Check out Richard van Camp waiting in the wings as Marty Chan enters his last month at his station in the St. Albert Public Library.
van Camp, an Edmonton author was announced on Thursday to take over duties as the fifth in line in a growing series of regional writers in residence.
"It might be one job title but each writer in residence has brought something different to the role over the last four years," said St. Albert Public Library director Peter Bailey.
The program began in 2013 with multi-genre author and writing instructor Natasha Deen, followed by former journalist and creative writing professor Margaret Macpherson. Youth lit champion Gail Sidonie Sobat took her turn in 2015. The ball has been in humourist, children/youth author, media commentator and public speaker Marty Chan's court since January of this year.
Chan's last day on the job is in its final chapter but before 'THE END,' he still has regular office hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until Dec. 14.
The 45-year-old van Camp is an internationally renowned storyteller and best-selling author of baby books, children's books, comic books, poetry collections, graphic novels, short stories and films. He is a proud member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Nation from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. He's probably best known for his 1996 novel The Lesser Blessed, which was adapted into a film in 2012. That isn't the only one of his works that has made it to the screen either.
Several of his books have been translated into a variety of indigenous languages too. His latest offering is a board book called We Sang You Home. He has taught creative writing and storytelling at both the University of British Columbia and the Emily Carr Institute.
He already has a lot of energy built up for his work as the incoming regional writer in residence.
"I'm so excited to start my time as a mentor and cheerleader. I can't wait to meet everyone," van Camp said.
In previous chapters of his life, van Camp was the writer in residence variously at the University of Alberta, Yellowhead Tribal College and MacEwan University. His career started when he was an intern on the writing staff of North of 60, where he served as a script and cultural consultant for four seasons.
He's come a long way since that popular CBC TV series. He was shortlisted for the ReLit Award for Short Fiction in 2010 for The Moon of Letting Go and two years ago, he served as a juror for the prestigious NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature. The word now is that van Camp is currently on set of a multilingual indigenous film in the South Slave Region.
His eagerness for local authors is effusive.
"This will be fantastic. I just know it."
He said that he has produced 20 books in 20 years with 10 publishers. His broad experience makes him not only a font of information but also a keen student of the wide world of writing.
"I publish in just about every genre so I'm eager to read what everyone's working on," he continued, adding, "I'm thrilled to be this gypsy of a mentor who can help out in several locations during my residency. I'm over the moon for this opportunity to share my 20 years' experience with writers who want to hone their craft."
van Camp will be based in St. Albert from late summer until the end next year. Before that, he'll serve four-month stints first in Sherwood Park and then Fort Saskatchewan.
"I am delighted with the appointment of Richard as the regional writer in residence. I am sure the writers in the area will welcome this well-known, multi-talented author and benefit from his indigenous heritage, his perspective and his skills," Bailey said.
David van Belle will become van Camp's counterpart stationed entirely at the Edmonton Public Library. Usually, this person gets an office at the Stanley A. Milner Library but that building is set to undergo a massive renovation, forcing the relocation of all staff, services and library items. His future office location has not yet been determined. Visit www.epl.ca/writer-in-residence for more details.
The Dutch-born writer with heavy roots in theatre will step into the stalwart shoes of crime novelist Wayne Arthurson. He followed former Edmonton Journal writer Elizabeth Withey and 40 Below anthologist Jason Lee Norman. Omar Mouallem, the intrepid all-around journalist, was inaugural writer in residence.
van Belle said it is an honour to get the gig.
"I'm looking forward to digging into Edmonton's exciting writing and theatrical community. I'm fascinated by people's lives and the ways in which they live them – and I know there are many stories in this city that can be told many ways," van Belle said.
A torch passing celebration will take place at the Strathcona County Library on Thursday, Dec. 15.
The writers-in-residence spend roughly half their time working on their own projects, and half on community engagement including mentoring other writers who are invited to contact and visit them in workshops, and one-on-one. They can be booked at www.metrowir.com after Jan. 3.
Getting with the program
The Metro Edmonton Federation of Libraries, a consortium of the Edmonton Public Library, Fort Saskatchewan Public Library, St. Albert Public Library and Strathcona County Library, offers its two writers in residence as a way of mentoring other writers through creative difficulties and publishing questions alike.
"This program continues to develop the abilities of writers from all walks of life, with a variety of interests. The writer in residence program helps established writers as well as those just getting started," Bailey added.
If you're trying to think of a word that means 'unflappable' or the proper use of a semicolon then they can probably help you out with that too. If not, they probably at least have a dictionary, a thesaurus and a copy of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style on hand to cover all bases.
