n d / o r e a r s t o t h e O p e n M i k e at B e a n A r o u n d t h e W o r l d at 3 7 3 4 M t . Seymour P a r k w a y , T u e s d a y s f r o m 7-10pm. D a r e to be Heard! h a p p e n s the first words and ideas M o n d a y of every m o n t h f r o m 7:30-10pm at B e a n A r o u n d t h e W o r l d at 3 7 3 4 M t . Seymour Parkway. within a non-critical, nurturing M a r c h I A p r i l 1 9