Tag Archives: Ariadne Sawyer

The World Poetry Cafe Proudly Presents Nina Munteanu and Steve Duncan from Canada!

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Summer_Dreams_Literary_Arts_Festival

Ariadne’s Note: Tonight was a fascinating show filled with the presentation of three books by Nina   and a powerful  poem by Steve Duncan, a poet, promoter and publicist who works hard to promote artists, musicians and poets. Steve also was a supporter and mentor of World Poetry a number of years ago. He phoned to tell us exciting news about  Pandora’s Collective and the 10th Summer Dream Festival, August 24th as well as the award night on the 23rd. I would like to thank Pandora’s Collective and Steve Duncan for presenting me with the citizenship award. www.pandorascollective.com

 During the show, hosts Ariadne Sawyer and Israel Mota, tech and featured guest Kelly probed into the topics of ecosystems, the brain, the emergence of a new way of being and the three wonderful books launched by Nina Munteanu, You can’t miss this show! CLICK HERE!

Radio show promo!

 

Featured Guest

 

Nina Munteanu is a Canadian ecologist and internationally published novelist of science fiction and fantasy. In addition to eight published novels, Nina has written short stories, articles and non-fiction books, which have been translated into several languages throughout the world. Recognition for her work includes the Midwest Book Review Reader’s Choice Award, finalist for Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award, the SLF Fountain Award, and The Delta Optimist Reviewers Choice.

Nina regularly publishes reviews and essays in magazines such as The New York Review of Science Fiction and Strange Horizons. She serves as staff writer for several online and print magazines, and was assistant editor-in-chief of Imagikon, a Romanian speculative magazine. She is currently an editor of Europa SF, an ezine dedicated to informing the European SF community.

Nina lectures at university and teaches writing workshops and courses based on her award-nominated guidebook “The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now!” (Starfire World Syndicate). The textbook was adopted by several colleges and universities throughout North America and Europe. It was recently published by Editura Paralela 45 in Romania. The next book in her writing guide series “The Journal Writer: Finding Your Voice” was released in winter of 2012 in Romanian by Editura Paralela 45 and in English in early 2013 by Starfire. 

Nina shares her time between Toronto and Vancouver where she teaches writing in college and university, coaches writers, and writes.

For more information about booking her workshops, online classes, individual consultations, or speaking appearances visit www.NinaMunteanu.com. Her award-winning blog The Alien Next Door hosts lively discussion on science, travel, pop culture, writing and movies. 

Nina’s books include:
Collision with Paradise (2005, Liquid Silver Books) re-issued by eXtasy Books (2012)
The Cypol (2005, eXtasy Books)
Darwin’s Paradox (2007, Dragon Moon Press)
Angel of Chaos (2010, Dragon Moon Press)
Outer Diverse, Book 2 of The Splintered Universe Trilogy (2011, Starfire World Syndicate)
Inner Diverse, Book 2 (2012, Starfire)
Metaverse, Book 3 (release 2014, Starfire)
The Last Summoner (2012, Starfire)
Natural Selection: a collection of short stories (2013, Pixl Press)
The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now! (2009, Starfire)
The Journal Writer: Finding Your Voice (2013, Pixl Press) 

 Cover1_LastSummoner-frontcover

The Last Summoner:

 “The Last Summoner is a historical fantasy that spans 600 years of history from medieval Poland (1410) through to current day Paris France. The story follows the incredible journey of the young Baroness Vivianne von Grunwald, who discovers that she can alter history–AND time travel! She is about to be given away in marriage to a stranger (as payment) on the eve of the Battle of Grunwald (historically considered the most important battle the Polish fought) between the Teutonic Order and the Polish-Lithuanian peasant armies when she comes into her powers and clumsily orchestrates strange events. As a result, she is chased as a witch literally through time (through a time-space tear) and finds herself in a present day Paris she has somehow authored: it is under Nazi rule…oops…now she must return and remake history… can she or does History have a mind of its own?

The book has done very well so far… it was a Canadian bestseller on Amazon.ca for several months and has garnered several very nice reviews. ” Nina Munteanu.

The Last Summoner is “a unique tale of time and consequences…a clever, well-written book.” Jonathan B, Amazon Reviewer

“The Fiction Writer is at the top of the required reading list for my Writer’s Workshop students!…the quintessential guidebook for the soon-to-be-published.”–Susan McLemore, Writing Instructor.

Book Trailer for The Last Summoner: http://youtu.be/jvbe91qbWG0  and the The Alien Next Door Find Nina’s books on Amazon.ca find Nina on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr and Pinterest

 

NaturalSelection-frontHR

“A wonderful new book full of entertaining yet profound stories . It is hard to put the book down. Ariadne Sawyer, MA.”

” From time-space guardians to Cybersex, GMO and biotech implants, this short story collection by science fiction novelist Nina Munteanu promises a journey of great scope, imagination and vision.” Source: Natural Selections, back cover.

Happy Canada Day and Happy Republic Day in Ghana from Henry Ocansey!

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Featured poet

 

Here is a poem I made towards our 1st July Celebration. 1st July marks the Republic Day in Ghana and coincidentally it is also Canada Day marking the peaceful unity between the three colonies. I want to use World Poetry as a platform to dedicate this poem to all Ghanaians and Canadians around the world during this peaceful celebration. Thank you, Henry Ocansey hocansey.wordpress.com

Henry Ocansey is a Ghanaian and resides in Ghana. He is a Computer Systems Administrator and a Writer.

He is a Microsoft certified professional, a member of international association of computer science and information technology – Singapore, National Society of Black Engineers – USA, World Peace Prayer Society – USA, Edmonton Poetry Festival Society- Canada.

Henry is a Principal IT Specialist at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and holds a first degree in Computer Science, certificate in information security & Network Assurance – Texas A&M University system in cooperation with the Department of homeland security and Federal Emergency management agency-USA.

He has enrolled in Master in Information Technology and he’s expected to complete in August 2013.

He has participated in various volunteer programs to promote Peace, ICT & Healthy Living in Ghana – West Africa especially in the rural areas.

Equally he engages himself in poetry and writing articles as extra-curricular activities. He has participated in various seminars, using poetry in promoting peace and establishing a loving atmosphere to surmount the opponent.

You can contact Henry at hocansey@yahoo.com and blog on hocansey.wordpress.co

STATEMENT (1st July Celebration)

Republic Day being celebrated with great enthusiasm in Ghana is not in remembrance of the long and bloody history behind Ghana’s independence but to rejoice and reflect on the fight for Ghana’s political sovereignty.

“Ayekoo”!! to all Ghanaians around the world for all contributions towards the economic growth, sustenance and peace of our nation.

Congratulations also to all Canadians for efforts towards the peaceful unity between the three colonies making a mighty Canada.

Here is his poem:

ECHOES OF PEACE

The colors of the rainbow mingled awhile

And the white of snow fell a time

The breeze of the sea refreshed a moment

And the silence calmed down flowing waters

The whistles of the grand old trees ignited a feeling

Whilst the stars in the skies twinkled a display

Those paired birds that flew at night

Chanted melodies and songs after a day

Coz there was absence of rage, for tempers stood still

The quack! Cheep-cheep! Honk! Along the shores

Prompted a scene so serene and sunlight reflect

The reefs looked green and sip of nectar still sweet

Welcoming dove of ancient Greece unto fields

And unfolding its feathers with head right up North

Of natures blessedness and uniqueness poured forth

For it was an atmosphere not oppressed by shadow?

Nor of hearts strings twisted but perfectly styled and formed

What a spot! What a sight of tranquil reflections

From the South appeared the white of a horse with dangling chains

 And the soothing breeze cleared the dares of souls hurting

Within this array of bliss, I heard voices echoing

Trumpets aloud and sighs so deep disappearing

The shades had sheltered grief and wailing till

And an angle of peace splendor and fill

For it was an hour of Gods purposeful reflections   

Reminding all thoughts and beings of an Eden in the morning

And a heaven on its own, of the beauty and gift of life on earth

If we embrace and paint just a piece of peace

©2013 Henry Ocansey

hocansey.wordpress.com

 

World Poetry Proudly Enrico Renz, Song Writer and Poet from Canada!

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Ariadne`s note: A wonderful evening on the World Poetry Café Radio Show on Tuesday night with the talented musician and songwriter Enrico Renz!Guest host Anita Aguirre Nieveras and Ariadne Sawyer  along with tech Kelly welcomed Enrico to the show. He showcased three songs that were inspired by World Poetry New Westminster; songs for Bernice Lever, Jacqueline Maire and for Oscar Peterson. A poem for Mandela by Una Bruhns was read at the opening. The other poem : Keepers of the Fire by Richard Doiron will be read in the future. To listen to the show CLICK HERE!

Here is a photo from last night’s show!

Enrico Renz

Enrico Renz

Enrico Renz, Song writer and poet writes:

“I’ve just recently begun to perform my songs again after a twenty-five year hiatus. They’ve matured nicely. There are some new ones too. I like it when a song comes to me in such a way that I surprise myself. I see myself more as a song gardener than a song builder. The work lies in tending the song. It takes a lot of time and care and just being with the song to let it grow.

Playing chess and playing improvised music for contact dancers, are two other things I do passionately. Both these pastimes reflect on my approach to song writing.

Chess is all about creativity. To be successful, you have to imagine possibilities one step further than your opponent. But chess is also about precision. A single over-looked pawn can render the most elaborate strategies meaningless. Coordinating the rhyme, rhythm, sense and mood of a song so that not a note or syllable seems awkward, feels a lot like dreaming up and pulling off a spectacular checkmating sequence.

On the other hand, improvising with dancers is all about spontaneity. The music and the dance influence one another profoundly, but when the flow is perfect, there is no telling who is leading whom; the dance feels true. While my song writing involves considerable crafting, I’m still reaching for that same flow and that same truth.”

Features

 

Enrico Renz April 1, 2012

alright let’s talk

angel to angel

forget light and dark

fallen or exalted
kindred as we are

in this thickening
let’s do as the humans do

let’s use our words like nails
to preen each others
hearts

in this thickening
touch is the truth
but words will sway

before language
it was the eyes and the breath

but now it is sentence to sentence
shaping our trajectories

the humans in this room
have been talking
since they entered

their beaks
in one-another’s viscera
negotiate
proximities
gesticulations

a jab too harsh
a peck too feeble
and the conversation dies

but a laugh
or a smile…

remember when we were apes
picking lice from one-another’s scalps?
the succulence?

it was when we were
still
in the trees
the screeching subsided
that I remember you most*

below us the lions resigned to sleep
above us
the eagles resigned
to the distancing thermals

but in this thickening
we bunch together
between dark and light

we cannot forget
penetrate me with your syllables


seek what you must devour

By Enrico Renz  (C)