Looking for a literary event this week? This invitation comes from our friends at SFU's World Literature program:

On behalf of SFU World Literature and the Consulate General of France in Vancouver, you are warmly invited to:

How Translation Influences & Questions Literature, an Evening with Christophe Claro

Christophe Claro is a renowned French writer and translator. He is one of the leading promoters of contemporary American literature in France. His translations in French include works by William T. Vollmann, Thomas Pynchon, Mark Z. Danielewski, Salman Rushdie, John Barth, James Flint, William H. Gass and Hubert Selby Jr., amongst many others. One of his novels, Electric Flesh (Chair électrique in French), was translated in English and published in the United States in 2006 (translation by Brian Evenson). After his studies in literature, Claro works as a bookseller and becomes a corrector for different publishing houses. He published his first novel, Ezzelina, in 1986. His first translation, Kilomètre zéro, written by Thomas Sanchez, was published in 1990. Since 2004, Claro is also the co-director of the American fiction series, "Lot 49", within Le Cherche Midi Publishing. He created the blog, Le Clavier Cannibale and describes himself as a "literary treasures hunter".

When: Thursday, October 27th, 6:00-7:30pm
Where: Room 2750 on Podium 2, Simon Fraser University - Surrey, #250 - 13450 102 Avenue
Admission: FREE and open to the public. However, space is limited. Register below to reserve your seat!

Hosted by Ken Seigneurie, World Literature Director.

More details, including RSVP, at: http://www.fass.surrey.sfu.ca/wl/events/claro

Our friends at SFU are putting on some great summer programs again this year. What follows is directly from them, in their own words. Note the contest deadline of JUNE 30 (tomorrow!)

Symposium of the Book contest: The deadline is June 30th. Our prize
package includes a Kobo Reader, tickets to the Vancouver Writers Festival, a
hotel stay in Vancouver, tickets to our True Accounts Book Symposium with
five books, and several magazine and newspaper subscriptions.
Here is the link with the updated information:
http://www.ccsp.sfu.ca/pubworks/Pages/symposium_contest.html

In addition to our publishing workshops, we are also offering several
workshops for writers that your mailing list may be interested in this
summer. Our full brochure can be found at: http://www.ccsp.sfu.ca/pubworks

Looking to learn something new this summer? Check them out!

Ahhh, summer. Grey skies, cool temperatures... oh, wait. Is that the sun I see poking out from behind the clouds? I think it just may be. Or it was, for a minute there. I know some of you are enjoying - or are perhaps even sick of - heat waves and early summers, but here in the Lower Mainland of BC, Mother Nature seems to be toying with us, teasing us with the possibility of summer sunshine and then laughing until she cries when we take off our raincoats. It's perfect writing weather, the sort where you don't really mind being inside looking at a computer screen.

Have you started working on your SiWC writing contest entry yet? The deadline is September 10, but you know how fast summer whizzes by, and that date will be here before you know it. Entries are already welcome, and quite a few have already arrived. Check out the details on our writing contest page : www.siwc.ca/contest/2010

Want to learn something this summer? Our friend Jocelyn at the SFU Summer Publishing Workshops tells me there's still space in many of their summer programs. Looking for a little education in July?  Why not check them out?  They have workshops on all sorts of topics, from romance to humour to thrillers to screenwriting to pitching, publishing, and getting along with an editor.

You can find more information here: http://www.ccsp.sfu.ca/pubworks

And don't forget about the Symposium on the Book where you'll hear from six renowned authors on the subject of writing humour. For the $75 fee you'll also get a copy of each author's book, available for immediate pick up and advance reading!

For more information, contact Suzanne Norman at pubworks@sfu.ca or 778-782-5241.

And, of course, SiWC registration continues all through the summer.

Our friends at SFU sent along some information about their Summer Publishing Workshop humour contest, which we're happy to share with you below. And don't forget our own writing contest is now open to entries. Deadline is September 10, 2010 and you can check out the details by clicking on "Writing Contest" on the blue header at the top of this page.

Here are the details on the SFU contest in their own words:

 The Summer Publishing Workshops at SFU in Vancouver focus on six topic areas: book publishing, magazine publishing, editing, design, new media, and writing. The workshops are developed in association with Canada's foremost publishing professionals.

Think you’re funny? Let us be the judge of that.

The SFU Summer Publishing Workshops has partnered with an amazing group of literary organizations to offer the best writer of humour a chance to win big! If you can make us laugh the hardest, you can win:

• Two tickets to the Symposium on the Book (humour) on July 18th
• Two complete sets of books from each of the authors at the symposium
• Two nights at the Delta Suites Vancouver
• Passes for two to an event during the Vancouver International Writers Festival

• A year’s subscription to The Walrus magazine
• A year’s subscription to The Globe and Mail
• The latest book from esteemed designer Robert Bringhurst (CCSP Press)
• Dinner with the authors and panelists in the symposium

Incredible right?

All we want is a 500-700 word essay of your best humour writing. Three judges will make the final selection and we will announce the winner on July 14th.