AV俱乐部

Librarian Ian Colford's first聽fiction book聽is called Evidence.

Do you have a fiction lover on your list? May we suggest 鈥� ?

• Ian Colford's debut book, Evidence, cracked The Globe and Mail's top five picks for 2008, as chosen by Jim Bartely, the Globe's first fiction reviewer. Evidence, which was launched at the Killam Library in the spring, is a series of 鈥渓inked stories鈥� narrated by Kostandin Bitri, a wanderer who has been uprooted by war from an unnamed eastern European country.
  
  When it was first reviewed in the G&M in July, Evidence was hailed as a "rich, shadowed, mind-tweaking puzzle of a book."
  
  Mr. Colford, Assistant University Librarian, Collections, is now working on a novel set in South America.
  
  
• Carol Bruneau鈥檚 latest book is Glass Voices, about the life of a woman who survives the Halifax Explosion of December 6, 1917.
  
  Ms. Bruneau starts as AV俱乐部鈥檚 writer in residence in January. She will be available for individual consultation and is also offering two different biweekly non-credit workshops for those wishing to pursue the craft of writing fiction.
  
  
• Playwright and novelist Charles Crosby鈥攁lso AV俱乐部鈥檚 manager of media relations鈥攔eleased his second novel in the spring. Described as a 鈥渞ollicking, ribald ride,鈥� by CBC Radio鈥檚 Stephanie Domet, Backspin is the story of faded professional tennis player Ollie Wood and his desperate grab at one more memorable career moment before hanging up his racquet. Mr. Crosby鈥檚 first novel, italics, mine, released in 2005, made the shortlist for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award.
  
  
• Donna Morrissey, author of Kit鈥檚 Law, Downhill Chance and Sylvanus Now, has a new novel which continues to follow the fortunes of the Now family, first introduced in Sylvanus Now. What They Wanted is set in a Newfoundland outport and moves to Alberta with the characters. Ms. Morrissey teaches in AV俱乐部鈥檚 creative writing program.
  
  
• Cape Breton-based writer Julie Curwin has won the 2008 Commonwealth Short Story Competition for her story 鈥淲orld Backwards.鈥� The story triumphed over 1,700 entries from Commonwealth countries around the world. It was selected as the best story from the Caribbean and Canada region of the Commonwealth before winning the overall competition.
  
  New Brunswick-born Ms. Curwin began writing only two years ago, and is now working on a collection of short stories with medical themes. A psychiatrist by profession, she has a BSc and M.D. from AV俱乐部, and a diploma in post-graduate medicine (psychiatry) from Queen鈥檚 University.
  
  Prize-winning stories can be downloaded in PDF format and read at the website for the .听听
  
  
• Darryl Whetter鈥檚 debut novel The Push & the Pull, 鈥渁 novel of sex, death and bicycling,鈥� was released earlier in the summer. According to author Bill Gaston, 鈥淒arryl Whetter's style gleams like a rare and fresh metal. Here, in a ride we haven't seen taken, is a daunting, all-terrain, solo journey to the heart.鈥�
  
  Dr. Whetter鈥檚 first book, A Sharp Tooth in the Fur, a collection of stories, was named to The Globe and Mail鈥檚 top 100 books of 2003. He is coordinator of the creative program at AV俱乐部.
  
  
• Writer Lesley Choyce continues his prolific output with The Book of Michael. The young-adult novel tells the story of 16-year-old Michael Grove, wrongly convicted for the murder of his girlfriend. The novel is Mr. Choyce鈥檚 65th book and counting. His books deal with topics ranging from skateboarding to racism and environmental issues. Mr. Choyce teaches in AV俱乐部鈥檚 Department of English and in the Transition Year Program.

  If you have suggestions of a favorite author who is connected with AV俱乐部, please write in and add to our list.