P° e t r y . . fiction nonfiction Eden Robinson are c o m i n g t o t h e f e s t i v a l . T h e title o f V a n c o u v e r n o v e l i s t 's f i r s t n o v e l The Sad Truth About Happiness is pretty m u c h a p a r a p h r a s e o f C a r r o l l ' s m o c k s u b j e c t . G i a r d i n i , w h o has a n o t h e r life as a l a w y e r , w a s a c o l u m n i s t for The National Post b e f o r e t u r n i n g h e r h a n d t o n o v e l s . She describes h e r f i c t i o n a l i n t e r e s t s as " f a m i l y , l o v e a n d w o r k " p l a c i n g h e r s e l f i n t h e f i n e t r a d i t i o n o f the n o v e l o f ordinary life, a t r a d i t i o n she shares w i t h h e r mother, the late C a r o l S h i e l d s . Eden R o b i n s o n , a m e m b e r o f the H a i s l a First N a t i o n , w r i t e s , i n h e r latest n o v e l Blood Sports, of Vancouver's Beach d o w n t o w n east s i d e , a w o r l d o f e x t o r t i o n , d r u g s a n d p r o s t i t u t i o n . T h e m a n y f a n s o f h e r e a r l i e r n o v e l Monkey take. have been w a i t i n g t o see w h a t d i r e c t i o n h e r f i c t i o n w i l l T h e cheeky M s . R o b i n s o n says, " I w a s b o r n o n the same d a y as D o l l y P a r t o n a n d E d g a r A l l a n P o e , I ' m a b s o lutely c e r t a i n t h a t t h i s a f f e c t s m y w r i t i n g i n s o m e w a y . " Drawling: t o say o r s p e a k i n a s l o w m a n n e r . O n e o f the "I was born on the same day as Dolly Parton and Edgar Allan Poe, I'm absolutely certain that this affects my writing in some way." - Eden Robinson m a n y e s s e n t i a l f u n c t i o n s o f p o e t r y is t o f o r c e u s t o s l o w d o w n , to look carefully, t o contemplate. Featured poet at this year's f e s t i v a l i s G r e g o r y S c o f i e l d , f r o m C a l g a r y . Scofield writes a b o u t his M e t i s heritage i n p o i n t e d , passionate a n d sensual p o e m s a n d i n h i s m e m o i r Through My Veins. Thunder In his i r o n i c p o e m " M i x e d B r e e d A c t " h e a s k s , " H o w d o I act w i t h o u t a n I n d i a n act/ F a c t is I ' m s o e x a c t a b o u t t h e facts/1 a c t u p w h e n I get t o l d I d o n ' t c o u n t . " Poet, n o v e l i s t a n d s h o r t f i c t i o n w r i t e r Kwantlen University College. is t h i s year's w r i t e r - i n - r e s i d e n c e . H u n t e r t e a c h e s c r e a t i v e w r i t i n g a t W r i t e r s , b u d d i n g a n d otherwise, can m a k e a half h o u r a p p o i n t m e n t t o chat t o H u n t e r expect certain things. innovation design simplicity reliability fuel economy When you drive a Honda, you expect certain things. Like smart, innovative engineering. A clean, less-is-more simplicity of about their w o r k a n d the w r i t i n g g a m e . Words, w o r d s , w o r d s , get y o u r fill at the N o r t h S h o r e Writers Festival. Organiz.ers are so tickled about the program they're nearly fainting i n coils. design. Uncommon reliability. And lots of car for the price. The 2005 Civic Sedan gives you all of that, and more. Exceptional WHAT: North Shore Writers festival fuel economy. NHTSA 5-Star Safety rating, and strong resale value. Classic Honda value never looked or felt better. Pacific Honda 816 Automall Dr North Vancouver WHIN: A p r i l 1 9 - 2 9 WHERE: Various North Shore Public libraries HOW: Check library websites for the schedule of FREE readings March | April