Historical Fiction Workshop
The Western Development Museum is teaming up with the Saskatchewan Festival of Words to offer a historical fiction workshop to be held on Saturday, April 14, 1:00pm to 4:00pm.
At the workshop, participants will learn how to bring history to life with fiction. The workshop is facilitated by local Moose Jaw author, David Richards who will provide practical guidance, tips, and inspiration in writing historical fiction.
“We will discuss focused research, using history to find characters and plot, how to let the history into your fiction, editing the blend of fact and fiction and more. We will discuss the issues of revisionism and voice/culture appropriation. We will also tour the WDM, physically touching history, then end with a writing exercise that you can submit for critique – or not, as you wish,” noted Karla Rasmussen, Education Coordinator at the WDM. Sarah Simison, Executive Director at the Festival of Words, said this is a great opportunity to expand the Festival’s education programming. “When the WDM approached us with the idea for hosting a workshop, we immediately knew Dave Richards was the person that should do it. Dave is a well-known local author of historical fiction so he not only has experience writing in that genre, but also doing the research required. As much as writing and research are serious things, Dave has a fantastic sense of humour, so I think the workshop is going to be a lot of fun.”
“This project is also great way for the Saskatchewan Festival of Words to expand our programming while strengthening our partnership with the Western Devel- opment Museum. It provides an opportunity as well to get writers out to the WDM and see what resources are available to them, and also a way for WDM supporters that may want to try writing,” Simison added.
The workshop is sponsored by the Saskatchewan Writers Guild. Pre-registration is required through the event link at www.wdm.ca. The cost for the workshop is $35.
David Richard’s education at the Royal Military College in Kingston and his experience as a member of the Canadian Army for six years provided him with the perfect background to explore his fictional territories. First there was Soldier Boys (Thistledown Press, 1993) that transformed the Northwest Rebellion from a “history lesson into a human drama.” Next came Lady at Batoche (Thistledown Press, 1999) that rewrote the Gabriel Dumont/ Louis Riel mythology and won a Saskatchewan Book Award. In 2007, The Plough’s Share vividly encompassed late nineteenth century England, the Boer War, and Canada’s Barr Colonist experience. In The Source of Light (2011) Richards focuses his attention, research and storytell;ing on science and technology. David Richards lives in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan for part of the year and Tahsis, a beautiful ocean village on the west coast of Vancouver Island, for the rest of the year.
About the author, from publisher’s website:
bones on the label. We also had that really ugly thing that wrapped around a coffee table, keeping the sharp edges away from clumsy toddlers. Sharp edges. That is what my wife used as a catchall for anything that might hurt our kids. She always says our job is the protect our kids from sharp objects. We parents do this all the time. It’s called risk management. Risk management can be defined as identifying potential dangers and strategies in order to avoid or minimize harm or damage.
We all manage risk every day without our even knowing it. Looking both ways when we cross the street, holding a handrail while walking down a flight of stairs and even blowing on hot food before putting it in our mouths are all examples of risk management. Through past experience of being hurt, or advice from others or even common sense, we take action to reduce our risk of injury. If you or someone you know has hurt themselves falling on the ice, you may be one of the first ones throw-
ing salt on your steps and sidewalk after a winter storm. If you’ve once been in a car accident, you tend to drive with more care.
I see a lot of back pain in my office and I have to say most of it comes from accidents or injury that could have been avoided with simple risk management. Getting help lifting that snowblower into a truck, fixing that snag in the carpet on the stairs or taking two trips instead of one when taking the groceries into the house are all ways to reduce risk of back injury.
Taking action to prevent the big diseases that too many people deal with firsthand, is all about managing risk. Those who eat well, exercise often and keep their stresses to a minimum are limiting the risks of getting heart disease, cancer or diabetes.
We live in a dangerous world with sharp edges. Navigating through life with good risk management will better ensure a long and healthy journey.