Writer in Residence
An Encapsulated Overview of the history of The Mackie Lake House/Okanagan College Mackie Lake House Writer In residence Project (2002-2012)
By John Lent
The Mackie Lake House Writer In Residence Project is an exciting, dynamic project that has resulted in a series of nine books being published By Kalamalka Press (Okanagan College) over the past ten years. In its own quiet way, this project has been successful and has acquired a national profile as is evidenced by the continuing interest of Canadian writers in participating in this project, and by the interest expressed by University Of Alberta Press in co-sponsoring this project with Kalamalka Press.
Because we were basically inventing this project out of nothing, the people involved looked sideways to other models for such residencies: The Wallace Stegner House, The Pierre Burton House, some of the Banff Centre for the Arts Residencies etc. We soon discovered, however, that our Mackie Lake House Writer In Residence Project was completely hybrid in some if its aspects. Many residency projects were offered in this country, but none that we discovered offered the publication of a book. We also discovered, over time, that few residency projects worked so closely with students, both students in the post-secondary realm, and students in the local school system. By the time we entered our 3rd residency, we realized that we had begun something that was significant and becoming known across the country because it was so unique.
The bottom line, however, has been in the success of the residencies and the success of its products: the books themselves. Here is a complete list:
2013/14: Kathleen Brown
2012/13: Leona Theis
2013: Kath MacLean, Kat Among the Tigers
2012/13: Terry Jordan, Its a Hard Cow
2011/12: Brenda Schmidt, Flight Calls
2010/11: Mona Fertig, The Unsettled
2009/10: Peter Midgley, perhaps I should/miskien moet ek
2008/09: Gary Geddes, Out Of The Ordinary: Essays
2007/08: Dawne McCance, Sleights Of Hand: Derrida Writing
2006/07: Robert Kroetsch & John Lent, Abundance
2005/06: David Pitt-Brooke & Chistine McPhee, Accommodations
2004/05: Dennis Cooley,Country Music: New poems
2003/04: Ron Ayling, Sean O’Casey’s Theatre Of War
Past Writers in Residence
2013 Leona Theis
2013 Kath MacLean
2012 Terry Jordan
2011 Brenda Schmidt
2009 Mona Fertig
2008 Gary Geddes
2007 Dr. Dawne McCance
2006 Robert Kroetsch
2005 David Pitt-Brooke
2004 Dennis Cool
2003 Dr. Ronald Ayling