President’s Message
It is regret that I announce my resignation as President of BCATW, a position I felt honored to hold for the last two years. Due to a number of reasons – including a full work load of writing, including a new novel being released, as well as a lot of travel writing tasks and workshops – I decided to resign. I will continue to help Chris Milliken assess new applicant’s writing and I will continue offering Travel Writing Workshops occasionally.
Thanks again for your support and I hope to see you at the BCATW events.
– Ruth Kozak
Message from the Acting President
The BIG EVENT this month is our Annual General Meeting – coming up in just a few weeks. Please mark your calendars (see deets below) and make an effort to attend as we will be voting for new board officers, discussing amendments to the constitution as well as making plans for the 2017 symposium. I want to thank everyone who has agreed so far to stand for the vacant positions. The positions that are open for elections are:
President
Vice-president
Member at large
Communications director
Media and industry liaison
Travel industry representative
If you would like to stand for one of these positions or have an idea of someone to nominate, please contact our secretary Chris Millikan <chrsmillikan4@nullgmail.com>. You’ll be getting an AGM package by email this week, so please be on the lookout for it. It will contain information about who is currently standing for these positions, the changes to the constitution to be voted on and proxy voting forms.
The AGM is scheduled for Saturday, November 19, 11am-1pm, at Big Rock Urban Eatery (310 West 4th Ave, Vancouver). Food and other refreshments will be available from their menu.
And, I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday, December 7th at our year-end holiday dinner!
-Baila Lazarus
Media Member News
Ruth Kozak just returned from a long visit to Greece during which she collected a number of interesting topics for her work on a Greek Islands ebook for Hunter Pub, US and future travel articles including visits to archaeological sites where she met up with archaeologist Prof. Yanos Lolos who does all the digs on Salamina, interviews with the director of the Dora Stratou Dance Company and people from the Athens cat rescue, Nine Lives Greece. Two of Ruth’s earliest published articles were about the cats of Athens so these will now be updated. While in Athens Ruth was invited to read to two grade nine classes at the American Community School and also at the Canadian Institute where a nice reception was held to celebrate her forthcoming novel, Volume 2 of SHADOW OF THE LION: THE FIELDS OF HADES due out in November.
Darlene Foster was featured in the Delta Optimist where she was interviewed about her most recently published book, Amanda on the Danube – the Sounds of Music. She is looking forward to seeing her BCATW friends at the book launch at Albany Books, November 19, from 1 to 3 pm. She will be in BC and Alberta doing a book tour in November and December and has asked that the snow stays away while she is in town.
Karen with Mark Fenwick, Tsawwassen Mills manager, reception area mural.
Karen Pacheco was successful in having two of her photographs chosen for wall murals (Boundary Bay and Brunswick Point) at the management office of Tsawwassen Mills.
The heart of Northern Iceland is Akureyi, a town with heart-shaped stoplights and a sunnier, dryer climate than the south. © Photos by Pharos 2014
Julie H. Ferguson is excited to announce that she will be traveling again in 2017 after a two-year hiatus. The spring will see her in Morocco and Spain for a month, and in the fall she will be all over Europe for six weeks. After a pause in the UK, Julie will visit St. Petersburg after a Volga cruise in a Russian ship and will tour the Loire Valley exploring her favourite chateaux and enjoying some serious wine tasting at harvest time. Her focus will be photography, but she has a couple of assignments lined up for articles too. The October 2016 issue of Inspired Senior Living published Julie’s “My Iceland Stopover” (+images) describing her adventures in northern Iceland in 2014.
Joan Boxall was part of ‘Bodacious’, a once monthly reading series, last Saturday for playwrights and local poets at Presentation House Theatre’s second stage, Ann MacDonald House in North Vancouver. She’s doing a ‘Travel Writing Tips” workshop as part of a North Vancouver City Library initiative with North Shore Writers’ Association, called ‘Writing with Writers.’ Wed., Nov. 16, 7-8:30pm. All BCATWers are welcome.
Industry Member News
Join us in Cedar Creek Winery’s cellar for a seated educational tasting of six of our exclusive portfolio wines. Paired perfectly with cheese and charcuterie, this intimate wine tasting is fun and informative and will be the highlight of your afternoon, on that you have our word. We recommend you dress warmly.
SEATED FOOD & WINE PAIRED TASTINGS
Every Saturday & Sunday
December at 2:00 p.m.
January to March at 11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Closed Dec. 24 & 25 & Jan. 1
Email: wineshop@nullcedarcreek.bc.ca
Telephone: 778.738.1027
Meetups
Forbidden Vancouver Tour Story Critiques
November 3
This Meetup has been cancelled due to lack of participation.
BCATW Holiday Dinner
December 7th, 7-10pm
Big Rock Brewery
No big presentations, just a holiday social night for BC Travel Writers, both association members and non, offering a chance to create new connections and strengthen old ones. And possible make plans for the new year!
Come enjoy Big Rock’s hearty pub food and craft beer, play your Youtube travel video, share travel stories, and get a nice headshot taken. Games and prizes included.
One guest is allowed, so bring your spouse!
As always, our Meetups are free for BCATW members, $10 otherwise.
“I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine.” – Caskie Stinnett
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