Uncommon Magic for Your Book Club!

Nearly thirty years ago, Bronwen Wallace wrote of the common magic that makes up our lives, of the “sudden miracles, that breathe there.”

Since 1981, the writing group that Bronwen Wallace began at St. Lawrence College has been breathing into the lives of its members, breathing into writing, making little miracles.

Bronwen wrote about the common magic that made everyday life happen. But a writing group lasting for thirty years—even for thirty weeks—is not so common. In fact, it is a rarity.

For three decades, this group has supported old pros and those still learning their craft. It has given voice to writers without an audience. It has given the solitary, community. This anthology—a reflection of thirty years of writing from a diverse, ever-changing group of writers—is a testament to its legacy and evidence of magic. Uncommon magic.

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There is a natural relationship between writing groups and book clubs. Both love the written word. Both bring process and experience out of solitude and into community. Both find intellectual and spiritual delight in sharing the creative experience. Many book club members write. All writing group members read.

Uncommon Magic offers your book club the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the creative process of writers—often writers living in your own community—and to explore the relationship between writers, readers, and even ourselves as both.

“Questions for Book Clubs” provided with book club set orders.

217 pages | paperback | $25 | ISBN 978-0-9783774-4-1

Discounts available for orders of ten copies or more

Check with your local library for book club sets

Uncommon Magic has a launch date!

It's official! Uncommon Magic will be launched at the 2011 Kingston WritersFest, Saturday, September 24.

The events listing will read:

"Join the current members of the Ban Righ Writers Group for readings to celebrate the launch of Uncommon Magic: Thirty Years of Writing from the Ban Righ Writers Group, published by UpStart Press in honour of Kingston’s longest-running writing group, started by Bronwen Wallace in 1981."

Too many projects!

What started as one publishing project has grown into THREE.

1) Uncommon Magic: Thirty Years of Writing from the Ban Righ Writers Group.

We have a snazzy title, borrowing heavily from Bronwen Wallace's Common Magic, we have all our submissions, and a whack of contracts have been sent out to the writers involved. Darryl has some fantastic ideas for covers (that I can't wait to see) and I am gearing up to ask a very special someone to write a foreword (but she doesn't know it yet!).

2) Writing Lessons.

Last spring, Peter Darbyshire and I were Facebooking about his clever blog series in the Toronto Star. Overexcited and overcommiting (as per usual), I pitched Peter the idea of reproducing the series as a cool little chapbook. I was thrilled when he said yes. That contract is signed and Darryl has another to-do item on his list.

3) Lessons Learned.

A couple of years ago, a colleague and I pitched an idea to no one in particular, but we liked it and decided to run with it. We collected stories from college teachers about moments in teaching--moments that they don't tell you about in training and orientation--that make all the difference.We don't have enough material for a full-fledged book, so it, too, will be a chapbook. A student (who happens to also be a graphic designer) will do the cover and layout, and it will be launched in time for the orientation of new college teachers this spring.