News at Ekstasis

Ekstasis Editions congratulates John Gould on being nominated for the Giller Prize for Kilter: 55 Fictions from Turnstone Press.

Not long ago Ekstasis Editions published an earlier book of fictions by John Gould called The Kingdom of Heaven. You can find more information about that book here.

WestJet Airlines, Daimler Chrysler and Ekstasis Editions announce a "Celebration of Literacy Poetry Tour" with readings by Wendy Morton.

In a unique partnership of large airline company, a large automobile manufacturer and a small Literary Press, WestJet Airlines, Daimler Chrysler and Ekstasis Editions announce a cross-country poetry tour by Wendy Morton in support of Literacy. Wendy Morton will read from Undercover, published by Ekstasis Editions, on a forthcoming ‘Celebration of Literacy’ tour through the Maritimes. WestJet Airlines sponsored a ‘literacy’ tour for Wendy’s previous book Private Eye, which took the poet into schools and libraries throughout Western and Central Canada. During that tourWendy Morton earned the title ‘Poet of the Skies’ by giving readings during flights and composing poems for passengers.

Wendy Morton is the coordinator of the weekly Mocambopo Reading Series in Victoria, BC where she has encouraged the development of emerging writers. This series has been celebrated in the poetry anthology Mocambo Nights, edited by Patrick Lane, also published by Ekstasis Editions. She has been featured on CBC's This Morning and in articles in newspapers across Canada, including The Globe and Mail.

In October, WestJet Airlines flies Wendy Morton to Halifax, Nova Scotia where Daimler Chrysler Canada will provide a PT Cruiser for her ‘Poetry Travels’ tour. In Antigonish Wendy Morton will serve as ‘Homecoming Poet’ for the 150th Anniversary of St. Francis Xavier University. She will, then travel to Charlottetown, P.E.I., Moncton, New Brunswick and return to Halifax to present a public reading and a poetry workshop. Throughout this journey she will be giving readings in various schools and libraries, and talking about literacy and poetry.

“Writing poems makes my world more delicious,” explain Morton. “I write poems because they feed me. Anyone who reads them can eat them for lunch.” When not writing or reading poetry, Wendy Morton works as an insurance investigator, a job that has taken her 2000 feet underground in a mine, into the worlds of cruise ship entertainers, ethnomusicologists, bar hostesses in Japan and the dark world of criminals.

Join WestJet Airline's ‘Poet of the Skies’ as she flies across the country, reading poems on planes and writing poems for the passengers and Daimler Chrysler's ‘Poet of the road’ as she travels across the Maritimes, reading poetry in schools, public places, and even at gas stations along the road, handing out books of poetry. Ekstasis Editions is pleased to acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for their generous support of this tour and for the publication of the books.
Wendy Morton is available for media interviews and book-related events.

Ekstasis Editions’ The Scent ofa Lie by Paulo da Costa wins Commonwealth Prize for Best First Book (Canada)

Ekstasis Editions, a Canadian literary publisher based in Victoria, BC congratulates author Paulo da Costa who’s book The Scent of a Lie has received the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book, Carribean and Canada Region. The Scent of a Lie, a book of fourteen interwoven stories set in a Portugese village, was published by Ekstasis Editions in Fall 2002. It was launched in Victoria in December 2002 as part of Ekstasis Editions’ 20th anniversary celebration.

Author Paulo da Costa, was born in Angola and raised in Portugal. He now lives in Calgary Alberta, where, coincidentally, the Commonwealth Awards presentation will take place at the Glenbow Museum on May 8, 2003. The Scent of a Lie is Paulo da Costa’s first book. The Commonwealth Prize jury sited its ‘wit, humanity and force’ in selecting it for this award.

The Scent of a Lie will now go forward to the final stage of the Commonwealth Writers Prize, joining regional winners from Africa, Eurasia and South East Asia, selected by international juries. A final judging of books by a pan-Commonwealth jury will take place in Calgary from May 4-8th, at which time one of the regional winners will be awarded the overall Best First Book Prize. His ExcellencyJohn Raulston Saul will present the awards at a gala dinner at the Glenbow Museum, Calgary on May 8.

As a Regional winner of the Best First Book Prize, Paulo da Costa receives a cash prize of one thousand UK pounds, with the possibility of addtional prize monies if his book is selected the overall Best First Book. Both Paulo da Costa and Ekstasis Editions publisher, Richard Olafson will attend the Calgary awards ceremonies.

The Commonwealth Writers Prize was established in 1987 to give greater exposure to new Commonwealth fiction. In addition to the Best First Book Award, it also has named Austin Clarke’s The Polished Hoe, in the Best Book category for Canada and the Caribbean region.

For more information on Scent of a Lie, click here.