Each year the Writer-in-Residence at the University of Edinburgh organizes an end-of-year conference for students in undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs. This year, our effervescent writer-in-residence is Michael Pedersen – an accomplished writer and poet, and scribbler of the most charming emails. This may be trivial but after many years of being on the receiving […]

I thought I would start a new series about the various festivals and conferences I have either presented at, or attended, to give insight into what happens at these various events. I’ve been surprised at how varied these events are, with some being more casual and relaxed affairs, while others have big productions and established […]

Last week, I was awarded the Sir James Lougheed Award of Distinction for the second time. The scholarship is handed out to students in the Province of Alberta, studying at an international university, at either the doctoral or masters level. There are eight awards in the doctoral level, each for $20,000, and seven at the […]

The emotional rollercoaster of academic publishing Over the past week, I’ve been thinking a lot about critical feedback. As a creative writer, I’ve developed a tough skin over the years and had my share of rejections. My work is not for everyone, and that is okay. But this past year, after attending a creative writing […]

Starting the PhD I came into my PhD program not really knowing much about what a PhD really was. I knew the basics of my program. Write a 70,000 word novel and a 20,000 word critical reflexive. But I didn’t really know what else I was supposed to be doing. When doing a postgraduate program […]