Susan Juby
Susan Juby

Susan Juby, the 2016 winner of Canada’s esteemed Stephen Leacock Award, is moving to Whistler this fall as the community’s official Writer-in-Residence.

The critically acclaimed best-selling author, celebrated for her heartfelt Young Adult novels and humourous writing style, received the Stephen Leacock medal earlier this month for her novel Republic of Dirt (2015). Juby is also well known for her popular YA series starting with Alice, I Think (2000), which was named one of the essential 40 YA novels by Rolling Stone Magazine and adapted into a CTV/Comedy Network television series. Her work has been published in many countries across the world and nominated for several awards, including the Amazon/Books in Canada First Novel Award and an Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America. Juby holds a Master of Publishing degree from Simon Fraser University and teaches creative writing at Vancouver Island University.

“The Whistler Writing Society is thrilled to have a writer at the caliber of Susan Juby’s level join us for this year’s Writer-in-Residence program as well as during the Whistler Writers Festival in October,” said Stella Harvey, Director of the Whistler Writers Festival. “Juby’s profound knowledge of fiction, particularly in the Young Adult genre, and her experience as a creative writing professor make her an ideal mentor for the residency’s participants. A huge thank you to the Canada Council of the Arts and the Resort Municipality of Whistler for making this invaluable program possible.”

The Writer-in-Residence program is a unique opportunity for writers to work with an experienced Canadian author to push their knowledge of the written craft and their own projects to the next level. Participants receive four one-on-one sessions with the author as well as attend group lectures. The program takes place each fall and is designed for writers of all genres and levels, including novice, emerging and established writers.

“Mentorship is a critical component of the writing process, and I’m looking forward to spending extended time with the program participants to explore their manuscripts, as well as discuss themes like point of view, dialogue and characterization,” said Juby. “I’m a long-time supporter of the Whistler Writers Festival, which provides a truly rare, intimate atmosphere for writers and readers to mingle and share their passion for books and writing.”

Dates for the Whistler Writers Festival have been confirmed for October 13 to 16, 2016. During the festival, Juby will lead a reading event entitled “The Places YA Fiction Dares to Go,” as well as participate in the popular Literary Cabaret. More details on the festival will be released in the coming months.

To participate in the Writer-in-Residence program, interested writers should email Harvey as soon as possible at stella25@telus.net. Writers who are accepted will submit a short synopsis of the project they plan to work on during the residency as well as a manuscript of no more than 20 double-spaced pages by August 10 to allow Juby enough time to review their work before the first meeting.

The Writer-in-Residence program is made possible through generous grants from the Canada Council of the Arts Author Residency Program and the Resort Municipality of Whistler Community Enrichment Program.