November 27, 2013
Madeleine Thien at literASIAN - The work that remains invisible
Madeleine Thien delivered the following speech at the closing banquet of the inaugural literASIAN festival organized by the Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop, part of the closing dinner gala held on November 24, 2013.
In 1999, I was editor of Ricepaper. I didn’t last long, only about three issues, but helping to create those three issues was an extraordinary learning experience.
At the time, I thought they were very unwise to put the magazine in my hands. What did I know? I hadn’t read what I should have read, I was full of aspirations but had little experience (I’d worked in tuxedo shop, at McDonald’s, and in a Chinese restaurant in North Vancouver) but I truly embraced the idea of making space for other artists. The question was, how to support them without limiting them? How to engage their identity without defining that identity? How to speak on behalf of a group, or to a group, or as a group?
The questions that I had when I edited Ricepaper 14 years ago haven’t really left me.
But there is one thing that I feel I can say more confidently now, and that is: the need for something like Ricepaper is real. Perhaps the necessity for it is even more acute now than 14 years ago. If you’ll allow me, I might say something slightly controversial now.
In the literary world, writers read one another, review, assess, critique, and award one another. Together they decide the work that will be visible and the work that will remain invisible.
In reviewing and critiquing the work of Asian, South Asian, African and Arab-Canadian writers, our critics simply do not have a great depth of knowledge — whether that be historical context or literary precedents. I’ve seen this on prize juries and on grant juries on which I have served. And each time I’ve seen it, I’ve told myself that it is just an anomaly. At what point does an anomaly become a structure? It’s only now, after more than 10 years of seeing these patterns, that I feel confident in saying it is not an anomaly but a fixed pattern that is difficult to shift.
As some of you may have noticed, aside from Joseph Boyden, this year’s Giller long list was composed entirely of white writers. It is worth nothing that in the last 10 years of the Writer’s Trust fiction prize, only eight non-white writers been shortlisted (this number includes Rawi Hage three times). In fact, until Esi Edugyan was shortlisted in 2011, no woman of colour had ever even been nominated in the 14-year history of the prize. In 10 years of the Giller Prize, a total of 12 non-white writers have been shortlisted. Before you celebrate, this number includes Rawi Hage, M.G. Vassanji and Michael Ondaatje each twice.
I know that the reasons for this are complex. But I truly believe that for a strong literature to emerge, writers need opportunities, they need doors to open, support in the from grants and nominations, all of which translates into visibility. If not, some writers will lose the opportunity, at crucial stages of their career, to perfect their craft. Literature is a craft that requires time, commitment, a paycheque at the right moment, publisher support, and intelligent critical response. Certainly, the astonishing works created by women writers in the 20th-century are a testament to this fact.
I do think we in the writing community need to read better. I think we need to call out narrow-mindedness, parochialism, and ignorance when we see it. I would love to see the wider Asian-Canadian community really engage with its artists.
The question I still don’t know how to answer is how. But I want to propose a toast to Ricepaper, and to the young editors working there now, and thank them for being part of the conversation, for wrestling with these questions, for acting rather than simply wishing.
To Anna and her staff and contributors, and to Ricepaper.
Madeleine Thien is the author of Simple Recipes, Certainty and, most recently, Dogs at the Perimeter.
November 20, 2013
literASIAN Book Fair Sunday, Nov. 24, 1 – 4pm
UBC Learning Exchange 612 Main Street, Vancouver BC
This first ever LiterASIAN Asian Canadian Book Fair will bring together the biggest collection of Asian Canadian/Asian North American books, DVDs and collectable memorabilia – new and used. Come to find a rare first edition out-of-print book you always wanted but could not find in your bookstore. We have received a large donation of Asian themed DVDs – action and classic films, melodrama, anamie and much more.
The highlight of this book fair will be the availability for sale of the recently translated Chinese versions of Denise Chong’s, The Concubine’s Children, Wayson Choy’s, Jade Peony, SKY Lee's Disappearing Moon Café, Judy Fong Bates' Midnight at the Dragon Café and Paul Yee’s Ghost Train/Curses of Third Uncle.
Book launches and readings (2nd Floor - upstairs)
1.00-1:30pm C.X. Cheng’s Wolf Coven book launch,
1:30 – 2pm Sarah Ling and Larry Grant Let's Take a Walk
2:00-2:30pm Ann Shin’s The Family China book launch
2:30-3pm Larry Wong's Dim Sum Stories
3-3:30pm Janie Chang's Three Souls
November 14, 2013
Grants 101 - Demystifying the Grant Process
On Sunday November 24, 12.00PM – 1:00PM, a Grants 101 – DEMYSTIFYING THE GRANT PROCESS will be offered as special bonus have registered and paid for a workshop at literASIAN.
This workshop is BONUS FREE second workshop. In order to qualify you must already be a registered and paid participant in another workshop session.
If you’ve never applied for grants, you may wonder how the process works and how successful applications are chosen. Walter Quan has worked at the British Columbia Arts Council for nearly 22 years and will provide information not only about grants in BC but how to approach other funders and opportunities.
Instructor: Walter Quan lives in Victoria where he works for the British Columbia Arts Council. He coordinates programs for individuals working in writing, visual and media arts, as well as for Professional Arts Training Organizations. He is a native Vancouverite whose grandfather arrived in Canada in 1898 from Hoi Ping province. He attended UBC in Commerce and Music and has been seen variously with clarinets, knitting projects and handmade candles shaped like sushi. He’s been published once in Ricepaper!
REGISTER
This workshop is BONUS FREE second workshop. In order to qualify you must already be a registered and paid participant in another workshop session.
If you’ve never applied for grants, you may wonder how the process works and how successful applications are chosen. Walter Quan has worked at the British Columbia Arts Council for nearly 22 years and will provide information not only about grants in BC but how to approach other funders and opportunities.
Instructor: Walter Quan lives in Victoria where he works for the British Columbia Arts Council. He coordinates programs for individuals working in writing, visual and media arts, as well as for Professional Arts Training Organizations. He is a native Vancouverite whose grandfather arrived in Canada in 1898 from Hoi Ping province. He attended UBC in Commerce and Music and has been seen variously with clarinets, knitting projects and handmade candles shaped like sushi. He’s been published once in Ricepaper!
REGISTER
October 31, 2013
LiterASIAN Celebration Banquet on November 24, 2013, 6.00PM
Featuring a 10 course Chinese cuisine
Highlight: ACWW Community Builder Award presentation to Brian Lam and Arsenal Pulp Press and a script reading of Banana Boys directed by Rick Tae, the script adaptation features some of Vancouver theatre’s brightest Asian Canadian actors – Ken S. Leung, Kevan Ohtsji, Donald Jang, Howie Lai Manuel Jacinto and Rosie Simon.
The event will be presided by Vancouver’s poet Laureate, Evelyn Lau with presentations by award winning author, Madeleine Thien, and former UBC Prizm Magazine and current Ricepaper Magazine editor, Anna Ling Kaye. Also on hand will be our guest authors, Denise Chong, Terry Woo, Ann Shin, Jamie Chang, Julia Lin, Larry Wong, Chris Cheng and May Yan, Ann Marie Fleming, Laura Ong and Terry Watada.
Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 6pm at the Pink Pearl Restaurant (1132 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC)
Tickets: $50 each
For tickets and RSVP call Jim Wong-Chu 604-355-5795 email: jwongchu@shaw.ca
For information on festival lineup dates and time go to Website: www.asiancanadianwriters.ca | www.ricepapermagazine.ca/literASIAN
Media Advisory: Countdown to the literASIAN: A Festival Featuring Pacific Rim Asian Canadian authors
The Vancouver Asian Writers’ Workshop (ACWW) is pleased to announce the countdown to its much anticipated inaugural celebration of Pacific Rim Asian Canadian writing set for November 21st to 24th, 2013 in Vancouver, BC. As a non-profit organization with a mandate to promote awareness of Asian Canadian literature, history, and culture, ACWW provide a supportive and culturally sensitive environment for members from a common Pacific Rim Asian Canadian heritage. ACWW also is the publisher of Ricepaper Magazine.
“We are extremely excited for this first ever celebration of Asian Canadian writing in Vancouver,” stated Jim Wong-Chu, festival director. “Over the past three decades, ACWW has helped writers get published and this first ever festival event will highlight the significant depth the Pan-Asian literary voice has added to Canadian literary mosaic. We intend to invite our audience to challenge their own perceptions about what exactly is Asian Canadian writing. Our lineup of authors and topics span many genres, including graphic novels, poetry, science-fiction, humour, and non-fiction.”
Festival Central – The UBC Learning Exchange
The main venue for the festival is the UBC Learning Exchange situated in the middle of Vancouver’s historical Chinatown at 612 Main Street. The UBC Learning Exchange is a community engagement initiative that brings together a wide variety of people, and facilitates connections in the Downtown Eastside between local residents, organizations and the UBC Community. The opening ceremony will be presided by Vancouver’s poet Laureate, Evelyn Lau and will include the introduction of writers, Denise Chong, Terry Woo, Ann Shin, Jamie Chang, Julia Lin, Larry Wong, Chris Cheng and May Yan and graphic novelists, David Wong, Ann Marie Fleming, Laura Ong and Terry Watada.
literASIAN Programming
“We are extremely excited for this first ever celebration of Asian Canadian writing in Vancouver,” stated Jim Wong-Chu, festival director. “Over the past three decades, ACWW has helped writers get published and this first ever festival event will highlight the significant depth the Pan-Asian literary voice has added to Canadian literary mosaic. We intend to invite our audience to challenge their own perceptions about what exactly is Asian Canadian writing. Our lineup of authors and topics span many genres, including graphic novels, poetry, science-fiction, humour, and non-fiction.”
Festival Central – The UBC Learning Exchange
The main venue for the festival is the UBC Learning Exchange situated in the middle of Vancouver’s historical Chinatown at 612 Main Street. The UBC Learning Exchange is a community engagement initiative that brings together a wide variety of people, and facilitates connections in the Downtown Eastside between local residents, organizations and the UBC Community. The opening ceremony will be presided by Vancouver’s poet Laureate, Evelyn Lau and will include the introduction of writers, Denise Chong, Terry Woo, Ann Shin, Jamie Chang, Julia Lin, Larry Wong, Chris Cheng and May Yan and graphic novelists, David Wong, Ann Marie Fleming, Laura Ong and Terry Watada.
literASIAN Programming
Book Launches
LiterASIAN will host a series of book launches highlighted by author of the best-selling family memoir, The Concubine’s Children and City of Vancouver Book Prize winner, Denise Chong, who will be launching her new book, Lives of the Families (at VPL Alice Mackay Room); Christopher Cheng’s fantasy novel, Wolf Coven; Ann Shin’s new poetry, The Family China; Terry Watada’s graphic novel, Nikkei Managa-gatari and Laura Ong’s Shanghai Blues.
Workshops
Workshops include David HT Wong’s “Creating a Graphic Novel (fat comic book) to teach and to reach,” Ann Shin’s “Your story or poem as a ‘brand’: Leveraging literature in new media” and Janie Chang’s “The Debut Author and the Business of Mainstream Publishing”, Julia Lin’s “Techniques for Finding the Emotional Core of a Story”, Terry Woo’s “How to Succeed in Writing by Kinda-Sorta Trying”, May Yan’s “How to write your past: Chinese Genealogy Research “, Denise Chong’s “The Writer’s Task: Turning Knowing into Telling” and Terry Watada’s “ Writers Beware: how to avoid scams, vanity press and find happiness as a published author” .
Panel Discussion
“ Storytelling and the Graphic Novel”
The use of graphic in storytelling is gaining more prominence in recent times and deserves a genre of its own in Asian literature. This event, featuring David Wong (Escape from Gold Mountain) Terry Watada (Nikkei Managa-gatari) Ann Marie Fleming (The Magical life of Long Tack Sam) and Laara Ong’s (Shanghai Blues) brings together four individuals who have chosen to tell their stories through different graphic mediums.
Book Fair
This first ever LiterASIAN Asian Canadian Book Fair will bring together the biggest collection of Asian Canadian/Asian North American books, DVDs and collectable memorabilia – new and used. Come to find a rare first edition of book you always wanted but could not find in your bookstore. The highlight of this book fair will be the availability for sale of the recently translated Chinese versions of Denise Chong’s, The Concubine’s Children, Wayson Choy’s, Jade Peony and Disappearing Moon Café, Judy Fong Bates, Midnight at the Dragon Café and Paul Yee’s Ghost Train/Curses of Third Uncle.
Chinatown Tours
Since we are in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown, we are adding historical tours by Judy Lam Maxwell (http://chinatowngirl.ca/). Take a break and come learn about Chinatown’s notable history and literary landmarks.
Celebration Dinner
LiterASIAN’s Closing Event Celebration Banquet Dinner , at Pink Pearl Restaurant and is an opportunity for the Asian Canadian literary community and its devoted readers and literary fans to come together to share a meal. The evening will highlight a special Community Builder Award presentation to Brian Lam and Arsenal Pulp Press and a script reading of Banana Boys directed by Rick Tae, the script adaptation features some of Vancouver theatre’s brightest Asian Canadian talent. The event will be presided by Vancouver’s poet Laureate, Evelyn Lau with presentations by award winning author, Madeleine Thien, and former UBC Prizm Magazine and current Ricepaper Magazine editor, Anna Ling Kaye. Also on hand will be many of our favourite authors, Denise Chong, Terry Woo, Ann Shin, Jamie Chang, Julia Lin, Larry Wong, Chris Cheng and May Yan, Ann Marie Fleming, Laura Ong and Terry Watada.
A portion of the proceeds will go towards the re-launching of the ACWW Emerging Writers Award.
Tickets – $50 each. Phone: 604-355-5795 or contact Jim Wong-Chu jwongchu@shaw.ca
literASIAN: A Festival of Pacific Rim Asian Canadian Writing will take place on November 21 to 24, 2013, at the UBC Learning Exchange, 612 Main Street in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown, Vancouver Public Library (350 West Georgia Street), and Pink Pearl Restaurant (1132 E Hastings St Vancouver). Close to 1,000 audience members are expected to attend the four-day festival.
Some events are free but require registration or RSVP
The entire program schedule is online at http://literasian.ricepapermagazine.ca
Interviews and photo opportunities are available.
For media inquiries contact Jim Wong-Chu 604-355-5795
Website: www.asiancanadianwriters.ca | www.ricepapermagazine.ca/literASIAN
LiterASIAN will host a series of book launches highlighted by author of the best-selling family memoir, The Concubine’s Children and City of Vancouver Book Prize winner, Denise Chong, who will be launching her new book, Lives of the Families (at VPL Alice Mackay Room); Christopher Cheng’s fantasy novel, Wolf Coven; Ann Shin’s new poetry, The Family China; Terry Watada’s graphic novel, Nikkei Managa-gatari and Laura Ong’s Shanghai Blues.
Workshops
Workshops include David HT Wong’s “Creating a Graphic Novel (fat comic book) to teach and to reach,” Ann Shin’s “Your story or poem as a ‘brand’: Leveraging literature in new media” and Janie Chang’s “The Debut Author and the Business of Mainstream Publishing”, Julia Lin’s “Techniques for Finding the Emotional Core of a Story”, Terry Woo’s “How to Succeed in Writing by Kinda-Sorta Trying”, May Yan’s “How to write your past: Chinese Genealogy Research “, Denise Chong’s “The Writer’s Task: Turning Knowing into Telling” and Terry Watada’s “ Writers Beware: how to avoid scams, vanity press and find happiness as a published author” .
Panel Discussion
“ Storytelling and the Graphic Novel”
The use of graphic in storytelling is gaining more prominence in recent times and deserves a genre of its own in Asian literature. This event, featuring David Wong (Escape from Gold Mountain) Terry Watada (Nikkei Managa-gatari) Ann Marie Fleming (The Magical life of Long Tack Sam) and Laara Ong’s (Shanghai Blues) brings together four individuals who have chosen to tell their stories through different graphic mediums.
Book Fair
This first ever LiterASIAN Asian Canadian Book Fair will bring together the biggest collection of Asian Canadian/Asian North American books, DVDs and collectable memorabilia – new and used. Come to find a rare first edition of book you always wanted but could not find in your bookstore. The highlight of this book fair will be the availability for sale of the recently translated Chinese versions of Denise Chong’s, The Concubine’s Children, Wayson Choy’s, Jade Peony and Disappearing Moon Café, Judy Fong Bates, Midnight at the Dragon Café and Paul Yee’s Ghost Train/Curses of Third Uncle.
Chinatown Tours
Since we are in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown, we are adding historical tours by Judy Lam Maxwell (http://chinatowngirl.ca/). Take a break and come learn about Chinatown’s notable history and literary landmarks.
Celebration Dinner
LiterASIAN’s Closing Event Celebration Banquet Dinner , at Pink Pearl Restaurant and is an opportunity for the Asian Canadian literary community and its devoted readers and literary fans to come together to share a meal. The evening will highlight a special Community Builder Award presentation to Brian Lam and Arsenal Pulp Press and a script reading of Banana Boys directed by Rick Tae, the script adaptation features some of Vancouver theatre’s brightest Asian Canadian talent. The event will be presided by Vancouver’s poet Laureate, Evelyn Lau with presentations by award winning author, Madeleine Thien, and former UBC Prizm Magazine and current Ricepaper Magazine editor, Anna Ling Kaye. Also on hand will be many of our favourite authors, Denise Chong, Terry Woo, Ann Shin, Jamie Chang, Julia Lin, Larry Wong, Chris Cheng and May Yan, Ann Marie Fleming, Laura Ong and Terry Watada.
A portion of the proceeds will go towards the re-launching of the ACWW Emerging Writers Award.
Tickets – $50 each. Phone: 604-355-5795 or contact Jim Wong-Chu jwongchu@shaw.ca
literASIAN: A Festival of Pacific Rim Asian Canadian Writing will take place on November 21 to 24, 2013, at the UBC Learning Exchange, 612 Main Street in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown, Vancouver Public Library (350 West Georgia Street), and Pink Pearl Restaurant (1132 E Hastings St Vancouver). Close to 1,000 audience members are expected to attend the four-day festival.
Some events are free but require registration or RSVP
The entire program schedule is online at http://literasian.ricepapermagazine.ca
Interviews and photo opportunities are available.
For media inquiries contact Jim Wong-Chu 604-355-5795
Website: www.asiancanadianwriters.ca | www.ricepapermagazine.ca/literASIAN
October 29, 2013
ACWW Co-Sponsors Vancouver Asian Film Festival Opening Feature "Innocent Blood"
Innocent Blood spills into Vancouver on Thursday November 7, 7.15PM at International Village. Asian American director Sun W. Kim and D.J. Holloway, with an array of several award winning short films already to their names, make their feature film debut with Innocent Blood. Retired detective-turned-college professor James Park is forced to confront his dark past in order to find his son's kidnapper. Played by Jun-Seong Kim (Manchu, West 32nd) Dr. Park is eventually exposed for who he really is by this mysterous kidnapper. With a posse of former foes, grisly murders, a suspicious wife, and the cops in hot pursuit, James Park has no choice but to move fast.
Jun-seong Kim looking for a way out.[/caption] Already featured at film festivals across the United States, Innocent Blood is making its Canadian premiere as the opening program at the 17th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF) on November 7, 2013.
Opening Night Feature: Innocent Blood | Thursday Nov 7, 2013 at 7:00 PM
Buy Tickets ($15 ticket, plus $2 membership fee and additional $1.19 online fee)
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